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

Free Living Life After 50

Small pumpkin patch grows to year round fun farm, introduces tulip festival

Text and Photos

By CARRIE STEINWEG Feature Writer

A farm in Lowell that started out as a simple patch of pumpkins has grown to a large attraction with activities during all seasons. The newest part of the farm is a field of 300,000 tulips that launched in April.

“Harvest Tyme Family Farm officially opened in 2008. At the

beginning, we were a small pumpkin patch offering families a chance to enjoy a simple day on the farm — picking pumpkins, going on hayrides and spending time outdoors,” said owner Josh Sickinger. “We had just a few attractions and one goal: to provide a wholesome, family-friendly experience that would create lasting memories.”

The autumn activities grew to make it one of the largest fall attracContinued on page 2

Harvest Tyme Farm —

‘Making a difference in the lives of young children‘ is goal of Hilltop House assistant director

By CARRIE STEINWEG Feature Writer

The Hilltop Neighborhood House in Valparaiso is a community center that includes a food pantry, soup kitchen, community garden, pantry van, bookmobile, after school care and early childhood education. Stayce Christ serves as assistant director, a position she has held for the past four years. She has been with Hilltop for 11 years and has over four decades of experience in education.

Christ has enjoyed being around children all of her life and her early days of babysitting and later assisting with children’s programs at her church and vacation bible school inspired her to seek a career centered on children. After earning an associate’s degree in early childhood education, she has spent her working days making a difference in the lives of the many infants,

toddlers and young children she has encountered. A help wanted ad that she noticed led her to the doors of Hilltop.

The inspiring teachers that she works with and the joy she gets from being around children are what she calls the best part of her job. “I like knowing that I am making a difference in the lives of young children,” said Christ.

No two days are the same in her position and can include an array of tasks from subbing in classrooms to collecting lesson plans to overseeing teachers’ implementations of plans. “I make calls to fill in spots in child care, do tours and orientations for new families,” she added. “I also orientate new volunteers and train new staff, oversee both the Hunger Relief Program and Food Pantry/Mission Kitchen. I drive the mobile pantry and bookmobile vehicle and maintain the bookmobile.”

Other duties include schedul-

Small pumpkin

Continued from page 1

tions in Northwest Indiana and from there, Sickinger and his crew looked toward expand-

ing summer programs and other programs throughout the year, ordering building supplies and food for child care, food pantry and mission kitchen programs. According to Christ, one of the biggest challenges she faces in her role is “getting all parts of the job responsibilities completed in a timely manner.”

Christ and her husband, Chuck, have been married for 49 years. They have two children and three grandchildren, as well as two rescue dogs that make up their family. When not at work, Christ enjoys gardening, camping and antiquing. She is also a member of the Sunrise Kiwanis Club.

“Early childhood education has been one of the greatest joys of my life,” said Christ. “The children and families that have crossed my path and the teachers I have worked with are forever memories in my heart and mind.”

ing to make the farm a place families could visit outside of pumpkin-picking season. “A lot has changed since those

early days. We’ve expanded to include a wide variety of attractions — giant jumping pillow, a petting zoo, corn mazes, amuse-

ment rides, food concessions and themed photo ops,” said Sickinger. “We also launched themed events like Dino Tyme, Unicorn Tyme, Construction Tyme, Christmas Tyme Lights, and now, Tulip Tyme. Each addition has been focused on enhancing the guest experience and giving families new reasons to return throughout the year.”

Sickinger was impressed by various tulip events across the country and was looking for the right time to add something similar. “Tulips had been on our radar for a while,” he said. “I was inspired by other successful tulip events across the country and I saw an opportunity to bring something vibrant and unique to Northwest Indiana in the spring. I found a company from Idaho last spring that would help us plant the bulbs so we took the leap and planted over 300,000 tulip bulbs. The response from the community was overwhelmingly positive.”

The bright colors of the patches of tulips with a windmill in the background made for some stunning photo opportunities.

“While our first tulip festival was a great success, we

did face some challenges with cold, windy and at times rainy weekend weather, which did limit attendance on certain days. That’s always a risk with an outdoor experience,” he said. “Even so, we welcomed thousands of visitors from across Northwest Indiana, the greater Chicagoland area and beyond, many of whom shared they had driven several hours just to see the tulips. The response was incredibly encouraging and showed us there’s strong demand for spring events like this in the region.”

Even with a slate of activities going on at the farm throughout the year, Sickinger said they’re always looking to add more. “We’re constantly working on new ideas to enhance the farm and bring new experiences to our guests. We’ve got some exciting attractions in development, including more interactive animatronic themed attractions, expanded photo opportunities and a new seasonal festival. Our goal is to keep evolving while staying true to our roots as a family-friendly destination.”

For more information, visit Harvesttymefun.com.

Late day confusion in older adults — it may be “sundowning”

Caregivers want to know — what causes those disruptive behavioral symptoms and personality changes that appear out of nowhere with their loved one?! Why do they always begin in late afternoon or evening — or suddenly in the middle of the night, causing wakefulness when they should be sleeping? For many aging adults, increased agitation, confusion, disorientation and restlessness do, in fact, coincide as natural

light begins to fade into night. The condition is called “sundowning” and families have questions.

“Answers are complex,” explains Kaitlynn Redmon, executive director, Residences at Coffee Creek Senior Living in Chesterton. Sundowning may arise from a variety of reasons. Most likely dementia, especially Alzheimer’s, is the cause. These conditions can create changes

NO DAY IS THE SAME Stayce Christ, assistant director for Hilltop Neighborhood House in Valparaiso, is shown at Hilltop event. She says each day is different for her. Photo provided.

Duneland YMCA top vol defines servant leadership

By STEVE EUVINO Feature Writer

Servant leadership can be defined as a philosophy that emphasizes serving others

the

That’s one way to describe Scott Ness. He was recently named volunteer of the year for the Duneland Family YMCA, but he does plenty more around the community.

However, like so many other people who give of themselves, Ness downplays his role. He’s pretty matter-of-fact about how he utilizes his spare time.

After retiring following 25 years at BP, Ness was searching for something to do. Looking on the local United Way website, he found 25 pages of volunteer possibilities.

“So I decided to pick and choose,” Ness, 78, recalled.

Duneland YMCA has three facilities, and Ness has served at

all three.

“They’re nice people,” Ness explained. “They contribute to the whole community, from little kids to seniors. It runs the gamut.”

A widowed father of two and grandfather of four, Ness has helped in maintenance, which the YMCA needs for its ongoing capital project.

CORPORATE OFFICE

Duneland YMCA is leasing the former Chesterton Middle and High School and converting the space for a healthy living campus. The pool is already in use as classrooms are being repurposed for senior meetings and space for nonprofit and for-profit businesses. A former auto shop class is now an art studio.

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While Ness downplays his role, Felipe Rivera Jr., Duneland YMCA facilities director and maintenance, estimates Ness volunteers 25 hours monthly at the Y.

“He is truly a blessing to have around. He helps with building maintenance, painting, cleaning, moving and setting up furniture. Various outside maintenance duties as well, to include trimming branches, leaf clean up, mulch installation and much more,” Rivera said. “To me, he is more than just a volunteer, he is a good friend.”

for art classes. Ness has worked on a number of rooms in the former school that the YMCA is converting for programs and businesses.

He’s also one busy guy.

Besides being secretary of the Chesterton-Duneland Kiwanis, Ness volunteers with Giant Paw Prints, Shirley Heinze Land Trust, Chesterton Art Center, Meals on Wheels, Memorial Opera House, Calvary Church, Duneland Rebuilds and Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum in North Judson, where the train enthusiast is a car attendant.

Ness helps people prepare

Late day confusion

Continued from page 2

in the part of the brain affecting circadian rhythm — the “ body clock” that regulates sleep/wake signals. Fading light is the apparent trigger causing symptoms to increase during the night and lessen with the dawn.

“Managing sundowning includes a variety of approaches. Our staff is trained to understand that every resident is unique. It’s up to us as caregivers to figure out the reasons for sundowning. We have the time, training, the routines that provide reassurance to those with dementia, nursing staff 24/7 to provide soothing guidance and most importantly, health moni-

toring,” notes Karen Ayresman, executive director, Residences at Deer Creek Senior Living, Schererville.

Family caregivers do not have these same advantages. Entire households become affected by the setting off of pacing, hallucinations, staying awake nights, trying to keep their loved one safe. Burnout is rapid!

Area professionals and other caregivers offer tips coping with sundowning and other cognitive concerns. Find helpful connections for caregivers through our Alzheimer’s and Dementia Support Groups. Check our website: ResidencesSeniorLiving.com for events and blogs.

for U.S. citizenship at Calvary and at Neighbors’ Educational Opportunities in Portage. He is currently working with people from Russia and Afghanistan.

