Senior Life - St. Joseph Edition - October 2023

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October 2023

Rhyme and Reason Ministry, a nonprofit organization that supports individuals with physical, mental and emotional challenges, is hosting a fundraiser to fund the construction of a new building in Lakeville.

Rhyme and Reason, located in South Bend, was founded in October 2012 by Courtney Lane, who is the program manager, and Barbara Kampa. Since then, it has been helping clients build skills that will help them build a better life.

The event, “A Joyful Heart Comedy Night,” will take place at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 6, at the St. Joseph Community Center’s

Leighton Auditorium, 304 S. Main St., South Bend.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and close at 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $45 per ticket and tables of six can be reserved for $248. Tickets can be purchased on its website, rhymeandreason.net/ajoyfulheartfunraiser.

The event will feature the sibling comedy duo of Julie and Derrick Tennant. The duo is known for their unique fusion of comedy and motivation, which leaves audiences inspired and uplifted. The duo is presented by the Love Chromosome, an organization that promotes inclusivity and awareness about Down syndrome and other special needs.

For the new building, Rhyme and Reason is planning a

fully-accessible 83-acre campus equipped with hiking trails, ponds, and private cabins for peaceful retreats. These features will serve as a haven for individuals with diverse needs, fostering personal growth, community connection, and skill development. The construction also includes a versatile event center and a main house, which will serve as Rhyme and Reason’s headquarters.

“With the new building, we will be able to provide tons of new opportunities for both clients and employees,” Kampa, chief executive officer, explained. “Our attendance numbers go up every year, so extra space is needed.”

Rhyme and Reason is benefi-

cial for people from all walks of life, including people with intellectual and developmental disabilities; people with emotional, behavioral and mental health challenges; foster youth aged 5-18 years, including those reunified with their original family; emancipated foster youth age 18-26 years; adopted youth age 5-26 years; and anyone who seeks to address debilitating conditions through whole-person practices.

“Rhyme and Reason follows the person-centered approach to support our clients,” Kampa mentioned “By identifying the client’s values and experiences, we are able to help build skills that will help them in life.” Confidence grows and flourishes in

the safe and supportive environment Rhyme and Reason has created.

“We strive to improve our client’s independence, personal fulfillment and overall quality of life,” Kampa said.

Rhyme and Reason clinicians work with clients to develop individualized behavioral support plans, which utilizes a combination of theoretical models from classical conditioning and cognitive therapy. Its methods are backed by recent scientific data.

It accepts traditional Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance.

To learn more, visit its website, rhymeandreason.net, email info@rhymeandreason.net or call (574) 288-0494.

Annual Marshall County Senior Expo returns to Plymouth High School

Plans are underway for the 16th Annual Marshall County Senior Expo. Janis Holiday, executive director of Marshall County Council on Aging, said this year’s expo will be Thursday, Oct. 19, at Plymouth High School, 1 Big Red Drive, Plymouth.

This year’s Senior Expo will feature free admission, over 50 vendors, refreshments, entertainment, many door prizes and health screenings. Some of the free health screenings include: blood pressure screening, glaucoma testing, hearing testing, grip strength, video otoscopic exam, strength and balance screening, vision screening and others. Flu shots and COVID-19 vaccinations will also be available.

The fun entertainment will be new acts, while also bringing back some favorites. Something new this year is that the vendors will have information for volunteer opportunities at their organizations, if this is something you are looking for.

Also, the Senior of the Year Award will be presented to a very compassionate individual. All ages are welcome, and transportation will be provided free of charge to senior residents of Marshall County by appointment. The hours of the expo are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The expo is made possible by the Marshall County Council on Aging, with the generous support of these sponsors:

Deaton-Clemens VanGilder Funeral Home, Miller’s Merry Manor, Pilgrim Manor, INGuard, REAL Services, Marshall County Prosecutor’s Office, and Beacon Credit Union.

Businesses interested in booth space can contact the Marshall County Council on Aging for information or access the Senior Expo information and registration form on its website at www.marshallcountycouncilonaging.org. For more information or questions, contact Marshall County Council on Aging at (574) 936-9904 or (866) 936-9904.

History Museum presents lecture on ‘Haunted Elkhart County’ book

Mark Doddington, author of the book, “Haunted Elkhart County,” explores the rumored hauntings of a mansion, factory, school, opera house, and more in Elkhart County at The History Museum’s “Insights in History,” taking place at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 4.

Admission is $3, general, and $1, members. Reservations are required by Oct. 2. “Insights in History” is sponsored by THK Law, LLP.

A tour of Indiana Lore will be offered.

Doddington will be available to sign copies of the book, which is sold in the museum’s boutique.

“Insights in History” is a monthly series that features a lecture in conjunction with an exhibit at The History Museum.

For information, call The History Museum at (574) 235-9664 or visit historymuseumSB.org.

Key Positions

Mayers feeds the hungry and her soul

When a position in the Downtown Soup Kitchen opened up, Deborah Mayers jumped on the opportunity. A decade has quickly flown by and she continues to serves guests with the same passion as she did on her first day.

“I was lead to be here. If I was not meant to be here, working here would not feel this good. I wanted to find a way I could serve within my abilities and I found it here,” she explained, “it’s such an amazing gift to learn and be a part of someone’s story.”

Mayers greets everyone she meets with grace. “We do have serving hours, but if they come late but I am still here, they are not leaving hungry and they are taking a bag of food, too. I don’t care if I was about to hit the lights and leave. I will heat something up,” Mayers explained, “you just do not know what they had to do to get here. It’s hard to ask for help, so the asks should be rewarded.”

Since starting volunteering at the soup kitchen, the rotating recipe repertoire went from four to over 30, but chili is always served on Wednesdays.

“We could place a full Thanksgiving meal plate in front of them and they would ask for chili instead. It’s the funniest thing,” she remarked, “we have to cook with what we got, so some days we have to be adventurous. The other day we had a bunch of apples so I chopped some up and tossed them in a soup and everyone loved it.”

“I used to cook with my mom in the kitchen any chance I could. I have worked in restaurant kitchens. Because of these experiences, I grew my cooking skills and now cooking for a crowd is no big deal. It’s easier than cooking for one,” Mayers explained. The kitchen cooks 8-10 kettles of soup. The meal is also served with fresh salad, bread and dessert.

“Dessert is an easy way to feel human,” she said.

Mayers noted that the kitchen focuses on making

good food; “food that people want to eat.”

“Our goal is to make a memorable meal. We do not water down soups. They’re creamy and rich. They are packed with flavor,” Mayers explained. Everything the kitchen cooks with is made from donations.

The kitchen serves guests 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

“If my SUV can make it in the weather, we are open, the kitchen only closes on federal holidays but not the ‘new’ ones. Why would we closed on Juneteenth? A holiday that honors and remembers the marginalized. When we stay open we help the marginalized.”

Mayers keeps herself busy volunteering because “if you don’t use it, you lose it.” She spends about 50 hours a week working at the kitchen, doing anything and everything: donation pick-up, volunteer coordination, meal prep, service, clean up and so much more.

Mayers has no plans of stopping.

“I will still work on the day of my funeral,” she chuckled.

St. Joseph County Parks offering outdoor escape room experience

The St. Joseph County Parks is offering a new outdoor adventure program at St. Patrick’s County Park. Coming this fall, “Defeat the Eradicator — Outdoor Escape Room” brings the fun and challenge of an escape room to the outdoors.

An evil villain is planning to destroy the St. Joseph River. If he succeeds, not only will the river die, but the entire Great Lakes will be harmed, too. In order to save the St. Joseph River and defeat this vile villain, you

must solve his riddles and puzzles to thwart his destructive plans.

Only you can save it.

For a weekend in October, groups can schedule a twohour time slot to attempt the challenge. Experience a new way to go hiking and enjoy the outdoors. The group with the fastest time at the end of each month receives a prize.

This program is for ages 13-plus and the recommended group size is four to eight people. An adult must accompany children under

18. Advanced registration and payment are due the Thursday prior to the event. There is a $15 per person fee and groups must pay for a minimum of four people.

