28 minute read
Spotlight
from July 2021 Cullman
Sponsored by More than 460 of you correctly found last month’s hidden dingbat in the photo on Page 18, the ice cream cone nestled in the flower bush in front of the Washington County Hospital and Nursing Home. Dorothy Moorer of Baldwin EMC wrote us that she is certain a strawberry ice cream cone would surely hit the spot on a bright and sunny day, and many of you shared how beautiful you thought the flowers are. In fact, Gearldean Carden of Franklin EC said that she nearly missed the dingbat because it blended with the flowers so well!
There were also several first-time submissions, including Jimmie Carlisle of Tallapoosa River EC and Pete Garvin of Covington EC. And the kids were on top of the dingbat yet again. Jenna Kate Crutchfield, 8, of Eutaw, and Hannah Hall, 9, of Moundville found it.
Congratulations to our randomly drawn winner, Lisa Yerby of Tuscaloosa, a member of Black Warrior EMC, who wins a $25 gift card and prize package from Alabama One Credit Union. “I had to put on a pair of glasses in addition to my contacts to find this one,” Yerby says. This month we’ve hidden a barbecue grill, so start looking now because the deadline is July 7.
By mail: Find the Dingbat Alabama Living PO Box 244014 Montgomery, AL 36124 By email: dingbat@alabamaliving.com
Whereville, AL
Identify and place this Alabama landmark and you could win $25! Winner is chosen at random from all correct entries. Multiple entries from the same person will be disqualified. Send your answer by July 7 with your name, address and the name of your rural electric cooperative. The winner and answer will be announced in the August issue.
Submit by email: whereville@alabamaliving.coop, or by mail: Whereville, P.O. Box 244014, Montgomery, AL 36124.
Do you like finding interesting or unusual landmarks? Contribute your own photo for an upcoming issue! Remember, all readers whose photos are chosen also win $25!
June’s answer: The ruins of the old brick furnace at Brierfield Ironworks Historical State Park are fenced off but still visible. The furnace was built in 1862 by a group of men doing business as the Bibb County Iron Company, spurred by a desire to make money from the South’s need for iron for war materials. The works were idled from time to time over the next few decades, but by the end of the 1880s, the huge metal furnaces in Birmingham could far outproduce Brierfield. It was idled permanently in 1894. The park is open for events and visitors; learn more at BrierfieldIronworks. org (Photo contributed by Dennis Henley of Central Alabama EC). The randomly drawn correct guess winner is Donald Horne of Central Alabama EC.
Take us along!
We’ve enjoyed seeing photos from our readers on their travels with Alabama Living! Please send us a photo of you with a copy of the magazine on your travels to: mytravels@alabamaliving.coop. Please include your name, hometown and electric cooperative, and the location of your photo and put your social media handle so we can tag you! We’ll draw a winner for the $25 prize each month.
After climbing to the 15,685-foot summit of the volcano Guagua Pichincha near Quito, Ecuador, mountain guide Estalin Suarez enjoyed reading the February issue during a rest break. James Bullinger of Level Plains and a Pea River EC member, was traveling with Suarez, a guide with the tour company Andengipfel Reisen, for a week of high-altitude climbing adventures. “Estalin asked me if I had anything to read in my pack,” he wrote us. “I said, ‘Sure, how about Alabama Living?’ Estalin said, ‘Perfecto!’”
Byron and Ann Colley of Tallassee took their magazine to Panama City Beach, Fla., for a relaxing weekend trip to celebrate Ann’s birthday. They are members of Central Alabama EC. Shawn Dupree of Deatsville is always looking for new places to visit and looks forward to looking at her magazine each month to see what places to visit next. She writes that Starr’s Mill in Fayetteville, Ga., is even prettier in person. She’s a member of Central Alabama EC. Robbie South of Hanceville, a member of Cullman EC, took his magazine to Los Cabos, Mexico, where he attended the wedding of his granddaughter, Madison Bailey, to Alan Floyd.
