PrimeTime - July 2017

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Extraordinary Seniors • Trip on the Honor flight • Red Hat Ladies • In the fast lane

plus . . . What the grandkids are watching the summer

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extraorinary seniors

July 2017 1944 Warwick Ave. Warwick, RI 02889 401-732-3100 FAX 401-732-3110 Distribution Special Delivery

PUBLISHERS Barry W. Fain, Richard G. Fleischer, John Howell MARKETING DIRECTOR Donna Zarrella donnaz@rhodybeat.com Editor / Creative Linda Nadeau lindan@rhodybeat.com WRITERS / CONTRIBUTORS Michael Cerio, John Howell, Tessa Roy, Don Fowler, Elaine M. Decker, Meg Chevalier, Danielle Zarrella, Larry Grimaldi, Mike Fink, Rhonda Taddie, Susan Reardon Dawn Anderson, Evan Nadeau PRODUCTION Brian Geary, Lisa Bourque Yuettner ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES Donna Zarrella – donnaz@rhodybeat.com Bob Giberti, Lisa Mardenli, Janice Torilli, Suzanne Wendoloski Classified ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE Sue Howarth – sueh@rhodybeat.com A Joint Publication of East Side Monthly and Beacon Communications.

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A Day To Remember

The Honor Flight to Washington

A True Hero

Larry Grimaldi...............................................12 That’s Entertainment...............................15 What Do You Fink......................................16

with F. Harriet Dever

Love, Laugh & Be Happy

11 Fastlane

Professional Perspective Your Taxes.......................................................16

At 87, Nixon has no plans to slow down

17 It’s Summertime Again

What’s happening at Rocky Point

PrimeTime Magazine is published monthly and is available at over 400 locations throughout Rhode Island. Letters to the editor are welcome. We will not print unsigned letters unless exceptional circumstances can be shown.

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Retirement Sparks.....................................13 Help Me Rhonda........................................14 Alzherimer’s Association.......................16

LIFESTYLES

Keeping Up

10 Red Hats

Senior issues

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What your grandkids (and you) will be watching this summer

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Extraordinary seniors b y danielle zarrella

A Genuine Hero

On June 3 my grandfather, Gil Botelho, a Korean War Veteran, participated in the 16th Honor Flight organized by the Rhode Island Association of Fire Chiefs.

Dozens of veterans from the Korean War and WWII gathered at TF Green Airport early in the morning and settled into the wheelchairs provided for them. They were escorted by their guardians who pushed them, giving the veterans the opportunity to enjoy their day trip to Washington, D.C. without getting achy and fatigued from walking.

My brother, Dave Zarrella, accompanied our grandfather as his guardian on the trip and they shared a once-in-a-lifetime experience that neither of them will ever forget. My grandfather described this trip as “one of the best days of [his] life.”

He is a remarkably admirable man who deserves to be celebrated in this same way every day.

He was awarded the Purple Heart for being wounded in action during the Korean War, but this is just part of what makes him an exceptional human being.

My grandfather was also a volunteer firefighter in Johnston and recently received a citation for his work with the local fire station. His involvement with their senior center, the Disabled American Veterans, and the Korean War Veterans Association has also earned him multiple acknowledgements for his exceptional work in the community.

Grandpa is more than the sum of his medals and accolades, he is a family man who built a wonderful life for himself, his wife, his children, and his grandchildren.

Listening to stories told by my grandmother about when they were first married and he worked as an electrician for Trifari and hearing anecdotes from my mom about when she and my aunt were kids has really brought light to the life of the man who would later become “Grandpa” to me, my brother, and my cousins.

My grandmother told us numerous tales of the early years of Ann and Gil. “He would come across these parts that he could use for electrical work. He didn’t need them, but he’d buy them just to have them on-hand, and when he’d be doing work for someone he’d say ‘oh, I have that part already,’ and he wouldn’t charge them, and I’d think, ya know, Gil, you did pay for that at some point, but he would just give it away because that’s the kind of person he is, he wanted to help people out.”

He’s always willing to lend a hand to someone in need and he will go above and beyond to ensure he has helped his friends, family, neighbors, and even strangers, to the best of his capabilities.

When we were kids playing with my cousins Corey and Ryan in Grandma and Grandpa’s back yard in Johnston, the garage was always the “home base” for all of our shenanigans. I remember looking around at Grandpa’s old tools, his collection of golf | PrimeTime

balls neatly packed in egg cartons, and his cleverly organized nuts, bolts, and screws in jars with the lid affixed to the bottom of the shelf above for easy access and neat storage. I would marvel at the small hand tools and pieces of equipment that I didn’t recognize, because they were essentially obsolete at the time, replaced by more efficient power tools. Grandpa would show us how they worked and would sometimes need to tell us what they were used for.

We thought, for example, that it was just “the red and silver spinny thing” until he explained that it was actually an old hand drill. Some of these same tools now have a place in my home either on display or stored safely with other family heirlooms that hold a special value to me.

As my grandmother has said before when mentioning some stuff that my grandfather had set aside for me, “Grandpa knows you like old stuff.”

A few years ago, my mom’s fence in her backyard was damaged to the point where it needed to have some pickets reattached.

My grandparents came over and Grandpa went out to the yard with some screws and a drill (he went with a power drill despite the endearing nostalgia of the red and silver spinny thing). After a while, he came in and asked me to come outside to help him because he had dropped a screw and he was having trouble finding it in the grass.

I went outside and found the screw after some searching and handed it to him.

He has some trouble seeing in his advanced age and his hands aren’t as steady as they used to be, but, like Grandma said, he just wants to help people out. I saw that he was struggling a bit with the drill and holding the screws so I helped him and screwed in the last picket. It was a short moment but it was a sweet one to me because it was a moment we shared, even if only for a few fleeting minutes.

I remember sitting in the backseat of his Cadillac and listening to fifties music on B101, back when it was an oldies station.

My grandparents have an adorable habit of kissing each when they enter or exit the car. Every car ride with them began and ended with a sweet display of love that, to this day when I think about it, makes me light up with contentment. The love and respect that he shows my grandmother has always been inspiring and has served as a model throughout my life of what true love really is.

I am extremely fortunate to still have my grandfather in my life and I continue to learn from his relentless hope and his kind spirit each time I’m in his company.

He’s not just a veteran, or a Purple Heart recipient, or a generous friend and neighbor, he’s a genuine hero in every sense of the word. He served his country, his community, and his family exceptionally and he deserves cheers and fanfare every day of his life.

Honor Flight to Remember b y J o hn h o well

WWII veteran Donald Larkin was thrilled to meet WWII veteran and former Senator Robert Dole during the Honor Flight.

N

ineteen World War II veterans and another 29 from the Korean War were welcomed home for a second time this past June.

This time people they don’t know were cheering, waving flags and running up to shake their hands, take their picture and thank them for their service. That was a first for most. There was more to it than that. There was a bagpiper and drum corps to greet them at Green Airport and a full day of visiting the World War II, Korean and Vietnam War memorials in Washington, DC as well at Arlington National Cemetery. Throughout there was a guardian at their side to help them in and out of a wheelchair if they needed it and there to guide them so they could make a “pit stop” at the next restroom.

The entire experience was free for them.

June 3 was the 16th Honor Flight run

by the Rhode Island Association of Fire Chiefs since retired Providence Chief George Farrell saw an Honor Flight in Washington and witnessed the reaction of veterans and people around him. That was in 2010 and at a following association board meeting he told the group “we’ve got to do this.”

