November 2022- BEACON Senior News

Senior Real Estate Specialist

Why using a ... ... is the right choice

FACT: 1% of Realtors® in the United States is qualified to work with Seniors.

As a Senior Real Estate Specialist I help seniors navigate the sale of their home by providing a patient, specialized, and compassionate one-stop service from start to finish. My full team eliminates all of the extra phone calls, interviewing, hiring, stress and costs that you’ll have to endure.

A Realtor who knows how to help seniors and their family through this transition of selling their home and downsizing is very important.

The National Association of Realtors created a special designation for Realtors who work with seniors. The Seniors Real Estate Specialist® (SRES) & Accredited Senior Agent (ASA) credentials guarantees that a Realtor has learned how to be the best best serve the needs of seniors who are selling their home.

It’s Time to Find Your 2023 Medicare Plan

Let the knowledgeable agents at the Medicare Resource Center help guide your way. Here’s how we can help.

Review your current coverage.

We’ll look at what matters to you, including health needs, budget, or changes to your plan’s provider network.

Compare new plan options.

We’ll prioritize your needs to help you understand your plan options and make an informed decision.

Enroll in your new plan.

We can walk you through the application process stepby-step so you can enroll with confidence.

Provide the support that matters to you.

Questions about using your plan? Not sure what happens next? We’re by your side every step of the way.

Don’t Navigate Medicare on Your Own

Talk to an agent who lives and works on the Western Slope. Call 970-243-3100 for an appointment.

We’re pleased to serve as a Rocky Mountain Health Plans Resource Center on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. - noon.

A special note of thanks to our clients:

We are truly grateful for your business and wish you and your loved ones a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.

MedicareResourceCenter.com is a non-government resource privately owned and operated by Benefits Life, Inc. MedicareResourceCenter. com is not associated with or endorsed by Medicare, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) or any other government agency. We do not offer every plan available in your area. Any information we provide is limited to those plans we do offer in your area. Please contact Medicare.gov or 1-800-MEDICARE to get information on all of your plan options.

Meet your local, experienced insurance agents who are ready to serve you.

MEDICARE

N. 7th

Joe Barrows Sales Director

Christine Bogott MHB Group Martin DeBoer, Sr. Caprock Insurance Agency

Nancy Bartlett First Choice Insurance Broker Nat Bertrami N I Bertrami Insurance Agency

David Shoemaker DVS Insurance Agency

Verna Shoemaker DVS Insurance Agency

IN THIS ISSUE

COVER STORY

Nothin’ But Blue Skies

How Grand Junction pilot Erling Brabaek overcame obstacles to live his dream

22 4 Secrets to Perfect Garden Compost

In nature, there is no waste. Everything decomposes to continue the nutrient cycle. Composting is a way of speeding up the process

Get Ready for Good Vibrations

Mail in the entry form or sign up for our e-blasts to win 2 tickets to Sail On, the Beach Boys tribute

Always Ready to Serve

Local veteran Michael Gustafson recounts his military service as a reserve soldier

Why You Should Adopt An Older Pet

November is Adopt a Senior Pet Month, which means it’s a wonderful time to welcome an older pet into your heart and home

14 Put Your Feet First

12 tips for finding properly fitting shoes

The ABsolute Best Abdominal Exercise for Women Over 50

It’s gentle, safe and works those deep internal muscles that will help you build a strong core

Unintended Hero

What would motivate a skinny 17 year old to hide weights in his closed hands so he could join the Navy during World War II?

32 Steer Toward a Career You Love Local seniors share how they found their careers and how you can, too

28 Cash in On Super Holiday Savings

Whether you’re a Black Friday enthusiast or hater, follow these tips for deep discounts on Black Friday, Cyber Monday and beyond

the

as a

Growing older on your own may close

but

can also

Opinion: An End to All Wars

Let us remember and honor those who

in so

BEACON Readers Know BEST!

OFFICIAL 2023 BALLOT

Photocopies will not be accepted.

& SERVICES

FUN & ENTERTAINMENT

Best Resale/Thrift Store

Best Place to Buy Gifts

Best Real Estate Agent

Best Insurance Agent

Best Auto Repair

Best Home Improvement Service

Best Pet Service (Groomer, Veterinarian, etc.)

Best Place to Volunteer

Best Local Festival

Best Local Band / Musician

Best Place to Meet People

Best Date Night Location

Best Restaurant for Lunch or Dinner

Best Happy Hour

Best Garden Nursery

Best Health Club

Best Tech Repair

Best Local Coffee

Best Local Wine

Best Local Beer

Name: Address: City: State: Zip: Phone: Email:

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CONTEST RULES

Entries

LOCAL

name,

Tell us who stands above the rest in our 2023 BEACON Best Awards

It’s time to cast your votes and spread the word about the businesses and organizations that have earned your trust and loyalty with our 2023 BEACON Best Awards!

While good customer service can sometimes be hard to find, these coveted awards recognize that elite group of locales selected for their people, products and services that make your life easier.

Nominate your favorite people or places in 20 categories. By casting your ballot, you are automatically entered into a drawing for a gift card to one of your favorite local places.

Make sure to let your favorite businesses know you’re rooting for them, then pick up the February BEACON to find out who readers voted as THE BEACON BEST!

Vote online at: www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

Or mail your completed ballot to: BEACON Senior News P.O. Box 3895 Grand Junction, CO 81502

We’re thankful for veterans and for you!

I’ve always thought it appropriate that Veterans Day and Thanksgiving share the same month. Among our many reasons to be thankful, freedom should be at the top of the list.

Please thank a vet for their service and sacrifice—not just this month but whenever the opportunity arises. It’s because of them that many of us have never had to witness the horrors of war.

While some veterans don’t wish to relive these horrors, one thing I’ve learned from working at the BEACON is that there are many others who are eager to tell their stories when they know someone is prepared to hear them. These stories—the good and the bad—are a gift, and you can read a couple of them in this month’s issue.

You can also check out a few Veterans Day events, along with a list of resources for local veterans, on pages 10-11.

GIVE (AND GET) A FREE BEACON SUBSCRIPTION

Despite paper shortages and other supply issues facing the print industry, we will be increasing our circulation and printing more issues of the BEACON. Although this will make the magazine easier to find, they still go like hotcakes! The best way to ensure you get your BEACON every month is to subscribe.

Normally, it’s $20 for one year and $30 for two, but in the spirit of the holidays, you can gift the BEACON to a friend for free when you purchase a subscription for yourself.

A subscription also guarantees you won’t miss out on any senior-related news and events, including the release of our 2023 BEACON Guide. This annual resource directory includes hard-to-find contact information for clubs, medical centers, government agencies and more, which are verified annually for accuracy.

Do you know of an organization we should include? Call us at 970-243-8829 or email Beacon@PendantPublishing.com

BRAG ABOUT LOCAL BUSINESSES

Tell us who stands above the rest with the 2023 BEACON Best Awards! Recognize the businesses with superior customer service that have earned your trust and loyalty with this coveted award. By voting, you’re entered to win prizes and gift cards to some of your favorite spots. All you have to do is fill out and mail in the ballot opposite this page, or vote online at www.BeaconSeniorNews.com. Don’t forget to let them know you’re rooting for them!

WE’RE THANKFUL FOR YOU!

From all of us at the BEACON, we wish you a safe and happy Thanksgiving.

CORRECTION FROM OCTOBER’S BEACON

Ouch! I really hate making mistakes. It’s even worse when we give our readers bad information about local organizations that do great things for seniors.

In the story “Seniors helping seniors: Get your home ready for fall” (page 27), we printed some incorrect information about Grand Junction’s A Little Help.

Contrary to what the article says, A Little Help volunteers DO NOT install bathroom aids, wheelchair ramps or walker steps. They also do not do electrical or plumbing work.

However, they do help seniors with tasks like raking and bagging leaves, weeding gardens, trimming bushes and trees and shoveling snow. A Little Help volunteers can also help with grocery and pharmacy runs and small seasonal house repairs.

A more in-depth article about A Little Help’s services will be published in an upcoming issue. ■

LETTERS From Readers

Thank you so much for your support for our Walk to End Alzheimer’s! We greatly appreciate your support and partnership!

- Woo Bandel, Alzheimer’s Association

Cloie, it was incredibly wonderful to meet you at the Basque event. I want you to know that I am extremely impressed with the BEACON and found myself reading it over and over again. Good job!

- Joaquin G.

I loved the Basque story in the latest edition!

- Elizabeth W.

I love what you do. It’s just the best. I think you have an outstanding magazine.

- Barbara R.

Where can I find the BEACON in Montrose? The location by the post office is often empty.

- Lana

Cloie: That’s a popular location so they go quickly! Don’t worry—we’ll print more! Near there, I’d go to the library or Hartman’s.

RE: Laughing Matters

I took exception to Joyce’s comment about Laughing Matters. I see nothing wrong with the jokes. I’m 79 and my wife is 81. So please ignore her comment and continue putting some giggles in there for us!

- Anonymous

In response to Joyce’s letter criticizing the jokes section: I find them hilarious. I hope you continue to print them all! Your publication has the best jokes. I’m a blonde female and have never taken offense.

- Faye L.

I am bothered by the woman who has decided what is “acceptable” now and what all should find humorous. I would suggest since she finds them offensive, she should not bother reading Laughing Matters, and not worry if some still find them enjoyable.

- Sharon

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

■ Email: Beacon@PendantPublishing.com

■ Facebook: @BeaconSeniorNews

Cloie Sandlin, Editor in Chief Cloie@BeaconSeniorNews.com

Cloie Sandlin, Editor in Chief Cloie@BeaconSeniorNews.com

■ Mail: PO Box 3895 Grand Junction, CO 81502

■ Call: 970-243-8829

Nothin’ but Blue Skies

Wall came down. With the European threat greatly reduced, the air force no longer needed their surplus of soldiers.

“The military solution was to offer a sort-of early retirement for a lot of people,” said Brabaek.

The government offered him incentives including severance pay, and sponsored him to study in America to become a pilot. From there, he left the air force, sold his belongings and made his way to Pegasus Flight Center in Dallas. The moment he stepped into Dallas-Ft. Worth Airport, he knew this wild adventure could steal his very heart—and it did.

“We’ve all heard this saying as foreigners— that America is the country of make-believe,” said Brabaek. “Moving to America and studying under a J-1 Visa, to me, it truly was that.”

Local pilot’s dreams take flight

By Mia Brabaek

IT all started in ’87 when he saw “Top Gun.”

“I wanted to be a pilot like so many other people,” said Grand Junction resident Erling Brabaek. “But I couldn’t—at least, not in Denmark.”

Danish-born Brabaek joined the Royal Danish Air Force in 1985 as a contract soldier while the Berlin Wall stood. When “Top Gun” was released, he tried to become a fighter pilot but was unsuccessful because he wore glasses. Instead, he joined the missile air defense program as a technician.

“Ironically, I maintained the missile defense system in Denmark to shoot down airplanes,” said Brabaek, 56.

His interest in flying became little more than an afterthought until the air force sent him to America for technician training in El Paso, Texas. There he found a nearby flight school and managed to fly in the wee hours of the morning before training.

“I would get up really early in the morning, do a flight lesson, then go to school and then back to flying,” he said. “I was severely hooked!”

When he returned home to Denmark, Brabaek knew he wanted to be a professional pilot. He earned enough hours and procured his private pilot license, but he still couldn’t fly in Denmark because it was so expensive.

“Most people who fly come from nobility,” said Brabaek. “It can be four times more expensive as it is in the U.S.”

As he contemplated his next steps, the Berlin

Grand Junction local Erling Brabaek has been flying Learjets for 29 years.

The max speed for the jet is Mach 0.81, which is 81%  of the speed of sound.

FROM OSTRICH CHICKS TO FORMER PRESIDENTS

Brabaek began flying after attaining his commercial pilot license in 1990. He went from flying freight to corporate jets within a few years. But it wasn’t until he met his wife Martha in 1991 that he knew he would never leave the U.S. again.

Flying wasn’t always as ritzy as the high-class corporate jets Brabaek flies now.

“I went to work for a freight charter company and I was gone all the time,” he said. “I flew mostly at night and sleep deprivation was an issue.”

Pressures were often overwhelming. Many times, he thought the plane would be hijacked for its cargo.

“We flew gold and silver in and out of Mexico,” he said. “It’s kind of scary when you’re by yourself in an airplane and you have 400 pounds of gold with you.”

Other times he would land on short, undesignated runways that could send him straight off a mountain.

Brabaek recounted a time when his contract had him flying ostrich chicks out of Mexico into the U.S.

“It gets dark and you think the chicks are going to die,” he said. “There’s no light at the airport you’re landing at so the ranchers go out and light up the runway with their headlights on their cars. It was right out of the movies!”

Brabaek became a corporate jet pilot in 1994. A small company out of El Paso had bought its first Learjet and was looking for a pilot to fly for them.

“I was offered the job and ended up working

there for 20 years,” said Brabaek.

During that time, he met many interesting people. In the late ’90s, his company was approached by the Secret Service about flying former president George H. W. Bush from Houston to El Paso and back to Houston. That day was forever fixed into Brabaek’s memory.

“It was just a wonderful opportunity to meet someone of that caliber,” he said. “He was just a down-to-earth, wonderful person.”

On the return trip back to Houston, they nearly didn’t make the landing due to fog, but Brabaek was able to touch the plane down and deliver the former president safely.

Another memory that stands out was the day Brabaek flew home from New York City, just one day before the 9/11 attacks.

“I remember seeing the Twin Towers and taking photos,” said Brabaek. “About half of my family was visiting from Denmark. We were all shocked. I remember my fellow pilots weeping.”

Brabaek has enormous pride for his new homeland. Although he’s lived in the U.S. legally for more than three decades, he applied for citizenship last year and his interview is just weeks away.

“There’s a question I may be asked about whether or not I would be willing to pick up arms to defend the U.S. if necessary,” he said. “You bet I would!”

The Learjet cabin has 9 seats in total.

THE REAL LAND OF MAKE-BELIEVE

In 2014, Brabaek received the call of his dreams when he was offered a job as a corporate pilot for Grand Junction car dealership Western Slope Auto. Brabaek had flown into Grand Junction for aircraft maintenance many years before and found the city to be a lovely little escape from the southwest. Currently, he resides there with his wife and two daughters.

“We just fell in love with the Grand Valley,” he said.

In addition to flying, Brabaek also loves teaching. A few years ago, he stepped in as an instructor for Western Colorado Community College’s aviation program. He’s also a commissioner on the Grand Junction Regional Airport Authority Board.

Brabaek hopes to have many years of flying ahead of him and has no plans to retire.

“Flying is a hoot!” said Brabaek. “But maintaining a plane is expensive. I don’t know that I could afford my own plane, but I think I’ll be satisfied with all the flying I’m doing now.”

Although flying is an expensive hobby, Brabaek said it’s well worth the cost.

“It’s never too late to become a pilot,” he said.

A private pilot license requires at least 40 hours of flight time. Brabaek said students of any age should plan for at least $140 to $200 per flight hour, plus the cost of instructor fees and classes.

“There’s nothing more fun than hopping in an airplane, flying around and see the Uncompahgre or the Colorado National Monument from the top!” he said. ■

Brabaek and his eldest daughter, Mia.

Always Ready to Serve

By Tim Menger

There has never been a shortage of disputes, battles and wars. When young boys grow up, they have an opportunity to do their part for God and Country. Joining the military gives them the strength to say, “I’m here and I will serve.”

Michael Gustafson, 56, currently lives on a quiet farm in Palisade. Before attaining his current job as a hydrological technician, he had a long history of military service.

Gustafson grew up in Grand Junction. The oldest of four, he was often charged with raising his siblings while his parents worked. In 1983, the structure and responsibility of caring for his siblings became helpful when, at age 19, his friend talked him into joining the Army.

Soon he found himself in the summertime heat and humidity of Fort Dix in New Jersey. He spent eight weeks going through boot camp before training as a

RESERVE

tank turret mechanic on the M-1 Abrams tank—a top-secret project that required high clearance. Later, he took his training with him to South Korea for four months before being stationed in Karlsruhe, Germany.

Gustafson finished his four years with the Army in 1988. This is where military service ends for many veterans, but not for him. He enrolled in Mesa State College in Grand Junction and joined the Army Reserve in 1989. There he became a combat bridge engineer while he studied geology.

Although being in the reserve did not require the same in-person commitment as full-time military service, Army Reserve soldiers still had strict routines to follow. Gustafson said reserve service required him to attend what was nicknamed “drill,” which entailed a three-day training once a month. Every fourth month, reserve soldiers would

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VA Eligibility and Enrollment

(970) 249-7791

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VA Medical Center, Grand Junction (970) 242-0731

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(970) 263-2824

VA Womens Veterans Program................................................(970) 242-0731 x2508

Veteran Service Officer, Mesa County............................................... (970) 248-2733

Veteran Service Officer, Montrose County/Ouray (970) 249-2115

Veterans Art Center, Grand Junction

Veterans Committee of the Western Slope

(970) 462-3126

(970) 589-6238

Veterans Golden Age Games CHAMPS (970) 245-6175

Veterans Memorial Cemetery, Grand Junction

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1247, Grand Junction

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Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3981, Grand Junction (970) 812-5003

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4663, Clifton

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Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 784, Montrose.................................. (970) 765-4858

Veterans Services, Delta County (970) 874-2082

Veterans Transportation Service, Grand Junction

Welcome Home Alliance for Veterans

(970) 263-5095

(970) 765-2210

Western Region One Source (970) 257-3760

Western Slope Patriot Guard Riders

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be deployed into the field. All of this yearly training was capped off by “summer camp,” a concentrated two-week training session to demonstrate the skills they’d learned so far.

He stressed that as a reserve soldier, a person had to not only keep up with training but always be ready to drop everything to be called to active military service.

