Senior Life - NorthWest Edition - April 2023

Ninety years ago, the World’s Fair was held in Chicago, the theme of which was the “Century of Progress.” Among its highlights was a glimpse into the future of design and construction. Several homes that had been on display can be viewed from a distance within the Indiana National Lakeshore in Beverly Shores.

Developer Robert Bartlett bought a dozen buildings from the fair, including five unique houses from the Homes and Industrial Arts housing exhibit that now make up the Century of Progress Historic District. The buildings were moved across Lake Michigan by barge and then by truck to Beverly Shores. His plan had been to develop a resort community on the Indiana shore of Lake Michigan.

The historic district makes for a fun, informative and interesting outing where you can walk a short distance viewing the exterior of each home overlooking the lake. There are a few short-term parking spots right within the historic district and additional parking in larger lots down Lake Front Drive if you happen to be there at a busy time. It’s a stunning place for a walk, by the way. Outside each home are informational boards that can be read to learn more about the architect and details of each house. The cluster of five landmarks is separated by Lake Front Drive with two on the side closest to the Continued on page 2

Kelsey shares passion for volunteering and history

With a passion for history, volunteering and his hometown, Bob Kelsey seems like he’s right where he’s supposed to be — at the helm of the Dyer Historical Museum. Any topic, event, building or significant person connected to the town seems to elicit a story from Kelsey, one that he can recite in great detail as if he’s recalling something that happened yesterday rather than decades ago.

He’s only been in the president role for about three months but has served the Dyer Historical Society for several years as treasurer and executive administrator. He was born and raised in Dyer. So was his wife, whose grandfather was the first board president.

After graduating from college, Kelsey came back and taught at Lake Central High School where he was department chairperson and a coach. While still in college, he met with the school superintendent in his hometown who sought his guidance in architectural design, as a new high school building was being planned. He worked with the architects in

designing technical classrooms and was offered a job heading the vocational and industrial arts department when the new building was complete. He taught there for several years and then taught junior high in East Chicago.

While teaching, he was recruited by the Pullman company which made transit cars. Kelsey shifted from education to the business world. He later started his own engineering consulting company, now in existence for 47 years.

A trip to the Philippines changed Kelsey’s life. After witnessing such poverty and discovering how much of the rice crop was lost as it dried on the side of the road, he invented and patented a rice dryer that was a game changer in maximizing rice production. He was haunted by the devastation of the extremely poor people he encountered and used his knowledge and skills to

make a true difference in their lives and those of future generations.

“It made me very humble,” he said. “What I had seen with my eyes I will never forget. My little segment helping with food helps soothe my conscience.”

Kelsey continues to give, volunteer and help others, and much of it stemmed from that trip to the Philippines. He considers himself

S. O. S. - Speaking Of Seniors Phone calls saved client $9,626

Editor’s note: Woodrow Wilcox is the senior medical bill case worker at Senior Care Insurance Services in Merrillville. He has saved clients of that firm over $3 million. Also, Wilcox wrote the book “SOLVING MEDICARE PROBLEM$,” which can be ordered through book stores or online.

On Feb. 17, a client came to our office in Merrillville. He brought a bill from a hospital in Chicago for $9,626. I made copies of the papers and went to my office to start checking it. Then,

I asked the client to join me in my office so that we could make phone calls together.

First, we phoned his Medicare supplement insurance company. I told them about the bill and asked if they got the bill or not. They had not received any claim for the client yet this year. Then, together we phoned the hospital in Chicago. In that call, I learned what the problem was. The hospital filed the claim with Medicare and the client’s old insurance company. I corrected them and worked with them to

change their files so that the claim could be filed correctly.

It was a simple error that was probably caused by someone at the hospital being rushed or not paying attention. Getting the client’s file with the hospital will allow the hospital to file the claim correctly. Once the claim gets to Medicare and the correct insurance company, our client should have little or nothing to pay on the bill.

All the help that I gave this client was free of charge. The Medicare system is not perfect and the people working in the Medicare system are not perfect. This agency helps our clients with such medical bill problems at no charge to demonstrate that we really do care about our clients. If your insurance agent or agency does

Continued from page 1

lake overlooking the beach and three more across the street, elevated on a hillside.

The structures are private residences, so visitors are not able to enter the property. They can, however, make their way down the road to get a glimpse of the outside and learn more.

There is a rare opportunity once a year to see the interior of four of the homes during the rangerled Century of Progress Home Tour. It typically takes place the last weekend of September and is sponsored by the nonprofit Indiana Landmarks organization, in partnership with the National Park Service. Scoring

not help clients like this, maybe you should switch to use our insurance agency.

being “on a mission from God” and believes that his reason for being in the world is to help others. “If you really want to live a life of contentment, you help others and volunteer your services.”

Despite his lack of experience in agriculture, Kelsey’s industrial background led him toward the food industry, which included starting a manufacturing plant. His portfolio has since grown to having about two-dozen global operating companies.

Kelsey’s interest in history and involvement in preserving it also has carried over to the Calumet City (Illinois) Historical Society, where he’s been on the board for five years. Calumet City is where his mother’s side is from and was one of the first families to settle there. He has been very involved in Lions Club and maintains records and an exhibit about the club at the museum. Keisey was also president of Hoosier Boys Town.

He encourages everyone to stop in the museum to learn more about the fascinating history of the town of Dyer, which includes a former airport, links to Henry Ford and the distinction of having part of America’s first improved transcontinental road — Route 30. Chances are you’ll meet him there if you visit, as he’s often organizing the office, adding historical information into binders, working on displays or leading tours.

tickets isn’t easy, though. They open up sales in early August and are usually sold-out within an hour. Visit nps.gov for more information.

Among the homes is the pink Florida Tropical house, which looks right at home as the waves of a great lake roll in behind it. It was the only one of the homes to be state-sponsored, commissioned by the State of Florida to lure tourists to “The Sunshine State.” It was also the most expensive and luxurious of the homes.

The Wieboldt-Rostone House was built using a new material made of limestone, shale and alkali with steel beams and col-

umns. At about 130 tons, it was the heaviest of the renovated homes. The Armco-Ferro House and Cypress House are also part of the tour.

The House of Tomorrow, which has been declared a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, is in need of renovation but stands tall over the historic district — a three-story, steel-framed building originally clad in glass on the second and third floors. It was created by architect George Fred Keck and designed with the assumption that in the future every family would own an airplane, along with a garage and airport hangar.

Greenhouse enables IUN students a look ‘at real thing’

It measures 36 feet long, 24 feet wide and 35 feet high, and yet many folks at Indiana University Northwest may not know it exists. On the third floor of IUN’s Marram Hall is a room bounding with life, most of it green.

The IUN greenhouse arrived with the opening of Marram Hall in 1991. Dr. Richard Shef-

fer, then an associate professor of biology, developed the facility, doing chromosome analysis on aroids, a primarily tropical family of plants that often have large showy leaves but tiny inconspicuous flowers packed into a spike.

Even after retiring, Sheffer continued to care for the plants until the pandemic hit. At that point, Gayle Tonkovich, an academic lab specialist, took over the greenhouse. With degrees in botany, Tonkovich said her

goal was simple: “I’m just going to keep everything alive.”

Today the greenhouse boasts clones of the original seeds Sheffer obtained, including some from the Missouri Botanic Garden.

In addition to the estimated 120 specimens used in research, the greenhouse also is home to plants from staff and faculty. Occupants include a collection of tropical orchids, a palm tree that started to outgrow its original space and a Norfolk Island pine from the biology department. Other flora includes tomato and bell pepper plants from an IUN community garden.

Dr. Spencer Cortwright, an IUN associate professor of biology, uses the space for some basic germination experiments for a lab course. He also starts native seedlings for the prairie and wetland restoration site on campus he and his students manage.

IUN’s Biology Club held a flower seed planting in February and is planning more greenhouse projects, including helping to clean up the green space for additional use. Tonkovich and Cortwright agree that the underutilized greenhouse’s greatest asset may be its accessibility.

“It’s so easy to get to,” said Cortwright, a Valparaiso resident, “right there in the hallway.”

Visible from the road, the greenhouse is located at the southern end of Marram Hall, a facility named for sea grasses essential to the Indiana Dunes.

Tonkovich, who lives in Whiting, cited the positive impact on students who have spent time in the greenhouse.

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“A lot of our students haven’t done much with plants or gardening, or even being in the outdoors,” she said. “That’s partly because where we are located. Northwest Indiana is so industrial and urban.”

Cortwright added, “I want students [using the greenhouse] to learn how to do a study and how to collect and analyze data.”

