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Scott Holmlund heads Kroc Center’s Senior Services

By MAKSYM HART Staff Writer

After more than a decade overseeing human resources at the Salvation Army Kroc Center in South Bend, Scott Holmlund has stepped into a new role that feels both familiar and refreshing.

Now serving as the center’s senior services manager, Holmlund brings more than 40 years of management experience along with a background in theology and community engagement to a department he hopes will become a hub of connection for older adults in St. Joseph County.

Holmlund, who moved to South Bend from Montana earlier in his career, spent 20 years in management at the former Hudson’s department store before joining Press Ganey where he worked his way to director of customer service.

He arrived at the South Bend Kroc Center in 2013, just after its opening, and has served as HR director for nearly 13 years.

Earlier this year, as he prepared for retirement, center leadership approached him about the vacant senior services position, a part-time role that quickly turned into a full-time opportunity to build something new.

“I’ve only been in this position about two months, but I’ve been at the Salvation Army long enough to know the history and the people,” Holmlund said.

“One of the biggest needs we see for seniors is connection. There can be a lot of isolation, especially for those who live alone. My focus is on building community and creating opportunities for relationships and friendships.”

Holmlund began by assembling a focus group and distributing surveys to learn what seniors actually wanted from the program. Bingo quickly

rose to the top of the list, but so did technology workshops, educational presentations, bus trips and social gatherings.

The Kroc Center already offers robust fitness programming for older adults, but Holmlund saw a gap in activities designed specifically to bring people together outside the gym.

His approach is grounded in the Salvation Army’s mission to “meet human needs in (Jesus Christ’s) name without discrimination,” something he ties closely to both his professional background and his theological training.

Holmlund earned a degree in theology and business from Bethel University after beginning studies at Notre Dame. He later served as a campus minister at Saint Mary’s College, an experience that shaped his belief in listening first.

“For me, leadership is about hospitality,” he said.

Holmlund’s early weeks have focused on forming partnerships with local organizations including Real Services, the St. Joseph County Public Library and Portage Township programs.

These collaborations, he said, allow the Kroc Center to host experts and expand offerings from Medicare updates to winter-blues workshops that meet the varied needs of older adults.

A long-term goal is establishing a senior steering committee, giving participants a direct voice in shaping the calendar.

Holmlund hopes to build a wide enough variety of programs that every senior can find something that resonates.

“It’s not one-size-fits-all,” he said. “Not everyone wants to play euchre, and not everyone wants a book club. But if they find one thing they connect with, chances are they’ll meet someone else who feels the same way. That’s how commu-

is senior services director for the Salvation Army’s

has worked in various managerial positions throughout his career, including in human resources at the Kroc Center. Stepping into his new part-time role, Holmlund coordinates partnerships with various other area nonprofits,organizes events, and works to give seniors a sense of community.

nity grows.”

Though he initially planned to retire, Holmlund now intends to remain part-time in

this new position after the new year. For him, the work feels too meaningful to step away entirely.

“I can’t just sit at home,” he said. “I need to be involved in something and I believe in what we’re building here.”

If it’s autoimmune, it can be anything

By CECIL SCAGLIONE

Mature Life Features

A recent visit of the blahs, flu, endless fatigue, chills, sweats, and whatever reminded me of what has become one of medicine’s major mysteries -autoimmune disorders.

More than 100 conditions have joined the list since they were first identified a little more than three decades ago.

Among the most common are rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, type 1 diabetes, lupus and multiple sclerosis. What links these is their root cause: your immune

system is battling part of you - your skin, blood vessels, joints, nerves or organs. In my case, it’s autoimmune hepatitis and my liver is the enemy.

It all began to surface a dozen years ago while on a trip to Italy. I began feeling tired and just couldn’t shake loose of that feeling. And it took almost half a year of tests, MRIs, X-rays and biopsies to unearth the cause.

I learned my liver has four major stages: good, not too bad, fatty and it-has-to-be-replaced. Mine was on the cusp of fatty and the final stage.

And being autoimmune hepatitis means the doctors have no idea what caused it.

Steroids were prescribed immediately and I began with prednisone tablets. That steroid had to be discarded when they conflicted with the bladder-cancer pills I began taking a few years later.

Azathioprene is the replacement that works at decreasing my immune systems activity.

Through all this, I’ve learned I should avoid getting sick.

A few weeks ago, I woke up sweating and with the chills. I felt fatigued, unsteady on my feet and had a cough that was persistent in spells. Was this COVID-19, or the flu, or something else?

I felt like I felt in Italy several years ago so I did what a doctor’s assistant suggested a few years ago. I took a bottle of water out of the fridge, sipped some, turned on the television set, curled up in the big chair, and fell asleep.

“Just baby yourself and wait things out,” she said. And that worked.

I hadn’t been sick for more than nine years and this was a reminder of what can happen. I don’t know how I got sick so we’ll just have to call it the autoimmune under-the-weather ailment.

GIVING SENIORS COMMUNITY Scott Holmlund

Kroc Center in South Bend. Holmlund

Photo by Maksym Hart.

Copshaholm gets ready for the holidays

Text and Photos

By MAKSYM HART Staff Writer

Each December, the historic Copshaholm mansion transforms into a glittering Victorian Christmas showcase thanks to weeks of careful work by a small, dedicated team of South Bend Museum volunteers, who haul boxes from the attic, unpack ornaments and place Christmas trees in nearly every one of the 38 rooms.

The 1895 mansion, built for industrialist J.D. Oliver, already draws visitors yearround for its preserved Gilded Age architecture and original furnishings. But during the holidays, the home becomes something more: a community tradition, a place where guests step out of the modern world and into a warm, nostalgic version of Christmas.

Volunteer decorator and docent, Gary Tindall, who has spent nearly 15 years helping prepare the mansion for its holiday season, said the work begins right after Halloween and takes about three weeks.

“We try to get a tree in every room,” he said. “The mantels are decorated, too. It’s a lot of rooms.”

All decorations are museum-owned, though volunteers change up the style each year. One tree might be silver one

Christmas and rich red the next. Trees move from room to room, themes shift, and volunteers experiment with color palettes based on what’s available in the attic.

“We try to keep it fresh,” Tindall said. “We look at pictures from last year and decide what we want to do differently.”

The volunteers’ work is part planning, part creativity and part improvisation. Though certain traditions remain, including a Victorian-style tree in the den, where the Oliver family once placed their own, most rooms evolve annually based on decorations the team has on hand.

“Some of it is last minute,” curator of Copshaholm Amber Gabel explained. “You open the attic and think, ‘We have these ornaments, what can we do with them?”

The mansion’s most popular stops include the library, ballroom and especially the dining room, where volunteers display original crystal, china and silver around a long, fully dressed Christmas table.

Santa Claus greets visitors in the ballroom during evening programs, accompanied by live piano music from another volunteer stationed at the mansion’s grand piano.

tours Sunday, Dec. 7 and 14,

a “Christmas Carols” lecture Dec. 3 as part of the museum’s Insights in History series, and the annual Sugar Plum Fairy Tea Saturday, Dec. 6, which draws families before leading them into Copshaholm’s decorated first floor.

Visitors’ wide-eyed, nostalgic and sometimes emotional reactions are what keep volunteers returning.

“They love it,” Tindall said. “Even when the house isn’t decorated, they love it. But at Christmas, it takes your mind off all the problems of the world when you’re in here.”

For him, the work is both creative and restorative.

“I like seeing what I can do with what we have here,” he said. “It’s different than what I did for work. I like seeing people’s reactions when they come into the house.”

Museum staff said Copshaholm is a place where local families bring visiting relatives, where people who don’t decorate at home come to feel festive and where guests can slow down and appreciate history.

“It reminds people of preserving the home and the family’s story,” the museum’s Deputy Executive Director Kristie Erickson said. “You can enjoy the

Rod King passes away

Former Senior Life writer Rod King passed away last month.

He died Nov. 5, at Georgetown Place, Fort Wayne. He was 88. He was born on May 2, 1937, in Bowling Green, Ohio.

Earned a journalism degree from Ohio University, married his high-school sweetheart, Natalie Koppenhofer, June 26, 1959. They were married for 65 years. She died May 25.

He began his career as associate editor of the General Electric News, worked at Bennington

Associates and the Fort Wayne News-Sentinel before embarking on a 32-year career in the public affairs department of Indiana Michigan Power. Following retirement, he became a full-time freelance writer for various publications, including Senior Life, for which he wrote for over 20 years.

He is best known for his Great Escapes travel columns.

A celebration of life will be celebrated at a later date. For online condolences, visit harperfuneralhome. com.

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‘Santa’ Gary Barnes marks 45 years of holiday cheer

By MAKSYM HART Staff Writer

Long before the white beard was real and the suit was custom-made, “Santa” Gary Barnes stepped into the role almost by accident.

In 1979, while stationed in the military, Barnes was asked to fill in last-minute for a sick Santa at a family friend’s home. The suit was little more than felt and cotton balls, and he was certain the children

would instantly recognize him. Instead, the visit sparked a childhood magic he never forgot.

“The next morning the kids were saying, ‘Mr. Barnes, Santa was at my house last night,’” he recalled. One child insisted Rudolph had picked Santa up, pointing to the red reflections from nearby security lights.

“That was hilarious,” Barnes said. “That’s when I told my wife, ‘When we go home, I’m buying the best beard and wig

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they make.’”

Forty-five years later, Barnes is one of the region’s most in-demand Santas. And he still approaches each appearance with the same wonder he saw in those first two children.

Barnes’ commitment to the craft extends beyond the red suit. He has attended Santa schools and conventions across the country, including the Charles W. Howard Santa School in Midland, Mich., which he considers the gold standard.

“They teach you how to speak to children, how to interact,” Barnes said. “They even bring in kindergarten classes and special-needs classes so Santas can learn to meet every child where they are.”