Alexandria Flanigan was crowned Miss Alabama USA at Auburn University earlier this year.
boundaries Pushing
Miss Alabama USA finds confidence, opportunity in title win
By Jennifer Crossley Howard
The road to a pageant crown can take years. Some young women, after countless dresses, carefully plotted talent routines and interview rehearsals, never make it into the top ten, much less take the crown.
For Alexandria Flanigan, the road proved a bit shorter. She won on her first try.
Growing up, she admired the women who competed in Miss Alabama USA.
“These women were intelligent, beautiful, strong and bold,” she says. “I thought, ‘I like these women. They are people I could look up to.’ I love powerful women who try to make a difference.”
Now she is in their company.
In January at Auburn University, Flanigan was crowned Miss Alabama USA, becoming the first woman of color from Cullman to do so. The opportunity to overcome stage fright and boost her confidence attracted Flanigan to the pageant experience; the self-described introvert got what she asked for.
“I wanted to challenge myself,” she says. “I didn’t expect what came out of it, but I will say what I was looking for, I found.” She signed up somewhat on a whim, with no pageant coach, and saved to buy her own dress. She only told her closest friends and family she was competing. “I’ve always had an issue with stage fright,” Flanigan says.
But she worked to build her confidence. She mastered a confident strut down her apartment hallway, in the kitchen, on any given sidewalk. “If I was outside and there was a straight away, I’d walk.” To supplement her pageant education she hit the Internet, watching videos of interviews on YouTube. Her win was a result of time, effort and determination, according to one friend.
“She has tremendous favor on her end,” says Laura Quick, CEO of Good Grit Magazine. “She is not afraid of hard work. She decided (to do it), and did it.”
Growing up
Flanigan grew up the daughter of a truck driver and Tyson Foods employee in Cullman. The midsize town, which sits right off Interstate 65, is a sort of landmark bridging north and central Alabama. Cullman is perhaps best known for its German heritage (and its annual Oktoberfest each fall), as well as its tourist attractions, including the Benedictine monastery and Ave Maria Grotto, the charming garden setting for 125 miniature reproductions of some of the most famous religious structures of the world. Beyond the tourism, the city’s advocates point to its industrial growth and revitalized downtown area. Flanigan talks lovingly of her hometown, where she experienced a fond childhood save some heartbreak. “I did experience racism,” she says. “I grew up mixed (race) in the ’90s.” Growing up, she says she didn’t give a lot of thought to one day representing her hometown, though in hindsight, a mixed-Alexandria Flanigan still finds time to relax, despite her hectic schedule as Miss Alabama USA. PHOTO COURTESY ALEXANDRIA FLANIGAN race woman representing Cullman might have been unimaginable decades ago. “Looking back, I think it would have shocked people,” she says. “I think it shocked people now.” Quick, who is a resident of Cullman, concurs. “Winning this shocked her as much as it shocked anyone,” she says. Flanigan as Miss Alabama USA, Quick adds, “gives people permission to think Cullman is a place for them, too.” Flanigan says she wants to be a light, and to look forward. “My outlook on life is not to focus on the negative, or on people who care way too much what I look like,” she says.
PHOTO COURTESY ALABAMA GOVERNOR’S OFFICE
An ambassador for Cullman
Her focus on positivity is getting a big push forward since her pageant win: The Cullman Area Chamber of Commerce named Flanigan as an interim ambassador of Alabama’s changing image.
“Many areas of the South have a history of racial inequality,” says Jeff Tolbert, chairman of the Board of Directors of the Cullman Area Chamber of Commerce. “We strive to be better than that history in Cullman and continue to prove that skin color does not determine success here. “A huge group of local businesses and individuals are supporting Alexandria in preparation for the national pageant later this year,” Tolbert adds. “A national title is not out of our reach.”
Though she is a pre-law student at the University of Alabama in Huntsville and spends much of her time in the Rocket City, Flanigan takes much pride in her hometown. Heritage Park, Duck Pond and Karma’s Coffee House are some favorite spots. “It’s crazy to watch how much (Cullman) has grown.”