Students can examine plenty of tropical anthurium plants, along with mosses and liver worts. They can utilize the greenhouse, Tonkovich said, “rather than studying plants under a microscope. They can look at the real thing.”

Tonkovich added that, especially during the pandemic, “people started to realize that getting out in nature can be very healing and very good for mental capacity.”

Some students, the lab specialist noted, even find the greenhouse relaxing. There temperatures range from 65 to 110 degrees.

“It’s a little escape,” Tonkovich said, “and it’s a different space.”

It was 50 years ago —

‘The Cisco Kid’ based on TV show

War

Inspirations for a hit song can sometimes spring from a most unusual source.

Members of the California septet War hailed from different neighborhoods in and around Long Beach and Compton, both burgs part of the Los Angeles suburban sprawl.

Of disparate backgrounds and different ages, the musicians found a common thread of interest in creating tunes together. “We mixed and mingled everything, even mariachi music,” War’s keyboardist Lonnie Jordan recalled. “We played blues constantly. We were trying to imitate what we heard, but it came out being something else.”

Blues and mariachi weren’t their only musical genres. Influenced by the young musicians’ racial diversity, elements of soul, jazz, reggae and mainstream rock ‘n’ roll were also combined to create an aural stew that defined War’s distinctive sound.

They went by a series of names — the Creators, the Romeos, Nightshift. In 1969, while playing a small Hollywood club, a record producer caught their act and soon introduced them to British superstar Eric Burdon, who had recently split from his

hit-making Animals group. The result was Nightshift becoming War and backing Eric on the 1970 reverie-inducing, millionselling MGM Records single “Spill the Wine.”

Burdon left the band and never had another hit. War, though, was just beginning a seven-year run on Billboard’s Hot 100 charts. Switching to United Artists Records, the group saw 11 hit 45s keep the War name burning hot.

Their biggest winner — Number Two on Billboard’s chart — was “The Cisco Kid,” which was based on a favorite children’s TV show of theirs called — surprise!

— “The Cisco Kid.”

“Up until that point, the cowboy heroes were people like John Wayne,” Jordan explained. “When the TV series came around, the band discovered their first nonwhite hero — a Mexican cowboy.”

The Cisco Kid was a popular half-hour Western that ran from 1950 to 1956, with Cisco (Duncan Renaldo) and his partner Pancho (Leo Carillo) spending 156 episodes chasing down lawbreakers.

Children were the target viewing audience, so gun violence was always downplayed. Cisco often shot a pistol from a villain’s hand, while Pancho’s bullwhip frequently disarmed the bad guy.

Every show ended with a corny joke about the adventure they had just endured. Then both would laugh, Cisco would say, “Oh, Pancho!,” Pancho would say, “Oh, Cisco,” and the two would ride off as the credits rolled.

Each War member contributed to “The Cisco Kid,” which fea-

instrumental engine that drove a story line that defied analysis — or logic:

“The Cisco Kid was a friend of mine/He drink whiskey, Pancho drink the wine

“We met down on the fort of Rio Grande/Eat the salted peanuts out of can

“The outlaws had us pinned

blastin’, drinkin’ port.”

The musicians met Duncan Renaldo, TV’s Cisco Kid. War’s guitarist Howard Scott said, “It was an honor to meet that guy. He was this old, elegant Spanish gentleman with white hair, lighthearted and very likable.”

As to their best-selling single ever? “He thought our song was

Calls to make after a loss or theft

A recent internet post included some free advice to company employees from a sender who purported to be an attorney.

Much of it sounds sound but, as with anything you read or hear, check with a professional you know and trust. In this case, check these thoughts with your attorney.

To begin, the next time you order checks have only your initials (instead of first name) and last name put on them. If you lose your checkbook or someone takes it, they will not know if you sign your checks with just your initials or your first name. Your bank knows how you sign your checks.

If you wish, you can put your work phone number on your checks instead of your home phone. If you have a Post Office Box, use that instead of your home address. If you do not have a P.O. Box, use your work address.

Never have your Social Security number printed on your checks.

When you are writing checks to pay for your credit card accounts, don’t put the complete account number on the “For” line. Instead, just

put the last four numbers. The credit card company knows the rest of the number. Do not sign the back of your credit cards. Instead, put “Photo Id Required.”

Photocopy both sides of all the contents of your wallet. That way, if your wallet is lost or stolen, you’ll know what you had in your wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call to cancel. Keep the photocopy in a safe place. Also carry a photocopy of your passport when you’re traveling either here or abroad.

When you check out of a hotel that uses cards for keys, as is the practice more and more now, do not turn these keys in. Take them with you and destroy them. Those little cards contain all the information you gave the hotel, including address and credit card numbers with their expiration dates. Someone with a card reader, or employee of the hotel, can access all that information.

The attorney pointed out his wallet was stolen the previous month and, within a week, the thieves ordered an expensive monthly cell-phone package, applied for a VISA credit card, had a credit line

Password paranoia

Hacking has become a cyberspace cottage industry, so nothing out there is really safe.

Hence the emphasis on complicated passwords to protect your computerized property. Secure software managers have emerged that store all your passwords in a virtual

vault guarded by one ultrasecure password. This eliminates the need for copying every one of your passwords in a little black book and then erasing and recopying each password when you change it, as recommended by password police.

You can search online for these password managers, whose charges vary.

Mature Life Features Copyright 2023

approved to buy a Gateway computer and received a PIN number from DMV to change his driving record information online.

He offered some information to limit the damage in case this happens to you. Cancel your credit cards immediately. The key is those copies of your credit cards with the toll-free numbers. File a police report im-

mediately in the jurisdiction where the theft occurred. Get a copy and make more to prove to credit providers you were diligent.

An important step to take is to call the three national credit-reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and Social Security number. This alerts any company checking your credit that

your information was stolen, and they have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit.

Here are the numbers you need to contact:

Equifax: (800) 525-6285; Experian (formerly TRW): (888) 397-3742; TransUnion: (800) 680-7289, and Social Security Administration (fraud line): (800) 269-0271. Mature

See the world from a living-room window

“Why don’t you trade houses for vacations,” a colleague suggested at our regular weekly brunch gathering.

After a brief look at the bane and benefits of swapping homes with someone in the region we’d like to visit with someone who’d like to spent some time in our area, the conversation moved toward house-sitting.

Why not see the world from the living room window of a house, or apartment, of folks who want to travel but worry about leaving their home and valuables and pets unattended?

Seniors with time to spare can learn the rudiments right around their neighborhood. Post notices on a few nearby supermarket bulletin boards, and perhaps an online note with Craig’s list, that you’re available to house sit for a fee.

You may not have to move into the home. Just make sure you take in the mail, water the plants, feed the cat, see to it that electrically-time lighting works on schedule, and check to make sure there are no water leaks, signs of break-ins or attempted breakins.

You and the homeowner can negotiate how many hours a day or a week you will devote to these chores and set a price. Your rates can easily climb to $25, $50 or more a day.

Not only will this expand your experience and expertise in housesitting, it’ll also provide you with a list of references for prospective clients. When you start out without a reference pool you can offer character references provided by neighbors, your clergyman, or former employer.

You’ll have to decide what limits you wish to put in place. Do you want to include caring for pets in your service? Will you do the house cleaning or do you want the homeowner to pay for a cleaning person?

Then you can search online for people who’d like someone to babysit a mansion by the Mediterranean, cottage in Canberra, bungalow in Bologna, or cabin in Canada. You can begin by typing “house sitting” in your favorite online search engine. One website, www.housecarers.com, charges an annual membership fee for information leading to assignments worldwide that allow you to “live rent free” as a house sitter.

There’ll be time between

chores — keep in mind that you have to care for the residence and the resident’s property as you would your own — to immerse yourself in local living. And there’s no problem these days keeping in touch via cell phone and computer.

If the to-do list to tasks is extensive — draining and maintaining a swimming pool, trimming shrubs and mowing grass, notifying the homeowner of any “important’ mail, for example — you might add a charge for these services. That’ll help pay for your vacation. It might even allow you to tack on some additional days to be completely on your own.

As in any contract, write down in detail the services you will provide, how long you will provide them, and what you will be paid for those services. Also write down the length of time you will be permitted to be away from the premises.

Write down how utility bills will be paid while you’re living in the house, and who will pay them.

You also should check on your medical and liability insurance coverage while your house sitting, especially in a foreign country.

Mature Life Features Copyright 2023

Healthy Reminders for Adults over 50!

1. Take Your Medication as Directed

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

2. Don’t Overdo It

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

3. Check in with Your Mood

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

4. Find Purpose Each Day

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

Learn More When You...