If that’s not enough, Ness helps the Duneland Chamber of Commerce with fundraisers and Reality Store, a program educating school children on budgeting everyday finances. The Duneland Chamber honored Ness as its top volunteer for 2024.

Ness admits he wasn’t expecting the YMCA honor, but helping others has its rewards. He recalled a nail technician from South Vietnam preparing for citizenship. After passing his test, the man wanted to thank Ness, who declined. Nonetheless, the man, his wife, and daughter presented Ness with a steak dinner.

“That made me feel really good,” Ness said.

On another occasion, while working in Chicago for public aid, Ness received a Christmas card from a client, which “meant a lot to me,” he recalled.

Having also served with VISTA in east Tennessee, Ness noted, “I like to give back to the community. Right now, I’m pretty maxed out.”

CLEAN-UP JOB Scott Ness, the Duneland Family YMCA’s volunteer of the year, stands amidst desks, notebooks and textbooks in a classroom in the former Chesterton Middle and High School that the YMCA is converting into space for programs and businesses. Ness volunteers to prepare the rooms for re-purposing.

BACK TO CLASS Scott Ness, the Duneland Famly YMCA’s volunteer of the year, poses in what was an auto shop classroom in the former Chesterton Middle and High School, now used

Stopped dishonest hospital bill

A few months ago, a client brought me a bill that was sent to his wife. Also, he brought me other papers that he knew I would want to examine. The couple is from Griffith.

I compared the papers and phoned the client’s Medicare supplement insurance company to learn what it knew about the bill from a local hospital.

The insurance company never got the claim information from the portion of the bill that was not paid. This happens because the Medicare communication system failed to deliver the claim information to the insurance company. When that happens, important claim information does not get to the insurance company and that part of the claim does not get paid. If no one helps the senior citizen put the pieces back together, the senior will be hounded to pay a claim that really is not owed by the senior.

There are at least three areas of the Medicare claims system where something goes wrong so often that I believe over $1 billion per year is wrongly billed to seniors who pay the wrongful bills. That

happens in each of three areas. So, seniors are being billed $3 billion per year wrongfully

I wrote letters to the hospital to direct their attention to the portions of the Medicare Explanation of Benefits that told them our client owed nothing. The hospital billers ignored my polite letters and pushed for the senior to pay. So, I helped the senior file a complaint with a government office for the bad business behavior of the hospital in northwest Indiana.

Part of our complaint stated, “The latest bill from the hospital (dated 03/12/2025) shows that the hospital has completely ignored all corre-

By WOODROW WILCOX Senior Problem Resolution Officer Senior Care Insurance Services

spondence. It is hounding [our client] to pay a bill that Medicare already ruled that she does not owe. This hounding to pay a bill that is not owed of a senior or any patient is a dishonest and bad business practice.”

On Monday, April 28, the husband of the woman brought me the letter from the government office that showed that the hospital finally dropped the effort to collect the bill. The man thanked me for helping to cancel the bill for $735.29. He said that amount made a lot of difference to his wife and him.

All the help that I gave the client and her husband was free of charge. This insurance

agency helps all our clients with such Medicare related medical bill problems at no charge. It is how we demonstrate that we really do care for our clients. If your insurance agency does not give the same high level of customer service, why don’t you switch to an insurance agency that does? Our agency does.

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 three million dollars by fighting mistakes and fraud in the Medicare system. Also, Wilcox wrote the book “SOLVING MEDICARE PROBLEM$” which can be ordered through book stores or online.

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 rainy-

day 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 sixmonth goal.

Our top social media pages

By DANIEL SUMMER, MA Public Affairs Specialist

Social Security Administration

We strive to provide the public with accurate and helpful information. In addition to the resources available on our website at ssa.gov, we post useful information on our social media channels. We invite you to learn about our programs and services on our social media pages:

Our Social Security Blog

Here we post articles about our program, current events, and online services. We respond to general questions and comments people share. You can read our articles and subscribe at blog.ssa.gov. Our blog is now available in Spanish at blog.ssa.gov/es. Facebook — facebook.com/

socialsecurity. Facebook is our primary page for sharing information about our programs and services with our vast network of followers and advocacy groups.

Administración del Seguro Social — facebook. com/segurosocial. Our Spanish Facebook page shares information about our programs and services.

X — x.com/socialsecurity. @ SocialSecurity is our official account. This page to provide timely information and updates about our programs and services with our followers and advocacy groups.

Seguro Social — x.com/ segurosocial. On this page we share information about our programs and services in Spanish.

Instagram — instagram.

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com/SocialSecurity. On this page we share stories and resources that can help you and your loved ones.

YouTube — youtube.com/ SocialSecurity. We have many informative videos on this page. Our videos cover online services, applying for retirement and disability benefits, Social Security-related scams, and much more. We also offer some of our videos in Spanish and other languages.

You can find a full list of our social media channels at ssa. gov/socialmedia. Connect with us on social media to learn helpful information and ask general questions. But remember, you should never post personal information on social media. Follow along and share our pages with friends, neighbors, or loved ones today.

Legacy

Foundation launches $600,000 Lake County Resilience Grant over 2 years

In response to recent federal and state funding reductions affecting services in Lake County, Legacy Foundation will commit up to $600,000 in additional funding over the next two years to help stabilize local nonprofits facing financial shortfalls.

This funding initiative is part of the foundation’s broader strategy to strengthen area nonprofits and the communities they serve.

“Nonprofits are the heart of our community, and many are now facing serious challenges after sudden and unexpected funding losses,” said Kelly Anoe, president and CEO of Legacy Foundation. “This grant is intended to help stabilize these vital organizations, ensuring they continue providing critical services for individuals and families in

Lake County.”

In addition to direct funding, Legacy is committed to offering technical assistance, organizational capacity-building training and peer learning networks. The foundation will also use its platform to amplify nonprofit stories and increase their visibility, while providing strategic support for partnership development.

This grant initiative is made possible in part by generous donors and Legacy Foundation’s Lake County Forever campaign. Thanks to a matching grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., every dollar donated by June 2025 will be tripled, allowing Legacy Foundation to provide critical funding during times like this — when it is needed most.

Eligible nonprofits may apply for support through

the Lake County Resilience Grant to address both programmatic and operational needs. Funding requests may cover up to 25% of a nonprofit’s documented loss, with a maximum of $40,000 per recipient within a 12-month period.

To qualify, applicants must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving residents of Lake County, and provide documentation of financial loss directly resulting from federal or state contract terminations or funding reductions.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until all funds are distributed. Complete eligibility requirements, along with the application, can be found at legacyfdn.org/ apply.

Bass Open Tournament returns to the South Shore

Presented by Horseshoe Casino Hammond

Anglers from across the region will hit the waters of Lake Michigan this summer for the second annual South Shore

Bass Open, taking place Aug. 2-3 at the Hammond Marina. Presented by Horseshoe Casino Hammond, this exciting new tournament will have teams fishing the Indiana and Illinois stretches of Lake Michigan

and its tributaries in pursuit of trophy smallmouth and largemouth bass.

“We’re thrilled to host the South Shore Bass Open alongside Hammond firefighter Dennis Banik,” said Jimmy

Copy documents to cope with crisis

By CECIL SCAGLIONE

Mature Life Features

When disaster strikes, you’re going to need vital documents to file insurance claims, renew your driver’s license, and reestablish lines of credit as well as replace destroyed credit cards.

It can be a flood, hurricane, earthquake or electrical malfunction that damages or destroys your home.

If you don’t have a kit prepared already to help you recoup from any such emergency, start putting one together now. Begin with your birth certificate. And your Social Security and Medicare identity cards, driver’s license and passport.

Make a copy of everything. You can store the original documents and records in a secure place, such as a safety deposit box, and one copy can be kept at home and another given to a member of your family for safekeeping.

Modern technology allows you to keep a copy in the internet cloud or you can make copies on several computer thumb drives.

Now take an inventory of everything on the property, from the linoleum on your floor to the lawn mower out in the garage. Take a photo of everything. Use you cell phone or get yourself a camera. When everything has been copied in your phone, you can download it all into a couple of thumb drives that you can store in handy and safe places.

Log the serial numbers of your stove, fridge, television set, computer, wrist watch and anything else you think of as you compile your data. If you’ve been assiduous enough to keep the manuals, warranty material and receipts that came with

Immunize before traveling

By CECIL SCAGLIONE Mature Life Features

Even before the coronavirus disrupted life on earth, health agencies here and in other nations had lists of immunizations required if you planned to see their sites.

Before traveling anywhere these days, make sure you know all the medical requirements for the places you’re visiting as well as local regulations governing what happens when you return home.

your purchases, gather those and copy pertinent pages. As you make major purchases, copy those papers to keep your inventory updated.