His unit was mobilized in 2003 for Desert Shield and again in 2007

for other middle eastern conflicts. In 2003, he was promoted to Acting First Sergeant until his combat bridge unit was deactivated. He was promoted again to Master Sergeant and led a training brigade in Denver for seven years.

After 25 years, Gustafson retired from the military in 2010. Gustafson received an Army Commendation Medal from the President for training 750,000 troops without injury or re-training. ■

At Mobility Driven we are dedicated to finding a solution that works for you!

Need an alternative to a Ramp or Stairlift?

November 10

Veterans Day BBQ

Enjoy burgers, hot dogs and good times at Bank of Colorado’s annual Veterans Day BBQ. You don’t need to be a Bank of Colorado customer to attend. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. | 945 S. Grand Mesa Dr., Cedaredge | Free | 970-856-8600

November 11

Veterans Day Film Screening

The Ute Indian Museum shows “The Warrior Tradition,” a film chronicling the military accounts of Native American warriors from their own points of view, and “True Whisperers,” a story of the Navajo code talkers during World War II. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. | 17253 Chipeta Road, Montrose | Free | www.historycolorado. org | 970-249-3098

November 12

Veterans Day Parade

Gather on Grand Junction’s Main Street to honor local veterans at the 30th annual Veterans Parade. Wear patriotic colors and salute those who have served our country.

2 p.m. | Main Street, Grand Junction | Free | 970-248-2733

November 13

Stars & Stripes USO Show

Honor those serving and those who have served at Sweet Adelines Grand Mesa Chorus’ USO-themed show at Colorado Mesa University’s Love Recital Hall. Get ready for swing music and singing by guest choruses and quartets including the Bookcliff Barbershop Harmony Chorus and comedic headliners from Denver, the De’ Ja Vu Quartet. Call for advance tickets or stop by Roper Music, Western Anglers or Sarah’s Salon. Get your tickets early as they increase by $2 at the door.

3-5 p.m. | 1221 N. 12th St., Grand Junction | $12 seniors (65+), $15 adults, $5 veterans and children | www.grandmesaacappella.com/events | 970-256-9763

Platform lifts are a great, they can be categorized in different ways: VPLs (vertical platform lifts), also called “porch lifts,” can be installed indoors or outdoors and act more as an open elevator. VPL’S take up space differently and are often the best option for specific applications.

Serving Western Colorado and Eastern Utah, as well as clients outside that area with specific project needs.

For more information visit our website and Facebook pages where you can see photos and videos of our products and see how it all works together.

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Open Monday thru Friday 9am to 5pm 832 North Crest Drive, Unit B | Grand Junction, CO 81506 info@mobilitydriven.com | 970-712-1435

Regain Your Independence with Mobility Driven! We believe your mobility should never be limited by your ability!

Mexican Street Corn Bowls with Grilled Chicken

Recipe courtesy of Dole.com

Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 cup dry instant brown rice

1¹/₄ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 large ears fresh corn, silks and husks removed

1¹/₂ tablespoons olive oil

³/₄ teaspoon kosher salt

¹/₂ teaspoon ground black pepper

3 Dole limes, juice only (about 3 tablespoons), divided

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

¹/₄ teaspoon smoked paprika

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1 package DOLE® Chopped Chipotle & Cheddar Salad Kit

1 Dole avocado, peeled, pitted and thinly sliced

cup chopped Dole pineapple

Directions:

Prepare grill for direct grilling over medium-high heat. Prepare rice according to package instructions.

Brush all sides of chicken and corn with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place chicken and corn on hot grill rack; cover and cook 8 minutes, turning chicken once and corn frequently. Wait until grill marks appear and internal temperature of chicken reaches 165°F, then transfer chicken and corn to cutting board; let stand 5 minutes.

Cut corn kernels from cobs into medium bowl. Slice chicken 1/4-inch thick crosswise.

Add 1 tablespoon lime juice, cilantro and paprika to corn; toss and fold in Parmesan cheese. In small bowl, whisk dressing from salad kit and remaining lime juice.

Serve rice in bowls topped with avocado, pineapple, chicken, corn mixture and remaining contents of salad kit drizzled with dressing mixture. ■

See more recipes at www.BeaconSeniorNews.comSee more recipes at www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

Why you should adopt an older pet

Now that kitten season has ended, senior pets have taken their well-deserved place in the spotlight

November

Adopt a Senior Pet Month.

At Roice-Hurst Humane Society, we consider pets age 8 and older to be seniors, and our shelter has plenty of sweet senior dogs and cats ready to settle into loving homes.

Choosing to add an older pet to your family comes with many benefits.

Senior pets have plenty of experience living in a home, so they’re usually already potty trained and know basic commands by heart. Plus, they’re typically much calmer and less demanding (and less destructive) than bouncy puppies and kittens but still enjoy taking pleasant walks around the neighborhood with you.

In July, our shelter welcomed a pair of 17-year-old cats after their owner passed away. Friskie and Fuzzy took a while to adapt to a shelter environment, as many senior pets do, but they eventually accepted love and pets from our team. After a month in the shelter, Fuzzy and Friskie found loving, quiet homes where they can spend the rest of their days lounging on warm laps and receiving chin scratches. Because senior pets have a tougher time acclimating to a shelter environment, we need fosters! Especially if you’re unable to adopt a senior pet right now, adopting or fostering a senior pet is a rewarding experience that truly makes a substantial difference for the pet. You may be surprised just how

PET PERSPECTIVE

BY JENNA KRETSCHMAN

Jenna Kretschman

much of a difference they’ll make for you in return! Studies show that caring for a pet can vastly improve a person’s mental and physical health, providing benefits like decreased blood pressure, improved cognitive function in older adults, and increased opportunities for physical activity and social connection. The American Heart Association reports that dog owners live longer than people who don’t share their life with a dog, and dog owners tend to have better outcomes after major health events.

Pets provide purpose and companionship, which are essential components to a happy and healthy life. November is a wonderful time to welcome a senior pet into your heart and home and mutually benefit one another.

With a mature pet, what you see is what you get. To sweeten the deal, many shelters, including Roice-Hurst, offer discounted adoption fees for senior pets. Learn more about adopting or fostering a senior pet on our website or stop by the shelter at 362 28 Road in Grand Junction or 720 W. Fourth St. in Delta. T

Put your feet first: 12 tips for finding properly fitting shoes

IT may seem pretty straightforward, but the foot is actually a complicated machine, containing 26 bones, 33 joints and more than 100 tendons, muscles and ligaments.

After decades of putting these parts to work, it’s not unusual for your feet to go through some changes. They can actually become flatter and larger as you get older since tendons and ligaments lose their elasticity. This can contribute to bunions.

The force of your weight can also thin the fat pads cushioning the bottom of the feet, which can lengthen your feet and cause corns and calluses. Thinner pads also lead to soreness.

Older adults don’t always notice that their feet have gotten bigger. A study at a U.S. Department of

Veterans Affairs hospital found that three quarters of senior patients were wearing shoes that were too small for them.

Wearing properly fitted shoes are important to the health of your feet. Here are some important things to consider when buying your next pair of shoes:

� The uppers on shoes should be made of a soft material that can match the shape of your foot.

� Leather shoes reduce the possibility of skin irritations.

� If you buy new shoes with leather soles, rough up the surfaces before walking, especially on carpet.

� Consider thick soles to cushion your feet if you have to walk on hard pavement or are visiting places with cobblestone streets.

and more comfortable.

� The best time to measure your feet is at the end of the day when your feet are largest.

� Most of us have one foot that is larger than the other, so fit your shoe to your larger foot.

� Don’t select shoes by the size marked inside the shoe but by how the shoe fits your foot.

� When fitting shoes, make sure there is about a half-inch extra space for your longest toe when

� Make sure the ball of your foot fits comfortably in the widest part of the shoe.

� Your heel should fit comfortably in the shoe with a minimum amount of slipping. The shoes should not ride up and down on your heel when you walk.

� Walk in the shoes to make sure they fit and feel right. Then take them home and spend some time walking on carpet to make sure the fit is a good one. ■

HEALTHY GEEZER

BY FRED CICETTI

Send your general health questions to Healthy Geezer in care of the BEACON, or email him at Fred@HealthyGeezer.com

How sugar worsens autoimmune diseases and 3 easy ways to take control of your health

We’re seeing more research about how sugar spikes cause your body to attack itself with more vigor. Autoimmune disorders are exacerbated by eating a lot of foods and beverages that are high in sugar.

The same goes for both refined and complex carbohydrates. This is contrary information to what many nutritionists believe, but I recommend keeping refined carbs out of your diet and complex carbs to a minimum.

Sugar also increases T Helper-17 (Th17) cells, which leads to suppressed immunity and more self-driven autoimmune attacks. Sugar ultimately leads to increased rates of obesity and health problems including heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, asthma, low back pain and arthritis.

If your own body is killing itself, you don’t stand a chance. You can modify the self-driven attack with the choice to avoid foods and beverages that contain sugar or other sweeteners which often produce the same glycemic high in the body. A recent study showed that high glucose intake from an excess of sweets spawns a lot of free radical damage and Th17 overactivity.

Now you can develop your own personal strategy to lower Th17 and improve your autoimmune condition with these three steps. Start now—your pain levels are at stake! If you have MS, your nerves are at stake, and if you have psoriasis, here’s how you can help yourself: 1. Change your diet - Completely eliminate all sugary foods—candy,

DEAR PHARMACIST

BY SUZY COHEN

first breakthrough treatment

IF YOUR OWN BODY IS KILLING ITSELF, YOU DON’T STAND A CHANCE.

sweets and refined carbohydrates like bagels and white rice. I would also greatly minimize complex carbohydrates—brown rice, beans, starchy vegetables like peas, and whole-grain bread.

2. Improve your lifestyle - Don’t eat too late at night and exercise at your level. Try to avoid stress and get proper sleep. Melatonin deficiency is associated with increased autoimmunity, so getting adequate rest should make life a lot easier. If you need help with sleep apnea, see a specialist.

3. Supplement your diet - Eating right will help with gut integrity, but sometimes it’s not enough. Consider nutrients that are known to reduce Th17 overactivity like chelated zinc, vitamin D, and folate (only the methylated form, not folic acid).

If you aren’t responding to your dietary changes within a few months, or you experience anything unpleasant, contact your doctor.

Compass Medical Health Center,

patients

their Peripheral Neuropathy,

their

of life

For more articles and advice, sign up for Suzy’s newsletter at www.SuzyCohen.com

The ABsolute best abdominal exercise for women over 50

By Alicia Jones

What’s the number one area of the body that women are most concerned about improving? The tummy! Whether it’s to look like a million bucks wearing sleek outfits or reducing back pain and relieving “leaky bladder” syndrome, having strong abdominal muscles is the key to feeling great from the inside out. The only problem is that many ab exercises do the exact opposite

of what they are expected to do. Instead of flattening the stomach, they work the outer layer of the abdominal wall, causing it to stick out like a little pouch and create back injury.

A study done by the American Council on Exercise found that crunches are the least effective of all abdominal exercises. Additional ly, they can also damage the pelvic floor. And let’s not talk about the damage those painful leg raises

wreak!

Building a strong core is essential to having a healthy body. The good news is, there are safe, effective and easy exercises that don’t take much time and don’t need any equipment.

My favorite is a modified plank crunch, which pulls in the waistline like a corset and strengthens the back and pelvic floor. It gives the strength-building benefit of a plank without the pressure on the shoul

one

Start on your stomach with your el bows in a 90-degree angle, directly under your shoulders with the pil low under your knees. It may look like the classic plank position but I promise, this is not a plank exercise. Gently relax your back, letting it

two

Next, exhale and lift the stomach up towards the sky, straightening out the back so it looks like you’re in a plank position for a second, then relax and allow the stomach to come back down. When you straighten your back, there should

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ders, wrists and lower back.

The modification focuses on the stomach so you feel the burn of the abdominal muscles working without the pressure a plank puts on other parts of the body. This is my ABsolute favorite abdominal exercise (see what I did there?).

All you need is a mat and a pillow to cushion your knees. I’ve broken it down into easy-to-follow steps so you can make this part of your regular workout routine:

fall towards the floor. Notice what you’re feeling there. A little bit of tension is fine as long as there isn’t any pain. You’re allowing the spine to gently massage the discs into their natural alignment so just relax and let your body work its magic.

be no pressure on the lower back. Be careful that you don’t go up too high and start to lift your bottom as that does nothing other than put pressure on the shoulders and defeats the entire point of the exercise.

three

Now let’s add in breath work. As you lift your stomach upwards, exhale, then inhale as you relax back down to the ground. Exhaling helps contract the internal abdominal muscles and pull in the waistline.

An added benefit of this exercise is that it also strengthens the pelvic floor, a common issue for women that causes incontinence. When you’re first starting out, aim for three sets of 15 repetitions and as you progress, challenge yourself with one to three sets for one minute each.

four

Relax and check in with your back. How is it feeling? Does it still have the same level of tension as when you started or has it eased up a bit now that you’ve gently allowed the discs to move into proper alignment?

ve

To finish, push back into child’s pose, with your bottom resting on your heels, your body relaxed over your knees with your arms stretched out on the ground in

front of you. Let go of all the tension in your body and feel your back relax.

six

Take a breath in as you gently roll up, feeling your vertebrae stack on top of each other one by one to bring your spine into an upright position. And that’s it! This is one of the best abdominal exercises for women because it’s gentle, safe and works those deep internal muscles that will help you build a strong core while strengthening your pelvic floor. ■

Let’s

As

celebrate

Wishes

Happy Thanksgiving

OLD FASHIONED

Submitted by Beverly Duzenack

My grandkids were over this morning for breakfast. We were all sitting at the table—they with their iPhones and tablets and me with my newspaper—when they started jok ing that I was old-fashioned because I was reading the newspaper.

“Grandpa,” they said. “Everybody today uses a tablet like ours instead of the newspaper.”

I looked up from my paper.

“Let me see that!” I said.

I guarantee that fly never knew what hit him.

A GOLFER’S PROBLEM

Submitted by Larry Anderson

A golfer whose car broke down flagged down a passing bus and climbed aboard. He sat down on

the bus next to a little old lady, his pockets bulging with golf balls.

The lady looked quizzically at him and his bulging pockets. Finally, he explained, “It’s golf balls.”

She quickly replied, “Does it hurt as bad as tennis elbow?”

THE THIRD WISH

Submitted by Maynard Hesselbarth

A man was sitting alone in his office one night when a genie popped up out of his ashtray and said, “And what will your third wish be?”

The man looked at the genie and said, “Huh? How can I be getting a third wish when I haven’t had a first or second wish yet?”

“You have had two wishes already,” the genie said, “but your second wish was for me to put ev erything back the way it was before

you made your first wish. Thus, you remember nothing because everything is the way it was before you made any wishes. You have one wish left.”

“Okay,” said the man, “I don’t be lieve this, but what the heck. I wish I was irresistible to women.”

“Funny,” said the genie as it granted his wish and disappeared forever. “That was your first wish, too.”

DEAD DUCK

Submitted by Beverly Duzenack

A woman rushed into a veterinar ian’s office with a limp duck in her hands. As she laid her pet on the table, the vet pulled out his stetho scope and listened to the bird’s chest.

After a moment or two, the vet shook his head and said, “I’m sorry. Cuddles has passed away.”

The distressed woman wailed, “Are you sure?”

“Yes, I am sure. Your duck is dead,” the vet replied.

“How can you be so sure?” she

protested. “You haven’t done any testing on him or anything. He might just be in a coma or some thing.”

The vet rolled his eyes, turned around and left the room. He returned a few minutes later with a black Labrador. With Cuddles’ owner looking on in amazement, the dog stood on his hind legs, put his front paws on the examination table and sniffed the duck from top to bottom. He looked up at the vet with sad eyes and shook his head.

The vet patted the dog on the head and took it out of the room. A few minutes later, he returned with a cat. The cat jumped on the table and delicately sniffed the bird from head to foot. The cat sat back on its haunches, shook its head, meowed softly and strolled out of the room.

The vet looked at the woman and said, “I’m sorry, but this duck is certifiably dead.”

He turned to his computer, hit a few keys and produced a bill, which he handed the woman. The duck’s

owner took the bill and cried, “$150? $150 just to tell me my duck is dead?!”

The vet shrugged, “If you had just taken my word for it, the bill would have been $20, but with the Lab Report and the Cat Scan, it’s now $150.”

GRANDMA’S HOUSE

Submitted by Jamie Shaffer

A 6-year-old was asked where his grandma lived.

“She lives at the airport,” he said, “and when we want her we just go get her. Then when we’re done having her visit, we take her back to the airport.”

STOP SMOKING

Submitted by Sylvia Orvis

A man with a sore throat went to see the doctor.

The doctor examined him and said, “Do you smoke?”

He said, “No, I’ve never smoked in my life.”

The doctor said, “That’s a pity. Giving up smoking would have really helped.”

BUBBA CALLS 911

Submitted by Angela Spinella

Betty Jo passed away suddenly, and her husband, Bubba, called 911. The operator told Bubba that she would send someone out right away.

“Where do you live?” asked the operator.

“Down here at the end o’ Eucalyptus Drive,” said Bubba.

“Can you spell that for me?” asked the operator.

There was a long pause. Finally Bubba said, “How ‘bout if I drag her on over to Oak Street and you pick her up there?”

NEW MUSIC

Submitted by Robert Ashton

Singers of the ’60s are revising their hits with new lyrics to accommodate us aging Baby Boomers. New releases include:

Herman’s Hermits: “Mrs. Brown, You’ve got a Lovely Walker”

Ringo Starr: “I Get By with a Little Help From Depends”

Bee Gees: “How Can You Mend a Broken Hip?”