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

• Book your adult group for a WISE class series about living a healthy lifestyle! This 6-week series takes a fun, interactive and educational look at aging. To learn more or schedule your group, visit www.porterstarke.org/lifeonpurpose

• Visit www.porterstarke.org Discover even more healthy ways to live Life. On Purpose.

Rhoda remains active in Chesterton athletics

“Never say never,” Vicki Rhoda learned.

Growing up in Valparaiso, she was one of those folks who said she’d never move to Chesterton. Not only did she and her late husband move there, but they had a farm and a long history in Chesterton High School sports.

Retired from the Duneland School Corporation after 21 years of service, Rhoda devoted 20 of those years, officially and unofficially, to CHS Trojan sports.

Active at the former Liberty Middle School where her two

children attended, Rhoda worked 10 years as secretary to the assistant principal at CHS, followed by 11 years as Trojan athletic office secretary.

“It was fun. I worked with some great people,” Rhoda said. “We were constantly busy.”

A 5A school in football, Chesterton offers 18 sports. Rhoda began her involvement in sports while in the assistant principal’s office, selling tickets at games and “going wherever I was needed,” she said.

When she moved to the athletic office, Rhoda’s husband, Bob, came on board.

Before his death last October, Bob Rhoda handled announcing at various Trojan boys and girls sports. He also kept score books for Trojan hoops.

As athletic secretary, Vicki scheduled officials, secured buses, put together team rosters, paid bills, worked with boosters and still sold tickets.

She started with former athletic director Garry Nallenweg and his assistant, Jim Goetz. She remained an extra year to help “break in” current AD Jeff Hamstra and assis-

Professional Services

Q. What are the different types of special needs trusts?

A. First-Party Special Needs Trusts

A first-party special needs trust is typically created when a person with special needs has assets—or expects to receive assets through an inheritance, divorce, or legal settlement— that would prevent eligibility for government benefits. The beneficiary’s own assets fund the irrevocable trust, and the trust language must require that the account balance will reimburse the state Medicaid agency upon the person’s death.

Third-Party Special Needs Trusts

A third-party special needs trust is created with the assets of family or friends to provide financial assistance to an individual with special needs and preserve the beneficiary’s access to SSI and Medicaid. There is no reimbursement requirement for a third-party special needs trust.

tant Tommy Berry.

A good athletic director, Rhoda said, “knows his coaches, his facilities and he gets to know his athletes.”

Athletics, Rhoda observed, differs from other aspects of school life. While grading periods are divided into nine weeks, sports are arranged by fall, winter and spring.

“We pay our own bills and do payroll,” she noted. “We have more responsibilities than other departments.”

Football and boys basketball are the top revenue sports, Rhoda said. One of her favorite memories was the boys basketball sectional title from 2019-20 under coach Marc Urban.

“I knew all those kids,” she recalled. “It was an exciting time for the school and kids, and a good bunch of kids.” Rhoda also remembers the people she’s met over the years. “It’s the friendships I’ve made and seeing all the athletes who come back and remember you,” she said.

Hamstra cited the Rhodas’ service to CHS athletics. “They are always available to help out in any capacity,” the

athletic director said, “and the best part is that they have always done it for the kids. They are a shining example of what is right about education-based athletics.”

While her daughter Sarah lives in West Lafayette, Rhoda and son Michael operate a 1,000-acre farm in Liberty Township, growing corn, soybeans and wheat. Her late husband was an accountant, and

Rhoda is learning bookkeeping.

Rhoda said the key to being an athletic secretary is to “be receptive to dealing with parents and coaches. You have to be quick on your feet and have the ability to stop and do something else.”

With so many unknowns, including unpredictable spring weather, “you never know when you’re going to be busy,” she said.

Professional

Your exclusive opportunity to present common questions or concerns “Adults 50 Years And Better” may have relating to your product(s) or service.

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Q. Isn’t your paper only read by older senior citizens on limited incomes?

Ryan Hahn Trust Administrator

Third-party special needs trusts can also benefit additional beneficiaries. For example, the trustee has the power to authorize payments for family and friends to encourage travel, activities, and relationship building with the beneficiary. Contact TCU Trust Services for more information.

DISCLOSURE: This information is not designed, meant, nor does it constitute the rendering of legal or tax advice. You should consult with your attorney and/or tax advisor before implementing any strategy discussed here. Trust services provided by MEMBERS Trust Company are not federally insured, are not obligations of or guaranteed by the credit union or any affiliated entity, involve investment risks, including the possible loss of principle. MEMBERS Trust Company is a federal thrift regulated by the Office of the Comptroller or the Currency.

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The amazing cucumber

to five servings of non-starchy vegetables per day, but that’s just a minimum.

When hunger strikes, having more non-starchy vegetables can help satisfy appetite without raising blood sugar levels. The fiber and water content of fresh cucumbers makes them an ideal choice for glycemic control.

Cucumbers are popular long, lean and green garden vegetables. Technically, they’re fruits from the same family as watermelons and pumpkins, but most people consider them veggies.

The three most used varieties of cucumbers are:

Common slicing — smooth skin, 8-12” long.

English — seedless and referred to as burpless, 12-14” long.

Pickling — thicker and has bumpy skin, 3-7” long.

Nutritional value of a medium cucumber:

Calories: 30

Total fat: 0 grams

Carbs: 6 grams

Protein: 3 grams

Fiber: 2 grams

Vitamin C: 10% of the recommended daily value

Vitamin K: 57% of the DV

Magnesium: 9% of the DV

Potassium: 12% of the DV

Manganese: 9% of the DV

Being 95% water, cucumber are a good source of hydration and replacing of electrolytes, especially for people who have trouble drinking enough water.

Producers put synthetic wax on cucumbers, and though it is harmless, it is best to peel the skin, buy organic or use a vegetable wash before consuming.

Cucumbers are a nonstarchy vegetable, which is one of the best categories of food for managing diabetes. The American Diabetes Association recommends three

Cucumbers are a refreshing, nutritious and incredibly versatile addition to any diet. They are low in calories but contain many important vitamins and minerals, as well as a high water content. Dare I say they are crunchy — like a cookie, only oh so much better for you.

Cucumbers are always soothing to place slices on your eyes to reduce puffiness and delicious to add to water for a cool flavor.

Simple Cucumber Salad www.acouplebooks.com

Ingredients:

2 large, thin cucumbers (English if possible)

1 small yellow or white onion

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill (optional)

½ cup white vinegar

1 to 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Fresh ground pepper

Instructions:

1. Slice the cucumbers as thin as possible, using a mandoline if desired. Peel, cut in half top to bottom and thinly slice the onion. Layer the cucumbers and onions in a large shallow bowl; add the dill (if using).

2. In a small bowl, mix the white vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Pour the mixture over the cucumbers and onions, mixing everything together to ensure even coverage. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

3. Stir again to evenly mix the dressing. Then serve with a slotted spoon. Store refrigerated for up to seven days.

When Hitchcock’s ‘The Birds’ became real

It was a scene of pure pandemonium, a flock of birds crashing into houses in a quiet California beach town, the crazed creatures smashing windows and attacking the residents whose frantic

screams matched the agonizing shrieks of the interlopers themselves.

A scene from the 1963 Alfred Hitchcock horror movie “The Birds,” right? Actually, no. This event occurred for

Purdue Extension offers ‘Grass to Garden’ course

Start a community-based garden with Purdue Extension’s “Grass to Garden” course.

Every garden is unique, and Grass to Garden will help you learn more than just how to grow plants. From improving access to fruits and vegetables to educating people on how food is grown, community gardens offer many benefits to the place you call home.

Four weekly sessions will be held on Mondays from 4:30-7 p.m., May 1-22, at Gabis Arboretum on the campus of Purdue University Northwest in Valparaiso. This program targets community garden managers and those

wanting to start a community garden.

Topics include identifying local funding sources, setting vision and goals, creating garden policies, building leadership, designing and preparing a grow site, creating a budget and growing, harvesting and distributing produce. The program fee is $75 and includes all course materials. Register by April 17 at puext.in/GabisGTG

For more information contact Rebecca Koetz at the Lake County Extension office (219) 755-3240. If you require accommodations e-mail busser@purdue.edu at least two weeks in advance of the program.

real two years before the great director’s now-classic release.