To register or for more information, call (574) 654-3155 or email Hannah Branchick at hbranchick@ sjcparks.org.

Park interpreter enjoys the variety of her career

that she took a botany class at a junior college.

Michaele Klingerman took the scenic route in landing her career. It was about seven years after getting her bachelor’s degree in general studies from Indiana University South Bend

“The professor suggested I apply for an internship as a naturalist at a local nature center, Fernwood Nature Center, and I loved the experience,” she said. “I grew up spending time outdoors with my dad and

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grandpa hunting and fishing. My dad was a taxidermist. I learned this art from him, and it has come in handy when we need to study skins or mounts for our natural history selection.”

Klingerman has been with the St. Joseph County Parks as a full-time park interpreter since 2002. Prior to that, she was a seasonal employee for three years at Love Creek County Park.

Her favorite part? There are many levels which are favorites. Teaching children and adults about nature is one.

“To watch a first grader be excited about catching a dragonfly nymph and telling them what that creature is going to turn into is priceless,” she shared. “To share with adults the myths and mysteries about bats and why they are beneficial is an experience they won’t forget.”

One of her many hats is doing resource management, taking a field of invasives and planting it into native grasses and wildflowers, and watching it grow into a beautiful prairie. Words, she said, she can’t describe.

Klingerman continued, “I enjoy all the seasons. I enjoy hiking; when I get the chance, I go. I love spring at Bendix Woods because the spring ephemeral display is spectacular. The nature preserve is a blanket of large-flowered white trilliums. Not to sound biased, but all four of the SJCP have great things to offer.”

She added, “We have an amazing maintenance team caring for the park trails, and have talented staff offering programs to get people out enjoying our parks. Mother

Nature provides the beauty; it’s up to us to see it.”

There isn’t an average day, she said.

“It all depends on our program load and somedays what I thought I was going to get done gets tabled,” she noted.

“If I am not on a program with my colleagues, who by the way are spectacular, then I am out doing invasive removal work. I’m hiking through fields or in a swamp with a backpack sprayer, killing invasives or on a tractor with a brush hog maintaining fire breaks. Sometimes it’s taking calls, answering questions about injured wildlife or other things.”

There are a lot of other little

Rehabilitation & Healthcare

things that make up the day. This can be program planning, writing a press release, planning and teaching day camp, or creating a new display like taxidermy.

No days are the same.

“That’s what I love about this career,” Klingerman said.

She shared a photo of one such a moment. In the photo, students are pond scooping and learning about macroinvertebrates at Spicer Lake Nature Preserve.

“I had to rethink for a moment; this was taken by Chris Nemeth, a school teacher at Corpus Christi, and she loves visiting Spicer Lake,” Klingerman explained.

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Cardio drumming fun way to burn calories

Cardio drumming is a dynamic cardiovascular exercise which combines drumming, rhythm and music. It can also incorporate dance moves, lunges and jumping jacks that help participants exercise more of their body and burn even more calories. In a traditional cardio drumming class, participants use a yoga ball placed on a bucket as a drum and strike the ball on rhythm with the music that plays. Cardio drumming has been described as “zumba with a drum.”

It is unclear from who and where cardio drumming originated. It is possible the popularity of cardio drumming has come from multiple sources. Dr. Michelle Unrau, a scientist and fitness educator, was traveling in Japan when she had the

idea to combine the drumming and aerobic exercise. She was inspired by the Japanese taiko drums. In 2002, Unrau developed the TaikoFit Program. Credit has also been given to Carrie Ekins, who in 2001 developed the program “Drums Alive!” However, drummers have been using drumming as a warm-up exercise before a concert. Although the class’ origins are unclear, one thing is clear: cardio drumming has gained popularity as a fitness trend.

The beauty of cardio drumming is the inclusivity. Anyone can participate in cardio drumming because it can modified to be comfortable for any skill level, mobility range, and age.

Cardio drumming is a rather new fad, but research is already showing how beneficial cardio drumming can be.

There are the obvious benefits of cardio exercise: increasing blood flow, lowing blood pres-

sure, regulating blood sugar, regulating weight and boosting mood. However, recent stud-

ies have shown that cardio exercise, like cardio drumming, can have even bigger benefits for seniors. Cardio exercise can improve relaxation, chronic pain alleviation and cognitive function, including attention and short-term memory. In older adults, cardio drumming has been shown to increase balance and coordination. Research has shown that vigorous drumming can burn up to 900 calories per 60 minute session, making cardio drumming an effective option for weight loss. However, even with the intensity cranked down, cardio drumming still allows participants to burn more calories than other traditional aerobic exercises.

Cardio drumming videos are available on YouTube with a wide range of intensity and music playlists. Cardio drumming classes can be found around the county, including at Beacon Health and Fitness Granger, 3221 Beacon Parkway. Their class schedule can be found at fitness.beaconhealthsystem.org. For more information, call (574) 647-8460.

Downsizing Event

Wednesday, October 25 at 1 p.m.

After years of accumulating memories and things, how do you get organized, manage a downsize or a future move?

Come Get Some Tips From An Expert!

Kynette Setear Will Guide Us through The Process

RSVP to 574-284-9065 by October 19

Holiday Craft Fair

The Holiday Craft Fair is Back!

Saturday, October 21 from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Get ready for the holidays as you browse among more than 21 vendors. Items will include: textile, floral, jewelry, teapots, tea cup gnomes, custom tumblers, candles, scentsy, baked goods, wreaths, snowmen, wooden items, origami, glass art, resin and pour paintings.

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Backpack helps control how much you take

Most travelers share a common problem. They pack too much.

They might take few tips from traveling business people, those office-bound middle-management employees who used to bounce from desk to airport to attend regional staff meetings or make sales presentations or soothe dissatisfied clients.

Many found a single briefcase was enough to contain an extra pair of socks for overnight stays. They wore a washable shirt and underwear. If they spilled something on their tie, they just bought another one.

Luggage makers offer an array of lightweight bags with straps and wheels and exterior pockets and zippered pouches designed to let you take all sorts of

items from your closets and bathroom cabinets when you leave home. That may be fine if you’re hitting the highway or sea lanes, but it’s not conducive to comfortable flying.

Start by getting an easyto-carry backpack, tried and true travelers recommend. One that will hold your medications handily, then have enough room for an extra pair of socks, underwear, shorts, and T-shirt or two. Wear a comfortable pair of shoes, slacks, jacket and tennis hat that don’t have to be packed. Always hang onto your pack so it doesn’t get ripped off.

Keep your credit cards, passport, sunglasses, pocket knife, and cellphone in your pocket. Get a leash for your glasses so they’ll hang around your neck when you take them off.

Ryan Hahn Trust Administrator

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

RiverBend Cancer Services, 3516 E. Jefferson Blvd., South Bend, offers the following events this month: Seated Strength, 10-11 a.m.

Mondays and Wednesdays; Gentle Yoga, 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Mondays and Wednesdays; Chair Yoga, 10:30-11:15 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.

Tuesdays and Thursdays; Empowered Movement, 5:306:30 p.m. Tuesdays; Beginning Yarnwork, 10 a.m. to noon Thursdays; Debbie’s Wig

Salon, 1-2:30 p.m. Thursdays;

Kim’s Bra Boutique, 2-4 p.m.

Wednesday, Oct. 11; and

Men’s Group, 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Oct. 24.

The Morris Performing Arts Center announced the South Bend Symphony Orchestra will perform “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” in concert Saturday, Oct. 7, as part of the Harry Potter Film Concert Series. The concert will feature the South Bend Symphony Orchestra in performing live, to picture, every note from “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.” Audiences will be able to relive the

magic of the entire film in high-definition on a 40-foot screen, while hearing South Bend Symphony Orchestra perform John Williams’ unforgettable score live. Subscriptions to the Indiana Trust Pops Series are on sale and single tickets can purchased. Visit www. morriscenter.org or call (574) 235-9190.

