Dr. Briggs: My Adventure on the Appalachian Trail
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How Long Do You Want to Live? 80? 90? 100? Exploring 10 NYS Scenic Byways How to Have a Lifelong Romantic Marriage
PLUS Issue 65 October / November 2016
For Active Adults in the Central New York Area
All About the Arts
Stephen Butler of CNY Arts carries the torch to sustain arts, culture in Central New York
INVESTING Local financial advisers talk about how to invest
VETERANS
Internet Family
Wide array of benefits some veterans may not know
Long-distance family relationship not easy for a mother
Priceless
The Good Life Goes On in Nice
October / November 2016 - 55 PLUS
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CONTENTS
55 PLUS
55 PLUS
October/ November 2016
26 48
14 24 Savvy Senior 6 Financial Health 8 Gardening 10 Dining Out 12 My Turn 18 Aging 28 Consumers’ Health 38 Golden Years 40 Druger’s Zoo 46 Last Page 50 LAST PAGE Dennis Ouellette, who owns Ontario Orchards in Oswego, talks about agrobusiness, 50-plus career 4
55 PLUS - October / November 2016
cny55.com
9 INVESTING
• Advises talk about strategies
14 ADVENTURE
• How I survived more than three months on the Appalachian Trail
18 FAMILY
• Long-distance family relationship not easy for mother
24 SUPPORT
• Central New York Community Foundation helps individuals to leave a legacy locally
26 HOBBIES
• Luthier Mark Wahl expresses self through guitar
30 COVER
• Stephen Butler carries the torch to sustain arts, culture
36 VETERANS
•Wide array of benefits that (some) veterans are missing
42 DAY TRIPS
• CNY has a rich Underground Railroad history. Four sites worth visiting
44 LIFE AFTER 55
• After the tragedy, the good life goes on in Nice
48 VISITS
• Explore 10 New York state’s scenic byways
MVP is bringing more to Medicare Call 1-800-324-3899 Monday–Friday, 8 am–8 pm Eastern Time From October 1–February 14, call seven days a week, 8 am–8 pm TTY: 1-800-662-1220 Visit joinMVPmedicare.com
MVP Health Plan, Inc. is an HMO-POS/PPO/MSA organization with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in MVP Health Plan depends on contract renewal. Y0051_2997 Accepted (08/2016) October / November 2016 - 55 PLUS MVPad1609012_201609 Medicare Ad_CNY 55 Plus Rochester edition Publication: CNY 55
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savvy senior By Jim Miller
A
Health Tips and Advice for Travelers
dream vacation can turn into a real nightmare if you get sick or injured while you’re away and aren’t prepared. Before setting out, here are some simple steps to help ensure a safe and healthy trip. Talk to your doctor: If you have a medical condition or health concerns, a good first step is to talk with your doctor now about what precautions you need to take before traveling. You should also have your doctor’s contact information with you when you travel, as well as a list of your medical conditions and the medications you’re taking in case you need emergency medical care while you’re away. If you’re traveling outside the U.S., you need to find out the health conditions of the country you’re visiting and what, if any, vaccinations or preventive medications are recommended. See CDC.gov/travel or call 800-232-463 to get this information. Check your insurance: If you have health insurance or a Medicare Advantage plan through an HMO or PPO that covers in-network doctors only, check your plan to find out what’s covered if you need medical care when traveling outside your geographic area. Beneficiaries that have original Medicare are covered everywhere in the U.S. But if you’re traveling abroad, you need to know that original Medicare does not cover medical expenses beyond the border except in rare circumstances, although some Medicare Advantage plans and some Medigap supplemental policies do. And, many private health plans don’t pay health care costs outside the U.S. either. Be sure to check. If you need coverage when traveling abroad, get a comprehensive travel medical insurance policy that covers medical care, medical evacuation and trip cancellation coverage. See InsureMyTrip.com and SquareMouth.com to shop and
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compare policies. Locate health care: Before your trip, find out what health and urgent care facilities are near the areas you’re visiting. Your hotel can help you with this, or see UrgentCareLocations.com or USHospitalFinder.com for U.S. facilities. If you’re traveling abroad, the U.S. consulate or embassy in the countries you’re visiting (go to step.state.gov to enroll your trip) is a good place to get a referral. Or join the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers (IAMAT.org), which provides its members access to a worldwide network of physicians who speak English and have agreed to affordable prearranged fees. Membership is free. Pack your meds: Make sure you have a sufficient supply of medications to last the entire trip. If traveling by air, you need to pack your medicine in your carry-on bag, so if your checked luggage gets lost or misdirected you won’t be without. It’s best to keep your medications in their original containers to get through airport security without delays. It’s also a good idea to bring along a note from your doctor that explains why you take these medications, especially if syringes or other medical supplies are involved. For airport security requirements visit TSA.gov — click on “Disabilities and Medical Conditions.” You can also call TSA Cares at 855-787-2227 prior to traveling with questions about screening policies, procedures and what to expect at the security checkpoint. Seek mobility aids: If mobility is an issue and you’re flying to your destination, call your airline before you leave and ask them to supply you a wheelchair to use while you’re in the airport. And when booking hotel reservations, ask for an accessible room that accommodates wheelchairs and walkers.
55PLUS cny55.com Editor and Publisher Wagner Dotto
Associate Editor Lou Sorendo
Writers
Deborah J. Sergeant Aaron Gifford, Sandra Scott Matthew Liptak, Jacob Pucci Donna Cordello, Nicole Shue
Columnists
Eva Briggs, M.D., Bruce Frassinelli Marilyn Pinsky, Harold Miller Jim Sollecito, Marvin Druger Michele Reed, Jennifer Owens .
Advertising
Amy Gagliano Cassandra Lawson
Office Assistant Michelle Kingsley
Layout and Design Eric J. Stevens
Cover Photo
Chuck Wainwright 55 PLUS –A Magazine for Active Adults in Central New York is published six times a year by Local News, Inc., which also publishes In Good Health–CNY’s Healthcare Newspaper. Published at 185 E. Seneca St. PO Box 276 Oswego, NY 13126. Subscription: $15 a year; $25 for two years © 2016 by 55 PLUS – A Magazine for Active Adults in Upstate New York.
No material may be reproduced in whole or in part from this publication without the express written permission of the publisher. Third class postage paid at Syracuse, NY. Permit Number: 3071
How to Reach Us P.O. Box 276 Oswego, NY 13126 Phone: 315-342-1182 Fax: 315-342-7776 Email: editor@CNY55.com Editor@cnyhealth.com
Superior stroke care. It’s about time.
R
eceiving the area’s fastest stroke diagnosis and treatment starts even before you arrive at Crouse Hospital. That’s because our EMS
partners start communicating with our team the moment they arrive on the scene. Once here, our stroke specialists immediately assess your condition. And if more advanced care is needed, our boardcertified, fellowship-trained neurosurgeons use the most progressive stroke-rescue therapies and technology available. When it’s about time, say “Take me to Crouse.”
crouse.org/stroke
October / November 2016 - 55 PLUS
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financial health
By David J. Zumpano
Dr DeRoberts would like to welcome Jena Murphy, FNP.
Jena has been working with Dr. DeRoberts as his Clinical Nurse Manager since 2013. She received her BSN, RN degree from University of Rochester in 2009. Upon graduating, Jena worked as a charge nurse on the Neuroscience Intermediate Care Unit at SUNY Upstate, where she received the Nurse Excellence Award in 2010. After she began working with Dr. DeRoberts, she became very passionate in the care of dermatological patients. She recently completed her master’s degree in nursing as a Family Nurse Practitioner from SUNY Upstate Medical University and graduated magna cum laude. Her specialty in dermatology is with skin cancer screenings and surgical procedures but also works closely with other various skin conditions. Jena is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing.
Accepting new patients. Most insurances accepted
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What Is Medicaid Planning?
M
ary recently went into the office of an estate planning attorney who also practices in Medicaid. Her husband recently went into a nursing home and she was approached by the social worker who inquired of her financial information and how she intended to pay for her husband’s care. It was over $8,000 per month. The caseworker asked if Mary was going to apply for Medicaid. Mary was very confused. The attorney explained to Mary that Medicaid is a government program to help pay for nursing home costs, but to qualify, Mary had to meet certain income and asset restrictions. Mary was confused even more. She told the attorney she was already on Medicare and that she didn’t know why she had to do anything, why wasn’t Medicare paying. Again, the attorney explained that Medicare is health insurance for individuals over 65 or who have been disabled for two years. Medicaid, on the other hand, is a social program to pay for people with little assets or income to ensure they have proper health care, including nursing home care. Mary didn’t know what to do. She didn’t think she had the money to pay for her husband’s care, but the attorney explained she wasn’t currently eligible for Medicaid benefits because she had too much money to qualify. The attorney explained there were two different elements associated with her Medicaid planning. First, the planning itself, which centers around making legal and financial decisions to get Mary’s assets and income to the acceptable limits to qualify for Medicaid. He further explained several legal strategies, including the use of certain types of trusts, that Mary would be able to retain control of her assets but give up some rights
to them and able to be able to qualify for Medicaid. Mary again was beginning to get confused. It all sounded so complicated. of her assets were at risk and how much would be protected immediately. He was also able to explain when Mary’s husband would qualify for Medicaid and how he would ensure Medicaid paid as soon as provided under the law to minimize the loss of Mary’s assets. Finally, the attorney explained the second requirement to receive Medicaid benefits, the qualification process. A separate qualification process for benefits is required after all ineligibility periods created during the planning process have expired. The attorney explained, if necessary, he could be retained separately to assist in the filing of the application for Medicaid benefits with the local Medicaid department to have Mary’s husband actually begin to receive the benefit. Mary was finally able to distinguish that Medicaid planning to get her husband eligible for Medicaid in the future was different than applying for the benefits from the local Medicaid department. The attorney clarified that this second step may not be necessary if her husband came home from the nursing home or if he did not survive the ineligibility period created under the plan. Mary was relieved to know she had begun a plan to ensure for her husband’s care and protect their lifetime of earnings. Mary also learned that Medicaid planning is always better if you plan in advance, but, even if you wait until tragedy strikes, there are still options. David J. Zumpano is an attorney and a certified public accountant (CPA). He operates Estate Planning Law Center. He can be reached at 315-793-3622.
55+
investing
12Tips for Successful Investing Advisers talk about strategies for people to make the best of their investments
By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
I
nvesting at 55-plus requires different strategies than when you were beginning your career. Area experts weighed in on how you should best invest your money. Cynthia Scott, president, chartered financial planner and founder of OMC Financial Services, Ltd., DeWitt.
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Scott consider.
"Don't do it alone. Retirement is a very complicated issue. Tax laws are changing. The investment world is quite global now. There are estate and spousal issues to
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"Just because you're in retirement, don't become overly conservative in your investment strategy. Longevity has been extended. You don't want to outlive your income, so you need a well constructed investment strategy.
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"Previously there was an investment philosophy, when life expectancy was much less, that you should invest a percentage of your money in bonds based upon your age and the rest in stocks and cash. Today, with client’s life expectancy longer, that strategy has become outdated.
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"It's very important to review your portfolio on an annual basis.
Randy Zeigler, financial adviser with Ameriprise Financial Services, in Oswego.
From Michael Cook, financial planner and owner of Michael J. Cook Financial Services, Syracuse.
"If you have qualified retirement plans available through your employer, you should consider how best to use those because they're payroll Zeigler deductions. Most offer pre-tax options. You're in your peak earning years. Some 401k plans also have Roth 401k features. You should consider those for future tax planning. Use these to the maximum advantage.
�You have to understand your personal economics. What are your required or discretionary costs? We build a portfolio to meet the required costs and another for Cook the discretionary costs. Once we meet required costs, we look at a portfolio for discretionary costs. You need a two-part process.
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"Everything comes back to financial planning. Sit down and talk about financial goals to figure out the plan. I talk with clients to make sure they have good control of their cash flow and budget to maximize their pre-retirement savings, while still enjoying life. If they've paid off loans, they should have a good sizeable amount of cash flow to work with. "Investing depends upon individual goals and circumstances and where they stand with savings.
"With stocks vs. bonds, there's no rule of thumb. It comes down to a financial planning strategy and when you want money available. If you're not already invested in variable investment that have potential rate for growth, you should look at those. Distribute them across multiple market sectors.