Barnes said portraying Santa can be a “roller coaster ride.” There are the joyful moments, excited smiles, stunned gasps, and the occasional humorous misunderstanding. One year, a child solemnly asked Santa for “the Budweiser.” After several attempts to clarify, the child’s father leaned over: “He wants a Buzz Lightyear.”

Other moments cut deeper.

“The bottom of the roller coaster is when your heart hurts,” Barnes said. Sometimes a child asks Santa to use his “magic” to help a sick parent or grandparent. As a Christian, Barnes often offers to pray with the family.

And a hospice visit in midsummer has stayed with him for years.

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“The child said, ‘I know why you’re here, Santa: because I won’t make Christmas,’” Barnes said. “You have to be emotionally strong. I told him, ‘I’m here because last year I didn’t get your note right, and I wanted to be sure this year.’”

Despite the emotional weight, Barnes says the kids are exactly why he continues.

“As long as they’re believing

and families still want those traditions, that’s why I keep doing it,” he said. “It all starts at the heart. If you have love for these children, you’ll be a great Santa, no matter what you look like.”

Though Barnes’ wife prefers to stay behind the scenes, ensuring suits are clean and ready, his granddaughter has been joining him as an elf since she was six years old. Now 21, she still asks to tag along.

Barnes also works to support photographers and community

events without taking business away from others.

“I’m not going to do every photographer in one town,” he said. “It’s not fair to their business.”

At nearly 70, Barnes still drives a school bus for preschoolers and says he has no intention of slowing down.

“Someone once asked me if I’d ever grow up,” he said with a laugh. “I told them, ‘Why? When you grow up, you die.’

I’m going to stay a kid. That’s what I do.”

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Memory Care

A VISIT FROM ST. NICK “Santa” Gary Barnes has spent 45 years in the red suit, working in events, photography sessions, and bringing children holiday cheer. Pictured is Barnes with his two grandchildren, Isabelle and Makayla. Photo from the officialSanta Gary Facebook page.

Holiday travel with a loved one with dementia

By JOE COLLINS, AD, QMCP Program Manager Alzheimer’s and Dementia Services of Northern Indiana Powered by REAL Services, Inc.

The holiday season is a time for togetherness, celebration and creating cherished memories. For families caring for a loved one living with dementia, traveling during this time can be both heartwarming and challenging. With thoughtful planning and compassionate care, holiday travel can still be a joyful experience honoring the spirit of the season.

Planning With Purpose

Holiday travel often involves busy airports, crowded roads, and unpredictable schedules - all of which can be overwhelming for someone living with dementia. To ease the journey, choose destinations, which are familiar or emotionally significant. Visiting close family or returning to a beloved childhood home can offer comfort and reduce confusion.

When booking travel, opt for direct routes and avoid layovers or long waits. If flying, notify the airline in advance about your loved one’s condition so they can offer assistance; many airports offer assistance through the Sunflower program. If driving, plan frequent breaks and keep the environment calm and quiet.

Pack With Care

Bring familiar items which provide comfort and continuity, such as a favorite blanket, holiday music, or family photos. These can help soothe anxiety and offer a sense of stability. Don’t forget medications, medical documents and a list of emergency contacts.

Consider packing a small holiday-themed activity kit: simple crafts, festive snacks, or a photo album of past holidays. These can spark joy and connection during downtime.

Maintain Routines

Dementia thrives on routine, and the holidays often disrupt it. Try to preserve daily habits as much as possible - regular meal times, sleep schedules, and quiet moments. If attending gatherings, keep them short and low key. Loud parties or unfamiliar faces may cause distress.

Let your loved one participate in holiday traditions in ways that feel safe and manageable. Decorating cookies, listening to carols or watching a classic holiday movie can be meaningful without being overwhelming.

Emotional Support

The holidays can stir emotions, especially for someone with memory loss. They may feel confused, nostalgic or even sad. Offer gentle reassurance and validate their feelings. If they ask about people or events from the

past, respond with kindness rather than correction. Use simple language and visual cues to help them stay oriented. A printed itinerary with photos or a calendar of holiday events can be helpful.

Safety First

Always prioritize safety. Make sure your loved one wears an ID bracelet with contact information. Keep recent photos on hand and consider using a GPS tracker if wandering is a concern. In unfamiliar environments, stay close and avoid leaving them unattended.

A Season Of Meaning

Holiday travel with a loved one who has dementia isn’t about perfection - it’s about presence. Even if they don’t remember the trip later, the feelings of love, warmth, and connection will remain. With patience and empathy, you can create a holiday experience that’s both safe and deeply meaningful.

HOLIDAY TRAVEL For families caring for a loved one living with dementia, traveling during the holidays can be both heartwarming and challenging. Photo provided by ALZNI.

Senior hockey league going strong in South Bend

By NATHAN PACE Staff Writer

A physical sport like hockey might sound impossible for seniors to be competitive at but there are seniors taking to the ice in South Bend. Phil Nowak serves as assistant general manager of the Ice Box in South Bend and is a commissioner for a senior league serving a wide range of ages.

“I think we’ve got somebody over 50 playing in every division,” Nowak said. “Anybody out of high school can play.”

One of the participates of the senior league include 83-year-old Dave Lerman. Nowak credits Lerman for bringing hockey to South Bend.

The senior league has five divisions playing with the participants separated by skill level. The top division is the “A” league, followed by the B, C, D leagues. A recreational league serves new players who are willing to give hockey a go.

There are training sessions that new players can take to get used to skating and playing the game.

“We’ll do our best to put you on a team with appropriate skill level,” Nowak said. “We’ve had very few skate related injuries. Mostly it’s people fall. They twist their ankle or the knee.”

The Ice Box recently added

a third rink to allow for more games. Given the high volume for youth hockey, the third rink has allowed for the senior league to take place earlier in the day.

“We’ll have high school and youth hockey. We’re primarily a youth facility. The youth will get first dibs,” Nowak said. “Used to start senior league games at 10 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Now we are down to 9:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. is the latest we start thanks to the third rink.”

Players in the senior league are from all over Michiana including, Goshen, Warsaw and Southwest Michigan.

At one point the league was up 40 teams but currently sits with 36. Nowak credits Jeff Sachs for starting the the senior league two decades ago. The league kept growing as it went from 4 teams to 40. Nowak took over the senior responsibilities from Sachs.

“He stepped away two to three years ago and everything kind of fell in my lap,” Nowak said. “I do most of our schedule so it kind of fell on me. I play, I ref, I kind of take care of everything for the senior league.”

Nowak began working at the Ice Box in 2007 but had a fiveyear stop at a data center before returning to the Ice Box in 2019.

The senior league is competitive and includes a penalty box. Nowak officiates several of the senior league games and he

admits it takes a thick skin.

“There probably isn’t a game I haven’t been cussed at,” Nowak said.

The senior league rotates every four months with the next chance to join a team coming in February and March depending on the division. More information can be found on the league’s website at iceboxskatingrink.org.

Nowak likes the direction of the senior league as he says it has a place in the South Bend community.

“We’re filling a need here. It’s pretty busy here in the evening,” Nowak said.

Fight off ageism in health care

By CECIL SCAGLIONE

Mature Life Features

There’s a tendency for health-care professionals to pass off complaints by old folks as just that - complaints. Medicines and medical treatments and procedures that might be prescribed for younger patients aren’t considered for older patients by many doctors.

There’s the vintage joke about the doctor telling his nonagenarian patient that he should expect his left knee to hurt because it’s 90 years old. The patient then reminds the doc that his right knee is the same age and feels fine.

Seniors who feel their condition is being ignored should tell whoever their dealing to sit down and listen to how

hey feel.

It might help to schedule an appointment and bring another person with you. They can help you articulate your condition and questions, as well as observe if you’re being treated like a child by your medical team.

If you still feel like you’re being shrugged off, start looking for another doctor.

Keep friends close

By CECIL SCAGLIONE Mature Life Features

Posting photos of family and friends on the refrigerator is a grand reminder of the folks we love.

All it takes to lower your level of loneliness is to make a short call to these folks regularly, probably once a week.

Research indicates that sticking a handful of names of people we want to remain connected with on the fridge or near the telephone can also help us feel less alone.

HOCKEY FOUNDER — Dave Lerman, credited for bringing hockey to South Bend, gets set to play on the ice. Photo provided by Phil Nowak.

HOCKEY VETERANS — Pat Nowak, front, and Scott Fraiser pose for a photo before a senior league game. Photo provided by Phil Nowak.

Hospice Care

Hospice and the Holidays: Bringing Comfort and Meaning to Patients

The holiday season can be a deeply emotional time for hospice patients and their families. While it often brings memories of joy and togetherness, it can also stir feelings of loss or sadness. Hospice care plays a vital role in helping patients find comfort, peace, and connection during this meaningful time of year.

Hospice teams focus on honoring each patient’s traditions and values, creating moments that bring happiness and dignity. Whether it’s arranging a favorite holiday meal, decorating a patient’s room, or facilitating virtual visits with loved ones, hospice staff ensure that patients remain surrounded by love and support. Emotional and spiritual care providers

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

offer guidance and companionship, helping families cherish meaningful moments together.

Through compassionate care, hospice transforms the holidays from a time of uncertainty into an opportunity for reflection and gratitude. By focusing on what truly matters—love, comfort, and presence—hospice helps patients and families create lasting memories that bring peace long after the season ends.

Q. What’s up for Senior Talk Michiana in December?

A. The December episodes of Senior Talk Michiana will feature interviews with staff members from Majestic Care of Goshen, a provider of comprehensive rehabilitation, skilled nursing, and long-term care services. We will also have guests from Habitat for Humanity and Purdue Health and Human Sciences. We are working on a special episode with Santa Claus, if he can work it into his busy schedule.

As we mentioned last month, Senior Talk Michiana is now designated as a 501(c) (3) non-profit oganization, allowing us to apply for grants and solicit tax-deductible donations. Please consider contributing and sharing this with your friends, enabling us to reach a larger percentage of the 260,000 seniors in Michiana and provide them with

information about available services, organizations, and events.

