Senior Life - NorthWest Edition - February 2024

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Living Life After 50

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Cliff Rice

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Northwest editioN reachiNg seNiors iN illiaNa: cook, lake & Porter couNties

February 2024

Vol. 27, No. 11

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See Article On Page 2

l railroad layout set Various views of the mode out began LIFE IN MINIATURE — res ine of Dune Ac . The lay Kle Liz d an n Da of t en up in the basem in 2022 and is ongoing.

g miniature Chugging along creatin railroad scenes —

LIFETIME LOVE — Da n Kleine works the contro ls of the model train lay wife, Liz, have created in out he and his the basement of their Du ne Acres home.

Home model train layout ATTENTION TO DETAIL — Liz Kleine points out details on the street sce some of the nes of the train layout she and her husband work on together.

is a labor of ine’s train layout.

ated night view of the Kle

An illumin NIGHTTIME SCENE —

������������� ������������������ Happy New Year From Us To You! ������������� ������������������ ��������������������������������������������� ��������������������������������������������� ��������������������������� ��������������������������� �������������������������������� �������������������������������� Porter County Office:

Lake County Office:

506 Evans Avenue County 1st Office: Lake Plum County Office: 409 Porter E. Lincolnway, Floor Creek Center Valparaiso, Indiana222 46383 57 Franklin Street, Suite 203 409 E. Lincolnway, 1st Floor Plum Creek Center Valparaiso, Indiana 46383 Indianapolis Blvd., Suite 207 Valparaiso, Indiana 46383 222 Indianapolis Blvd., Suite 207 Phone: (219) 548-0980Phone: (219) 548-0980 Schererville, Indiana 46375 Schererville, Indiana 46375 , LLC Phone: (219) 548-0980 Fax: (219) 548-0993 Fax: (219) Phone/Fax: 227-4884 Fax: (219)548-0993 548-0993 Phone/Fax: (219)(219) 227-4884 *Certified as an Elder Law Attorney the National Elder Law Foundation *Certified as an Elder Lawby Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation

Connie L.Bauswell, Bauswell, CELA* Connie L. CELA* www.conniebauswell.com www.conniebauswell.com

2 ■ SENIOR LIFE ■ February 2024

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Key Positions

Isolampi enjoys showing visitors around museum

By STEVE EUVINO Feature Writer Two questions: What is a fleam, and where can you find one?

A fleam, or phleam, is a handheld instrument used centuries ago for bloodletting. You can find one at the Hobart Historical Society Museum in downtown Hobart.

Paula Isolampi, president of the society, said the instrument popular in the 17th and 18th centuries is a curiosity piece for youngsters visiting the museum.

HHS president for the past five years, Isolampi has dabbled in local history for two decades. She joined the historical society following the death of Great-aunt Ojydal Isakson, member of a longtime Hobart family.

“I just started coming in, helping out,” said Isolampi, 61, having been encouraged

by Rita McBride, her predecessor as president.

Isolampi is also historian for Augustana Lutheran, Hobart’s oldest church. Additionally, she serves on the Hobart City Preservation Board and assists the Hobart Chamber of Commerce.

“I’ve always loved history,”

Isolampi confessed. “I think it’s fun, just learning the interesting quirks.”

She recalled a California production company contacting Hobart historians about a murder that happened in the city years ago. After researching old newspapers, the local group discovered something from the city’s hidden past.

“We had no idea that [murder] had happened,” Isolampi recalled.

On another occasion, the museum received an abstract about someone who tried to swindle a Native American out of land in the mid-1800s.

Local townspeople publicly defended the Native American, saying the property was rightfully his.

“That speaks well for the people, trying to defend him,” Isolampi said.

Other museum points of interest include a blacksmith shop, wagon wheel shop, miniMain Street and brick making displays in the basement.

Those early bricks paved the way for the Hobart High School “Brickies” nickname.

On the main level of the museum are scenes and artifacts from early pioneer home life and military memorabilia.

The latter includes a World

MODEL BOATING — Paula Isolampi, president of the Hobart Historical Society, is seated beside a model motorboat on display in the HHS Museum in downtown Hobart. Hobart’s Lake George had traditionally hosted motorboat racing during Labor Day weekend. Photo by Steve Euvino.

War I gas mask and a helmet from the Spanish-American War. The museum building turns 110 this year. The building opened in 1914 as the Carnegie Library, which operated until the late 1960s, when the new branch of the Lake County Public Library system opened downtown.

Founded in 1965, the Hobart Historical Society obtained the museum building two years later. It retains the

original library’s registration desk.

Open from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturdays, the museum has its share of visitors. Many people, Isolampi said, are searching for their genealogy, information about their families and their former homes.

“If you don’t know where you’ve been, you won’t know where you’re going,” Isolampi said, citing the large number of Hobart homes more than 100 years old.

The museum also does school tours for Hobart third graders, when they are learning local history. Isolampi said the museum annually hosts 4-5 student tours, with points of interest including the blacksmith shop and the fleam, which is kept in a glass case.

Looking ahead, if funds are available, Isolampi would like to make the museum more handicap accessible, including the installation of a chair lift.

Home model train layout is a labor of love

By CARRIE STEINWEG Feature Writer When you find an individual with a deep interest in model trains, it often stems from childhood memories. Daniel Kleine of Dune Acres is an avid train enthusiast with a huge model train display whose love of trains stems back to a moment over 66 years ago.

“I started this hobby Christmas 1957 with my first Lionel

train set,” he said. “My two older brothers were also interested in model trains.”

The current layout (his sixth) that takes up the majority of the basement of the home he shares with his, wife, Liz, started in 2022. When finished it will cover about 700-squarefeet of table top.

“Some parts were salvaged from our layout at our previous house,” he explained. “We are currently starting the last

phase of the layout — the turntable and engine service facility.

This is basically a hybrid layout with some O-scale items, some toy items and a lot of scratchbuilt items.”

While such time consuming hobbies can divide couples or cause strife, it’s not the case here. He and Liz work as a team on the project with him concentrating on research, planning, carpentry, track, wiring and electro-mechanical

Memory Care

parts and her concentrating on scenery, painting and other details.

Structures are a mix of kits and scratch-built items. Most of the engines are Lionel with radio-control and sound. Rail cars are from a variety of manufacturers. Scenery is entirely built from scratch in place with track, switches, signals, buildings, vehicles and lampposts all requiring electricity at various voltages.

“Building a layout that is fully illuminated for night operation is like having a second layout,” said Kleine. “Some viewers actually prefer the night scene.”

The theme of the layout is “roughly the Milwaukee Road in southern Indiana between 1957 and 1960. However, there is a lot of artistic license involved.

“We try to build things we remember from the late 1950s and early 1960s,” he said. “The town is a mixture of East Chicago and Hammond. The rural areas have structures roughly based on some I remember while driving through Indiana.

The engine facility is meant to be like one in Terre Haute. I try to make the overall scene a gentle history lesson.”

The history is sometimes jarring to young observers who don’t know there were coal mines in Indiana, refrigerated cars that kept ice, how packages and people were moved or how steam engines worked.

“For older people, it brings

back memories of smoke, dirty steam engines, passenger trains and vehicles they drove in younger days,” he said. “Probably the part I am most proud of is the overall night lighting of the layout. This is a detail that some other model railroaders skip. Lighting is more complex than it appears. I would say it just about doubles the amount of work involved in layout construction. The second thing I am proud of is the fact that every car, engine and building is weathered — that is, made to look realistic and unique. Elizabeth handles the weathering.”

Gauging the work hours on it is hard to estimate because Kleine said some big things move right along, but small things can take hours or days to complete.

“There’s a lot of time spent waiting for paint and glue to dry,” he said. They set timing goals, but sometimes don’t meet them and they don’t worry if they don’t. On average, they probably spend about 10 hours a week on it.

“Model railroading is an art and a science. It is appealing to me because it is something my wife and I can work on together.

It requires a number of different skills from historical research to painting, geometry to soldering, mechanical to electronics. It is almost impossible to get bored,” he said. “A finished layout is three-dimensional art, three-dimensional history and an electro-mechanical machine.”

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February 2024 ■ SENIOR LIFE ■ 3

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Spotlight

New leadership, new challenges for Porter County senior agency

By STEVE EUVINO Feature Writer After 17 years as executive director of Porter County Aging & Community Services, Bruce Lindner is retiring. As he prepares to leave the Valparaiso-based agency in early March, he is “breaking in” his successor, Jason Kegebein.

“He’s a good guy, a smart guy,” Lindner 76, said. “He’s got a lot of good ideas.”

Kegebein, 36, comes to PCACS with a background in nonprofits and human services. That experience includes the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Northwest Indiana, Positive Approach to Teen Health, Opportunity Enterprises, and Family Promise of Porter County, an agency serving the homeless.

After working with young people, Kegebein enjoys the challenge of assisting those at the other end of the age spectrum.

“It’s about the people. I’ve always been in the business of people,” Kegebein said.

“This agency embodies a lot of the values and morals I hold sacred. Every day is different, so now I’m switching gears to the elderly.”

On a personal level, Kegebein said the new job is helping him navigate his family life. He has a son, Josiah, 5, who is autistic and non-verbal.

Founded in 1958 through the Valparaiso Business & Professional Women’s Club, PCACS was developed to address the special needs and problems facing the elderly.