"Taking out school loans for your kids is a booby trap. Send them to a school you can afford. "When talking with a financial adviser, they have to be honest with how they're paid and what they're paid. The more commission-based, the less interested they are in the success of the portfolio. What holds the adviser accountable to what's happening in your life? "Only wealthy people need an annuity. Not everyone needs one. You need to speak with an adviser who can address your needs. An annuity is an income program, not a growth program. An adviser needs to educate you before you invest your money. They should choose the best thing for you, not just what doesn't hurt you.
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gardening By Jim Sollecito
Easy Rider
B
Taking to the road in search of freedom
icycles have long been a symbol of a simpler way of life. They represent a time when a whole new world opened to us if we could ride a bike. As kids, switching from two feet to two wheels meant freedom. It’s been 44 years since I was a college freshman and a bicycle was my lone means of transportation. I can visualize every part of my dorm room and the sun rising a lot earlier than my roommate. As I looked out my window, the vision of my green Fuji S-10-S Special Road Racer was good for my heart. And considering the miles I covered, it was good for my soles. I watched the seasons
change as I peddled up steep inclines, appreciating the view and the cool sensation as I coasted downhill. I drank it in then and upon reflection, I appreciate it again now. The way you think influences the way you feel and the way you act. I am realizing that I have unwittingly made it a daily goal to identify recollections that make me smile. Those buried treasures tucked away inside the brain mean more to us as we age. But let’s not miss the opportunity to build on those great memories and make fresh ones. I just might own more bikes than anyone in the county, probably 107 at last count. I even still ride a few. With
“I just might own more bikes than anyone in the county, probably 107 at last count, including my green Fuji S-10-S Special Road Racer.” 10
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vibrant spray paint, I re-fashion old bikes that can’t be fixed and integrate them into my landscapes. Carefully positioned in outdoor landscape beds, the brilliant bikes provide an energetic pop of color and mood, especially when placed in a frequent wintertime view. When you visit my garden center you’ll see bicycles artfully arranged and installed into our display gardens. They brighten the view from my computer desk. Glimpsing at these bikes takes me places and reminds me of people I used to know. Combining the bikes, or any other whimsical structure, with colorful flowering shrubs creates an evolving visual story. Hydrangeas are perfect for this. Their lush green leaves back voluptuous blossoms morphing from hues of green to white and cream then to shades of blush, pink, red, maroon and purple. We offer more reliably blooming hydrangeas now than ever before. And fall will be the best and easiest time this year for planting hydrangeas or any other flowering shrub to tell your outdoor story. Why bicycles? Aside from walking, bikes are about the most natural style of transportation. I can pedal away my cares and concerns, every pedal stroke a chance to move on, forget my worries and blend into the environment. On days I can’t ride, looking at a cheery, inspiring view allows me to get outside of my restless mind. What is your bicycle? What is the vehicle that takes you places you’ve been meaning to go? Maybe now is the right time to get outside and smell the roses. Improve the view and your viewpoint. Some roads might be shorter than you think and easier to travel. Jim Sollecito is the first lifetime senior certified landscape professional in NYS. He operates Sollecito Landscaping Nursery in Syracuse. Contact him at 468-1142 or jim@sollecito.com.
Social Security
Q&A
Q: I usually get my benefit payment on the third of the month. But what if the third falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or holiday? Will my payment be late? A: Just the opposite. Your payment should arrive early. For example, if you usually get your payment on the third of a month, but it falls on a Saturday, we will make payments on the Friday prior to the due date. Find more information about the payment schedule for 2016 at www. socialsecurity.gov/pubs/calendar. htm. Any time you don’t receive a payment, be sure to wait three days before calling to report it missing. To ensure that your benefits are going to the right place, create a “my Social Security” account. There, you can verify and update payment information without visiting your local office. Please visit www.socialsecurity.gov/ myaccount to create your account. Q: How many Social Security numbers have been issued since the program started? A: Since 1935, we have assigned more than 465 million Social Security numbers and each year we assign about 5.5 million new numbers. With approximately 1 billion combinations of the nine-digit Social Security number, the current system will provide us with enough new numbers for several generations into the future. To learn more about Social Security numbers and cards, visit www. socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10002.html. Q: What is the earliest age that I can receive Social Security disability benefits? A: There is no minimum age as long as you meet the Social Security definition of disabled and you have sufficient work to qualify for benefits. To qualify for disability benefits, you must have worked under Social Security long enough to earn the required number of work credits and some of the work must be recent.
Fallis for Planting It’s easier in the fall.
Ornamental Grasses Hardy Perennials Colorful Shrubs
Landscaping Nursery
4094 Howlett Hill Rd • Syracuse, NY 13215 • sollecito.com
468-1142 October / November 2016 - 55 PLUS
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DiningOut By Jacob Pucci
Restaurant
Guide
The Restaurant at Elderberry Pond
I
f The Restaurant at Elderberry Pond were a few hours north of New York City, it’d be a weekender’s delight. The 100-acre farm, of which about one-third is Northeast Organic Farming Association-New York certified organic, helps supply the adjoining restaurant, housed in a red barn atop a small hill. The restaurant is surrounded by trim lawns and lush trees. Fields and apple orchards line the quiet road at the bottom of the slope. Our meal started, as many good things often do, with a glass of Finger Lakes Riesling and a pint of IPA
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from Good Shepherds Brewing from nearby Auburn while we sat on the restaurant’s back patio. The yard was an oasis; what little traffic there was on the main road was silenced by the tall trees. We chose to continue our meal on the back patio, though the restaurant’s main dining rooms — rustic, but refined with exposed wooden beams and chandeliers — were like the inside of an old farmstead. It would have been a great setting for our meal had the weather not been perfect. Dinner started with an order of bruschetta ($11). At Elderberry Pond, the bruschetta is sliced from a crusty
batard, larger than the traditional narrow baguette. The menu changes nearly daily, so we were lucky to stop in when the bruschetta was topped with a warm mix of mozzarella, parmesan and artichoke hearts. Bites of briny artichoke and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar kept the potent cheese in check. The generous portion disappeared in minutes. Much of the menu was sourced from the farm, or in the case of my T-bone steak ($38), from a nearby farmer, where the cattle are grass-fed and pasture-raised. The steak was prepared simply — salt, pepper and deeply browned to the desired medi-
Bruschetta at Elderberry Pond is sliced from a crusty batard, larger than the traditional narrow baguette, topped with a warm mix of mozzarella, parmesan and artichoke hearts.
um-rare — but properly. The accompanying mushroom demi-glace — rich, but not cloying — was an excellent pairing. Both the steak and seared duck breast ($34) were served with potatoes and green beans picked from the farm. The potatoes were boiled, smashed and served with butter, salt and pepper. The nooks and crannies on the redskin potatoes allowed for the butter and demi-glace to soak in, creating a product far greater than its humble parts. The green beans, with just a bit of snap and a generous grind of black pepper, were evidence of a restaurant that isn’t afraid to season its food. The duck breast, seared to a rosy medium, was among the most tender bites of duck I’ve ever eaten, with a pleasant gamey flavor often absent from an inferior product. The warm weather called for a refreshing dessert and the lemon cake tower fit the bill. The lemon mousse sandwiched between the two pieces of cake was zingy and packed with fresh lemon. Even the cake, which has a tendency to be overly sweet, but otherwise dull, had a great zip of lemon flavor. Like the cake, the blueberry sauce that topped the tower relied on fresh fruit, rather than sugar, for flavor. When the raw ingredients are so good, it’s best to let them speak for themselves and that’s exactly what Elderberry Pond does.
Lemon cake dessert: The lemon mousse sandwiched between the two pieces of cake was zingy and packed with fresh lemon and blueberry sauce.
The sun began to set through the trees as we wound down from dessert. Though Elderberry Pond is only minutes from the city of Auburn and the village of Skaneateles, its secluded perch off a winding gravel road makes guests feel further away from civilization. The restaurant won’t blow you away with unique flavor combinations or high-tech cooking techniques. Rather, its focus is on high-quality ingredients prepared simply but excellently, and served in a setting few restaurants in Upstate New York can top. Elderberry Pond is one of the region’s best examples of ingredient-driven cuisine. It’s a pastoral but elegant restaurant that serves as a welcome reminder that the farm and countryside are never far away.
The Restaurant at Elderberry Pond Address: 3712 Center Street Rd, Auburn, N.Y., 13021 Phone: 315-252-6025 Hours: Wednesday to Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Closed from January to mid-March. Website: www.elderberrypond.com
The duck breast, seared to a rosy medium, was among the most tender bites of duck I’ve ever eaten.
The steak is prepared simply — salt, pepper and deeply browned to the desired medium-rare — but properly. October / November 2016 - 55 PLUS
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55+
adventure
On top of Appalachian Trail’s McAfee Knob on a windy chilly day.
My Adventures on the Appalachian Trail How I survived more than three months — and 1,266 miles — on the Appalachian Trail By Eva Briggs, M.D.
I
recently attempted to hike the entire Appalachian Trail (AT), a 2,189-mile jaunt from Georgia to Maine through the forests and mountains of the eastern US. Although I finished only 1,266 miles this year, waylaid by a broken foot at the end of June, I had an amazing experience. The AT was conceived in the 1920s and the first iteration was completed in 1937 — but every year brings new improvements and changes. Benton McKaye, a forester, wrote the original plan in 1921. The first segment opened in New York state in 1923, from Bear Moun14
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tain in Rockland County through Harriman State Park to Arden in downstate New York. Earl Shaffer became the first person to hike the entire trail from start to finish in one season in 1948. The first woman hiker was Emma “Grandma” Gatewood in 1955. She was 67 years old, wore Keds sneakers, used a shower curtain as protection from the elements and carried a homemade sack slung over one shoulder. Now that is one tough woman! I can’t say there was any one pivotal deciding moment that sparked my desire to hike the AT. I always had a bit of wanderlust. At
age 5 I rode my bicycle five miles to the next town, where my mother’s eagle-eyed friend spotted me and hauled me back home. I undertook various long distance bicycle trips in my teens and 20s, before bicycle trekking achieved its current popularity. When I was 12 or 13, I strapped on a backpack for the first time at Girl Scout camp. I immediately fell in love with backpacking. When my counselor told me about the AT, I decided that I would have to try it someday. Now that my kids are grown, and as I observe the mortality of some of my contemporaries, I decided that “someday” was now.
Fortunately, backpacking gear has vastly improved since my first experience. One year ago I updated my equipment and began my trip plans. Several reconnaissance trips last fall revealed some gaps in my tent-pitching technique, resulting in at least one episode of becoming drenched in ice-cold rain. I’m glad I learned that lesson before the big trip. On March 13 I embarked from Springer Mountain in Georgia accompanied by my border collie Boomer. Though technically I was alone, there were scores of other hikers, especially at first, so I was seldom alone for long. On the very first day I managed to do several things I had vowed to avoid: I lost something, broke something, and fell. Fortunately it was a slow motion slide into the mud, cushioned by my backpack. I spent the first night at Hawk Mountain campground, and was serenaded by a great horned owl parked just above my tent. What did I carry? The big three for any long distance backpacker are tent, sleeping bag and backpack. My tent was a lightweight Zpacks brand cuben fiber two-person tent, with plenty of room for me, the dog, and my gear. At first Boomer was not a fan of tenting and slept outside. But once we hit cold and rainy weather, I dragged him inside and he soon learned that the tent was a cozy den. My sleeping bag was a wonderfully soft and fluffy down bag rated to 20 degrees — which means it will keep you alive if the temperature dips to 20, though not necessarily warm. I never really got cold at night, because I used a few secret ingredients: hat, down pants, puffy jacket, booties, and Toasti-toes chemical toe warmers. I hauled all my gear in a 60-liter ultralight Gossamer Gear backpack. Other gear included a cooking system, clothes (one change of clothes plus jacket, hat, gloves), raingear, an inflatable sleeping pad, first aid kit and toiletries. And, of course, water and food. I started with a Sawyer filter to purify my water. It’s small, lightweight, and provides immediate clean water.