Flanigan commutes an hour each way to class from Cullman; she had a brief break between the spring semester and summer school but stayed busy with appearances as Miss Alabama USA. She has mastered organization enough that she is still able to fit in workouts at the university’s gym along with her philosophy classes and pageant duties, which include in person and virtual appearances. After graduation in December, she might take a break before attending law school.
Flanigan aspires to practice corporate law, to give a voice to those who do not have one. She will be the first college graduate in her immediate family, and the first attorney. As for law school, Flanigan has visited campuses and is interested in several, including Samford University in Birmingham and Emory University in Atlanta.
Even with the pressures of school and making appearances as Miss Alabama USA, Flanigan has found time to volunteer for a cause she believes in. She is an advocate for clean water through the nonprofit Filter of Hope, a Christian ministry that raises money to get clean water to countries in the Caribbean and Central America. She saw an ad on social media and immediately applied to be an ambassador.
This fall, Flanigan will represent Alabama in the Miss USA pageant. (The winner of Miss USA will compete in the Miss Universe pageant.) The pageant is tentatively planned to take place in November in Tulsa, Okla.
“I am excited to see how this goes,” she says.
About the pageant
The Miss Alabama USA and Miss Alabama Teen USA pageants are official preliminaries to the Miss USA and Miss Teen USA pageants. Contestants are judged in three equal categories: personal interview, swimsuit for the Miss Alabama contestants, and evening gown. There is no performing talent competition, and no previous pageant experience is necessary.
According to the official pageant website, the pageants “are looking for diverse young women who are not only beautiful, but intelligent and willing to share their hearts and minds as ambassadors to our state and nation.” For the winner, her year as a titleholder “is certain to be one full of personal growth and development.”
Alexandria Flanigan on the campus of the University of Alabama at Huntsville, where she will graduate with a philosophy degree in December.
Opening young minds to the natural world
Story and photos by Josh Levesque
How would you react if your kid returned home from school and began babbling about seeing snakes, milking a goat, and jumping off the top of a telephone pole?
Located just an hour north of Birmingham, Camp McDowell’s educational programs have changed 170,000 lives since opening in 1994. Working with both school groups and families, McDowell educators use the property’s forests and farm to teach science, teamwork, and everything else a growing kid needs but may not have access to at home. Beth Dille (pronounced like the pickle), director of the Environmental Center, wants you to see how special the place is with your own eyes, not to take her word for it. “Gosh – just look at our pictures, our videos on our website or come visit us and you will see. We change lives.” The camp’s previous director, who worked with Dille in Texas years before, invited Dille to come to McDowell. She was skeptical.
“She asked me five years ago if I wanted to come work here and bring my son, Lucas, to grow up at an amazing place for kids. I didn’t want to live in the middle of nowhere in Alabama, but I said I would come to visit. As soon as I got here, I immediately fell in love with it and ended up taking the position with such joy. I became the director about a year later when she left for a different position.”
The Camp McDowell property is owned and maintained by the Episcopal Church and was originally developed for summer camp sessions. But over the years it has grown to include the McDowell
Educational Programs, which comprise the Environmental Center, Farm School, Alabama Folk School, and Magnolia Nature preschool. Although summer camp is religious in nature, McDowell’s educational programs are not, and all are welcome. The beautiful scenery on the property – located just south of the Bankhead National Forest – lends itself to teaching about the natural world in a way most families and schools can’t imagine. “We focus on educating students, parents and teachers what it means to be connected to nature and each other. Camp is all about what the world could be like and we strive to do that as well with the educational programs. Many people think that with the family field trips that there is a religious aspect to the weekend, however this is not the case. “Most people think of summer camp when they think of McDowell, but one thing that many people do not realize is that McDowell Educational Programs are nationally recognized and looked up to,” Dille says. “Our staff is made up of people throughout the whole country who found us because the work we do that is seen nationwide.”
Making a difference
One of the most striking things about the McDowell Educational Staff is the wide Scotty Feltman, director of the McDowell Farm School, holds one of the range of skills they need to friendly chickens the children interact with. learn for programs. It’s not uncommon for a staff member to teach a group how to milk a goat in the morning, how to rock climb in the afternoon, and all about constellations in the evening. One of the staff members with the most unique skills is Marika
McDowell Environmental Center students enjoy exploring the creeks and ponds during the Aquatic Adventures class, which focuses on studying animals that live underwater.