Incorporated in 1974, the agency has expanded its services to include the disabled.

PCACS offers several programs, including: door-to-

door transportation to medical visits, shopping trips, and other appointments; energy assistance through NIPSCO; SHIP and the State Health Insurance Program, to offer seniors cheaper alternatives to healthcare. Additionally, it helps provide monthly food distribution, affiliated with the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana; medical loan closet, providing walkers, wheelchairs, canes and bedside commodes; ramp program, through the Valparaiso Kiwanis, to build home ramps; and the guardianship program, providing seniors with advocates on such issues as wills, estates and healthcare decisions.

Numbers-wise, energy assistance has helped more than 500 people, while SHIP has helped 300 clients save $175,000. Transportation has annually provided 12,00014,000 rides while operating 250 days a year.

Looking ahead, Kegebein, a Wheeler resident, wants to further promote the agency, “to let our community know we are here. We want to provide a safe place for seniors.”

Kegebein also cited a senior companionship program offered through AmeriCorps, to provide clients with personal assistants.

Just as seniors face issues with inflated costs, Kegebein said, PCACS is facing similar challenges. Three of the agency’s seven buses need new engines.

Another area of concern is the emergency assistance program, whose funds are now depleted. Kegebein is planning fundraisers for this program, which has provided dollars for medical and housing repair

Lenten fish fries Knights of Columbus Council 12149 will hold all-you-can-eat Lenten fish fries at Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, 365 W. 700 N, Valparaiso, Feb. 16, Feb 23, March 1, March 8, March 15 and March 22. The meals are served from 4:30-7 p.m. each evening.

The meal includes your choice of baked or fried pollack, french fries, cabbage and noodles and the salad bar,

The cost is $16 for adults, $10 for children between the ages of 4-12 $10, and free for children 3 and under. Shrimp can be added to any dinner for $4. Water and soft drinks are sold separately. Delicious desserts will be sold by A & R. To go orders are available.

Cash, check, debit cards or credit cards are accepted. For more information, call Bill Parnell at (219) 962-8828.

Fun-filled trivia night in Valpo Join Knights of Columbus Council 12149 for trivia night Saturday, Feb. 10, at Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, 356 W. 700 N, Valparaiso. Doors open at 5 p.m. with the game starting at 6 p.m.

The cost is $15 per person. The Knights encourage you to form teams of eight people, covering all ages. There will be 10 categories with 10 questions in each.

Bring your own food and snacks to be shared at your table. Water, soft drinks, 50/50 raffle tickets and mulligans are sold separately. Each person at the winning table will get a prize.

For reservations or further information, call Bill Parnell at (219) 962-8828. Walk-ins are welcomed. Cash, checks, credit cards and debit cards are accepted.

expenses, mortgage and rent payments and vehicle repairs.

Also, the PCACS building in Valparaiso is 70 years old and the former warehouse and doctor’s office “definitely needs a great deal of TLC,” Kegebein said.

In the meantime, Kegebein wants to initiate some new programs, such as an outside garden club for seniors. This program would grow fresh produce that could be added to food boxes being distributed.

Kegebein also wants to use more of the 10,000 square feet in the PCACS building. Ideas include yoga, art, and music classes.

For more information on PCACS programs, call (219) 464-9736 or visit portercountyacs.org.

CHANGING OF THE GUARD — After 17 years as executive director of Porter County Aging & Community Services, Bruce Lindner, left, is retiring. His successor is Jason Kegebein, who brings years of experience in social services and the nonprofit sector. Photo by Steve Euvino.

S.O.S. - Speaking of Seniors —

Helped Lowell client with medical bill 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 $3 million by fighting mistakes and fraud in Medicare billing. Also, Wilcox wrote the book “Solving Medicare Problem$,“ which is available through book stores or online.

On Dec. 11, 2023, a client from Lowell visited my office to get my help. With some editing to protect the privacy of our client and others, here is the letter that I sent to his doctor and the laboratory that took his samples.

Our client brought to our office some paperwork today and asked for our review. I examined your bill and the secondary insurance Explanation of Benefits. He had no Medicare Summary Notice that pertained to your bill. We spoke with Medicare representatives about your bill to our client. Medicare

By WOODROW WILCOX Senior Problem Resolution Officer Senior Care Insurance Services is sending the MSN that pertains to the (laboratory) bill to our client. Over the phone, the Medicare representatives told us that the claims were denied because the information provided in the claim did not support the need for the medical service.

So, (the laboratory) failed to

include necessary information in the claim that was filed with Medicare. But we don’t know if this was caused by (the doctor) failing to provide the information to (the laboratory) or if (the laboratory) simply filed the claim incorrectly. Please, check the information provided to (the laboratory) by (the doctor) and the information included in the filing of the claim by (the laboratory). We do know that the same lab work was done on Sept. 29, 2020, Oct. 4, 2019, and May 13, 2019, and that Medicare approved those claims for the exact same service. So, we think the claim was simply filed incorrectly and should be refiled correctly. Please, review this matter and help to correct it.

All the help that I gave this client was free of charge.

This insurance agency helps all clients with similar Medicare related medical bill problems to demonstrate that we really do care about our clients.

‘A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls’ program Have you turned down a chance to go out with family or friends because you were concerned about falling? Have you cut down on a favorite activity because you might fall? If so, “A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls” is a program for you.

Fear of falling can be just as dangerous as falling itself. People who develop this fear often limit their activities, which can result in severe physical weakness, making the risk of falling even greater. Many older adults also experience increased isolation and depression when they limit their interactions with family

and friends. A Matter of Balance can help people improve their quality of life and remain independent.

A Matter of Balance is designed to reduce the fear of falling and increase activity levels among older adults. Participants learn to set realistic goals to increase activity, change their environment to reduce fall risk factors and learn simple exercises to increase strength and balance.

Purdue Extension–Lake County is offering A Matter of Balance: Managing Concerns About Falls to Lake County residents on Tuesdays and Thursdays in March. This 4 week/8-

session series will be offered at two different times. The morning session is from 10 a.m. to noon, and the afternoon session is from 1-3 p.m.

Space is limited for this program and participants are asked to make every effort to attend all sessions. To register, email dmcook@purdue.edu or call Purdue Extension at (219) 7553240. Indicate which session you want to attend. Reservations will be taken first-come, first-served basis. A workbook is provided and snacks are served.

Purdue Extension-Lake County is located at 2293 N. Main St., Crown Point.

February 2024 ■ SENIOR LIFE ■ 5

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The Lincoln Highway —

Courthouses on the Lincoln Highway

By JEFF BLAIR President Indiana Lincoln Highway Association Editor’s note: This is part two of a regular column written

by Jeff Blair, president of the Indiana Lincoln Highway Association. Part one can be found in last month’s edition of Senior Life.

A fun trip along the Lincoln Highway might be to visit the fabulous courthouses along our route(s). Remember we recognize two routes; the one originally named in 1913 and the one after some shortening over the following 10-15 years. Check out our website, indianalincolnhighway.org, for some great pictures of each.

All were constructed in the 1860s to the early 1900s, standing the test of time. Many use the famous Indiana limestone, but you will also see sandstone buildings, brick, even Terra Cotta along the way. Some of them have fascinating woodwork and artwork inside the building as well to complement the external architecture, so perhaps call ahead to be sure you can enter and look around.

Many have great monuments and vehicles in their courtyards honoring war heroes, too.

Here is a thumbnail on all 11 of the courthouses to help you plan your travel Fort Wayne (Allen County) Located at 715 S. Calhoun St., just two blocks off the Lincoln Highway, is this beautiful Beaux Arts style courthouse. Brentwood Tolan was the architect (you will see his name again as he was busy doing courthouses and other buildings in this era). It was completed in 1902 and has beautiful murals, portraits, and sculptures in the rotunda.

Columbia City (Whitley County) This courthouse is directly on the 1928 route of the Lincoln Highway at 101 W. Van Buren St. It too was designed by Tolan and completed in 1888 in the French Renaissance style.

Albion (Noble County) The Noble County Courthouse is 8 miles off the original Lincoln Highway route and is the sixth one serving the area. The first was in Kimmell, which is on the LH route but now long gone. It is a Richardsonian Romanesque style structure built in 1857 at 101 N Orange St. Goshen (Elkhart County) This beautiful building is also directly on the original Lincoln Highway at 101 N.

Main St. An 1860 portrait of Abraham Lincoln is in the courthouse and a statue of Neptune sits in the lawn, a gift of a grateful Greek confectioner in 1912. It was built in 1868 and added on in 1909 in the Renaissance Revival style.

South Bend (St. Joseph County) South Bend actually has two courthouses — the “old” built in 1860 at the corner of Lafayette and Washington streets and the “new” Classical Revival style building from 1897 at 200 W. Washington St. Both are on the original LH route through town. The rotunda, historic murals and dome are spectacular and a Civil War Memorial in the courtyard is noteworthy.

La Porte (La Porte County) In the center of La Porte, along the LH at 813 Lincolnway, is their beautiful sandstone courthouse also designed

by Tolan. It was completed in i892 in the Renaissance Romanesque style and has interesting t stained glass windows and gargoyles on the exterior.

A LH kiosk is just behind the courthouse near the train depot telling the Lincoln Highway story Valparaiso (Porter County) The courthouse here is also on the LH at 16 E. Lincolnway.