Roberta Flack: “The First Time Ever I Forgot Your Face”

Johnny Nash: “I Can’t See Clearly Now”

Paul Simon: “Fifty Ways to Lose Your Liver”

The Commodores: “Once, Twice, Three Times to the Bathroom”

Procol Harum: “A Whiter Shade of Hair”

Leo Sayer: “You Make Me Feel Like Napping”

The Temptations: “Papa’s Got A Kidney Stone”

Abba: “Denture Queen”

Helen Reddy: “I Am Woman, Hear Me Snore”

Lesley Gore: “It’s My Hormones & I’ll Cry If I Want To”

Willie Nelson: “On the Commode Again” ■

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Navigating the holidays as a solo-ager

By Jan Weeks

Holiday commercials flood the televisions once again. Happy families, gathered en masse around the turkey or the tree, laughing and cooking and toasting each other. Yet what if you’re solitary in a celebrating world?

My family was small, just our widowed mother and three little girls who moved to a town a thousand miles away from everything familiar. I learned early that Hallmark doesn’t have a corner on holiday celebrations. You have to make your own version of happy.

I never had children and neither did my partner Rocky, so no grandkids. But our great-nephew, Jax, brought us so much joy all year long. As a toddler, he came for sleepovers, and when Thanksgiving

IF YOU’RE ALONE, YOU CAN CREATE YOUR OWN NEW AND DIFFERENT TRADITIONS.

and Christmas rolled around, he helped decorate the tree and set out other seasonal decorations. He loved coming to visit and seeing his name on presents under the tree.

My change jar provided Jax’s shopping money, and the three of us spent hours at Target as he picked just the right gifts for his folks, his grandma and Rocky.

By the time he was 10, Jax’s family had made their own traditions and we didn’t see much of him anymore. Then Rocky died just

HOLIDAY MORNING,

LONG,

VOLUNTEER TO SERVE DINNER AT A HOMELESS SHELTER OR TO DELIVER MEALS TO THOSE WHO CAN’T GET OUT. MOST IMPORTANTLY, TREAT YOURSELF WITH KINDNESS AND LOVE.

before Christmas. With him went any inclination to decorate. By the next December, downsizing looked pretty darned good. All the Santas, door hangers and mistletoe that Rocky and Jax had loved went to charities, churches or yard sales. Writing cards, taking hours to decorate and spending the morning in the kitchen vanished in the morning river mist.

Letting go of “the season” and all its accoutrements brought a few poignant regrets, then a sigh of relief. As Ecclesiastics says: To everything there is a season.

Now a permanent wreath displays silk flowers changed with every season. A rustic log candleholder decorates the bookcase with colored tapers and festive ribbons. The antique angel tree topper sits on the piano, surrounded by gold tinsel, her tiny candles glowing. A

crewel Christmas tree with ornaments and gifts welcomes guests at the front door. Hours of preparation have turned to minutes.

I have new customs now. Each holiday morning, I take a long, early walk. A blessed silence and the smell of woodsmoke on the chilly breeze takes my mind wandering to memories and future plans. I kick through leaf windrows or fluffy snow, breathe deeply and appreciate the moment.

A friend and I alternate hosting Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. The hostess cooks the main meal, the guest brings dessert and wine. For several hours we laugh, eat and celebrate our friendship. Maybe we watch a Netflix movie.

Even if you’re alone, you can create your own new and different traditions. Take a trip down Memory Lane with photo albums and enjoy times past. Let old expectations go; make new plans for the New Year. Spend time in meditation or other spiritual practice; maybe attend the midnight service on Christmas Eve. Volunteer to serve dinner at a homeless shelter or to deliver meals to those who can’t get out. Most importantly, treat yourself with kindness and love. You alone get to decide how to honor this special time of year, and that can be the greatest gift of all. ■

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4 secrets to perfect garden compost

In nature there is no waste. Everything decomposes to continue the nutrient cycle, nourishing life. Composting is just a way of speeding up the process.

Adding compost to your soil improves garden production while reducing what goes into a landfill. You create your own fertilizer, bind heavy metals for plants to absorb and increase the water holding capacity of the soil.

You probably already have all the materials necessary to begin composting. The truth is bacteria, protozoa, fungi and other beneficial microbes do all the heavy lifting. Our main goal is to keep them happy.

Just like any other living thing, microbes need food, water and air to survive. When microbes thrive, they respire carbon dioxide that comes off in the form of heat. A cold compost pile means the microbes aren’t happy so we need to revisit their three primary needs.

FOOD: GREENS & BROWNS

The most fundamental skill of composting is balancing green and brown materials in the compost pile. A big pile of green grass clippings will end up a stinky, wet

mess over time and a mound of fallen leaves will take years to break down. When we combine two or three parts browns to one part greens, we start the fast and odorfree process of composting.

IT TAKES FOUR TO SIX MONTHS FOR A COMPOST PILE TO FULLY MATURE.

Green items (food waste, plant trimmings, animal manures) are all high in nitrogen and contain protein for microbes. Brown items (old leaves, straw, cardboard, sawdust) are high in carbon and supply carbohydrates. Adding layers of each to the compost pile helps keep it balanced.

Scientifically, this is referred to as the carbon nitrogen ratio. Ideally, we want a ratio of 30- or 40-to-1 for great compost. But don’t stress if your ratios aren’t exact. The microbes will still decompose the materials; it will just take longer.

I like to add animal manure to compost as it houses decomposing actinobacteria that can’t be found anywhere else. Source aged manure from healthy animals that haven’t been pastured in weed fields.

Mature compost should be deep brown and granular with a wonderful earthy smell.

Horse and chicken manure are fantastic options. Llama and rabbit don’t harbor diseases in the manure and break down quickly. I add one to two shovelfuls on top of the food waste I add to the compost pile to rehydrate the actinobacteria and provide them with food.

WATER RATIO

Microbes need moisture to stay happy and productive.

Aim to have 50 percent moisture in your compost pile. You can test for adequate moisture by making a ball of compost materials in your hand. If it feels dry to the touch or if the ball falls apart when you open your hand, add water to the pile.

Putting carpets on your compost pile can help it retain moisture in our dry summers. In winter, compost piles stay moist longer, so using a watering can will suffice.

If you squeeze the ball and water comes out, it’s over saturated and

the microbes can drown. Add some dry leaves to absorb the extra water.

AERATION

Microbes need oxygen to breathe, so aerate the compost pile every three to five days by stabbing it with a pitchfork or shovel.

The best composting occurs in the center of the pile, so completely turn it every other aeration. I tend to flatten out the pile, lift the center up and to the back and scoop the sides back towards the middle. Then I’ll reshape it into a nice pile.

BUILD YOUR OWN BIN

Mature compost should be deep brown and granular with a wonderful earthy smell. You shouldn’t be able to identify the parent materials that went into the pile.

It takes four to six months for a compost pile to fully mature. You don’t want to put food scraps in your garden, so after a few months,

it’s best to stop adding to an established pile and start a new one.

Having two compost bins is a great idea, as one can be finishing out while the other is being actively added to. At my home, I screwed together three pallets in a U-shape with a cross piece of lumber on top to stabilize it. Then I added another L-shape to one side to create a twobin system. I keep bags of leaves on one side and five-gallon buckets of manure on the other.

The upside of purchasing compost tumblers is that they make composting much easier for folks with physical limitations. The downside is that being suspended in the air means there’s no contact

GROW WILD

BY BRYAN REED

with native soil and microbes. If you go this route, adding a shovelful of healthy garden soil to the batch of compost will inoculate the pile nicely. ■

Send your gardening questions to Bryan in care of the BEACON, or email him directly at BCReed@ColoradoMesa.edu

ROCK ON COMPOST Watch Bryan’s how-to video on making quality compost at www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

You can test for adequate moisture by making a ball of compost materials in your hand.

The best composting occurs in the center of the pile, so completely turn it every other aeration.

Green items (food waste, plant trimmings, animal manures) are all high in nitrogen.

Julia

Get ready for good vibrations

By Jan Weeks

Sail On! A Beach Boys Tribute

January 15 • 3 p.m.

The California sound started on the West Coast in 1958. Groups like the Beach Boys rocketed to fame, leaving a legacy that continues through tribute bands like Sail On, which performs at the Avalon The atre on Sunday, January 15, 2023.

At over 80 shows a year, Sail On is the most booked Beach Boys tribute in the world. This five-piece band from Nashville faithfully rec reates the soundtrack to an end less summer, performing all of the Beach Boys’ classic hits plus some treasures from a brilliant extended catalog.

“The Beach Boys are unique— the music is a combination of sim plicity and sophistication,” said Mike Williamson, who plays keyboards for the band. “We knew from the beginning that those qualities would

offer the group both a permanent challenge and reward and it remains true with each performance.”

Sail On formed in 2017 when Williamson, fellow keyboardist Paul Runyon and bassist Wyatt Funderburk worked together on an original music project called the Explorers Club. They, along with guitarist Matt Thompson, met through a mutual acquaintance in Nashville and found they all loved the harmonies the original Beach Boys sang so effortlessly in songs like “Surfin’ USA,” “Good Vibra tions” and “Kokomo.”

Hooked on the Beach Boys’ basic rock and rhythm, the band mem bers hankered to bring blues and jazz elements and classical touches to audiences across the country.

“Brian Wilson’s composition and arranging is extraordinary and fas cinating. The sound of the group’s vocal harmonies is endlessly enjoy able,” Williamson said.

Williamson added that he’s look ing forward to bringing the show out west again. Ironically, none of the band members are from any where near California.

After graduating college in Charleston, South Carolina, Run yon recorded with, performed and appeared with several choral ensembles. He also toured with the legendary Mark Lindsay of Paul

Ready to Volunteer?

Revere and the Raiders. Thompson hails from North Vernon, Indiana, where he began playing guitar and singing in his early teens. He studied arranging and composition at Berklee College of Music in Boston before moving to Nashville after graduation. He worked as a performer and record ing artist as well as a freelance com poser, arranger and instrumentalist.

A LITTLE HELP

Williamson, from Griffin, Georgia, also started young, playing instruments as a teenager. He has years of experience performing everything from folk to jazz all across North America. A veteran of the music studio, Williamson served in multiple roles while working on recordings that appeared in various media in North America, Europe and Japan. Williamson brings his various roles as composer, arranger, musician, engineer and producer to Sail On.

Born into a musical family in Mississippi, Funderburk fell in love with the Beach Boys’ music early in life. His passion for performing and songwriting led him to the country music capital where he studied composition and audio production at Belmont University and SAE

Institute. On many occasions, Funderburk toured internationally with various groups. He now owns a studio in Nashville, where he produces a variety of projects, including “Sail On: The Beach Boys” podcast.

Drummer Ben Potter, the newest member of the group, comes from Reading, England, but grew up in India, where he began playing drums. He arrived in America and studied at the Musicians Institute in Los Angeles. Like most people, Potter loved the carefree feeling of the Beach Boys’ music and joined Sail On.

Don’t miss the opportunity to reminisce about summer, surfing, cruising, dancing and dreaming when Sail On comes to the Avalon in January. Bring your grandkids or friends—and anybody that wants to have “Fun, Fun, Fun.” ■

By Will Sanborn

Will America ever have another “Greatest Generation”?

Or to put it another way, what would motivate a skinny 17-year-old high school junior to hide weights in his closed hands just so he could pass the physical to join the Navy and fight in World War II?

Colorado author Becky Van Vleet explores that question in her new book, “Unintended Hero.”

Van Vleet has published several award-winning children's books, but this time, she felt compelled to write a different kind of story.

PATRIOTIC PAPA

To Van Vleet, patriotism is “our love for America, where we can put aside our differences when we’re called upon to support our country. It’s a spirit of sacrifice and doing whatever it takes.”

She knew just the hero to represent that spirit: her father, Walter Troyan.

As with many war vets, Troyan wasn’t one to talk much about his experiences. But about 30 years ago, when the family was living in Muncie, Indiana, Van Vleet asked him to record reminiscences about his life, including his service as a sailor on the USS Denver.

Her immediate motivation was to help her own daughters gain an understanding and appreciation for their grandfather and for their country.

Walter Troyan, cir. 1942 served as a sailor on the USS Denver in World War II.

The years went by and the cassette recordings of her father’s memories were still on the back burner. Maybe it was 9/11 or the several wars the U.S. was involved with, but in recent years her father’s story begged to be written.

“My biggest hope is that readers will gain a sense of the sacrifice, teamwork and patriotism that generation had to fight for, for their country,” she said.

Troyan served on active duty in the Pacific Theater from 1942 to 1946. After the war, he went into the Naval Reserve before returning to active duty again during the Korean War.

One of his memories involved the Navy’s traditional ceremony called the Order of Neptune, where a new sailor moves from being a Pollywog to a Shellback after crossing the equator for the first time—a big step forward for young Troyan.

SHAPING THE STORY

Van Vleet did intensive research to understand and flesh out her dad’s recollections. She gained a feel for how sailors live and function aboard a ship when she toured

Becky Van Vleet

The USS Denver (CL-58), the Cleveland-class light cruiser that Troyan served on as a gunner during World War II.

the USS Midway in San Diego.

“I was able to walk on Preble Field where my dad had marching practice,” she recalled. “I saw the canal where my dad and his fellow sailors had rowing practices.”

She went to the Buffalo, New York Naval Park and toured the USS Little Rock, a cruiser that was active during the war like the USS Denver. She got to see much of life on board the ship—the racks in the sleeping quarters, the eating areas, the guns, the sick bay and the engine room. It gave her invaluable material to add detailed realism in her book.

A unique privilege came on a trip to Danbury, Connecticut.

“I met with Lawrence Craig, a coxswain on my dad’s ship in World War II, and the last living USS Denver sailor. He was 101 years old. Sadly, he passed away a few weeks after I met him,” she said. “What an honor it was to talk with him and to thank him in person for his sacrifice and service to our country!”

Of course, there was more to Troyan’s life than just his stint on the USS Denver.

When the ship was torpedoed (a drama that Van Vleet describes in compelling detail), the ship sailed to Hawaii and then on to San Francisco for repairs before re-entering the war.

It was there that her dad met a young girl on a blind date whose own patriotism led her to leave her home in Indiana to work at a war factory in California. They began writing back and forth.

Just 11 days after leaving the Navy in 1945, Walter married that girl—Van Vleet’s mother, Alberta.

THE GREATEST GENERATION

Van Vleet believes at least some of the impressive patriotism that motivated her dad and so many others to serve their country came from the era in which they had come of age.

“Young men dropped out of school, they forged birth certificates, they did whatever was needed to serve,” said Van Vleet. “I think that growing up during the Depression taught them so much of what it meant to sacrifice and to appreciate what they had in this country.”

It was Tom Brokaw who popularized the term “The Greatest Generation” with his best-selling book of that name in 1998.

“It is, I believe, the greatest generation any society has ever produced,” Brokaw said of those who lived through the Great Depression and the many who fought in World War II.

He described those Americans as men and women who fought not for fame and recognition, but because it was the right thing to do.

With her very personal connection to that generation, Van Vleet defines her dad and those who served with him as “patriotic, not self-serving, sacrificial, having the spirit of doing whatever it takes, showing a superb work ethic.”

Will there be another Greatest Generation? We can only hope so. T

GET THE BOOK

“Unintended Hero” may be purchased at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

The Real Estate

Seniors and Retirees have Different

Needs

Class

Prevention Class

How to help prevent fall-related injuries

How to help prevent fall-related injuries

Please join us for a FREE educational class on how to prevent falls & injury, taught by a Community Hospital Physical Therapist.

Quick repair projects to prep your home for winter

Courtesy of StatePoint Media

It’s fall, which means it’s time to roll up your sleeves, make minor repairs and prepare your home before it’s time to hunker down for winter. Here are four easy DIY projects that will ensure your humble abode is in tip-top shape before the cold weather arrives.

PATCH IT UP

If you experienced storms this past season, survey your home’s exterior for any damage. Take a walk around the grounds and look at the siding and condition of the roof, including the garage and porch.

PREPARE THE DECK

Before the first cold front approaches, make sure to clean up the patio or deck and store outdoor umbrellas, cushions and rugs in a safe spot in the garage or shed.

If you notice any rot or wetness on the deck, it can be fixed by replacing the wood boards or using

MAKING QUICK REPAIRS WILL SAVE YOU FROM EXPENSIVE WATER DAMAGE COSTS DOWN THE ROAD.

Use T-Rex Waterproof Tape to temporarily patch small holes in vinyl siding, loose shingles or leaks in your gutter. The tape is formulated to withstand extreme temperatures and can stretch up to 700% of its original length, so it can be used for any indoor or outdoor job that requires a waterproof seal.

a wood filler to prevent further damage.

Winterize large patio furniture and protect outdoor items with a weatherproof cover. To keep the covers in place, secure them to the bottom of the furniture.

SQUEAKY CLEAN EXTERIOR

Please join us for a FREE educational class on how to prevent falls & injury, taught by a Community Hospital Physical Therapist.

educational class on how to prevent falls & injury, taught by a Community Hospital Physical Therapist.

Topics Featured:

Topics Featured:

• Home Safety

• Home Safety

Community Resources

Making quick repairs will save you from expensive water damage costs down the road and help prevent any further issues arising during the cold weather season.

• Community Resources

Physical Activities

LAWN IMPROVEMENT

Once the patio is prepped, turn your attention to the rest of the exterior. Debris and stains collected on the outside of the house during summer can set over the winter, so it’s a good idea to power wash away the dirt.

Fall Prevention

• Physical Activities

• Fall Prevention

Physical Therapy Recommendations

• Physical Therapy Recommendations

Assistive Devices

• Assistive Devices

Maintaining Independence

• Maintaining Independence

November 17, 2022

November 17, 2022

Community Hospital • 2351 G Road Legacy Conference Rooms 1 & 2

Community Hospital • 2351 G Road Legacy Conference Rooms 1 & 2

1:00 - 2:00 p.m.

1:00 - 2:00 p.m.

For more information regarding this class, please call (970) 644-3103.

For more information regarding this class, please call (970) 644-3103.

www.YourCommunityHospital.com

CommunityHospital.com

An alternative to raking is to pull out the lawn mower. Trim the leaves into smaller pieces, which can then be used as natural mulch around the yard and garden. Layer the compost around perennial beds or other plants to provide insulation and protection through the winter.