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Lubeznik Center for the Arts First Friday Open Mic

Mature travel matters

Travel Through Time

As you motor around the country, visiting the grandkids or getting to see the sites on your to-do list or heading back for a class reunion, you can also travel back through time to trace your ancestry.

When you get to your home town, you can leaf through local records to trace your forebears back as far as they

lived in that location. Having pored through your lineage online or through family files, you can stop on the way there or the way back home in towns and cities mentioned in your chronicles.

It’s a good way to see America as well as trace your ancestors.

On a grander scale, you can visit the Statue of Liberty or Ellis Island Foundation to view the names of some 65 million immigrants who were docu-

mented at the island from 1820 to 1957.

If your forebears immigrated here, the travel back through time in their native lands can be even more interesting and fun.

Manners Make Travel More Enjoyable Listening to travelers complain about how they were treated in some foreign land is akin to hearing kids complain about their teachers.

First off, keep in mind that

Apartment Living

travelers are guests where they are. Just because the locals don’t understand English is no reason to harp about their rudeness. You might discover that travelers have no concept what language was spoken in the country they visited. They didn’t try to learn a few vital words in that language, such as “please” and “thank you.”

Ignorance of one’s surroundings is an all-too-common trait of travelers.

Night is from 5 to 8 p.m. (central time) Friday, Oct. 6. All are welcome to enjoy the performances, complimentary light refreshments and a cash bar; admission is free.

Those interested in performing can register by emailing Samantha Bean at sbean@LubeznikCenter.org. Spots are limited and fill quickly.

Lubeznik Center for the Arts is located 101 W. 2nd St., Michigan City.

A small sample of such mindlessness occurred not long ago. A member of a small group ahead of us, strolling along in the shadow of St. Peter’s in Vatican City, proudly proclaimed how thrilled she felt “walking in the footsteps of Jesus.”

She then complained loudly to her tour guide that the Pope’s noon blessing from his high-up window was too far away to tell if it was really him.

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Baking bread is Kathy Milliman’s ministry

“It’s all about bread,” stated Kathy Milliman of South Bend. “Jesus tells us in John 6:35 that he is the bread of life. Bread gives us nourishment and sustenance. Jesus does that for our spiritual life. I guess that’s why making bread and passing it out is so much a part of my own ministry.”

One of Milliman’s favorite memories of growing up is spending time with her mother in the kitchen.

“I loved baking. My mother was not at all good with yeast breads. But I loved baking with yeast. When I was in fourth grade, I made a batch of cinnamon rolls. Now, I realize they had the texture of hockey pucks; however, back then I was very proud of my cinnamon rolls. One of the neighbor ladies told me they were quite good. That was the beginning of my bread ministry. I must say, I’ve gotten much better over the years,” Milliman said.

One of her specialties is oatmeal bread. “When our neighbors first moved in across the street, I took them some of my bread. To me it was a rather small gesture; however, it meant the world to them. Now, my neighbor is a widow who has recently lost her son. We are the best of friends. It started with a loaf of bread,” Milliman said.

Recently, she spotted a new neighbor. The family is from Iraq.

“I’m sure they’ve got some cultural hurdles to overcome living in America,” she said. “I gave them a fresh loaf of bread when mother and daughter walked by. It was my way of welcoming them to America.”

Baking bread, however, is only one of her assets. Milliman’s has an interior design

degree and taught at Ivy Tech. She is also a pastor’s wife. Her husband, Neil, pastored in South Bend for some years. He has since moved to Elkhart Church of Christ and has led that church for 20 years.

“Neil and I came out of the Catholic church. He was a grand deputy in the Knights of Columbus, when I was seeking some answers for my own spiritual life,” she recalled.

After Milliman’s brother drowned, she became very anxious.

“I realized we are not promised tomorrow,” she said. “I was so afraid of dying. I wanted to know how to be saved and get to heaven.”

She began attending an inter-denominational Bible study, but even their answers to her questions about eternal life were not quite satisfactory.

“My friend wanted to go to the Church of Christ. I went with her. The people were so loving and friendly there. I felt like I had come home. The pastor told me that I needed a personal relationship with Jesus Christ,” Milliman said. “After I committed my life to the Lord, I was baptized by immersion.”

Neil felt the call to ministry while attending the Church of Christ.

Milliman is not only the pastor’s wife at the Elkhart church, she is a leader in her own right. She teaches a junior high Sunday school class and mentors the ladies at the church. She is a motivational speaker who tackles subjects like self-talk and how color affects our moods. “An event we are putting on the church calendar for this coming winter is a bread and cocoa afternoon. I’m going to teach the ladies how to make yeast bread.”

Those needing a guest speaker can contact her cell at (574) 850-8369.

History Museum seeks items to tell story of a 1950s African American Family

The History Museum is seeking 1950s furniture and furnishings for an upcoming transformation of its Worker’s Home. The house will change from its current interpretation of a 1930s Polish family home to one that reflects how a 1950s African American family might have lived. The transition began Sept. 5, with the opening scheduled for Nov. 9.

Items that are needed are 1950s: sofa and living room chairs, bookshelf, dining room table and chairs, sideboard, china hutch, kitchen table and chairs, oven, range appliances, glassware, china, tableware, lamps, lighting devices, decorative items, toys, games, and books.

When the Worker’s Home re-opens, stories of the Great Migration and the Civil Rights Movement will be told through guided tours, and furniture and furnishings will reflect those periods in history.

To tell the local stories as completely and accurately as possible, and to help visitors experience life in the 1950s, The History Museum is seeking photographs, documents, and information from such local elementary schools as Linden, Muessel and Marquette, as well as Central High School. The museum is also hoping for materials associated with local African American firms, companies, or establishments, organizations, and objects that reflect

business, home, and family life in the community during the 1950s. Documents and records of musicians, performers, and other artists from the African American community from this period are also welcome.

Individuals interested in loaning or donating such items are asked to contact the registrar’s office at The History Museum through emailing workershome@historymuseumSB.org or by calling Cat Page-Vanore at (574) 235-9664, ext. 245.

The Worker’s Home opened in 1994 as a changing exhibit with a mission to convey the history of work, workers, and their families, with special attention to the many ethnicities of the St. Joseph River Valley Region. Since then, it has been interpreted as a 1930s Polish family’s home. For the next several years, it will be shown as a 1950s African American family’s residence, and following that, the house will undergo another iteration reflecting the diversity of the community.

For information, call The History Museum at (574) 235-9664 or visit historymuseumSB.org.

The History Museum offers Navarre Cabin community forum

The public is invited to a community forum regarding moving the Navarre Cabin from its current location in Leeper Park East to The History Museum’s campus.

The forum will be at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 2, at Navarre Cabin, Leeper Park East, South Bend.

The forum, hosted by The History Museum, will include a 10-minute presentation

chronicling the history of the cabin and its various sites through the years. Leeper Park diagrams will be available, showing the site’s appearance without the cabin.

Also shown will be a drawing of prospective monument signage in Leeper Park that will mark the history of the cabin’s locations through the years. In addition, photographs, maps, and a diagram of the museum’s

proposed Navarre Homestead Project on The History Museum’s campus can be viewed. The Navarre Cabin was built by Pierre Freischutz Navarre in 1820 near the St. Joseph River. Navarre, the first person of European descent to settle in St. Joseph County, established a trading post on the banks of the river. The cabin’s current site is not its original location. Upon approval of the

Mishawaka-Penn-Harris Public Library programs for adults

Below is the MishawakaPenn-Harris Public Library

October calendar of events for adults. All reservations for in-person or Zoom attendance may be secured at (574) 2595277. Registration is required for most programs. Visit mphpl.org for the most up-to-date information regarding events.

Bittersweet Branch Events

Pumpkin Charcuterie Boards, 10:30-11:30 a.m.

Monday, Oct. 9. Patrons will be given the board, crackers, meat and cheese to design a unique, yummy creation.