Van Brocklin, the animal program manager and outreach coordinator for the Environmental Center. Her job requires her to care for and train all of camp’s animal ambassadors (snakes, turtles, owls, hawks, etc.) and to use them to lead educational programs.
Van Brocklin says her job is “absolutely incredible.”
“Though it is challenging at times working with birds of prey and reptiles, the reward is well worth it. I love getting to educate people about the importance of wildlife native to the state of Alabama, while showing them some of our animal ambassadors up close. I have always wanted to be a voice for those who don’t have one, and I get to fulfill that dream every single day.”
Before COVID-19, McDowell educational programs drew more than 9,000 students every year, primarily through school groups from across the southeast. Directors take a lot of pride in being able to keep prices low and offering scholarships where possible, so not being able to accept the folks they’re used to seeing every year has been difficult.
“Most students have not been able to have any hands-on experiences in class, let alone personally experience the wonder of science in nature. McDowell Educational Programs have gotten students excited about learning through hands-on, inquiry-based outdoor education for decades,” Dille says.
“What we do makes a difference. It works. It changes lives. We want to be able to do that again. We are starting to be able to with schools coming to us and us going to them, but it’s taken a lot of work and struggling to figure out how,” Dille says.
Camp McDowell offers family programs and is beginning to be able to accept schools again. For more information, visit campmcdowell.org.
Marika Van Brocklin, animal programs manager and outreach coordinator, attempts to train a federally permitted black vulture to step onto a scale to be weighed. Black vultures are important for the environment, but should not be kept as pets. This bird now can’t survive in the wild after it was taken out of the wild as a baby.
Bigfoot’s Little Donuts
offers big taste in small bites
By Aaron Tanner
Whether you’re a Bigfoot believer or you shun Sasquatch, if you like sweet treats, Huntsville has just the place for you.
Bigfoot’s Little Donuts serves hot and fresh tiny versions of the sweet breakfast staple. Serving the Huntsville area since 2014, the business is popular with both locals and out-of-towners. The shop has even been featured on the Food Network, thanks to a visit from “Cake Boss” star chef Buddy Valastro.
Inside the store, a giant statue of Bigfoot greets those looking for a sugar fix along with a shelf featuring various Bigfoot-themed items for sale, including hand-crafted coffee mugs, air fresheners, and journals. Past the wall covered with photos of customers – wearing T-shirts and caps with the store’s logo in various vacation spots – is a chalkboard highlighting different homemade donut flavors.
Some of the more popular daily flavors include cinnamon roll, Nutella with strawberry, salted caramel, maple glaze, Fruity Pebbles, banana pudding, and weekly specials such as wedding cake and red velvet. “Right now, we have over 60 donut flavors,” owner Brian Steele says. “Any given day, there are 35 to 40 different flavors on the menu to choose from.”
Ingredients come from different local suppliers, with the dough prepped by employees before and after operating hours and throughout the day. Each dozen donut order cooks in one to two minutes only after the customer orders either in-person or online to ensure a fresh treat. “Our process does increase wait times, but having a good product is worth a few extra minutes,” Steele explains.
Food truck beginnings
The idea for combining Bigfoot with donuts came from a combination of marketing, a movie and fate. While in college, Steele saw a docudrama about Bigfoot sightings around Texarkana, Texas, called “The Legend of Boggy Creek.” “Not the best movie, but it would put you (to sleep),” Steele says. Years later, Steele and his wife were intrigued by a vendor who made cinnamon sugar mini donuts at an event. Though he was working as an Army contractor at Redstone Arsenal, Steele thought he could renovate a food truck, sell mini donuts and make a profit, thanks to his other side job, constructing houses. “My wife and I both thought a food truck with lots of different flavored hot-mini donuts would do well in Huntsville,” Steele says.