At Harper’s Ferry West Virginia, the psychological halfway point of the Appalachian Trail. I was the 517th through hiker to register in 2016. But you have to sleep with it when the temperature is below freezing, and fiddle with cleaning it by backwashing it. So later I just went with water purification drops. As for food, I never carried more than five days worth. There are plenty of places along the trail to resupply. There are towns with grocery stores (the best), but also dollar stores, convenience stores, campground stores, hostels with stores, and outfitters. There is also the option to have packages sent to post offices or businesses along the trail. Fancy dehydrated backpacking food is nice, but it’s expensive and not always available. So I ate a lot of Clif bars and other granola bars, oatmeal, raisins, peanuts, peanut butter, crackers, jerky, cheese, chocolate and dehydrated foods that
could be reconstituted by adding water: mac and cheese, pasta side dishes, couscous, soup, etc. I sometimes stayed in lean-tos along the way. The Greater Smoky Mountain National Park rules stipulate that hikers on the AT must sleep in shelters unless the shelters are full. (That’s the only place Boomer didn’t hike because dogs are prohibited In GSMNP.) But I actually preferred sleeping in my tent, which was just as comfortable, more private and quieter. Along the way I stopped every few days at hostels or hotels, which provided an opportunity to shower and do laundry. One aspect of AT culture is the trail name, a nickname used by hikers. I ran into folks who went by such monikers as GPS, Slim Rims, Tumbleweed, Mowgli, Joker, Scooter, Bald October / November 2016 - 55 PLUS
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My companion dog, Boomer, pausing on a snowy day in Georgia.
Attempting the half gallon challenge at Furnace Grove State Park in Pennsylvania. I couldn’t finish! Maybe it would have been easier if it weren’t cold and rainy that day. 16
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Eagle, Optimistic Dreamer, and — my favorite — Sphagnum P.I. I was eventually dubbed Whisper, because my well-behaved dog convinced someone that I was a dog whisperer. While I am not a Cesar Milan fan, I appreciated the sentiment. Boomer carried a pack with his food, his sleeping pad, and a warm jacket. He only carried water when it was hot and a long distance between water sources. He loved the hike because he loves people and loves the outdoors. He was never injured, his paw pads were never scraped, and never got tired before me. Only twice did I have to help him over rocks. Every so often I would luck into trail magic — unexpected gifts of food, water, and supplies provided by volunteers along the trail. Sometimes it was as simple as a baggie filled with snacks. A few times I encountered elaborate cookouts of hamburgers, hot dogs, pancakes, and/or omelets. There was plenty of wildlife. I saw 13 bears — one while riding in a shuttle in the Smokies, one nuisance bear near Thunder Ridge Shelter (that one fortunately was frightened and retreated when my dog barked), and 11 non-confrontational peaceful bears in Shenandoah National Park. Other wildlife included two wild hogs, deer, raccoons, porcupines, snakes, owls, songbirds, raptors, spiders, and insects. The prettiest spot? I’d have to vote for the Smokies, and I hope to revisit them when it’s warmer. Camping when it dropped down to 17 degrees F. was a challenge. But that was the only place in the southern part of the Appalachian Trail, in my opinion, as pretty as New York state’s. Because I broke my foot, I hiked until just shy of the Delaware Water Gap in Pennsylvania. If I have the opportunity to finish next year, I’ll be sure to provide a part two to my adventure.
Eva Briggs is a medical doctor who works at two urgent care centers (Central Square and Fulton) operated by Oswego Health.
We bring people nature together
7138 Sutherland Drive – P.O. Box 535 Canastota, NY 13032
&
the only animal shelter in Madison County, New York
Bird and Wildlife Food Products
THINKING ABOUT MAKING A DIFFERENCE?
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Corporate Partner
If you are considering making a gift to Wanderers’ Rest Humane Association, you may wish to consider a variety of assets. You also have a number of alternative ways for providing those gifts near and dear to you. Because we are a nonprofit organization, gifts you make generally qualify for an income tax deduction and/or gift or estate tax deduction, depending on how and when you make the gift. To receive a complete information packet further detailing how you can support our efforts through planned giving, please see this link or call (315) 697-2796. The animals thank you for your generosity! HTTP://WANDERERSREST.ORG/DONATE/PLANNED-GIVING/
October / November 2016 - 55 PLUS
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my turn
By Bruce Frassinelli Email: bruce@cny55.com
How Long Do We Want to Live?
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hree of my boyhood friends and I have had recent conversations about how long we want to live. One lives in Carmel, Calif.; one in Rehoboth Beach, Del., and one near Wilkes-Barre, Pa. The California friend was a general practitioner (family doc) who now works part time in his field; the Delaware friend is a retired major bank vice president, and the Pennsylvania friend ran a successful auto franchise for many years. The first two are 77, my age, and the other is 76. All four of us are in relatively good health with no debilitating diseases or major infirmities. While none of my friends was specific with an age, all of them unanimously agreed that they wanted to live as long as possible but only if they can remain mostly independent. Quality of life
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trumps longevity for all three. We all know that people are living longer than ever before. A new survey commissioned by Time magazine and done by the Stanford Center on Longevity found that most Americans want to live to be 100, but they aren’t doing what they should do to accomplish the goal. The poll of 2,330 adults found that 77 percent of them want to live to 100, and more than one-third believe they will make it to 90 or more. Only about one-third of those surveyed said they were happy with their current body weight and financial situation. “The surprise in this survey is not that people want to live to 100, but it is how little they have done to prepare,” said Peter D. Hart of Hart Research Associates, which conducted the survey.
Only 42 percent of those surveyed said they are making a serious effort to get there by keeping their weight in check and building financial strength. My Pennsylvania friend is by far the most fatalistic of the four of us. “I expected to be dead a long time ago,” he said. “The fact that I am still alive at age 76 is a major mystery to me.” A life-long smoker who has frequently abused his body, he said he considers himself to be in bonus territory, and any day he survives from here on out he considers a gift. My Delaware friend still skis the slopes of Vermont, Utah and Pennsylvania. He has a garden that is the envy of his Rehoboth Beach neighbors. He tends to the garden himself, and when the warm weather comes, it is a daily chore that keeps him hopping. My doctor friend from California
has had a recent hip replacement, but he has bounced back stronger than ever. Although he does not have a specific workout regimen, he is active and enjoys life through travel and entertainment. I continue to walk 6.5 miles daily, have a few aches and pains that are par for the course for guys my age, but so far nothing major to slow me down. I would love to make it to the century mark, but only if I am aware that it is happening and only if I can dance the jitterbug to “At the Hop” on my 100th birthday. If not, then, “beam me up, (or down, as the case may be), Scotty.” My friends and I tend to be in sync for the most part with the Stanford/Time survey group, which said that, overall, they appear to be optimistic about aging “gracefully.” Seventy-seven percent say they are happy with their lives overall and feel that their family, career and education make them happy. In addition, 74 percent of those surveyed said that when they think about growing older, they think of mostly good things.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the centenarian population in the U.S. has gone up by nearly 66 percent in the past 30 years. There were some 32,000 people aged 100 and over in 1980; in 2010, when the last census was done, about 50,000 people lived past 100.
So what are some of the characteristics of centenarians? • The vast majority are women. • The majority live with other
people rather than on their own, usually in nursing homes. • Most are more sociable and interact with others. • Many eat healthier and curtail the amount of alcohol they consume. • Many are active, walk a lot and at a good speed. • Most live in cities. In the 2010 census, nearly 86 percent lived in urban areas. Those living in urban areas say it is more stimulating with much more to do.
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family
The Internet Family Mother finds it difficult to adjust to long-distance family relationship By Donna Cordello
I
came from a very close-knit family. In fact, looking back, I am still baffled on how all 18 of us fit in Nana and Grandpa’s kitchen, where we congregated for all of my childhood. There were Sundays, holidays, and actually, no particular days. We played cards and Grandpa called the numbers for bingo. We listened to him play his many instruments and laughed at his jokes. We ate Nana’s homemade pizzas, pasta dishes and delicious desserts. We had huge clambakes. That kitchen was a magical place
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‘I thought it was abnormal when parents and children only saw each other a couple of times a year. And yet here I am, 2,800 miles away from two of my children.’ for me, and not just because of the food and festivities. Or even because it is where I was first introduced to the Beatles on the small black-and-white
television. It was magical because my family, which not only included mom and dad and my three younger brothers, but my aunts, uncles and cousins as well, surrounded me with love. Years later, our house became the one with the kitchen. From baptisms to graduations, my husband and I cooked hundreds of meals for our children, our parents, our brothers and their families. My grandpa would have been proud — reminding me over and over again that there isn’t anything more
precious than family. It never occurred to me that it would ever be different. Sometimes, I would daydream about how all of my children and grandchildren would congregate at our house and continue the tradition. And how my children’s children would grow up with their cousins like I did. How we would blow out birthday candles and share stories about crazy Aunt Mary and what the world has come to. My husband and I would go to all of our grandchildren’s recitals and plays and games, just like my parents, Mema and Papa, did. They never skipped a beat, even in rain and sleet, always cheering our children on with enthusiasm and pride. And then the unthinkable. Our youngest son abruptly announced that he and two friends were going to go cross-country and check out the West Coast. My first thought was when I told my mother about the very same intentions I had decades ago. Instead of kissing me goodbye, she informed me that my grandpa would have a stroke and die if I left. Her guilt trip worked and I never did leave. With bated breath and a very heavy heart, I cried as my baby pulled out of the driveway. But, through my tears, I reassured myself that he would surely be back soon. I saw him yesterday. In fact, I saw both of my sons and the three of us talked for quite awhile on FaceTime! Yep, my son left seven years ago and never did come back home to live. Even worse, his older brother ended up joining him! How did this happen? I thought it was abnormal when parents and children only saw each other a couple of times a year. And yet here I am, 2,800 miles away from two of my children. People always ask why we don’t move. Well, we have a business and aren’t ready for retirement. But, more importantly, we have our daughter and my mom here. Am I supposed to leave half of my family on one coast to join the other half on the opposite coast? Plus, what if my sons decide to move somewhere else or even to two separate places? Am I supposed to follow them from city to city?
‘We don’t have Sunday sauce or impromptu barbecues. We don’t go to many events together. And what I really miss the most is the human touch. Instead of hugging them, I blow kisses to a screen. And this has become our new norm.’ I know it could be worse. I was talking to a woman whose four children live in four different states and not one where she lives. And it makes me wonder, what happened to the family unit and how and when did families become so dispersed and peppered across the country and even the world?
How things have changed! I remember patiently waiting for the mailman to see if a letter arrived from my pen pal. And how we could never talk to anybody long distance for more than a minute because it was too expensive. And how the closest I got to an airplane was watching one fly overhead. Technology keeps us connected now in ways that were never possible years ago. Without texting, FaceTime, Skype, Facebook, and all the latest things available, I wouldn’t “see” or talk to my sons as much as I do. And they often remind me that we talk all the time, more so, probably, than if they lived around the corner. As grateful as I am for all these tools, it still isn’t the same as having them near. We don’t have Sunday sauce or impromptu barbecues. We don’t go to many events together. And what I really miss the most is the human touch. Instead of hugging them, I blow kisses to a screen. And this has become our new norm. But, what about the next generation? My grandparents were second parents to me. Besides them and my parents and brothers, my aunts, uncles, and cousins were considered
immediate family. We laughed, cried, fought and celebrated with each other. We shared our lives together. It will be different for my grandchildren — assuming that I will someday have grandchildren. And if and when I do, I don’t want to be a Skype Mema. I want to hold my grandbabies in my arms. And I want to be there when they learn how to walk and I want to push them on a swing and put Band-aids on their knees and read to them and spoil them and do all the things that grandparents do. My parents probably never realized how going to all of my children’s events would be an anomaly in the future. And how much financial planning has changed from back then. Because if I want to do any of the things that they did, I have to incorporate travel expenses into my retirement — which was never a monumental consideration before my sons moved. But it is what it is and Mick Jagger’s song has become my mantra. No, I can’t always get what I want! I’m thankful that we do get to visit each other whenever possible but not nearly enough. And although I would prefer that my family all lived in the same time zone, I realize that all I ever prayed for was for my children to be happy and healthy. I am so grateful that they are. The truth is we have become an Internet family. Because even though there are thousands of miles that separate us, we can still stay in touch and remain a close-knit family. And whether they live in the city they grew up in or on a different continent, it will never diminish the love and bond between us. My sons live in a beautiful city where the sun always shines. And others remind me of what a great place it is to visit — which, as much as I’ve tried, I can’t deny. I raised my children with the hope that they would become responsible and independent adults. I always encouraged them to follow their dreams. And with that, I have to remind myself that they did exactly what they were supposed to do. They grew strong wings and flew away. I just wish it wasn’t so far.