You might want to have expensive heirlooms, jewelry, art and antiques appraised after you photograph them.

While you take photographs of your goods, take pictures of the interior and exterior of your home to record its condition.

Now review what you have and make sure your emergency package includes all your insurance policies and, if possible,

the contact information for the agents who sold them to you. You also need the title, deeds and ownership papers for your home and automobile along with any mortgage papers.

Also valuable are the originals and copies of your estate plan, will, and power-of-attorney documents.

All this becomes vital in the aftermath of a disaster to prove your ownership because crooks feed on such chaotic conditions to rush in and make claims that you might have to disprove.

Nelson, director of Sports for the South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority. “This event not only highlights Lake Michigan’s world-class fishing but also brings families and communities together for a fun, competitive weekend outdoors. We can’t wait to welcome anglers and spectators alike.”

Tournament entry fee is $450 per team from June 1 to July 28. CalSag and Big Lake Bass Members get an additional $50 off per team entry.

The tournament kicks off on Friday, Aug. 1 with a mandatory pre-tournament meeting and a hospitality reception at Horseshoe Casino Hammond. On Saturday morning, teams will launch from Hammond Marina to begin their two-day quest, with live weigh-ins on both Saturday and Sunday. Top prize is $10,000, awarded to the team with the best total two-day catch (five fish per day). Additional prizes will

be given for the largest bass caught each day and the heaviest overall five-fish limit.

Tournament organizer Dennis Banik shared his excitement: “We’re proud to bring this event back for a second year with support from Horseshoe Casino, the South Shore CVA, and the Hammond Marina. During the tournament, teams and spectators can enjoy more than just fishing — food and drink vendors, a live DJ, kids’ games, boat displays, vendor booths and more will be available throughout the weekend. Bring the whole family for a great time on the lakeshore and watch some of the Midwest’s best anglers bring in their catches.”

For more information and full event details, visit southshorebass.com. Questions? Contact Tournament Organizer Dennis Banik at (219) 5122924 or southshorebassopen@ gmail.com.

Mature Life Features Copyright

of the boy’s cross country team in the fall. He has coached at CHS since 2000.

Running coach wants boys to reach their potential

Text and Photos

By STEVE EUVINO Feature Writer

Tom Moeller was at a middle school track meet in May, joined by a former coaching colleague and two of Moeller’s former runners who have since become coaches. The foursome found time to reminisce.

“It’s nice to think you had some impact on their lives,” Moeller said of his former athletes.

This fall, Moeller will begin his third season as head boys’ cross country coach at Chesterton High School. He also serves as assistant boys’ track coach at

CHS for distance runners, most of whom he coaches in cross country.

A lifelong runner who ran for the Trojans, Moeller recalls the 2009 cross country season, which saw CHS take second at state to Columbus North.

“That was a really good time,” Moeller, 73, recalled, adding, “there was the whole drama of the season — people getting hurt, sickness, athletes juggling issues. With so many distractions, things eventually turned out right and we took second.”

Then an assistant coach, Moeller said he learned plenty from that season.

“Things have to go just right for you,” he said. “Reaching state is a rare thing and you value it. You don’t undersell it. It’s incredible when everything works out.”

A 1970 CHS graduate, Moeller was on the Trojan c-c squad that finished third at state. His teammate was state champ Steve Wynder, who allowed Moeller to run with him “as long as I could keep up.”

A retired mental health counselor, Wynder continues to run. He has competed in 40-50 marathons, including Boston, Chicago and New York.

A grandfather of two, Moeller said he enjoys “getting to hang

out with young people” through coaching. “They accept me as a member of the guys.”

Measuring success, the coach noted, is different with different athletes.

“A kid who reaches his potential considers himself a success,” Moeller explained. “Some kids set their own goals. Not everyone is blessed with the same talents. You can’t just go from slow to fast.”

This past cross country season, CHS made it to the regional, sending one runner to state.

“Our goal is to try to get to state,” Moeller said. “We do everything we can to get there.”

The active runner tries to model consistency for athletes, but he admits consistency is not always easy, especially as young people try to juggle academics, sports, school clubs and other activities.

Moeller understands these extracurriculars. Although he considers these activities as a valid excuse for missing practice, he tries to remind runners, “Get every chance you have to run for at least a half hour. Make it part of your daily routine.”

Moeller and his wife, Cathy, have one daughter, who has joined her father on half-marathons.

Motivating young runners, Moeller added, is different for each individual. Some, he said, are motivated by becoming faster.

“Just go out and run,” the coach noted. “Sounds simple but it’s complicated, trying to make running a priority.”

By CECIL SCAGLIONE Mature Life Features

Caregivers, especially those unpaid individuals who take on the responsibility of caring for a family member or friend, have to be a bit selfish to be dependable and reliable over the long haul. They have to take care of themselves first so they can keep on taking care of others. Disease and depression can break up the time that should be devoted to their charges, be it aging parents or disabled children.

If you’re a caregiver, it’s important to curb burnout so you can handle the finances, deepening depression, short temper, demands and irritating habits of the person you’ve taken charge of. So take a walk. Get out in the fresh air in the nearby park. Or stroll around the block. Combine exercise with relaxation so you can han-

Some people believe distance runners are a very cerebral group, and Moeller admits he is prejudiced on the issue.

“Cross country is a different mind tweak,” the coach said. “Smart kids get into cross country. They understand how to prepare.”

dle the expected, and unexpected, trials and tribulations you face every day.

And don’t feel guilty for taking this time out. In fact, set aside some more time to enjoy yourself. Find somewhere to kaffeeklatsch with old friends. Read a book out in the backyard or soak yourself in a warm bath. Share a sandwich with family members you haven’t visited for a while. Or go visit the grandchild you haven’t seen for awhile.

Become an expert in your area of caregiving. If your aging parent is losing chunks of memory, contact the local Alzheimer’s support group and learn what to expect and how to cope.

There are non-profit organizations that can help you deal with an array of disabilities and disease as well as dementia.

Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. It helps make you stronger in your ability to care for your loved ones.

ON TRACK FOR SUCCESS — Tom Moeller stands on the track at Chesterton High School, where this spring he is assistant coach for the Trojan distance runners. Moeller, a lifelong runner, has participated in 40-50 marathons.

HOME FIELD FOR TROJAN TRACK — Tom Moeller stands outside the track and football field at Chesterton High School. Moeller assists in coaching the boy’s distance runners in the spring and is head coach

A Healthy Lifestyle as You Age

Healthy R Reminders for A Adults o over 5 50!

1. Take Your Medication as Directed

All medications, whether over-the-counter or prescribed, include directions for safe use. Be sure to follow all printed guidelines and the advice of your doctor to ensure that the medicine works safely and effectively.

2. Don’t Overdo It

Using alcohol and medications unintentionally or to cope with big life changes is called substance misuse. Help can begin with diagnosis, addressing chronic health issues, rebuilding support systems and starting treatment.

3. Check in with Your Mood

Feeling persistently sad or that you don’t have value can indicate depression, especially when these feelings affect your daily routine. Depression can be treated with talk therapy and/or medication. You can also lower the risk of depression when you prepare for major life changes, stay physically active, and share how you are feeling with family or friends.

4. Find Purpose Each Day

Feeling that your life has purpose is a key to fulfillment. It can impact your health positively, and may also slow down aging and increase longevity. Make choices and plan activities based on what is enjoyable, interesting, and important to you.

Learn More When You...

• Talk with your healthcare provider. Bring your questions about healthy aging.

•

Dining/Leisure/Entertainment

NEW GUIDE AVAILABLE The 2025-26 South Shore Area Guide is available. This all-in-one handbook will assist residents and visitors to all the South Shore Area has to offer. Be sure to stop in the Indiana Welcome Center in Hammond to pick up your copy. Photo provided by the South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority.

New South Shore Area Guide Drops –Stop in Welcome Center and receive a free swag bag

Lake County residents and beyond, summer just got a major upgrade! The South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority is thrilled to announce the release of the 20252026 South Shore Area Guide — your all-in-one handbook to unforgettable staycations, hidden gems, and can’t-miss attractions throughout Northwest Indiana.

Packed with insider tips, destination highlights and up-to-date events, the Area Guide is the ultimate companion for exploring all that northwest Indiana and beyond have to offer — from scenic lakefronts and local breweries to family-friendly attractions and cultural hotspots, there’s something for everyone!

Stop in the Indiana Welcome Center at 7770 Corinne Drive, Hammond to pick up your copy of the new guide. The first 50 visitors to grab a guide and sign up for the newsletter will receive a swag bag and will be entered to win a VIP Gary Air Show package! One bag per

family while supplies last.

The VIP experience includes overnight accommodations to the highly anticipated Gary Air Show, featuring the USAF Thunderbirds on Aug. 9-10, VIP parking at the show, food vouchers, two air show t-shirts and a swag bag loaded with local goodies.