George hasn’t slowed down since then nor have a core group that have got the flight down to a science even to the point of retaining National Park Police to make certain flights run like clockwork. The police, I was told have jurisdiction in Maryland, DC and Virginia and they use it to cut through gridlock. Flight organizers call it “the parting of the Red Sea,” and, indeed, motorists moved over, or if traffic was at a standstill drove off the road to the arm waving of a park policemen riding a motorcycle, lights flashing July 2017

Extraordinary seniors

Veterans viewed the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Korean War Veteran Gil Botelho and grandson and honor flight guardian Dave Zarrella.

Korean War veteran Doug Gamage, who traveled on the June 3 Honor Flight, talks with Joseph Coffey and his son, Ethan.

Coffey will be Gamage’s guardian during the trip to Washington. Ethan has made telling veteran’s stories the subject of his Eagle community service project.

Korean War veteran and Warwick resident Giovanni Migliaccio was delighted to get mail during mail call that was delivered with a kiss from Julie Latessa.

Veterans (all in red) take in ceremonies observing the 74th anniversary of the Battle of Midway at the WWII Memorial. and siren blaring. It made everyone feel special, particularly as stopped motorists craned to get a glimpse of these “important” people.

The feeling that someone cares, even if they were stateside during the war and never in danger, is such a big part of Honor Flight.

I found that the case interviewing veterans and guardians during prior flights as they staged at the Warwick fire station next to Ann & Hope to be escorted to the airport. Veterans told me stories that, in many cases, their guardians and even July 2017

their families had never heard. Here I was, a total stranger, gleaning information kept silent all these years.

It’s not extraordinary to Wayne Moore, who has been on all but one of the Rhode Island Honor Flights. Wayne and I sat together on the Southwest flights to and from BWI Airport. Wayne said guardians recount that family members are totally surprised to find dad, or it may be grandpa, pull out a box of photographs and letters they have never seen or hear a story for a first time.

Honor Flight –Page 8

Korean War veteran Rep. Samuel Azzinaro takes a rubbing of the name from the Vietnam War Memorial that he promised for a friend.

(PHOTOS BY JOHN HOWELL) PrimeTime |

b y michael ceri o

Keeping Up with

F. Harriett Dever More than seven decades ago, as a student at Gilbert Stuart School, F. Harriett Dever penned a paper about what she wanted to be when she grew up—a Girl Scout counselor. Having already been involved with Girls Scouts for most of her young life at the time, the bright-eyed girl was particularly struck by the scouts’ motto, “Do a good turn daily.”

“I guess you could say I really took that motto to heart,” says Dever, who has since made a lifetime of volunteering, with no signs of slowing down.

Over a cup of coffee and a delicious breakfast sandwich, Harriett told me how she is “original equipment” to Park View Middle School in Cranston, where she was the school’s first secretary when it opened in 1954. Though she retired in 2003, she’s remained a familiar face at the school, regularly attending special events—she had a front row seat for this year’s Memorial Day celebration—including band and chorus concerts and her favorite, the TNT (Top Notch Talent) show. The most recent TNT was its 22nd.

“I haven’t missed many; I can tell you that,” she says with a proud smile. “I used to sell tickets and work the door, but now I just go to enjoy it.”

At Park View, among her many office responsibilities over the years, Dever handled school registration. It offered her the chance to get to know students and families as they first joined the Park View family. As the years passed, each and every family that went through Park View became part of Harriett’s extended family.

“You get to know so many people; I’ve seen generations of families go through the school—the grandchildren of the students who were there when I was secretary,”

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Nursing Center Gives New Meaning to ‘Senior’ Prom The hope and excitement of prom night aren’t just experienced by high schoolers. About 60 senior citizens shared those same emotions at a free prom at the West Warwick Senior Center on May 18 sponsored by West View Nursing & Rehabilitation Center.

The night – complete with corsages, portraits, and dancing to tunes by Moonlighter’s Big Band – was open to all area seniors but the impetus behind the event was to give those who had missed their high school proms – due to military service, work or family commitments – a chance to attend the special event in their lifetime.

“We visit the senior center once a month to celebrate members’ birthdays and treat them to lunch and cake, and learned through our conversations that many of them had never been to prom,” explained Janice Caianiello, Public Information Officer at West View. “So we thought they deserved one.” With that, preparations got underway for the perfect prom experience.

The night of the prom, West View transformed the center. Each linentopped table was adorned with flowers, the chandeliers were decorated, and culinary students from the Regional Career & Technical Center at Coventry High School served a delicious buffet dinner. | PrimeTime

For eighty-two year-old Claire Rapose, the event was her first prom. “I quit school after the ninth grade so never had the chance to attend a prom,” said Rapose, who later received her GED. Rapose wore a fancy dress for the occasion, one she originally bought for her granddaughter’s rehearsal dinner. She also had her nails done a few days before the event at the West Warwick Senior Center, courtesy of cosmetology students from the Regional Career & Technical Center at Coventry High School.

The pampering wasn’t the only special treatment the seniors received. “Everything was perfect,” said Rapose. “I had a wonderful time and it’s a night I’m really going to remember.”

And that was the hope. As Rapose pointed out, many of the senior center’s members don’t have a lot of opportunity to get out and enjoy themselves.

“We really wanted to make these seniors feel special and important,” said West View’s Caianiello. “And they did. Everyone was so happy. And since the event meant something to them, it means everything to us.”

For Senior Center member Lorraine Lee, it meant a chance to finally attend a prom. As a teenager, Lee was the only one of her friends that was never asked to go. This time, she didn’t have to worry

Robert and Sue Bessette enjoy the special night out. about an invitation; she brought a date.

“I’m happy to say that I finally went to my first prom in 2017,” said Lee. And it lived up to all of her expectations.

“People told me I looked beautiful,” said Lee, who bought a new dress, shoes and handbag for the event. “I had a really great time.”

The senior center staff couldn’t have been more pleased to see their members’ reactions. “Everyone was so excited,” said JoAnn Reilly, Administrative Manager at the center. “They may be seniors but they were giddy and smiling, just like teenagers.”

And like high schoolers finishing up their education, the prom signaled

George & Rosalie Park pose for their prom portrait

the end of a chapter for some of these seniors as well. “I think it represented a chance for many of them to finish off something,” added Reilly.

As for the staff at Westview Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, the prom signified a new beginning. Plans for next year’s prom are already in the works.

July 2017

Extraordinary seniors

she says. “My heart will always be at Park View. I really enjoyed what I did every day and have great memories.”

Before her time at Park View, Harriett began her career doing secretary work at the Briggs Building in 1942, back when Cranston High School East would hold classes there. Being that her position was strictly during the school year (her work at Park View was year-round), Dever was able to realize her childhood dream of becoming a Girl Scout counselor during the summers.

Having participated in the scouts’ day camp as a child, Dever was eager to be a part of creating memories for the day’s younger girls while helping to instill the values that define the Girl Scouts. In essence, she was passing along the same support her parents showed her.

“My parents were always very involved in all of my activities, and I think that rubbed off on me,” she says. “And as I got older, we were able to do these things together.”

From a counselor-in-training to a counselor, and later as president of the Girl Scouts’ Leaders Association, Dever’s involvement and commitment has touched the lives of near countless young women. One of her fondest memories is taking her troop to both St. Elizabeth Home and St. Joseph Hospital to sing to

July 2017

people during the holiday season.