October / November 2016 - 55 PLUS
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55+ moving
How to Downsize Your Stuff for a Move By Jim Miller
T
he process of weeding through a house full of stuff and parting with old possessions can be difficult and overwhelming for many people. A good place to start the downsizing process is to give your unused possessions away to your kids or grandkids. You can give up to $14,000 per person per year before you’re required to file a federal gift tax return, using IRS Form 709. Beyond that, here are a few other tips and services that may help you.
live, you could hire a company like 1-800-Got-Junk (1800gotjunk.com, 800-468-5865) or Junk-King (junkking.com, 888-888-5865) to come in and haul it off for a moderate fee. Another good disposal option is Bagster (thebagster. com, 877-789-2247) by Waste Management. This is a dumpster bag that you purchase for around $30, fill it to a limit of 3,300 pounds and schedule a pickup, which costs an average of $140 but varies by area.
Sell It
Enlist Help
Selling your stuff is one way you can downsize and pad your pocketbook at the same time. Some other popular selling options are consignment shops, garage sales and estate sales. Consignment shops are good for selling old clothing, household furnishings and decorative items. You typically get half of the final sale price. Garage sales are another option, or for large-scale downsizing you could hire an estate sale company to come in and sell your items. Some companies will even pick up your stuff and sell it at their own location — they typically take about 40 percent of the profits. Or, if you’re willing, online selling at sites like Craigslist, eBay and Amazon are another way to make top dollar for your stuff. Craigslist.org is a huge classified ads site that lets you sell your stuff for free. While eBay.com and Amazon. com takes a cut of your sale — roughly 10 to 15 percent. Or, if you don’t want to do the selling yourself, eBay offers a valet service (sellforme.ebay.com) to do it for you, for 20 to 40 percent of the selling price.
You can also hire a professional senior move manager (nasmm.org, 877-606-2766) to do the entire job for you. These are organizers who will sort through your stuff and arrange for the disposal through an estate sale, donations or consignment. Or, you can hire a professional organizer through the National Association of Professional Organizers at napo.net. Organizers may charge $30 to $80 per hour or by the project.
Donate It If you itemize on your tax returns, donating your belongings is another way to downsize and get a tax deduction. Goodwill (goodwill.org, 800-741-0186) and the Salvation Army (satruck.org, 800-728-7825) are two big charitable organizations that will come to your house and pick up a variety of household items, furnishings and clothing. If your deduction exceeds $500, you’ll need to file Form 8283, “Noncash Charitable Contributions” (irs.gov/ pub/irs-pdf/f8283.pdf). You’ll also need a receipt from the organization for every batch of items you donate, and will need to create an itemized list of the items you donated. To calculate fair market value for your stuff, use the Salvation Army’s donation guide at satruck.org/home/ donationvalueguide, or the free program “It’s Deductible” at turbotax.intuit.com/personal-taxes/itsdeductible.
Trash It If you have a lot of junk you want to get rid of, contact your municipal trash service to see if they provide bulk curbside pickup services. Or, depending on where you 22
55 PLUS - October / November 2016
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support To honor the memory of her parents, Mary Mathews established the Harry and Helen Barnes Jewell Fund in Central New York to benefit the causes her parents cared about — animals and children.
With Just 5 Percent: Support the Causes that Matter to You, Forever By Jennifer Owens
A
fter Mary Mathews’ parents died, she decided she wanted to honor their memory in a way she knew they would appreciate. They provided support to the community in so many ways, so she wanted to do the same. When I met her, we discussed how she and her parents adored animals and advocated for a variety of causes that protected them from abuse. After looking back on her fond memories of her parents, she identified that the Harry and Helen Barnes Jewell Fund would support organizations that seek to end abuse in all of its forms and projects that help children overcome the life-altering effects of physical, emotional or sexual abuse. Mary is just one of a growing number of Central New Yorkers recognizing the importance of 24
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keeping their charitable dollars in Central New York. A study commissioned by the Community Foundation found that $22 billion will change hands from one generation to the next before the start of the next decade, much of it leaving the community to heirs living out of town. Mary wants to encourage those who are interested in having a significant impact on the causes they care about to start their planning now. Take a moment to think about what matters to you. Perhaps it’s the schools your children attend or the hospital where you receive care. It could be the park where your grandchildren love to play or a local charity that is a big part of your life. What could you do to make sure things that matter to you and your family have a secure
future, long after you’re gone? How can you help ensure that future generations will benefit from the resources in our community? If a portion of those assets transferring between generations were donated to endowment funds at the Central New York Community Foundation, more than $55 million in grants would be available annually to support the region’s nonprofit organizations. For reference, the Community Foundation currently deploys more than $9 million per year in grants. That means six times more support into the community each year! This kind of boost could provide a permanent source of funding for local organizations and causes that will greatly improve the lives of families, friends and future generations. A common myth is that philanthropy is only for the
immensely wealthy. But including a 5 percent gift to the community’s charitable endowment is achievable for anyone, allowing you to still benefit your heirs while leaving a long-lasting impact in the community that helped attribute to your success. Legacy giving can be something as simple as a bequest in your will or involve something more complex that allows you to provide for your loved ones, reduce taxes and support worthy causes at the same time. Community Foundation staff can help walk you through your options to find the right fit. But even more importantly, Community Foundation can ensure your charitable intentions are documented, essentially creating a roadmap for your future philanthropic efforts, which will serve as a way for successive generations to access your charitable intentions and inspirations even after you are gone. Capturing this information makes our community stronger, builds pride in the region and keeps the stories of generous people from dying with them. Think about the dramatic positive impact if there was an increase in donations to local charities. It could mean improved health and human services, more initiatives to care for children and teens, new arts and cultural endeavors that drive economic development and increased attention to our neighborhoods and education attainment resulting in a better quality of life for anyone while preserving the memory of our loved ones for generations, just as Mary is. Learn more at http://5forcny.org.
Jennifer Owens is vice president, development and marketing at the Central New York Community Foundation. She can be reached at 315-422-9538 or jowens@cnycf.org.
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hobbies
Musician and luthier Mark Wahl bending wood for a guitar he’s building.
Business is Strumming Luthier Mark Wahl expresses self through guitar By Nicole Shue
T
o say that Oswegonian Mark Wahl has a passion for stringed instruments would be an understatement. Wahl is a singer-songwriter, guitarist and luthier. He has been around the local acoustic scene for decades and is known by many as the president of the Ontario Center for Performing Arts. Wahl is a graduate of SUNY Oswego and spent his career as a general contractor where he built houses, designed, and was hired to oversee light commercial and residential work. Wahl had the opportunity to work in a lutherie shop while he was still in contracting. Since then, Wahl has directed his energy into his music, the Oswego Music Hall, and his home lutherie workshop.
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Wahl hand makes guitars, and repairs and restores acoustic instruments. Wahl describes his business as more of an art than a hobby. An artist is just what Wahl is. His second degree from SUNY Oswego was in stage design and lighting. He plays on a semi-regular basis, and in 2013 released a CD entitled “Everything Returns” with his trio Canvas Moon. Wahl plays and sings original songs and uses his baritone ukulele as a composing instrument. He describes his own sound as Americana, a cross between folk and indie. “I find things worth singing about, and write vignettes, thematic stuff,” said Wahl. “I have a sound, it’s punchy.” “I’ve been writing songs and playing the guitar since I was a squirt,” said Wahl. His mother
was a classic pianist — he remembers camping out and listening to tremendous music. Wahl took guitar lessons as a kid, but claims he wasn’t much of a student. “I was undisciplined,” he said.
Top-end product Wahl built his first guitar in high school. With years of experimentation, he now makes a top- end instrument that he says performs against the top players — the Taylors, Martins and Gibsons. “I don’t build anything I don’t design myself,” said Wahl. “That’s not to say I don’t like to see what is out there. I enjoy a fine guitar no matter where it comes from.” Wahl has a half-dozen of his own designs. He uses computer-as-
sisted design technology to draft a design, which he says to a fine degree eliminates surprises and gives consistency. Wahl understands the types of wood, whether exotic or sustainable, and can therefore predict what an instrument he’s working on will sound like. “The hardest thing to hit is great tone,” he said. A lot goes into making a custom guitar. Wahl tries to build his guitars to suit the player. He involves the customer in the process, and they discuss tone and aesthetic components. “Because I write music and I play, I have a connection with a guitar, and insight from that helps a great deal,” said Wahl. Wahl’s custom guitars sell themselves. “People will ask, ‘What brand is that?’” said Wahl. He doesn’t seek orders, noting he isn’t fast enough for that. However, he works on several guitars in his shop at once. Wahl has a waiting list about a year out. He also makes smaller-bodied, parlor guitars, which Wahl says are popular right now. He is also in high demand for repairing acoustic instruments. “Once people know you make guitars, they want you to fix them,” Wahl quipped. He doesn’t mind though — Wahl enjoys solving problems and talking music around his workbench. He particularly looks forward to revisiting and servicing guitars he’s made. “Some interesting people play my guitars,” Wahl said. “When you have your own custom guitar, you take ownership. The people who buy my guitars are inseparable with theirs.” “No one makes it big from making guitars. To me, it ties me to the music world; it’s about supporting artists,” said Wahl. As director of the Oswego Music Hall, Wahl goes to area festivals to seek out talent for its stage. The Music Hall has 17 national level performances and 40 events per season, which runs from September to June. The Music Hall gives Wahl an opportunity to give back and it anchors him to his community. “Everywhere in our community there are musicians,” said Wahl.
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aging By Marilyn L. Pinsky
Spanish Sojourn
L
Grandmother, grandchild take in splendor of European country By Marilyn L. Pinsky and Sophie N. Craig
ast year, my granddaughter and I went on an impromptu trip to Spain. Both of our schedules had suddenly opened up and I secured flights only 10 days before leaving. As Sophie was away at field hockey camp, we couldn’t communicate too much about plans and decided to just “wing it.” We flew to Barcelona for a week and then took a train to Madrid for the second week, using Airbnb, an online site for vacation rentals, to find apartments in both cities. We really lucked out, as August is a busy tourist time, but maybe being last minute allowed us to get nice places at reasonable rates. The stories that follow are just a few highlights to give a sense of traveling together from each of our perspectives.
Sophie and the author, Marilyn Pinsky, during their recent trip to Spain.
MLP (the Grandmother) The first couple of days were a little rocky. Whenever I’ve traveled to a country where I didn’t speak the language, I had been part of a tour group. This trip I was totally dependent on Sophie, who had just turned 16, and her high school Spanish. We bought tour books to read on the plane that gave us a general idea of what to see, but where to eat and getting around was more of a challenge. Except for the apartments, we had no other game plan. Based on the information in our books, she asked for directions to get us around and we asked people we met for restaurant suggestions and tours to take. Lucky for me, she is a curious person and always happy to be on the go. Lucky for her, she could FaceTime her mother when she was unhappy with me. 28
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Sophie Craig (the granddaughter) I’ve always wanted to see Spain and going with my Nana made it even better. I didn’t know what to expect because I left all the planning up to her. I just knew Barcelona and Madrid were on my bucket list. The time change when we arrived in Barcelona was really difficult for me. On the other hand, my Nana had so much energy and was ready to go explore. So, that’s what we did. It was so overwhelming, especially the amount of people. My immediate thought was, “I’m going to lose Nana.” Luckily, she had traveled out of the country many times before and knew to stay close by.
MLP The first day was not good. By the time we arrived at the apartment it was early afternoon. We hadn’t eaten since early morning on the plane and we were both jet lagged and starved so we dumped our bags and went out to search for food. Sophie is a vegetarian and I eat gluten-free and every place the two of us could even agree on was closing for afternoon break. The temperature was in the high 90s and we walked and walked until finally finding a place. Then we couldn’t agree on walking or taking a cab to the center of town as we didn’t know how close we were and figuring out money for the cab
was stressful for me. I finally just left it up to her. Then, after having walked for hours trying to get the lay of the land, the key to the apartment wouldn’t work and we were locked out. As our phones didn’t work in Spain, we went to a tiny store nearby and tried to convince the clerk, who didn’t speak either Spanish or English, to let us use his phone to call the apartment owner to come back and let us in. Finally, the owner’s friend came and explained how the locks worked. By that time we were both hot and crabby and retreated to our rooms. Right here was a big advantage to staying in an apartment versus one hotel room — we could shut the doors and be alone for a while. We had also bought water and some food as we had a kitchen and that was really helpful too.