Following the 1960 success of “Psycho,” Hitchcock set about making a film meant to outdo what many critics have dubbed Hollywood’s first true horrorfest. “The Birds” would be loosely based on a 1952 story of the same name by English writer Daphne du Maurier. In her novella, a British farmhand comes under an unexplained kamikaze-style attack by seagulls. Hitchcock’s project was well underway when he heard about a bizarre phenomenon in the central California coastal town of Capitola. An article in the Santa Cruz Sentinel described hordes of disoriented birds dive-bombing the town in the early morning hours of Aug. 18, 1961, crashing into homes and cars and spewing half-digested fish onto lawns and streets.

During the melee, some residents had stepped outside, flashlights in hand, only to find the birds rushing toward the light. One woman said half a dozen birds had

Spring into the Arts festival in Valparaiso schools

Valparaiso Community Schools has announced its sixth annual student-centered festival, Spring into the Arts. Spring into the Arts is a month-long festival for the entire community, brought by VCS in partnership with Valparaiso Creative Council.

It is a concept organized and orchestrated by VCS art teachers who firmly believe that students deserve meaningful experiences. The festival

enables students to showcase personal creativity in public venues throughout downtown.

VCS kindergarten through high school students’ artwork will be featured at eight landmark downtown locations. The kickoff event, “The @rt-chitecture Walk,” takes place at Urschel Pavilion, 70 Lafayette St, Valparaiso, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 22. The community is invited to join as they unveil

upwards of 1,000 pieces of student artwork across all participating locations. Attendees will receive a map and can venture to each location to receive a hole punch. Maps can then be turned in for chances to win prizes at 1 p.m. back at Urschel Pavilion.

Valparaiso Creative Council will also announce a mural “un-VALE-ing” and feature a local artist. This one-day event kicks off the month-long art exhibit in downtown Valpo and will last until May 20. Students can also submit film entries this year at springintothearts.com by April 17.

tried to infiltrate her home. Eight residents reported being bitten. When dawn broke, the dead and dying creatures littered the town.

Understandably, the question nobody could answer at the time was “Why did this happen?”

Hitchcock phoned the Sentinel’s editor and asked for a copy of the front page story. The Hollywood icon would later utilize portions of that account when he had his scriptwriter alter some scenes for the upcoming feature.

Nobody understood the reason for that night’s attack in Capitola until three decades later, when it was decided that brown pelicans and cormorants along the central California coast were falling ill due to being poisoned from domonic acid, the result of a toxin produced by a sporadically recurring red algae.

It appears this toxin had also been the culprit behind the 1961 disaster. In that situation, the avian victims were sooty shearwaters, large

brown and gray seagull-like birds that annually migrate from the Southern Hemisphere. The tainted food chain along the shore had moved from algae to fish to birds, the tragic results for the sooty shearwaters being brain damage, disorientation, seizures and, eventually, death.

The hapless birds in Capitola hadn’t been evil or angry or murderous that morning, they had simply been sick and confused.

Alfred Hitchcock once said, “‘The Birds’ could be the most terrifying motion picture I have ever made.” His 1963 apocalyptic movie focused on sudden and unexplained vicious bird attacks on the people of the small coastal town of Bodega Bay, Calif. (Capitola lies 145 miles to the south).

An urban legend once claimed that the Capitola incident had been the basis for Hitchcock’s classic. That was untrue; in a textbook case of art imitating life, it had all been a matter of coincidence.

Lake County Right to Life to hold banquet

The Lake County Right to Life organization will host its annual fundraising banquet Friday, April 14. Avalon Manor, 3550 E. Lincoln Highway, Merrillville, will host the event.

Doors will open at 6 p.m.

IIt’s easy! Simply find the raindrop on another page in this edition. Go online to www.SeniorLifeNewspapers.com and enter your information, the edition, date and page number you found it on. This will enter you for a chance to win a gift of $25.

(Online Entries Only) Entries Must Be In By Monday, April 10, 2023.

with dinner starting at 7 p.m. There is no charge to attend, but reservations must be made by phoning (219) 838-1138 or emailing office@ lakecortl.org. Near the end of the dinner, a donation will be requested to support Lake County Right to Life and its efforts.

Seth Gruber will be the main speaker at the event. Calling himself “the voice for the unborn,” Gruber’s website can be found at sethgruber. com. He will speak on “sharing your pro-life views with family and friends easily.”

Len Reynolds, president of Lake County Right to Life, will report what the group accomplished in the past year and introduce other speakers, including the winner of the pro-life high school student speech contest.

In the past, between 600 and 1,000 people attended the annual meeting. Many pastors and priests attend with members of their respective congregations. Dozens of high school and college students also regularly attend.

I Spy March winner is James Stone. The chick was located on page 12 in Senior Elko, page 1 in Senior St. Joseph, page 8 in Senior Allen and page 13 in Senior Northwest.

Cinnamon-Roll

It takes just minutes to assemble this healthy nocook breakfast, and you’ll have meal-prepped graband-go breakfasts on hand for the rest of the week. Top these delicious vegan oats—inspired by classic cinnamon bun flavors—with fresh or frozen fruit and your favorite nuts and seeds.

5 servings; Active 5 minutes; Total 8 hours

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (see Tip)

2 1/2 cups unsweetened nondairy milk, such as almond or coconut

6 teaspoons light brown sugar

1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

1 ¼ teaspoons ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

Stir oats, milk, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and salt together in a large bowl. Divide among five 8-ounce jars. Screw on lids and refrigerate overnight or for up to 5 days.

TIPS:

People with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity should use oats that are labeled “gluten-free,” as oats are often cross-contaminated with wheat and barley. To avoid raw oats, make sure the oats are completely submerged in the liquid before covering and refrigerating.

TO MAKE AHEAD:

Refrigerate for up to 5 days.

NUTRITION INFORMATION:

Serving Size: 2/3 cup

Per Serving: 191 calories; protein 6g; carbohydrates 32g; dietary fiber 4g; sugars 4g; fat 4g; saturated fat 1g; vitamin a iu 2IU; folate 14mcg; calcium 271mg; iron 2mg; magnesium 65mg; potassium 238mg; sodium 323mg; added sugar 4g.

Exchanges: 2 starch, 1/2 other carbohydrate

For Information On How To Advertise Call 219-254-2345

ANNUAL TRADITIONS

ACROSS

1. Verdant

5. Vietnamese neighbor

8. “Before” prefix

11. Curved molding

12. *It rings at midnight on Christmas Eve at church

13. Yarn store unit

15. Relating to armpit

16. Criminal’s surprise

17. Nephew’s sister

18. *4th of July spectacle

20. 1952 Olympics host

21. 1,000 kilograms

22. Meat sauce

23. Vacation location

26. French painter of “La Danse” fame

30. Menu words (2 words)

31. Lean

34. Wine valley

35. Impertinent

37. *Annual Assumption tradition blesses it

38. #2 Down, pl.

39. Highest volcano in Europe

40. Puppies

42. Bit of binary code

43. Dean’s official

Faith

Valparaiso group brings together women of faith

If you’re looking to be part of an organized group where you can meet other women of faith, the Christian Woman’s Connection in Valparaiso welcomes you. The group, which was originally called Christian Woman’s Club, has a long history.

“To give you a little background, the group was founded 82 years ago by a woman who felt strongly that many women were lacking a spiritual focus and wanted a place to find one,” said Ruth Rinker, CWC chairperson. “It has grown from a few clubs to international standing. It’s one of many ministries that operates under the umbrella of Stonecroft Ministries, based in Kansas City, Missouri.”

Rinker had been involved in the group in the 1970s until her work life kept her too busy to stay involved. After her retirement in 2017, a friend asked her to attend a CWC lunch meeting, and she’s been going ever since. When the group was looking for a new chairperson, the timing seemed right. She had recently retired from a demanding job and was looking for something meaningful to do with her time.

“The original intent was to provide a setting where Christian women could invite family, friends and/or neighbor women to have a lunch, hear a feature about a nonreligious event or organization, then a message from someone who’s life had been transformed by finding Christ as her Savior,” Rinker explained.

As chairperson, Rinker emcees the monthly luncheon, makes announcements, awards door prizes, introduces the special feature and guest speaker and conducts a planning meeting the week following each monthly meeting to plan for upcoming events.

“The great pleasure in being in the group has always been in getting to know women of all ages and backgrounds with the common factor of having faith in Jesus Christ,” said Rinker. “CWC is, and has always been, nondenominational. We start each meeting with a reminder that we don’t talk about age, weight, politics or our church. We talk about how God has blessed us and is working in our lives, regardless of church affiliation.”

Each month, the group gets together over lunch and afterwards takes in a presentation by a speaker. “I’d like other women to know that CWC provides a casual atmosphere to enjoy a good meal, gather information about a new or unusual event or organization and present Godly speakers who share their story, emphasizing how finding Jesus turned their life around,” said Rinker.