Mid-to-late fall is an ideal time for planting grass seed, and fertilizing and filling in holes with the leaf compost. This will put you on a path to a greener lawn next spring.

Start with the driveway, deck and windows, then take time to wash the siding and gutters. Just make sure you spray water in a direction that won’t force it behind the siding or under shingles.

This project will help remove lingering grime, mold and mildew and ensure the outside area is clean and ready for winter.

After checking off these projects on your fall list, your home will be properly prepped so you can relax, slow down and enjoy the season.

Family mealtime adventures

Give your grandkids a taste of culture with these ethnic dishes you can prepare together

By Kimberly Blaker

Teaching kids about different cultures is a great way to defeat stereotypes, break down barriers and help kids value and respect people who are different from them. So why not give your grandkids the opportunity to experience the many cultures that make up our diverse planet and country? A fun way to explore our diversity is by trying out foods and mealtime customs of other nationalities and unique American regions.

If your grandkids are picky eaters, don’t sweat it. There are yummy foods from every culture kids will love. Try some of the following dishes at local ethnic eateries. If you can’t find the cuisine locally, find recipes online for your whole family to enjoy cooking together.

MIDDLE EASTERN

There are many different Arab cuisines, but the most popular in America is Lebanese. Prepare hummus and pita bread as a healthy appetizer. If your grandkids have only tried store-bought hummus,

they’ll be in for a real treat with fresh, authentic hummus.

Deliciously seasoned chicken shawarma, which you can order as a dinner or in a pita sandwich, is a favorite Lebanese meal.

When dining, there are several Lebanese meal customs to keep in mind. First, dress well. Greet your elders first and wait to be told where to sit. Also, hold your fork in your left hand (knife goes in the right), and try all foods at the table.

INDIAN

The food of India varies somewhat by region, but there are several Indian dishes kids love.

Nearly everyone loves Tandoori chicken—skinless legs and thighs marinated in a mix of yogurt, lemon juice and spices. Serve it with curd rice, a yogurt rice dish of Southern India, which you can eat plain or with lentils or almost any meat dish.

A few Indian meal customs to observe include eating with your hands.

Avoid mixing utensils between different dishes. Also, hygiene is

essential, so Indians don’t dip into shared bowls, share cutlery or pass food with their fingers. In rural settings, Indians dress comfortably and

on floor mats.

NATIVE AMERICAN

There are 562 Native American tribes in the U.S. Traditionally, their foods varied depending on region and availability of certain foods.

dipped into the eternal cooking meal when they were hungry.

GREEK

Pita gyros stuffed with chicken or pork, tomatoes and lettuce are the most popular Greek food. There’s also spanakopita, which are turnovers stuffed with zucchini, and crispy and gooey Tyri saganaki— fried cheese.

Today, they eat much of the same foods as non-native Americans. But Indian fry bread and Navajo tacos are still quite popular and loved by kids and adults alike. Succotash, another tasty dish, is made with beans, vegetables and flavored with bacon.

Mealtime customs vary by region and tribe, but traditionally, there was no set mealtime. Everyone just

To eat like the Greeks, be prepared to adjust your meal schedule. They eat lunch at around 2 p.m. and don’t eat dinner before 9 p.m. Also, eating with your fingers rather than silverware is common, even with meat.

IRISH

Shepherd’s pie is an all-time favorite Irish dish. But don’t let “pie” fool you—it isn’t a dessert. Instead, it’s a tasty entree of beef or lamb, vegetables and mashed potatoes.

Boxty (potato pancakes) is an-

Navajo Tacos

Pita Gyros

other kid-friendly Irish food.

Irish food customs are quite familiar. But keep your fork in your left hand preferably with the tines turned down. Also, keep your elbows off the table and don’t get wild with hand gestures while holding your silverware.

POLISH

Pierogis are one of the most famous Polish foods and are usually a hit with kids. That’s because these dumplings are stuffed with potatoes, sausage or even fruit. Polskie nalesniki, or Polish pancakes, is another tasty dish served a variety of ways, including with cheese, meat and vegetables, or fruity quark.

In Poland, don’t begin eating until everyone is served and the host says it’s time to start, usually with the word “smacznego.” Your fork goes in your left hand and knife in the right. When you’re done eating, your knife and fork should be placed horizontally on your plate, facing left.

THAI

Pad Thai is a great introductory dish to Thai cuisine. This sweet and savory noodle dish is made with peanut sauce which kids will love. Gaeng Daeng (red curry) is another delicious choice. Thai is the hottest (spicy-hot) cuisine you’ll find. So request mild for your grandkids. For dessert, prepare sticky rice served with mango! Thai people typically use a fork and a short spoon for eating, rather than chopsticks. Each person gets a plate of rice. Then all the other dishes on the table are shared among each other and poured over rice. Young kids usually sit on their parents’ or grandparents’ laps and are spoon-fed rather than sitting in high chairs.

SPANISH

Not to be confused with Mexican food, one of the dishes of Spain that your grandkids might enjoy is paella, a rice and meat dish. It can be made with rabbit or squid, which some

kids won’t be too keen on. But it can also be made with chicken or other seafood.

Another yummy entree is empanadas, which are pockets filled with tuna or ham and cheese.

Late dining is also standard in Spain. Plan to eat lunch between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. and dinner between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. Also, Spaniards don’t eat and run. They sometimes linger for hours enjoying good company and conversation.

CAJUN

This style of Louisiana cooking is well known for its shellfish dishes and spice. Jambalaya, a sausage, shellfish, celery and rice stew, is one of several favorites. Another stew is gumbo, made with meat stew, seafood and okra.

In Southern Louisiana, food is relished, and preparation is taken quite seriously. Cooks aren’t content to serve mediocre food. So conversation about what you had to eat the night before is common.

VIETNAMESE

The most famous Vietnamese dish for both kids and adults is Pho.

Recognizing

HOSPICE | PALLIATIVE CARE

We

GRIEF

This noodle soup is made with beef or chicken and it’s much more substantial than the chicken soup Americans eat. It’s usually served with fresh veggies on the side.

The Vietnamese typically eat with chopsticks and a soup spoon. As a sign of respect, a bowl and spoon are handed to the eldest man at the table first. Don’t begin eating until everyone is seated and the most elderly man takes his first bite.

Here to support you through life’s most difficult times so you can focus on what’s most important –each other.

PACE

By Jan Weeks

Steer toward a career YOU LOVE

alize they don’t have to be scared.”

Krizman said she can’t imagine working anywhere else.

For those looking for a change, Krizman advised: “Go for the dream. Go back to school and learn something new.”

KEEP UP WITH TECH

Some people know from an early age what they want to do with their lives. Others take awhile to figure it out. Even if your career trajectory is heading in a different direction, these local seniors prove it’s never too late to change career paths and do something that truly makes you happy.

LIVE THE CHILDHOOD DREAM

Jack Ranney, 78, knew when he was 15 that he wanted a career that involved forestry after his father took him on a fishing trip in northern Michigan.

Ranney fell in love with the back woods, but was appalled by miles of stumps left from clear cutting in the early 1900s. Forest fires had later devastated the region, eliminating organic matter in the soil. Only scrubby trees, tall grass and bracken fern—indicators of poor soil—remained.

“The forests were not growing back on their own,” said Ranney. “I spent days, weeks and months imagining bringing back a beautiful forest and all the wildlife that comes with it. I had to become a forester and correct the clearcut-

ting misdeeds of the past.”

Ignoring well-meaning advice to become a civil engineer, Ranney followed his passion and became a forester. He studied land use planning, landscape architecture and finally landscape ecology, working with forest growth models.

Ranney spent the rest of his career overseeing research on trees. Just before he retired, two graduate students worked with him to study oak regeneration and fire management in the place Ranney and his father had camped, which is now reforested with pine.

That trip inspired Ranney’s career, and also brought him and his father closer.

GO BACK TO SCHOOL

Lorena Krizman, 60, has always wanted to help people. As a child she was fascinated by the medical field but didn’t think she was smart enough to follow her passion. So she settled for less.

Then as a single woman in her 20s, Krizman and her son moved in with her mother. She began working for the school district but soon realized she wasn’t making enough as a teacher aide to support them.

So Krizman enrolled at the Technical Trades Institute and received an associate’s degree in business. Even though the idea of working in medicine frightened her, Krizman applied at an internal medicine office and was hired.

She learned all aspects of the front office, from medical records to scheduling. After seven years, she moved on to a family practice as a front office manager and then

to the billing department, becoming a certified biller and coder.

Twelve years ago, Krizman was hired at the physical therapy department of Western Orthopedics and Sports Medicine. Patients come in several times a week for therapy, and Krizman considers them all to be friends.

“I plan to stay here until I retire,” she said. “I love meeting so many wonderful people. I do my best to help them feel comfortable and re-

Whether you’re looking to transition into a new career or add on another, it’s important to find work you’re passionate about. Contact your local workforce center for job search support, such as career assessments, resume writing help, job fair dates and more.

Mesa County Workforce Center, 512 29 ½ Road, Grand Junction - 970-248-7560

Montrose Workforce Center, 504 N. First St. – 970-249-7783

Delta Workforce Center, 206 Ute St. – 970-874-5781

Cliff Kramer came to real estate through a more convoluted path. After attending Mesa Junior College after high school, the draft board sent him on an all-expense paid trip to Vietnam. When his tour of duty ended, he came back to Mesa, made the Dean’s List, and finished at Colorado State University, earning a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts.

“I got a job at World Savings and Loan in Denver, working as an appraiser and loan officer. But I’ve always had knack for computers, so when they became more com-

50+ Networking Group through Mesa County Workforce Center meets virtually on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of the month from 8:30-9:30 a.m. You must be registered as a job seeker at www. ConnectingColorado.com.

Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) provides paid job training for qualifying individuals 55 and older to help them find employment. Training doesn’t impact subsidized housing or food share benefits. Call 970-256-1382 or visit www. ser-national.org

Want a career you love?

Jack Ranney

Cliff Kramer

Lorena Krizman

Local seniors share how they found their careers— and how you can, too

mon, I became the IT go-to guy,” said Kramer.

He convinced the powers that be that computers and the Internet were going to be essential for businesses.

Kramer moved back to Grand Junction and decided to go into real estate, working as an agent for another broker. He spent 21 years

How did you

with Bray Real Estate, and convinced the Grand Junction Board of Realtors to start using the Internet to sell homes. He was one of the first agents to have a web presence in Grand Junction.

Kramer enjoys real estate, though there are challenges, such as getting clients qualified for loans before he writes a contract. And when

nd your career?

Fred Eggleston - Grand Junction

“I joined the Air Force and went to school to be an electrical engineer. I learned about microprocessors and knew they were going to change the future. I once went to Disneyland to install microprocessors for the rides.”

that process falls apart because of a failed home inspection or a client losing a job just before closing, it’s heartbreaking for everyone.

Yet there are compensations.

“I love working with people,” Kramer said. “I can show them 40 homes, and when they walk into the forty-first, their eyes sparkle and I can tell they’re going to buy it.”

Kramer, now an agent at BL Real Estate in Grand Junction, has no plans to retire.

Working independently has its rewards, too. Since he isn’t tied to regular office hours, Kramer enjoys cruising the highways and byways on his Harley-Davidson motorcycle and takes his camera along to document his trips. ■

Compiled by Jan Weeks and Siggie Carpenter

Mona Benedict - Montrose

“As a person who likes challenges and multi-tasking, I applied for a 911 dispatch operator position in Montrose. Twenty-one years later, I am still a 911 dispatch operator, only now for the Colorado State Highway Department. I love giving back to my community as the first line of contact to someone in need.”

Teri Schroeder - Fruita

“I had a business degree, but didn’t find a job I liked. I went to an information session on the heart, and as soon as the speaker mentioned doing ultrasounds only on the heart, I knew that’s what I wanted to do. I have been at Community Hospital for 10 years now.”

John Coughran - Grand Junction

“I had a degree in philosophy and was playing guitar in a rock band in Texas when my ex’s father, a captain in the Oklahoma Division of Wildlife said, ‘You should consider a career in law enforcement. They need people who are able to think.’ I’ve been a policeman for over 24 years now.”

Denise Eggleston - Grand Junction

“I’ve always loved caring for people. I’m a certified nursing assistant and I did an internship through Community Hospital. I was a rehab manager, too. I’m rewarded by making people’s lives better and being a bright spot in their lives, especially those in long-term care.”

Mario Capolarello - Montrose

“After 20 years on the force of the NYPD, I retired and went back to college. Since I’ve always had a great interest in anatomy and physiology, I researched the nuclear medical field and retired from my second career as a nuclear medicine technologist working with cardiologists.”

Noemi Velez - Montrose

“I started as a secretary for coffee traders on Wall Street in NYC. When we moved to Colorado, I was a receptionist in the medical field scheduling surgeries then I became a social case manager. At 76, I’m the oldest employee at the Main Street McDonald’s working part-time as a crew trainer and teaching the young the value of hard work. I also volunteer for several organizations.”

Bob Foulk - Montrose

“I went to college, earned a degree in drafting and moved my family here from the Front Range. I worked for an engineering firm as a drafter and later transitioned into IT. When my wife became ill, I was able to work from home until she needed full-time caregiving. Shortly after she passed, I became the caregiver for my mother who passed awayin May. Now, I work at caring for me.”

Our staff say working here feels like home!

Working at one of our Volunteers of America programs is more than a job. It’s an experience filled with joyful moments that will forever transform you in longterm, positive ways. Help us improve the world for the customers we serve while building your knowledge, skills and network of equally thoughtful individuals. At Volunteers of America, we strive to make our workspaces as comfortable and reassuring as you feel when at home. Join us today! We look forward to meeting you.

Visit our listings site at careerswithvoa.org or call 970-433-8240 to speak with our recruiter

The Power of

By Amy Laundrie

This Thanksgiving, before we dig into the turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, many of us will take a moment to give thanks.

Some of us do it eloquently in the form of a prayer. Some do it hurriedly so the food doesn’t get cold. However, the very next day, our moment of gratitude is often forgotten as our focus turns to Black Friday sales and Christmas shopping. It’s a shame because taking time out every day to count our blessings is uplifting and can be healing.

In her book, “Thank You Power: Making the Science of Gratitude Work for You,” renowned journalist Deborah Norville says, “As science is now proving, feeling grateful can actually make us healthier, literally. Practicing gratitude, acknowledging the blessings in our lives and making it a point to recognize the good things can change us positively. We’ll sleep better and exercise more. We’ll feel more optimistic. We’ll be more alert and engaged. And if we do this over a period of time, we’ll realize that we’re making progress toward our life goals.”

My yoga instructor understands the power of being thankful. She always ends our sessions with a gratitude practice. We take a moment to cultivate the feeling of gratitude in our hearts and let it fill our mind, body and spirit.

grateful for on a daily basis is the single most important things you can do, she adds.

How does one fit a gratitude moment into every day? Consider picking something you do daily such as taking a shower, shaving, putting on makeup or walking the dog. Commit to using some of that time to reflect on five things you’re grateful for and the reasons you picked them.

If you’d prefer to keep a gratitude journal, choose writing at a set time like right before bed. Keep the routine and a month from now, reflect on any differences. Are you sleeping better? Are you exercising more or making progress toward your goals? Are you happier?

I especially like the idea of a daily gratitude walk. I pull on my boots, grab the leash and the dog and set off into the wooded area near my house.

I’m grateful for the cold; no more biting mosquitoes or danger of getting poison ivy.

19 SATURDAY at 5PM

Join us for a day full of merriment, shopping, and entertainment

Then gather around the tree at 4th + Main as Santa lights up downtown and kicks off the magic of this holiday season!

“Blessings and gifts will overflow,” she reminds us, “and return back to you a thousandfold.”

Oprah Winfrey has often spoken about the benefits of keeping a gratitude journal.

“If you can concentrate on what you have, you will always end up having more,” she says.

Writing down five things you’re

I’m grateful for this canopy of trees over my head giving the planet fresh oxygen.

I’m grateful for my delightful dog who gets to run off leash because even if she flushed a rabbit and gleefully chased after it, she would come back.

And finally, I’m grateful for the people in my life, including readers who allow me to share my thoughts. T

Volunteers of America is a national,

non-profit organization.

opportunity employer.

Want extra money for the holidays?

4 things to know before signing up with gig companies

November is a month for gratitude and spending time with family. It’s also the time of year that businesses do their best to get their books into the black by getting their customers to go into the red.

What a weird way to celebrate our gratitude.

It’s easy to focus on the negative impacts that COVID had on the world, but it’s also important to be grateful for the opportunities that became mainstream as a result.

So as a reflection of my gratitude, and to prepare you for the next few weeks of holiday shopping, here are some pointers for using technology to make some extra money.

Among the most beneficial changes COVID brought was the ability to get a job without being employed. DoorDash, Uber, Airbnb, Etsy and other web-based businesses provide a payment and service infrastructure without actually offering any products themselves.

Uber doesn’t provide rides; it provides the connection for people who want to make money by giving rides to people who are willing to pay to get rides. DoorDash doesn’t sell food, but it does offer a connection between people who are so hungry they’re willing to pay extra to have food delivered with people who are willing to spend

their time and gas to pick up and deliver food in exchange for some pocket money.

Although these businesses were doing well before COVID, they became essential avenues for accessing the little things that quickly became luxuries during lockdown.

they’re good at and find enjoyable. But people don’t pay the big bucks for something that is enjoyable for the seller.

The customer wants it their way. It doesn’t matter whether it’s art, race car driving, or being an ice cream taste tester, the only people willing to pay you to do it will want you to do it on their terms. This is why it’s difficult to make a profit on Etsy. If you’re the first person doing an enjoyable crafting idea that catches on, you can only continue to profit if the craft is nearly impossible for someone to duplicate and make money at.