Sophie We had a book that told us where we should go in Barcelona. The first day we went to a famous museum. I can’t recall the name because I just remember not being that interested at the time. Nana really wanted to figure out how to use the metro system so we didn’t have to walk or take a cab everywhere. So we went down a few flights of stairs and escalators to get to the metro. Everything was in Spanish but luckily I had taken Spanish the past three years and was able to piece the words together. We each bought a ticket that allowed 15 trips. I found myself asking people how it all worked a few times before I was able to understand it. You have to match the color and direction. It’s just as complicated as it sounds and very frustrating. Finally, we reached our first destination.
MLP One of my favorite things was watching Sophie communicate with strangers and develop relationships, one of whom was with a lovely older woman who ran a bakery and coffee shop near the apartment in Barcelona. We had to stop in every day and say hello. We did a lot of touring, visited every important museum and after taking afternoon naps, ate late dinners in interesting places. Barcelona is a beautiful city with great architecture and nice neighborhoods to just wander through. And then it was off to Madrid.
Sophie On Nana’s birthday in Madrid, we didn’t have anything planned and decided to just play it by ear. We left our apartment around 11 and walked about three blocks down the road. That’s when we both decided to eat a burrito bowl for breakfast. The place was similar to Chipotle but more fresh and local. The woman running it was from the United States, just out of college, and very friendly. I loved talking with her and hearing how she got to where she was. Our burritos were so fresh and the perfect breakfast, that we even went back the next day for lunch. The woman from the restaurant told us about a place with a rooftop bar where she liked to go. I found out what street it was on and that night we just started walking. We arrived at a building with 13 floors that had a museum inside it. Nana asked if I wanted to go to the museum as well, but we had already been to so many, I turned down that idea very quickly. We walked up to the desk and
bought tickets to the rooftop bar. The elevator took us all the way up to the 13th floor, and as the doors opened we got out and handed our tickets to a man. As soon as we turned a corner, we couldn’t believe what we were seeing. We were on top of Madrid. There was multiple patio areas covered with artificial grass and pillows as well as cabanas with cushioned lawn chairs. In the middle there was a bar and two giant statues overlooking the city on either side. The breathtaking view became even more amazing after it had sprinkled for five minutes. That’s because of the rainbow that appeared. We both felt like it was a sign from Papa, Nana’s husband, who had passed away a few years before. He was saying happy birthday in a beautiful way. After many tears and hugs we could not believe that was one of our last days in Spain.
MLP We did things I would never do alone, like a massage in the middle of a busy square by what appeared to be gypsies who surrounded us playing music the whole time. We also went dancing after dinner with a group of people from many different countries that we could only communicate with through gestures and smiles.
Sophie Even though it was hard at times when Nana wanted to go to museums and I wanted to shop, we seemed to make it work. As long as we took a little power nap, ate periodically, and had a little bit of alone time each day we stayed happy. This trip to Spain really made Nana and I even closer and I would love to do it again, but maybe with fewer museums. October / November 2016 - 55 PLUS
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cover
Catalyst for the Arts
Stephen Butler carries the torch to sustain arts, culture in Central New York By Aaron Gifford
S
tephen Butler cut his teeth in the Big Apple, but his heart for art brought him back to the Salt City. So if you ask him how can he still appreciate the musicals, the museums, the galleries and the other art forms in Central New York when he spent so much time in one of the world’s greatest entertainment centers, Butler is quick to point out there is so much here that goes unappreciated. It’s a conversation he never gets tired of having. “People experience art differently,” said Butler, 58. “Whether you go to the Syracuse Symphony — which is a really great show — or you go to Shifty’s (bar) to see a rock band that is also really great, it’s still art, not just entertainment. The biggest challenge is
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to communicate what’s being offered so art can be all it can be.” It was an interesting turn of events that led the Syracuse native in multiple directions within the world of arts before he took on an almost entirely different career field that gave him the leadership skills needed to oversee all things art for a huge chunk of Upstate New York. Butler spent his early childhood on the city’s north side before moving to the hamlet of Cold Springs, between Liverpool and Baldwinsville. He was the middle child of four siblings. His grandparents lived on Oneida Lake, where he spend many summer afternoons swimming and developing the strokes that would eventually help him represent his high school swim team.
Mom Joyce and dad Nelson were both very much involved in the arts. They volunteered at the Shacksboro School House Museum in Baldwinsville. Joyce worked on exhibits and painted sets for productions. “Arts and culture,” Butler said, “were a big part of our lives.” His first audition with the Baldwinsville Theater Guild didn’t go well, but he initially found his role in the chorus. “I had a chorus voice. I didn’t have a lead voice. I learned that very quickly,” he said with a laugh. Butler also participated in elementary school square dance competitions. At C.W. Baker High School in Baldwinsville, he performed in “Once Upon a Mattress.” He was also involved with the “Up With
Stephen Butler photographed in August at his office in downtown Syracuse. Photo by Chuck Wainwright. October / November 2016 - 55 PLUS
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People” productions at the regional level. Throughout high school, Butler continued to take voice lessons and participated in state vocal competitions. He was always motivated to continue trying, even if he didn’t get lead parts in plays or win all-state vocal honors. As a competitive distance swimmer, Butler also understood the importance of pacing yourself. That mindset stayed with him outside the pool. Butler wanted to move to New York City right out of high school, but his parents talked him into going to college. SUNY Oswego seemed like a fair compromise. “They super convinced me,” he said. “Yes, it’s college. But they still had theater there.” Butler immediately felt home at SUNY Oswego, getting along great with his peers and professors, especially Kitty Macey, who now chairs the program; Mark Cole, now a retired chairman; and the late Jack Kingston, who taught theater classes. The challenge for Butler was competing against a much wider group of students, many of them from New York City and Long Island, for stage time. But at the same time, he also appreciated the wide variety of backgrounds. “Some students were older than me and had been in the Vietnam War, going to school on the G.I. Bill. There was a lot you can learn from them,” Butler explained, adding that the group of SUNY Oswego theater and music majors he graduated with still gets together periodically for reunions. “It was a much more diverse group in age, experience and ethnicity.”
Gravitates toward production At SUNY Oswego, students could perform on various stages, Butler explained. All students in the program participate in lab theater productions, but casting for the main stage shows was more selective. The mid-level productions were called the “black box shows.” Plus there were chances to sing and dance in community playhouses that were outside of the college, and students could also get experience working at the nearby Renaissance Faire in the summer. It wasn’t long before Butler developed a special interest in the inner workings of a production, and 32
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he aspired to be in charge of casting, planning and working out all the logistics for putting on a show. “Ultimately,” he said, “that was the direction I moved in.” By senior year, Butler had mixed feelings about professional acting. He was more excited about the potential of working behind the scenes. After graduation, he moved to New York City, the Mecca of performing arts at the time. Money was tight as Butler tried to find work in his field, so he took a job at a travel agency where he was assigned to help foreign nationals at the Manhattan embassies get visas. To save money, he walked instead of riding the subways. He had some auditions for local theater productions, but quickly realized that he had lost his interest in acting. Instead, he worked his way up in the production side, working as a box office manager and then as a stage manager for a small company that cast actors to perform in a series of summer performances. Butler became part of a theater employees union and was finally making money in the Big Apple doing what he loved. He continued to grow his career there, accepting a position with a nonprofit organization — Alliance of Resident Theaters NY (ART NY) — where he handled programming and member services for several theaters. This is where he developed his collaboration skills that would eventually prepare him for a significant leadership role. “We did about 50 round table [discussions] a year,” Butler said. “But another part of the job was wheeling and dealing and making sure you got the things you need to put on a theater production.” Shortly into his tenure with ART NY, Butler was tapped to organize a rally to generate support for his organization and other groups that promoted the performing arts in New York City. Their major funding source, the National Endowment of the Arts, was facing potential budget cuts. “In the early ‘90s,” Butler said, “it was under a threat. A lot of union jobs were on the line.”
Advocating for jobs In order to generate maximum attention and publicity, the rally itself had to be planned as if it were a performance. Butler hired a producer
and scrambled to find a star performer who lived in New York and was readily available. He knew Christopher Reeve, who starred in the 1978 “Superman” movie, was socially conscious to causes like this. And to Butler’s luck, Reeve’s number was actually listed in the phone book. But Reeve was getting married on the day of the rally, so in his place he sent Tony awardwinner Matthew Broderick (also the star of “Ferris Bueller ’s Day Off”) and accomplished Hollywood and Broadway actor Ossie Davis. The event got significant coverage from The New York Times and was considered a major success. Butler discovered he loved advocacy work, and there certainly was a need for it. With ART NY, he also worked to promote arts in school and protect performing and visual arts from budget cuts. As Butler continued to expand his skill set, he developed a burning curiosity for “drama therapy.” The concept is to help mental health patients rewrite their own endings so they can be happier and change their thinking patterns. “We advocated that deficits can be positives,” Butler explained. “Someone who is having trouble and acting like a bully can instead become a director. With children especially, it really changes perceptions of themselves.” And so, Butler found himself employed as the head of a drama t h e r a p y p ro g r a m f o r C re a t i v e Alternatives of New York, where he was responsible for overseeing the services and raising money to continue them. The program benefited patients of all ages, including war veterans. While Butler enjoyed the work, he did not have training in this field and felt like he was flying by the seat of his pants. Friends convinced Butler to get a degree in the field so he could advance his career. As a result, in 2004 he returned home and enrolled in the Maxwell School of Public Administration at Syracuse University. The full-time program was designed for mid-career professionals. On the side, Butler worked for Appleseed Trust, a microloan program that also provided planning services for small businesses. This job gave Butler the chance to apply what he was learning in school. He served as interim director, supervising a staff of three employees. When Butler was awarded his
CNY Arts staff; from left are Matthew De Bellas, Elizabeth Allers, Elizabeth Lane, Stephen Butler, Susan Tromans, Paula Kinev. master’s degree, he received three job offers on the same day. He accepted the executive director position with the Mental Health Association of Onondaga County. Even though this career did not involve an arts organization, Butler was still able to use art as a tool for success. He’s quick to point out that signing or playing an instrument for patients, or allowing patients to perform, is a welldocumented method of treatment. “People signing or playing an accordion — they actually did that for shell shock patients,” Butler said. “Art therapy is nothing new, just like the ink blot tests and how they are interpreted is nothing new.”
Turnaround time In three years, Butler stabilized the organization’s finances and improved its standards. Although he was successful at his new career as an executive director, Butler still desired more art in his work life. When the executive director position became available at the Cultural Resources Council for Syracuse and Onondaga County in 2008, Butler threw his hat in the ring. Butler got the job, but he inherited a mess. The Great Recession had hit
CRC hard, and it was running a deficit of about $350,000. He had to make rapid and radical shifts to the agency. He cut from the top, eliminating three director positions and taking on their tasks. The less money spent on salaries, he said, the more spent on active programs that bring arts and culture to the communities. He also identified redundancies and inefficiencies. One of the first things he noticed was the youth theater program had been “hemorrhaging money,” Butler said. At that time, the agency was serving three counties: Onondaga, C o r t l a n d a n d O s w e g o . To d a y, now called CNY Arts, it serves six counties, including Madison, Oneida and Herkimer. Last year, the agency distributed $1.5 million for youth scholarships, arts programs across the region and advocacy efforts. In a recent survey of 7,000 participants in the six-county area (of the total population of 1.1 million people), 72 percent of those surveyed indicated the arts are a very important part of their lives. Most indicated they believe it’s very important to expose children to the arts during and after school, and most believe more arts programs should get significant funding from local, state or the federal government.