If there was local Girl Scouts honor roll, Harriett would be at the top of the list. Still active with what is now known as the Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England, Dever was recently invited to attend a special ceremony to recognize young women making a difference in their community. It was there that she had the opportunity to pin her original Girl Scout pin on the sash of the 10-yearold granddaughter of one of her closest friends.

“The Girl Scouts were, and still are, a big part of my life,” she says. “Passing along that pin was such an honor.”

And, in case you were wondering, Harriett still looks forward to buying Girl Scout Cookies each year. While “they cost a bit more than they used to,” the Thin Mints will always be her favorite, because “they’re great if you freeze them for a little while.”

As impressive as Dever’s longtime relationships with Park View Middle School and the Girl Scouts are, it barely scratches the surface of everything the lifelong Rhode Islander remains involved with.

Before our breakfast rendezvous, Harriett had just finished her volunteer shift at the thrift store at the Church of the Configuration on Broad Street, just

a few blocks from the home she’s lived in for nearly 65-years.

She’s been volunteering there twice a week for five years, keeping the shelves stocked and neatly organized, and helping folks who come in for gently-used clothes. Everything in the store is priced at just a quarter. And in true Rhode Island fashion, at the church’s neighboring food pantry, Dever often sees a familiar face—a woman who was once in her Girl Scout troop and now volunteers at the pantry.

“Volunteering has always come naturally to me,” says Dever. “I’ve never wanted credit or recognition; I’m just grateful for the opportunities I have to help—if I wasn’t helping out, what would I do all day?”

The more you talk with Harriett, the more you realize just how much she delivers on her promise to help her community. Along with her weekly commitment to her church’s thrift store, Dever can also be found twice a week at the Knight Library in Providence, where she assists with tallying the results of the Friendship Fund—a fundraising program the library has in partnership with Eastside Marketplace.

When she’s not volunteering at one of her regular spots, Harriett fills in the

gaps by helping a number of other organizations during events that may be held once or twice a year.

There’s her involvement with the Friends of the Warwick Animal Shelter, the Special Olympics’ Golf Tournament, Meeting Street’s annual telethon, and RI PBS’ fundraising drives. Recently, Dever further expanded her reach, helping out to greet visitors to the Alex and Ani Farmyard at Roger Williams Park Zoo. And, each year around Thanksgiving and Christmas, you can find Harriett at the Cranston Senior Center, helping to fill bags with food and other items for homebound seniors who may be alone for the holidays.

“I feel blessed to be able to do these things,” she says.

Asked what keeps her going, and Harriett doesn’t hesitate.

“Hopefully, I’ve made a difference in my own little way—so much of volunteering is about friendship and support,” she says. “As long as I am useful and able, I’m going to keep going. Volunteers are always needed and I think everyone can find something they enjoy to get involved with.”

PrimeTime |

■ HONOR FLIGHT My father, who served in Burma and China behind enemy lines during World War II, was like that. He refrained from talking about the experience until much later in life. I thought it was a holdover from the war and the discipline not to share information. The admonition “loose lips sink ships” comes to mind.

That may be part of it, but after talking to many veterans on this trip, I think the greater part of it is what former senator and World War II veteran Robert Dole said at the observance of the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Midway. Selfies Thanks to the Park Police we arrived at the World War II Memorial in time to hear Dole speak. He told a story of finding a stick-like device and inquiring of younger family members what it was used for. The answer was that it takes “selfies.” Selfies are foreign to the generation that fought World War II, he said. Their first thought was the country. Dole said 16.5 million Americans fought in the war of which only 500,000 are still living. They are dying at the rate of 1,000 a day.

“They were the greatest because of their willingness to sacrifice for their country,” Dole said.

That has been a motivator for Farrell, who is looking to get as many veterans to Washington before it is too late. Since taking the lead for Rhode Island, more than 400 veterans have taken an Honor Flight. With the numbers of WWII vets declining, Honor Flight is turning to Korean War vets. In some special circumstances, such as terminal illness, Vietnam vets have also made the flight.

Farrell and other key leaders including Steve Hay, Rick and Holly Susi, Ken Finlay and Julie Latessa were talking dates for the 17th flight in the fall.

They are also planning for the first major Honor Flight fundraiser. Up until this point they have depended largely on corporate and organizational sponsorship. Some of the financing has come as friends and family members of veterans have learned of the experience and mount an effort to raise the $25,000 to $35,000 it takes to send 25 to 50 veterans on a flight. Guardians pay their own way. Ocean State Job Lot, with the help of customer donations, sponsored more than one flight and has helped with supplies. Also as a result of connections to a veteran who went on a flight, Moore said the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers learned of what they were doing and came forward with $10,000. Since that first donation, the Electrical Workers has raised at least $40,000 more.

Veteran recruiting efforts have likewise brought in contributions. After Farrell visited Brookdale West Bay to talk about the flight, personnel at the assisted living facility mounted a campaign to buy wheelchairs. Word spread and Centreville Bank stepped up with a major contribution to make it happen.

Centreville was also the major sponsor of the June 3 flight.

Farrell and the team have the flight down to a well-timed and smooth-operating event to the point of anticipating | PrimeTime

needs and emergencies. On the flight down, WWII Army veteran John Lynch, who was in the second wave to reach the beaches of Normandy, stood to bump his head on the overhead compartment.

It opened a sore and there was some bleeding. In moments Timothy Walsh, who with Joseph Glaude serve as medics on the flights, was there with a bag of medical supplies. He assessed the situation with Lynch insisting he’d be fine.

After a welcome from members of the military and the spontaneous cheering and applause of people at BWI, followed by a “pit stop” where guardians wheeled veterans – many also walked – to the buses where the chairs had to be folded and stowed. Time for a snack Once on the road, Rick Susi took the microphone to outline the day’s activities.

As he finished, his wife Holly inquired whether it was time for a snack break.

“We’re all about food,” said Rick as Holly got out the boxes of bagged cookies and crackers. Bottles of cold water were passed around.

Holly also videoed scenes from the trip, posting them on the Honor Flight website where they were picked up by TV stations in Rhode Island. Likewise providing updates to family members, guardians texted and sent photos. The vets recorded the moment, some using their phones, but many with disposable film cameras. Capitol TV also accompanied this flight and will be broadcasting interviews and a story.

While the trip was about visiting war monuments and reflecting and telling of experiences, it was also about the moment and today. For WWII veteran Don Larkin, a highlight was talking with Dole and as brief as it was, sharing words about where they served and where their lives after the war had taken them. Dole was a magnet, and soon after talking with Larkin vets gathered around him to have their photos taken.

Every veteran I spoke with had stories from their service. Yet the day was also about making memories. One of those moments for me was following Korean War veterans Alan Hopenberg and his guardian Julie Latessa to see the “Kilroy Was Here” etching in one of the granite stones of the WWII memorial.

Julie lined Alan up for a picture.

“I didn’t know you had teeth, you don’t smile much,” she said.

“I have two or three of them,” he replied.

“Wooden ones, like George Washington?”

“Yes,” replied Alan, “the same dentist.”