Don’t assume anything is covered by insurance. This is probably one of the biggest deterrents for those looking to enter the gig economy. Uber, Airbnb, DoorDash and similar services are not covered by your existing insurance. They also aren’t covered by the company you are gigging for. Car insurance that covers using your car for delivery of people or goods costs around $200 per month for a single-driver policy.

This phenomenon, combined with the usual financial stress of the holiday season, will likely lead many to consider signing up with a gig company to make a little side income.

Gig economy jobs generally keep a small portion of each transaction which is paid by the customer. These business are legitimate and offer a variety of ways for individuals to increase their customers by accumulating positive reviews. There are pros and cons to each of these services, and it is important to do research before signing up.

You probably won’t get rich. Most entrepreneurs have a dream of starting a business that involves making money by doing something

Cricut is a company that takes advantage of the myth of making a living on Etsy or craft fairs by allowing people to make custom stickers, T-shirts or anything else that involves sticky or iron-on vinyl. But, the cost of supplies for the equipment, consumables and wholesale supplies are vastly more expensive than ordering the same items from a professional printer with industrial equipment.

It’s not a full-time job unless you do it full-time. Even if you play the game and gig at peak times and seasons, you’ll also have the costs of gas and maintenance associated with keeping your gig in operation. However, like any business, there are ways of making it work. The trick is to run it like a business and put all of your time into it. In other words, if you want to replace your full-time job with a gig economy job, you have to do it full-time. Probably more.

Before you let this column kill your ambition, I suggest you research the various opportunities out there. All of them can be profitable, but there are many factors to consider. Like every other fabulous financial opportunity, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. ■

TALKING DIGITAL

BY ADAM COCHRAN

Send your technology questions to Adam in care of the BEACON, or email him directly at

NOT the holiday surprise you expected?

Paul

INSURANCE IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST DETERRENTS FOR THOSE LOOKING TO ENTER THE GIG ECONOMY.

CA$H IN on super holiday savings

By Kimberly Blaker

Whether you’re a Black Friday enthusiast or hater, there

ample ways to cash in on super savings throughout the holiday season. So follow these tips for deep discounts on Black Friday, Cyber Monday and beyond.

Subscribe to store email lists. Decide on which stores you want to shop at least a couple of weeks in advance. Then visit each store’s website and subscribe to their email list. Early signup will ensure you receive all promotional emails for the season’s big Black Friday and Cyber Monday events as well as ongoing savings right on through Christmas Eve.

Buy discounted gift cards. Visit Raise.com and order discounted gift cards for the stores you know you’ll purchase from. Make sure the gift cards are for stores you’ll definitely shop at, so you don’t blow your savings. Gift cards also make great gifts.

Begin collecting deals that show up in your newspaper, mailbox and email. Also, visit your favorite stores online a few days in advance to see what kind of deals they’ll offer. Print any coupons you find. Organize for the big day. Once you’ve collected all the deals, sort through and match them up to your holiday shopping list. Compare deals and determine when the sales or doorbusters begin and if there’ll be limited quantities. Then strategize. If you can’t stand in line for hours for a limited quantity doorbuster, skip it and focus on other deals that are easier to fetch. Prepare a second-best list. You can’t be everywhere at once and you’re sure to miss a deal or two.

So prepare for alternative gifts and where to shop for them.

Watch for early bird freebies. Many stores offer free gifts to the first 25 or 100 people that come through the door. It’s true that there are some pretty nice prizes to be had, but many will require you to arrive well before the crack of dawn and spend hours waiting in line. Before you succumb to these lures, consider whether it’s worth the risk of losing out on savings elsewhere. Black Friday isn’t always the best day for bargains. So do your research. Stores tout their Black Friday deals to get consumers into a buying frenzy early in the season. Some even start to reduce prices on Wednesday. Keep in mind, all those Black Friday deals can also often be found online on Cyber Monday. In fact, many hot deals and some better deals stretch well into December.

Shop late in the day. If you’re like many, you wouldn’t even consider shopping on Black Friday simply because of the chaos. But the vast majority of shoppers start at the crack of dawn or earlier. By 5 p.m., early birds are exhausted and malls and stores are dead quiet. So evening is a great time to get in some peaceful, early shopping with plenty of great deals still going on.

Shop online. This is another option if you don’t want to participate

in the madhouse. Many stores offer the same deals online as they do in their stores. In fact, many online stores don’t even have storefronts. Keep in mind, supplies are often limited, even online. So by the time you reach checkout, an item in your basket might be sold out. If you’re shopping for multiple items from a store, do multiple checkouts, so the items in your basket don’t disappear while you shop.

MORE HOLIDAY SHOPPING TIPS

Arrange your finances in advance. If you intend to pay by credit card, plan well in advance so the credit is available to you. Make your credit card payments at least two weeks in advance to allow time for processing. Use your credit cards that offer cash back or reward points to increase your savings. If paying with a debit card, check your balance before you head out to avoid an unwelcome surprise. Avoid carrying cash in chaotic crowds because of the increased risk of pickpockets and purse snatchers. Avoid carts. On Black Friday, carry shopping bags or totes instead unless you plan to buy heavy items. Carts will slow you down through crowds that are unwilling to budge for you.

Hold off on toy purchases. Black Friday doesn’t offer the best deals on toys. The first week of December usually provides much more significant savings on these items. Use social media for extra savings. Many retailers offer exclusive coupons and discounts to people who like them on Facebook or other social media.

Check return policies. Most major retailers have liberal return policies. But not all. Do your homework before you make purchases. Ask for gift receipts to make exchanges and returns easy for your gift recipients. Avoid impulse buying. Many shoppers’ savings go right down the drain because they grab unnec-

essary “great buys” on the spur of the moment.

Get extra savings with instant store credit. Most stores offer 10 to 25 percent savings by opening a store credit card at checkout. If you pay your charges off immediately and don’t use it for unnecessary purchases, it’s well worth the savings. Otherwise, the long-term cost of interest will exceed the savings you gained.

Make sure a sale is really a sale. Some stores mark up merchandise before they reduce it to make it look like a great bargain. Furniture stores in particular are known for this tactic, so do your homework. Don’t waste time trying to price match. On Black Friday and Cyber Monday, stores typically don’t honor price matching.

Be prepared for long lines. Before you head out, add your email account, music, audiobooks or movies to your phone, so you have entertainment for the long wait in line. Better yet, spend your time in line visiting online stores and watch for rotating deals. Download Black Friday deals apps such as Dealnews, Slickdeals, Shopkick, Flipp or The Coupons App.

Request duplicate receipts for rebate purchases, and store them in a safe place in your wallet or purse. If you shop online, download the Ebates app for automatic rebates when you buy on participating websites.

Forgo extended warranties. With a few exceptions, extended warranties are a waste of money. Most electronics already come with a limited manufacturer’s warranty. Defects usually show up within the scope of the manufacturer’s warranty. Accidental damage that might be covered under a store’s extended warranty only rarely occurs. Cell phones or small personal electronics people carry with them that are likely to get dropped, lost or run through the washing machine are the exception. ■

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5 strategies to help avoid unexpected medical bills

By Dr. Donna O’Shea, UnitedHealthcare

Nearly everyone wants to save more money, especially when it comes to paying for medical care. To help encourage that, various recent federal regulations have spurred a greater focus on healthcare cost transparency, both by hospitals and health plans.

For instance, the No Surprises Act is designed to help reduce the likelihood of people receiving an unexpectedly large medical bill— something that more than half of Americans have experienced. Other recent regulations require hospitals to post prices online, while health insurers have been mandated to do the same.

While these efforts offer important protections, there are various

other ways to help avoid an unexpected medical bill. Here are five strategies to consider: Compare health plans based on quality and cost. Health plans are now required to publicly disclose contracted rates with healthcare providers and facilities, with additional requirements for more consumer-friendly disclosures starting in 2023. Fortunately, some health plans already offer transparency resources featuring quality and cost information, available online or through customer service. Before scheduling a medical appointment, check with your health plan to review quality and cost information. Stay in-network. While the No Surprises Act helps reduce the chance of an unplanned large out-of-network bill, it’s important to always start with in-network healthcare professionals and facilities for non-emergency care. That includes referrals by a primary care physician to labs for bloodwork, imaging and other tests. To help reduce the risk of surprise charges, some health plans are proactively contacting members before they go out of network, sending a text message, emailing or calling to notify them about more affordable in-network options.

Your place to call

Recognize remaining risks. Even with upfront research, there are still a few potential risks to be aware of. Many health plans cover preventive services, such as wellness visits, mammograms or colonoscopies. However, some advanced screenings may not be considered preventive and can result in an out-of-pocket charge. Avoid this by working with your care provider to complete a preauthorization form to confirm any services or tests are covered under your benefits.

Negotiate surprise bills. In the event of a surprise bill, talk with the support staff at the hospital or doctor’s office to request that the charge be waived or reduced. If needed, some health plans offer resolution support to negotiate on behalf of members. If you receive a surprise bill from an out-of-network care provider, call the number on the back of your insurance ID card to alert your health plan and check for assistance.

Consider plans with upfront pricing. Rather than receiving medical care and then waiting for the bill to arrive weeks or months later, some new health plans enable members to review—and pay for—out-ofpocket expenses before medical care is delivered. The goal is to make navigating the health system simpler and more transparent, in part by eliminating deductibles and using clear pricing to encourage people to select quality, cost-efficient healthcare providers and facilities. ■

Anciano Tower is an affordable, older adult community (62+) with several apartments equipped to accommodate those who are mobility impaired.

Celebrations as easy as cake

Satisfy your holiday sweet tooth with Nothing Bundt Cakes

This isn’t to say the cakes are baked early. They’re all made the day people want to pick them up. If guests want to pick them up ahead of the big day, Erin said the cakes can be refrigerated for five to seven days.

“They should be brought to room temperature before serving, though,” she advised.

Nothing Bundt Cakes also has decorations for different occasions. Weddings, birthdays, graduations and even good report cards can be made special with cake, and the Gordons are glad to be part of such big events in families’ lives.

Cakes come in nine flavors. The signature cream cheese frosting

top the cakes along with seasonal décor, like ugly Christmas sweaters and witches or pumpkins. Guests flip through a large book to see what’s available.

The Gordons employ a staff of 16, and Christie said that all of them have been working at Nothing Bundt Cakes since it opened one year ago.

Cakes come in four sizes: Bund tinis which are mini cakes sold by the dozen; Bundtlets, which are personal-size cakes; and one-lay ered and two-tiered cakes. The shop also has themed gift items, like tea towels, greeting cards, mugs, magnets and more.

To place your order, call 970-

By Jan Weeks

Walking into Nothing Bundt Cakes at 2536 Rimrock Dr. is like walking into a party.

Mother-daughter team Christie and Erin Gordon welcome everyone with ease and grace in the year-old Grand Junction business.

Both Gordons and Christie’s husband John worked in fields that were about as far from cake baking as one can get. Their interest in the cake business began when Erin went to college in Texas and her room mates insisted she come along on a 30-minute drive to a Nothing Bundt Cakes shop to stock up on goodies for study breaks. Erin wondered why they were driving so far to get cake. But once she tasted the bundt cakes, she was hooked.

“I had never had a bundt cake, and it was so moist and delicious!” she said.

When John saw an opportuni ty to bring the cake franchise to Grand Junction, the women went all in.

“When people hear the word ‘franchise,’ they expect products

shipped in, stale and weeks old,” said Christie. “We bake all our cakes fresh each day.”

The Gordons agree that the hardest part of opening the spe cialty bakery has been getting the brand recognized locally. Before the store opened, they would drive to Salt Lake City every Sunday to get Bundtlets—cupcake-sized bundts—which they brought back and handed out locally to showcase the product.

Christie explained that not only was the franchise helpful in getting their store going, but the compa ny’s core values resonated with their family values.

Those entering Nothing Bundt Cakes are considered guests, not customers. The first thing the Gordons ask guests that walk in is: “What are you celebrating?”

The biggest sales day for the shop is Thanksgiving, followed by Christmas. For these traditional festivities, the Gordons ask that people order cakes 30 days in ad vance so they have time to get the supplies they need.

3 steps to better health this fall

Courtesy of StatePoint Media

As people return to their fall routines many find themselves spending more time worrying about the health of their things than the health of themselves.

According to new research by Evernorth company MDLIVE, 67% of people view fall as a time to get back into routines, pointing to reprioritizing schedules, getting kids started in the new school year and prepping for winter. However, only 20% of people say they are on top of routine doctor visits. Instead, they’re prioritizing the health of their homes and their cars more so than preventive care for their personal health.

Why are Americans so avoidant when it comes to caring for their physical wellness? Time, or lack of it, is one major factor. Despite 56% of people recognizing that putting off personal health affects how well they can care for other aspects of their lives, 47% say they put off routine health tasks because they are too busy. Another factor is cost—39% of respondents say prioritizing health would be too expensive or force them to dip into

KEEP UP ON VACCINES: SOME EXPERTS PREDICT A CHALLENGING FLU SEASON ALONG WITH A POTENTIAL COVID SURGE.

money they have earmarked for other things.

“The majority of people with employer-sponsored health insurance have access to low-cost or nocost preventive care, and millions can now access routine preventive care virtually through their health plan,” said Dr. Vontrelle Roundtree, interim MDLIVE chief medical officer.

According to Dr. Roundtree, there are three simple steps people can take as part of a fall preventive health routine that is low-cost and requires little time:

1. Keep up on vaccines: Some experts predict a challenging flu season combined with the risk of other infectious diseases, all while bracing for a potential COVID surge. It’s critical to get your flu shot and stay current on COVID boosters.

2 . Stay current on screenings: Routine screenings are the first line of defense against many common illnesses. Addressing early signs of those conditions can often keep them from becoming chronic. However, since the start of COVID, screening rates for a number of conditions have fallen. Take an inventory of any overdue doctor or preventive care visits, such as screenings for breast, cervical, colorectal and skin cancer, and make the time to get them done.

Check your health plan to see your options, such as virtual wellness screenings that can save you a trip to the doctor’s office. They may be available to you at a $0 copay depending on your health plan.

3. Take control of chronic conditions: Those living with chronic conditions should review their medications and dosages with their doctor to ensure they are up to date and to determine if anything should be changed or stopped.

“The fall season, with its focus on fresh starts, is the perfect opportunity to turn your attention to preventive healthcare,” said Roundtree. “After all, your health is your most valuable asset.”

■

DO IT YOURSELF AND THIS FALL!

•

•

Come on, baby, do the mashed potato

By Ernie Witham

No doubt over the last two years we had the stuffing knocked out of us. Coronavirus squashed any hopes of a normal year. The economy sank like a lead gravy boat. And we had a turkey in the...

“Wait. Are you really going to make us suffer through a Thanks giving pun article?”

“Of course not, dear. Just trying to keep my readers abreast of the situation.”

“Please stop.”

“Your wish-bone is my command.”

Seriously, though, that may have been the most unusual Thanksgiving since the one I spent with the Swan sons and Franzia—as in three TV dinners and a box of estate Chablis.

When I was a kid in New Hamp shire, we always went to Grammy and Grampa’s house, neither of whom was I actually related to. Grampa adopted my mother and uncle when they were kids and already had several children of his own. His second wife Dot had a daughter and several sisters, one of whom wore more makeup than the entire Kardashian family. She used to pinch my kid brother’s cheeks so much he looked wounded.

Most of these folks had children of their own. In all, there must have been 25 people at a time. And I nev er could figure out how we were all connected. I was just one more bean in the family casserole.

“Hey, Little Ernie, (I was always called Little Ernie, so no one would confuse me with my old man) you remember Steve, right?”

“Uh...”

“Hey, Little...”

“Can you not call me ‘Little?’”

“Sure. Hey, kids, you remember Ernie Junior, right?”

The big news of the day was always how large a turkey Grammy had bought this year.

“Twenty-two pounds? Wow!”

“Butterball? No kidding.”

“Enough giblets to make a gallon of guts gravy? Yum!”

The men all retired to the living room. Grampa would light up a huge cigar, and many of the other men lit up cigarettes. I used to hang out to learn some new dirty jokes and cuss words.

WHEN SOMEONE FINALLY SAID “LET’S EAT,” YOU DID NOT WANT TO BE OUT OF POSITION.

Most of the female family mem bers would be in the kitchen making enough side dishes and pies to last until spring.

“Just one slice?”

“Not yet.”

“Half a slice?”

“Not yet.”

Usually after several beers, one of the uncles would suggest a football game to be held on a grassy side yard next to the drive way where a bunch of cars were parked. Fortunately, it was before car alarms.

Seating was a logistical night mare. There was a big table in the dining room, another table in the kitchen and a closed-in unheated porch where all us kids had to sit. When someone finally said “Let’s eat,” you did not want to be out of position because all the kids fought for the middle of the table seats where the turkey, potatoes and stuffing were located.

Miscalculate and you were on one of the ends with all the younger kids who spilled a lot.

This year I’m hoping for the good old days again.

“Are you done writing your pun ny column, dear?”

“Yes...I yam.” ■

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County

November 1

Open Mic Night

Western Colorado Writer’s Forum holds an open mic night at the Art Center. Bring your short works and poetry and get ready to read! Registration is required.

6-7:30 p.m. | 1803 N. 7th St., Grand Junction | Free | www.westerncolo radowriters.org | 970-822-7373

November 1, 9, 18, 22 & 30

Medicare Open Enrollment Walk-In Event

Get free help at Mesa County RSVP’s walk-in event. Bring your Medicare card, prescription drug information and any other relevant information. The event is first come, first served. 9 a.m.-3 p.m. | 422 White Ave., Suite 090, Grand Junction | Free | www. mesacountyrsvp.org/ship | 970-243-9839

November 2

Introduction to Medicare

New to Medicare? In this free seminar by Mesa County RSVP, learn when and how to sign up, what Part A and Part B cover, how to choose the best health and drug plan and more! Register early as seating is limited.