Most respondents also indicated CNY Arts needs to do a better job informing the public of the different venues, performances and exhibits in the region. Butler took those comments personally, and has since focused much of his efforts on getting the word out on all things arts, at least locally. The top of the CNY Arts home page, for example, features a calendar and search function to look for events. A recent search on the page brought up 5,317 events, ranging from a production of “Sleeping Beauty” at the Spaghetti Warehouse in Syracuse, to morning yoga sessions at the View Art Center in Old Forge. “One of the biggest challenges right now is to communicate all that’s being offered,” he said. Butler is also working to bring more program dollars for arts that are relevant to the different populations of Central New York. He would also like to see a more ethnically diverse offering of arts across the region. Catherine Gerard, associate director of executive education programs at the Maxwell School at Syracuse University, who had Butler as a student, called him “a natural born collaborator. “He has an uncanny ability to bring people to the table and engage discussion,” said Gerard, who serves on the CNY Arts board of directors. “Sometimes it means putting your own vision away a little bit and listening and making space for everybody. When you are in an area where people are fighting for the same resources, fighting for the same piece of the pie, you need someone like this. He’s there for the arts, not for himself.” When he’s not working at CNY Arts, Butler serves as an adjunct professor at Le Moyne College’s arts administration program, which involves videotaping his lectures for online students. After work, Butler exercises at the Syracuse YMCA for about an hour each day. The Eastwood resident also enjoys visiting his mother, spending time at museums and historical sites throughout the region, hiking in the Adirondacks, and strolling through the city of Syracuse, just like he did as a youngster. “I walk the same streets I did as a kid and still notice things I haven’t seen before,” he said. “That’s the beauty of architecture. That’s the beauty of art.” October / November 2016 - 55 PLUS
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online
Few Go Online for Health-Care Needs Study calls into question U.S.’s priorities for improving older adults’ health, researcher says
H
opes have been high that digital technology would improve seniors’ health care, but a new study suggests that few older Americans are on board. The study, which surveyed thousands of Medicare patients, found that only 5 percent to 8 percent were going online to fill prescriptions, deal with health insurance or communicate with their doctors. And only 16 percent were searching for health information online. Researchers acknowledged that some seniors can be tech-wary or unable to afford computers and internet service. But they were still surprised by the findings. “There’s been this general belief that digital health technology will ‘rescue’ seniors, and improve their health care quality,” said physician David Levine, lead researcher on the
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study and an internist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. It’s true, he said, that many older adults do use cellphones and go online for some things. But health care, apparently, is not one of them. “When it comes to more-advanced technology, they’re just not using it,” Levine said. Kavita Patel is a fellow at the Washington, D.C.-based Brookings Institution whose work focuses on health care quality. She, too, was struck by the singledigit figures the study turned up. “Only 8 percent were filling prescriptions online?” Patel said. “Only 7 percent contacted their clinicians [online]? This study shows we can’t make assumptions about people’s use of digital technology.” But does that aversion to technology make a difference in
seniors’ health? It’s not clear from the study, but Patel said the trends are worrisome. The hope, she said, has been that digital technology would make health care more convenient, efficient and safe. When primary care offices have patient “portals” — secure websites — patients and doctors can keep track of vital information like prescriptions, lab results and immunizations. Providers can, for example, send patients email reminders about prescription refills or flu shots, Patel said. She said that kind of communication could be especially helpful for Americans 65 and older -- the population group with the most illness and highest health care costs. The findings were published in the Aug. 2 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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veterans
Veterans’ Benefits: Are You Missing Out? From burial benefits to long-term hospice and home care, veterans can count on a wide array of services (but many are not are aware of them) By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
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f you’re a veteran of the armed forces, you may be eligible for benefits of which you’re not aware. According to Richard Kazel, ambulatory care manager with the Syracuse VA Medical Center, some veterans don’t know about some of the benefits available to them, such as the numerous types of health care benefits offered by the center. “People look at us as a hospital, and in reality, we’re a health care delivery system,” Kazel said. “We provide a full range of acute surgery
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and rehabilitation. But we also have a veteran’s crisis hotline. With our veteran health care, behavioral health is one need that can be spread over a greater period of time.” The VA offers out-patient care, prescriptions, vision care, referrals to internal and external specialists, longterm hospice care, respite program for caregivers and home care, among other health related benefits. Peacetime veterans and those with non-service related injuries can receive care from the VA Medical
Center, but income requirements affect their level of eligibility. Many veterans also may not realize that VA health care, while not insurance, satisfies the Affordable Care Act insurance mandate. Enrolling in health insurance does not affect VA benefits. The VA also offers some burial benefits to surviving family members. Kazel urges veterans to look into their benefits long before they are urgently needed because the enrollment process takes time.
The Veterans Service Agency partners with the VA and other local agencies, to offer Veterans Assisted In-Home Care “if a veteran wants to stay in his or her home, but needs home care,” said Corliss Dennis, director of the Onondaga County Veterans Service Agency. The Veterans Service Agency addresses veteran homelessness with programs to provide supplies and to make referrals community resources. Adam McMahon, public affairs officer for the Veterans Affairs Buffalo Regional office, which covers Upstate and Western New York, said that “getting benefit information to our veterans is of the upmost importance, and there is a team of employees at every regional office across the nation dedicated to outreach services to ensure that veterans are aware of the benefits that we offer. “There’s an enormous amount of benefits that a veteran and his or her dependents may be eligible for. Even if one veteran is unaware, that is one too many.” To help veterans learn about their benefits, the VA maintains an ongoing national effort to inform veterans. The VA works with veteran service organizations such as local posts of the American Legion and VFW. Although not employed by the VA, these organizations often help veterans in learning about their benefits and eligibility requirements, and in filing claims. Confusion about how to get information represents part of the reason that vets don’t use their benefits as much as they could. The VA has maintained numerous websites and phone lines for the various health, education, home loan, and other benefits available. McMahon said that the VA is working on consolidating these points of contact so that one site provides the main source of online information and one phone number can direct veterans to where they can find out more. In recent years, the military has also begun briefing personnel, before they sever from service, about their benefits. To learn more about veteran eligibility and benefits, call 800-8271000 or visit www.benefits.va.gov or www.ongov.net/veterans.
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October / November 2016 - 55 PLUS
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consumers’ corner By Eva Briggs, M.D.
Understanding MRSA, and How to Avoid Contracting It. Hint: Cleaning commonly touched surfaces — doorknobs, the TV remote, appliance handles, etc. — is a great first step
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RSA — short for methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus — is a bacteria that can cause nasty pus-filled skin abscesses. Even worse, it sometimes invades the body to cause serious infections in the joints, bloodstream, lungs or other tissues. Methicillin is an antibiotic first used in 1959 to treat Staph infections resistant to penicillin. Of course, bacteria soon evolved to become resistant to methicillin, and the first case of MRSA was reported in 1961 in a hospitalized patient. At first, hospital acquired MRSA (HA-MRSA) infections were rare, accounting for only 2 percent of hospital Staph infections in 1974. But over time this increased to 22 percent in 1995, and 50 percent in 1997. But MRSA hasn’t remained confined to hospitals. Community acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA) was first identified in 1981. And now it is common, although the incidence seems to be dropping. The last year for which I could find statistics, 2013, we had over 16,000 cases of invasive MRSA in the US. But clearly there are many more cases involving the skin. Scarcely a day passes in the urgent care where there is not at least one patient with a MRSA skin or soft tissue infection. People often wonder where their infection came from. Unless you are a hermit without other human contact, you are likely to
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touch something in your daily life that has been touched by another human colonized with MRSA — a door knob, a shopping cart, gym equipment, etc. The colonized person often has no infection because the bacteria is living peacefully on their skin or in their nose. Yes, MRSA loves to live in the nose, and we humans often unwittingly transfer bacteria from our noses to our hands to an inanimate object or directly to someone else’s hand. Then the process goes in reverse — from inanimate object, to hand, to nose. And so another person is colonized. Most colonized people aren’t sick and have no symptoms from their MRSA. Whether someone becomes ill depends on three factors: virulence, numbers, and resistance. Think of virulence as nastiness, whether a MRSA strain is a vicious pit bull or docile pussy cat. Numbers matter because a big gang of germs is more dangerous than a single bug. And people vary in their ability to resist infection due to factors such a innate genetic resistance, nutrition, current medications, and underlying medical illnesses. Believe it or not, much MRSA transmission occurs between household members. Fortunately there are ways to reduce the spread of MRSA. First, keep any MRSA wounds covered. Leaving them open won’t cause a wound to dry up and heal faster, but will give the bacteria free
rein to wander onto other people. And don’t share personal items. Wash laundry, towels, and sheets in hot water to kill MRSA bacteria. There are some other things to try that aren’t proven, but are safe and probably worth a shot. First, clean commonly touched surfaces once or twice a day. This includes doorknobs, the TV remote, appliance handles, etc. Use a product active against S. aureus, such as bleachcontaining sprays or wipes, or a disinfectant such as Lysol. Although, alas, resistance to the active ingredient in Lysol, bezalkonium chloride, has been reported. Sometimes the prescription antibiotic ointment mupirocin, placed in each nostril twice a day for 5 days, can help reduce nasal MRSA numbers. Bathing with the over-thecounter disinfectant chlorhexidine (Hibiclens is one brand) for 5-14 days may reduce skin colonization. Or bleach baths are sometimes used — 1/4 cup of bleach in a 1/4-filled bath tub for 15 minutes, twice a week, for three months. If despite these measures you develop symptoms of an abscess, don’t wait to see if it will go away. Often things get worse fast and become more difficult to treat. So seek medical care promptly. Eva Briggs is a medical doctor who works at two urgent care centers (Central Square and Fulton) operated by Oswego Health.
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golden years By Harold Miller hal@cny55.com
Do You Want a Lifelong Romantic Marriage?
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Some pointers on how to accomplish it
n America today, 45 percent of marriages end in divorce, another 10 percent of couples separate but do not divorce, and less than 15 percent enjoy a life-long romantic marriage. It is no secret that the quality of marriage is in decline and the average marriage today is weaker than in days of yore. Naturally, in these enlightened times, psychologists and psychiatrists are searching for answers but most of this syndrome is the result of the times in which we live. Women have been emancipated for many years and are no longer content to be just housewives. On the other hand, most men have been freed from the monotonous 9-to-5 and home for the evening routine. Consequently, one-on-one time between husband and wife has declined and thus their relationships have suffered. Modern-day husbands and wives are often like ships passing in the night. In my generation, religion and the church played a major role in the social fabric of our country. Also, parents played a strong role in guiding their children toward the selection of a mate. Marrying out of one’s faith was frowned upon and banned outright in some religions. Propriety dictated that a man ask his girlfriend’s father for her hand in marriage, and in some faiths pre-arranged marriages still exist today. I met Janet at a Catholic sorority dance and after five years of courtship, we took our marriage vows standing before the pastor of our church. Our vows were considered a moral contract “until death do us part.” This is no longer the norm. Americans wanted to marry a person they were passionately 40
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in love with. Their logic was that you needed a few years of abiding love to fuse together so that you would stay together when times got tough. All marriages are bound to have rough patches. Psychiatrists give some guidelines for the selection of a mate: • You should marry someone who scores high in agreeableness, someone who has a high concern for social harmony and someone who is empathetic. • Avoid a person who is neurotic, emotionally unstable or prone to anger. • If the love of your life is subject to “highs and lows,” chances are they are bi-polar and prone to depression. • Only marry someone whose moral values coincide with yours, particularly where religion is concerned. • It is very helpful to marry someone who likes to do the same things you do. Janet and I love the water, travel, and mingling with family and friends. I used to think computer dating was a poor way to select a mate, but now that two granddaughters have successfully selected and married good people that they communicated with on the Internet, my mind has changed. Again, the world is a different place. Seldom today do people meet the love of their life at a church social, or residing in the same neighborhood. Now the
computer allows people to communicate their resumes and send pictures to prospective partners. Today, people marry for different reasons than in the past. Some up-and-coming men want “trophy” wives to augment their careers. Some widows or widowers marry again for companionship, and some people merely want someone to take care of them. In the final analysis, love has not gone out of fashion, nor has the natural need to procreate diminished. Our modern world has made it more difficult to “live happily ever after.” But among those who have a loving personality, character, and the right family values, nothing in the world takes the place of true love and creating another human being in our image.
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day trips
CNY Has a Rich Underground Railroad History Four historical sites are worth visiting — and they are within short driving distance By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
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umerous Central New York residents became important figures in the abolition movement and the Underground Railroad, helping freedom seekers escape oppression in America for a new life in Canada. While some of their names may not be as well-known in the abolition movement, each person who championed for the cause should be remembered.