Sponsored by Aging Connections of Michiana, Senior Life Newspapers, and Goshen Home Medical, Senior Talk Michiana is specifically tailored for seniors, offering valuable information on services and organizations in Michiana. Listeners can access the podcast through free subscriptions available on Spotify and www.seniortalkmichiana.org. Episodes are also available at www. thomaslrose.com/senior-talk.

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(F) 833.334.0327 118 W. Edison Rd, Suite 200, Mishawaka, IN. 46545

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Coping with Grief Grief Group Facilitator

Rose and Rose Associates Senior Talk Michiana 574-596-6256

www.thomaslrose.com www.cookingtogether.com roseandrose@comcast.net

Memory Services

Q. What helps when the holidays feel more stressful than joyful?

A. For many, the holidays bring mixed emotions. Memories of loved ones, financial strain, or the bustle of the season can make this time feel more exhausting than uplifting. The good news is that joy doesn’t always arrive wrapped in tradition—it often grows through connection.

Local senior centers like Portage Commons in South Bend and Owls in Elkhart offer a calm, welcoming place to start. Join for lunch, attend a craft session or class, or stop in for coffee—you’ll find others who know

KJ Mapes CEO Real Services

companionship matters more than perfection. Giving back can also lift your spirits. Programs like Meals on Wheels always need volunteers to deliver meals or check on homebound neighbors. Even a few hours can make a difference—for them and for you.

And if the season feels heavier than you can manage alone, reaching out to a counselor or other professional can be an act of strength. Sometimes the surest way to find peace is to help someone else find it too.

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Hearing Healthcare

Q. How much will my Medicare Advantage Plan pay for

Even if you’re told you have a $4,000 benefit, there is no $4,000 going to anyone. Consider the amount of your co-pay, typically between $0 and $2,000, and the quality and suitability of the hearing aids. That’s what matters.

Your insurance company, through a “Third-Party Provider” pays the hearing aid provider a fitting fee, often based on the amount of your co-pay. Unfortunately, this can motivate the salesperson to recommend expensive devices and not even tell you about the best “private label/high value” options that pay lower fees.

We recommend these private label hearing aids often for their outstanding value. Doing what is best for the patient gets us more referrals, and what we lose in low fees, we make up in volume. The key is to find a hearing aid provider who cares more about you than the fees.

We’ve seen multiple cases locally where the patient was entitled to free hearing aids but were told they had a $5,000 co-pay. Buyer beware! Wondering if you are getting the best deal? Feel free to call me for a free second opinion.

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BREAKFAST WITH SANTA Breakfast with Santa will be Dec. 6 and Dec. 13, at the South Bend Civic Theatre. There will also be story time and a holiday craft, too. Photo provided by South Bend Civic Theatre.

South Bend Civic Theatre brings North Pole to South Bend

South Bend Civic Theatre’s youth company is hosting “Breakfast with Santa and Friends” this month.

Embark on an exclusive journey to the North Pole with the South Bend Civic Theatre. Indulge in a breakfast buffet with a diverse array of traditional breakfast delights provided by Metro Diner. Meet and greet Santa, Mrs. Claus, Elsa, Olaf, and a host of other North Pole pals.

Enjoy a performance by the Civic Youth Company, engage in a fun craft led by Elsa, and meet your favorite characters from the holiday season.

Event highlights are a character breakfast buffet, catered by Metro Diner with live entertainment, family photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus, a special Santa story time, and a holiday craft.

Performances will take place in the Civic’s Main Lobby, located at South Bend Civic Theatre,

403 N. Main St., downtown South Bend. Show times are at 9:30 a.m. Dec. 6 and 9:30 a.m. and noon Dec. 13. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased at sbct.org or by calling the box office at (574) 234-1112.

Ticket link is: ci.ovationtix. com/35243/production/1255639.

“Breakfast with Santa and Friends” is sponsored by Metro Diner, The Vondale Family, Barb and John Phair, and Tri-State Protection, Inc.

December MPHPL programs for adults

The following is the Mishawaka-Penn-Harris Public Library December calendar of events for adults. Registration can be secured by calling (574) 259-5277 or visit mphpl.org. Check mphpl.org for the most up-to-date information regarding events.

Bittersweet Branch Events

Bingo, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 17. Enjoy an hour of bingo and beverages. Winners will receive small prizes and raffle tickets for a chance to win a door prize. Registration required.

Harris Branch Events

No-Bake Holiday Treats, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 11. Make a delicious no-bake cookie and tasty chocolate oat bar which will impress holiday guests. Registration is required; limited to MPHPL cardholders.

“Winter Wonderfest,” 4:30-7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 16. Whether you come alone or bring the

whole family, there will be plenty of festive activities to enjoy. Experience live music from the South Bend Civic Theatre, create holiday crafts, play games, take a festive photo and have a snowball fight. Mr. Derek will be crafting balloon art while you enjoy a free small hot chocolate courtesy of our friends at Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee Truck.

Mishawaka Library Events

Mishawaka High School Jazz Ensemble Holiday Performance, 6:30-7:30 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 4. Experience the sounds of the season with the Mishawaka High School Jazz Ensemble. Come by yourself or bring the whole family.

Saturday Morning Book Club, 10:15-11:15 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 6. This month’s book selection, “Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine” by Gail Honeyman, is available for pickup at the front desk. Registration required.

Cooking Classics: Chili Mac and Cheese,” 4:30-5:30 p.m. Monday, Dec. 15. Try your hand at easy culinary creations and experiment with assorted flavors to make a delicious dish. Registration is required; limited to MPHPL cardholders.

Winter Reading Challenge

The winter reading challenge begins Monday, Jan. 2, and ends Monday, March 2. All ages are welcome to participate. Adult participants must have a free MPHPL card. Starting Dec. 15, challenge cards will be available at any MPHPL location or can be downloaded online by visiting mphpl. org/reading-challenge. Once all challenges on the card are complete, participants can return their cards to receive a new book from a pre-selected list of over 100 titles. Prize redemption begins Monday, Jan. 5, 2026.

‘Best Christmas Pageant Ever” to be performed in December

sons about the true meaning of Christmas.

South Bend Civic Theatre presents “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,” based on Barbara Robinson’s 1972 novel. The six Herdman children are notorious for their bad behavior - cigar smoking, shoplifting, and menacing their classmates - but when, lured in by the promise of free snacks, they take over the Sunday school’s Christmas pageant, the whole town learns some unexpected les-

Directed by Don Hunter, the run time is 60 minutes.

Performances will take place in the Wilson Auditorium, located at the South Bend Civic Theatre, 403 N. Main St., downtown South Bend. Evening show times are 7:30 p.m. Dec. 12, 13, 18, 19, and 20. Matinees are 2 p.m. Dec. 13, 14, 20 and 21. Tickets are reserved seating

and range in price from $35 to $27 and can be purchased at sbct.org or by calling the box office at (574) 234-1112.

A pay-what-you-can preview performance will be at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 11.

Ticket link is ci.ovationtix.com/35243/production/1213515.

“The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” is sponsored by Foegley Landscaping, Inc. and 1st Source Bank.

Editor’s note: Send listings of events, for nonprofit organizations only, to Senior Life, P.O. Box 188, Milford, IN 46542, or email Editor Phoebe Muthart by the 15th of every month at pmuthart@the-papers.com. With the listing, include the contact person, area code and phone number.

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Get ready for an unforgettable holiday experience at LIGHTS at Fernwood Until Jan. 3, 2026, the garden will be transformed into a winter wonderland, twinkling with a spectacular light show that will dazzle your senses. Picture yourself strolling through enchanting light tunnels, warming up by cozy firepits and discovering whimsical nature-inspired light sculptures. Dive into creativity at the winter craft station or unleash your inner child at the fullsized Lite Brite. With festive music filling the air, it’s the perfect atmosphere for families, friends or a date night.

Walk a leisurely one-mile loop around the garden and soak in the magic of the season while sipping on hot chocolate

and enjoying snacks. Attendance helps support the garden’s mission to welcome and inspire all to explore, discover and connect with nature and one another. Advance tickets are now available; time slots are limited. Parking is included in the ticket price. Fernwood Botanical Garden is located at 13988 Range Line Road, Niles, Mich.

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Bendix Woods County Park Holiday Hayride, from 5-7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6. Enjoy hot cocoa and treats by the fire, create a holiday craft and make merry in a holiday atmosphere. Then take a tour of beautiful Bendix Woods in a decorated hay wagon. The cost of the program is $8 per person; all ages welcome. Registration and payment are required by Dec. 3. For more information and to register, call (574) 654-3155. Bendix Woods County Park is located at 32132 SR 2, New Carlisle. Enter the park off Timothy Road.

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George Frideric Handel’s spark meets today’s bold new voices at 2:30 p.m. Sunday,

Jan. 11, 2026, with “Musician Favorites: From Jennet” at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center. Guest Conductor Fernanda Lastra leads this dynamic concert, featuring Principal Oboist Jennet Ingle in the world premiere of a new concerto written especially for her. DeBartolo Performing Arts Center ticket office is open from noon-6 p.m. Monday-Friday, or call (574) 631-2800 or get tickets online at performingarts.nd.edu.

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Joe Agostino and colleagues discuss the history, heritage, and contributions of local Italian Americans at The History Museum’s “Insights in History” at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 5, 2026. He is one of several members of local Italian American clubs providing substantial assistance to The History Museum’s exhibit “Traditions and Progress: Italian Americans in Northern Indiana.”

Admission is $3 or $1 for members. Reservations are required by March 3. For information, call The History Museum at (574) 235-9664, ext. 6256 or visit historymuseumSB.org.