10 a.m.-12 p.m. | 422 White Ave., Suite 090, Grand Junction | Free | www.mesacountyrsvp.org | 970-243-9839

November 5

Felt a Cute Woolly Sheep

Learn how to shape fluffy wool into an expressive little sheep at the Blue Pig Gallery. Laurie Kollasch shares

CALENDAR

her tricks and tips and provides all the supplies! Class size is limited to 10. Register online.

10 a.m.-1 p.m. | 101 W. 3rd St., Palisade | $30 | www.thebluepiggallery. com/workshops | 970-464-4819

November 8

Salmonflies of the Gunnison River

Colorado Canyons Association presents a virtual lecture on one of the most important aquatic invertebrate species in the Gunnison Gorge—the Salmonfly! Register online.

5:30-6:30 p.m. | Free | www.colora docanyonsassociation.org/events | 970-263-7902

November 9

Mesa County Ghost Towns Lecture

Discover some of the many abandoned towns and communities in Mesa County through photos and maps. Mesa County Libraries’ in-house historian Ike Rakiecki will be the guest speaker at the Fruita Community Center. Registration is required.

5:30 p.m. | 324 N. Coulson St., Grand Junction | Free | www. mesacountylibraries.org/events | 970-243-4442

November 10

Memory for the Main Stage

This workshop taught by Mesa County Library Artist in Residence Caleb Ferganchick helps participants improve their memory for performance poetry. Participants should bring a short poem they

have written or enjoyed and want to memorize.

6-7 p.m. | Free | 443 N. 6th St., Grand Junction | www.mesacounty libraries.org/events | 970-243-4442

November 10

Sinners & Saint Nick Concert

Enjoy the views as Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra’s folk group plays gospel music and pub songs at Two Rivers Winery & Chateau. Row seating is available for general admission.

7:30 p.m. | 2087 Broadway, Grand Junction | $35 | www.gjso.org | 970-243-6787

November 11-13

Native American Market Days

Native American vendors, artists and dancers come together in unity for a celebration of culture at Grand Junction Convention Center. Shop baskets, southwest jewelry, pottery and more 12-6 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday & Sunday | 159 Main St., Grand Junction | www. grandjunctionconventioncenter. com | 970-263-5700

November 11

Leo Kottke Concert

Acoustic guitarist Leo Kottke presents an evening of strings at the Avalon Theatre. Kottke has been awarded two Grammy nominations along with major-label records such as “Mudlark” and “Greenhouse.”

7:30-9:30 p.m. | $35-$40 | 645 Main St., Grand Junction | www.avalon theatregj.com | 970-263-5700

November 12

Veterans Day Parade

Gather on Grand Junction’s Main Street to honor local veterans at the 30th annual Veterans Parade. Wear patriotic colors and salute those who have served our country.

2 p.m. | Main Street, Grand Junction | Free | 970-248-2733

November 12

Secret Garden Gala

Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra celebrates its 2022-23 season with its annual gala fundraiser in the Meyer Ballroom at Colorado Mesa University (CMU). A festive catered dinner with musical performances by the orchestra and the Western

Axonic Therapy - Treatment

Colonoscopy - Examination

EGD Procedure - Examination of

esophagus,

2460 Patterson Road, Suite 4 Grand Junction 81505 970-245-0990

November 12

Senior Craft Fair

Get your holiday shopping done early at the Grand Junction Senior Recreation Center craft fair. Vendors across the Western Slope present their artesian goods, homemade snacks, holiday crafts and more.

9 a.m.-3 p.m. | 550 Ouray Ave., Grand Junction | Free | 970-243-7408

Call for advance tickets or stop by Roper Music. Tickets at the door increase by $2.

3-5 p.m. | 1221 N. 12th St., Grand Junction | $12 seniors (65+), $15 adults, $5 veterans and children | www.grandmesaacappella.com/ events | 970-256-9763

November 16

Jazz & Commercial Ensemble Concert

The CMU Department of Music presents an evening of jazz at Warehouse 2565.

7:30-9:30 p.m. | 2565 American Way, Grand Junction | Free | www.colora domesa.edu/arts/music

November 17

Colorado Jazz Orchestra. Purchase tickets online.

5:30 p.m. | 1455 N. 12th St., Grand Junction | $150 | www.gjso.org | 970-243-6787

November 12

Lions Club Soup DuRoar

Dish up with all-you-can-eat soup at Orchard Mesa Lions Club’s fundraiser at Mesa County Fairgrounds Building C. There will be a cake wheel and kids activities. Bring your used eyeglasses and hearing aids to donate.

4:30-7:30 p.m. | 2785 US-50, Grand Junction | $8, kids 7 and under free

November 13

Stars & Stripes USO Show

Honor those serving and those who have served at Grand Mesa Chorus’ USO-themed show at Colorado Mesa University’s Love Recital Hall.

Leaves

Denver through the Decades: The 1960s

Join us for an online presentation of the pictorial history of Denver. We highlight the biggies from each decade along the way, from its inception through the end of the 1970s. This presentation will focus on the 1960s. Register online.

6-7 p.m.| Free | www.treasurebox tours.com | 303-564-7570

November 17

Ute Indians of Colorado Lecture

Colorado author Curtis Martin presents “Ute Indians of Colorado and their Prehistoric Ancestors” at the Ordinary Fellow Winery. Food and drink available for purchase.

6 p.m. | 202 Peach Ave., Palisade | Free | www.historicpalisade.org | 970-464-2177

November 17

Fall Prevention Class

Join Community Hospital for an educational class on how to prevent falls and injuries. Located in conference rooms 1 & 2, topics featured are home safety, physical therapy recommendations, assistive devices and more.

1-2 p.m. | 2351 G Road, Grand Junction | Free | www.yourcom munityhospital.com | 970-644-3103

November 18 GJSO Chamber Players Concert

Members of the GJ Symphony will play Bohuslav Martinu’s Nonet #2, Robert Ward’s Raleigh Divertimento and Louise Farrenc’s Nonet in E-flat, op. 38, at First Presbyterian Church. 7:30 p.m. | 3940 27 1/2 Rd., Grand Junction | $40 | www.gjso.org | 970243-6787

November 19

Downtown Tree Lighting

November 22

Planning for Your Pets Webinar

This educational webinar teaches viewers how to incorporate their beloved pets into emergency and end-of-life plans, instructions to create an emergency kit for a pet and sample directives to ensure a pet’s future caregiver has all the information and tools they need. Register for link online. .

10 a.m. | Free | local.aarp.org/grandjunction-co/aarp-events | 970-434-7337

November 22

Packrats Inside Our Canyon Walls Webinar

Discover the critters building time capsules inside our canyon walls during Colorado Canyons Associations’ virtual lecture series on packrats! Register online for this event. 5:30-6:30 p.m. | Free | www. coloradocanyonsassociation.org/ events | 970-263-7902 ■

Catch the spirit of the hoidays in downtown Grand Junction during the annual tree-lighting event. Take your grandchildren to witness Santa light the tree with a magical wave of his hand. Santa then sits down to visit with the kids before returning to the North Pole.

5-7 p.m. | Fourth and Main Streets, Grand Junction | Free | www.downtowngj.org | 970-245-9697

Mon-Fri 9-6 /

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Transform your brows with

Consultation!

County

A Course in Miracles Study Group meets via Zoom.

Tuesdays | 10:30 a.m. | 801-3698995

American University Women meets monthly.

2nd Saturday | 11:30 a.m. | 970-261-2112

Bookcliff Barbershop Chorus welcomes men of all ages to First Baptist Church.

Tuesdays | 7-9 p.m. | 970-257-7664

Bookcliff Duplicate Bridge Club plays at 636 31 Road. Call ahead to play.

Fridays | 12:30 p.m. | 970-244-9989

Chatfield Country Kickers meets for square and round dancing at VFW #3981.

1st & 3rd Saturdays | 7-10 p.m. | 970-434-0868

Citizens’ Climate Lobby meets via Zoom. 970-250-4832 | grandjunction@ citizensclimatelobby.org

Clifton Book Club meets to discuss book selections at Clifton Library. 2nd Tuesday | 10-11 a.m. | www.mesacountylibraries.org

Colorado Archaeological Society meets monthly.

4th Wednesday | 4:30 p.m. | 720278-8537

CLUBS

Colorado West Quilters’ Guild meets monthly at First Christian Church in Grand Junction.

2nd Wednesday | 7 p.m. | 970-2452522

Crafting Club meets at Clifton Library. 3rd Tuesday | 2-3 p.m. | 970-434-6936

Cribbage Lite meets at IHOP. Tuesdays | 5:30 p.m. | 970-201-7823

Cups Club meets at The Artful Cup. Make friends through cards, games, talk and tea.

Wednesdays | 2 p.m. | 970-257-2390

Daughters of the American Revolution, Mount Garfield Chapter, meets monthly. 970-250-7401

Desert Vista Garden Club is open to all women.

1st Wednesday | 1 p.m. | 303-6531941

Explorer’s Bible Study, open to all women, meets at Redlands Community Church.

Wednesdays | 9:30-11:15 a.m. | 970260-0880

Fleet Reserve Association meets at VFW #3981. Former, retired and active sea service, Navy, Marines or Coast Guard welcome.

2nd Wednesday | 7 p.m. | 970-4340868

Friendship Force, a club that pro-

motes travel and cultural understanding through home stays, meets at New Covenant Baptist Church. 3rd Saturday | 12 p.m. | 214-5362250 | www.ffwcolo.com

Grand Junction Brush & Palette Club meets at The Art Center. 3rd Thursday | 1 p.m. | www.gjbrushandpalette.org

Grand Junction Gem & Mineral Club meets at 2328 Monument Road, Grand Junction.

2nd Thursday & 4th Thursday | 7 p.m. | www.grandjunctionrockclub.org

Grand Junction Modeleers meet monthly at 427 Sherman Drive.

2nd Tuesday | 6 p.m. | 970-216-8073 | www.gjmodeleers.comrcclub

Grand Junction Petroleum & Mining Club meets at Grand Junction Convention Center. 3rd Thursday | 6:30 p.m. | www.grandjunctionpmc.com

Grand Junction Stamp Club meets at White Star Electric, 803 Winters Ave.

2nd Wednesday | 7 p.m. | 970-9861502

Grand Junction Toastmasters meets in the Garden Room at The Commons of Hilltop. Tuesdays | 6:45 a.m. | 970-361-1806

Grand Valley Pets Alive meets at Church of the Nativity.

3rd Wednesday | 2-3:30 p.m. | 970462-7554

Grand Valley Valor Quilters meets at the Grand Junction Eagles Lodge. 3rd Monday | 9:30 a.m. | 970-2700804 | valorquilters@gmail.com

Grand Valley Woodcarvers meets at Redlands Methodist Church.

1st & 3rd Wednesday at 6 p.m. | 2nd & 4th Wednesdays at 1 p.m. | 970-245-8817 or 970-257-1549

Grand Valley Woodturners meets at Redlands Methodist Church. 2nd Tuesday | 7 p.m. | 970-245-8817

Great Old Broads for Wilderness meets monthly. 970-986-8129 | marymccutchan4@ gmail.com

Guitar Club meets weekly at First Christian Church in Grand Junction. Mondays | 6 p.m. | revkevgj@gmail. com | 970-778-5473

Guys’ Giving Club meets at Springhill Suites in Grand Junction.

1st Tuesday in February, May, August, November | 5:15 p.m. | 970-243-8829 or 970-270-6184

Kiwanis Club of Grand Junction meets at Warehouse 25sixty-five. Thursdays | 12 p.m. | 970-260-8664

Knights of Columbus #1062 meets at St. Joseph Catholic Church. 2nd Thursday | 6:30 p.m. | 970-2611952

Knitting Club meets at Community of Christ Church.

4th Tuesday | 6:30-8 p.m. | 970-623-1455

Mesa County Genealogical Society meets at various locations. www.mesacountygenealogy.org

Newcomers Club meets at Grand Valley Event Center.

2nd Wednesday | 9:30 a.m. | 970549-0440 | www.gjnewcomers.org

Not Going Quietly, a space of empowerment, community and grace for adults 60+, meets at Koinonia. 2nd & 4th Tuesday | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | 970-433-7799 | www.cslgj.org

Orchard Mesa Lions Club meets at the Eagles Lodge in Grand Junction. 1st & 3rd Monday | 7 p.m. | 970-2087228

Questers, Grand Mesa Peaches, hosts speakers on collecting and restoring antiques. 970-256-9580

River City Singles meets at the Grand Junction Moose Lodge with fun activities for singles over 50. Fridays | 4:30 p.m. | 720-278-8537

Rotary Club of Grand Junction meets at Bookcliff Country Club. Wednesdays | 12-1:15 p.m. | 970-234-5030

SOS: Singles over 65 is an active, hip social club for single seniors! www.meetup.com/singles-over-65

Sunset Slope Quilters meets at Canyon View Vineyards Church’s South Chapel.

2nd Wednesday | 9 a.m. | www.sunsetslopequilters.com

Sweet Adelines, Grand Mesa A Capella Chorus, rehearses at Redlands United Methodist Church.

Mondays | 6:30-9 p.m. | 970-245-1837 | www.grandmesaacappella.com

Talk of the Town Toastmasters meets weekly.

Thursdays | 12 p.m. | 970-361-1806

Thunder Mountain Camera Club meets at Western Colorado Community College, Building B. 4th Tuesday | 7 p.m. | www.thunder mountaincameraclub.org

Two Rivers Cribbage Club meets at Grand Junction Masonic Center. Thursdays | 970-261-1670

Veterans Coffee Club meets at Western Region One Source. Tuesdays | 8:30-10:30 a.m. | 970-257-3760

Veterans of Foreign Wars #3981 meets at 503 Florence Road in Grand Junction.

1st Wednesday | 5:30 p.m. | 970-778-8242

Women’s Giving Club meets at Springhill Suites in Grand Junction. 1st Monday in February, May, August, November | 5:15 p.m. | 970-260-6140

Western Colorado Amateur Radio Club meets at First Christian Church.

2nd Saturday | 9:30 a.m. | www.w0rrz.org

Western Colorado Astronomy Club meets at the Central Library.

1st Tuesday | 6 p.m. | 970-2012865 | www.wcacastronomy.org

Western Colorado Decorative Artists meets at First Congregational Church.

2nd Saturday | 9 a.m. | 970-6402751

Western Slope Coin Club meets at VFW #1247.

4th Tuesday | 6:30 p.m. | 970-2507036

Western Slope Model Yacht Club meets at Canyon View Park’s north pond.

Saturdays | 10 a.m. | 970-2432957

Western Slope Pickleball Club meets regularly. 970-241-8561 | www.western slopepickleballclub.com

Wheels West Car Club meets at Grand Junction Moose Lodge.

1st Saturday | 9 a.m. | www. wheelswestcarclub.org

Writer Chicks Coffee Club, a ladies-only meeting for local writers, meets at Main Street Bagels. Wednesdays | 9-10 a.m. | melody jones@melodyjonesauthor.com ■

MeSa County

BEACON BITS

Wreaths Across America seeking sponsorships

Remember our fallen U.S. veter ans, honor those who serve and teach your grandchildren the value of freedom by participating in Patriot Guard Riders’ Wreaths Across America campaign. On December 16-17, volunteers place holiday wreaths at 3,000 gravesites at the Veterans Memo rial Cemetery and 1,190 graves at the Orchard Mesa Cemetery. One wreath costs $15, and donations are tax-deductible. Checks can be made payable to Wreaths Across America and mailed to Patriot Guard Riders,

Medicare Walk-in Thursdays

Do you have questions about your Medicare bills? Get free unbiased help from State-Certified Medicare Counselors from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. No appointment necessary! Mesa County RSVP is located inside US Bank at 422 White Ave., Suite 090, Grand Junction. For details, call 970-243-9839 or visit www.me sacountyrsvp.org.

RSVP announces Dave Carlo as new executive director Dave Carlo joins Mesa County RSVP to support its mission of changing lives one volunteer at a time. As the nonprofit’s executive director, Carlo

616 Lodgepole St., Grand Junc tion, CO 81504. The last day to send donations is November 25. The public is invited to a wreathhanging ceremony at 10 a.m. on December 17 at the Veterans Memorial Cemetery. For more information, call 970-250-1174

will work closely with the organiza tion’s staff, board, partners and the community to build a strong and re silient network centered on volun teerism. Carlo spent over 27 years as a social studies teacher and stu dent council leader in Mesa County School District 51. He also coached football and track and worked as an assistant principal. Prior to joining Mesa County RSVP, he served on various boards and has experience in training and coaching others in leadership and service. Carlo holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from the University of Colorado at Denver. For more information

about Mesa County RSVP, visit www.rsvpgrandjunction.org or call 970-243-9839.

AARP Driver Safety Classes in Grand Junction and Fruita

Take the AARP Driver Safety course and you could be eligible for a multi-year discount on your auto insurance. Plus, the course teaches proven driving techniques to help keep you and your loved ones safe on the road. Cost is $20 for AARP members and $25 for nonmem bers. The Grand Junction class is from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on November 9 and 1-5 p.m. in Fruita on November 16. Register for the Grand Junc tion class by calling 970-243-2531.

To register for the Fruita class, call 970-433-0384.

Vitalant opens blood donation center in Grand Junction

Vitalant, the nation’s largest inde pendent nonprofit blood services provider, opened their newest do nation center in Grand Junction on October 3. Vitalant has partnered with St. Mary’s Medical Center to transition its blood collection operations to the new donation center located just six minutes away from the previous hospital location at 561 25 Road in Grand Junction.