After purchasing a food truck and selling donuts during the morning four days a week, Steele bought an additional Airstream trailer to keep up with business growth. He found a Bible with an inscription of the Airstream’s former location of Texarkana, Texas – one of the filming locations of “The Legend of Boggy Creek,” the movie he’d seen years before.
And there’s another Bigfoot-related coincidence that made Steele think they were on the right path. “The actor who played
Bigfoot’s Little Donuts has been a culinary staple in Huntsville since 2014. PHOTO BY GARI-ANN KIA PHOTOGRAPHY; Inset, Bigfoot’s Little Donuts began as a food truck before adding an Airstream trailer to their operations, and eventually moving into a brick-and-mortar location. PHOTO BY LAUREN SANDERSON
donuts. PHOTO BY NATIVE COLOR COMPANY PHOTOGRAPHY; below,Bigfoot’s Little Donuts owner Brian Steele believes not only in the mythical creature, but also putting out a quality product. PHOTO BY LAUREN SANDERSON PHOTOGRAPHY; below left, The most ordered flavor of donut is the cinnamon roll. There are 35 to 40 different flavors to choose
from. PHOTO BY NATIVE COLOR COMPANY PHOTOGRAPHY
Bigfoot in the TV show ‘Harry and the Hendersons’ was named Brian Steele, just like me,” he says.
The donut-making Steele stayed busy, operating a donut shop out of the Airstream (complete with outdoor seating) and using the food truck for special events, all while doing his Army contracting job. “The Airstream was a unique space,” he says. “There were not many walk-in/sit-down food trucks operating in the South at that point.” Business eventually did well enough that Steele quit his government job and focused solely on his passion.
In 2018, Steele opened a permanent location. Testing the waters with a food truck was a fun experiment without the risks involved with operating a physical building. “Food trucks provide a tremendous opportunity to get proof-of-concept without the giant expenditure of a brick-and-mortar location,” Steele says.
Like most businesses, the pandemic greatly affected Bigfoot’s Little Donuts; the shop had to reduce hours and transition to takeout. Steele also cut costs by taking a pay cut so his employees could continue working and cover business-related expenses. “Bigfoot cut his salary 50% while we reduced hours to only high-demand, and cut costs where we could,” he says.
Despite the uncertain economic times, Steele opened a second location in Madison in July 2020, thanks to tremendous customer support and not taking on debt with the new store. “The patrons at both locations are great and have supported us throughout,” he says.
Steady growth, no debt, and a good product have helped Bigfoot’s Little Donuts thrive during challenging times.
Although Steele eventually sold the food truck and trailer, he still enjoys making donuts, getting to know customers in a fun atmosphere, and overseeing many young, enthusiastic workers. “Making donuts is enjoyable, but the best part by far is the connections you make with your customers and employees,” he says.
His long-term goal includes franchising Bigfoot’s Little Donuts locations into new markets. “Once the pandemic subsides, we will push harder towards expansion,” Steele says. “It is our hope that our brand continues to grow.”
Bigfoot’s Little Donuts 7914 Memorial Parkway, SW, Huntsville, AL 35802 256-348-2500 bigfootslittledonuts.com Hours: 6:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday-Wednesday; 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday; closed Sunday-Monday
The stunning sunset views at The Landing add to its appeal. PHOTO COURTESY THE LANDING AT PARKER CREEK
He built it, and they came
Ride a boat (or car) to dine alfresco at popular Lake Martin eatery
By Jennifer Kornegay
There are countless ways to enjoy time at Lake Martin, the massive man-made lake filled with beautiful blue-green waters in east-central Alabama.
Zip around its shimmering surface on a jet ski. Drop a line from the banks or a boat in hopes of landing a big bass. Paddle a kayak into quiet inlets to explore the tree-lined shores. Sit back on a pontoon boat and take a tour of house-envy-inducing lake homes. Or simply relax on a raft and float the day away. Whatever you do — active or not — water works up an appetite, so you’ll need to eat.