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Harriet Tubman House — Harriet Tubman, who became known as the Moses of her people, lived in Auburn. Visitors can tour four buildings, two of which she used. The complex honors Tubman and the 300 slaves she guided to 42
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freedom through 19 daring journeys from South to North. She also aided the Union during the Civil War as a spy, nurse and guide. She assisted with a raid up the Combahee River in North Carolina that freed 800 slaves. After the Civil War, Tubman worked to aid former slaves and in the women’s rights movement. The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church of Auburn owns and operates the facility. 180 South St., Auburn. 315-252-2081. www.nyhistory. com/harriettubman.
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Seward House Historic Museum — While in Auburn, visit the Seward House Historic Museum, which is less than a mile from the Harriet Tubman House. The
Seward House commemorates William Seward, who worked politically to end slavery. He also sold land to Harriet Tubman where her home still stands. The sale was illegal at that time. Seward served as a New York state senator and governor, then as a U.S. senator and secretary of state under Lincoln and Johnson. Guided tours of the are available. 33 South St., Auburn. 315-252-1283. info@ sewardhouse.org. www.sewardhouse.org.
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Starr Clark Tin Shop & Underground Railroad Museum — Take a self-guided tour through this site. Clark offered a haven to refugees from the 1830s through the Civil War. He also open-
ly supported abolition of slavery and hosted abolitionist meetings in his tin shop. The shop features interpretive exhibits. 3250 Main St., Mexico. 315963-7898.
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The Gerrit Smith Estate National Historic Landmark — The site, in Madison County, celebrates Gerrit Smith, an abolitionist that supported the Underground Railroad and used his wealth to help those fleeing slavery. See displays about Smith and his family. 5304 Oxbow Rd., Peterboro. 315-280-8828. Many more points of interest in the abolition movement dot the Central New York map. Though not open to the public, their presence underscores the region’s support of the abolition movement and dedication to facilitating freedom for all.
Underground Railroad History: Day Trips Take a daytrip to visit the North Star Underground Railroad Museum in Ausable Chasm. Its multimedia exhibits chronicle the journey of liberated slaves traveling to Quebec and Ontario, Canada. The museum hosts Solomon Northup Day the 3rd Saturday of July. The day celebrates the life of Northup, an African American born as a free man who was abducted into slavery who, after obtaining freedom, penned Twelve Years a Slave. The free event includes historians, writers, exhibits, arts and historic reenactments. 1131 Mace Chasm Rd., Ausable Chasm. 518-834-5180. www. northcountryundergroundrailroad. com/museum.php. As another daytrip destination, the John Brown Farm State Historic Site preserves the home and gravesite of the well-known abolitionist. Brown is remembered for conducting the 1850 raid on Harpers Ferry, which ended in his arrest and execution in Virginia. The site's self-guided tours relate Brown's abolitionist efforts. 115 John Brown Rd., Lake Placid. 518-5233900. www.nysparks.com/historicsites/29/details.aspx. Rochester became an important hub in the Underground Railroad in the 1830s. The Genesee River's access to Lake Ontario helped freedom seekers slip into Canada. The city was also home to Frederick Douglass, who
moved to Rochester in the 1840s. His presence attracted and recruited other abolitionists. Douglass founded The North Star, an abolitionist newspaper in the city. Douglass became a prominent "stationmaster" of the route to Canada, opening his home and office to house refugees. A bronze statue of Douglass in Highland Park honors the gifted orator. Douglass' grave is at Mt. Hope Cemetery, a few blocks from Highland Park. Beyond its value as a pristine example of 1800s architecture, the Susan B. Anthony House (www. susanbanthonyhouse.org, 585-2356124) at 17 Madison Street, Rochester, commemorates a remarkable woman. The many causes for which she campaigned include abolition. The home's guided tour highlights her friendship with Frederick Douglass, such as a photo of him on her mantle. The house's website states that Anthony, who lived in the house for the last 40 years of her life, liked keeping photos of her closest friends nearby. Guides provide tours of the home Tuesdays through Sundays. The house hosts special events, too. Tour tickets are $5 for children, $10 for adults and $15 for seniors 62 and older. Other Underground Railroad points of interest in the Rochester area include the Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
Susan B. Anthony House at 17 Madison St. in Rochester. The home's guided tour highlights, among other things, the friendship between Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass.
building. It provided another stop on the northward journey, as well as the home of William Clough Bloss and possibly other places. Little solid evidence remains of many other safe houses since Railroad workers and those they helped sought to conceal their activities from detection to avoid punishment. Several sites not currently open to the public were also used as part of the Underground Railroad in the Rochester area. October / November 2016 - 55 PLUS
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life after 55 By Michele Reed michele@cny55.com
The Good Life Goes On in Nice
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e had arrived at the Nice Centre Ville train station only about 40 minutes earlier, deposited our bags at our hotel, and headed for the famous Promenade des Anglais. It was early evening and we didn’t want to waste a minute of our brief sojourn at the glamorous Cote d’Azur resort. We had spent the winter planning with our cousin, who would be visiting us in August, to spend her last three days in Europe in Nice, where she would hop a plane to her son’s wedding in China. We walked through crowds of holiday tourists in the latest designer sunwear, carrying beach bags and sipping cold drinks. All around us we could hear conversations in German, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, English and of course, French. Passing through the 19th Century Neoclassical Place Massena, dominated by a monumental statue of Apollo, we had the shore in our sight, when we saw it. A huge line of flowers, candles and stuffed animals. We had arrived at victims ground zero
A view of Nice and its harbor from the surrounding hills.
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of the Bastille Day terror attack on July 14. Several such memorials dotted the two-mile-long path of the truck, which killed 85 men, women and children celebrating France’s biggest national holiday. Like many people out to enjoy the last rays of the sun that day, we stopped to pay our respects and read the memorial messages. We knew how hard the tragedy hit our neighbors in the south of France. Attacks in Paris and Brussels were tragic, but they seemed far away. This one hit close to home. “Je suis Nice” signs popped up around southern cities. Some locales canceled summer festivals. But another, stronger force was at work here: the indomitable spirit of the French people. What we found was that, in true French fashion, life goes on. The French national news said that numbers of holiday-goers in Nice were down this year, and they probably were, but the place was still hopping. Families still frolicked on the beach. Seaside bars and clubs blared music and lit the night with strobes. Restaurants were packed with people
enjoying great food and wine. Not that security wasn’t tight. Soldiers with bulletproof vests and automatic weapons patrolled in groups. We saw a half dozen outside the Hard Rock Café. Security guards searched purses and bags when we entered a mall or large department store. Taking our cue from the French however, we vowed to make the most of our time in the seaside city. We enjoyed beer and charcuterie at a typical brasserie and a meal of salad Nicoise full of tuna and anchovies, fish soup and grilled sea bass accompanied by a delicious local white wine. We took a guided tour, where we saw the changing of the guard at the palace in Monaco, and the casino and Formula 1 course in Monte Carlo. A breathtaking ride on the Middle Corniche, with our minivan hugging curves with a sheer drop off the huge cliff above the Mediterranean provided spectacular views, not only of Nice but of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, where the rich and famous have their summer homes (Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt,
Soldiers patrol the streets of Nice after the July 14 attack.
George Clooney and the Rothchilds all have homes there). A visit to the medieval perfumemaking town of Eze provided a steep climb to the light ochre Church of Our Lady of the Assumption. Since the bus was only stopping for a short time, we didn’t try to make our way to the very top to check out the ruined chateau, but upon climbing down we were amazed at how very far we had climbed, as we stared at the church tower 1,400 feet above sea level. A tour of Nice on the “Little White Train” (a phenomenon popular in all Southern French cities) gave us a sense
of the history of the place. Founded by the Greeks in 350 BC and named after Nike, the goddess of victory, it was one of the few safe harbors along the rocky coast. As such, it was terribly important and so changed hands many times. Over the course of its long history, it was ruled by Greeks, Italians and the Dukes of Savoy. It only became French again in 1860. We hoped for a spectacular ending to our last day in Nice, and we weren’t disappointed. After listening to an impromptu concert by a Chilean cumbia band, and buying their CD, we
The world famous casino at Monte Carlo is a show piece of the Cote d’Azur.
headed once again for the Promenade des Anglais. The Mediterranean was the bluest turquoise we’d ever seen, although the beach, which the guidebooks describe as “pebbly,” is actually composed of fist-sized rocks — think Selkirk Shores along Lake Ontario. After negotiating the rocky beach and dipping our toes in the sea, later that evening we shared a magnificent seafood dinner at a restaurant located right on the shore, while waves crashed just feet from our table and the full moon was reflected in the waters of the sea. We watched the lights of cruise ships recede into the night and marveled at the magnificent pink dome of the 1912 Hotel Negresco dominating the skyline. As we walked back to our hotel with the sounds of music from a rooftop party tickling our ears, we reflected that it is true. Although French routine may be shaken, no matter what happens, la bonne vie — the good life — goes on.
Michele Reed retired after a career spanning four decades in public relations, advertising, journalism and higher education. She now writes travel articles, book reviews, haiku poetry and fiction. Bill Reed retired after four decades in social services with the county of Oswego, and now works at travel photography and photojournalism, along with writing book reviews. October / November 2016 - 55 PLUS
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druger’s zoo By Marvin Druger
Accident Adventures
O
My injured ankle and subsequent events gave me a great amount of empathy for disabled individuals
ne common sign of aging is losing balance and falling. I’ve often been warned, “Don’t do that. You might fall and break your hip.” I always laughed at such warnings. The other night, I was walking my friend’s dog on a leash in Barry Park, Syracuse. There is a mulched path around the pond, but I didn’t like the feel of the mulch on my feet, so I walked on the grass inside the path. The night was very dark. I had a flashlight, but didn’t use it. I confidently marched along on the grass and came to an area where the grass suddenly banked. I didn’t see the bank and I fell and my ankle twisted to the side. The dog sensed that something had happened and man’s best friend started licking my face. I got up and laughed and kept walking, until I felt how painful walking had become. My friend went to get her car and drove me to her house. We looked at the foot. The ankle had blown up as large as an inflated balloon. We drove to the emergency room at a local hospital. An emergency room is like another world. Despite the late hour, people of all sizes, shapes and health problems crowded the room. The computers were down and I waited several hours until a staff member took my blood pressure and medical history and said, “We’ll be out to get you in a few minutes.” More time passed until another staff member emerged and yelled loudly, “Marion, are you here?” I suspected he meant, “Marvin.” I was right. A physician’s assistant ordered an X-ray, but the battery needed to be replaced in the device. A while later, the PA announced “You have a fractured ankle.” Impossible, I thought. I never had a broken bone in all of my years of living. They gave me a pair of crutches, adjusted them,
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recommended an orthopedist, and I was on my way to the world of the disabled. Surgery was next. I am not a fan of anesthesiology. When the anesthesiologist introduced himself, I shook his hand suspiciously. Full anesthesia and a nerve block injection were administered. I was trying to calm myself down just before the injection, thinking of what peaceful scene I could envision. Then I suddenly was wide awake and the nurse was saying, “It went well.” I was told that I might be groggy after the anesthesia. Instead I was completely lucid. I was pleased at the lack of pain in my bandaged foot. In the middle of the night, the pain-killing effects of the nerve block suddenly disappeared. The pain became intense. On a scale of one to 10, with 10 being most painful, my pain was an 11. My daughter called 911, and I was again transported to the emergency room. All sorts of pain-killing drugs were administered, including morphine, with little effect. The foot was re-bandaged, and that seemed to do some good. We were in the emergency room from 1:30 a.m. until 7:30 in the morning. My injured ankle and subsequent events gave me a great amount of empathy for disabled individuals. How does someone cope with a disabling injury and pursue a normal semblance of living? The orthopedist said that my fracture required surgery. My son said to the orthopedist, “Don’t worry about my dad. He has a high pain tolerance.” How would he know that? I was sent to a pre-op physical therapist to show me some mobility devices that were available. There were crutches, a walker, a wheelchair and a scooter. The scooter was fun and made me feel like a reckless teenager zooming along on the street.