Make with Us: Canvas Stencil Painting, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 19. Participants will be given all the supplies needed to create a unique work of art. No experience necessary.  Bingo, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 25; enjoy bingo and beverages. Winners will receive small prizes and raffle tickets for a chance to win a door prize.

Harris Branch Events

Pumpkin Charcuterie

Boards, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 9. You will be given the board, crackers, meat and cheese to design a unique, yummy creation.

Chapter Chats Book Club, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 12. “The Night Circus” by Erin Morgenstern, can be picked up in advance at the front desk.

Make with Us: Canvas Stencil Painting, 5:30-6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 19. Relax and embrace your creative side. Participants will be given all the supplies needed to create a unique work of art. No experience necessary.

Mishawaka Library Events

American Heritage Spotlight, 6:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 10. This month, speaker Dan Dosmann will present 1900s Mishawaka picture postcards. He is an active volunteer with the Mishawaka History Museum and has collected over 800 picture postcards of Mishawaka.

Frightful Films Trivia Night, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13. Spend Friday with

some friends playing trivia. Questions will cover classic and modern horror films as well as beloved family favorites. Teams must have between two to six members. A small prize will be awarded to the winning team.

Ask a Lawyer, 1-4 p.m. Monday, Oct. 23. Volunteers from the Volunteer Lawyer Network, Inc. will provide free legal advice to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. Attendees are encouraged to bring all pertinent information and documents with them.

Dine with a Book, 6-7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 24. Enjoy a night out with pizza and a book. “The Lord of the Flies” by William Golding can be picked up in advance at the front desk.

Cooking Classics: Pumpkin Spice, 10:30-11:15 a.m. Monday, Oct. 30. Experiment with pumpkin spice to make irresistibly delicious goodies. Make sure to come hungry; one must have a MPHPL library card to register for this program.

proposed move, The History Museum intends to complete a Navarre Homestead on its campus and greatly expand programming related to the cabin. Doing so will increase availability of the Navarre Cabin to the community, schools, and tourists.

The History Museum, owned and operated by the Northern Indiana Historical Society, is located at 808 W. Washington St. It is the site of the 38-room Oliver Mansion, known as Copshaholm, and the Worker’s Home, to be transformed in November from its current iteration as a 1930s Polish worker’s home to a 1950s African American worker’s home.

The museum’s seven galleries display permanent and traveling exhibits. Kidsfirst is an area for children to explore history. The museum, accredited through the American Alliance of Museums, is the national repository for the AllAmerican Girls Professional Baseball League, whose story was immortalized in the film “A League of Their Own.”

The museum’s collections include over 600,000 objects. Adjacent to The History Museum is the Studebaker National Museum.

For information, call The History Museum at (574) 235-9664 or visit historymuseumSB.org.

IIt’s easy! Simply find the apple cider 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.

The winner of the I Spy Contest for September is Scott Stuck of South Bend. The backpack was located on page 8 in Senior Life Allen; page 7 in Senior Life Northwest; page 18 in Senior Life Elko and page 7 in Senior Life St. Joseph.

Buyer beware applies to sugary drinks

380 calories

70 grams of sugar (17½ teaspoons)

8 grams of fat

Maybe just a cup of hot chocolate to warm your innards?

370 calories

37 grams of sugar (9¼ teaspoons)

16 grams of fat

Even a frappe coffee, which just means iced or slushy, has 11 teaspoons of sugar by the time it’s completed.

massive amounts of younger adults consume way too many of these. A can of the ‘green one’ boasts having 160 milligrams of caffeine and 54 grams of sugar (13½” teaspoons).

We have entered the fall months of the crazy pumpkin this and pumpkin that including the very popular pumpkin spice drink at your local coffee shop. Did you realize that drink has:

420 calories

65 grams of sugar

15 grams of fat

Remember our calculation of grams of sugar divided by four equal a teaspoon of sugar? Sixty-five divided by four equals a whopping 16¼ teaspoons of sugar in that one drink.

Does a carmel apple spice sound like a better choice? Turns out it’s less calories and fat, but the sugar is even higher.

The offender is the ‘pumps’ they add to your drink, mocha sauce, pumpkin spice sauce and caramel. Then add the drizzles and assorted other ‘toppings.’

I know two people that allow themselves one of the above in October and one in November as special treats and I say kudos to them! I know many more that lose all control and join the craziness for two months and see no problem in doing so.

Do you prefer one of the frozen drinks from the machines in a convenience? The average large size is 45 grams, or 11¼ teaspoons of sugar.

Personally, I have never had any interest in trying an energy drink, but I’ve certainly seen

Our last example is a sports drink that has been around since 1965 that was designed to replenish the carbohydrates, water and electrolytes that were lost while playing sports. A 30-ounce bottle has 48 grams of sugar, or 12 teaspoons of sugar.

The pumpkin and apple drink has some natural sugar, but the rest is all added sugar. As we’ve talked about in previous columns, the American Heart Association recommendation for sugar intake per day is 26 grams (6½ teaspoons) for woman and 36 grams (9 teaspoons) for men. These drinks are a far cry from fitting into that recommendation; we can do better.

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Five benefits you can apply for using ssa.gov

We continue to make it easier for you to access our programs and benefits. Our website offers a convenient way to apply for benefits online. Here are five ways you can apply for benefits using ssa.gov. Retirement or Spouse’s Benefits — You must be at least 61 years and 9 months and want your benefits to start in no more than month months. Apply at ssa.gov/retirement.

Disability Benefits — You can use our online application, available at ssa.gov/benefits/ disability to apply for disability benefits if you:

• Are age 18 or older.

• Are not currently receiving benefits on your own Social Security record.

• Are unable to work because of a medical condition that is expected to last at least 12 months or result in death.

• Have not been denied disability benefits in the last 60 days. If your application was recently denied, our online

appeal application is a starting point to request a review of the determination we made. Please visit ssa.gov/apply/appeal-decision-we-made.

Supplemental Security Income –— SSI provides monthly payments to adults and children with a disability or blindness who have income and resources below specific financial limits. SSI payments are also made to people age 65 and older without disabilities who meet the financial qualifications. If you meet certain requirements, you may begin

the process online by letting us know you would like to apply for SSI at ssa.gov/ssi. If you do not have access to the internet, you can call your local Social Security office to make an appointment to apply.

Medicare — Medicare is a federal health insurance program for:

• People age 65 or older.

• Some people younger than 65 who have disabilities.

• People with end-stage renal disease or Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

If you are not already receiv-

‘Hour’ favorite TV show

I’m a big “60 Minutes” fan. I remember watching the premier show in 1968. The producer of that show was Don Hewitt, an alumnus of New Rochelle High School, where I graduated in 1965. The high school has a list of famous graduates. Don is listed along with 29 other people. I must

have been number 31 because I couldn’t find my name.

This past week, “60 Minutes” did a show about artificial intelligence. The story focused on how some of these AI programs can mimic someone’s voice and be used to trick people into sending money or giving out personal information over the phone. This freaked out my wife, who is very concerned about having her identity stolen. She is not worried about my identity being stolen because to quote Mary Ellen, “I don’t think anyone would want to be you.”

She is very paranoid about this kind of stuff. She shreds everything, convinced that people

will riffle through our garbage to find vital information.

“Mary Ellen, why are you shredding our junk mail?”

“Dick, I don’t want people to know our address.”

“Well, if unsavory people are going through our trash at the curb, they can figure out where we live, because we live right behind the trash.”

Now, as a result of the “60 Minutes” story, she has heightened concerns about privacy. I called her the other day to ask a question.

“Hi, Mary Ellen. It’s Dick. I need your social security number to fill out a form here at the bank.”

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Saint Joseph Health System - Holy Cross

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ing Social Security benefits, you should apply for Medicare three months before turning age 65 at www.ssa.gov/medicare.

Extra Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Costs — The Extra Help program helps with the cost of your prescription drugs, like deductibles and copays. People who need assistance with the cost of medications can apply for Extra Help atssa.gov/medicare/partd-extra-help.

Share this information with those who need it.

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There was a pause on the phone… a long one.