ApartmentLiving

RiverBend Cancer Services, 3516 E. Jefferson Blvd., South Bend, offers the following events each month: 10 a.m. Mondays and Wednesdays, seated strength; 1 p.m. Mondays, a craft; 5:30 p.m. Mondays, gentle yoga; 10:30 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, chair yoga; 1 p.m. Tuesdays, Melt; 10 a.m. Wednesdays, Support Squad and Knitting Krew; 2 p.m. Wednesdays, dominoes; 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays, Support Group; 3 p.m. Thursdays, Zumba. Visit riverbendcancerservices.org or call (574) 287-4197.

Anatomy of a poem

By JIM CARPENTER Guest Writer

It may be born from a mindless thought. Or perhaps in hearing some random word. Which might then start a release, of nouns, adjectives and verbs.

But most new things need tending.

Still delicate with the beginning of life. Yet with some work and tender care, Those words might turn into rhyme.

A rhyme that is fed with syllables of weight.

As it might struggle to survive.

To grow and become what it must be, to finally become fully alive.

Physical matter has a birth and a death.

But thoughts and feeling might live on.

So indeed, perhaps it is,

I look for eternity in my poem.

To entertain in some way, shape or form, Perhaps to write of roads not taken.

I’ll tell the tale as real as can be.

It may be stirred, but it won’t be shaken.

Linda Johnson finds joy in Kwanzaa, faith and service

By MAKSYM HART Staff Writer

For Linda Johnson, faith and community service are threads woven tightly together - much like the kente cloths she helps drape over honorees each year during the St. Joseph Public Library’s Kwanzaa celebration.

Johnson, a longtime volunteer and active member of the South Bend chapter of Indiana Black Expo, has helped the library’s annual event for years.

“The things it teaches are unity, responsibility, supporting your community ... Everybody unifies, everybody agrees we should build up,” Johnson said.

The seven-day cultural holiday highlights principles such as Umoja, meaning unity; Kujichagulia, meaning self-determination; and Ujima, meaning collective work and responsibility. For Johnson, Umoja is

especially meaningful.

“Unity is one that really speaks to my heart,” she said. “If we as a community unify, we can accomplish a lot helping one another, helping our youth, building up our businesses.”

Her volunteer work during the library’s celebration reflects those priorities.

Johnson assists with activities such as the drum ceremony, libation ceremony, candle lighting.

The honoring of community elders in particular is a tradition she describes as joyful.

Each year, the committee recognizes local residents whose work reflects Kwanzaa’s core values. Honorees receive a kente cloth and are celebrated for contributions to unity, service or community uplift.

“We honor different elders or people in the community who exude those things we are celebrating,” Johnson said. “We take

Travel should be fun

By CECIL SCAGLIONE

Mature Life Features

Controlling your travel plan has become more difficult as you deal with the costs and schedules prepared by tour and travel agencies, cruise companies, resorts and airlines.

When you think about visiting the grandkids, take a few moments to see what’s near them. If they live in or close to New York City, you have all the

attractions of the Big Apple at hand – Manhattan museums, Soho shopping, Little Italy restaurants, endless tours.

How about the folks in Arizona? You can hop to the Grand Canyon or Las Vegas, or even drive over to California for a few days.

Should your relatives be tucked away in small town somewhere, check on stops you can make along the way if you drive there.

pictures, we gather their stories about what they do to support the meaning of Kwanzaa.”

One part of the ceremony resonates with Johnson more than any other: the libation ritual, which honors ancestors and loved ones who shaped community values.

Johnson often speaks her mother’s name during the ceremony, a woman she remembers as a tireless advocate for young people, education and neighborhood improvement.

“When you hear the room and everybody calling out different names ... it brings people to mind you may have forgotten about,” Johnson said. “It’s very touching.”

Though Kwanzaa is open to all religious backgrounds, Johnson said her Baptist faith naturally guides how she approaches service during the event.

“Any religion has a thread of similarity,” she said. “Cleaning up our community, supporting local businesses, being creative, working together? We believe in all those things too.”

The celebration, she hopes,

offers more than a cultural experience. It’s an invitation to bring Kwanzaa’s lessons home.

“Our hope is that people take that knowledge with them into the community, to motivate them to get more involved with things that build us all up,” she said.

Johnson’s commitment extends beyond the annual program.

Through Indiana Black Expo, she helps organize youth scholarships, Juneteenth activities, community mixers and efforts to support local minority-owned businesses.

“We try to bring the community together,” she said. “If even one of Kwanzaa’s principles speaks to someone’s heart, and they take it and run with it, it’s going to improve our area.”

For Johnson, service, whether through faith, culture or community partnerships, is most meaningful when it sparks connection.

“Kwanzaa is really a people celebration,” she said. “It brings us together. And that’s something we can all support.”

DRESSED FOR KWANZAA

South Bend chapter of Indiana Black Expo member Linda Johnson stands in traditional attire during the St. Joseph County Public Library’s annual Kwanzaa celebration, where she volunteers to help ceremonies honoring unity, community service and local elders. Photo provided by Latorya R. Greene.

I am missing information

By DICK WOLFSIE

My wife has run off with my sister. They were only supposed to vacation together for a little over a week, but when Linda asked Mary Ellen if I could manage alright being alone for so long, Mary Ellen said, “He’ll be fine. I’ll only be gone 10 years.” I assume she meant 10 days. I’d like Dr. Freud to examine that verbal slip. The truth is that we both have habits that annoy each other after 45 years. But after about a week, I started to miss all the things Mary Ellen does that irk me.

Here are some examples: It bugs me when we go somewhere where we’ve been hun-

dreds of times, like our Unitarian Church, and right before the exit Mary Ellen says, “This is your exit coming up.”

Well, I know this. I’ve driven here every week for 12 years. Well, at least I wasn’t going to have to hear that directive for two weeks. While she was gone, I missed the exit twice.

I hate it when Mary Ellen lectures me about putting things back on the right shelves in the fridge. She says that if I don’t do that, I won’t be able to find anything next time. I knew once she left that I had full control of storage in our Samsung appliance. That first night, I just threw things back in randomly. I mean, what’s the difference? Yesterday, I ate a hot dog with mayonnaise on it. I know the mustard is in the fridge. But I have no clue where.

Something that really drives me crazy is when she walks into my home office, she always ends up fiddling with something.

She straightens the photos on the wall and adjusts the lamp shades. But what really drives me nuts is how she always fixes the slats on my blinds, which are always askew because I often open one just to check the weather. While she was away, I sent her a selfie from my office with the blinds behind me. Yes, she texted back and told me two slats were open. I looked carefully at the photo. I never knew we had a peeping Tom in our neighborhood.

It also irritates me when she corrects me for using the wrong kitchen towel to wipe something. She’ll say, “That’s for the counter, not to dry dishes,” or “Don’t use that towel to clean the spill on the floor; it’s for pots and pans.” I was relieved when she left, thinking I could use towels however I pleased. But now I miss her sage advice because I realized I shouldn’t use the same towel to dry a dinner plate that I used to check the oil dipstick under the car’s hood.

When Mary Ellen was gone, I watched about 12 baseball games. I was finally free of her persistent question during every sporting event. “Is it over, yet? Dinner is on the table.” Now, I could finally watch the playoff games in peace. But I truly missed her when one playoff game went 15 innings, lasting until 1 a.m.

I knew if Mary Ellen was home, she would have waited up until the final inning, kept the food hot for me, and waited to eat so we could sit together for dinner.

Did you actually believe that for one second?

Seventies Flashback -

The Rocky Road to ‘Rocky’

By RANDAL C. HILL

On the day Sylvester Stallone was born in 1946, the doctor on duty clamped forceps on the baby’s emerging head. The result was a severed facial nerve above the infant’s jaw, which gave the left side of his face a permanent droop. Later, young Stallone was taunted by schoolyard bullies who called him “Slant Mouth” and “Mr. Potato Head.”

In 1959, Sly’s life changed when he saw the movie “Hercules Unchained” and was markedly impressed by massive star Steve Reeves, a former Mr. Universe. Stallone then fashioned barbells from a broomstick and two cinder blocks to build himself up. After a while, the schoolyard bullies fell silent.

Sly earned a D average in high school but after graduation found a college in Switzerland desperate for new students. While there, he acted in a production of “Death of a Salesman” and later said, “I knew then that this is what I was made to do.”

The year 1969 found Stallone back in America. Determined to have a career in the movies, he earned $200 for his first film appearance - a soft-core porn release. After a few minor movie roles, he turned to writing. To support himself and his wife, Sasha, Sly took jobs that included theatre usher, nightclub bouncer and fish-head cutter. He also created movie

scripts, but nobody showed interest in them.

He developed the Rocky Balboa character after watching a TV match between Muhammad Ali and Chuck Wepner. Ali won, of course, but Stallone was more impressed by Wepner’s dogged determination to last 15 rounds. In time, Sly would channel what he witnessed into the Balboa boxer.

The Stallones moved to Los Angeles, and there Sly fleshed out a movie script called “Rocky.” With Sasha typing for him, the couple stayed up three days straight as the script gradually took form.

Sly offered his brainchild to United Artists, who saw it as a chance to make a film on the cheap but with a handsome Big Name Star - possibly Burt Reynolds or Ryan O’Neal. Stallone, though, was insistent that he play Rocky. When he finally wore the studio honchos down, they signed Sylvester for a paltry $23,000.

In December 1975, he and Sasha took a train to Philadelphia for the shoot. There a van served as both a production office and a changing room for Stallone. The cast and crew stayed in a cheap motel and lived primarily on pasta as they filmed miles of footage.

United Artists held out little hope for “Rocky” to become a box-office winner. They considered dumping it as a TV movie, especially when some film critics dismissed it at pre-release screenings. (One writer labeled it “a sentimental little slum movie.”)

But ticket-buying audiences embraced “Rocky” with open arms when it was released in

November 1976. In America alone, the blockbuster took in $117 million - about $700 mil-

lion now. It became the highest grossing film of the year and was nominated for 10 Academy Awards. “Rocky” won three, including as the year’s Best Picture.