Meeting that need hasn’t always been easy if you want to dine at a restaurant. Compared to the size of the lake, there still aren’t that many around, and a few years ago, that was even more true if you were on the far west side of the lake. That’s the dilemma that faced Herb Winches, owner of The Landing at Parker Creek, an all-alfresco eatery and bar cozied up to the water in Equality, right beside Parker Creek Marina.
At the time he had the idea for The Landing, Winches was facing — literally — something else, too. “I was at my lake house and was standing on the porch late one afternoon, looking at this stunning view of the water across a nice flat and empty piece of property adjacent to mine. I thought a restaurant would be great right there,” he says.
Winches was also weary of navigating across the lake to eat out. And while the retired sportscaster from Birmingham was done with the broadcasting life, he wasn’t really ready to completely slow down. “So, I thought, I’ll open a spot here on this great property,” he says. He took full advantage of the waterfront locale, adding a roped-off swimming area for kids, plenty of boat slips for parking and decided to forgo walls and opt instead for tables on a series of covered decks, as well as some seating set in the soft grass under towering pines. The kitchen and other areas
Beef filet sliders topped with melty cheese and fried onion strings always hit the spot.
PHOTOS BY JENNIFER KORNEGAY
A frosty bushwacker is a can’t-miss treat at The Landing, especially on a hot day.
Herb Winches, owner of The Landing, can often be found mixing and mingling with his guests The Mahi sandwich at The Landing is one of the most popular menu items.
PHOTOS BY JENNIFER KORNEGAY
that needed to be enclosed are housed in shipping containers.
Winches had no idea exactly what to expect, but it was a classic “build it and they will come” scenario. And come they did.
In late spring 2015, The Landing welcomed its first guests. And they weren’t all “local.” Plenty of the diners that first year had charted a course from every nook and cranny of the lake in a trend that continues today. “People have to pass other places to get here, but they do,” Winches says.
Boats (and even some cars) come from all over, ferrying folks who land at The Landing happy to have their hair ruffled by constant breezes blowing off the water and ready to sate their rumbling tummies with the casual, yet elevated, cuisine served during lunch and dinner hours Thursday through Sunday, from mid-April through Labor Day. Diverse items like shrimp tacos, beef filet sliders and a spiced-just-right mahi sandwich with slaw are popular. And daily specials, like lobster tacos, often sell out.
It’s a family friendly spot, with ample space for kids to run and yell and splash in the shallows without bothering a soul. It’s got some grown-up treats, too. The bar’s chocolate-heavy version of a “beach cocktail,” the bushwhacker, is a must-try.
At night, dinner specials range from meltingly tender beef short ribs with mushroom-truffle risotto to halibut stuffed with sweet crab meat, enhanced with lemon-butter-caper sauce.
Chef Torrey Hall, who originally hails from Hawaii, provides the lift underneath these dishes as well as The Landing’s more upscale versions of standard sandwiches, burgers and salads. Winches profusely praises his work. “His red snapper is as good as you’ll get anywhere,” he says.
He touts the rest of his staff too, knowing they’re the key to the fast, friendly service that keeps crowds coming back, even when there’s a line at the walk-up ordering counter that’s 40 people deep. “It’s very important that once guests place their order, they get served fast, and my team makes that happen,” he says. “My wonderful staff is key to our success.”
As Winches has no restaurant experience and since his “retired” designation implied he should be relaxing, that success came as a bit of surprise to some quite close to him. “When I first told her my idea, my wife thought I was crazy. She doesn’t think that anymore,” he laughs. “Now she’s the business manager.”
Even the pandemic didn’t slow The Landing down. Thanks to its open-air concept and good safety protocols, many people felt safe dining there. In 2020, sales were up 35 percent over 2019, and that had been a record year. “There were so many more people at the lake,” Winches says. “A lot of them were working remotely and just stayed here the whole summer.”
Indeed, on any given Saturday or Sunday during the “season,” The Landing is packed. Winches loves to mix and mingle, chatting up diners like old friends. And many now are; the restaurant boasts a good group of repeat guests. “I enjoy socializing with guests so much,” he says. “I joke and call myself a ‘Walmart greeter.’”