Julie had the group in hysterics after dinner when there’s mail call. A lot of effort goes into mail call. Photographs from when the veteran served – such as that of Korean War veteran Donald Conlon painting the name of a pilot’s sweetheart on the fuselage of a bomber – along with letters written by family, friends and, in some cases, guardians go into the pouches. Wearing a blue polka-dotted dress, her hair done up with a red flower and wearing red shoes, Julie delivered the mail, running between tables exclaiming, “I know you’re out there, don’t you hide from me.” She’d find her vet, give him a hug and a smack on the cheek that left the imprint of the lipstick she refreshed between runs. The frivolity continued 2017 when she got some of the vets toJuly dance.

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Extraordinary seniors

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Rhody Red Hatters motto:

‘Love, Laugh & Be Happy’ After retiring from a 32-year career with the United States Air Force Reserves, Senior Master Sergeant and Oakland Beach resident Mary Kinsey was looking for fun ways to stay active. During an Internet search, she discovered one of Rhode Island’s Red Hat Society groups, the Rhody Red Hatters.

It’s a circle of women who get together for the sole purpose of having fun. The group’s motto is ‘Love, Laugh, and Be Happy,’ and upon Rhody Red Hatter Ellen Conlon and joining in 2004 and becoming Queen Queen Mary Kinsey in 2005, Mary has made it a priority to help everyone forget their worries and enjoy the advantages of gathering with friends. For her, the goal of the Red Hats is “Just to have F-U-N - it’s all in your hattitude,” she says. She plans four to six monthly activities for the 50-member group. Included is a weekly Tuesday luncheon at her house, except for the first Tuesday, where the group meets at a restaurant. So far, the upcoming events in the summer include the Newport Flower Show, Massage Day, Paint Nite, Hawaiian Luau, a Boston train ride, and the Providence to Newport Ferry.

It would be hard to miss the Rhody Red Hatters on an outing. The women Debra Hockenhull of Warwick at Paint over 50 wear red hats and a purple top, Nite, her first Red Hat event. while women under 50 wear pink hats

Playgroup for Women: Rhode Red Hatters enjoy lunch together. (submitted photos) 10 | PrimeTime

and a lavender top.

Those celebrating a birthday can be seen sporting a purple hat. The group includes women of all ages from various cities and towns across the state.

“People who join are meek and mild at first; they’re bored. It helps them come out of their shell ‘cause I make it lively and they like that,” says Mary, speaking of the benefits of the fun and camaraderie the Red Hats offers. While the main goal is just getting together with other women to have fun, many friendships and an unending support system are also ultimately formed.

After working for 44 years at the same location, Debra A. Hockenhull joined the Rhody Red Hatters upon retirement and hasn’t looked back.

“I didn’t want to be a couch potato. I was too young,” she says, adding, “Now it was my time to have fun.” After an Internet search, she found the group and immediately joined after being impressed with the amount and variety of events.

“What I loved in the very beginning was the way Mary contacted me and was so enthusiastic regarding joining her group. I also loved the events and

Rhody Red Hatter Queen Mary Kinsey getting ready for some fun

the energy that Mary has. She has so many different ones planned and she amazes me all the time with them, even after all these years as Queen. She loves her group and loves planning trips and events. All I know is that I picked the best group in Rhode Island.”

The Red Hat Society describes itself as ‘a playgroup for women created to connect likeminded women, make new friends, and enrich lives through the power of fun and friendship.’ It started in 1997 by Sue Ellen Cooper who was inspired by the poem ‘Warning,’ which begins with ‘When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple with a red hat that doesn’t go and doesn’t suit me.’ She purchased a red hat as a gift for a friend nearing 50 to encourage her to ‘grow old in a playful manner and on her own terms.’ Soon it caught on and women everywhere were wearing red hats celebrating their trek into middle age - hence the beginning of the Red Hat Society. Within five years, over 40,000 chapters were available worldwide. There is a plethora of Red Hat merchandise online, as well as the hit musical Hats, which began in 2006 and is still played today.

There are also books, cookbooks, and numerous articles online highlighting the establishment.

Yearly dues are $2, and if you would like more information on the Rhody Red Hatters, call or email Queen Mary at 401-527-3202 or mkinsey106@aol. com or visit Rhody Red Hatters on Facebook. You can also check out their website at www.orgsites. com/ri/rhody-red-hatters. Feel free to visit them at their July 5 luncheon at noontime at the Treehouse Tavern and Bistro, 1094 Centerville Rd., Warwick.

July 2017

Extraordinary seniors

b y j o hn h o well

At 87, Nixon keeps speeding in fast lane Life started getting faster for Bill Nixon when he turned 55. And since then he’s been going faster and faster. Now he’s the fastest 87-year-old on skis, a title he’s held as the national champion for the past three years.

Bill, whose neighbors know him for his love of cars and the congenial host of post July 4 parade festivities on his yard overlooking Greenwich Bay, does a lot of skiing on the mountains of New Hampshire.

For him the sport is not a matter of sliding down hill but rather maximizing one’s speed to get to the bottom.

It hasn’t always been that way, he said in a recent interview. Bill pulled out a copy of the Jan. 16 1992 edition of The MountainEar featuring his picture on the cover. Nixon was fast then, too.

“NASTAR’s Nixon is fast on the slopes,” reads the headline to a story relating how he was the country’s second fastest NASTAR skier in his age group. At that time, he was a relative newcomer to racing, although he had been skiing for years.

A friend, Tom Paine, suggested he try racing. Bill told him he’d give it a try when he turned 55. He was a natural, winning his first NASTAR gold medal on his third race and piling up hundreds more since then.

He estimates he’s won 300 gold medals.

Why does he do it, especially at 87 when many of his peers have difficulty walking around no less flying down a mountain?

“I guess it’s the competitiveness, the challenge. It really measures your ability,” he said. The key to speed, he said, is not to slide. Sliding in the turns kills speed and, naturally, that adds time to the run.

Not all his runs are perfectly executed. Bill has suffered a concussion, broken ribs and a broken nose plus too many bruises and cuts to remember.

His life on skies started when he was 30. When he got into racing at 55 he took some lessons and watched videos. His passion was made all the more affordable when he became a stockholder at Attitash in 1970. That enabled him to purchase a lifetime pass for $1,000, a price his friends found outrageous, as day passes at the time were $8. Those friends aren’t laughing now, but then they aren’t on the mountain either.

“A lot are either dead or don’t ski anymore,” Bill said.

That’s not to say Bill is a loner. He’s most likely by himself on a descent. But Bill is gregarious and guaranteed by the time the lift closes for the day he’s met and befriended many on the mountain.

So how do you get to be the best in the country in a certain age group? Where’s the big race?

Bill laughs.

There isn’t a single race day or location, but instead countless self-directed races. He explains there are about 100 mountains with NASTAR courses that are of the same length with identical decline and gate configuration. Competitors can race the course as many times as they choose, using their three best times for their cumulative score. This past winter Bill estimates he raced 35 times.

It has always been an easy ride, although Bill is trim and healthy. About seven years ago his doctors detected a heart problem and he underwent openheart surgery.

“I was lucky,” he says.

Bill doesn’t know the number of competitors he faces in his age group from across the world. He doesn’t doubt that the ranks are thinning, suggesting that one is never too old to start racing.

“It’s a lot easier to get a gold at my age than 20 years younger,” he says.

Good reason to start now, although catching Bill may be impossible.

Bill Nixon, who started ski racing at 55 years old and has won more than 300 gold medals, holds the title for the fastest NASTAR skier in his age division. He’s 87.