Picture a home inventory

By CECIL SCAGLIONE Mature Life Features

Having a handy reference should fire, water or burglar disrupt or destroy your home will make it much easier to deal with any agencies involved in recouping damaged or lost property.

Any camera, including your cell phone, can produce a visual record of what you have that you can show police or insur-

ance company what you’ve lost. Start by shooting your yard and the exterior of your home, garage, patio, and all the plants and yardwork equipment, swimming pool, vehicles, tools and “stuff” you have. Everything, including your pets. Then do the same inside the house with every room and every piece of furniture with the drawers closed and opened to show their contents. Don’t forget your liquor cabinet. And

all that’s hanging and stuffed into your closets. If you have some special pieces, you can set them in the middle of the living room floor and shoot them separately.

Whether you’ve shot video or still photos, copy the contents in your computer and onto two or three thumb drives. Store those drives off premises, such as a safety deposit box and with a member of your family.

Chicken Pot Pie Over a Biscuit

Corn Brownie Meatloaf Mashed Potato/Gravy Peas

Hamburger Stroganoff w/ Mushrooms Over Pasta

California Blend Veg.

Dinner Roll/Marg.

Shortbread Cookie

Turkey Manhattan over Bread

Bread/Marg. Mixed Fruit Cup

Sausage, Green Bean & Potato Casserole

Tomato & Zucchini Blend

Dinner Roll/Marg. Warm Spiced Apples

Mashed Potatoes & Gravy Green Beans Strawberry Applesauce Beef Stew Rice Broccoli Bread/Marg. Pineapple Cup

Sausage Gravy over Biscuit Scrambled Eggs Diced Potatoes Banana Sweet & Sour Chicken Over Rice Asian Blend Vegetables Bread/Marg. Fortune Cookie Pineapple Cup Potato Cream Soup Deli Slider Sandwich Prince Charles Veg. Jello Cup

Bruschetta Chicken Baby Bakers Vegetable Blend

Bread/Marg. Peach Cup

WAX IMAGE Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa in Madame Tussaud’s Hollywood museum. Photo from Shutterstock.

Join Us for REAL Talk

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

Exercise Snacks: Bite-Sized Movements for Healthy Aging

Dec. 10 | 11 AM | Portage Commons (574) 284-7189

Dec. 18 | 11 AM | OWLS (574) 336-2652

Dec. 19 | 11:30 AM | 1ROOF (Lunch) (574) 284-7189

Independence | Dignity | Strength

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

info@ info@realservices.org

BINGO + Exercise = BINGOCIZE

COMING TO GOSHEN IN JANUARY

Free 10-week health promotion program for older adults age 60+ that combines Bingo with inclusive exercise.

Learn about important topics while you have fun & exercise! Program may be provided in part by funding through the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration through the Older Americans Act.

Thursdays | Jan. 22 - Mar. 26

2026 10:30-11:30 | Goshen Library

-Anna M. Shrock Auditorium 601 S 5th St. | Goshen, IN 46526

Workshops focus on one of three subjects:

• Fall Prevention

• Nutrition

• General Exercise

Space is limited for this FREE program. Please pre-register online, by calling (574) 284-7132

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

Safe@Home

Stay safe. Stay Comfortable. Stay Independent.

As we get older, a few small fixes can make a big difference in staying safely at home. That’s what Safe@Home, a new program from REAL Services, is all about.

We start with a free Aging in Place Assessment—a friendly home visit to see what would help you feel safer and more comfortable where you live. From grab bars and ramps to small repairs, yard clean-ups, or food support, we’ll create a plan that fits your needs and helps you stay independent longer.

If you’re 60 or older, live in St. Joseph County, and have a limited income, you may qualify.

REAL Services—helping you age well, with dignity and peace of mind.

Call (574) 253-9245 or visit realservices.org to learn more

National Influenza Vaccination Week runs December 6–12 in 2025, and it arrives with a simple reminder: it’s not too late to protect yourself from the flu. And for older adults, that protection can make all the difference. The flu isn’t just uncomfortable — it can lead to serious complications, especially for those managing chronic conditions.

Even though fall is the ideal time to get vaccinated, getting your flu shot in December still offers powerful protection during peak flu season. If you haven’t had yours yet, consider this your friendly nudge. A quick appointment now can help you stay healthy, independent, and doing the things you love all winter long.

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

portagecommons@realservices.org

December Highlights at Portage Commons

This month’s conversations at Portage Commons focus on well-being, creativity, and connection — with opportunities to learn, share, and strengthen both mind and spirit.

Thurs. Dec. 4 | 9 AM - 1 PM | Mobile Mammogram Your health matters. The mobile unit makes screenings simple, convenient, and close to home.

Wed. Dec. 10 | 11 AM | Exercise Snacks: Bite-Sized Movements for Healthy Aging Winter can slow us down, but we’re not having it. Join us for practical tips to stay strong, steady, and energized.

Thurs. Dec. 11 | 12:30 PM | WNIT Presents: The American Revolution, Part 1 Settle in for great storytelling and a fresh look at a pivotal moment in history.

Thurs. Dec. 18 | 1 PM | Holiday Party Festive fun, good company, and a cheerful way to wrap up the year. Come celebrate with us!

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

December

realservices.org/portage-commons/ Portage Commons

Hearing aids cost too much

Hearing is vital to your physical and mental health, but most of us who need hearing aids can’t afford them. Here are several options, which will save you thousands of dollars

while still getting top quality hearing aids and professional local service. First, check your health insurance. Most Medicare Advantage Plans and the Medicare/

BUZZED DRIVING IS DRUNK DRIVING

Medicaid Dual Plans include a hearing aid benefit - essentially a huge discount. A cost/co-pay will vary depending on your plan, but we fit many patients with co-pays, which range from $0 to around $2,000. Most are between $0 and $1,500 for hearing aids that sell locally for around $7,000.

Only a few employer health insurance plans offer hearing aid coverage, but it’s worth a call to check. Those plans typically range from fantastic to pretty darn good.

Costco is the largest retailer of hearing devices in the U.S. It doesn’t accept insurance, but the prices and the service plans are the best you will find. If you live near a Costco, don’t have an insurance benefit, and don’t mind the crowds, it’s a great option.

Locally, the Affordable Hearing Stores in Elkhart, Mishawaka, LaPorte and St. Joseph, Mich., offer the lowest

prices available to the public - the same hearing aids as the competition with expert fitting and service at a 50-60% savings. If you have insurance, they provide more free service than required.

AARP members qualify for substantial discounts through AARP Hearing Solutions, provided by United Health Care Hearing. Prices range from $1,898 to $3,498 per pair. The private label “Relate” hearing aids, which they offer as “Value Option 1 Gold” at $1,898 a pair and “Value Option 2 Platinum” at $2,498 a pair are an excellent choice for most patients and are suitable for most levels of hearing loss. It also offers several of the top bands as well, leaving you no reason to pay full price for the latest hearing technology.

If you have questions about which option is best for you, call the Affordable Hearing Store at (574) 387-4215.

TOM ROSE

Yes, I believe in Santa Claus. Why? Because I believe in God, he gave us Santa Claus to help celebrate the birth of his son, our savior. So, if you don’t believe in Santa, you must not believe in God. We believe in God because of the wonders of our world and the universe. The sun, moon, stars above us, the mountains, forests, and wonders of nature around us, and he gave us the joy of Christmas and the magic of Santa Claus.

Santa Claus is both illusion and magic: Illusion by the image of the “jolly old elf” in his red suit and white beard, and when he laughs, his belly shakes like a bowl of jelly. Check Google, and you will find thousands of pictures of Santa Claus again, adding credence to the illusion. Magic is delivered through gifts and the spreading of joy around the world. It has been calculated that to visit the over 1.9 billion children worldwide, Santa would need to travel 3,000 times the speed of sound while carrying 400,000 tons of presents. Well, at one time, we all thought sending pictures through the air (television), traveling to the moon, and cell phones were magic. Santa’s magic (technology) is just a little ahead of our time. While researching, I asked Google Assistant if Santa Claus was honest. The response, “I believe he’s up to some pretty cool things up at the North Pole this year,” was the reply. This proves he is real because Google has never lied to me. And if you don’t believe Google, check out the book “The Autobiography of Santa Claus” as told to Jeff Guinn, Penguin Books, 1994. So how can you not believe in Santa Claus when you see the smiles on the children’s faces as they open their gifts on Christmas morning, and the joy on the grandparents’ faces as they watch? Yes, Santa is more than just an illusion. He is magic and I believe.

‘My Little Town,’ where was this location?

Simon and Garfunkel

It’s humorous to see where “experts” in the music world thought was the location of Simon and Garfunkel’s “My Little Town,” the duo’s final Top 10 Columbia Records single.

By RANDAL C. HILL

Both born in October 1941, Paul and Art began performing during their adolescence as an Everly Brothers-based duo called Tom and Jerry. As juniors at Forest Hills High School in the sprawling New York borough of Queens, they cut a minor chart single called “Hey, Schoolgirl!”

Late in 1965, and using their real names, they scored a winner on Columbia Records with “The Sounds of Silence,”

a Number One single that introduced five years of nonstop success before their breakup in 1970.

On Oct. 18, 1975, Paul Simon hosted the second broadcast of “Saturday Night Live.” In doing so, he brought on his former partner. They sang three songs together, including a new Simon composition called “My Little Town.”

The lyrics conveyed Paul’s often downbeat reflection on things past.

“In my little town I grew up believing

“God keeps his eye on us all

“And He used to lean upon me

“As I pledged allegiance to the wall

“In my little town I never meant nothin’

“I was just my father’s son

“Saving my money, dreaming of glory

“Twitchin’ like a finger on the trigger of a gun

“Really nothing but the dead and dying back in my little town

“Nothing but the dead and

dying back in my little town.”