ON THE ROUTE — The Elkhart County Courthouse, located in Goshen, is one of 11 courthouses built along the Lincoln Highway in Indiana between the 1860s and 1900s. Photo by John Deacon.

It was built in 1883 of Indiana limestone in the Second Empire and Neoclassical style. A fire in the 1930s damaged portions of the building and were updated at the time.

Crown Point (Lake County) This beautiful Romanesque and Georgian architecture building was constructed in 1878 on South Main Street with towers added in 1907. It has been dubbed the “Grand Old Lady” over the years. It is located 5 miles south of the LH and worth a visit.

Warsaw (Kosciusko County) Another one directly on

the second alignment of the Lincoln Highway from the 1920s, at the corner of Center and Lake streets in the center of town. It is in the Victorian Eclectic style and sports a 162foot tall tower. It was constructed in 1884 and also displays cannons and a tank in the yard to honor our service men and women.

Plymouth (Marshall County) At 211 West Main St. on the LH stands the Italianate and Renaissance Revival Marshall County courthouse. It was completed in 1872.

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6 ■ SENIOR LIFE ■ February 2024

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Finance

Do you need a new or replacement Social Security card? We’re making it easier!

By DANIEL SUMMER, MA Social Security Public Affairs Specialist If you need a new or replacement Social Security card, we’ve got great news! You may be able to complete, or at least start, your application on our website — and, if necessary, use our online scheduling tool to book an appointment at a local office.

Start your application Do you need to apply for a Social Security number and card? You can visit ssa.gov/ number-card to begin the process. You’ll answer a series of questions to determine whether you can: • Complete the application process online.

• Start the application process online, then bring any required documents to your local Social Security office to complete the application, typically in less time.

• Complete the application process at your local office.

If you can’t complete the application online, you must visit a Social Security office. To learn more, review our publication, Your Social Security Number and Card, at ssa.gov/pubs/EN05-10002.pdf.

Replace Your Social Security card Want to replace your card?

The Card Replacement Screener on our Replace Social Security card webpage at ssa. gov/number-card/replace-card helps you determine the best way to do so.

Depending on your situation, you may be able to request a replacement card without visiting a local office. Choose “Answer a few questions” on the Replacement Card webpage at ssa.gov/number-card/replacecard to get started. Even if you can’t complete the process online and must visit an office, you can still save yourself time

by starting the application online.

Were You Asked To Come Into An Office? Here’s What You Should Know If you start the application online and we determine you need to come into an office, you can use our new Online SelfScheduling option. This option allows you to: • Select your language preference.

• Select the most convenient office to receive service.

• Choose to receive communications and appointment reminders through email or text.

• Conveniently use your mobile device to check-in for your appointment.

You can also reschedule, modify, or cancel your appointment online without having to call or visit the office.

Please note that this service is not available in Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, or American Samoa. We hope to make it available soon.

It’s never been easier to do business with us! Share this information with your friends and family — and post it on social media.

MAKING IT EASIER — Those needing a new or replacement Social Security card may be able to complete or at least start the process on the Social Security website. Photo provided by the Social Security Office.

Paranoia pays at the ATM

By CECIL SCAGLIONE Mature Life Features In this new world where computerized chips in your car, credit cards, phone and other paraphernalia tell us where you are, getting robbed without your knowledge while picking up some cash at a computerized automated teller machine can be disastrous.

This is even more widespread now that more retailers are replacing human cashiers with self-checkout machines.

You have to assume someone somewhere is looking over your shoulder all the time.

First of all, the ATM itself can be tampered with by what are known as skimmers, that can steal the information from your credit card as soon as your insert, slide or tap your card.

To begin with, don’t get rushed when at you’re at any of these machines. If there’s a line behind you, let them wait while you check to see if the machine looks like it’s been tampered with.

Of anything looks different — different colors or materials, or letters or figures misaligned or scratched, or if the surface is damaged or taped in any way — don’t use it. If there is a row of them, check your machine with others and, if yours and another differ in any way, don’t use any of them. If the keyboard feels different, isn’t attached securely or there are some loose parts, walk away.

Even if the machine seems fine, you can still become a skimming victim. Indoor ATMs in busy locations generally are safer to use than outdoor ones since crooks can access outdoor machines unseen.

Your personal identity number is the key to your financial castle, so protect it.

Always assume someone is watching when you enter your PIN, whether with a hidden camera or looking over your shoulder, and cover your hand as you enter your PIN. This is one area in which it pays to be paranoid.

Mature Life Features Copyright 2024

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February 2024 ■ SENIOR LIFE ■ 7

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‘70s Flashback —

The Nike ‘Swoosh,’ original feeling was ‘maybe it will grow on me’ The Nike “Swoosh” symbol is so well recognized worldwide that it can stand alone without naming

By RANDAL the Oregon C. HILL sportsapparel empire. The iconic logo was the brainchild of Carolyn Davidson, a now-comfortably-retired graphic designer—with the primary emphasis being on “comfortably.”

In 1969, Davidson met future business kingpin Phil Knight when she was a graphics design student at Portland State University and he was a part-time accounting instructor there. As Knight passed Carolyn in a hallway one day, he overheard her telling some friends that she wanted to take an oil painting class but couldn’t afford the paints. The next time Phil saw her, he said, “Excuse me, are you the one who can’t afford to take oil painting?”

Knight told Davidson he needed a part-time graphics artist to create charts and graphs for his business meetings. (Since 1964, Phil and partner Bill Bowerman had had a side job running Blue Ribbon Sports, the West Coast distributor for Tiger shoes from Japan’s Onitsuka Company.)

Knight offered to pay her two dollars an hour for her work, and she readily accepted.

Carolyn completed all the projects Knight brought to her.

Then, one day in 1971, Phil proposed something new—an assignment for a logo. Citing hassles from Onitsuka, he and Bowerman had decided to strike out on their own and offer a new line of cleated shoes.

Their company would be called Nike, who in Greek mythology was the winged goddess of victory. A factory in Mexico was ready to begin shoe production, and Knight and Bowerman wanted a logo that conveyed

motion and speed for their fledgling footwear.

Davidson figured she worked 17.5 hours on the project, so she submitted a bill for $35— equal to about $250 now—to Knight and showed him five potential designs, each drawn on tracing paper and laid over the side outline of a shoe. Phil didn’t really like any of the images, but he chose the wing-like Swoosh. “Well, I don’t love it,” he grumbled, “but maybe it will grow on me.”

Blue Ribbon Sports became Nike later that year, and the Swoosh was on its way to becoming one of the best-known images in the world, eventually being displayed on everything Nike, including shoes, socks,

pants, hats, T-shirts, jerseys and coats.

Carolyn earned a PSU degree in graphic design and stayed with Nike through 1975, when she decided to freelance and do charity volunteer work from home.

In September 1983, Knight invited Davidson to have lunch at the Nike headquarters. That luncheon turned out to be a surprise party for her. After multibillionaire Knight told Carolyn that he was glad that his $35 check hadn’t bounced 12 years earlier, she was given a box of chocolate Swooshes, a Swoosh-shaped gold ring and 500 shares of Nike stock.

Over four decades and numerous stock splits later, Caro-

CREATOR OF ICONIC LOGO — The Nike “Swoosh” symbol is the brainchild of Carolyn Davidson who created the iconic logo in 1971 for Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman, owners of Blue Ribbon Sports. lyn’s Nike holdings would now total about 32,000 shares and be worth around $4 million.

Ms. Davidson has apparently never cashed in a single one of those shares.

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8 ■ SENIOR LIFE ■ February 2024

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Sports

Chelich coaches diving team at MHS

By CARRIE STEINWEG Feature Writer Michael Chelich spent a lot of time diving in his younger years, and he’s now giving back as a coach. “My dad raised all three of us brothers in the sport of diving,” he said. He has lived in Munster since the age of four and dove throughout childhood and in high school.

He has been a spring board diving coach for approximately three years for the Munster High School swim team, coaching both the girls and boys diving teams.

“I also coached much earlier at Munster right out of high school in 1982-84 and for two years with East Chicago in 1988-89. I stopped coaching after that to fully dedicate my time to my art career,” he said.

Diving runs in the family.

Chelich’s father, Chuck Chelich, was the most prominent and well known diving coach in Indiana for 50 years. When the previous Munster swim coach Tina McNulty, who knew the elder Chelich, stepped down, she recommended Michael Chelich as her replacement. He

started out part time and later became the full-time coach. He enjoys the rewarding experience of coaching and the interaction of “working together with the divers in the pursuit of creating beautiful dives.”

He’s working with athletes that are age 14-18 as well as working with younger kids age 10 and up through the AAU Diving team the Munster Seahorse Diving Club.

“I enjoy seeing the camaraderie and friendships that develop amongst the athletes after they have been working with each other on a daily basis,” said Chelich. “I also enjoy seeing the improvements in their diving skills, especially when those improvements have come after a great deal of struggle with seemingly intractable problems or bad habits.”

Chelich has been self-employed in northwest Indiana as a professional artist for 36 years, where he works out of his home.

“I became serious in pursuing art as a career when I was in high school after being inspired by wildlife artists such as Charles Frace and Robert

Bateman. I also was majorly influenced by Michelangelo and Rembrandt,” he explained.