The walker, wheelchair and crutches seemed more practical for mobility in the household. The therapist held my belt in the back while I used the crutches to descend a long, concrete staircase without carpeting. After descending two steps, I announced, “Forget this method. I can’t do it!” It was scary, and I had visions of tumbling down the steps and crashing my head at the bottom of the staircase. So, I elected to mainly use the walker and wheelchair. The therapist encouraged me by saying, “Now everyone can wait on you.” The physical therapy visit was followed by an agonizing week of waiting at home for the surgery. There were challenges that were probably common for disabled individuals. Going to the bathroom required strategic thinking. I used one crutch to stagger to the bathroom. Then, I tried to stand up and walk with one crutch. Try it sometime. I fell backwards and smashed my back on the edge of the toilet seat, causing a painful rib injury. The rib injury hurt much more than the fractured ankle. The next day, I used the walker to get to the bathroom. I tried to turn the walker backwards and it tipped over, throwing me to the ground. This time, the soft carpet saved me. Also, the walker was too low and caused sharp pain in my ribs whenever I hopped forward. To add to the situation, my fall onto the toilet seat broke the hinges, making sitting on the toilet a perilous event. Constipation added to my woes. Getting up and down stairs was another challenge that required strategic thinking. My bedroom is upstairs and there are 16 carpeted steps. How do I get up the steps to my bedroom? The answer was simple. I sat down backwards and shimmied up the steps, one step at a time, thus
‘I discovered that coping with a physical disability requires ingenuity, strength, courage, perseverance and a positive attitude. Suddenly, simple actions that we take for granted, like walking, become major challenges.’
providing lots of exercise for my arms. It was like doing backward pushups. How to get down the steps was another problem. Fortunately, I have a strong banister on each side of the steps, so I simply hopped down the steps on my good leg, one step at a time. Then, there was the problem of getting down five steps on the porch, where there was only one banister. I was fearful of hopping down each step with my one good leg with limited support. If I sat down and shimmied
down the steps, then how would I stand up when I reached the bottom? The solution was for me to grab the railing of the porch with one hand and put my other arm around someone’s shoulders, hop down on each step. Usually, when someone suffers an illness or injury, family members and friends swarm out of the woodwork to help. My family and friends overwhelmed me with attention. They did shifts and someone was with me day and night. One morning, I was in my bed
upstairs and it was my granddaughter’s turn to watch over me for a few hours. I heard the door open downstairs and my granddaughter entered the house and yelled, “Hi, Grandpa!” Then, she immediately laid down on the sofa downstairs and went to sleep, without ever coming upstairs to see how I was doing, or if I was in the house at all. I could have been unconscious, but she would never have known. I discovered that coping with a physical disability requires ingenuity, strength, courage, perseverance and a positive attitude. Suddenly, simple actions that we take for granted, like walking, become major challenges. I never realized how important it is to be physically and emotionally fit in order to deal with illness or injury. We need motivation and strength for every task. Oftentimes, it’s not a fall that is a problem for older people. The problem is that they can’t get up. One of my friends told me that he tripped and fell in his house and couldn’t get up. He used his ingenuity and crawled to a closet and got a coat. He covered himself with the coat and lay on the floor for several hours, until his son came home to rescue him. My broken ankle has been a learning experience and has made me realize how amazing it is to see people with much more severe disabilities adapting to their new lives and still smiling. Somehow, life goes on for them. Now, I tell older people, “Don’t do that. You might fall and break your ankle.” October / November 2016 - 55 PLUS
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Central Adirondack Trail: In addition to spectacular scenery, it offers a variety of outdoor activities such as camping, skiing, picnicking and canoeing.
Explore New York State’s Scenic Byways By Sandra Scott
A
scenic byway is a road, but not just any road. Each byway-designated road is different. Some byways might offer magnificent views while others have fascinating historical sites and still others offer access to an array of outdoor activities. A scenic byway is a “win/win” for the travelers who explore them and for the nearby communities. Here are 10 of those byways you should explore.
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. North Fork Trail: Travel Suffolk County’s North Fork Trail from Southold to Orient Point by car or bike. The route goes through charming hamlets, past renowned wineries, expansive farms and wild wetlands along with glimpses of the ocean, beaches and maritime life, finishing with an uninterrupted view of the Atlantic
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Ocean stretching into the horizon. The area that was once known for potato farms is now home to many upscale vineyards. Visit the wineries, many of which have special events. Near Southold tour the Horton Point Lighthouse then walk down the 120 steps to the beach or hike their nature trail. Take the ferry to Shelter Island and enjoy the beach.
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. Taconic State Parkway:
Franklin D. Roosevelt’s dream of a scenic highway along the Hudson River became a reality with the creation of the 104-mile drive that connects Westchester and Columbia counties. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is the second-longest continuous road listed on the National Register after Virginia’s Skyline Drive and the longest limited-access highway
on the list. The drive offers views of wooded land, farmlands and mountains. It is the area that inspired mid-19th century landscape painters and the Hudson River School art movement. Near Ghent stop at the scenic overlook for a great view of the Catskills. To visit historic places in the area such as Hyde Park it is necessary to exit the parkway.
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. Route 20 Byway: The 108mile byway is an important segment of the historic 3,300-mile Transcontinental U.S. Route 20 highway, which stretches from the Atlantic Ocean in Massachusetts to the Pacific Coast of Oregon. Along the route through New York state there are quaint villages, that harken back to an earlier and more relaxed time. Esperance is home to Landis Arboretum and in Sharon Springs
visit the Beekman 1802 Mercantile made famous in the TV reality show, “The Fabulous Beekman Boys.” Antique shoppers will want to plan to be in Bouckville next year in August during the Antique Week; it is the largest in state. In Cazenovia visit the historic Lorenzo State Historic Site overlooking beautiful Cazenovia Lake.
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. Revolutionary War Trail:
The Revolutionary Trail runs between the state capital of Albany to the shores of Lake Ontario traversing scenic valleys and woodlands. The route offers exceptional museums, historic sites, hiking, picnicking and cycling. Learn more about NYS’s involvement in the War for Independence at Fort Stanwix National Park in Rome and Saratoga National Historic Park. The Battle of Saratoga is considered a major turning point in the Revolutionary War.
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. High Peaks: The High Peaks Scenic Byway winds past the Adirondacks’ highest peaks and along some of its most picturesque waters, including Chapel Pond, Johns Brook, Roaring Brook Falls and the Cascade Lakes. There are more than 40 peaks in the Adirondack Park that are over 4,000 feet in elevation. Mount Marcy is the big one at 5,300 feet North Fork Trail: Near Southold on Long Island tour the Horton Point Lighthouse then walk down the 120 steps to the beach or hike their nature trail. Take the ferry to Shelter Island and enjoy the beach.
and the tallest in NYS. It is not the most difficult of the high peaks; the terrain is variable and there are four trails to the summit. If you are looking for something easy to climb in the area check out Hadley at only 2,700 feet but with great views. Besides mountain climbing there is boating, biking, rock climbing, fishing, white water rafting, cross country skiing, and more.
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. Central Adirondack Trail: In addition to spectacular scenery, the Central Adirondack Trail offers a variety of outdoor activities such as camping, skiing, picnicking and canoeing. Enjoy a cruise on the Fulton Chain of Lakes out of Old Forge. Take a cruise on the Durant out of Raquette Lake then tour Sagamore with its bowling alley and other refinements to see what a summer camp was like for the “robber barons” during the Gilded Age. There are regional museums including the not-to-miss Adirondack Museum in Blue Mountain Lake.
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. Maple Tradition: The 80mile Maple Traditions Scenic Byway begins in Lowville and ends in the “Maple City” of Ogdensburg at the foot of the Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge to Canada. The route takes travelers past farmlands, woodlands, the American Maple
Museum in Croghan. Stop in Croghan Meat Market to buy some of their famed Croghan bologna, cheese curd, and maple syrup. In mid-March communities host special maple-related events including sugar house tours, samples, and family-fun activities.
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. Olympic Trail: Stretching
from Sackets Harbor on Lake Ontario to Keesville the drive is packed with scenic and recreational attractions. One highlight of the trip is the Village of Lake Placid, which hosted the Winter Olympic Games in 1932 and 1980. Make time to visit the Lake Placid Winter Olympic Museum. A free shuttle makes many stops within the village including the Olympic Ski Jumps, which are daunting from any angle.
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. Cayuga Lake Loop: The
Cayuga Lake Scenic Byway offers a beautiful landscape of farmland, vineyards and small towns as it encircles one of the Finger Lakes. Waterfalls and gorges are characteristic of the region’s unique geology. Drive Cayuga Lakes’ Wine Trail, the first in America, where there are not only wineries but distilleries, cideries and a brewery. Explore Montezuma Refuge with a 3.5-mile roadway, 30 miles of walking trails, plus viewing towers. Visit and shop for handmade items at the unique and whimsical MacKenzieChilds store and workshop.
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. Western New York Southtowns Byway:
Situated southeast of metropolitan Buffalo, the 108-mile scenic loop runs from the towns of Orchard Park and Aurora south to Springville and West Valley. The village of East Aurora welcomes everyone to the renowned Roycroft Campus that was influential in the arts and craft movement. In Derby visit the Isabel Martin Graycliff House, a Frank Lloyd Wright creation overlooking Lake Erie.
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By Deborah J. Sergeant
Dennis Ouellette, 70 Agritourism leader reflects on career spanning five decades Q: You’ve been in agriculture since you were 6. What are the biggest differences you have observed between then and now? A: The sophistication of it. Back in the 50s and 60s, what we thought at that time was very challenging and difficult, that was the precursor to what’s happened over the last 15, 10 and even five years. There are so many differences, like the requirements for safety and production and the variety and choices for plants. We’re using much better seeds now, like the super sweet corn. We can pick varieties that three weeks later in the fridge are still just as good. Q: You operate an agritourism farm. What is the public’s view of agriculture? A: It probably needs to be addressed better. The farm provides all that they eat. There are generations not in touch with agriculture. When I was a boy, everyone knew someone in agriculture or they were in agriculture. There’s a big gap between those who have knowledge of agriculture and those who do not. People don’t understand it. People come to the farm and farm market and don’t realize how much is involved. They thought apples were just picked off a tree and sold from a table. When they come to the farms, they see the good and sometimes the complications of agriculture: insects, diseases, weather, machinery break-downs. They get to see what really goes on at farms. Q: How does technology affect farming? A: It works into the favor of agriculture. Production is becoming much more affordable because we can track weather, 50
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soil conditions, and plant needs for nutrients. The equipment has a lot more technology. There are a lot of new strategies in product marketing of ag products. Q: What are the keys to staying in business for small, family-owned farms? A: It’s impossible unless you are very upbeat on profit-loss margins. If you’re really paying attention, you can exist and do well. There’s a failure in that line. I’ve seen a number of farms over the years that think they’re making money but they’re really so far in debt that they fold. There is so much competition in pricing and marketing. The cost of labor, utilities, and seeds. The young generation of professional agriculturists are well in tuned. The lack of ability to create and understand mark-ups have caused a lot of farms to fail. One farmer brought me a bin of apples that was priced for 10 years ago. I told him I could not pay him that because his apples were worth a lot more and I gave him a fair price. Professional level farmers are aware of the demand for good, high quality products and they get those prices. Q: How helpful is formal agricultural education? A: The hands-on learning allows an immediate step into agriculture. Hands-on is the greatest asset. There’s more than just going to school. I’ve seen some go to school and come back and still don’t know how to start a tractor. There are some great agricultural institutions out there, but just getting a degree isn’t as helpful as hands-on if you have no background in agriculture.
Dennis Oullette has operated Ontario Orchards in Oswego for 51 years, along with his wife, June. But getting an education coming back to take over the parents’ farm can really help out a lot. Q: What is one of the biggest barriers to new farmers? A: The cost of equipment, if you are a beginner going into agriculture. I have two neighbors who did that. They bought a lot of equipment and went belly-up in three years. They had no clue how much machinery cost, when to plant stuff, what to do when something doesn’t go right. Q: What are your goals for the farm? A: I want to become more efficient. That’s the biggest goal, make sure we’re staying on top of newer varieties. Apples can be five years out before harvest, and Christmas trees, seven years out. You have to be aware of what’s new. Keeping up with all the requirements by EPA, FDA, and DCC. I’d like to transfer the farm over to the family, of course.
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