He says the secret to speed is not to slide down hill.

July 2017

PrimeTime | 11

b y L arry G rimaldi

The New York Yankees hosted their 71st annual Old Timers Day on June 25.

This tradition, first held in 1947, brings out retired Yankee players, coaches, and managers to the Yankee Stadium. Old Timers Day gives these former Yankees a chance to share stories about their careers and the team’s rich history. While my memories of Old Timers Day are tucked in my baseball mind, you should know the origins of my rooting interests.

Following the leanings of my father and uncles, I was a Red Sox fan. In 1960, I was 11 who had become increasingly disheartened by the bumbling Red Sox, so I committed the ultimate act of treason-I became a Yankee fan.

All that summer, I strained to listen to the scratchy signals of Yankee broadcasts to follow my newly adopted team. It was particularly funny to listen to former Yankee shortstop “The Scooter” Phil Rizzuto describe the game. Since Phil’s mind frequently wandered and began to talk his playing days, his wife’s cooking, or the traffic on the George Washington Bridge, he would forget the score, the count on the batter, who was on base, and how many outs there were. Bill White, his broadcasting sidekick, had the job of keeping The Scooter on task. Phil was very content with his play-by-play style and White achieved only minimal success.

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lifestyles

More Than 50 Years of Yankee Memories When the Yankees lost the Game Seven of the 1960 World Series on Bill Mazerowski’s winning home run to crown the Pittsburgh Pirates as baseball’s champions, I was crushed. I wondered if I was a baseball jinx. At age 11, sports wounds heal quickly and the 1961 season was legendary for a team that already possessed a remarkable sports history. The resurgent Bronx Bombers belted 240 homers , lead by Roger Maris with 61 and Mickey Mantle with 54, and ripped though the schedule hammering opponents to win the American League pennant and one of their 27 World Series titles. I was a Yankee fan forever.

My first trip to the Big Ballpark in the Bronx was Old Timers Day on July 29, 1978. The Yanks were in the midst of a raucous season marked by personality conflicts and fueled by the combative personality of their manager Billy Martin. Martin has been fired earlier by the equally combative owner George Steinbrenner (one of

five hirings and firings in the Martin Steinbrenner Continuing Soap Opera).

For the rest of the 1978 season, Bob Lemon managed the team in the team and guided them to a first place, erasing a deficit of more than 14 games. On October 8, the Yanks met you-know-who at you-know what Park in a one game playoff. The Yankee victory was highlighted (unless you a Red Sox fan) by a three-run homer by youknow-who.

In 1978, Old Timers Day included Mickey Mantle and Whitey Ford among many others. At the 1973 Old Timers Game, Mickey Mantle hit home run off his old teammate Whitey Ford. It was his last home run.

The 1978 ceremonies featured a surprise guest. It was announced that Billy Martin would return as Yankee manager in 1980. The Stadium shook with applause.

The only former player who was upset was Yankee legend Joe DiMaggio. He al-

ways demanded to be introduced last. The miffed DiMaggio made it pompously clear that, in the future, he would have to give advance approval of any player introduced after him, or he would not attend. Other Yankee stars at Old Timers Days over the years included Yogi Berra, Rizzuto, Don Larsen Reggie Jackson, Paul O’Neil, Joe Torre, David Wells, Ron Guidry, and Tino Martinez, to name a few.

Yankee Stadium was a fascinating park where it seemed that baseball lore was created every year. The atmosphere whispers the timeless achievements of the great New York players and teams of the past.

I have seen games at Fenway Park and Wrigley Field in Chicago and the both have undeniable baseball charm. Fenway has the Green Monster left field wall just an inviting 315 feet from home plate, its deep cavern in center field, and the famous Pesky Pole a mere 302 feet from home plate. Over the years, The Wall has probably taken away as many home runs as it has given up, but the smartest BoSox hitters have learned to use the Green Monster to their advantage.

Wrigley Field sits in the middle of a lively neighborhood, and can boast of ivy covered walls jutting out to an oddly shaped right field corner, a hand-operated score board, and rabid bleacher fans. A baseball game at Wrigley Field is not just game, it is a social experience!

Today, Fenway fans sing Sweet Caroline in the 8th inning. Wrigley fans wait patiently for the traditional guest soloist to sing Take Me Out to the Ballgame. But Yankee right field bleacher creatures have their own tradition known as the Roll Call.

As each Yankee player takes his position at the start of the game, the fans chant their names until the player acknowledges the cheers with a wave or tip of the cap. Former right fielder Nick Swisher was more dramatic as he turned to them and snapped off a salute.

I have seen three notable games at Yankee Stadium. I sat in right field box on October 26, 1996 when the Yankees beat the Atlanta Braves in Game 6 to capture their first World Series title in 18 years. Wade Boggs, a Red Sox refugee, celebrated the title by riding around the field on horseback with a New York City policeman as his pilot.

I seated in the left field stands on October 16, 2003 when you-know-who hit an extra inning home run in the epic Game 7 of the 2003 League Championship Series.

I had the good fortune to be in a luxury box on September 26, 2013 when Mariano Rivera the greatest relief pitcher of all time with 652 saves, came in to pitch for the last time in his career to the strains of Enter Sandman by Metallica.

I have great Yankee Stadium memories.

I just hope that my father and uncles, wherever they are, have forgiven me by now.

Larry Grimaldi is a retired freelance writer living in North Providence. Comments can be e-mailed to lvgrimaldi49@gmail.com

July 2017

retirement sparks

senior

issues

b y elaine m . dec k er

Post-Election Mental Disorders Health professionals are citing an increase in mental disorders since the presidential election. One of the most prevalent is Post-Election Stress Disorder (PESD), which apparently affects women more than it bothers men. I can vouch for that.

PESD is just one of several mental health issues I’ve been afflicted with since the election.

New York Times columnist Richard Friedman cautioned against diagnosing someone we haven’t met (say perhaps #45). To be able to diagnose a mental problem—Narcissistic Personality Disorder for example—a mental health expert has to actually spend time with the patient. Friedman did, however, give everyone a pass on discussing someone’s narcissistic character traits. But this column isn’t about the President’s traits; I’m chronicling the mental problems that are afflicting others since he took office.

I’ve spent plenty of time with myself since the election, so I’m qualified to selfdiagnose. I’m not sure whether my ailments will make an appearance in the next edition of The American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (the DSM). But this I can tell you: they’re big league mental issues and I’m not the only person suffering from them. Take for example TITMO. Trump In The Media Overload has forced me to stop watching most news stations. I make an exception for the BBC’s World News and Newshour on PBS, but sometimes I have to turn off even those revered and reasonably balanced stations. I don’t care if the story has anything to do with politics or not. I don’t care whether it’s a positive report or one that is critical. I don’t even care which Trump it’s about.

I’m just weary of hearing that name, no matter how it’s used. I’m grateful I never managed to master bridge.

TITMO isn’t my only post-election condition worthy of appearing in the DSM. SSIPPI should also be added. That’s not a new abbreviation for the state that kisses the Gulf of Mexico between Louisiana and Alabama. It stands for Social Security

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Insecurity—Psychotic Phobia Insomnia. Like many others, I’m kept awake at night worrying about potential reductions in Social Security and Medicare, two staples of any retiree’s existence. When the figures behind the proposed federal budget become public, I expect to be in even worse shape than I am now. And I mean that literally, as well as figuratively. My retirement plan doesn’t allow for cuts in those benefits. (I prefer to think of them as “earnefits.”)