While the food and service get rave reviews, they’re not the main attractions here. If you’re lucky enough to find yourself at The Landing during a summer sunset, when the sky’s layers of cotton-candy pink bleeding into fiery orange are mirrored on the water, you’ll see what Winches saw, and start to understand how something as simple as a lovely view could spark such a delicious idea. “I really wanted to showcase the lake and invite others to enjoy this spot too,” he says.
The Landing at Parker Creek
8300 Parker Creek Marina Road, Equality Hours: Thursday, 4 p.m.-8 p.m. Friday & Saturday, 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. 204-410-6091 thelandingatparkercreek.com
Equality Offering all-alfresco dining cozied right up to the shores of Lake Martin, The Landing is a favorite stop for folks enjoying the lake.
PHOTO COURTESY LAKE MARTIN TOURISM ASSOCIATION
SOCIAL SECURITY
Happy birthday, Medicare! What happens when you turn 65
This July marks the 56th anniversary of Medicare. Did you know you can apply for Medicare online even if you are not ready to start your retirement benefits? Applying online can take less than 10 minutes. There are no forms to sign and we usually require no additional documentation. We’ll process your application and contact you if we need more information.
Knowing when to apply for Medicare is very important. You have a limited initial enrollment period to apply. If you miss the initial enrollment period, you may have to pay a higher monthly premium. If you’re eligible for Medicare at age 65, your initial enrollment period begins three months before your 65th birthday and ends three months after that birthday. Visit ssa.gov/benefits/medicare to apply for Medicare and find other important information.
Some Medicare beneficiaries may qualify for Extra Help with their Medicare prescription drug plan costs. To qualify for Extra Help, a person must be receiving Medicare, have limited resources and income, and reside in one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia. Read our publication Understanding the Extra Help With Your Medicare Prescription Drug Plan for more information at ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10508.pdf.
Kylle’ McKinney, SSA Public Affairs Specialist, can be reached by email at kylle.mckinney@ssa.gov.
The official Medicare website at Medicare.gov offers many online services where you can find answers to these questions: • What does Medicare cover? medicare.gov/what-medicare-
covers
• Where do I find forms for filing a Medicare appeal? medicare.
gov/claims-appeals/how-do-i-file-an-appeal
• How can I let someone speak with Medicare on my behalf?
medicare.gov/claims-appeals/file-an-appeal/can-someone-file-an-appeal-for-me
• What do Medicare health and prescription drug plans in my area cost, and what services do they offer? medicare.gov/
plan-compare
• Which doctors, health care providers, and suppliers participate in Medicare? medicare.gov/forms-help-resources/
find-compare-doctors-hospitals-other-providers
• Where can I find out more about a Medicare prescription drug plan (Part D) and enroll? medicare.gov/drug-
coverage-part-d/how-to-get-prescription-drug-coverage
• Where can I find a Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policy in my area? medicare.gov/medigap-
supplemental-insurance-plans
Please share these helpful resources with friends and family today.
July Crossword by Myles Mellor
Across 1 It’s celebrated on July 4th 8 Land of opportunity 9 It has 7 articles 11 Navy ship title 12 Revered celebrities 14 Last word in “America the Beautiful” 15 Trail 16 One of the most important parts of American life 19 One of the colors in the flag 20 “O say, can you see the dawn’s early light” and
“’Cause the flag still stands for freedom,” for example 21 “____ Home, Alabama” 22 Trucker’s radio 24 The Stars and Stripes, 2 words 26 The “Red, White and Blue” 28 Household chore 29 U.S. patriot, general and hero Down 1 Allow into a group 2 Desert sights 3 NASCAR bend 4 Devoted to one’s country 5 “One __, Under God....” 6 Have some 7 Fries on a grill, e.g. 10 Alamo defender, ____ Crockett 13 Emblems on the US flag 15 Holiday celebrations 17 Cat sound 18 What we all strive to attain 20 Zodiac sign 22 Mountain goat’s perch 23 Beside 25 Hawaiian wreath 26 Good times 27 Had a hot dog, say 28 Gala