Pretty dreary stuff, huh? But the fun began when people began to opine exactly where they thought that “little town” was.

In his book “Paul Simon: A Life,” writer Marc Eliot proclaims, “’My Little Town’ is clearly Queens, and all the references to schoolbooks, saluting the flag, and so on appear to be symbols of nostalgia for the days of Tom and Jerry as much as for the years of Simon and Garfunkel.”

Not so, counters music critic Dave Marsh, the author of “The Heart of Rock and Soul.”

“’My Little Town’ is a portrait of the middle-class Forest Hills, N.Y., neighborhood where Paul and Art grew up.”

Hold on. Art Garfunkel had his own take on the subject. In a Wikipedia article, he insisted the tune was about his childhood, how he grew up where music was not seen as either desirable or exciting, and that his parents insisted that Art acquire an education unrelated to singing. (He earned a BA

Paradigm Health offers compassionate hospice, palliative care and support

In the upcoming weeks, many families will be gathering together for the holidays. These times together are a wonderful opportunity to share stories, make memories and plan for the future.

Conversations about caregiving aren’t always easy, but they’re vital to ensuring a smooth transition to the changes that come with illness and age.

You may suspect that it’s time for additional support, but feel unsure whether it’s really the right time. If any of the following rings true for your loved one it may be time to consider how palliativeor hospice care can be of support:

• More frequent doctor or hospital visits.

• Increased weakness or fatigue.

• Worsening mobility or needing more help with daily tasks.

• Decreased appetite or taking longer to finish meals.

• Noticeable weight loss.

• Spending more time resting or sleeping.

• Shortness of breath with light activity.

• Difficulty managing pain or other symptoms.

Whether your family is dealing with a chronic illness, a terminal condition

or simply a life well lived, palliative and hospice care offer care and relief.

Paradigm Health is nationally recognized for bringing compassion and dignity to palliative and hospice care. It is proud to be serving the community in Elkhart County and the surrounding areas. When you’re ready to take the next step in supporting your loved one, its team is here to talk with you.

To learn more or schedule a consultation, call (574) 332-2280 or visit myparadigmhealth.com.

degree in art history in 1965 and, two years later, an MA in mathematics.)

So where was this “mysterious” burg? Nobody knew until the mid-1980s. In an interview with Bill Flanagan for his book “Written in My Soul: Conversations with Great Songwriters,” Simon admitted,

“I was picturing a town. I was thinking about Gloucester, Mass. A friend of mine comes from Gloucester, and he used to talk about what it was like to grow up there … That song was entirely an act of imagination … There’s no element of me in there at all.”

Well, now we all know.

SIMON AND GARFUNKEL ALBUM COVER. PHOTO FROM WIKIPEDIA.

A Boomer Blast To The Past

Meals on Wheels volunteers work to end silent nights for seniors

By KARLA (KJ) MAPES REAL Services CEO

For many of us, the holidays bring warmth, family and familiar traditions. But for some of our older neighbors, the season can feel very quiet. A knock at the door from a Meals on Wheels volunteer can change that completely.

Each weekday across northern Indiana, drivers from REAL Services deliver hundreds of freshly-prepared meals - and just as important - a friendly smile and a quick check in. What takes a few minutes for a volunteer can brighten an entire day for a senior living alone.

“Our volunteers are often the only people some clients see all day,” said Crystal Hallwood, Meals on Wheels director.

“They deliver nutrition, safety, and kindness - all at once.”

Volunteers often share stories of laughter, friendship and purpose. One driver described it best: “You start out thinking you’re delivering food. Then you realize you’re delivering connection and that’s what really matters.”

Last year, REAL Services’ Meals on Wheels program delivered more than 155,000 meals to 956 older adults in our community. Yet, the demand continues to rise. As food costs climb and more seniors choose

to age at home, new routes and volunteers are essential to keeping pace.

Many volunteers say the experience gives back far more than it takes. Retirees, working adults and even college students deliver routes fitting their schedules - some weekly, others once a month. Volunteers can drive solo or with a friend, and each route usually takes about an hour.

“You don’t need special skills,” Hallwood added. “Just a caring heart and the willingness to show up. That’s all it takes to make someone’s day.”

The goal is simple: to make sure no senior has to wait in loneliness or hunger.

Across northern Indiana, the need is clear. One in eight older adults nationwide faces food insecurity and nearly half live alone. Many are unable to shop or cook safely and rising food and housing costs have made even basic nutrition a struggle. For too many, a weekday meal delivery isn’t just nourishment - it’s the difference between independence and isolation. At REAL Services, we’re working to close that gap. With the help of dedicated volunteers, Meals on Wheels delivers both sustenance and connection, ensuring that seniors across Michiana are seen, cared for and never forgotten. It’s a mission that has guided REAL

Services since 1966 - nearly 60 years of caring hearts and a lasting legacy.

Volunteers are the heart of this program - delivering meals, smiles and connection

across the community. To learn how you can help, email volunteer@realservices.org or visit realservices.org/get-involved/ volunteer.

And for those who wish

to support Meals on Wheels through giving, visit realservices.org/giving.

Together, we can make sure no neighbor in Michiana faces a silent night.

Financial plan buys comfortable retirement

By CECIL SCAGLIONE Mature Life Features

Retirement has become a never-never land for many workers as a shifting society is embracing longer working years and remote work from home offices.

But if you’re among the folks who look forward to lolling at an ocean beach, gamboling with grandkids, or developing a second career, retirement is still the time to do all that.

Financial research indicates less than 20% of grownups have devoted time to develop a financial framework for when they grow old.

The current COVID-19 experience is a peek into what you need to enjoy retiring. If all of the mandated shutdowns, work stoppages and erratic stock market weren’t a major shock to your financial position, you can thank your lucky stars or yourself for having the

foresight to prepare for such exigencies.

In fact, if you’re pretty well content with your life, you’ll probably fare well if and when you decide to retire because the first major step necessary for life after work is to balance your income and outgo. This regimen requires foresight, which calls for planning.

If you have your income, spending and savings in tow during your working life, they will keep you comfortable when you leave the workforce.

A never-ending concern is whether or not your money will run out before you die. A crutch by many investors is to maintain a rainy-day fund. That is a cache of cash separate from their main portfolio that can be used in an emergency, such as a medical problem or natural disaster, without bruising their main source of financial support.

An indication of how stable

you and your financial planning are is to ask yourself what you would do with a sizable windfall.

For example, what did you do with the stimulus check your received during the pandemic? Or you last tax refund check? Did that money go to pay down credit-card debt or to make additions to your investment portfolio? Or did you go out and buy a new car?

A sign of good planning for both the present and the future is the old familiar phrase: Pay Yourself.

Whenever you receive payment or income of any sort, pay yourself 10% right off the top. That money is funneled immediately and directly into you your investment plan. Watching that account grow will also add inventive to paying more money and attention to your financial future and make retirement a comfortable reality for you.

DELIVERING A MEAL — Last year, REAL Services’ Meals on Wheels program delivered more than 155,000 meals to 956 older adults in the community. Photo provided by REAL Services.

Sleep soundly in the sky on an airplane

By CECIL SCAGLIONE Mature Life Features

A long-dead colleague who had to fly all over the globe purchasing supplies for his company feared flying so intensely, he had to get intoxicated before boarding an airplane.

He wouldn’t be allowed on these days. But getting drunk before cramming your way into a crowded cabin might make it easier to grab some ZZZ’s once you tied yourself down into the seat of a commercial airliner.

Unless you’re traveling in first class, and many airlines are doing away with that section, you have to be the size

an 8-year-old to find comfort in the sky.

Many long-time travelers have their own secrets for snoozing in flight. Some scrunch themselves into the window seat, pull down the blind and begin counting sheep. Others book a seat at the front bulkhead so there’s no seat in front of them to be tilted back into their laps.

But, in the airlines’ race to sardine as many passengers as possible into every flight, leg space has been collapsed, seats are made thinner and narrower, and more rows have been added to cram in more passengers.

You have to tote our own pillow and blanket for comfort for a couple of reasons. Those supplied by the flight attendant aren’t comfortable and, in more and more cases, there’s a charge for them.

If you’re fortunate enough to get normal-sized and polite seat mates, there are a few things you can do to make it easier to get some sleep on that long flight.

Making life easier in the air begins on the ground. Seat selection is important, especially on long hauls. But pick out a reclining seat, so avoid the row against the rear bulkhead and emergency exit. However, the

row facing the emergency exit offers a bit more leg room.

Some seasoned travelers recommend seats in the middle of the cabin to avoid the traffic connected to lavatories and galleys.

Don’t expect a lot of comfort jetting from Los Angeles to San Francisco or Toronto to Montreal but you should shop for seats on coast-to-coast or transoceanic flights.

Before falling asleep, make sure your seat belt is wrapped over your blanket so the flight attendant can see it and won’t have to wake you up if the Fasten Seat Belt sign goes on. And leave the tray table up so you

won’t be awakened when they decide to serve breakfast. Before dozing off, you can tuck some plugs into your ears and slip a comfortable mask over our eyes.

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Clean up your room for safety in the future

By CECIL SCAGLIONE Mature Life Features

If you still get miffed thinking about your mom telling to clean up your room, you may want to quit reading right now.

Because it’s never too soon to look around your bedroom for ways to make it more comfortable, as age and disabilities creep into your life.

Dresser drawers can grow stubborn over the years, so you need to grease those skids or get new furniture. High shelves may become unreachable as grow older - and older.

Getting around your bed, dresser, chair and whatever else you keep there without stubbing

your toe is important because much of your life is spent shoe less in that room.

As you grow into your senior years, you might need space to get around it with a walker, wheelchair or some other walking aids such as canes and crutches. And you need space to store these devices without clogging up the area.

It’s also important the bedroom and closet doors are wide enough to enter comfortably with any of the mobility aids mentioned earlier. Check your bathroom door at the same time.