“Hmm, when you call you never say, ‘It’s Dick.’ You always say ‘Hi, it’s me.’ Now, who is this?”

“It’s your husband. Now, can you give me the social security number, please?”

“I have a couple of questions before I give out this highly sensitive information. What is your brother’s name?”

“Peter, of course.”

“Where were you born?”

“New Rochelle, N.Y. Look, if this is some kind of an IQ or memory test, you need to make the questions a lot tougher.

“This is my way of checking if

it’s really you. With all the new technology available, a crook could be calling me and making his voice sound like yours.”

“Okay, Mary Ellen, you may ask one more question. Make it a good one.”

“Okay, Dick — or whoever you are — when we got married, we stayed in a magnificent vacation spot in Big Sur, California. You said it was the most romantic, glorious hotel you had ever been in. It was a weekend you would never forget. What was the name of the hotel?”

“I don’t have a clue.”

“Oh, good; it’s definitely you. My number is 897-006-0000.”

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Southfield Village

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Ghost towns ain’t what they used to be

It’s extremely difficult to see ghosts in a ghost town in the middle of the dusty desert afternoon.

But Goldfield Ghost Town isn’t really a ghost town, we were told, until all the merchants leave at 5 p.m. and after the saloon closes down at 9 p.m.

It used to be pretty well ghostlike every summer until this one, “because we’re staying open as an experiment,” according to Trail Master “Sandman,” who was taking a coffee break between tourist tours around this 130-year-old mining community at the foot of the legendary Superstition Mountain, about an hour east of downtown Phoenix.

The community was renamed

Youngsberg during a resuscitation that began in 1910 and ended a decade and a half later.

While the site is the original town of Goldfield, the bulk of the buildings are replicas because most of the vacated town was razed by an errant military training flare back in World War II.

Its revival as an Old West memorial tourist attraction was launched in the 1980s and it is now listed among more than 3,800 ghost towns scattered across the land. Not all are in Cowboy Country.

Pennsylvania has more than 100, about 70 of them within an hour’s drive from Pittsburgh. Texas claims the most with 500.

Three hundred of these supernatural settlements are in Arizona, most of them abandoned mining towns. Jerome,

up the road a piece, is the biggest in the country. That gold, silver, zinc and copper mining community had a population of 15,000 at the end of World War II. When the last copper mine closed in 1953, the remaining members of the community — somewhere between 50 and 100 people — began promoting it as a ghost town.

Goldfield’s ranking among these paranormal precincts is boosted by its proximity to the 3,000 foot monolith that rumors and reports say houses the Lost Dutchman Mine. It’s not the Dutchman who was lost — his mine was and is because it’s never been found by anyone who’s returned to the land of the living.

Locals claim that the mountain that looms over Goldfield Ghost Town has swallowed

Continued on page 17

FOR LISTING CALL CATHY AT 1-866-580-1138 EXT. 2402 HEALTH SERVICES DIRECTORY

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ALZHEIMERS/MEMORY CARE

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HOME INSTEAD

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Questions to ask about drugs

Many patients, especially older adults, don’t ask their doctors or pharmacists about the prescription drugs they take.

With the availability of so many sources of medical information, including direct-toconsumer advertising, it’s critical for patients to seek expert opinion about any treatment or medication plan.

To help you get the proper information before taking prescription medicine, a list of questions has been prepared by various medical sources. They are:

1. For what specific condition or treatment are you prescribing this medicine?

2. Are there other treatment options available? Alternative drugs? Generics?

3. How am I directed to take

this medicine? When? In what amount? With or without food?

4. How long will I remain on this medication (longterm for a chronic condition or short term for an acute condition)?

5. What are the potential side effects of this medicine?

6. Under what circumstances should I discontinue use of this medication and notify my physician? For example, vomiting, nausea, or dizziness?

7. Are there conditions that would prevent me from taking this medication, such as high blood pressure?

8. Have I told my doctor about all other medications I’m taking, both over-the-counter and prescription?

9. If I am taking other medications, is there an increased risk for potential side effects or adverse reactions?

10. After reading the information provided by the drug manu-

facturer and my pharmacist, do I have additional questions? Experts also advise patients to:

• Provide every physician treating you with an up-to-date list of prescribed and over-thecounter medications being taken.

• Alert any healthcare professional treating you (including your pharmacist) to details of your personal and family history that might impact your tolerance for or reaction to a particular medication.

• Take prescribed medication exactly as indicated; never

Ghost towns

Continued from page 16 more than 600 lives. Not all of them have been lost by the lure of gold.

A most recent death was that of a 21-year-old hiker in January 2022. He fell some 700 feet in broad daylight when he lost his footing trying to take a selfie.

Strolling through the dust on the hill that forms Goldfield’s Main Street makes it easy to picture yourself climbing down

heroically from your saddle to take in steak and suds in the mid-town Mammoth Saloon that looms almost as large as the nearby mountain.

You could even evoke a spaghetti western film by ordering an espresso or cappuccino, which may be a form of protection because no self-respecting ghosts of the miners of long ago would deign to appear. You might try their sarsaparilla.

After poking yourself in

exceed or skip a recommended dosage.

• Educate yourself about potential side effects and adverse reactions that could occur.

• Never borrow prescribed medications from or lend them to anyone.

Mature Life Features Copyright 2023

and out of the couple of dozen shops, museums and historic structures, trying your aim in a shooting gallery, and watching an old west gunfight, you have several choices for further diversion. You can pan for gold or take a ride on a horse, the town’s narrow-gauge train, or the zip line that takes you high above the settlement while keeping your eyes open for ghosts.

Mature Life Features Copyright 2023

FOR LISTING CALL CATHY AT 1-866-580-1138 EXT. 2402 HEALTH SERVICES DIRECTORY

HOME HEALTHCARE AGENCY

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The automobile man and his dream

With electric vehicles already a reality, there once lived a man whose automotive concepts were years ahead of his time.

Preston Tucker, who was born Sept. 21, 1903, is most remembered for his 1948 Tucker sedan, initially nicknamed the “Tucker Torpedo.” The car was futuristic, introducing many features that have since become widely adapted for modern automobiles.

He grew up in the Detroit area and became obsessed with automobiles from an early age. His early career included stints with Cadillac and Studebaker, a time as a police officer and finally as the maker of race cars, tinkering with all sorts of allied products.

When World War II broke out, a gun turret he produced for a combat vehicle caught the eye of the military, so he created the Tucker Aviation Corp. This enterprise encountered financial troubles and was purchased by Andrew Jackson Higgins, who became known as “The Man Who Won The War” building Liberty ships, PT boats and landing craft. The acquisition was made with the condition that Tucker would remain vice president in charge of its operation.

After the war, the public was ready for new car designs, but the Big Three Detroit automakers (Ford, General Motors and Chrysler) had not developed

any new models since 1941 and were in no hurry to change. That provided great opportunities for independent automakers.

Tucker’s first design appeared in Science Illustrated magazine in December 1946, showing a futuristic version of the car with a hydraulic drive system. The motoring public was now excited about the Tucker.

His dream machines were produced in a former wartime production factory in Chicago that was shut down in 1949 in a clutter of financial mishandling and accusations of fraud, ending Tucker’s dream and his dream car.

Tucker’s specifications for his revolutionary car included a rear engine, a low-RPM 589-cubic-inch engine with hydraulic valves instead of a camshaft, fuel injection, direct-drive torque converters on each rear wheel instead of a transmission, disc brakes, the location of all instruments within the diameter and reach of the steering wheel, a padded dashboard, and self-sealing tubeless tires.

The design also included independent springless suspension, a chassis that protected occupants in a side impact, a roll bar within the roof, a laminated windshield designed to pop out during an accident, and a center “cyclops” headlight which would turn when steering at angles greater than 10 degrees to improve visibility around corners during night

driving. All of these developments were years ahead of their time.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission was embittered after small automaker Henry J. Kaiser was given millions of dollars in grants towards development of his new Kaiser and Frazer cars, but reportedly squandered the money. While Tucker took no money from the federal government, SEC kept him under close scrutiny.