“After high school, I attended the American Academy of Art in Chicago for two years and an additional four years at Atelier Lack in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which was a school that was dedicated to the revival of traditional methods of training artists in drawing and painting.”

His work can be viewed at michaelchelich.com.

He began his career as an artist in 1988, painting still lives, narrative figurative artwork, animals and landscapes.

“I distinguished myself in portraiture when I painted the official portraits for Indiana Governors Evan Bayh and Frank O’Bannon, U.S. Senator Richard Lugar and Indiana’s Chief Supreme Court Justice Brent Dickson,” he said.

He has narrative figurative paintings in two Indiana art museums — Valparaiso University’s Braeur Art Museum and the Indiana State Museum in Indianapolis. He also taught at the School of Representation Art in Chicago, a classical

MICHAEL CHELICH school of drawing and painting, for over 20 years.

He is married to Shana, a Spanish teacher at Morton

High School, and they have a daughter attending the University of Minnesota, majoring in architecture.

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Q. What is the likelihood I will get a response if placing an ad in Senior Life?

A.

If your product or service is geared to adults over the age of 50, Senior Life is the newspaper for you!

According to CVC, our readers average 45 years of age and older and frequently purchase products or services from the ads they see in Senior Life (74.8%). Call or send me an email today to discuss adding Senior Life into your marketing strategy.

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February 2024 ■ SENIOR LIFE ■ 9

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Faith

Faith and music at center of Aker’s life

By CARRIE STEINWEG Feature Writer Music has been part of Margaret Aker’s life since she was a small child. It’s still part of her life as she uses her

musical talent in playing keys for the worship team at the Cedar Lake Campus of Bethel Church. It’s just one of many roles she has in her church where she strives to serve the Lord in all she does.

Legacy Foundation of Lake County benefits community in many ways

By KELLY ANOE President and CEO Legacy Foundation of Lake County Did you know every county in Indiana has a community foundation dedicated to improving lives for local residents? Legacy Foundation is the community foundation for Lake County, and although we’ve been around for 31 years, many residents don’t know our full impact or the many ways we support organizations helping our family, friends and neighbors.

In 2023, Legacy Foundation awarded over $4 million in grants and scholarships and partnered with hundreds of individuals and families to help them give back. Legacy Foundation addresses a wide range of local needs such as hunger relief, youth programs, domestic violence services, arts and culture and environment. We support entrepreneurship and small businesses, we connect residents by sponsoring educational events and we strengthen the capacity of nonprofit organizations to operate effectively.

Community foundations address their regions’ unique opportunities and challenges, but we all share common characteristics, including: • Supporting donors who want to make meaningful and long-term contributions, through the establishment of named funds.

• Providing grants to local projects and initiatives and scholarships to students.

• Convening a broad base of people to represent the community when identifying issues and working toward solutions.

Legacy Foundation was established by a group of community leaders who believed that Lake County should have a place where residents could build a local, sustain-

KELLY ANOE able source of philanthropic funds. Today we’ve climbed to $80 million in assets through the collective generosity of community members.

Right now, we have an incredible opportunity to work with donors who care about making an impact in Lake County by matching contributions to the Lake County Community Fund 2:1. This means that every $1 donated will have $3 worth of impact in the local community and contribute to the long-term vibrancy of Lake County.

There are many benefits to partnering with Legacy Foundation. I hope that you will reach out to learn more. Call (219) 736-1880 or email me at kanoe@legacyfdn.org.

A member of Bethel Church since 2010, Aker has also served as a ladies small group leader, in a group for moms called “The Well” and with the church’s foster and adopting group to provide child care while parents are meeting.

“It’s hard to pick a favorite of those roles, but music has always been a part of my life since I was a little girl, so that is where I think my most natural God-gifts lie, in the ministries where I play piano/ keys,” Aker said.

One thing she enjoys best about her church is that “all of our sermons are expository preaching, meaning that each and every week the scriptures are searched and explained in detail. I love that our church is grounded in the five Solas of the Reformation.”

As a church volunteer, she said she loves “being able to give back even a small portion of all that God has so generously blessed me with,” and she loves the fellowship in the ministries she serves with her brothers and sisters in Christ.

“I would say that at 67 years old, I have the advantage of hindsight and witnessing the faithfulness of God in every situation throughout the years. When things look hopeless or I cannot see a way out, I can look back and see that God has never failed me or abandoned me — that He is a good, good Father and that is not dependent on my circumstances or trials,” she said. “I can see His clear direction in my life when the unexpected happens. Whenever God closes a door, He always opens a new one.”

Her faith is something she’s never had to question and has been with her always. “Trusting Jesus as my Savior as a child is such an innocent and pure decision, made before life gets cluttered and jaded

MARGARET AKER with doubt and skepticism,” she said. “Although that does not make for much of an exciting conversion testimony, I am forever thankful for that junior church leader who asked for a show of hands for anyone who wanted to invite Jesus into their heart.

I remember having a hard time wondering why on earth anyone would not want to do that.”

After spending many years as a banker, she said that God led her in another direction, and 14 years ago she became a project manager for a scaffold company where she still works.

When not at work or volunteering at church, she loves to play piano, read and do a little crocheting. Aker has three grown, married children and four grandchildren.

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Dining/Leisure/Entertainment

50 Years Ago Blast To The Past —

‘The Way We Were’ Barbra Streisand Marvin Hamlisch, who was responsible for writing the music to Barbra Streisand’s “The Way We Were,” used to utter A Boomer Blast To The Past an unusual

By RANDAL prayer.

C. HILL Starting in 1964, when he was 20 years of age, he would privately plead, “Please, God, let Barbra Streisand sing one of my songs.”

A piano-playing prodigy from age 5, Hamlisch graduated from New York’s Queens College in 1967. The first job he landed soon afterward was as a rehearsal pianist for “Funny Girl,” with — of all people— Barbra Streisand.

One day years later, Hamlisch got a phone call from a friend about possibly writing a song for a film that would star Robert Redford and Barbra Streisand. Thrilled by the possibility of his prayer actually paying off, Hamlisch resolved to capture the movie script in a single song. “I wanted to reflect all of the sorrow and despondency and pain of their relationship, the star-crossed

nature of it,” he explained later.

But knowing that his tune would be custom-created for Streisand gave Marvin pause.

“No matter what I was doing, I could hear Barbra’s voice in my head and recall how wonderful she sounds when she holds certain notes. I wanted to let her soar. I was determined not to write something drippingly sentimental.”

Hamlisch eventually came up with what was, to him, a perfect composition: “I’d been trying minor key melodies but thought they might have told you too much in advance that Streisand and Redford were never going to get together. So, I wrote a major key melody that was sad but also had a great deal of hope in it.”

Enter the lyric-writing couple Alan and Marilyn Bergman, who a few years earlier had garnered an Academy Award for penning the words to “The Windmills of Your Mind” from the film “The Thomas Crown Affair.” As a fitting complement to Hamlisch’s work, the duo created poignant word images that succinctly captured the essence of the Redford-Streisand tale: “Memories light the corners of my mind “Misty watercolor memories of the way we were “Scattered pictures of the

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smiles we left behind “Smiles we gave to one another for the way we were” Hamlisch and the Bergmans performed the song for Barbra at her home. Although she was reluctant at first — she initially proclaimed it too sentimental — Streisand finally agreed to record what would become the Academy Awardwinning classic for Columbia Records.

But all of Hamlisch’s hard work almost didn’t matter, as Streisand’s song was omitted from the original film version of the “The Way We Were.” The determined Hamlisch, however, convinced Columbia’s studio moguls to hold two test screenings.

The first audience sat unmoved by the final scene (with no song), where Streisand and Redford realize they have no future together. The next screening included Barbra’s

WRITER FOR ‘THE WAY WE WERE’ — Marvin Hamlish was responsible for writing the music to Barbra Steisand’s “The Way We Were.” In 1964, at the age of 20, he would pray to let Streisand sing one of his songs which came true years later. Photo from Marvin Hamlish’s official website. tune. Hamlisch recalled, “I heard a woman start to cry.

And then another. And within minutes, there wasn’t a dry eye

left. I knew I was right.”

One assumes that Marvin Hamlisch probably soon became a proponent for prayer.

Meals on Wheels of Northwest Indiana achieves milestone

By MELISSA HUFFMAN Director of Business Development Meals on Wheels of Northwest Indiana In a momentous achievement, Meals on Wheels of Northwest Indiana has announced it has successfully delivered over 500,000 nutritious meals in just 12 months to individuals across seven counties in northwest Indiana. This significant milestone could not have come to fruition without

the incredible commitment and teamwork of our employees and volunteers that we depend on to deliver meals.

Since our inception, Meals on Wheels of Northwest Indiana has been dedicated to making a positive impact on the lives of individuals in the communities we serve. Our team of dedicated staff and volunteers have worked tirelessly to provide not only nourishing meals but wellness checks and friendly visits.

Reaching this achievement would not have been possible without the generous support of our donors, volunteers and community partners. Their unwavering commitment to our mission has allowed us to expand our reach and enhance the quality of life for countless individuals who rely on our services.

“We are immensely proud to have reached this milestone of delivering over half a million meals to our community,” said Sandra Noe, CEO at Meals on Wheels. “This accomplishment is a testament to the dedication of our volunteers, our staff and generosity of our supporters, who have made it possible for us to make a meaningful impact on the lives of those who depend on our services.”