Thresholds should be level so you can cross them easily without tripping and not be barriers for walkers, wheelchairs

and scooters.

The bedroom door should open outward so you won’t block it should you fall.

What’s covering our floor is also important. Slippery material should be replaced. Rugs are both decorative and comfortable but can be hazardous if not fastened to the floor. Even if they are, they can be tripped over as age reduces walking to a shuffle.

Remove unnecessary furniture to make maneuvering much easier and remove furniture corners that can be hazardous if you fall. Make sure television, lamp, telephone, electrical and any other cords are not stuffed under a carpet or cluttering your pathways.

Lighting is important in any room. A switch should be immediately inside the door and

be accessible if standing up or seated in a wheelchair.

Contrasting colors for the light switch, bedspreads and furniture will help you identify what’s what and help avoid confusion when you’re in your room.

This exercise can apply to the rest of your home as well, but making our bedroom comfortable is a priority because that’s where you start and end your day.

Snore no more

By CECIL SCAGLIONE Mature Life Features

Snoring can ruin your partner’s sleep as well as your own. Almost half the population snores at some time in their lives. One out of four people snore regularly. Only half of the people who snore admit to snoring.

The sound of snoring has been reported to hit as high as a car horn or low-flying jet.

Folks who snore regularly are five times as likely to suffer heart disease than those who only snore now and then.

It’s the third major reason given for getting a divorce, following infidelity and financial issues.

A little exercise can help you

avoid snoring or, if you’re already a snorer, cut down on its effect on you and those around you.

You don’t have to get any special equipment or join a gym.

These exercises can be done while you’re standing, sitting, or lying down. You can do them in the shower, when walking the dog, or while watching television.

Developers of these exercises call them throat sit-ups. They report that patients who face surgery or have been wearing mouth guards to curb snoring have been able to discard the devices or avoid surgery after doing these exercises, which take about five minutes, three times a day for six weeks.

The first is a simple tongue

press. Push the tip of your tongue firmly behind your upper teeth and drag it tightly back along the roof of your mouth as far as you can. Try saying the five vowels –a,e,i,o,u – at the same time.

While saying the vowel sounds again, suck your entire tongue up against the roof of your mouth.

Now try raising the back of the roof of your mouth and, if you can’t get the vowel sounds, say aaah.

Repeat each of these throat sit-ups about 20 times.

You should discuss your situation with your primary care physician, who can recommend therapies or specialists as needed.

Breakfast with a film legend

By TOM MORROW Mature Life Features

Most everyone at one time or another has visions or dreams of noshing with someone considered great or a genius. Someone like Churchill, Eisenhower, or even Einstein.

My chance came with an invitation to have breakfast with one of the world’s great film makers

Wilder’s film accomplishments are rivaled by no one. His list five-decade Hollywood career began when he escaped the Nazis in 1933 and began earning acclaim and Academy Awards as a writer-director for, among others, Greta Garbo’s “Ninotchka,” and “Sunset Boulevard,” “Stalag 17,” “The Lost Weekend,” “Double Indemnity,” “The Apartment,” “The Seven Year Itch,” “Witness for the Prosecution,” “The Spirit of St. Louis,” “Sabrina,” “The Front Page,” and “Some Like it Hot.”

As an executive at the famed

portions of the film were shot across the bay from San Diego, I put together a 25th anniversary celebration of “Some Like It Hot” starring Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis and the late Marilyn Monroe. It is considered by many to be the greatest comedy put on

Everyone connected with that film was invited for a fabulous weekend of fun. Lemmon, Curtis, Wilder and several of the sup-

On the Sunday morning after an evening celebration, I received word that Wilder wanted to have breakfast with me. I had a brief phone conversation with Lemmon, asking if the invitation was real or simply a polite gesture by

A FILM LEGEND Billy Wilder visiting the Poll Gallery at Lützowplatz, Berlin, 1989. Wilder was an Academy-Award winning screenwriter and director known for his sharp dialogue and work across a variety of genres, including the films“Some Like It Hot,” “Stalag 17” and “Sunset Boulevard.” Photo from the Poll Gallery Archives, Mature Life Features.

Wilder.

“My boy, never pass up a chance to sit at the feet of greatness,” was Lemmon’s response.

We met out on the Promenade Deck on a bright Sunday morning. Wilder was sitting at a table sipping a cup of coffee and smoking a cigar. I had placed a box of expensive cigars in his suite before his arrival Friday evening. That morning I arrived at the same time as Lemmon, who Wilder also had invited.

We had breakfast and listened to Wilder talking on a number of subjects, including being back at the hotel after 25 years. He recalled how difficult Marilyn had been to work with - how she held up the filming while her two co-stars patiently stood by in high-heels and drag waiting for their next scene with her. He also talked about art.

Earlier, Lemmon had told me of a night many years earlier when he accompanied Wilder to a private showing at a Beverly Hills art gallery.

“Billy told me to buy a particular painting. I didn’t like it, but he said it would be a good investment, so, I bought it, paying $1,000. I stuck it in a closet when I got home and forgot it. Some years later, the gallery owner called me, asking if I would consider selling it. I smelled a profit.

“Painfully telling the gallery owner how hard I would find in parting with the painting, he offered me $10,000. I continued to lament the thought of parting it with, but told him I would do so.”

Lemmon shook his head. “Now how in the hell did Billy know that painting would be such a good investment?”

The money we raised that Saturday night in the hotel’s ballroom went to the San Diego State University’s new film-editing facility. Years later I received a call from a university official to ask if I would get in touch with Wilder and invite him to attend a function at the editing facility.

I still had his home phone number, so I dialed the number and a heavy German accent answered. When I identified myself, asking if he remembered me, the reply was: “Of course, Tom. Say, do you have any more of those great cigars?”

Billy Wilder died March 27, 2002, at the age of 95. Taking his sense of humor to the grave, the epitaph on his tombstone is the final line from “Some Like It Hot.” The stone is engraved: “Billy Wilder, I’m a writer, but then nobody’s perfect.

Phoenix embraces desert sprawl

By CECIL SCAGLIONE

Mature Life Features

Unlike its legendary-bird namesake, this sprawling metropolis ranked among the fastest-growing areas in the nation did not reenergize itself by rising out of its own ashes in the burning desert.

More like that pink rabbit in the battery commercial, it just grows and grows and keeps on growing, stretching its shopping centers and sub-divisions over and around every cactus and crevice in the Valley of the Sun.

To get our arms around this urbanized sprawl that has

positioned attractions and accommodations as much as two hours apart, we traveled by car, bicycle, horse, light-rail and balloon.

We launched our local exploration by visiting the Arizona Challenger Space Center. Visitors flow seamlessly through scenarios that include space missions complete with emergencies.

Still in up-in-the-air mode, we headed to Deer Valley Airport on the northeastern edge of town for a mile-high 90-minute balloon ride to enhance our perspective of the local growth. If such a diversion doesn’t sound appealing, you can

take a quick drive to South Mountain Park where several viewpoints offer panoramic views of this vibrant valley. The best time to head there is the first two weeks of April when rain-fed blooms carpet the mountainside.

For a closer look at those, we took advantage of a mountain-bike tour - others took a more leisurely hike - of Usery Park east of the city. That’s where we were told that one reason the giant saguaro cactus, which grows only in the Sonoran Desert that stretches from Arizona into Mexico, develops “arms” not to denote its age but to balance itself

Home work lengthens careers

By CECIL SCAGLIONE

Mature Life Features

Working from home not only saves time by eliminating the commute from home to office and back, it also saves money by eliminating the need to dress up for the office.

And one-third of hiring managers said productivity has increased since their employees began working from home when the pandemic closed things down.

There’s no real sense yet about how much of the work force will keep on working from their bedroom, den, living-room table, garage, studio or whatever as pandemic mandates and restrictions are lifted, but the working world knows things will never be the same.

Some companies already are paying for their employee’s equipment and furniture being used at home. At the same time, a quarter of home workers surveyed said they’d take a 10% pay cut to keep on working out of their home.

While the majority of workers like this practice and its prospects, three-quarters of supervisors and managers want their

workers back on site.

Human resources officials report management’s push to have workers get back to the office is simply control. An August survey of 200 executives revealed that they didn’t have faith in much of their staff to be productive workers at home.

Managers said they aren’t able to tutor their employees when they aren’t in the office.

While the work-at-home and work-in-the-office factions are still rather shapeless, there are signs that the workers are becoming more flexible and, as a result, independent. Growing numbers of people are starting

jobs and then leaving them without ever meeting their colleagues.

This remote approach to work eliminates the emotional attachment to the workplace, where people devote their time to being productive surrounded by colleagues devoted to similar goals. The traditional teamwork approach disappears.

The upside for many workers who flourish by working at home is that they can extend their careers past the traditional retirement age. Employers benefit by retaining these workers’ experience and expertise much longer.

against the relentless wind.

To pick up more easy knowledge, about an hour away is a hands-on complex designed to keep anyone from 8 to 80 entertained for hours on end.

While the Challenger facility transports you into learning mode without you realizing it, the Arizona Science Center in downtown Phoenix caters to the touch-and-feel gene in all of us.

Visitors are encouraged to learn first-hand how to build a house, watch heart surgery, test their piloting skills. Its mantra is “If you break it, we’ll fix it.”

There’s much more to this town than desert, of course, and prominent among the valley’s notable resorts is the Phoenician, which is tucked

into a fold of local icon Saddleback Mountain with its eye-candy nighttime vistas of the twinkling town lights to the south.

About an hour south in the Gila River Indian Community is the Sheraton Grand at Wild Horse Pass Resort on the grounds of a casino - the largest of the more than half-dozen casinos in this metro areabuilt by the Pima and Maricopa tribes of Native Americans. A small parasol-protected riverboat putt-putts gamblers on a man-made creek between the hotel lobby and casino lobby. You can tour the facilities via horse-drawn wagon or range farther by heading out from the horseback riding stables.