There is not a membership fee to join the group, but each attendee at the monthly meeting pays $20 to cover the cost of the meal and monthly expenses. There is a benevolent fund in place to help pay the cost for those unable to pay.

“It’s not charity, just the result of others’s generosity and understanding that sometimes lack of money could keep a woman away,” said Rinker.

All are welcome at meetings.

Sheffield Manor Assisted Living

offers affordable, luxury living with a professional staff that is dedicated to providing the assistance you need to remain active and as indepedent as possible.

Dyer Nursing & Rehabilitation Center

offers Post-Acute Rehabilitation Programs helping individuals become as independent as possible following an injury, surgery or illness.

Call ahead for reservations to (219) 929-8031 or (219) 4624808. The group is currently meeting at Susie’s Cafe in

Valparaiso. The next meeting is April 5 and the speaker will be portraying a holocaust survivor and telling her incredible

story. Learn more about the group on their Facebook page, “Christian Women Connection - Valparaiso IN.”

Civil War’s impact on the funeral industry

for troop concentration.

The American Civil War brought great change, but there were differences between the North and South when it came to embalming and funeral services.

Little if any embalming was available to Southerners. Virtually all embalming was done by Northerners. Washington, D.C., was the capital city of the North and became the center

It is documented that surgeons, who were also trained as embalmers, gathered there to help with the war effort. They began to embalm during the Civil War so the men who died in battle could be returned home to their loved ones.

At the beginning of the Civil War, as in all previous wars fought by the United States, there was no provision made to return the dead to their homes. Military dead were simply buried in the field near where they fell.

Things changed dramatically during the Civil War in this regard. For the very first time in American history, it was possible for relatives to have the remains returned to their home for local burial if certain conditions were met.

The family had to make the request in writing. If the military could determine the burial location, the family would send a coffin capable of being hermetically sealed to the place of death where a team would disinter and prepare the body to be shipped back via train. Over 600,000 were killed in the Civil War, and of those 40,000 were embalmed.

It was at this time the war department was forced to issue General Order 39 to ensure only properly licensed embalmers could offer their services. This led to the first establishment for funeral services. Dr. Thomas Holmes opened the doors in Washington, D.C., in 1861.

St. Joseph Funeral Home and Cemetery may be reached at (574) 288-4685 or visit sjfh. net.

Residences at Coffee Creek —

New model Parkinson’s support group in Porter County

support group and exercise class, we have learned so much and are honored to be able to share it with the community biweekly.

tips and information during support group. After exercise, they all come together for more sharing.

April is Parkinson’s Awareness Month. This chronic movement disorder affects over a million seniors. Residences at Coffee Creek Senior Living, 2300 Village Point, Chesterton, offers an important message of hope to those wondering what to do when the diagnosis is Parkinson’s or when it has progressed. Take advantage of resources close to home and don’t go it alone. Thanks to the founders of the Parkinson’s

The only group of its kind in Porter County, Evelyn Morrison and Linda Stack, whose husbands have Parkinson’s, saw the need to create a support group for families in this area. Stack and friend Deb Butterfield, whose mother had Parkinson’s, were introduced to this model at The Villages in Florida. It is unique due to the exercise class for those who have Parkinson’s that meets while families share coping

Six local veterans to participate in April Honor Flight

Six area armed services veterans will participate in an Honor Flight taking place Wednesday, April 26.

Three Porter County veterans, all of whom live at Avalon Springs Health Campus, will be included on the flight, including William Parker, Korea veteran; David Graef, WWII veteran; and Donald Lipke, Korea veteran.

Participants from Lake County include Charles Clam, Clayton Hepworth and Michael Riddle, all of whom are Vietnam veterans.

The opportunity is provided by Honor Flight of Greater Lafayette, whose mission statement is “to celebrate America’s veterans by inviting them to share in a day of honor at our nation’s memorials.”

Honor Flight was founded in 2005 by Jeff Miller an Earl Morris, using six small planes and honoring 27 WWII veterans. It has since expanded to 134 HUBs around the country, including four in Indiana. As of last fall, more than 250,000 veterans have made the trip.

The Lafayette HUB was organized in 2012 by several local Gold Star families. The flight in April will be the 25th from the Lafayette HUB, providing the opportunity for more than 2,100 area veterans.

The Honor Flight will depart from Purdue Airport. Upon arrival in Washington, D.C., the veterans will be greeted with

a water cannon salute and a crowd welcoming them as they exit the plane. They will then board four buses to tour several significant memorials throughout the city.

Upon returning to Indiana later that day, they will be welcomed home by hundreds of supporters waiting to greet the returning veterans.

“In many cases, this trip is the ‘welcome home’ that many veterans never received,” said Kevin Bol, board president of Honor Flight of Greater Lafayette. “The Honor Flight board is 100% voluntary. It takes help from volunteers and donors to keep these flights going. There is always a need for ongoing financial assistance, but it is also important to help locate veterans who have not made the trip.”

The flight of approximately 85 Hoosier veterans will return to the Purdue airport at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 26. They need your help getting friends and family to come out to give the veterans a welcome home they will never forget. Bring American flags, signs, banners and as many people as you can.

“Most of these heroes never received a homecoming,” said Bol. “Please help us change that by filling the airport with grateful family and friends who want to say ‘thank you for your service.’”

For further information, visit honorflightlafayette.com, or visit their Facebook page by searching for HonorFlightGreaterLafayetteCommunity.

Buy T-bills directly

You can avoid paying commissions to a broker or financial services agent by establishing your own account to buy U.S. Treasury bonds and bills.

Start online by going to treasurydirect.gov and follow the instructions on how to open an

The exercise program is also unique and provided by Joe Lucio, physical therapist from Orthopedic and Balance Specialists. Lucio has been specially trained with “Big and Loud,” the exercise program created for Parkinson’s patients.

“Our residents and staff also benefit from the program,” says Kaitlynn Redmon, executive director at Coffee Creek. “Assisted living is home. Our staff are extended caregivers. We are obliged to care for special needs if we are to support aging in place. Our nurse is available 24/7. Families meet with the chef for special dietary needs. Our staff is trained to recognize nuances in symptoms and behaviors. We have a therapy room on-site. We are ready to meet the needs of Parkinson’s and more!”

For further information, stop by or call (219) 921-5200.

account. You’ll need your Social Security and bank-account routing numbers. The latter is on your checks.

You’ll get e-mail confirmation from Treasury your account has been registered with them. An access card should be delivered by the postal service a few days later so you can start buying Treasury securities.

Mature Life Features Copyright 2023

What you need to know about Medicaid renewal

able to guide people to the coverage and support they need. As Medicaid renewal resumes, now is the time to prepare.

Three years ago, the federal government declared a public health emergency in response to COVID-19 that provided critical support and health care for families. During the PHE, nearly all Medicaid members were able to stay enrolled in their plans regardless of changes in eligibility or status. That is about to change.

Recent legislation separated Medicaid renewals from the PHE starting on April 1. As a result, the extended health coverage for some on Medicaid will end as renewals resume, with people learning as early as March that they could be unenrolled from the program at the end of April. As many as 30,000 Hoosiers per month could lose eligibility as a result of Medicaid renewal, sometimes called Medicaid redetermination.

The good news for those who will lose Medicaid coverage is that new subsidies make health plans on the Marketplace more affordable than ever. In addition, many helpful resources are avail-

Here is a check list for all Medicaid beneficiaries to get ready for this process:

• Make sure the Indiana Department of Family and Social Services has your current contact information. You can update that information at fssabenefits.in.gov.

• Watch for and respond to mail from FSSA.

• Visit myhealthbenefitfinder.com to see if you are likely to qualify for Medicaid.

• Even if you still qualify, you may receive renewal instructions from FSSA.

• If you don’t qualify, you can find affordable health plans through your employer or the Marketplace.

A change of employment is likely to be a common reason many Hoosiers will no longer qualify for Medicaid. The next step for people in this situation is to talk to their employer to determine if they are eligible for their employer’s health plan.

If the employer-based health plan is not an option, an Affordable Care Act

health plan at healthcare. gov is likely the best choice to remain covered. This website contains helpful guidance and provides connections to health care navigators and brokers in each community.

The ACA led to the creation of health plans that go beyond basic coverage but are still affordable. These plans cover essential health benefits, including emergency services, prescription drugs and pediatric services, and they offer no-cost preventive care. This

means consumers pay nothing for important services such as regular wellness visits, immunizations and screenings. These services are key to avoiding and managing serious health conditions.