As we celebrate this achievement, we also recognize that the need for our services grows, and we are committed to continuing our efforts to support those in our community who depend on us.

For more information about Meals on Wheels of Northwest Indiana and how you can support our mission, visit mownwi. org.

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February 2024 ■ SENIOR LIFE ■ 11

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Brain Boosters

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CITRUS SALMON with Melted Leeks

We’ve discovered the perfect pairing for this moist, lemony, slow-cooker salmon--slightly chewy leeks. Like other alliums, leeks become sweet and rich when roasted slowly for a long time. When cooked in the slow cooker they “melt,” becoming jam-like but still retaining pleasant chewiness. Garnish with fresh sage leaves and thyme sprigs, if desired.

4 servings; Prep 10 minutes; Total Time 3 hours 40 minutes.

INGREDIENTS: Cooking spray 3 cups sliced leeks (from 2 leeks) 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme 1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 cup dry white wine 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces 4 (6 ounce) skinless salmon fillets 1 lemon, thinly sliced 1 tablespoon olive oil DIRECTIONS: Coat a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray.

Place the leeks in the slow cooker; toss with the thyme, sage, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper, and spread in an even layer.

Drizzle the leeks with the wine, and dot with the butter. Cover and cook on LOW until the leeks are tender, about 2 hours and 30 minutes.

Place the salmon on top of the leeks in the slow cooker.

Sprinkle the salmon with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; top with the lemon slices, and drizzle with the oil. Cover and cook on LOW until a thermometer inserted in thickest portion of the salmon registers 140 degrees F, about 1 hour.

Transfer the salmon to a platter, and serve with the leeks.

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12. 15th of March 15. Tied the knot 20. *Leopold III of Belgium and Christian X of Denmark, e.g.

22. Acorn producer 24. Common newspaper name 25. *”When I See an Elephant Fly” elephant, 1941 26. Steal a throne 27. Misrepresent 29. *Pearl Harbor location 31. Capital of Latvia 32. Narcotics agent 33. *Considered first general-purpose computer, acr.

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61. Part of cathedral 62. Cantina cooker 63. Sans mixers 64. Comedian Meyers 67. *”The ____ Sleep,” 1946

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66. *The BAA and NBL merged, forming this ball org., 1949 68. Battle royal 69. Denigrating statement 70. What divots and divas have in common 71. Audience’s approval 72. Lad’s counterpart 73. Number on a birthday cake 74. Not o’er

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ACROSS 1. Sylvester Stallone’s “____ King” 6. And so forth, abbr.

9. Mongolian desert 13. Uniate church member 14. Additionally 15. Modified “will” 16. Heart surgery prop 17. Remains container 18. Follow 19. *Thor Heyerdahl’s raft 21. *Jackie Robinson’s new team, 1947 23. *Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr., born in 1942 24. Animal prod 25. Give a nickname 28. Dwarf buffalo 30. Edible corn part 35. Functions 37. *____ Strip on Mediterranean Sea, 1948 39. Roman goddess, patroness of hunters 40. *Moscow ____ cocktail, created in 1940s 41. Beach souvenir 43. Inspiring horror 44. Not long 46. Home to Bryce Canyon 47. Smoothie bowl flavor 48. Become available (2 words) 50. Links hazard 52. Mozart’s “L’____ del Cairo” 53. Back of the neck 55. Transgression 57. *Carmen of “The Gang’s All Here” 61. *United _____, established 1945 65. Popeye’s sweetie

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Coping with grief: Moving on with love Editor’s note: Tom Rose is the author of “Balloon in a Box, Coping with Grief.” The book is available on Amazon, Fables Books, Goshen, or at thomaslrose.com. He is available for speaking engagements and as a grief group facilitator. He would love to hear your comments or questions, by phone: (574) 5966256, or email: roseandrose@ comcast.net.

As we enter the month of February with its celebration of love on Valentine’s Day, many of us will be thinking of our loved one, our special Valentine. We may wonder if our loved ones can know what we are doing here on Earth.

The Bible doesn’t tell us if people in heaven can observe what happens on Earth.

However, there are some hints that they do. The book of Hebrews, mentions “the

great people of faith who have gone before us and are now in Heaven. ... Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses ... let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

(Hebrews 12:1) It seems to suggest that, like fans at a football game, they are watching and cheering us on as we move on with our life but are unable to communicate with us verbally. I would think that they may see what is happening here with a different view, a more loving and spiritual view. The calendar year down here on Earth is 2024, but I can imagine that wouldn’t matter up there. It could be 1924, 1724 or even 24. I don’t think time matters there.

Sometimes I wonder what the message might be if our loved ones were able to communicate with us from

By TOM ROSE Guest Writer Heaven, what would they say? Would it be something like this?

You’ve Got Mail: From:lovedone@heaven.com To: lovedone@earth.com Hi. This is your loved one. I have a lot I want to tell you.

First, I understand you just completed another holiday season without me and it continues to be difficult because we enjoyed holiday time so much. I am glad you continue to celebrate with family and friends the same as we have always done. And now here comes Valentine’s Day with all of the memories. The crazy cards, the delicious chocolates, and the romantic dinners.

Yes, it was a great time to celebrate our love. Ever since I left, I know you have missed me and are continuing on a journey of grief which sometimes can be painful. But remember without love there is no grief so you are really on a journey of love.

You’re not alone I am here.

I understand that sometimes you may shed a tear but no one is crying up here in heaven. There is so much peace and beauty it is impossible

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to explain. You will like this since you used to complain, “There is never enough time” ... time doesn’t exist here.

Don’t get me wrong I loved being on Earth with you but this place is beyond description.

But enough about me and this place. I understand, you’re grieving, and you need a hug.

Which is why I’m writing to you. This is my hug. Just because you don’t see me doesn’t mean I am not still there with you. You cannot see me or touch me but please know I am never far away. Sometimes when you are alone at night and suddenly you feel like someone is there with you, well that’s me. Remember the other day when you had that lovely memory and began to cry and laugh, well that was me.

Please be aware you’re not there alone on Earth you never will be. I’m going to be right there with you helping you move on with your life, with me not without me. Remember you are not on a grief journey but on a journey of love because our life together was built on love. I’ll continue sending little signs. Each is a code for “I love you.” so pay attention, because this email is one.

With my continuing love, Me Maybe it would help us if we took the time to write a letter or email to our loved ones. If it is true that they are with us then they will get the message of how much we miss and love them. If you do write to them, please send me a copy at roseandrose@ comcast.net, I would like to read them.

February 2024 ■ SENIOR LIFE ■ 13

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Edison opened tomorrow yesterday

By TOM MORROW Mature Life Features “I didn’t fail 1,000 times,” Thomas Alva Edison reportedly said. “The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps.”

Eventually, someone would have thrown an electric light onto the world for the benefit of mankind, but he did it first.

Known as “The Wizard of Menlo Park,” Edison changed the world with the light bulb, motion picture camera, sound recordings, electric car batteries and more than 1,000 other inventions. It is impossible to spend a day not using something he invented, designed or developed. Each time you turn on a light, watch a movie, take a photo, play recorded music, make a telephone call, or slip some batteries into a flashlight, Edison had a role in inventing or developing it.

Thomas Alva Edison, born Feb. 11, 1847, has been described as the world’s greatest inventor, influencing life around the world. He was one of the first to apply the principles of mass production and is often credited with the creation of the first industrial research laboratory. Edison and his close friend Henry Ford revolutionized the

mass production of consumer goods.

To power his incandescentlight-bulb system, Edison developed a method of delivering electricity to homes, businesses and factories that led to the development of the modern industrialized world. In 1878, he formed the Edison Electric Light Co. with the backing of several financiers, including J.P. Morgan and members of the Vanderbilt family. Edison made the first public demonstration of his electric lighting on Dec. 31, 1879, in Menlo Park, New Jersey.

But, Edison’s first invention that gained him wide-public notice was the phonograph in 1877. Although he obtained a patent for the phonograph, he did little to develop it until fellow inventor Alexander Graham Bell produced a phonograph-like device that used wax-coated cardboard cylinders.

Edison improved the microphone for telephones (at that time called a “transmitter”), which was put in use in 1890 and, ironically, was used in all telephones along with the Bell receiver up until the 1980s.

It was during this time he said, “We will make electricity so cheap that only the rich will burn candles.” In 1880, the

Oregon Railroad and Navigation Co.’s new steamship, the SS Columbia, was the first commercial application of Edison’s incandescent light bulb.

After devising a commercially viable electric light bulb on Oct. 21, 1879, Edison developed an electric “utility” to compete with the existing gas light utilities.

On Dec. 17, 1880, he founded the Edison Illuminating Co. and patented a system for electricity distribution.

As Edison expanded his “direct current” power delivery system, he received stiff competition from companies using former Edison employee Nicola Tesla’s “alternating current” systems. From the early 1880s, AC arc-lighting systems for streets and large spaces had been an expanding business throughout the U.S. With the development of transformers in Europe and by George Westinghouse’s electric company in the U.S., in 1885-1886, it became possible to transmit AC over longer distances using thinner and cheaper wires, and “stepped down” the voltage at the receiving destination. This method allowed AC to be used in street lighting, small businesses and domestic home customers. This created an even bigger market for Edison’s pat-

Applications now open for sixth annual Concours d’Elegance at Copshaholm The Studebaker National Museum announces that vehicle applications are now open for the sixth annual Concours d’Elegance at Copshaholm, copresented by The JBS Collection and LaVine Restorations. This exclusive gathering celebrates automotive design, engineering and culture and will be Saturday, July 13, in South Bend.