An SEC trial began on Oct. 4, 1949, and the factory was closed on the very same day. At that point, only 38 Tucker ‘48s had been built. A corps of 300 employees returned to the factory, some without pay, and finished assembling another 13 cars, making a total production of 51 cars.

The SEC contended that Tucker never intended to produce a car. Throughout the trial, the SEC report on Tucker was classified as “secret” and even though his attorneys were never allowed to view or read it, it was leaked to the press. The prosecution and defense continued debating until the judge demanded the SEC prosecutors “get down to the meat of the case and start proving the conspiracy charge.”

Tucker’s defense attorneys surprised everyone by refusing to call any witnesses. Defense attorney Daniel Glasser told the court, “It is impossible to present a defense when there has been no offense.” Kirby invited the jury to take a ride in one of the eight Tucker ‘48s parked in front of the courthouse. The verdict came in “not guilty” on all counts.

Preston Tucker’s reputation rebounded after the acquittal. His optimism was remarkable; after the trial was over, he was quoted as saying, “Even Henry Ford failed the first time out.”

Despite the outcome of the trial, speculation prevailed about whether Tucker genuinely intended to produce a new car and bring it to market, or whether the entire enterprise was a sham.

The Tucker Automobile Club of America has amassed more than 400,000 drawings/ blueprints, corporate documents, and letters suggesting Tucker was, in fact, planning to mass-produce the Tucker ‘48. He had hired more than 1,900 employees.

But it was not to be. Tucker’s assets were auctioned off publicly, but two remaining Tucker ‘48 cars were given to Tucker, and his mother. He died of lung

cancer on Dec. 26, 1956, at the age of 53, and is buried in Flat Rock, MI.

History indicates that the reason for the Tucker’s lack of success was primarily financial bungling.

Today, entrepreneur Elon Musk, builder of the electricpowered Tesla, no doubt understands much of the turmoil Preston Tucker endured.

Mature Life Features Copyright 2023

Deer management program at Spicer Lake Nature Preserve

St. Joseph County Parks will implement a deer management program at Spicer Lake Nature Preserve in New Carlisle in November.

The deer management hunt will take place Nov. 18-19 and Dec. 2-3.

Spicer Lake Nature Preserve will be closed to the public. To emphasize deer population reduction, the management program will be an antler-less hunt.

Three hunters will be selected by a lottery to participate. Hunters must possess a valid Indiana Deer License and a minimum of one bonus antler-less license. Applications for the lottery will be available on the St. Joseph County Parks website. The deadline for applications is Oct. 16.

In addition to being a county park, Spicer Lake is also a state-dedicated nature preserve, a classification given to high quality ecosystems. Review and approval for the deer management program was required by the Division of Nature Preserves of the IDNR. For more information and an application, visit sjcparks.org.

Let’s talk about death or not

Four years ago my mom, at 82, became ill, had sepsis, and almost died. That was the first time it really registered with me that my mom wasn’t immortal.

Fortunately, my mom is still kicking and just celebrated her

86th birthday. Once she was out of the hospital, we began talking about her inevitable death — whether a day or 10 years from now. We said things we needed to say and asked questions that had been ignored. We talked openly and honestly about death. I thought that was normal. I’m finding it might not be.

I met a family who asked me to not say the word “hospice”

in front of their loved one. Hospice, in their eyes, meant death. I met another family who could not talk about their loved one’s upcoming passing in front of him. So, we met outside. Death is a very weighted subject. Some families talk openly about death and use words like “died” instead of euphemisms. Some families never talk about it and say their loved ones “passed away.” Nei-

ther is right or wrong. There are many factors that play into how families handle death.

I’m curious about family dynamics and would like to learn more, but I need your help. Let me know your thoughts about talking about and preparing for death — your own or a loved one. Does your family talk about death? Why or why not? Email me at gkonanz@abc-seniors.com with the subject “let’s

talk about death.”

Through your thoughts and experiences, I can be more sensitive to a family’s way of processing death. I will know better what to say and not say. I will share what I learn with you. Learning to communicate and understand one another, even when it comes to talking about death, can make relationships and living even better.

Horsing around ancient Troy

Perhaps the Turks can be forgiven for their kitschy homage to the legendary rescue of Helen of Troy.

Troy, the ancient city 20 miles inland from the port city of Cannakale, chur-NAH-kahlee, inspires a little horsing around.

At the entrance of this archaeological site park is a 60-foot-high wooden replica of the Trojan Horse, the infamous steed that gave rise to the adage: “Beware of Greeks bearing gifts.”

Spicer Lake Nature Preserve to offer lantern walk program

The St. Joseph County Parks is offering a lantern walk program at Spicer Lake Nature Preserve from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20.

Come explore nature at night with a guided twilight stroll along a lantern-lined boardwalk. Enjoy the brisk air and an opportunity to stargaze. Fall-themed food and drinks will be provided.

Advanced registration is required by Wednesday, Oct. 18; there is a $5 program fee per person. To register, or for more information, call (574) 654-3155.

Spicer Lake Nature Preserve is located on the LaPorte County Line Road, north of New Carlisle.

DISTRIBUTING OVER NEWSPAPERS A MONTH

Helen — “Hers was the face that launched a thousand ships,” wrote the English poet Percy Bysshe Shelley — was the wife of the Spartan King Menelaus and was either kidnaped or ran off to Troy with Paris. The more than 1,000 Greek ships launched some 3,000 years ago to win her back marked the beginning of the 10-year Trojan War.

During the siege of Troy, the Greeks left a colossal wooden horse outside the city’s walls as a gift to the tenacious Trojans. The city defenders towed it inside the city and, in the dead of night, a lone infiltrator slipped from the horse’s underbelly and opened the gates for his comrades. And they sacked the city.

With these visions dancing through our heads, we hoofed it up the creaky wooden stairs leading to the inside of the horse. A couple dozen Japanese, German and American tourists were jockeying for position at one of the slat-windows to wave wildly to the folks lined up to get in. “Konnichiwa!’’ one man bellowed out the window, Japanese for “hello,” to friends waiting below to take his picture.

But Troy is more than a Disney-esque attraction.

As we followed our Turkish guide around the winding rock-strewn paths of this multitiered Bronze Age excavation,

one thing became abundantly clear: Troy is not one but rather nine ancient cities, the oldest built more than 4,500 years ago.

Not much remains, save for a 6,000-seat Roman-era amphitheater and the odd column stump. It helps to bring an imagination, we were told.

German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann must have brought his, fueled by a childhood reading of the “Iliad,” when he arrived in 1868 to begin digging. “May the Gods who hold the halls of Olympus give you Priam’s city, Troy, to plunder, then safe passage home,” wrote the blind Greek bard, Homer, in “Iliad,” his fiery poem of ancient heroes.

Schliemann set to work directing the ambitious excavation that proved he was right, as he put Troy back on the map and unearthed a mother lode of artifacts — gold chains, elaborate golden head decorations, silver pitchers and thousands of gold pieces believed to have belonged to King Priam, the ruler during Homer’s account of the 13th-century BC Trojan War.

He successfully smuggled to Germany the so-called Treasures of Priam. His wife was photographed at swank Berlin soirees wearing some of the jewelry. Later research

revealed the treasures did not belong to Priam but to a ruler who preceded him by more than 1,500 years.

The treasure wound up in a state museum in Berlin and, at the end of World War II, occupying Soviet forces smuggled the Trojan gold to Moscow’s Pushkin Museum, where it

remained a closely guarded secret until the fall of communism.

Cultural ownership of the treasures is a diplomatic hot potato, with both the German and Turkish governments fighting for their return to their rightful home.

Mature Life Features Copyright 2023

Sixties Flashback —

Remember those stamps of approval?

Want an appliance?

Some furniture? An elephant?

At one time, all were available with enough small paper books filled with trading stamps.