ACA plans are often more affordable than previously because federal subsidies have been expanded through 2025 to help keep costs down for consumers. Most people covered by these plans receive a federal subsidy, and in fact, some families who qualify for

subsidies will pay nothing for coverage. If you did not previously qualify for subsidies, you may now be eligible.

The pandemic brought years of uncertainty that has caused us to appreciate more than ever the importance of good health. Now our focus turns to raising awareness about the health care coverage options available so that individuals can make informed decisions as we approach the end of the public health emergency.

Out of shape? Exercise

A widespread excuse for not exercising is you are so far out of shape, nothing you can do will help you get fit and healthy again.

The bad news is you probably won’t get your athletic 20-year-old body back again. The good news is any bit of

exercise you can work up will make you feel better, sleep better, eat better and make some of your clothes fit better.

Exercise doesn’t require hours every day in a gym or running through expensive sneakers every three months by pounding your way daily over several miles of planet earth.

Take the stairs instead of the

elevator if you live in an apartment building. Walk around the block and visit neighbors. Take a bike ride or a dip in the pool. Go dancing. Vacuum the living room. Wash the car. Do the laundry. Gardening is good, too.

Any activity that keeps you moving offers the same benefits as “exercise.”

Mature Life Features Copyright 2023

Portage Community Business Night: ‘Minute to Win It’

The annual Portage Community and Business Night will be held from 4-7 p.m. Thursday, April 20, at Woodland Park, Portage. This annual event is hosted by the Greater Portage Chamber of Commerce and is one of the best regional networking events

of the year.

The Portage Community and Business Night gives businesses the opportunity to showcase their services and/or products to residents in the community. This event is free and open to the public. Tocayos Express Mexican

Food will be on-site selling Mexican cuisine.

The Greater Portage Chamber of Commerce will offer 50/50 raffle tickets for $10 each. With up to 500 tickets sold, the solo winner could pocket up to $2,500 cash. The winning ticket will be announced at the conclusion of the PCBN event and the winner does not need to be present. The total prize amount is determined by the total number of tickets actually sold. Raffle tickets can be purchased at the chamber office during normal business hours, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays.

As part of the PCBN theme, “Minute to Win It,” vendors should provide a “Minute to Win It” game at their booth for participants. The most creative game will win a free booth for PCBN in 2024. Vendors can register online at portageinchamber. com.

Questions regarding the event can be answered by contacting the Chamber office at (219) 762-3300 or emailing nsimpson@ portageinchamber.com.

Brentwood at Hobart

1420 St. Mary Circle, Hobart, IN 46342 (219) 945-1968

www.BrentwoodHobartSeniorLiving.com

Assisted Living, Alzheimer’s Unit, Therapies: Speech-OccupationalPhysical, Temporary Care, Private/Semi-Private Rooms, Pets Allowed, Private Dining Room, Enclosed Courtyard, 14 Passenger Van

Dyer Nursing & Rehab Center

601 Sheffield Avenue, Dyer, IN 46311 (219) 322-2273 • www.dyernursingandrehab.com

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

Hammond-Whiting Care Center

1000-114th Street, Whiting, IN 46394 (219) 659-2770

www.hammondwhitingconvalescentcenter.com

Rehabilitation Unit, Skilled Licensed Nursing, Semi-Skilled Nursing, Therapies: Speech-Occupational-Physical, Long Term Care, Temporary Care, Respite Care, Hospice Care, JCAHO Accredited, Private/SemiPrivate Rooms, Pet Visitation Allowed, Medicare and/or Medicaid

Harbor Health & Rehab

5025 McCook Ave., East Chicago, IN 46312 (219) 397-0380 • www.harborhealth.com

Skilled Licensed Nursing, Semi-Skilled Nursing, Rehabilitation Unit; Therapies: Speech, Occupational and Physical; Long Term Care, Respite/Temporary Care, Hospice Care, Trach/Respiratory Care, Private/Semi-Private Rooms, Certified Medicare and Medicaid Provider

Life Care Center of Valparaiso

3405 N. Campbell, Valparaiso, IN 46385 (219) 462-1023 • www.lcca.com/Valparaiso

Rehabilitation Unit, Skilled Licensed Nursing, Ready Set Go Rehab Program, Inpatient/Outpatient Physical, Occupational, Speech, Respiratory, Therapy, Wound Care, Respite And Hospice Care, Private/SemiPrivate Rooms, Pet Visitation Allowed, Facility Van, JCAHO Accredited, Medicare, Insurance, Medicaid Accepted

8380 Virginia St., Merrillville, IN 46410 (219) 769-9009 • www.lincolnshirehrc.com

Life Care Center of The Willows

1000 Elizabeth Drive, Valparaiso, IN 46385 (219) 464-4858 • www.lcca.com

Rehabilitation Unit, Skilled Licensed Nursing 24/7, Ready Set Go Program for Rehab to Home; Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapies; Exceptional Wound Care; Respite Care; Pallitative and Hospice Care; Long-term Care; Private/Semi-Private Rooms; Pet Visitation Allowed; Medicare, Medicaid, Most Insurances, Private Pay Accepted

7935 Calumet Ave., Munster, IN 46321 (219) 836-8300 • www.munstermed-inn.com

Saint Anthony

221 W. Division Road, Demotte, IN 46310 (219) 987-7005 • www.oakgrovecrv.org

Experience Our Unique Approach To Senior Living & Memory Support 2300 Village Point, Chesterton, IN 46304 (219) 921-5200 • www.ResidencesAtCoffeeCreek.com

Experience Our Unique Approach To Senior Living & Memory Support 401 E. U.S. 30, Schererville, IN 46375 (219) 864-0700 • www.ResidencesAtDeerCreek.com

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

MajesticCare.com

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

601 Sheffield, Dyer, IN 46311 (219) 865-5200 • www.assistedlivingdyer.com

606 Wall Street, Valparaiso, IN 46383 (219) 464-4976

Send listings of events, hosted by nonprofit organizations, to Senior Life, P.O. Box 188, Milford, IN 46542 by April 24 for May events. With listing, include contact person and a phone number.

Maria Reiner Center

• Monday Stretch class level 1, 9 a.m.; ukulele, 10 a.m.; cardio strength with Janice, 10 a.m.; bocce ball, 10 a.m.; smart phone class Androids, 10:30 a.m.; smart phone class iPhone, 11:30 a.m.; oil painting, noon. Pickleball: intermediate, 8-10:30 a.m.; advanced, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; open play, 12:30 p.m. to close.

• Tuesday — Breakfast served from 9-11 a.m. for $5. Dominos, 10 a.m.; pool tournament, 10 a.m.; senior cha cha cha, 11 a.m. Pickleball: beginner drills, 8:30-9:30 a.m., beginner and low intermediate, 9:30-11:30 a.m., open play, 11:30 a.m. to close.

• Wednesday Experienced art class, 8:30-11 a.m.; stretch plus level 2, 9 a.m.; bocce ball, 10 a.m.; hand and foot, 10 a.m.; beginner’s art class, 11:30 a.m.; euchre, 12:30 p.m. Pickleball: intermediate, 8:30-10:30 a.m., advanced, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., open play, 12:30 p.m. to close.

• Thursday Lunch served from noon-1 p.m. for $5. Bridge, 10 a.m.; pool tournament, 10 a.m.; dominos, 10

a.m.; Bible as literature, 1:15 p.m.; Happy Hookers and Naughty Knitters, 1 p.m.; Scrabble, 1 p.m.; meditation, 1 p.m. Pickleball: beginner and low intermediate, 8:30-11:30 a.m., open play, 11:30 a.m. to close.

• Friday — Yoga, 10 a.m.; bocce ball, 10 a.m.; bingo (every second and fourth Friday), 12:30 p.m.; bunco (every first and third Friday), 12:30 p.m. Pickleball: intermediate, 8:3010:30 a.m., advanced, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., open play, 12:30 p.m. to close.

Plus many special classes and presentations. Computer

“Ask the Doc” technology Zoom classes on the first Thursday of each month from 2-4 p.m. Book Club on the third Thursday of every month. Call for more information. Membership $30/ year for Hobart residents and $50/year for outside Hobart residents. $3 daily visitation fee for non-members. Call (219) 947-1864 or visit 705 E. Fourth St., Hobart. For more information, visit hobartseniors.com.