“Our area is bursting with things to see and do, and the 2025-2026 Along the South Shore Area Guide makes it easy for residents to rediscover what’s in their own backyard,” said Phil Taillon, SSCVA president and CEO. “Whether you’re planning a weekend adventure or looking for ways to keep the kids entertained this summer, this guide has something for everyone.”

Don’t miss the chance to explore like a local, win big and make the most of every season, right here in Northwest Indiana! For more details or to request the new Area Guide online, visit southshorecva. com/plan-your-visit/request-information/.

The loony ‘bin’ cycle

“No,” I said to my wife. “They can’t do that again. It will completely mess us up.”

NUTSHELL

By DICK WOLFSIE

She knew I was correct. The city was changing the pickup day for recycling. It was going from Monday to Tuesday. Every other Tuesday. It didn’t take long for us to get confused.

“Is this the day we put out the recycling?” I asked Mary Ellen.

“I think it’s the right day. It may not be the right week.”

“We put it out last week, but they didn’t pick it up, so it must be this week.”

“But I think we put it out too late and we simply missed the truck,” said Mary Ellen. “Well, does anyone else have their recycle bin out?”

“Yes, Paul has his out,” I said.

“You can’t go by him. Paul still puts it out every Monday. He didn’t get the memo. He’s the cause of the confusion every week.”

“Wait, Eric is putting his out now. I’m going to put ours out, too.”

Eric called to me as I wheeled our recycling dumpsters out of the garage. “Dick, is this the correct Monday for the recycling?”

“No, it’s Tuesday since they made the change. But now I see Paul putting his out. Paul is a retired fireman. He knows how to put things out.”

“Paul, are you sure this is the week for recycling?”

“I don’t think it is, Dick, but I saw you guys putting yours out, and I figured you must know what you’re doing.”

Suddenly, about three garage doors opened and Maurizio, Susan and Dave all put their recycling containers at the curb. The next thing we knew, all the neighbors had their yellow-lidded receptacles in their driveways.

Mary Ellen and I began to think about this.

“If this is the wrong week, everyone will blame us,” she said. “But I think we should blame it

on Paul.”

We decided not to mess with the situation. We knew we had the correct day. But was it the right week? Tuesday at about 4 p.m. the bins were still sitting untouched, so I watched everyone haul their recyclables back into their garages. There were a lot of people talking trash about the Wolfsies.

The next morning was Wednesday and about 11 a.m. I headed outside to the mailbox. Just as I was putting the red flag up, Rays Recycling came from around the corner.

“NO, NO!” I screamed. “Not on a Wednesday.” Then I remembered that Monday was a holiday, so everything was delayed a day.

I dragged my bin to the curb. The huge arms extended from the sides of the truck, clutching the container and emptying the contents.

I felt guilty that I had messed up everyone on the block, so I organized a neighborhood meeting the next day. We created a recycling schedule for the next 20 years and emailed the spreadsheet with detailed information about what you should recycle and what you shouldn’t and we added a friendly reminder to all about which side of the bin should point toward the street.

The whole thing was educational, but I agree with Kermit the Frog. It’s not easy being green.

Meals on Wheels of Northwest Indiana integrates VNA program, expands services

Meals on Wheels of Northwest Indiana and VNA Hospice Meals on Wheels of Porter County have formed a collaboration to enhance and expand services for seniors.

Effective June 2, Meals on Wheels of Northwest Indiana will assume the operations of the meal preparation and delivery for clients previously served by VNA Meals on Wheels. Clients will experience a seamless transition with the same volunteer delivery drivers, consistent service, enhanced support and broader resources.

“This is a tremendous opportunity to deepen our impact in Valparaiso and beyond,” said Ryan Elinkowski, CEO of Meals on Wheels of Northwest Indiana. “We’re honored to continue the meaningful

Dining

work started by VNA and to bring together two for-purpose organizations to build on a strong foundation of care and service.”

The collaboration strengthens operations and unites efforts to serve homebound individuals with efficiency and care.

“Our shared vision made this transition a natural next step and we are privileged to offer high quality aging care to even more seniors,” said Robert Franko, CEO of VNA of Northwest Indiana. “We trust Meals on Wheels of Northwest Indiana to carry this mission forward with excellence.”

To learn more, volunteer, or support the program, visit mownwi.org or contact Melissa Huffman at melissa@mownwi. org.

with diabetes

Purdue Extension Lake County will be offering Dining with Diabetes sessions from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. or 1:30-3 p.m. Tuesdays, July 8-29, at the Purdue Extension office located in Crown Point.

Dining with Diabetes consists of four sessions and a reunion. Adults with Type 2 diabetes (or who are at risk) are invited to participate. Family members, caregivers and support persons, too. Thanks to a generous grant from Lake County Indiana Health Department there is no cost to Lake County residents. Participants are encouraged to attend all class sessions.

Dining with Diabetes is

taught by Linda Curley, Health and Human Sciences Educator. The program includes:

• Planning meals and snacks with delicious and healthy recipes.

• Cooking demonstrations and food sampling.

• Motivation and support — connect with others who are living with diabetes.

• Ideas for being more active.

• An understanding of how diabetes affects your overall health.

To register for this program, call Purdue Extension at (219) 755-3240 or email dmcook@purdue.edu. Dining with Diabetes is offered statewide and is sponsored by Purdue Extension.

ACROSS

1. Molten rock in earth’s crust

6. Scarlett Johansson’s 2013 voice only role

9. Jezebel’s idol

13. Not silently

14. Pro vote

15. Italian bowling

16. Proclaimed as true without proof

17. Rob Manfred’s org.

18. Savory taste sensation

19. *Tom Cruise’s 1986 blockbuster

21. *It featured the song “What Was I Made For?”

23. Wrath, e.g.

24. Milton Bradley’s “The Game of ____”

25. General Post Office

28. A woodwind

30. Group of trained professionals, pl.

35. Icy precipitation

37. Concert units

39. Charles Dickens’ Heep

40. Scandinavian capital

41. Rebroadcasted

43. Khrushchev’s domain, acr.

44. *What the gang did in 1988’s “A Fish Called Wanda”

46. Exploding star

47. Clarified butter

48. Airport surface

50. Highway hauler

52. Breed

53. Miss Muffet’s repast

55. Not flow

57. *Tim Burton’s 1989 and 1992 title character

60. *It featured

Brain Boosters

Grilled Peppers & Onions

the song “Summer Lovin’”

63. Popular fashion magazine

64. Road in Rome

66. Comment to the audience

68. Deposit the ashes

69. Giant Hall-ofFamer Mel ____

70. Canine skin infection

71. Humble and docile

72. Name badges, acr.

73. Streamlined DOWN

1. Bonkers

2. Sir Mix-____-

3. Kind of boots in the ‘60s

4. One M in MMR vaccine

5. Slowly and gracefully, in music

6. Mass number

7. Snake-like reef dweller

8. Teacher of Torah

9. *”Oppenheimer” subject

10. Popular smoothie berry

11. Pinnacle

12. Hula dancer’s necklace

15. B in FBI

20. Open up

22. Half of NFL

24. a.k.a. Hansen’s disease

25. *1990 Swayze/ Moore blockbuster

26. Trattoria staple

27. Petroleum tanker

29. *It premiered in the U.K. on 6/6/76, with The

31. Chemical cure

32. Revered Hindu SUMMER BLOCKBUSTERS

33. Drawing support

34. *2001 blockbuster ogre

36. Type of rich soil

38. “Keep this information” button

42. Name-chooser

45. Wyatt Earp and such

49. Cuban dance syllable

51. Letter-resembling supports

54. End of a poem

56. Primary

57. Like certain china

58. Malaria symptom

59. Ankara native 60. Gangster’s pistols 61. Cosine’s

Grilled peppers and onions sweeten up and are perfectly tender off the grill. A simple red-wine vinaigrette drizzled over the top helps to brighten up the dish and enhance the flavors.

6 servings; Active 10 min.; Total Time 20 min.

INGREDIENTS:

3 multicolored bell peppers, seeded and quartered lengthwise

2 medium yellow onions, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices

2-1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

Canola oil for grill

1-1/2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar

Torn fresh basil leaves for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat grill to medium-high (400-450°F). Brush bell peppers and onions with 1 tablespoon olive oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Oil the grill grates by partially soaking a few paper towels in canola oil and using tongs to quickly wipe the grates. Place the vegetables on the oiled grates; grill, covered, until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a serving platter.

Whisk vinegar and remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil in a small bowl. Drizzle over the grilled vegetables. Garnish with basil, if desired.