Then there’s FFATAS, or Fake Facts and Alternative Truths Avoidance Syndrome. This is one of the main reasons I don’t listen to the political commentators’ shows any more. Be careful not to confuse FFATAS with FATASS. The latter are Foppish Asinine Trumpisms Aired by Sean Spicer. FATASS is not a disorder, but it often causes one. FFATAS, on the other hand, is frequently induced by pundits on both ends of the political spectrum. I’d have to be a professional researcher skilled at mining primary sources of information to know a FFATAS when I see or hear one.

(A FATASS is much easier to spot.)

A disorder many will recognize is SWOVAR, the Shock When Opposing Views Are Revealed. This condition occurs when we find out that the political positions of certain friends and family members are the opposite of our own. People we’ve known and interacted with forever are suddenly exposed as “other.” Our reactions include: How could I not have known? And: You’ve got to be kidding me!

An especially worrisome condition caused by the divisiveness that has resulted from the election is TASS. This is not the Russian news agency. It’s the Two Americas Solution Syndrome. Folks suffering from TASS have concluded that the best way to restore mental equilibrium is to split up the U.S. into two separate countries.

Here’s how it would work.

Any state that touches the Atlantic or Pacific Oceans would become part of Blue America. Most states that don’t touch an ocean would become Red America. Of course, it would make more sense to call that White America, given the anti-immigrant and White Supremacist leanings of most of them. States that border the Great Lakes could hold a referendum on which America to join. North and South Carolina, Georgia, Colorado and New Mexico would just have to muddle through.

Many readers will reject this extreme solution, pointing to the Civil War to prove how dangerous it is. Others will cite the massive migration of families after the partition of India and Pakistan to show the disruptions TASS would cause. TASS may have its critics, but I’m transported to a zone of serenity just imagining it.

Copyright 2017 Business Theatre Unlimited Elaine M. Decker’s books include Retirement Sparks, Retirement Sparks Again, Retirement Sparks Redux and CANCER: A Coping Guide. Her essays appear in the anthologies: 80 Things To Do When You Turn 80 and 70 Things To Do When You Turn 70. Available on Amazon. com. She’s also been featured in ReaderSupportedNews.org. Contact her at: emdecker@ ix.netcom.com.

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b y R h o nda T addei R N , B S N , C H P N

CPR Won’t Take You Very Far I recently watched a popular television action program, where the main character was being chased by a substantial number of bad guys. With much fanfare he is struck down dead. His FBI partner comes upon him with more of the enemy closing in; she begins chest compressions over his clothes and presumably bullet proof vest. After about thirty seconds she flees to save her own life. Cut back to the dead guy, he suddenly leaps up off of the floor, grabs his gun and saves the girl.

N O R T H A M E R I CA’S

There’s nothing like TV CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation). Whether it is action movies, comedies or soap operas, the dead are easily revived, often with poorly imitated versions of the American Heart Association’s CPR. Performing CPR correctly requires a significant amount of force. The sternum must be compressed a full two inches (about the size of a tennis ball) and be done hard enough to generate a pulse that can be felt down in the patient’s groin. The rational being; there has to be adequate circulation of blood for all of the major organs in the abdomen, lungs and up to the brain for successful resumption of a full life. In the course of this procedure, breaking the patient’s ribs, puncturing lung, liver or sternum are all likely when attempting to bring back the dead.

Television CPR is not reality. Studies have shown on TV, CPR may be successful up to 95% of the time. The actual numbers of survivors may be as low as 0.5%. This stark contrast to reality doesn’t stop with the act of CPR but also the condition depicted for the survivors. On TV the main character is usually speaking to his family from his hospital bed the next day, and when he is discharged home; he is seen walking around the parlor in his smoking jacket, conducting business. In reality, especially with CPR performed out of the hospital setting; survivors can expect a stay in In t r A d v a n o du c e d c in g A i r S M ic y s t e m r oS oot – he!

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intensive care with countless machines surrounding them. If they ever awaken, a long and painful rehabilitation with poor likelihood of full restored function both physically and mentally awaits them. The patients with the poorest outcomes have serious long term illness, limited functioning or reside in a nursing home when cardiac arrest occurred.

Having “no” CPR as a choice on your advance directives does not mean “no” help. It just means if you die from a life limiting, terminal illness, you will be given comfort and a natural death. Your death will not be hastened, because you have chosen to be a DNR (do not resuscitate). If it is important for you to not be on life support for any extended time, then you need to have advance directives.

I was an emergency room nurse for more than 20 years. I have done CPR hundreds of times. There have been no patients that have awoken in the ER to thank the team. There has been a small handful who survived to be transferred to ICU or transfer for surgery. It is very unlikely they were alive after one year.

This is why I have become a hospice nurse. Caring for dying patient’s in the emergency department necessitated infliction of pain and suffering at the end of life, when everyone in the room knew the outcome. It was easier to treat,

issues

treat, and treat some more, than to stop and show the family a better way to say goodbye and honor the life of their beloved. Hospice care switches gears from cure to comfort.

There are many patients in the ED that I will never forget. George, a 35yo brought in by rescue after becoming nauseous, weak and ashen after mowing the lawn on a hot summer day caught my eye. I didn’t like how he looked though rescue felt he had simple heat stroke, my gut told me to get to him immediately.

As I walked to his side, he said, “Help me”. I replied “I will.” Right at that moment, his heart stopped. CPR was performed expertly, with all available equipment and team. His heart stopped and started over and over, he transferred hospitals and I lost contact. One year later as I was walking through another department in the hospital, a man called out to me. It was George, he said “You told me you would help me and you did. I will never forget you.” His wife confirmed he was in a coma for several days, but always wanted to see the nurse who listened. George had undiagnosed cardiomyopathy and has since died, but his wife thanked me for giving them two years together, they would not have had without professional advanced life support one hot summer day. George beat the odds.

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July 2017

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lifestyles

by DON FOWLER

Thoughts On Turning Eighty Turning eighty years of age is quite an accomplishment. It also is a challenge, as the mind and the body slow down. As I approach 80 years on this earth, I recognize, and deal with, the changes: I used to run a mile.

I used to wake up by an alarm clock.

I loved hearing the birds sing.

I loved to eat.

I stayed in touch with many friends.

I taught my kids how to use a fork.

I waited patiently for grandkids.

I played tennis singles I traveled to all but one continent.

Winters snorkeling in the Caribbean.

I worked for a living.

I went to my office.

I loved horror and teenage movies.

I loved rock and roll.

I hated classical music.

I smoked and drank.

I multi-tasked.

I ran past the roses.

I shoveled snow.

I helped old ladies across the street.

Young people called me “Don”.

I hated brussel sprouts.

I loved hot dogs.

I wrote letters and called old friends.

I occasionally had aches and pains.

Joe, the barber cut my hair.

I looked ahead.

I wasted time.

Life was good.

Now I walk a mile.

Now the sun shining in my window wakes me.

Still do…with help of hearing aids.

Still do…with the aid of my plate.

I now pause to remember many friends.

My kids teach me how to use the computer.

I wait patiently for great-grandkids.

I play tennis doubles.

I look at my scrapbook and reminisce.

Winters swimming at the Y. I volunteer to keep living.

I go to my doctor’s office.