St. John Lions Club

Seeking donations of old eyeglasses, sunglasses, hearing aids. Drop-off sites: Community Outpatient Clinic, 9660 Wicker Ave. (Route 41); St. John Library, 9450 Wicker Ave.; Boric Religious Supply Store, 10951 Thiel St.;

AGING & WELLNESS RESOURCES

AGING CONNECTIONS

Serving Northern IN & Southwest MI

A free online directory for aging & wellness resources. Our members offer a wide variety of services and information for your specific needs. www.agingconnections.org

Hover over Chapters on the navigation bar, then select your area and click directory.

Aging Connections is a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization

ASSISTED LIVING

BRENTWOOD AT HOBART

1420 St. Mary Circle

Hobart, IN 46342

(219) 945-1968

www.BrentwoodHobartSeniorLiving.com

Assisted Living and Memory Care

Pet Friendly

We offer the Vibrant Life® program, Elevate® dining and a variety of assisted living services for our residents.

Come see for yourself why this is living ...

Senior Living

See Our Ad On The Back Page

St. John Town Hall, 10955

W. 93rd Ave.; VFW Post 717, 10400 W. 93rd Ave.; Clear Vue Eyecare, 9270 Wicker Ave.; Dr. Weisman Ophthalmology, 10220 Wicker Ave. # 3; Kolling School, 8801 Wicker Ave.; Metropolitan Eye Care, 9488 Wicker Ave.; Moses Eye Care, 7974 Wicker Ave.; Strack & Van Til, 9825 Wicker Ave.; Vision Boutique, 8319 Wicker Ave.; Welch’s Stop and Shop,

11333 W. 95th Ave.

Monthly meetings are held at 7 p.m. the first Thursday of every month (September to June) at Roma Grill, 9543 Wicker Ave., St. John. Questions, contact Lion Al at (219) 201-9103.

Highland Lions Club

Seeking donations of old eyeglasses. Drop off sites are: Town Hall, 3333 Ridge Road; Lincoln Center, 2450 Lincoln

St.; Centier Bank, 9701 Indianapolis Blvd.; McColly Realty, 2002 45th St.; Dr. Ligget, 2940 Highway Ave.; Family Eye Care, 8417 Kennedy Ave.; and Johnson Opticians, 8128 Kennedy Ave., Highland.

Whiting Lions Club

Seeking donations of old eyeglasses, sunglasses, hearing aids. Drop off in yellow collection box on 119th Street, Whiting.

GPTC hosts meetings regarding Lakeshore route changes

Gary Public Transportation Corporation will host a public hearing Thursday, April 6, regarding service area changes for Lakeshore routes.

GPTC is proposing a new Lakeshore North route, extending from the current Lakeshore South to expand service to north Hammond and Whiting, providing connections from downtown Hammond to The Pavilion at Wolf Lake Memorial Park, Horseshoe Casino and Calumet College of St. Joseph. This proposed change would also expand GPTC’s Access219 paratransit service area.

The current R1 Lakeshore Connection route includes

stops at The South Shore Clark Road station, Buffington Harbor, Chicago Avenue at Indianapolis Boulevard and the East Chicago South Shore Station. The Route R4 Lakeshore South includes stops at St. Margaret Hospital, Purdue University Calumet, Indianapolis Boulevard at Ridge Road and the Target/Hammond Clinic area.

The public hearing will begin at 5 p.m. at the Adam Benjamin Jr. Metro Center, third floor boardroom, 200 W. Fourth Ave, Gary. In addition to Lakeshore service discussion, staff will update riders on Broadway Metro Express service levels, service planning for Central Gary and Hobart and plans to add

bikeshare at selected stops.

Along with the public hearing, GPTC will hold an open house in downtown Hammond to discuss Lakeshore service changes. The open house will take place from 3-4:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 4, at 5209 Hohman Ave. For additional information, to request reasonable accommodations for the visually and hearing impaired and to voice concerns, call David W. Wright, planning and marketing manager, at (219) 8857555, ext. 204. Wright can also be reached at PlanningManager@gptcbus.com. To stay up to date on the latest happenings with GTPC, follow their social media feeds and visit garytransit.com.

ST. AGNES ADULT DAY SVC. CENTER

Specializing in Alzheimer’s Care 1859 Harrison Blvd. Valparaiso, IN 46385 (219) 477-5433 www.stagnesvalpo.org

Email: barbkubiszak@gmail.com

Monday-Friday 8-5 p.m.

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

DENTAL

NORTHSHORE HEALTH CENTERS

Locations in Portage, Lake Station, Chesterton, Merrillville & Hammond www.northshorehealth.org

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

Affordable dental care regardless of ability to pay. Medicare and Medicaid accepted. Discounted self-pay option.

VNA MEDICAL GUARDIAN ALERT SYSTEM

501 Marquette St. Valparaiso, IN 46385

Additional Offices In: Crown Point, IN and LaPorte, IN (219) 462-5195

(219) 531-8181 Fax

https://www.vnanwi.org/services/ medical-guardian.php

A not-for-profit organization for over 50 years. The VNA Medical Guardian program provides dependable, fast access to help when you need it. Live an independent and active lifestyle with the VNA Medical Guardian program’s medical alert pendant or wristlet. Making Best Days Possible

See

Call Becky At 219.254.2345 To Join Our HEALTH AND SERVICES DIRECTORY

FUNERAL HOMES

SMITH BIZZELL WARNER

FUNERAL HOME

4209 Grant St. Gary, IN 46408 (219) 887-1852

www.smithbizzellwarnerfuneralhome.com

Facebook: smithbizzellwarnerfuneralhome

HOME HEALTH CARE

VISITING ANGELS HOME CARE

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

www.visitingangels.com

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

* Assist w/Hygiene

* Meal Preparation

* Medication Reminders

* Light Housekeeping

* Transportation

* Hourly, 24-hour Care & Overnight

Alzheimer’s / Dementia Care / Palliative Care

LICENSED * BONDED * INSURED

HOSPICE CARE

HEART TO HEART HOSPICE OF NORTHERN INDIANA

402 Wall Street, Suite 22

Valparaiso, IN 46383

Phone: (219) 462-6529

Fax: (219) 462-9017

www.HTOHH.com

Compassionate care from our heart to yours.

Volunteers needed.

CHAP Accredited

HOSPICE CARE

UNITY HOSPICE & PALLIATIVE CARE

Serving Porter, Jasper & Newton Counties in Indiana.

219.769.8648

Greater Illinois area

312.427.6000

www.unityhospice.com

Family owned & operated hospice

Offering premier end-of-life care

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

VNA HOSPICE NWI

501 Marquette St.

Valparaiso, IN 46385

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

(219) 531-8181 Fax

www.vnanwi.org

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

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HOUSECALL DOCTORS

HOUSECALL DOCTORS, PC

At-Home Medical Care for Elderly & Homebound Patients Serving NW Indiana & Plymouth/So. Bend areas

www.housecalldoc.org

219-750-9497

Providing at-home care from Medical doctors and Nurse Practitioners.

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MEALS ON WHEELS

VNA MEALS ON WHEELS OF PORTER COUNTY

501 Marquette St., Valparaiso, IN 46385

HOSPICE OF THE CALUMET AREA MUNSTER

www.hospicecalumet.org

(219) 922-2732 / (219) 736-2422

• Serving Lake, Porter and Bordering Illinois Communities Since 1981

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

• Not-for-profit

• Care Provided In Your Home Or In Our Hospice House

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

(219) 531-8181 Fax

https://www.vnanwi.org/services/vnameals-on-wheels.php

A not-for-profit organization for over 50 years. Providing nutritional meals for individuals in Porter County delivered to your home. Meals are available both on a long-term basis and temporarily, meals are available for ages 3 years and up. Making Best Days Possible

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MEALS ON WHEELS OF NORTHWEST INDIANA

8446 Virginia St. Merrillville, IN (219) 756-3663

www.mownnwi.org

A not-for-profit nutrition provider serving Lake, Porter, Newton & Jasper Counties. Offering hot lunches delivered daily Mon.-Fri., or 5 or 7-pack frozen meals once a week. All meals are heart healthy & low sodium. Specialized diets are available, homemade & prepared in our kitchen. For ages 3 & up.

MEDICAL CLINIC

NORTHSHORE HEALTH CENTERS

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

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

www.northshorehealth.org

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

REHABILITATION SERVICES

VALPARAISO CARE & REHAB 606 Wall St. Valparaiso, IN 46383 (219) 464-4976

www.AmericanSrCommunities.com/vcrc

TELEPHONE SERVICES

RELAY INDIANA - INTRAC

7702 Woodland Drive #130, Indianapolis, IN 46278

(877) 446-8722

Problems hearing on the telephone? We provide captioned telephones to assist you to read what the other person is saying. No more garbled or misunderstood conversations. Simply, READ what you’re hearing.