The Concours will open to the public at 10 a.m. and will close at 4 p.m. The Pass-In-Review and Awards Ceremony will begin at 2:30 p.m.

This year’s featured marques are Chrysler, DeSoto, and MG. Closed body, full classic automobiles will be featured in the ultimate luxury class and preWorld War II race cars will be highlighted in the competitions classics class.

The Concours at Copshaholm will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Ford Mustang, as well as vehicles over 100 years old in the Centennial Club class.

Other class highlights include Disco Decade Rides for cars from the 1970s; Powered by America, featuring Europeanbuilt exotics originally equipped with American powerplants; and Flathead Fords, an open class for flathead Ford V8powered automobiles. Rounding out the show field will be Love that Lark!, a class for 1959-1966 Studebaker Lark-type cars.

Awards will be presented in all classes, as well as Best of

Show and other special awards of distinction. The Concours at Copshaholm’s chief judge is renowned automotive scholar and historian, Matt Short. Judging will be French traditional. The awards ceremony will be narrated by automotive historian and raconteur, Bill Rothermel.

To submit a car for application, visit concoursatcopshaholm.org/vehicleapplication. The submission deadline is March 15; owners will be notified of the selection committee’s decision

by April 7.

The full class list is: Chrysler Centennial, an open class for Chrysler-branded automobiles.

De-Lovely and Dynamic: DeSoto, an open class for DeSoto-branded automobiles.

Ultimate Luxury, an open class for closed-body full classics.

The Centennial Club, an open class for all automobiles built in 1924 or prior.

Love that Lark! All 1959-1966 Studebaker Larks and Lark-type automobiles.

The Mustang at 60, an open class for 1965-1989 Ford Mustangs.

Powered By America, European-built exotics originally equipped with American powerplants.

Disco Decade Rides, an open class for automobiles built from 1970-1979.

The Morris Garages, an open

class for MG-branded automobiles.

Flathead Fords, an open class for flathead Ford V8-powered automobiles.

Competition Classics: the pre-war era, pre-World War II vintage racing cars.

For more information, visit concoursatcopshaholm.org.

THOMAS EDISON ented low-voltage DC incandescent lighting. Edison and Tesla became embroiled in what was called “The Current War” to establish the ultimate delivery.

In medical development, Edison designed and produced the first commercially available fluoroscope, which used X-rays to make radiographs. The fundamental design of Edison’s fluoroscope continues in use today.

Edison also was granted a patent for the motion picture camera, known as a “Kinetograph.” The matching “Kinetoscope” viewer was developed to be used in penny arcades, which was the origin of the movie industry. People could watch short films captured by the kinetograph camera.

The kinetograph and kinetoscope were both first publicly exhibited May 20, 1891. Long

before there were studios in Hollywood, Edison’s movie studios in New Jersey and New York made close to 1,200 films.

The majority of those productions were short films showing movement of everything from acrobats to parades to fire calls, including titles such as Fred Ott’s Sneeze, 1894; The Kiss, 1896; The Great Train Robbery, 1903; Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, 1910 and the first Frankenstein film in 1910.

Ironically, despite his many inventions and consumer developments, Edison died near bankruptcy on Oct. 18, 1931, suffering from diabetic complications. He is buried at his New Jersey home. Rights to many of his inventions ended up with J.P. Morgan, who had financed many of Edison’s various business ventures.

Mature Life Features Copyright 2024

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Health & Fitness

Three for the win From My Table To Yours

By Cat Wilson The holidays threw me completely off track as Christmas and New Year was upon us. With all good intentions, I baked kieflies, dark chocolate chip cookies, and lots of date nut & banana bread. Giving them away was a pleasure, but then I started keeping ‘just a few’ for home. That was a slippery slope that led to date nut bread for breakfast each day and chocolate chip cookies at night. I tried, I failed, but I’m back, baby!

Paul Hilse, a YouTuber, grabbed my attention when he talked about needing three daily wins.

1. Physical win; walking, lifting, swimming, or stretching 2. Mental Win; reading, writing, creating, or learning 3. Spiritual Win; praying, meditating, studying or growing Daily, not occasionally. I was talking to a recent retiree, who commented that — while it’s only been four days, I haven’t done anything on the list yet.

Coupling these things together made me think that while everyone will agree that kids need structure in their lives, perhaps seniors do as well.

What if your first hour was filled with 15 minutes each of reading, stretching and meditating leaving only 15 minutes of scrolling endlessly through Facebook?

What if you extended this structure with a hard NO

on some food items such as desserts, burgers, pizza and ultra-processed foods? And, what’s with the fancy macaroni & cheese offers now? It already has no nutritional value and now they’ve added pulled pork, or lobster to it and made it an entrée? Add that to the hard NO list.

What if your new structure was focusing on foods with no label? Fruit, vegetables, raw nuts & seeds, beans, greens and mushrooms?

Make soup and have it available every day. Make one meal a salad every day. I know that’s hard in the winter, but if it becomes your structure, it becomes natural in your day, and I swear, you crave what you normally eat and you may not believe it, but you will crave soup and salad instead of processed foods.

If you want to win in 2024 and live your best life, a bit of structure is needed. The real win is

LENTIL SOUP

Best Lentil Soup Ingredients 1 cup yellow onion chopped 1 cup celery stalks chopped 1 cup carrots chopped 2 cups kale chopped 1 tablespoon rosemary chopped fresh herbs: thyme, basil... (whatever you like) 1 Clove garlic 2 cups Red Lentils 6 cups Vegetable Broth (add more if you desire a thinner soup) 3 tablespoons water to having control over your own life.

Cheers to your health.

Cat Wilson lives in South Bend and transitioned from a vegetar-

water sauté Instructions 1. Water sauté chopped veggies on medium high heat for 3-5 minutes 2. Add chopped garlic, herbs, and kale and simmer for 3-5 more minutes 3. pour in lentils and vegetable stock 4. simmer for 25 minutes or more until lentils are tender ian diet to eating a plant-based diet over two years ago. She may be contacted at cwilson@thepapers.com.

Medical virtual visits becoming reality

By CECIL SCAGLIONE Mature Life Features A portion of your virtual world is becoming a reality.

It’s becoming more and more possible and popular to have your doctor visit with you in your living room, or whatever location in your home you choose.

Two developments have focused attention upon and accelerated this movement.

The confusing COVID-19 shutdown/startup/shutdown that spread around the globe and soaked up all our medical attention cut into our ability to meet with our family physicians and take care of problems ranging from acne to ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Not only were we deterred from visiting our doctor’s office, testing and surgeries were pushed out of the way to make room for a pandemic solution.

A lot of cyberspace traffic began to build up as doctors and their medical, technical and accounting staff responded to patients’ concerns by computer and smartphone.

At the same time, Medicare and health-care insurance companies began to revise restrictions and cover patient-doctor

video visits.

There still are pebbles on this virtual-reality road.

As one specialist reminded us recently, “You have to be sitting in my chair if I have to clean the wax out of your ears.”

Eliminating the need to visit your family doctor, now known as your primary care physician, who should receive results of any and all tests, diagnoses and opinions prescribed by consulting specialists, is still down the road a ways.

But, to be clear, it’s closer than you think.

You can prepare for this transition by taking charge of what you can do for yourself.

Get a thermometer to take your temperature, bathroom scale to monitor your weight and blood pressure device to log your readings. You can keep a record of these figures to report verbally or email to your doctor.

If you have a complaint — left shoulder pain, dizziness, or anything else — write it down so you can do the same as above, tell or email the information to you doctor or her office medical technicians so they can zero in on your problem.

You can take pictures of a rash or injury and email them

to your doctor.

Everyone should have an up-to-date medical history as well as an up-to-date history of medications you’re taking along with a list of those discontinued. Make sure you

include supplements and vitamins you’re taking and include those you quit taking.

Any instructions your doctor gives you during the session should be read back to him, even if they’re emailed to you.

This will avoid any confusion and can clarify any bits of information you might not fully understand, especially dealing with the quantity of medication to take and how often.

Mature Life Features Copyright 2023

Common sense helps keep you healthy

By CECIL SCAGLIONE Mature Life Features Sniffle season is here, that time of year when we try to defend ourselves from the colds, coughing and running noses that surround us.

It’s become necessary to ponder and plan our day-to-day programs: when and how to get shopping done, make doctor’s appointments, visit the grandchildren, attend church service, and everything else.

The mantra — wear a mask, wash your hands, maintain distance, stay home if you’re sick — has been accepted as a basis for protecting yourself and your loved ones.

But reports of opening and closing businesses, recurring COVID-19 attacks, and conflicting analyses and announcements by an array of politicians, medical

experts and television talking heads have only added to the confusion that feeds indecision on what to do.

Oldsters are under a larger shadow because, just for starters, they are more vulnerable to the array of viruses than the younger population.

Add to that the disabilities that grow as one ages: arthritis, joint and organ inflammation, emphysema, and autoimmune diseases that attack any and all parts of the body.

Amidst all this chatter is the ongoing resistance to medical defenses on offer. Rightly or wrongly, only 30 percent of the population gets a flu shot each year.