I hate horror and teenage movies.

I still love rock and roll.

I love classical music.

I regret that I ever smoked.

One thing at a time is fine.

I stop to smell the roses.

Good neighbors plow me out.

Young ladies help me.

Young people call me “Sir” I still hate them.

I still love them.

Now I e-mail them.

I always have aches and pains.

No hair to cut, except nose and ears.

I look back.

I value time.

It still is.

Summer Entertainment

Remember the Good Old Days, when families spent summer days and nights at Rocky Point, Warwick Musical Theatre, Crescent Park, the Shipyard and Hilltop Drive Ins. They are all history now, but you can still catch the stars at the casinos, ride the carousel at Crescent Park, while enjoying a lobster roll at Blount’s, and see a double feature at the Route 146 Drive In.

THEATRE-BY-THE-SEA

Matunuck’s Theatre-by-the-sea played host to big stars like Veronica Lake and Mickey Rooney back in its early days. You can still enjoy Broadway musicals with talented up and coming Broadway performers at the old barn theatre, which recently installed air conditioning for those hot summer nights.

One of the best musicals of all time, “The Music Man,” is now playing through July 15 at TBTS. It will be followed by Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” from July 19 to August 12. Mel Brooks’ hilarious comedy, “The Producers”, closes their season, playing August 16 to September 10.

NEWPORT PLAYHOUSE

Newport has more than mansions, marinas, and shops. Check out the Newport Playhouse where you can enjoy one of the largest buffets in Rhode Island, a play, and a cabaret, all for $49.95 An evening at Newport Playhouse is a popular activity for seniors. Sam Bubrick’s “Baggage”, about two people whose luggage gets mixed up at the airport, leading to a funny and romantic encounter, plays from July6 to September 2.

Call 848-PLAY for reservations.

MUSIC, MUSIC, MUSIC

While the Newport Folk Festival attracts a mostly younger crowd these days (July 28-30), and is already sold out, the Newport Jazz Festival (August 4-6) at Newport’s Fort Adams Park, has a good mixture of young and veteran jazz musicians. They have added reserved seating for those who prefer a chair to a blanket on the lawn. Branford Marsalis, Christian McBride’s Big Ban, and Leslie Odom highlight the festival.

Bold Point Park in East Providence is a brand new concert site. The Beach Boys will be there on August 9. I caught them recently at Cranston’s Park Theatre. They put on one heck of a nostalgic show.

Check your local towns for free concerts in the park. Garden City, Pawtuxet Park, and a variety of sites in Providence are but a few. Bring a lawn chair and some iced tea, and enjoy.

We were sad to see the sudden demise of Warwick’s Ocean State Theatre Company, which had scheduled two musicals for this summer. An “interested party” is in negotiations to take over the venue, and hopefully, by the time you read this, we will have some good news.

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by MIKE FINK

A Curmudgeon’s Credo The word comes from the French “coeur mechant” meaning a heart that hopes to do harm. That’s not me, I’m just nostalgic for yesteryear.

When you had to wind up the Victrola, .. and wait while the tube warms up on the Zenith radio. To listen to the fireside chats of FDR. You could rely on the fact that the President of the United States was, and would always be, Franklin Delano Roosevelt. I miss the ice box and the kerosene stove. And the party line telephone.

And salt and sugar and “gluten” and Camel cigarette smoke. And ashtrays and lighters on tables.

The list could go on and on. Wearing my brothers’ hand-me-downs and the coats...and toys.. that my cousins and uncles left behind, footprints in the sands of their times. We learned patience and persistence and how to use the clutch on cars without “fluid drive.”

On a grander and less homebound level, we watched the Big Five on newsreels.

Chiang and Charles, Joseph and Winston, and our own Franklin (and Eleanor).

We believed they all stood for the same noble ideals of freedom and liberty and those promises of Four Freedoms on the horizon of allied victory. All over the world. That was what our boyhood was about, those of us born in the Great Depression. My birthday was the very month that Roosevelt became the eternal President, whose leadership lasted throughout my childhood until I left Elementary School, right ‘round the corner of my house in the spring of 1945. I bicycled around the block in shock the day he died along with my sense of stability. Shock, dismay, in circles of confusion about what the future might bring.

It brought the so-called Cold War, when our foes turned into our friends and our friends into our foes. Those famous and photogenic leaders turned into villains. Stalin: the Red. Churchill: the outdated orator of “Colonialism.” The voice of Imperialism. De Gaulle? The arrogant and aristocratic enemy of all things “English.” China? The realm of Mao’s attack on the middle class, which escaped with its property and propriety to Taiwan, a mysterious realm that displeased both liberal and conservative camps while Mme. remained in New York and lived in sumptuous luxury beyond her centennial birthday. We read about her silken sheets changed daily after her frequent naps in our high school English class essays.

So what’s a curmudgeon to do? It’s a privilege and a pleasure to look down with a sneer at “progress.” Cell phones are rude and encourage stupidity. “Google” displaces reading and remembering. We become stupider as our gadgets become “smarter.” Our fingers forget our skills as our conveniences gain control of our calendars of activity. Etc. etc. etc. Nobody is proud of cursive penmanship or a well-tied necktie. We look backward at the classes we learned as youngsters, mostly ways to save instead of spend and to make do with what is at hand.

Our elders, some of them, born before the static Depression, have abandoned us, they seem to enjoy the newest and latest inventions and thrive with them, but those of us who, like Jack Benny, still claim to be younger than we actually are on our official documents, resent becoming irrelevant.. but also revel in it. We desire to be loyal to our imprinted images of how life should be taken on. When my wife and I were married, the ceremony took place in my own home, before my own hearth. The flowers---a large bouquet of yellow roses---were sent from Canada by an acquaintance I had visited a few seasons earlier, in Toronto, Ontario. A surprise souvenir, welcome and whimsical. The music was played by a little trio of musicians who had shared a music major at Boston University with my fiancée-wife. The expense of the celebration? The price of fancy champagne from the local liquor store, where I used to show off my Loire Valley tastes after a semester abroad. The clergy?

A nearby friend who said the magic words while I stepped on the traditional glass to state the finality of the bond and the memory of other things broken and beyond repair as we would build new lives. Which we have done quite grandly.

To drag this dynasty into more recent cultural contexts, we have five granddaughters, and our lastborn, our son, will be married as you read this backward glance, on July 2. And it won’t be quite as miniature as our own marriage had been, it’ll be much more in the modern mode. I will wear a tuxedo and a cummerbund, with only a few touches of sentimental eccentricity. I took apart an old photograph of my father as a baby, with its golden edges on the frame. I sewed those decorative details onto the satin belt to match my gold shoes. Just for a touch of grandeur, I guess and to amuse my beloved boy as he makes his steps toward his own freedom and commitment. Yes, the mighty fall, and youth rises to replace yesterday/yesteryear and a penny’s a memory and nothing is what it was and neither am I what I was and so, the weekend of our Independence Day, like our already bygone Memorial Day and our forthcoming Victory Day, is for now all those things, but in my own very personal--but shared--way.

16 | PrimeTime

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professional perspective

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IRS Face-To-Face Help By Appointment Taxpayers who need in-person help from an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center (TAC) need to call to schedule an appointment. All TACs provide service by appointment.

They are an essential service the IRS provides when a tax issue cannot be resolved online or by phone. Consider the self-service options on IRS.gov before calling for an appointment. Many questions can be resolved online without taxpayers having to travel to a Tax Assistance Center. Publication 5136, the IRS Services Guide, has additional information about where to find help.