Valparaiso man’s faith holds strong through loss, inspires nonprofit

By CARRIE STEINWEG Feature Writer

Ben Polhemus of Valparaiso has always relied heavily on his faith. Not only is it present in his everyday work at Liberty Bible Church in Valparaiso, where he is in charge of local outreach, but it has also guided him through challenging personal times.

“I believe that my faith shapes decisions and responses to situations that come up in life. One of the more defining moments was through the passing of my son,” he said. “My faith has been tested when things don’t go the way I want or expect. Tragedy is the biggest way I have experienced this. It’s not clichés that got me through, but between those friends from our faith community and many scriptures that reminded me of God’s closeness to the broken-hearted.”

His son, Kyle, was born in 2000 and diagnosed with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy in February of 2003. He started

using a wheelchair at age 11.

“In the last nine months of his life he was in a hospital bed in our living room,” said Polhemus. “We made the decision to invite others in daily. On good days Kyle would wake up and ask, ‘who is visiting today?’ We had worship leaders from various churches play music, people prayed but most of all people were encouraged by Kyle.”

Kyle passed away at age 19.

After their loss, Polhemus and his family started a nonprofit honoring his son called “Kyle’s Legacy” to support families affected by disability. Through the organization, Kyle’s inspiring spirit lives on and touches so many others.

“Kyle would complain about things like the TV being on the wrong channel or small mundane life occurrences, but never about life being unfair or the big issues of health,” his father said.

“Kyle’s Legacy is a nonprofit started in my son’s honor. We serve those with disabilities and families affected by them,” he

said. “We support families, build friendships in our community and push everyone forward through opportunities. One of of our favorite things to do is developing relationships with the Notre Dame Hockey and Football players.”

Polhemus has worked as a pastor and hospice chaplain and has been a member of Liberty Bible Church for the past 18 years. He loves his job there, which has led to some rewarding projects — everything from clothing giveaways to teaching in prison. Being part of the church has “led to involvement in the community and the many people over the years who have modeled being generous and kind to those in our region,” he said.

“Between my faith and the people we have met through my son Kyle, it has pushed me to be much more selfless person,” he said.

He and his wife, Jill, also have a daughter, Ellyse, and son, Ayden.

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, whiskbroom 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 shoot-em-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.

Friends help when friends pass away

By CECIL SCAGLIONE

Mature Life Features

Having a coffee or chat with a friend will help assuage your grief when another friend dies. Reviewing old times with someone will help soften the blow after a pal has passed away.

Grief counselors suggest you concentrate on the good times you had with the deceased to lighten the load of grieving. It also helps to write down some of

those memories and send them to members of the dead person’s family along with your expressions of sympathy. There are a couple of don’ts: don’t try to forget them and don’t feel guilty.

Thinking of how you might have visited more often or made a few more phone calls or sent a couple more emails only fuels your grief. So does trying to shut out the times you spent together.

No need to read a mind

By JIM CARPENTER Guest Writer

As a young child, he read the comics.

From Superman, the Hulk, the Flash.

He even invented his own super power.

He thought it could make him some cash.

This super power that he made up, was about someone who could read minds.

He thought how cool that might be.

It seemed a neat power to find.

You would know just what a person was thinking.

What they had done or what they might do.

Even to know what they had for lunch.

Or a crisis they were going through.

To know what might be on their mind.

Their innermost thoughts revealed.

What a power that would be.

At just the thought, the boy was thrilled.

The years went by and the child grew.

His superpower interest diminished.

And now with the advent of social tech, his desire to read minds is finished.

HONORING HIS SON Ben Polhemus serves as an outreach director at Liberty Bible Church in Valparaiso. He and his family started the nonprofit organization Kyle’s Legacy after their son, Kyle, who had Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, died at age 19. Photo by Carrie Steinweg.

70s Flashback —

Sweat was in Big Red’s shadow

Not all rewards involve money.

Edward “Shorty”

By RANDAL C. HILL

Sweat was born in Holly Hill, S. C. in 1939. As one of nine children of a sharecropper, he grew up in a cinder-block house with no running water and a small woodstove to ward off winter’s chill. With only a sixth-grade education, he seemed destined to be picking cotton and tobacco during the years that lay ahead.

Fortunately for him, Holly Hill was also where U. S. Racing Hall of Fame trainer Lucien Laurin maintained a Thoroughbred horse farm. In 1957, Lauren offered Shorty a job after seeing the 18-year-old studying the animals through a fence surrounding the property. Sweat went to work as a fulltime groom for Lucien’s stable of racehorses, in return for a small salary and a promise of 1% of the horses’ eventual winnings.

Eventually, Sweat became the farm’s most trusted and valued groom. He drew especially close to the giant stallion Secretariat, who Sweat and the others called “Big Red.”

Shorty once told a reporter, “I guess a groom gets closer to a horse than anyone. The owner, the trainer, they maybe see him once a day. But I lived with Secretariat.” To monitor the great horse’s moods and cycles, Eddie

often slept on a cot outside the beautiful stallion’s stall.

In 1973, Big Red became the first racehorse since 1948 to win the Triple Crown. His record-shattering victory at Belmont — he won by 31 lengths — is often considered the greatest race ever run by any Thoroughbred racehorse.

Ebony and Jet magazines featured Eddie Sweat stories and photos, while Secretariat graced the covers of Time, Newsweek and Sports Illustrated. An instant legend, Big Red was retired and lined up for what would amount to 16 years of stud service worth $6 million (about $45 million now). No stallion on the planet was worth more.

The magnificent beast would eventually sire 663 foals, including 59 racing winners that brought in $29 million on racetracks throughout North America. In 1999, Secretariat became the first Thoroughbred to be featured on a U. S. postage stamp.

No one in the horseracing world understands these sublime creatures better than a focused, caring groom —and no one gets less credit. Although Shorty could be considered a sort of human security blanket to the champion animal, Secretariat’s owners treated Eddie as a racetrack gypsy, continuing to dole out low wages and consigning him to a migrant worker’s life. Sweat, though, never grumbled about the hours worked, the money earned, or the sacrifices of his time away from his wife and children.

Seeing is relieving

By CECIL SCAGLIONE

Mature Life Features

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

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

Everyone around the table was taken aback and asked him why he was wearing sunglasses in winter. He had to explain that sunglasses don’t keep you cool in the heat of summer. They protect your eyes from the sun’s ultra violet rays that can damage your eyes. And help cut down the glare dancing off the season’s snow.

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

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

They suggest you start with a good pair of walking shoes

Shorty died in 1998 at age 58. Some track folks showed up at his funeral —mainly exercise riders and training-center staff — but no owners or trainers came. Eddie left his family two acres of land. The 1% of the promised race winnings—about $13,000 — never materialized.

Eddie Sweat always took great pride in his association with perhaps the greatest racehorse of all time: “I guess you could say I was his main man.”

HORSE GROOMER FOR SECRETARIAT Eddie Sweat grew close to the giant stallion Secretariat, who he and others called “Big Red.” Photo from Facebook.

to get out for walks since even regular moderate exercise slows the development of glaucoma and cataracts as well as such sight-robbing diseases as diabetes and high blood pressure. Keep a pair of sunglasses right beside the shoes so you wear them when you head out the door.

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

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

When you get back home, check the lighting in all parts of the house and yard. Both harsh lighting and poor lighting can give you headaches.

So can improper positioning of your television set and computer screen. Too high, low, close or far can also cause headaches as well as erode the health of our eyes. A good pair of readers will help for computer work by reducing eyestrain.

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

More Hoosiers facing Alzheimer’s diagnoses as caregiver costs rise

By TERRI DEE Indiana News Service

A new study showed costs are rising for caring for Hoosiers with Alzheimer’s disease and forms of dementia.

The report indicated nearly 122,000 residents age 65 and older are living with the health conditions. This year’s Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures report showed Indiana has 219,000 unpaid family caregivers, who cost the state almost $7 billion annually.

Natalie Sutton, executive director of the Greater Indiana chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association, said knowing the difference between the two disorders is important for an accurate diagnosis.

“Dementia is an umbrella term that represents a set of symptoms that are known with cognitive impairment, memory loss, and ultimately an impact on activities of daily living,” Sutton explained. “Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disease that is the most significant cause of someone developing dementia,

or those symptoms that we know.”

The timing of a diagnosis can influence the quality of life for someone with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia symptoms, which can be present in the brain for years prior to detection. Alzheimer’s and dementia are unique and personal illnesses, Sutton pointed out, so the frequency and type of care provided should be tailored to a patient’s needs.

Forgetting what day it is or misplacing routinely used items are often mistaken for general age-related changes instead of Alzheimer’s or dementia. The report found almost four of five Americans would want to know if they have the disease before symptoms surface due to concerns over how a diagnosis could affect daily activities. Sutton noted science is addressing the concerns.