All this clamor makes it difficult to hear what you’ve told yourself to do to stay healthy.

Start with the basics.

Get enough sleep. Eight hours

of sleep has long been recognized and recommended as the requisite length of time you should log daily.

Eat right. Plenty of fruit and vegetables, as fresh as possible, should be part of your diet.

Stay active. A 10 or 15 minute daily walk works wonders. Just walk around the block. It’s not only healthy, you’ll get you to know your neighbors. You might get to enjoy it and decide to do it twice a day — before and after noon.

Snow birds flock to climatecomfortable southern states stretching from Florida to California and even farther south into Mexico and the Caribbean to escape the frigid winter.

As with anything involving your health and well-being, always discuss your problems and plans with your family doctor.

Mature Life Features Copyright 2023

February 2024 ■ SENIOR LIFE ■ 15

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Beware of shady business operators

By CECIL SCAGLIONE Mature Life Features Since the Romans coined the phrase Caveat Emptor (Buyer Beware), the onus has been on the customer to make sure he or she gets a square deal. That will always hold true.

But there are some ways you can get satisfaction from a shoddy or slimy business operator without having to hire an attorney. You should always report shoddy service and products to the Better Business Bureau, U.S. and state attorneys and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Do this by letter

if you encounter busy phone lines. With Internet access to these offices now, making such reports is much easier online.

Whether you’re dealing with a local firm or a massive chain, you can still plant nettles in the saddle of the owner or local managers. And have fun doing it.

First of all, find out what organizations the business operator or chain store manager belongs to.

This includes church, chamber of commerce, service club or non-profit (charitable) organizations. Get the person’s address, too. You can get most

of this through public records filed when the local business was formed and applied for business licenses in the municipality in which it operates.

Then, write your target a tough terse letter letting him or her know how you feel about the shoddy business practice or policy and explain why. In many cases, you might discover the person to whom you’re writing is not even aware of the problem.

If you get no response, send a copy of your letter to members of the church, chamber of commerce and service club to which the person belongs. Tack

up the letter in supermarkets near the business operation.

Be careful not to slander or libel the individual by making personal remarks about his or her character or reputation.

Just outline the facts in your particular case.

Send a copy of the letter to vendors and suppliers who work with the business. If it’s a dry cleaner, for example, your message should reach the people who provide it with laundry supplies, solvents, detergents and plastic clothing covers as well as the garage that services its vehicles. Of course, you should send a copy

to the company’s banker and tax accountant.

If you can pare down the letter to no more than a halfdozen paragraphs, send it to the letters-to-the-editor section of your local newspaper. If your city’s television station has a consumer reporter, send the letter there, too.

This should get you started on the road to some satisfaction. Even if you don’t get reimbursed for your loss, you will have made people in the community aware of the shoddy service or product the company offers.

Mature Life Features Copyright 2024

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The Clipper and its Pacific stepping stones

By TOM MORROW Mature Life Features During the 1930s and into the 1940s, Pan American Airways operated a luxury seaplane flight service across the Pacific Ocean from San Francisco Bay’s Treasure Island to Hong Kong and other Asian destinations.

To accomplish this farreaching feat, refueling stops were paramount. The solution was the establishment of four “Stepping Stones” in the middle of the ocean: Hawaii, the tiny atolls of Midway and Wake, and the island of Guam.

Each of these refueling stops was more than 1,000 miles apart.

The “stones” route began at Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay aboard Pan American Clippers’ luxurious four-engine seaplanes.

The huge aircraft would fly to Honolulu, then on to Midway and then Wake, and finally to Guam before reaching such Far East destinations as Manila, Hong Kong and Tokyo.

The stretches from Honolulu to Midway and to Wake were critical because navigation had to be precise to find those specks of coral in the middle of the Pacific. Both Midway and Wake are little more than a mile long, a half-mile wide and just barely above sea level — just enough for a runway and a small harbor where the Clippers landed.

For its first flights, Pan American used the Martin M-130 flying boat that was equipped with state-of-the-art navigation systems and had a range of 3,200 miles as it flew along the eastern coasts of Central and South America.

The interior was furnished like a hotel, with broad armchairs and full meal service.

It could carry as many as 52 passengers.

On Nov. 22, 1935, the airline began mail service across

the Pacific. Airline founder Juan Trippe dubbed the first Pacific Pan Am aircraft the China Clipper but had landing rights only in the British colony of Hong Kong.

As many fliers and mariners have discovered, the Pacific can be a lonely and deadly stretch of water if you don’t know what you’re doing navigation-wise. Today’s modern jetliners make dozens of computer-guided flights from the West coasts of North and South America traveling 12to 17-hour non-stop flights to Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Japan, South Korea, and China — all without landing to refuel.

Pan Am founder Trippe was the major driving force behind the development of the Clipper service in both the Pacific and Atlantic. In need of a modern amphibious plane, Trippe turned to aviation designer Igor Sikorsky. The Russian genius produced two planes for Pan American, the S-40 and the S-42, the first four-engine seaplanes. The former could carry 50 passengers in relative comfort and had a range of nearly 1,000 miles. The S-42 had a range three times the S-40, and was the world’s first big luxury airliner. In 1931, after taking delivery of his first seaplane, Trippe named the aircraft American Clipper in tribute to the tea trade clipper ships of the 1860s, the fastest sailing ships of their day.

Diplomatic problems with both the Soviet Union and Japan forced Trippe to consider alternative routes across the Pacific. The most obvious way was to go straight across from California to Hawaii, and then to Midway and Wake atolls. From those coral outcroppings the huge seaplanes could fly to Guam and on to the Philippines and various destinations along the Chinese coast. Despite only luke-

BOEING 314 — The grandest of the successful flying boats was the Boeing 314, nicknamed the Yankee Clipper. Pan Am used them between 1941 and ‘46. It had nearly the wingspan of a modern-day Boeing 747, and it could carry 70 people more than 4,000 miles. Photo provided by Tom Morrow. warm interest from the U.S. Postal Service, Trippe pressed ahead with his trans-Pacific plans. In 1935, Pan American built airfields and anchorages on Midway, Wake, and Guam, running test flights across the Pacific using the planned island-hopping route.

In October 1936, it inaugurated its first Pacific passenger flights by carrying nine travelers across the world’s largest ocean. Each passenger paid more than $1,400, an astronomical sum at that time for the round trip from San Francisco to Manila. Compare that price to the cost for today’s adventure travelers, who spend hundreds of thousands of dollars for going into space or to the depths of the ocean.

Clipper flights became a dependable and elegant service. On regular trips across the Pacific, most of the cargo was mail, leaving room for usually eight to 10 passengers who could stretch out in three large compartments,

including a lounge/dining salon. During the 18-to-20hour trip from San Francisco to Hawaii, passengers could enjoy cocktails in the lounge and formal evening meals.

Although uncomfortable compared to current-day standards, passengers of the 30s and 40s didn’t seem bothered by the loud engine noise during the total flight time of some 60 hours spread over five days. So popular were the Pan Am Clipper flying boats that even Hollywood gave praise with a movie titled China Clipper starring Humphrey Bogart.

Along the Atlantic and Caribbean coasts, Pan Am flew the Martin M-130, which had a 3,000-mile range and could carry 40 people. The grandest of the successful flying boats was the Boeing 314, nicknamed the Yankee Clipper.

Pan Am used them between 1941 and ‘46. It had nearly the wingspan of a modern day Boeing 747, and it could carry 70 people more than

4,000 miles.

After a vicious battle in the opening days of World War II, Wake Island fell to the Japanese, who took prisoners of a surviving detachment of U.S. Marines and a small crew of civilian construction workers. The Americans remained prisoners until the end of the war. That Japanese invasion canceled the Clipper flights beyond Hawaii.

Through World War II, Pan American operated scaleddown Clipper services over both the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans, but the end of the war signaled the beginning of a new flying era. Seaplanes were being replaced by new four-engine land planes that could fly into a multitude of new modern airstrips. The great seaplanes faded away.

To this day, Hawaii and Guam continue as popular Pacific destinations. Midway and Wake serve as nature preserves as well as emergency airstrips.

Mature Life Features Copyright 2023

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18 ■ SENIOR LIFE ■ February 2024

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Travel

GREAT-GREAT GRANDDAUGHTER — Eileen Baker Wall’s great-great-grandfather, William Bush, came to Newport (now Fountain City) as a fugitive slave. He not only received food and clothing from the Coffins, but stayed in town, became a blacksmith and helped other slaves on their way to freedom. She conducts tours at the Coffin House. Also shown are Rod and Natalie King.

INTERPRETIVE CENTER —The Interpretive Center is next door to the original Levi Coffin House, which was known as the “Grand Central Station” of the Underground Railroad. The displays do not sugarcoat the realities of slavery that included lashings and shackles.

Coffin Interpretive Center focuses on Underground Railroad Levi Coffin House in Fountain City, known in the mid1800s as the “Grand Central Station” of the Underground Railroad, is GREAT the place to ESCAPES learn how Text and Photos Levi and

By ROD KING Catherine Coffin helped freedom seekers escape slavery.

The state has constructed a hands-on interpretive center next door to the original brick house, which symbolizes and celebrates the spirit and courage of the freedom seekers and the 19th century anti-slavery activists.