The S & H stamp story began in 1896. Salesman Thomas Sperry noticed a store he visited was having significant success with a program in which certain customers were rewarded by being given coupons redeemable for goods in that store. Perry thought: why not dispense coupons that were not tied to merchandise from any particular store but could be redeemed anywhere?

With business pal Shelley Hutchinson, the pair launched the Sperry and Hutchinson Company and began selling S & H Green Stamps.

Here’s how things worked: Retailers bought the stamps from S & H, then distributed them — 10 stamps for every dollar spent — to appreciative loyal customers as a bonus for making cash purchases rather

than by using credit. Customers then pasted the tiny rectangles into booklets handed out by the company visited.

The first S & H Green Stamps redemption center — a “premium parlor” — opened its doors in 1897. Then, as they did later, people would bring in booklets filled with stamps and stroll out later with a shiny new something, bolstered by the (incorrect) feeling that the item was somehow free.

S & H bought merchandise at wholesale costs and sold it at retail prices when stamps were redeemed. Retailers grumped that buying the stamps cost them about 2% of their sales, although they did hope that the expected increase in business the stamps could generate would offset the cost of the stamps.

The popularity of trading stamps spread like proverbial wildfire, becoming a part of everyday business at sundry supermarkets, gas stations, drugstores and numerous other outlets.

By the mid-1960s, 83% of America’s 58 million households were saving S & H Green Stamps. (That’s three times more stamps than were issued by the U.S. Postal Service.)

Each year, S&H was printing 32 million copies of its merchandise catalog — dubbed the Ideabook — as well as 140 million blank savers books.

The most popular purchased item back then was a toaster. But, over time, changing values and, much to the customers’ delight, the limited list of available options mushroomed to include some, well, “unusual” things, to say the least.

Some companies began issuing their own trading stamps but were never able to overcome S & H’s dominance.

Then came the 1970s, and food and gasoline prices soared. It became more prudent to seek lower prices: people began to value having extra money in hand more than owning another set of glass tumblers.

The last supermarket to dispense Green Stamps was a Tennessee Piggly Wiggly store in 1999.

Trading stamps have now

been replaced by reward programs and discount coupons. In the Green Stamps heyday, though, such exotica as donkeys, gorillas and elephants were sometimes made available when zoo groups pooled enough

filled books.

Offered but probably never purchased: an eight- passenger Cessna airplane.

Hmmn. One must wonder just how many Ideabooks were needed for that?

Good drugs can be bad for you

tussle with whatever else you add to your system.

any on your list or to ingest a new health drink or booster bar.

As we age and acquire sundry types of aches, pains, disabilities and diseases, we build a medicine cabinet bulging with pills, potions and needles prescribed to lessen the pain and thwart the invasion of debilitating disorders.

As a result, we wind up with conflicting cures.

For example, dosages designed to support a diseased liver might cause our diabetes pills to turn against us. Or a prescription for a newly acquired affliction might cause severe skin rashes, painful stomach upsets, or dizziness and loss of balance.

Adding to the confusion is the intake of any supplements, such as vitamins, that may also

Many medications come with their own set of issues. Some blood-pressure drugs and painkillers can cause depression. Confusion and instability caused by multiple medications can be diagnosed as dementia.

Coping with medications gets worse as we age because our bodies lose their resiliency and ability to combat any ill effects. Compounding the problem is that most of us acquire more and more medications to fight off disease and disabilities that prey on the elderly.

If you haven’t done so yet, write down all the prescriptions and supplements you take, how often, and in what dosages. Make an appointment with your family doctor, now known as your primary care physician, and go over the list carefully.

Before agreeing to replace a current prescription with a new medication, discuss with your doctor how it will fit in. Do the same before deciding to toss out

If, when you do make any changes or additions, you experience any dizziness, blurred eyesight, upset stomach, memory lapses — anything — sit down and review the matter with your doctor.

Ask if there is any way you can drop a medication by doing more exercise, improving your diet, getting more rest or any other lifestyle changes. If your doctor agrees you can stop taking a certain medication, ask if there will be any ill effects if you drop it too quickly.

If you’re given a new prescription after a hospital stay or consulting with a specialist, review the situation with your family doctor before ingesting the medication.

It’s also a good idea to use one pharmacy for all your prescriptions. The druggist can be another source of information on the interaction between different types of drugs.

Mature Life Features Copyright 2023

Matrimonial money pact protects partners

Separate economics from your emotions if you’re considering marriage, especially if this is not the first time around. You’re not likely to establish a business partnership without some sort of legal agreement to protect your assets from the dangers and possible dissolution of the joint operation. Yet

you are likely to stroll blindly into a marriage partnership with no thought to the financial ramifications.

Take time before your marriage to determine how you want your financial assets handled after matrimony.

If you’ve been through a divorce, you know a financial settlement can cause vicious and long-lasting scars. If your spouse has died, you must have

Sticking to a routine: The key to a happy, healthy life for seniors

A daily routine is an excellent way for seniors to maintain a healthy lifestyle and enjoy life to the fullest. Adding a consistent structure to your day can benefit people of any age and is especially important to seniors’ physical and mental health. Routines provide predictability, which can help seniors feel more secure and in control of their lives, as well as develop good habits and stick to them. But remember, routines aren’t all business; there should be plenty of time scheduled for activities that foster joy and keep life rich and meaningful.

How To Create A Routine That Brings Joy

• Get senior input.

• Set realistic goals.

• Start with a simple routine and include enjoyable activities.

• Be flexible.

• Prioritize nutrition.

• Make a schedule.

Benefits Of A Routine For Seniors

• Reduces stress and anxiety.

• Increases feeling of safety and security.

• Improves sleep.

• Helps manage symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer’s.

Sample Routine Morning

• Wake up at the same time every day.

• Drink a glass of water.

• Take any necessary medication.

• Eat a healthy breakfast.

Afternoon:

• Go for a walk or light exercise.

• Have lunch.

• Take a nap or rest.

• Engage in a hobby.

Evening:

• Prepare a healthy dinner.

• Spend time with loved ones, socialize over the phone or virtual video meet-up.

• Engage in relaxing activity, such as reading.

• Take any necessary medication.

• Go to bed at the same time every night.

Give The Routine A Test Run

Giving the routine a test run allows everyone involved, from caregivers to seniors, to see if it supports the needs and goals as expected. The routine may need to change over time, so regular reevaluation will let you know if it still achieving the goal.

Comfort Keepers can help. To find out more, contact us at (574) 404-1014 or (574) 277-4121.

seen there is more than just emotional loss to consider after death. There are money matters that require immediate attention, regardless of how comprehensive your spouse was in his or her instructions for the distribution of the estate.

Even if you’re already married, consider how you want your property divided in the event of divorce or death.

If you have dependent children from a previous marriage or relationship, you should give serious thought to a prenuptial agreement, especially if one of the partners-to-be has significantly larger holdings than the other. If you want to leave everything you own to your new spouse-to-be, put it in writing. A prenuptial agreement should cover two basic areas:

• State clearly what stake each partner has in the other’s estate.

• Determine how the assets are to be divided if there is a divorce. State laws vary, but property acquired during a marriage is generally considered to be shared equally in communityproperty states — Arizona, California, Idaho, Louisiana, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Washington and Wisconsin. In

the remaining states, property usually belongs to the individual holding the title.

A prenuptial agreement can allow each partner to waive rights to the other’s property. To protect your assets, list the property you want kept separate. Such an agreement can protect both partners and their respective children, just as a living trust does in an estate plan. In fact, a prenuptial pact can be the basis for a revocable living trust.

You can state in a premarriage contract that your partner, in case of your death, though not the legal owner of the family home, can live in it until he or she dies before it is passed on to your children. Some financial planners suggest each partner retain sole ownership of the property they owned before the marriage. They concede joint ownership only of a home and joint banking account.

Prenuptial agreements should be reviewed and revised regularly to meet changing needs and circumstances. There are more than stocks and silverware to consider. The couple should look at projected income. For example, alimony income received by a spouse-

to-be will cease as soon as they remarry.