“We can detect and diagnose Alzheimer’s with biomarkers like imaging and cerebral spinal fluid, and there are blood tests now that are being used in research settings that are proven to be highly effective,”

Sutton outlined. In 2024, Indiana passed a bill requiring insurance companies to cover biomarker

testing. Sutton added two Food and Drug Administration-approved treatments to slow the progression of Alzheimer’s are covered by most insurance companies and Medicare. A 24/7 resource helpline is

Summer tan can be destructive

By CECIL SCAGLIONE

Mature Life Features

Summertime: While the living might be easy, it can be hard on your skin.

Stretching out beside the pool, heading to the beach, donning shorts and tank tops, and cavorting with the kids out in the park all damage your skin and increase your chances of getting skin cancer, the most common form of cancer in this country.

More than 3 million people — young and old — are treated every year for two types of skin cancer, basal cell and squamous cell carcinoma, which are rarely life-threatening.

Melanoma, a more serious form of skin cancer, is diag-

nosed in more than 100,000 people a year.

Overexposure to the sun at any time of year wrinkles your skin and makes it less elastic. What a lot of people are unaware of is that the sun’s ultra violet rays still are damaging on cloudy days.

The best way to protect your skin and prevent cancer is to limit your time in the sun. When outdoors, head for shady spots out of direct sunlight. Look for those same spots on cloudy, overcast days. Use sunscreen. A neighbor long ago learned that her dermatologist dabbed on sunscreen every morning to protect her skin from sun damage. The higher the SPF number on the label, the better. Wear sunglasses, the kind

that wrap around the side of your head, to protect your eyes from sun damage.

While skimpy clothing may appear attractive and comfortable, they expose your skin to sunlight, so wear long sleeves and slacks, and a hat or cap with a brim.

You might notice that folks

in some countries carry an umbrella to shield them from the sun. It’s called a parasol, which can be translated literally in some tongues as “for the sun.”

Sunbathing is out, even under tanning beds in salons because they damage the skin with ultra violet rays the same

way the sun does.

Contrary to how we view a buff and bronze body, there’s no such thing as a healthy suntan.

If you spot a strange freckle or spot appearing anywhere on your skin, visit your family doctor immediately.

Team exercise boosts health

By CECIL SCAGLIONE Mature Life Features

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

There are many such opportunities for seniors that cover an array of physically demand-

ing levels.

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

In between competitions, you can do squats and leg lifts to help maintain your strength,

balance and flexibility so you can be ready to head out and have fun.

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

SIGNS OF ALZHEIMER’S Memory, language, and thinking problems are the first symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, followed by changes in a patient’s personality or behavior, such as apathy, confusion and increased suspicion and fear. Photo from Adobe Stock.

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Anthony 203 Franciscan Drive. Crown Point, IN 46307 (219) 661-5100

MajesticCare.com

Assisted Living, Private Rooms, Memory Care, Skilled Nursing, Long Term Care, Respite Care, Rehabilitation Services (including Physical, Occupational, Speech and Respiratory Therapy), Pet Visitation, Accepts Most Payer Sources. *Saint Anthony is no longer affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church, the Diocese of Gary or the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago.

Saint

What’s happening at your local library

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

Cedar Lake 10010 W. 133rd Ave.

Crochet @ Your Library, 4:306:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 4, 11, 18, 25.

Book Discussion, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 18.

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

Dyer-Schererville

1001 W. Lincoln Highway (US 30)

Be Heart Smart Series, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 3, 10, 17, 24.

Crafters Gathering, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, June 5, 19.

All Ability: Glow in the Dark Painting, 6-7 p.m. Tuesday, June 10.

Short Film Screenwriting Workshop, 6-8 p.m. Thursday, June 12.

Mahjong Open Play, 1-4 p.m. Friday, June 13, 27.

Morning Mix, 10 a.m. to noon. Friday, June 20.

New Parent & Caregiver

Meet Up, 11 a.m. to noon Tuesday, June 24.

Between the Lines Book Discussion, 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, June 26.

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, June 5, 12, 19, 26.

Mystery Loves Company

Book Discussion, 1-2 p.m. Monday, June 9.

All Ability: Painting Rocks, 6-7 p.m. Monday, June 16.

All Ability: Summer Bingo, 11

a.m. to noon Tuesday, June 17.

AARP Smart Driving Course, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 24

Book Buddies, 4-5:30 p.m. Monday, June 30.

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

Highland 2841 Jewett St. Once Upon a Crime Mystery Book Club, 3-4 p.m. Thursday, June 5.

All Ability: Painted Canvases, 6-7 p.m. Wednesday, June 11.

Diamond Painting, 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, June 18.

Fact or Fiction Book Club, 3-4 p.m. Tuesday, June 24.

Tech Class: Internet Basics, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Thursday, June 26.

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

Hobart

100 Main St.

Stitch’n Time. 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, June 7.

Adults Get Crafty: Decoden, 5:30-7 p.m. Monday, June 9.

Paint’n Time, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 10, 24.

AARP Driver Safety, 11 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Thursday, June 12.

Hobart Book Chat, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 17.

Whodunit? Adult Mystery Club, 6-8 p.m. Monday, June 23. Registration required for all programs: visit lcplin.org/ branches/ho.htm or call (219) 942-2243.

Lake Station

2007 Central Ave.

Nutrition Education Program, 3-4 p.m. Tuesday, June 3, 10, 17, 24.

LEGO Night for Grown Ups, 6-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 4.

Musical Performance by Joe Rauen, 2-3 p.m. Saturday, June 7.

60 Second Challenge, 2-3 p.m. Monday, June 9, 23.

Tuesday Time Out, 2-3 p.m. Tuesday, June 10.

Arts & Crafts for Adults: Color Our Canvas Bag, 6-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 11.

Hobby Hour, 2-4 p.m. Thursday, June 12.

Knitting & Crochet Club, 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 21. Craft and Chat, 1-3 p.m. Saturday, June 21.

Grown Up Game Night,

ADULT DAY SERVICES

ST. AGNES ADULT DAY SVC. CENTER

Specializing in Alzheimer’s Care

1859 Harrison Blvd.

Valparaiso, IN 46385 (219) 477-5433

www.stagnesvalpo.org

Email: barbkubiszak@gmail.com

Monday-Friday 8-5 p.m.

6-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 25.

Reading Hour, 2-3 p.m. Thursday, June 26.

Bingo at the Library!, 3-4 p.m. Saturday, June 28.

Family Game Day, 2-3:30 p.m. Monday, June 30.

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

Merrillville 1919 W. 81st Ave. (US 30)

Citizenship Class, 10:3011:30 a.m. June 2, 4, 9, 11, 16, 18.

Nutrition Education Program, 11 a.m. to noon Monday, June 2, 9, 16.

English as a Second Language, 6-8 p.m. June 2, 5, 9, 12, 16, 19, 23, 26

Caregivers and Coffee Hour, 11 a.m. to noon June 3, 11, 17, 25.

Be Heart Smart Program, 10 a.m. to noon Wednesday, June 4.

Writing Wednesday: Journaling, 2-3 p.m. Wednesday, June 4.

Dungeons and Dragons for Adults, 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, June 4

All Ability: Tissue Paper Art, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Monday, June 9. Circle of Readers Book Discussion, 2-3 p.m. Tuesday, June 10.

Annuities, Retirement Planning, and Rollovers, 10-11 a.m. Saturday, June 14.

Keep Me In Stitches, 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 14.

AGING & WELLNESS RESOURCES

Structured Activities, Safe & Secure Surroundings, Health Monitoring “Help make their Golden Years shine a little brighter.” AGING

CONNECTIONS

Serving Northern IN & Southwest MI

A free online directory for aging & wellness resources. Our members offer a wide variety of services and information for your specific needs. www.agingconnections.org Hover over Chapters on the navigation bar, then select your area and click directory. Aging Connections is a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization

NORTHSHORE HEALTH CENTERS

Locations in Portage, Lake Station, Chesterton, Merrillville & Hammond www.northshorehealth.org By appt. or walk-ins welcome. (219) 763-8112 or (888) 459-2349 Affordable dental care regardless of ability to pay. Medicare and Medicaid accepted. Discounted self-pay option.

Monthly Resume Workshop, 1-3 p.m. Wednesday, June 18.

Writing Wednesday: Journaling, 6-7 p.m. Wednesday, June 18. What’s in the Indiana Room, 2-4 p.m. Friday, June 20.

Board Meeting, 4:30-6 p.m. Tuesday, June 24.

Entry Level Photo Editing With Paint.NET, 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, June 25.

Introduction to FamilySearch Full-Text Search, 1:30-3 p.m. Thursday, June 26.

Registration required for all programs: visit lcplin.org/branches/cnl.htm or call (219) 769-3541. Munster 8701 Calumet Ave. Yoga & Breathing, 10-11 a.m. June 7, 21.