Answering a tax question: • The Interactive Tax Assistant asks the taxpayer a series of questions and provides answers based on their input.

• IRS Publication 17 covers a broad range of topics and updates on tax law changes.

• The IRS Tax Map finds all the relevant tax information needed in one place.

• The IRS mails millions of letters every year. Each one deals with a specific issue and provides specific instructions.

Checking on a refund status: • Use the “Where’s My Refund?” online tool to check the status of a tax refund.

• Call 800-829-1954 anytime, to access the audio version of this tool.

Making a payment: • Use IRS Direct Pay on IRS.gov - a free, secure electronic payment method from a checking or savings account.

• The Electronic Federal Tax Payment System has online and phone options.

• They can view their balance online or refer to the information in the notice they received to determine the amount owed. They can also access their tax account to view recent payment history.

• Make a cash payment in-person at more than 7,000 retail stores nationwide.

If face-to-face service is necessary, then taxpayers should call 844-545-5640 to schedule an appointment. The Contact Your Local Office tool on IRS.gov helps taxpayers find the closest IRS TAC, the days and hours of operation, and a list of services provided.

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July 2017

P B o l e... a T ce The

LIF E STYL E S

b y J o hn hBy o well & tessa r o y ROY JOHN HOWELL & TESSA

It’s Summertim­­­e Again

A lineup of activities along with some improvements to the park itself promise to make for some summer fun at Rocky Point. The season, as it has done for the past four years, started with the Rocky Point 5K run and walk initiated by the Central Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce on Saturday, June 17.

There’s plenty to coming up, including the popular movie night also hosted by the chamber, food truck night and the BoldrDash that promises to test individual endurance and athletic skill.

Some park improvements promise to make the park more inviting and accessible this summer.

The asphalted trail that the city of Warwick built after acquiring the 41-shoreline acres of the former amusement park has been extended through the state-owned portion of the park thereby a loop. The trail, completed in November, has already proved popular.

Due to open in July under limited hours to be established in what was formerly the amusement park parking lot serving the Palladium is a gravely area that could easily accommodate more than 300 vehicles. Wooden guardrails define the lot and hopefully serve as a deterrent to those who would want to drive across park fields. When completed, the Palmer Avenue entrance to the park will be opened enabling people to park closer to the water and obtain views of the bay and the park from their cars.

As a part of the project, the railing will extend along the roadway leading to the former pier to provided limited access and parking for the handicapped.

Also, the city is expected to install 11 interpretative signs pointing out features of the former amusement park developed as a class project by Leadership Rhode Island.

And while it won’t be built in time for this summer, and require Warwick City Council approval, DEM is moving ahead with a new pier on the site of the former one. Lisa Primiano, DEM chief division of planning and development, said the hope is for construction to start this fall with completion by the 2018 season.

COMING NEXT YEAR: A rendering shows what a new Rocky Point pier would look like. DEM hopes to have construction start this fall and completed for the 2018 season.

Food Truck Night July 6 Rocky Point is one of the rotating locations

hosted by PVD Food Trucks and FoodTrucksIn occurring throughout the summer. Trucks will drive into the park on July 6 from 5 to 9 p.m. Visit FoodTrucksIn.com for more information about local and other food truck events happening this summer.

Movies in the

Park.....

July 13, July 27 The Central RI Chamber of Commerce invites families to Movies in the Park on July 13, and July 27 (rain date August 24). Gates open at 5:30 p.m. and movies begin at dusk on each night. Food trucks will also be present at each night.

On July 13 is “Zootopia”, a film about the adventures of a “fast talking fox” in the animal city of Zootopia. That film is accompanied by food trucks Elmwood’s Dog House, Haven Brothers, Open Season, and Presto Strange-O Coffee Truck.

“Moana,” which details the journey of a young woman using her “navigational talents to set sail for a fabled island,” is the July 27 film.

Food trucks for that night are not yet listed.

Admission and parking for Movies in the Park is free, but only walking access to the park is available once movies begin. For more information, visit moviesintheparkri.com.

July 2017

BoldrDash ••••••• September 9

On September 9, the BoldrDash obstacle course race will return to Rocky Point. The course will run along the old midway, the beach, the old salt-water pool, the former cottages, and the rocky shoreline.

The course features more than 30 obstacles along a 3-4 mile trail including climbing walls, a cargo tube crawl, parallel bars, “spider walls,” tire hurdles, rope climbs, monkey bars, suspended tube crawls, balance beams, and much more.

Registration currently is $77, but prices raise throughout the summer and land at $110 on the day of the event.

Discounted pricing is available for adult military personnel, first responders, and full time The Suspended Tube Crawl (photos courtesy of boldrdashrace.com) college students.

Register and find more information at boldrdashrace.com/event/boldrdash-september-9-2017.

PrimeTime | 17

movie reviews

LIF E STYL E S

b y e v an nadea u

Summer Movies What your grandkids are watching The 2017 movie season has had its ups and downs so far. Unexpected blockbusters and unexpected failures made for an interesting season. Topping the charts was Beauty and the Beast, which grossed over $700 million worldwide, since its debut in May. Beauty and the Beast carried a lot of hype from fans of musicals and classic tales, living up to expectations with a 91% rating on Google. It is clear that it will be popular when it is released to DVD. The closest movie to Beauty and the Beast so far was Logan, released in March. Logan is now the highest grossing movie in Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine trilogy, beating both X-Men Origins: Wolverine and The Wolverine.

Of course with every blockbuster success, there is a blockbuster failure.

The famous Resident Evil series released its final movie, Resident Evil: the Final Chapter. Even though the movies and game series have a following, the movie did nowhere close to what was expected.

A total of $300 million in both domes-

tic and worldwide sales, with an abysmal $26 million domestic total. To be honest, I personally saw this flop coming, these movies in particular have been real dumb for a long time, and much like the Fate of the Furious, I do hope that this is the last one that is made.

There are also movies this season that have been a great success such as Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2. This film grossed about $150 million in its first 2 days! So it is predicted to skyrocket to the top of the 2017 list.

Now let’s look at the movies that have not come out yet, the future blockbusters and failures. For those moviegoers that love war movies, Dunkirk will be released in July. This is a movie about stranded Allied forces on the beach of Dunkirk as German soldiers continue to push forward. The men on the beach are faced with air raids from the Germans and sea attacks by submarines.

This is no Saving Private Ryan but more of a look into the war through a younger soldier who only wants to go home

from his fighting.

And in the same month, Spider Man Homecoming will be released, so all of you Marvel fans out there will finally be getting a Spiderman movie that you have been waiting for. And it seems that it’s going to be a good one, with Peter Parker’s secret out, his attempt, again, at a normal life is interrupted by the Vulture.

What I personally predict is going to be a flop, coming in September is Kingsman: The Golden Circle, a Kingsman sequel. Taking place a little bit after the first movie, the Kingsman have to come together with the United States spy organization called the Statesmen, and they have to save the world once again. I was not a fan of the first one.

An unfunny attempt at a James Bondlike film left most viewers wanting more and being disappointed with the outcome. It received only a 74% on Rotten Tomato.

What I know is that I am looking forward to summer for not only the obvious, but for the movies that will be coming out!

Evan Nadeau is a 17-year-old tudent contributor

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