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Enjoy fabulous tulip time without leaving the country

Does your bucket list include traveling to Holland to see the tulips at their peak, watch windmill sails turn slowly in the breeze and be entertained by cloggers in wooden shoes?

You can see all that without leaving the country. Really. No expensive airline tickets, no getting to the airport two hours before flight time, no hanging around for the flight to depart, no nine-hour flight crammed into a small seat next to someone you don’t know and no long bus ride to your destination.

It’s all right here in southwestern Michigan at Holland. The tulips are just as colorful as those in the Netherlands, and they’ve got windmills, dancers and wooden shoes. You can get there in your own car, stay as long as you want and leave when you want.

But, if you want to see tulips, the time to be there is between late April and mid-May. That’s when Holland’s only tulip farm, Velderheer Tulip Garden, will be ablaze with color. There are acres and acres of tulips with winding paths that take you up close to the many varieties. They’re all marked so you can jot down the number of the ones you’d like to purchase for your garden back home.

It all began in 1950 as a hobby farm with 400 tulips. Now, it’s an awe-inspiring display of more than a million tulips of all colors for visitors to enjoy. In addition, thousands and thousands of daffodils, crocus and hyacinths add to the colorful springtime landscape.

Of course, if you went to the

Netherlands, you’d want to see a windmill. So, the place to go is Windmill Island Gardens. Granted, they only have one, but it is authentic. In fact, the 200-yearold, De Zwaan (Swan) windmill arrived in Holland in pieces and was reconstructed on site.

The view of the surrounding tulip fields from the fourth-story deck is awesome. Be sure to check out the 10-foot-tall grove of wooden tulips.

Take a step back in time at Nellis’ Dutch Village. Wander along canals to old-world Dutch shops to watch artisans at work making wooden shoes and traditional cheese.

Costumed dancers in wooden shoes will “welkom” visitors into their “klompen” folkdance. Sample old-world culinary specialties like saudijebroodjes (homemade

sausage rolls), banket (Dutch almond pastry), the village’s famous pea soup and 20 varieties of cheese. You can even find Grolsch lager at the Thirsty Dutchman Pub.

For a double-Dutch treat, visit the Deklompen Shoe and Delftware Factory; imported machines from the Netherlands carve the shoes. View craftsmen paint them.

Inside the Delft facility, the only one in the United States, you’ll see liquid clay pouring into molds and fired at 2,000 degrees. When they’re cool, artists apply the authentic blue designs on white backgrounds. More than 400 varieties of Delft pieces are produced here.

Holland also has a mill where hardwood bowls are turned the way they were more than 150

years ago.

Standing at the head of the channel connecting Lake Macatawa and Lake Michigan stands the most photographed lighthouse in Michigan. The history of the tower, affectionately

known as Big Red, dates back to 1870. The first lighthouse on the site was built of wood. A number of evolutions over the years included a steel structure, a fog signal building and today’s bright red electric lighthouse.

Humane Indiana expands vet clinic to Merrillville

Humane Indiana has expanded its Estelle Marcus Clinic to include Merrillville in the towns it serves, thanks in part to funding from Legacy Foundation.

All residents of Hammond, Gary, East Chicago and now Merrillville, can get discounted basic and preventative veteri-

nary care at the clinic, 421 45th St., Munster. Services available include vaccinations, testing for heartworms and FeLV/FIV, flea and tick prevention and microchipping.

Participants at the clinic receive the same high-quality care and medications that are offered at area veterinary busi-

nesses, with an on-site veterinarian overseeing services. Funding from individual donors helps bridge the gap. Legacy Foundation’s investment helps make this expansion possible. Donations to support the Clinic and mission of HI are accepted at humaneindiana.org.

Residents who live else-

Electric cars plug along

Electric vehicles, or EVs, has become an umbrella term for any type of battery-powered electric vehicle. They’re also labeled BEVs — battery electric vehicles.

Some run only on battery power, while others combine battery and gasoline power. They can be broken down into three categories.

• EV, a fully battery-powered vehicle.

• HEV, hybrid electric vehicle.

It combines an internal combustion engine with an electric-powered motor, switching between the two to improve fuel economy.

• PHEV, plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. This is simply a plug-in HEV.

Each varies in cost, fuel efficiency and driving experience.

EVs came on the scene as an option for climate-conscious motorists and account for 5% of new car sales. This adoption of new technology spurred advances in other areas, such as the internet and mobile phones.

You fuel up an EV by plugging a charging nozzle, much like a gasoline pump nozzle, into a port hidden by a flap where the gasoline gas cap is on a gasdriven auto.

While there are public charging stations around the country, they are sparsely spaced, so most manufacturers include a home charger with the purchase of an EV. One end fits into a standard household outlet and the other end plugs into the EV. There are a variety of charging devices available, depending on your budget, that can cut down on the time required to charge the EV.

A full charge gives the vehicle from 200 to 400 miles, so longer trips have to be planned around the location of public charging stations. These stops will take anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours, depending on the level of charge provided at these stations.

HEVs were the major entrant in the EV market in the early 2000s by perfecting the art of linking an electric-powered motor with the internal combustion engine. When an HEV stops, it most likely idles on the electricity of the battery and kicks back to gasoline when it starts up again.

Hybrids typically claim to get 40 to 60 mpg, as much as twice that of a gas-powered vehicle.

Instead of charging through an external port like EVs or PHEVs, HEVs replenish their batteries from the gas engine.

They eliminate the hassle of

finding charging stations and spending the extra time powering up. While they typically cost a few thousand dollars more than gas-powered cars, they sell for less than plug-in EVs.

For example, the 2022 gaspowered Toyota Rav 4 started at just short of $27,000. The hybrid version was about $3,000 more and the plug-in electric hybrid version topped $40,000.

A PHEV is built to run on both gas and battery power. The

key difference is that the power comes from plug-in chargers, making them more like an EV. When the battery power runs out, PHEVs switch to gas like a hybrid. But PHEVs go longer on battery power than hybrids do.

Continuing the Toyota Rav 4 example, the gas-powered version has a 27 mpg city rating, while the hybrid version comes in at 41 mpg, and the PHEV logs 94 mpg.

Mature Life Features Copyright 2023

where in the greater northwest Indiana region can also receive services at Humane Indiana’s clinic if they are income-eligible, including people participating in assistance programs like WIC, SNAP, Medicaid, public housing benefits, disabled veterans, other people receiving disability benefits and people receiving social security benefits or Medicare.

Owners of pit bulls and pit mixes can also receive services at Humane Indiana Clinic. A full list of income eligibility criteria is found at humaneindiana.org, click on “Clinic.” Humane Indiana has also added interpreting services to better serve everyone in the region, so people can receive service in their primary language including Spanish, American Sign Language or any other language.

“There are many mental and physical health benefits to pet ownership, and they should be

available to everyone in our community,” said Clinic Director Kim Ramirez. “By expanding the Clinic’s eligibility, with the community’s support, we can make a big difference in our community’s mental and physical health.”

The clinic was established in 2011 through the generous support of Estelle Marcus, whose dream was to provide health and wellness services for underserved communities and pets.

Each year HI impacts more than 15,000 animals and 30,000 people in northwest Indiana through HI’s shelter/ adoption center, clinic, pet food/supply pantry, foster care, homelessness prevention initiatives and wildlife rehabilitation center.

To donate, volunteer, foster, or adopt with Humane Indiana, visit humaneindiana.org. To schedule Clinic services, call (219) 922-3811 ext. 212.

Grandma and the Easter Day postcards

Other than Christmas Day and her birthday, Grandma looked forward to Easter Sunday more than any other holiday throughout the year, even in her youth and adult years.

Grandma was born in August of 1898 so would have been about 12 years old when the story begins. Her Zentz sisters: Grace, Ada, Hazel, Della, Dora, Chloe, along with brothers, Claude and Harvey, sent her dozens of various holiday postcards throughout the 1910 decade, which Grandma Eva kept in a large postcard album.

Several years before she died in May of 1974, Grandma gave me her precious postcard album containing some 300 colorful postcards, which I now own for guarded family archives and a treasured memory of our grandma.

I take great pleasure now of sharing and showing some of those postcards with you, my dear readers, postcards that are now over 110 years old from Grandma’s youth in the 1910 decade.

In Grandma’s adult years, she never lost her special love for Easter Sunday and the special

family dinners she made for all of us. Further, she reminded the family that it was the day in which he has risen, and Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior.

Happy Easter, my friends!