Be Heart Smart, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 11, 18, 25.

Calumet Astronomical Society, 7-8 p.m. Tuesday, June 24. Genealogy and DNA 101, 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, June 25.

Munster Book Discussion, 1:30-2:30 p.m. Thursday, June 26.

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, June 4, 11, 18, 25.

Book Discussion, 5:30-6:45 p.m. Wednesday, June 11.

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

Multiple locations throughout Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Starke and St. Joe Counties (888) 580-1060

healthlincchc.org

Providing quality medical, dental, optical, behavioral health, pharmacy, podiatry, chiropractic and much more.

HOME HEALTH CARE

VISITING ANGELS HOME CARE

2340 Cline Ave., Schererville, IN 46375 (219) 322-6100

www.visitingangels.com

Nationally respected, non medical, home care service. Providing CNA’s, HHA’s & Companion Care.

* Assist w/Hygiene * Meal Preparation * Medication Reminders * Light Housekeeping * Transportation * Hourly, 24-hour Care & Overnight Alzheimer’s

HOSPICE CARE

HEART TO HEART HOSPICE OF NORTHERN INDIANA

402 Wall Street, Suite 22 Valparaiso, IN 46383

Phone: (219) 462-6529

Fax: (219) 462-9017

www.HTOHH.com

Compassionate care from our heart to yours. Volunteers needed.

CHAP Accredited

HOSPICE OF THE CALUMET AREA MUNSTER

www.hospicecalumet.org (219) 922-2732 / (219) 736-2422

• Serving Lake, Porter and Bordering Illinois Communities Since 1981

• Hospice Services Are Covered 100% For Patients Who Are Medicare Eligible

• Not-for-profit

• Care Provided In Your Home Or In Our Hospice House

UNITY HOSPICE & PALLIATIVE CARE

Serving Porter, Jasper & Newton Counties in Indiana. (219) 769-8648

Greater Illinois area (312) 427-6000

www.unityhospice.com

Family owned & operated hospice

Offering premier end-of-life care

For over 25 years at no cost to you, Because we care.

VNA HOSPICE NWI

501 Marquette St.

Valparaiso, IN 46385

Additional Office In: Crown Point, IN (219) 462-5195 (219) 531-8181 Fax

www.vnanwi.org

A not-for-profit organization for over 50 years. Accepts all hospice eligible patients, regardless of ability to pay. Veteran specialty hospice program. Serving Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Jasper, Newton and Starke Counties. Making Best Days Possible

MEALS ON WHEELS OF NORTHWEST INDIANA 8446 Virginia St., Merrillville, IN (219) 756-3663 www.mownwi.org

A non-profit nutrition provider offering Chef Prepared Hot Lunches delivered daily (M-F). All meals are heart healthy & low sodium. Specialized diets are also available, as well as 5 or 7 packs of frozen meals.

Serving Lake, Porter, LaPorte, Newton, Jasper, Starke & Pulaski counties.

NORTHSHORE HEALTH CENTERS

Locations in Portage, Lake Station, Chesteron, Merrillville, Hammond, LaPorte & DeMotte

By appt. or walk-ins welcome. (219) 763-8112 or (888) 459-2349

www.northshorehealth.org

Affordable medical and urgent care regardless of ability to pay. Medicare, Medicaid, commercial insurance accepted. Discounted self-pay option.

MEDICAL

2775 Village Point Chesterton, IN (219) 304-6700

1555 S. Main Street Crown Point, IN (219) 323-8700 1532 Calumet Avenue Dyer, IN (219) 515-4700

www.ignitemedicalresorts.com Orthopedic Rehabilitation, Stroke Recovery, Cardiac Care, Pulmonary Rehab, Wound Care, Infection Management, Renal Management

MEMORY CARE

AVIVA SENIOR LIVING

7900 Rhode Island St. Merrillville, IN 46410 (219) 525-4123 avivamerrillville.com

• Free standing Memory Care

• Wearable Pendant System

• Care for Early to End Stage Alzheimer’s and Dementia

Revolutionizing Mobility & Accessibility Solutions

101 MOBILITY

NWI Merrillville Office (219) 281-8621

101mobility.com/nwi

Stay in the home you love. We can install a stairlift to get you safely up & down your stairs.

• 5 Star Rating • BBB A+

• Licensed, Bonded, & InsuredScan & Explore

Scan & Explore Scan to Learn

Revolutionizing Mobility & Accessibility Solutions

PAIN RELIEF

Stay in the home you love. We can install a stairlift to get you safely up & down your stairs.

NWI Merrillville Office (219) 281-8621 101mobility.com/nwi

• 5 star rating

• BBB A+

Ernie Chupp 26659 CR 54 Nappanee, IN 46550 (574) 773-9404

• Licensed, Bonded, & Insured

realredoxresults.com (password: redox) In Pain? Experience immediate, targeted relief and recovery. Relieves ailments like joint discomfort, kidney problems, depression, migraines, fatigue, cholesterol, allergies, auto-immune and more.

ABANDONED CANNON — One of the impressive things about the museum is the war is explained through lifelike vignettes rather than row after row of tanks, trucks and weapons. Vivid photos and personal experience reports are used to portray the violence of the conflict.

National World War II Museum top tourist attraction

If you didn’t already know it, New Orleans is a city that embraces eccentricities. It’s well known for its gaudy parades, its outlandish night life, its passion for jazz and its eclectic culinary tastes. The Crescent City, which turned 300 years old in 2017, was first in the country to have opera and first to have theater. Now it’s got a huge, bona fide World War II museum occupying several blocks in five buildings.

And it’s growing. The 34,800-square-foot Hall of Democracy has opened, along with a new hotel and conference center and in 2020 the Freedom Pavilion, which focuses on the years immediately after the war opened. The place, which is considered by Congress as the “official” WWII museum of the United States, is just plain big. One will be doing well to fully cover it in several days.

Formerly known as the D-Day Museum, the National World War II Museum was founded by historian, Stephen Ambrose, writer of the “Band of Brothers” book and TV series. It offers a self-directed exploration that takes visitors through exhibits highlighting the role of world leaders at the time, the military brass and front-line doughboys to everyday men and women whose contributions helped win the war, as well as those who made the ultimate sacrifice.

After getting tickets, be sure to catch the next showing of the Tom Hanks-produced and narrated “Beyond All Boundaries” interactive theater presentation. It will

literally have you on the edge of your seat. It begins with what appear to be live actors in civilian clothes of the 1940s coming into view. As they cross the stage, they’re suddenly in uniform and headed for war.

When German Tiger tanks rumble into the Kassarine Pass, you’ll feel your seat vibrating, you’ll see snow falling at the Battle of the Bulge and you’ll see steam rising from the jungles of Guadalcanal. A concentration camp guard tower rises from the depths of the theater to highlight the Holocaust. You experience the war as if you were in the middle of it right up to the point when there’s a bright white flash and a thunderous roar as atomic bombs decimate two Japanese cities.

The amazing presentation closes with a few of the original people who opened the show coming back on stage. It’s extremely emotional and leaves the audience in awe.

Unlike many war museums that display row after row of trucks, tanks and weapons, you wander from vignette to vignette to hear personal experiences in a war setting. Trace the European and Pacific campaigns through separate facilities. In the Boeing Center, war planes are suspended from the ceiling and you can look inside the nose of a B-25 bomber.

Each visitor gets a plastic dog tag (credit card size) that can be used to follow a specific soldier through the war. Dog tag stations throughout the museum can be activated to learn more about your particular individual.

Check into the special entertainment scheduled for BB’s Stage Door Canteen where one can dance to live big band music or listen to the Victory Bells female trio singing songs from the war era. Visit nationalww2museum. org for more information.

B-25 NOSE Museum visitors can take a look into the cramped nose of a B-25 bomber at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans.

INFLATABLE TANK Great Britain utilized fake tanks and trucks in huge numbers to fool the Germans into believing they were gearing up for an invasion of Europe.

NATIONAL WWII MUSEUM — New Orleans is home to the National World War II Museum, which was founded by Stephen Ambrose, writer of the “Band of Brothers.” The huge museum, which is housed in five buildings covering several city blocks, has become the Crescent City’s top tourist attraction.

GREAT ESCAPES Text and Photos

ROD KING

Swiss sun parlor has Latin lilt

By BEVERLY RAHN Mature Life Features

While the scenery at Locarno, in the Swiss “sun parlor,” the country’s southernmost canton of Ticino, may not overwhelm you with dramatic alpine vistas as some more-rugged sections of the country do, it carries a lingering charm.

Life in this polenta-pastaand-palm-tree finger of land poking into northern Italy offers a more-leisurely Latin lifestyle.