You also should consider who will pay bills, who will contribute to savings and investment plans, and who will be in charge of taxes. If both partners are sophisticated in stock market manipulation, they may wish to maintain separate stock and bond accounts. Each should be fully aware of the components and status of the other’s investment portfolio.

After you decide a prenuptial agreement makes sense, get legal help.

Each partner should obtain his or her own attorney. Make total and complete disclosure because this is an agreement designed to protect both you and the person you intend to marry.

Stick to financial issues. Make sure you check the status of such an agreement in your state, or any state you intend to move to. Once you’ve drafted, drawn up and signed your declaration, share the information with your adult children so everyone will know what to expect in the event of a death or divorce.

Then everyone can have fun at the wedding.

Mature Life Features Copyright 2023

National Great Lakes Museum chronicles importance of the lakes

The Great Lakes are an extremely important factor in the health and welfare of the Midwest and the entire country for that matter.

Eighty-four percent of North America’s fresh water comes from the Great Lakes and they hold about one-fifth of the world’s fresh water.

The last ice age formed them about 14,000 years ago. The

surface area of the six lakes is bigger than the New England States combined. In 1940, approximately 40 percent of the U.S. population lived in and around the Great Lakes.

Tons more information about the lakes, shipping, vessels, photos and a huge assortment of memorabilia can be learned and seen up-closeand-personal at the National Museum of the Great Lakes, located in Toledo, Ohio.

Though storms on the lakes may not be quite as violent as those on the oceans, over the years more than 8,000 ships have been sunk and more than Continued on page 23

National Great

Continued from page 22

10,000 lives lost. One of the most curious disasters was the disappearance of the Edmund Fitzgerald in a storm with near hurricane force winds Nov. 10, 1975. As told in the museum’s exhibit, the freighter suddenly and mysteriously went to the bottom of Lake Superior, where it lies 503 feet below the surface. It had been communicating with another vessel, but no SOS was sent. It just vanished. Twenty-nine crewmen died. All that’s left are a couple oars and an inflatable life raft stamped with the ship’s name. Visitors can view a simulation of the wreck on an interactive computer screen.

Barely a year after the ship was lost, popular singer-songwriter Gordon Lightfoot told the story of the disaster in a song that is still popular today, “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.”

The Great Lakes became a major conduit for smuggling rum from Canada during Prohibition in the 1930s. Historic photos show Coast Guard officers stopping, boarding and searching ships for liquid contraband. Another section focuses on the 326 lighthouses (one every 33 miles) along the 10,900-mile Great Lakes coastline. There’s also an extensive exhibit on the American Indians who lived around the lakes and traveled on them between 1,000 BC and 700 AD.

In addition to ship stories, there’s a huge display of memorabilia ranging from hypothermia suits, lanterns, compasses and diving gear to pumps, horns, whistles and a lighthouse beacon.

And for an extra fee, visitors can board the Col. James M. Schoonmaker freighter moored just outside the entrance to the museum. Tours take visitors through the cargo hold, hatch cover, crane, engineer’s cabins, crew mess, officer’s dining

room, engine room, owner’s cabin, pilot house and the plush passenger state rooms.

Built at Great Lakes Engineering Works in Ecorse, Mich., the Schoonmaker was launched July 1, 1911, and was dubbed the “Queen of the Lakes”. It was then the largest ship operating on the Great Lakes until 1914. It is 617 feet

DD RESALES Presents

long, 64 feet wide, weighs 8,600 tons and carried 12,650 tons of coal on its maiden voyage from Toledo to Sheboygan, Wis.

Check out the National Museum of the Great Lakes at inlandseas.org/museum. The best way to get there is head east on U.S. 24, which goes right into Toledo. The museum is located at 1701 Front St.

DD Resales is rolling into 2024 adventures

It has been a busy 2023 at DD Resales. We have just returned from our Memphis, Tenn., trip and are preparing for our not one, but two trips to Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard, and, at the end the year, the Branson Holiday Extravaganza Show Trip. The trips this year have been great; so much fun and so many friendships formed. Look out 2024, we are ready to roll.

We are starting with a spring trip to Washington, D.C., for six nights. It will be May 16-22 and costs $955 per person, double occupancy. There will be guided tours of Washington, D.C., evening monuments and

memorials, Arlington, Mount Vernon and more. A four-night Nashville, Tenn., trip is June 10-14 and costs $830 per person, double occupancy.

Nashville is, well, it’s Nashville; you never know who you’ll see there. We have two great shows lined up; one is at the Grand Ole Opry and the other at the Nashville Nightlife Dinner Theater. We have packed a lot into this trip and it will not disappoint.

In September, we are heading to Boston, Salem and Cape Ann. This six-night trip is Sept. 25 to Oct. 1 for $985 per person, double occupancy. There will be guided tours of Boston Faneull Hall, Quincy Market, JFK Presidential Library, and

a tour of Coastal Massachusetts.

Another new trip for us is Pigeon Forge and Smoky Mountains Show Trip. This four-night trip will depart Oct. 28 and return Nov. 2 for $885 per person, double occupancy. There will be two morning shows, one afternoon show and three evening shows, plus a guided tour of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and free time in downtown Gatlinburg; can you say shopping?

All trip transportation is on a deluxe motorcoach, leaving you to relax and enjoy. See our ad in this section for details and booking information. Join us in 2024.

It was 50 years ago —

‘Midnight Train to Georgia’ was Knight’s signature song

Gladys Knight and the Pips

For superstar Gladys Knight, recording “Midnight Train to Georgia” was probably like singing poignant lines from a diary. “I was going through the exact same thing that I was (singing) about when recording,” she once said, “which is probably why it sounds so personal.”

The story begins with singersongwriter Jim Weatherly. An all-star quarterback for his Mississippi high school’s football team, he also formed a band as a teenager and began writing original songs. Upon graduation, he chose music over a possible athletic career.

Weatherly moved to Los Angeles to try his songwriting luck. One evening in 1970, he phoned Lee Majors, an actor friend who had just started dating model Farrah Fawcett. “Lee and I were in a flag football league together” Weatherly explained. “Farrah answered the phone. She said Lee wasn’t home and that she was packing to take a midnight plane to Houston to visit her folks. I thought, ‘What a great line for a song’.”

After Weatherly hung up the phone, he grabbed his guitar and wrote “Midnight Plane to Houston” in 45 minutes.

The next year, Weatherly recorded an album of original songs, including ‘Midnight Plane to Houston’.” When RCA Records released Weatherly’s LP in 1972, gospel icon Cissy Houston — Whitney’s mother — envisioned a popcountry tune and wanted first crack at the track. “I loved it right away,” Cissy said. “But I wanted to change the title. My people are from Georgia, and they didn’t take planes to Houston or anywhere else.

They took trains. We recorded ‘Midnight Train to Georgia’ in Memphis in 1972, but my label didn’t do much to promote it.”

Weatherly’s tune was then offered to fellow Georgian Gladys Knight. She had been an R & B and Top 40 sensation since 1961, when, at 17, she scored her first hit single — “Every Beat of My Heart” — with the Pips, her family-oriented backup group. (One cousin was nicknamed “Pip.”)

Knight recalled, “I listened to Cissy’s version, and I loved it, but I wanted to do something moody — horns, keyboards and other instruments to create texture and to spark something in me.” Knight thus recorded her signature song, which told of a man relinquishing his dreams of Hollywood stardom to return home, with the love of his life choosing to follow him:

“L. A. proved too much for the man

“He’s leaving the life he’s come to know

“He said he’s going back to find what’s left of his world

“The world he left behind not so long ago

“He’s leaving on that midnight train to Georgia

“Said he’s going back to a simpler place and time.”

“While recording that single, I was thinking about my own situation” Knight admitted later when discussing her chart-topping, Grammy-win-

ning smash release on Buddah Records. “My husband at the time was unhappy that we didn’t have a more traditional marriage, because I was often on the road or recording. Ultimately, it all proved too much for him, like the song said, and we divorced later.”