More than 2,000 fugitive slaves (freedom seekers) came to the two-story, red-brick

WILLIAM BUSH’S SHOES — Wooden shoes worn by fugitive slave William Bush are displayed in the new center. The shoes, which were kept by Eileen Baker Wall’s great-aunt, were on display in the Coffin House.

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ANTI-SLAVERY ACTIVISTS — Quakers Levi and Catherine Coffin came to Indiana from North Carolina because of their opposition to slavery. Their home in Newport (now Fountain City), which was built in 1883, was a sanctuary for “freedom seekers” for 20 years. house in Newport (now Fountain City) on their way north.

They were concealed, fed, clothed and transported to the next stop on what the Coffins referred to as the “mysterious road.”

The Quaker couple came to Indiana in 1826 because they opposed slavery. He jokingly called himself the “President of the Underground Railroad.”

The house is not only a state historic site, but is also a registered National Historic Landmark. Indiana purchased it in 1967, and some restoration was done by the Wayne County Historical Society. It was operated on a shoe-string budget by the Levi Coffin House Association. Sisters, Sandra Jackson and Janice McGuire, literally kept it going and saved it from becoming a gas station.

Construction of the $3.8 million interpretive center started in 2015.

Visitors will be seated in

a simulated Quaker Friends Meeting House (church) for a 10-minute orientation film about the decisions made by freedom seekers and the Coffins. It provides an overview in preparation for touring the center and the Coffin House. Stories are told through dynamic exhibits prompting visitors to consider how they would respond if they found themselves in similar situations.

One of the stories focuses on a pair of hand-carved wooden shoes which belonged to fugitive slave William Bush who, after reaching the Coffin’s, decided to stay in town. He became a blacksmith and helped other runaways. He won the town’s gratitude during an epidemic because he dared to bury the dead in nearby Willow Grove Cemetery. His marker is there and reads he assisted slaves fleeing bondage.

His great-great-granddaughContinued on page 19

February 2024 ■ SENIOR LIFE ■ 19

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The height of insult

SECRET COMPARTMENT — Slaves heading north were transported in the false bottom of the wagon owned by Levi Coffin. This display in the Interpretive Center shows how it was utilized. The original wagon can be seen in the barn behind the Coffin House.

I hate to bore you with the health complaints of a 76 year old, but I’m hopeful my experiences will help others. My IN A story begins NUTSHELL with a mediBy DICK cal scare and WOLFSIE a series of doctor appointments. So many, in fact, that the phlebotomist at my internist’s office started welcoming me with “Oh, no, not you again,” which is not the kind of greeting I want at a lipid lab. By the way, all is fine.

In the course of the diagnostic process, they scanned my brain. Inside the MRI, I felt like a cigar in its tube. During the hour-long procedure, I had a flashback to a high school trigonometry class where I also stared at a blank ceiling, listening to strange indecipherable sounds. At the hospital, they give you a little buzzer to press if the experience becomes unbearable, a courtesy never

afforded me by Mr. Lowenstein, my 12th grade math teacher.

A nurse called the next day to say that after examining my brain scan, they were pleased to report they didn’t find anything.

Obviously, this was good news, but did the test results have to be phrased quite that way?

I visited a few specialists, each exam requiring that I have my blood pressure, height and weight rechecked.

I had never really paid any attention to my height. On my license, my passport and all medical questionnaires, I always listed myself as 5 feet, 10 inches— not as tall as my dad (a strapping 6-footer) but taller than my mom, a petite 5 feet, 3 inches. I knew I was 5 feet, 9 1/2 inches but I always rounded it up. I mean, who was I hurting?

“Okay,” said one nurse after measuring my vitals, “blood pressure 123 over 80, height 5 feet, 8 inches and weight 165.

Very good, Mr. Wolfsie, now please step over here and…”

“Whoa! How tall did you say I was?”

“That would be 5 feet, 8 inches — in your socks, which

adds a little, of course.”

“Look, first of all, I’m 5 feet, 10 inches, maybe 5 feet, 9 1/2 inches and second of all, these are nylon dress socks, and very thin.”

“Whatever you say, Mr. Wolfsie. Please grab one of the blue robes off that hook on the door…if you can reach it.”

That afternoon, when I got home, I asked my wife how tall she thought I was.

“Well, let’s see; when I’m in heels, I’m taller than you, and I’m 5 feet, 7 inches, so I guess I’d say you are 5 feet, 8 inches and you’re still about as cute and adorable as can be.”

“But when we got married, I told you I was 5 feet, 10 inches.”

“I figured you rounded it up from 5 feet, 7 inches.”

And that’s the end of the story. No life-threatening illness, but I’m either a pathological liar (misrepresenting my height for almost 50 years) and need some psychological counseling— or I am (and this is tough to admit) shrinking.

I haven’t decided which one it is. I guess it’s going to depend on which one is covered by my medical insurance.

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SPECIAL DELIVERY — Replica of a wooden box shows what lengths slaves took to escape. Henry “Box” Brown mailed himself to Philadelphia in a 4-by-4-foot box. The trip took 27 hours by train, steamboat and wagon to reach his destination.

Coffin Interpretive Continued from page 18

ter, Eileen Baker Wall, grew up in Fountain City, taught school in Richmond, became an assistant high school principal, returned to the community and now volunteers at the house conducting tours. She relates how rare it was for a slave to settle in a community, how he assisted the Coffins and how her great-aunt preserved his wooden shoes.

Presentation of the dark side of slavery is not sugar-coated.

Shackles are displayed, photos show the results of lashings and the subject of profit and loss in slavery is thoroughly covered. King Cotton, blacks in the military, slave ships, the free labor store and the

false-bottom wagon used by the Coffins to transport freedom seekers are highlighted. Maps show the three Underground Railroad routes taken by slaves entering Indiana from Kentucky. Not surprisingly, they all went near free black communities.

Fountain City and the Coffin Interpretive Center is located right on U.S. 27 just seven miles south of Lynn. There’s no big sign, so look for the red brick house. Park behind the white Interpretive Center. Admission is adults, $10; seniors, $8; and children, $5.

For more information, visit indianamuseum.org/historicsites/levi-catharine-coffinhouse.

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20 ■ SENIOR LIFE ■ February 2024

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Scotland thrives on tradition

By FYLLIS HOCKMAN Mature Life Features Ask anyone what they think of when they think of Scotland and you’ll probably hear bagpipes, kilts, clan tartans.

If it were the year 1746, you would have heard the same thing. But it was in that year, after the Battle of Culloden when the British decimated the Scots, that the British set about systematically ridding the country and its people of their identity and traditions.

It didn’t work, which makes it all the more remarkable that everything that defines the Scottish people today is the same as it was centuries ago — and it was my mission to explore them all: kilts, bagpipes, tartans and even whisky and the Gaelic language.

It was on a trip to the Scottish Highlands with

UNTOURS that we set off to see what we wanted to see and when we wanted to see it. We were spending our “live like a local” week in our own apartment, part of an 1837 church in a former life, near our home base of Inverness.

If there is a singular symbol for Scotland, it might be tartan. You see it everywhere, from hotel interiors and tabletop items to cookie tins and everyday clothing. And on the wings of planes at the airport.

Let’s not overlook the Highland Games. A throwback to ancient Scotland, it is a unifying rite of passage for any Scot. Amidst the vast ocean of tartan, bagpipes and clans sits a cultural event steeped in skill, tradition and community going back more than a thousand years.

The incredibly distinctive bagpipe music emanating from competing bands

BAGPIPE BANDS — Also during the Highland Games, performances by competing bands were enjoyed by event spectators. The incredibly distinctive bagpipe music emanating from competing bands, never leave your ears. Photo provided by Fyllis Hockman. never leaves your ears. And, of course, every pipe band sports its own tartan, so the

multitudes of plaids create a fashion visual that is hard to forge from your eyes. And I

can’t tell you how many times I heard the words “bonny,” “aye” and “laddie.” To say the Highland games are an assault on all the senses is a wee understatement.

While some of the events such as track and cycling may be recognizable, the chanter, caber tossing, hammer throw and tug ‘o war are not. Men throw heavy sticks, balls, hammers and, probably, their arms out in all directions. Highland dancers, from the age of 6 to 60, enchant every age with their colorful costumes, intricate steps, toetapping music and enthusiasm galore.

And then there’s whisky.

Scottish single malts, celebrated locally as whisky (no e), are known all over the world for their richness and smoothness — and cost. With a history dating back as far as the 11th century, Scottish whisky is an important part of the country’s identity along with most of the 140-plus distilleries in the Highlands.

At the Glen Ord Distillery, serving up its single malts for almost two centuries, I sampled a flight of their three brands of whisky, each with its own distinctive flavor.

Or so I was told, but I was useless as a taster. They all tasted the same to me.

A visit to The Highland House of Fraser reinforces the uniqueness that is Scotland because there, for a mere $750, you can have your own personalized kilt made.

Should you not have your own family tartan, you can choose from 750 different plaids from other clans. You can even watch a kiltmaker weave your threads while, of course, listening to some bagpipe music.

Lest you think the kilt is a throwback to history, not so.

They are worn at every ritual gathering from birthday parties to weddings to funerals and, sometimes, just because.

So despite Britain’s efforts to destroy the language, the clothing, the traditions and the lifestyle of the Scottish people, it all remains alive and well today.

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