Conversation is punctuated with gestures not seen in the more sedate sections of Switzerland. Grappa, a potent Italian liquor, is the traditional after-dinner Ticino tipple.

Not only do Italian, French and Swiss cultures mingle here, it’s also the geographical point at which the great plate of the African continent shoulders its way into the European continent, rumpling the landscape into what we call the Alps.

We rolled into this vista of

valleys, vineyards and villas, following a couple of days in the magnificent Hotel Dolder Grand in Zurich. A leisurely day-long boat-and-train trip carried us almost the entire width of this nation.

A short walk from the Locarno train terminal is the Grand Hotel Locarno overlooking the crisp, cool waters of Lago Maggiore. We took the time to sip a satisfying local merlot in the wine cellar of this historic hostelry, where the fragile treaties designed to keep a lasting peace in Europe following World War I were drafted.

Then we boarded a bus to neighboring Ascona, a lakeside town that peers up at the border village of Brissago, renowned for its hand-rolled cigars.

It’s only a one-hour drive from Locarno to Lugano, Ticino’s largest city, but we took a bit longer by stopping for lunch in the canton’s capital, Bellinzona. Three medieval castles here still guard the Magadino

Take care, caregiver

By CECIL SCAGLIONE

Mature Life Features

If you aren’t caring for a diseased or disabled relative, you probably know someone who does because about one out of four people in the U.S. and Canada is a caregiver for a family member or friend.

An interesting sidelight indicates some 6 million American seniors live with grandchildren — and half of those elderly are the caregivers in the household.

Statistics can serve as headlines on the subject but does little to bring the stress and heartbreak caregivers undergo because they can become overwhelmed and forego or forget about caring for themselves.

It’s important to know that, if you don’t take care of yourself first, you can’t take care of anyone else.

In addition to following the usual motherly advice to eat well and get a plenty of rest, caregivers need to overcome the stress-induced depression, the fatigue and feelings of guilt and helplessness, and the array of their own aches and pains that accompany this environment along with aging.

Experts in the field suggest caregivers start helping themselves by seeking out and meeting with other caregivers.

It’s a giant step toward getting expert advice on how to handle your own charge.

How do you handle your father’s finances? Your aunt’s diet as she bounces in and out of dementia and forgets to eat? Their refusal to take care of themselves and skip visits to the bathroom that you have to clean up? And all of this without a thank you.

you’re not around, learn how to give them a shower, and show them how to open a snack package they like to dive into.

Keeping track of their medications and medical appointments is your responsibility along with making sure they eat well, sleep well and have not developed any new symptoms or sores. It’s a 24-hour-job.

At the same time, you have to squeeze in time to take care of yourself and your health, to visit with friends, to get out from under the caregiver cloud and relax. You might consider having a friend, family member, volunteer or paid-proxy fill in for you for a few hours each week so you can take in a movie or other pastime.

Taking care of yourself is not selfish. You’re keeping yourself strong so you can care for your loved one. Talking with other caregivers helps. So does consulting with your doctors and volunteer organizations that focus on problems you face, such as the Alzheimer’s Foundation and American Cancer Society.

Plain, historically a major entrance to Europe’s heartland. Lugano, the third major Swiss financial center after Zurich and Geneva because of its perch on Italy’s northern border, embraces its namesake lake. Along its shores are a chocolate museum, curiously the only one in this country.

This resort city is within a couple of hours by auto, bus or train from Milan, Genoa, Geneva, Lucerne and Lausanne.

Menus in many Ticino restaurants are fixed and feature the freshest mixture available of hearty peasant cuisines.

Polenta, mentioned earlier, is a regional favorite. This traditional Italian corn-meal dish is served in endless ways: as a side dish like rice or potatoes, sliced cold and re-fried with an entree, or as a dessert swimming in syrups and sauces. Its distinct smoky flavor results from slow stirring as it simmers over an open fire.

You have to teach them how to handle the remote so they can watch television when

ASCONA BELLTOWER Ascona is one of the comfortable communities alongside Lago Maggiore that straddles the Swiss -Italian border. Photo by Cecil Scaglione, Mature Life Features.

LUCERNE LEISURELY FERRY Lake Lucerne captures the serenity of central Switzerland. Photo by Cecil Scaglione, Mature Life Features.

‘Love Will Keep Us Together’

Captain and Tennille

In early 1975, Toni Tennille and Darryl Dragon sat in the Los Angeles office of A & M Records. Company executive

Kip Cohen played them a track from the latest

Neil Sedaka album, “Sedaka’s Back,” which was a “best of” selection of cuts lifted from three albums he had released in the early 1970s in London. (He had moved to England after the Beatles had demolished his once-successful career.)

The tune Cohen spun on a turntable that day was a bouncy ditty called “Love Will Keep Us Together.”

“The minute I heard it,” Tennille remembered later, “I

knew we would do a number on it.”

“Love, love will keep us together

“Think of me, babe, whenever

“Some sweet-talking girl comes along, singing her song

“Don’t mess around, you just gotta be strong

“Just stop…’cause I really love you

“Stop…I’ll be thinking of you

“Look in my heart and let love keep us together”

From 1958 to 1963, Sedaka and his lyric-writing partner

Howard Greenfield placed 13 RCA singles in the Top 40 charts. But in January 1964 the Fab Four exploded onto the American music scene and, overnight, swept away the careers of most rockers here.

As their final collaboration, Sedaka and Greenfield wrote “Love Will Keep Us Together.” Rock writer Tom Breihan later declared, “The song is about a couple fighting to keep their flame alive, but Sedaka says that he and Greenfield were really writing about each

other. Sedaka also says that they were crying when they finished writing it.”

In San Francisco a few years earlier, Tennille had co-written songs for an ecology-based rock musical called “Mother Earth.” (1970 had been the first year for Earth Day.) The show was about to move south to Los Angeles, and the troupe’s pianist couldn’t make the move. Tennille ran an ad seeking a replacement musician.

Enter Darryl Dragon, the son of orchestra leader Carmen Dragon. Darryl Dragon was known in the industry as “The Captain.” (Beach Boy Mike Love had often teased keyboardist Dragon about wearing a yachting cap onstage during tours.) Dragon was in between gigs, so he flew to the Bay Area, met with Tennille and was hired.

Needless to say, neither musician realized that they would spend the rest of their careers together.

Tennille and Dragon formed a duo —the Dragons — and spent two years performing at

By the ASEA Medical Professional Board

What Are Redox signaling molecules?Redox signaling molecules are produced within every cell in your body and act as either cellular messengers or cellular activators. The activator molecules carry the messages that tell your cells to activate antioxidants stored in your body. Antioxidants are chemicals (both naturally occurring and man-made) that keep oxidative free radicals in check and prevent them from causing other cellular damage. However, antioxidants don’t

work unless activated by redox signaling molecules. Messenger molecules are responsible for enabling proper cell communication within your body to ensure optimal performance of the immune system. They also activate your body’s immune system to protect against bacteria, viruses, and infection. Why Is Redox Signaling So Important?

fections, poor diet, toxins, and radiation. To counter this, your body utilizes redox signaling molecules to communicate and to help maintain a healthy balance between pro-oxidants and antioxidants.

a Los Angeles-area restaurant. It was during that time that they changed their stage name to Captain and Tennille.

“Love Will Keep Us Together” hit the top of the Hot 100 chart, where it stayed for four weeks. It became Captain and Tennille’s signature song and was named Record of the Year at the 1976 Grammy Awards ceremony. The remaining days of the ‘70s brought the hitmaking pair half a dozen more hits.

molecules support crucial immune system functions, as well as cell renewal and healing at every age, but our ability to utilize these molecules becomes less efficient as we age.

To learn more, call Ernie Chupp at (574) 773-9040 today. Blast to

Oxidative stress creates an imbalance between pro-oxidants and antioxidant systems in your body. An imbalance can be a result of several environmental factors such as exposure to pollutants, in-

Your health depends on the balance between oxidative stress and antioxidant defenses. As we age, and as stress and environmental toxins inundate our lives and weaken our defenses, normal cellular function declines, and with it, the body’s ability to produce and maintain a proper balance of redox signaling molecules. Through this process, these

For many years, researchers have explored ways to supplement redox signaling molecules in your body to combat the effects of age, toxins, and environmental stress. ASEA has developed a patented technology that replicates these naturally occurring molecules outside of the body.

In 2009, Sedaka recorded a children’s CD called “Waking Up Is Hard to Do.” Included among the tracks was “Lunch Will Keep Us Together.”

Don’t laugh; that disc earned a whopping 86% approval rating on Amazon!

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.

ORIGINALLY KNOWN AS THE DRAGONS Darryl Dragon and Toni Tennille originally formed a duo, The Dragons, before changing their stage name to Captain and Tennille. Photo from Wikipedia.

A Boomer Blast To The Past By RANDAL C. HILL