The new donation center will be staffed with familiar faces donors have grown accustomed to see

Third Book in local author’s “Ladies of a Certain Age” mystery series arrives

Author Elizabeth Wheeler, 75, has released her newest book, “A Murder and the Blue Spruce.” Much like her other historical mysteries, her new est addition is based in Denver and utilizes some of the city’s well-known areas and features a character of a certain age. Wheeler, who resides on the Western Slope, spent her earlier years educating old house owners about caring for their homes, helping those with historically designated houses obtain historic preservation tax credits and started Denver’s Old House Society. Her love of architecture paired with her writing skills as a public relations professional came together in her mystery book series. Wheeler also writes a monthly blog to bring a voice to women’s issues, ageism and the collective power of this often-overlooked sector. “A Murder and a Blue Spruce” and Wheeler’s other books are available at www.ladiesofacertainage.com and on Amazon.

volunteers needed

Are you handy around the house? If you have a little time to spare, why not use your skills to help older adults in your community?

There are homebound seniors that desperately need help with small tasks that just aren’t safe for them to do anymore.* Some seniors simply have no one to help them with small tasks like changing a burned out light bulb, replacing a furnace filter or changing batteries in a smoke detector. Mileage reimbursement is available.

* Snow removal and landscaping/lawn care are not provided.

Please Join Region 10 RSVP Today

Region 10 Handy Helper Program

Contact Joe Walker jwalker@region10.net

Bringing Health Care Home to You

ing at St. Mary’s, plus a few new ones. The center will be open to whole blood, platelet and plasma donors Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. and Tuesday and Thursday from 11 a.m.-6:30 p.m. There is currently a critical need for blood, and Vitalant urges donors to make an appointment to give blood in the coming days, weeks and months ahead. All blood types are needed, especially the most commonly transfused type O. To schedule an appointment, visit www.vitalant.org/grandjunction or call 877-258-4825.

Redlands Lions Club seeks volunteers to help with flag program

The Redlands Lions Club is seeking volunteers to help place flags at clients’ homes or businesses within the Redlands area nine holidays a year. On November 11, volunteers meet at Ready to Go at 7 a.m. to install flags and pick them up in the evening. Proceeds from this service support programs like college scholarships, the eyeglass program, Kids Aid and Marillac Clinic, among others. For details, call 970-2704658 and leave a message.

Halloween Candy Buy-Back supports Operation Interdependence

From November 1-14 during business hours, Ruby Canyon Dental will buy children’s Halloween candy for $1 per pound. The candy will be donated to Operation Interdependence (OI), a nonprofit that provides care packages and support to active military members overseas and to veterans at home. OI volunteers and local veterans will be present at Ruby Canyon, 2552 Patterson Road in Grand Junction, from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Friday, November 4. Kids and grandparents alike are

VOLUNTEERS WANTED

ADRC - SOS volunteers provide rides to homebound seniors. www.htop.org/volunteers | 970-248-2746 2

A Little Help volunteers help older adults with home projects. www.alittlehelp.org | 970-404-1923

Ariel Clinical Services is looking for host homes for adults with intellectual disabilities.

www.arielcpa.org | 970-245-1616

Community Hospital volunteers support the hospital in various ways. codell@gjhosp.org | 970-644-3541

Food Bank of the Rockies volunteers serve in various positions. www.foodbankrockies.org/west ern-slope-volunteer | 970-464-1138

Grand Junction Visitor Center tourism ambassadors welcome visitors to the Grand Valley. www.visitgrandjunction.com | 970256-4054

Lower Valley Heritage Room volunteers help preserve Fruita history. 970-858-3868

Master Gardeners teach landscape and gardening at CSU Extension. https://tra.extension.colostate.edu | 970-244-1834

Meals on Wheels volunteers deliver lunch to homebound seniors or serve lunch at local dining sites. 970-298-9844

Mesa County RSVP connects individuals 55+ to volunteer positions in its member agencies. www.rsvpgrandjunction.com | 970243-9839

Operation Interdependence volunteers hand-write notes sent to U.S. military men and women. carley@oidelivers.org | 970-523-4217

Palisade Historical Society volunteers share Palisade’s history and work on committees. 970-464-2177

invited to write notes for military recipients of care packages. For more information about OI, call 970-5234217 or visit www.oidelivers.org. ■

Nursing and Therapy Services Personal

IHSS Personal Safety Devices

County

Montrose & MeDelta sa County

Alzheimer’s Association’s Persons with Dementia support group meets virtually. Register for Zoom link.

2nd Tuesday | 10-11 a.m. | 970-714-2875 | wlbandel@alz.org

Caregiver Support Group meets at Cappella Grand Junction.

1st Thursday | 1:30-3 p.m. | 970-822-7070

Caregiver Support Group meets at Aspen Ridge Care Center.

2nd Tuesday | 1:30-3 p.m. | 970-640-7416

Compassionate Friends offers friendship to bereaved families at Messiah Lutheran Church.

1st Tuesday | 7-8:30 p.m. | 970-434-3822

Dementia Caregiver Support Group meets at the Alzheimer’s Association.

4th Wednesday | 1-2 p.m. | 970714-2875 | wlbandel@alz.org

Dementia Support Group meets at Aspen Ridge Care Center.

2nd Tuesday | 1:30-3 p.m. | 970-640-7416

Gamblers Anonymous’ 12-step meeting is held at The Meeting Hall. Tuesdays | 7-8 p.m. | 917-363-3719

Guitars 4 Vets meets at Western Region One Source. Tuesdays | 9:30-11:30 a.m. | 970-257-3760

Head & Neck Cancer Support Group meets at Colorado West Otolaryngologists (St. Mary’s Hospital). 1st Tuesday | 6:30-8 p.m. | 970-2452400

Healing Hands Hour meets in St. Mary’s Hospital’s Reflection Room.

SUPPORT GROUPS

SUPPORTCALENDARGROUPS

Moms Group (veterans) meets at Western Region One Source. 1st and 4th Tuesdays | 1-3 p.m. | 970-257-3760

National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) meets at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Fruita. 4th Tuesday | 6-7:30 p.m. | www. NAMIWS.org | 970-462-3989

Wednesdays | 9 a.m. | 970-5230241

TOPS Colorado 458 weight loss support group meets at Community of Christ Church.

Tuesdays | 1 p.m. | 970-628-4981

Thursdays | 12-1 p.m. | 970-298- 2351 Hearing Loss of America meets at Center for Independence 2nd Saturday | 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | 970-241-0315 ext. 29

HEARTBEAT/Survivors After Suicide meets at First Congregational Church.

3rd Tuesday | 7-9 p.m. | 970-7789274

Job Searching After 50 meets at Mesa County Workforce Center.

1st & 3rd Thursdays | 8:30-10 a.m. | 970-248-7560

Leukemia, Lymphoma & Myeloma Support Group meets in St. Mary’s Hospital’s Reflection Room.

3rd Monday | 4-5 p.m. | 970-2982351

MACHO Men cancer support group meets at the VA Medical Center In-Patient Dining Room.

1st Thursday | 2 p.m. | 970-298-2351

Mending Hearts is for any adult who has experienced the death of a loved one. Call for location.

Thursdays | 2-3:30 p.m. | 970-2572390

Mens Health Group (veterans) meets at Western Region One Source.

1st Mondays | 9:30-11 a.m. | 970- 257-3760

Parents (Family) of Addicted Loved Ones meets at Four Winds. Thursdays | 6:30-8 p.m. | 970-2162232

Overeaters Anonymous, a 12-step recovery support group for people with compulsive eating and food behaviors, meets at Unity Church in Grand Junction.

Saturdays | 9-10 a.m. | 970-250-8435

S.M.A.R.T. Addiction Recovery meets via Zoom. Call for details. 801-369-8995 | www.smartrecovery.org

St. Mary’s Stroke support group meets virtually and in person. 3rd Friday | 1-2:30 p.m. | 970-2981980

Tai Chi for Veterans at Western Region One Source in Grand Junction. Wednesdays | 1-2 p.m. | 970-2573760

Thyroid Support Group meets at Grand Valley Wellness 4th Mondays | 5:30-6:30 p.m. | 970263-2661

TOPS Club weight-loss support group meets at Grace Point Church.

Veteran Coffee Club meets at Western Region One Source. Wednesdays | 8-10:30 a.m. | 970-257-3764

Veteran Spouses Grief and Loss ladies-only support group meets at Grand Junction Veterans Memorial Cemetery. Wednesdays | 9-10:30 a.m. | 970-263-8986

Vets 4 Vets meets at Western Region One Source.

Fridays | 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | 970-257-3760

Woman to Woman cancer support group meets in St. Mary’s Hospital’s Reflection Room.

3rd Thursday | 4:30-5:30 p.m. | 970-298-2351

Women Veterans Tai Chi at Western Region One Source. Fridays | 9:30-11:30 a.m. | 970-2573760

Yoga For Life meets at St. Mary’s Life Center Aerobics Room. Tuesdays | 5:30-6:45 p.m. | 970-2982351

Yoga for Veterans at Western Region One Source. Thursdays | 11 a.m.-12 p.m. | 970-257-3760 ■

FUN AFTER 50

Registration is required for all activities. To register for programs, call 970-858-0360 or visit www.fruita.org/parksrec/page/seniors

SPECIAL EVENTS

Understanding & Responding to Dementia Related Behaviors

A free presentation by Woo Bandel with the Alzheimer’s Association. Registration required.

1-2:30 p.m. | Nov. 2 | Free

Downtown Fruita History Walk

Walk downtown and learn about Fruita’s history from Denise and Steve Hight. This easy 2-mile walk starts at the community center.

10:40 a.m.-12 p.m. | Nov. 10 | $5

ART

Art Class: Mosaic Serving Tray

Embellish real wooden serving trays with stained glass remnants, resulting in functional art pieces that you will be proud to keep or gift to someone special.

2-4 p.m. | Nov. 7 | $28

FOOD

Senior Potluck

Bring a dish to complement City Market chicken on November 3 and Thanksgiving dinner on November 17.

Preregister at least 24 hours in advance.

12 p.m. | Nov. 3 & 17 | $3; free if you bring a dish

Food for Thought: Sweet Potatoes

November is Sweet Potato Awareness Month! Bring your favorite recipe to share and enjoy.

1 p.m. | Nov. 28 | Free

HIKES & TRIPS

Hike: Coal Canyon Wild Horse Area

Look for wild horses on this easy 3-mile hike near the Cameo exit. Meet at the Senior Center to carpool to the trailhead.

12:30 p.m. | Nov. 15 | $5

Hike: Kodels Canyon

Explore Kodel Canyon on this easy-to-moderate 3-mile hike. Meet at the Senior Center to carpool to the trailhead.

1 p.m. | Nov. 30 | $5

GAMES

Pinochle

10 a.m. | Tuesdays & Fridays

Game Night

Play dominoes, Mexican train and many other games at the Senior Center.

5 p.m. | Nov. 8 & 22

Bunco after Senior Potluck Nov. 17 | Free

Senior Center Activities

FUN AFTER 50 Senior Center Activities

Senior Recreation Center activities

550 Ouray Ave., Grand Junct. 970-243-7408

To register for these programs, call 970-254-3866 or visit www.gjparksandrec.org.

Senior Center Crafts Fair

9 am-4 pm | Nov. 12 | 550 Ouray Ave. | 970-7306881

Senior Center Thanksgiving Party

Feast on a turkey potluck dinner plus a Thanksgiving play. Bring a dish to share. Call for details. Nov. 17 | 550 Ouray Ave

SPECIAL EVENTS

Holiday Light Tour for 50+

Enjoy hot chocolate and holiday goodies, then board the bus at Lincoln Park Barn for a festive tour of the most beautiful lights in the city. Register early as this event fills up quickly.

5:15-8:15 p.m. | Dec. 8 | $7

Chocolate Walk

Choose from two guided walking tours: Art on the Corner or Grand Junction History. Register early and receive a mug filled with Enstrom’s hot chocolate. 5:30 p.m. | Dec. 9 | 701 Colorado Ave. | $12

Santa Cause 5K Run or Walk

This event helps fund inclusive playground equipment. Register early to receive a Santa suit or red race shirt. Meet at Las Colonias Amphitheater. 10 a.m. | Dec. 10 | $30 ($20 for 1K option)

FITNESS

Gentle Active Yoga

8-9 a.m. | Tuesdays & Fridays | Lincoln Park Barn | $7 drop in, $50 10-punch pass Line Dance

12:15-2 p.m. | Mondays | Lincoln Park Barn | $5 drop in Tai Chi for Health

8-9 am Wednesdays, 9-10 a.m. Thursdays | $9 drop in, $70 10-punch pass

SPORTS

Indoor Drop-In Pickleball (Begins Nov. 14)

9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. M, T, Th, F, Sat, Sun | 5:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Fri | 4 p.m.-7 p.m. Sat | Bookcliff Activity Center | $7 or $50 10-punch pass

Silver Sneakers Splash Aqua Aerobics 8:30-9:30 a.m. MWF | 5:30-6:30 p.m. T & Th | Orchard Mesa Pool | $5 drop-in

Open to adults 50 and older 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Saturday.

MONDAY

9:00 am Cribbage & Games 12:00 p.m. Canasta 1:00 pm Card Bingo 6:00 pm Game Night

TUESDAY

8:00 am Pinochle (DD) 9:00 am Pool Tournament & Games 11:00 am Darts 1:00 pm Bingo

WEDNESDAY

9:00 am Games 9:30 am Pool 1:00 pm Pinochle Call 970-243-7408 before 9 a.m. to play Pinochle

THURSDAY

9:00 am Games 10:00 am Craft Share 10:00 am Dance (1st Thursday) 12:00 pm Lunch & Potluck (1st Thursday 12:00 pm Pokeno 1:00 pm Rummikub 6:00 pm Bunco

FRIDAY

9:00 a.m. Pool Tournament & Games 10:00 a.m. Painting Class 12:00 p.m. Canasta 12:45 p.m. Bridge

SATURDAY

9:00 am Games 10:00 am Tai Chi 1:00 pm Bingo

November 2

AARP Driver Safety

When you take the AARP Driver Safety course, you could be eligible for a multi-year discount on your auto insurance. Plus, the course teaches proven driving techniques to help keep you and your loved ones safe on the road. Call to register.

12:30-4:30 p.m. | 1845 S. Townsend Ave., Montrose | $20 for AARP members, $25 for non-members | www.montrose county.net/107/Human-Services | 970-314-9843

CALENDAR

November 6

The Kamstra Trio in Concert Grand Mesa Arts & Events Center presents an evening of cool jazz with Darin Kamstra, Timothy Emmons and Tim Fox, featuring Scott Betts. 7-9 p.m. | 195 W. Main St., Cedar edge | $25 | www.gmaec.org | 970-856-9195

November 7

David Osborne Concert Known as the “pianist to the presidents” David Osborne has performed in the White House 75 times for every president since Ronald Reagan. Watch him play romantic, classical, jazz, pop, inspirational, patriotic and Broadway show tunes at Delta County Performing Arts Center. 7 p.m. | 822 Grand Ave., Delta | $20 adults, $5 students | www.delta montroseconcerts.com | 970-835-4480

November 9

November 10

Veteran’s Day BBQ

Enjoy burgers, hot dogs and good times at Bank of Colorado’s annual Veterans Day BBQ. You don’t need to be a Bank of Colorado customer to attend. 11 a.m.-2 p.m. | 945 S. Grand Mesa Dr., Cedaredge | Free | 970-856-8600

grounds. Lunch will be provided. Register online.

8 a.m.-3 p.m. | 1001 N. 2nd St., Montrose | Free | www.westslopewater summit.com | 970-252-4505

November 12

Veterans Day Film Screening

The Ute Indian Museum shows “The Warrior Tradition,” a film chronicling the military accounts of Native American warriors from their own points of view, and “True Whisperers,” a story of the Navajo code talkers during World War II.

10 a.m.-2 p.m. | 17253 Chipeta Road, Montrose | Free | www. historycolorado.org | 970-249-3098

November 10

Christmas Sign Painting & Lettering Class

November 4

King Art & the Knights of the Half Round Table

The moat’s stopped up and the lute’s out of tune, the drawbridge is broken and it’s not even noon! Join the Cedarberry Hysterical Players at the Grand Mesa Arts & Events Center for this popular melodrama that will have you laughing uncontrollably.

7-9 p.m. | 195 W. Main St., Cedaredge | $20 | www.gmaec.org | 970-856-9195

Author Talk with Scott Graham

Author Scott Graham talks about the successes and challenges he faced when he combined entertainment and activism for his book “Canyonlands Carnage” at Blue Sage Center for the Arts. This event repeats at 1 p.m. at the Montrose Field House on November 10. 6-7 p.m. | 226 Grand Ave., Paonia | Free | www.bluesage.org | 970-527-7243

Get ready for the holiday season by creating a bright red Christmas truck sign at San Juan Brews. Learn how to add hand-lettering to your sign or have it painted for you. All materials provided, plus a beverage. Register online.

5:30-7 p.m. | 512 E. Main St., Montrose | $45 | www.birdsandberry studio.com

November 10

West Slope Water Summit

Learn more about our troubled waters at the West Slope Water Summit at Montrose County Fair-

#41 in Montrose!

a ride?

November 12

Homes for Our Troops Community Kickoff

Join Homes For Our Troops as they kick off a specially adapted custom home for 1SG David Wallace. A light lunch follows with an opportunity to meet Wallace. Homes For Our Troops builds homes for severely injured post-9/11 veterans nationwide. 10 a.m. | 16731 Woodgate Road, Montrose | Free | 774-226-5173

November 15

Medicare 101

New to Medicare or the area? Not happy with your current plan? Learn the basics and have a chance to get all of your Medicare questions answered by licensed insurance experts at Montrose Community Recreation Center. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. | 16350 Woodgate Road, Montrose | Free | www.west ernslopebenefits.com | 970-436-8122

November 18 Crab Crack

Head to the Montrose Pavilion for the eighth annual Crab Crack to support the Black Canyon Boys and Girls Club. This country boil features crab, shrimp, sausage, corn and potatoes. Purchase tickets online. 6-9 p.m. | 1800 Pavilion Dr., Montrose | $60-$350 | www.eventbrite. com | 970-249-5168

November 18-19

Fairground’s Indoor Arena. Get tips for remodeling and updating your home and connect with amazing exhibitors while browsing new and innovative products.