SUNSET SONORA SILHOUETTE Saguaro cactus is silhouetted against setting sun in Sonora Desert that surrounds Phoenix. Photo by Cecil Scaglione, Mature Life Features.

DESERTED — A retired wagon sits beside a campfir site on the outskirts of Phoenix. Photo by Cecil Scaglione, Mature Life Features.

Scottsdale, where old west meets modern chic

Text and Photos

By VICTOR BLOCK Guest Writer

Bejeweled women dressed in the latest fashions stroll into Gucci, Neiman Marcus and Tiffany, intent on adding to their wardrobe and adornments. My wife Fyllis is learning to rope cattle and clean horses’ hooves.

The first impression Fyllis and I had during our visit to Scottsdale, Ariz., was the diversity of attractions. Shopping alone provides an introduction to the something-for-everyone variety.

World-famous stores are neighbors to specialty shops and boutiques. In the self-proclaimed “West’s Most Western Town,” it’s no surprise to pass places selling cowboy hats, boots and everything worn between them.

Where there were cowboys there usually were Native Americans, and their influence remains strong. One shop sells Native American art and ar-

tifacts created by members of more than 70 tribal nations.

The cowboy flavor also remains, as Fyllis learned while playing the role of a working cowgirl. Part of her experience included a horseback ride in the Sonoran Desert. That vast wilderness stretches through Arizona, California and northern Mexico, covering an expanse about the size of Colorado.

This is a cactus heaven. The majestic saguaro (pronounced suh-WAHR-oh) can reach 50 feet in height and live as long as 200 years. That plant grows wild only in the Sonoran Desert.

Other cactus species also find the Sonoran’s conditions inviting. Colorful names like purple prickly pear and teddy-bear cholla add to their appeal.

What appears to be an uninhabitable wasteland in reality is home to some 60 mammals and 350 types of birds. Their survival techniques are among

Continued on page 23

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June 8-13,2026 - Lancaster Show Trip

August 31- September 4, 2026 - Mackinac Island

June 8-13,2026 - Lancaster Show Trip

e 8-13,2026 - Lancaster Show Trip

February 10, 2026 - Hollywood Casino

May 2026 - Tulip Festival

February 10, 2026 - Hollywood Casino

March 10, 2026 - Grand Victoria Casino

February 10, 2026 - Hollywood Casino

May 2026 - Fort Wayne Zoo

March 10, 2026 - Grand Victoria Casino

April 2026 - Wine Tour

A couple of fish servings a week can alleviate the pain and discomfort as can a daily dose of fish supplement.

026 - New York City & Statue of eptember 4, 2026 - Mackinac Island

July 23-29, 2026 - New York City & Statue of Liberty

September 12-19, 2026 - Montreal, Quebec City, Canada Capital

July 23-29, 2026 - New York City & Statue of Liberty

23-29, 2026 - New York City & Statue of

rty

May

August 31- September 4, 2026 - Mackinac Island

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

August 31- September 4, 2026 - Mackinac Island

September 12-19, 2026 - Montreal, Quebec City, Canada Capital

ust 31- September 4, 2026 - Mackinac Island

2-19, 2026 - Montreal, Quebec City, ital 2, 2026 - Grand Canyon, Las Vegas and -15, 2026 - Amelia Island, St,. Augustin,

September 12-19, 2026 - Montreal, Quebec City, Canada Capital

November 7-15, 2026 - Amelia Island, St,. Augustin, FL

tember 12-19, 2026 - Montreal, Quebec City, ada Capital

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

November 30 - December 5, 2026 - Pigeon Forge & Smoky Mountains

September 12-19, 2026 - Montreal, Quebec City, Canada Capital

November 7-15, 2026 - Amelia Island, St,. Augustin, FL

ober 1-12, 2026 - Grand Canyon, Las Vegas and over Dam

November 30 - December 5, 2026 - Pigeon Forge & Smoky Mountains

ember 7-15, 2026 - Amelia Island, St,. Augustin,

March 10, 2026 - Grand Victoria Casino

April 2026 - Wine Tour

June 2026 - Indy Zoo

April 2026 - Wine Tour

May 2026 - Tulip Festival

June 2026 - Dayton Air Show

May 2026 - Tulip Festival

Vitamin C-rich foods, such as citrus fruit, also can help.

April 2026 - Wine Tour

July 3, 2026 - The Wilds

Fort Wayne Zoo

May 2026 - Fort Wayne Zoo

June 2026 - Indy Zoo

May 2026 - Fort Wayne Zoo

June 2026 - Indy Zoo

July 2026 - Peru Circus

May 2026 - Tulip Festival

June 2026 - Indy Zoo

June 2026 - Dayton Air Show

August 2026 - Chicago Air Show

June 2026 - Dayton Air Show

May 2026 - Fort Wayne Zoo

August 2026 - Columbus Zoo

June 2026 - Dayton Air Show

July 3, 2026 - The Wilds

Two CCs - celery and cherries - can help alleviate the pain caused by gout, a form of arthritis that flares up without warning to attack joints. Cherry juice also can help.

July 3, 2026 - The Wilds

September 2026 - Fair Oaks Farms

July 2026 - Peru Circus

June 2026 - Indy Zoo

July 3, 2026 - The Wilds

September 2026 - Brookfield Zoo

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

July 2026 - Peru Circus

August 2026 - Chicago Air Show

June 2026 - Dayton Air Show

July 2026 - Peru Circus

September 2026 - Wine Tour

August 2026 - Chicago Air Show

August 2026 - Columbus Zoo

August 2026 - Chicago Air Show

July 3, 2026 - The Wilds

August 2026 - Chicago Air Show

September 2026 - Fair Oaks Farms

November 7-15, 2026 - Amelia Island, St,. Augustin, FL

August 2026 - Columbus Zoo

September 2026 - Fair Oaks Farms

September 2026 - Brookfield Zoo

July 2026 - Peru Circus

If you’re prone to gout attacks, you should avoid carbohydrates, such as white bread, and commercially prepared baked goods as well as processed foods.

August 2026 - Columbus Zoo

September 2026 - Brookfield Zoo

September 2026 - Fair Oaks Farms

September 2026 - Wine Tour

August 2026 - Chicago Air Show

September 2026 - Fair Oaks Farms

September 2026 - Wine Tour

November 30 - December 5, 2026 - Pigeon Forge & Smoky Mountains

ember 30 - December 5, 2026 - Pigeon Forge &

September 2026 - Brookfield Zoo

August 2026 - Columbus Zoo

September 2026 - Brookfield Zoo

September 2026 - Wine Tour

September 2026 - Fair Oaks Farms

September 2026 - Wine Tour

September 2026 - Brookfield Zoo

A SAGUARO CACTUS DWARFS AN ADMIRER.

SHOPS AND STREET SCULPTURE IN SCOTTSDALE.

Scottsdale, where old west

Continued from page 22

Mother Nature’s intriguing stories.

Many animals sleep in shade during hot days and venture out on cooler nights. Some survive on water they get from their food. The western banded gecko stashes away sustenance and water in its tail for use when needed.

Some of the desert’s magnificence is captured in sanctuaries and museums. The McDowell Sonoran Preserve is a mini-wilderness which is home to hundreds of types of plants and animals, and 225 miles of hiking trails.

Five paths meander through the Desert Botanical Garden past its collection of plants from barrens around the world. Each path focuses upon one topic, such as plants of the Sonoran, desert wildflowers and conservation.

Exhibits about how people have lived in the hostile environment include ways in which Native Americans used plants for food and medicine. Fyllis and I checked out the kind of roundhouse they once built, and paused at a grinding stone to pound mesquite beans into flour as they did.

The Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological Park sits atop remains of a village of the Hohokam people, who inhabited the area from about 450 to 1450 AD. They were the first to cultivate the Sonoran Desert, using a system of irrigation ditches. Some of those trenches, and a ball court, still are visible.

Along with museums, Scottsdale’s neighborhoods combine interesting historical tidbits with shopping and recreational opportunities. The center of much action is the Old Town neighborhood.

Located on the original site from which the community expanded, it’s a hub of museums, historic structures, dining and shopping. From cowboy wares to Native American jewelry to brand-name items, any shopper who can’t find ways to spend money there isn’t really trying.

Old Town also is crammed with many of the city’s more than 100 art galleries. Even the streets serve as an outdoor museum, with dozens of works including a giant lizard, a metal rider astride a bucking horse and a number of less identifiable abstract sculptures on display.

Very different in atmosphere and appeal are tiny enclaves on the outskirts of Scottsdale. Cave Creek (population about 6,000) was settled in 1870 by miners and ranchers, and served as a stopping point for U.S. Cavalry troops. The town hosts western stores that sell cowboy gear, colorful saloons and periodic rodeos.

While Cave Creek keeps alive vestiges of the Old West, the adjacent village named Carefree represents the present. It was built as a planned community of homes, some now valued at millions of dollars, which line streets with names like Easy, Tranquil, Ho and Hum.

Locals describe this juxtaposition of Old and New West as the

“home of cowboys and caviar.”

That same comfortable marriage of old with new, casual with chic is experienced everywhere. It’s common in and around Scottsdale to see men and women

wearing jeans and western hats strolling out of shops that would feel comfortable on New York’s Fifth Avenue or Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, laden down with high-end purchases.

Fyllis and I came upon a gourmet hamburger restaurant, where the parking lot often is packed with top-of-the-line automobiles, which locals call “Burgers and Bentleys.” This

combination of upscale life with a laid-back attitude adds to the charm and appeal of Scottsdale. For more information about Scottsdale, log onto experiencescottsdale.com.

A PAINTER CAPTURES SOME DESERT COLOR.

OUTDOOR SCULPTURE IN SCOTTSDALE.

USING A GRINDING STONE IN THE DESERT BOTANICAL GARDEN.

WELCOME SIGN TO OLD TOWN.