12-8 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. & 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday | 1036 N. 7th St., Montrose | Free | www. montrosecountyeventcenter.com | 303-867-0808

November 19

November 19

San Juan Weavers Guild Show & Sale

In its 44th year, one of the area’s oldest holiday traditions returns to the Ute Indian Museum with a variety of educational demonstrations and handwoven and/or handspun items for sale. Baskets, ornaments and fiber jewelry are popular items, in addition to home décor, scarves and other wearables in richly textured and colorful yarns.

9 a.m.-4 p.m. | 17253 Chipeta Road, Montrose | Free | www. sanjuanweavers.org | 970-240-0453

November 18-19

Happy New Merry Thanks Mas Take your grandkids to the biggest holiday event to kick off Christmas shopping. Vendors, food and gift wrapping are some of the many activities at the Friendship Hall in the Montrose County Fairgrounds.

1-6 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday | 1001 N. 2nd St., Montrose | Free | www.mont rosecountyeventcenter.com | 970-765-0913

November 18-20

Montrose Home & Outdoor Show

Check out the latest home and outdoor trends, meet local vendors and get new ideas at Montrose County

November 24

Community Thanksgiving Dinner

Come to the Montrose County Fairgrounds Friendship Hall for a free Thanksgiving dinner open to the public. Call to volunteer.

12-2 p.m. | 1001 N. 2nd St., Montrose | Free | www.montrosecountyeventcenter.com | 970-318-6724

November 26

Bill Heddles Holiday Craft Fair

Come to the Bill Heddles Recreation Center for a holiday shopping extravaganza featuring jewelry, wreaths, photography, soaps and more.

9 am.-3 p.m. | 531 N. Palmer St., Delta | Free | 970-874-0923 ■

Montrose & Delta

Alpine Photography Club meets in classroom 100 at Colorado Mesa

University’s Montrose campus. 2nd Tuesday | 7-9 p.m. | apcmontroseco@gmail.com

Black Canyon Barbershop Chorus sings four-part a cappella at Olathe United Methodist Church. Thursdays | 7-8:30 p.m.

Black Canyon Woodcarvers meets at Montrose Senior Center. Thursdays | 1-3 p.m. | 970-323-5860

Book Club meets virtually through Montrose Regional Library. 1st Saturday | 9-10 a.m. | lmclean@montroselibrary.org

Chess Club meets at Bill Heddles Recreation Center in Delta. 5:30-8 p.m. | Tuesdays | 970-874-0923

Citizen’s Climate Lobby meets at Montrose Regional Library. November 21 | 5:30 p.m. | 970-7659095

Crafternoon members meet in Montrose Library’s meeting room to knit and crochet projects to donate to charities. Supplies provided. Thursdays | 11 a.m-1 p.m. | 970249-9656

Crafty Chatty members socialize and work on craft projects. Bring your own materials. 9:45 a.m-11:30 a.m. | Tuesdays | 970-249-7198

CLUBS

Columbine Quilters gather monthly for fellowship and refreshments at 4 Hilcrest Plaza Way, Montrose. 1st Saturday | 9 a.m. | 970-4623849 | paulalakecity@gmail.com

Delta Hub-Wheelers Square Dance Club seeks new dancers! 970-773-4495 | deltawriter47@ gmail.com

Digging Your Roots Genealogy Group meets at Cedaredge Library. Last Friday | 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. | 970-399-7674 | www.deltalibraries. org

Friendship Quilters meet at Montrose County Events Center. 4th Thursday | 9 a.m. | 970-4174842

Fore-Kin Trails Genealogical Society can help you research your family history at the Montrose Genealogy Center, 700 E. Main. Wednesdays & Thursdays | 1-4 p.m. | 970-240-1755

Gold Prospectors of America meets at Olathe Community Center. 3rd Thursday | 7 p.m. | 970-596-9184 | www.wcgpaa.org

Golden Circle of Friends meets for lunch at Montrose Senior Center. Bring lunch and socialize. Fridays | 12 p.m. | 970-252-4888

Kiwanis Club of Delta meets at Daveto’s for lunch.

2nd & 4th Tuesdays | 12 p.m. | 970-985-8413

Montrose Area Woodturners meets at 520 Collins Way, Montrose. 2nd Saturday | 9 a.m.-12 p.m. | 970986-2550 | lvcribbs@charter.net

Montrose Amateur Radio Club meets at Olathe Community Center. 3rd Friday | 7 p.m. | 970-417-6142

Montrose Historical Society meets at Montrose Events Center. 1st Wednesday | 7 p.m. | 970-2492085 | www.montrosehistory.org

Montrose Elks hosts Bingo at the Elks Lodge. Tuesdays | 6:30 p.m. | 970-249-4852

Montrose Model Aircraft Association fly remote-control planes every weekend. Beginners welcome. www.mmaa-modelairplanes.org | 970765-0599 | mmaaflyer@gmail.com

Montrose Pavilion Dance Club hosts dances at Montrose Pavilion. All ages welcome. 2nd & 4th Saturdays | 7:30-10:30 p.m. | $10 | 970-252-7172

Montrose Single Seniors is a new group for active seniors who enjoy fun activities and meeting new friends. 520-282-9060 | smilngangel10@ gmail.com

Party Bridge Club meets at Bill Heddles Recreation Center in Delta. 1-4 p.m. | Thursdays | 970-874-0923

SOS: Singles Over 65 is an active, gender-balanced social club for single seniors in the Montrose area. www.meetup.com/montrose-singles-over-65

Tuesday Needlers Delta meets at Bill Heddles Recreation Center. 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | Tuesdays | 970874-0923

Uncompahgre Treasure Club meets at the Lions Park Clubhouse in Montrose, 602 N. Nevada. 7 p.m. | 2nd Monday | 970-258-1955 | www.uncompahgretreasureclub. com

Veterans Coffee Cedaredge meets at The Pondy.

3rd Tuesday | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | 970-756-2210 | www.whafv.org

Veterans Coffee Montrose meets at the Warrior Resource Center. Thursdays | 8-10 a.m. | 970-756-2210 | www.whafv.org

Veterans Coffee Westend meets at the Nucla Airport.

2nd Wednesday | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | 970-756-2210 | www.whafv.org

Western Slope 4 Wheelers meets at Montrose Rod & Gun Club’s indoor range, 1211 6450 Road.

1st Tuesday | 7 p.m. | 970-209-5326 ■

SUPPORT GROUPS

Bereavement Book Club by HopeWest heals through discussions about death, grief and mourning from various forms of literature at Delta Library.

3rd Thursday | 2-4 p.m. | 970-8749630 | www.deltalibraries.org

COVID-19 Grief Group meets at Touch of Care in Montrose. Last Tuesday | 12 p.m. | 970-787-9988

Dementia Caregivers Support Group in Delta meets in locations throughout Delta County.

1st & 3rd Wednesday at Grand Mesa Arts Center in Cedaredge | 2nd & 4th Wednesday at Hotchkiss Town Hall | Thursdays at 480 Silver St. in Delta | 1:30-3 p.m. | 970-510-0724

Delta Diabetes Support Group meets at Grand Mesa Oncology’s Crag Crest room.

2nd Tuesdays | 2:30-3:30 p.m.

Essential Tremor Support Group meets bimonthly at Montrose Regional Health Conference Room A. 4 p.m. | 405-205-9397 | www. deltalibraries.org

FUN AFTER 50 Senior Center Activities

Shavano Valley Rock Art

The inhabitants of Shavano Valley carved rock for centuries. This twohour rock art tour is about a one mile hike up and down, with rocky and uneven surfaces and eight to 10 sites to see.

9:30 a.m.-1 p.m. | Nov. 8 & 15 | $21

To register for programs, call 970-252-4884 or visit www.montroserec.com

EDUCATION

Presentations are free, but donations support Senior Center activities and the lunch program. Call to reserve your seat.

“Canyonlands Carnage”

Author Scott Graham’s park mysteries are entertaining amateur-sleuth talks aimed at national park visitors and enthusiasts. As part of the plot, each of his mysteries addresses a specific environmental or social justice issue specific to the park in which it’s set. He discusses his book “Canyonlands Carnage” at the MRD Field House, 25 Colorado Ave.

1 p.m. | Nov. 10 | MRD Field House

1880s Mining Town Gamblers & Good Time Girls

Miners were Colorado’s mountain town’s first settlers. Gambling, bars and brothels provided entertainment for miners and fascinating employment for girls and gamblers. Kate Burke shares some of their colorful stories.

1 p.m. | Nov. 14

TRIPS & TOURS

Most trips meet at the Senior Center. Trips fill quickly. Get on the waiting list if a tour is full in case we schedule a second date.

Secret Creek, MRD Flex Rec & LeNoue DuBois Winery

Tour Secret Creek, formally Colorado Yurt, and explore the outdoor village followed by a tour of MRD Flex Rec’s functional fitness facility. End the day with free wine tasting at LaNoue DuBois Winery.

8:45 a.m.-3:30 p.m. | Nov. 3 | $25

Black Ridge Trail

This moderate hike is the highest trail on the Colorado National Monument with far-reaching views. Approximately 5 miles round trip.

8:15 a.m.-4:30 p.m. | Nov. 11 | $20

Ouray Hot Springs

Start off shopping in downtown Ouray followed by lunch and a soak at the Ouray Hot Springs. 8:15 a.m.-3:30 p.m. | Nov. 17

ACTIVITIES

Crafters

Bring a project to work on. Call 818-262-3272 for details.

12-3 p.m. | Wednesdays | $10 per session

MUSIC & DANCE

Saturday Night Dances

Dance to live music in the Senior Center Ballroom. All ages welcome. 7:30-10:30 p.m. | Nov. 12 & 26 | $10

Jam Session/Sing Along

Takes turns picking and leading a song. Spectators welcome.

3:45-5:45 p.m. | Mondays | Free

Open Line Dancing

Learn line dancing steps with formal instruction.

3:30-4:30 p.m. (beginners), 4:305:45 p.m. (improvers) | Mondays | $2

FITNESS

To register for programs, call 970-874-0923 or visit www.cityofdelta.net/parksrecgolf

CLASSES

Tuesday Needlers

10 a.m.-12 p.m. | Tuesdays | $15 Pinochle

1-4 p.m. | Tuesdays | $15 Dominoes

1-3 p.m. | Wednesdays | $15

Party Bridge Club

1-4 p.m. | Thursdays | $15 Chess Club 5:30-8 p.m. | Tuesdays | Free

FITNESS

Indoor Pickleball

Play this fun sport with an even funnier name.

7:30-11 a.m. Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays | 12:30-3 p.m. Tuesdays & Thursdays

Pilates

Low-impact movements that improve flexibility, muscular strength and endurance.

12 p.m. Mondays | 9 a.m. Fridays

Senior Circuit

Circuit training for seniors with flexibility exercises.

9 a.m. | Monday through Friday

Body Bar

Tai Chi

Use slow controlled movements, mental resistance and quietness of mind to ease the body.

10-10:30 a.m. | Mondays | Donation GAMES

Contact the senior center for a schedule! ■

Get an entire body workout using a weighted fitness bar.

9 a.m. Mondays | 6 a.m. Wednesdays

Healthy Body Strong Bones

Use simple hand weights to help increase flexibility, balance and bone strength.

9 a.m. | Tuesdays & Thursdays

Silver Sneakers Classic

Strengthen muscles and increase range of movement.

10 a.m. | Tuesdays & Thursdays

Body Blitz

Cross-train with this quick-paced muscle conditioning class.

9 a.m. & 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays | 9 a.m. Thursdays

Yoga Fusion

This vinyasa flow style class blends yoga, Pilates and barre elements.

12 p.m. | Tuesdays

POOL FITNESS

Monday Movers

Jumpstart your week with a mid to high-intensity cardio and strength training water class.

5:30 p.m. | Mondays

Pool Power

Workout in shallow water to focus and tone problem areas.

9:30 a.m. | Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays

Body & Health

Enjoy a combination of aerobic and full-body workout in the pool.

10:30 a.m. | Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays

Light-n-Lively

Build endurance and strength, designed for beginners.

10 a.m. | Tuesdays and Thursdays

Full Body Cardio

Tone those muscles, pump up that heart, and get an overall good workout with water jogging, river running, jumping jacks and lunges. 5:30 p.m. | Tuesdays and Thursdays

Silver Sneakers Splash

A fun shallow-water exercise class that uses a signature splash-board to increase movement. Suitable for non-swimmers.

8:30 a.m. | Mondays & Wednesdays

Water Zumba

Enjoy a dance party in the pool, fun for all fitness levels.

5:30 p.m. | Wednesdays ■

Montrose & Delta

BEACON BITS

Valley Symphony announces guest conductor for Christmas concerts on December 3 & 4

The Valley Symphony Association (VSA) recently announced that musician, educator and Colorado native Troy Raper will guest conduct the orchestra at the annual Christmas by Candlelight concerts on Saturday, December 3 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, December 4 at 3 p.m. at the Montrose Pavilion. Raper received his bachelor's in music education from the University of Northern Colorado and his master's degree in education from Lesley University with an emphasis in educational technology. He has been teaching since 1988 and is in one year into retirement. As an accomplished musician with broad performing experience, he has played with orchestras and festivals all over the west and sits as principal bassist for the Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra. He performs regularly in various jazz bands, recording studios and as a concert soloist. To purchase tickets to VSA’s Christmas by Candlelight concerts, visit www.valleysymphony.net or stop by Clubb’s in Delta, and Cimarron Wealth Management and Colorado Smiles in Montrose. Tickets are $25 for adults and $5 for students.

Free Medicare help through Region 10 SHIP

Medicare Open Enrollment begins October 15 and runs through December 7. Region 10 SHIP counselors give free, unbiased advice to help you make informed decisions about your Medicare health coverage. They help you review your current plan and compare it to other options that might provide you better coverage at a lower cost. Plan selections will take effect January 1, 2023. Region 10 SHIP counselors undergo extensive training provided by the state along continuing education opportunities. This is a free service provided by Region 10, though donations are accepted. To reach the Region 10 SHIP program for questions or to schedule an appointment, call 970-765-3129. Phone appointments and in-person appointments are available. Call volume is elevated during the open

enrollment, so please leave a message and your call will be returned as soon as possible.

Promising new drug for treating Alzheimer’s

Initial clinical trial results for a drug called lecanemab was tested in individuals with mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s disease and mild Alzheimer’s dementia. The clinical trial results found that this treatment significantly reduces decline from the disease. These are the most encouraging results in clinical trials treating the underlying causes of Alzheimer’s to date. These results indicate lecanemab may give people more time at or near their full abilities to participate in daily life, remain independent and make future health care decisions. Although the drug is not yet Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved and consequently is not currently able to be prescribed, it still represents a major milestone for treating Alzheimer’s disease. If participant safety is ensured through the clinical trials, hopefully FDA approval will soon follow.

Magic Circle Players present “Amadeus” November 11-27

This Tony Award winner is a reimagining of the lives of Antonio Salieri and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Brought to life with the music of Mozart, this is a tale of jealousy and betrayal—perhaps even murder! Salieri, a well-established composer, has dedicated himself to God so that he might realize his sole ambition—to be a great composer. Enter Mozart, the greatest musical genius of all time, a foul-mouthed, graceless oaf, who has that which is beyond Salieri’s envious grasp: genius. For showtimes and to purchase tickets, visit www.magiccircleplayers.com, call 970-249-7838 or stop by Magic Circle Theatre, 420 S. 12th St. in Montrose. T

VOLUNTEERS WANTED

Valley Symphony Association volunteers assist with a variety of projects to support volunteer musicians who bring classical music to life on the Western Slope. info@valleysymphony.net | 970765-8323

Friends of Montrose Library volunteers sort donated books and run book sales. www.montroselibrary.org | 970249-9656

Golden Circle Seniors greet and serve lunch during the week. 970-252-4888

Museum of the Mountain West volunteer tour guides bring the past to life for visitors. www.museumofthemountain west.org | 970-240-3400

RSVP connects individuals age 55 and older to volunteer positions. jwalker@region10.net | 970-7653147

Senior CommUnity Meals seeks volunteer delivery drivers to help seniors. www.seniorcommunitymeals.org | 970-874-7661

Sharing Ministries Food Bank seeks volunteers. www.sharingministries.com | 970240-8385

Time Bank of the Rockies helps people through a system of exchanged services. www.timebankoftherockies.com | 970-209-6886

Welcome Home Alliance for Veterans seeks volunteers. 970-765-2210 | www.whafv.org

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Nature’s Virus Killer

Scientists have discovered a natural way to kill germs fast.

Now thousands of people are using it against viruses and bacteria that cause illness.

Colds and many other illnesses start when viruses get in your nose and multiply. If you don’t stop them early, they spread and cause misery.

2-3 bad colds every year. Now I use my device whenever I feel a sign I am about to get sick.”

New research: Copper kills viruses in seconds.

Hundreds of studies confirm copper kills viruses and bacteria almost instantly just by touch.

That’s why ancient Greeks and Egyptians used copper to purify water and heal wounds. They didn’t know about viruses and bacteria, but now we do.

“The antimicrobial activity of copper is well established.” National Institutes of Health.

Scientists say copper’s high conductance disrupts the electrical balance in a microbe cell and destroys it in seconds.

The EPA recommended hospitals use copper for touch surfaces like faucets and doorknobs. This cut the spread of MRSA and other illnesses by over half, and saved lives.

The strong scientific evidence gave inventor Doug Cornell an idea. He made a smooth copper probe with a tip to fit in the bottom of the nostril, where viruses collect.

He hasn’t had a cold in 10 years. After his first success with it, he asked relatives and friends to try it. They all said it worked, so he patented CopperZap® and put it on the market.

Customers report using copper against:

Soon hundreds of people had tried it. 99% said copper worked if they used it right away at the first sign of bad germs, like a tickle in the nose or a scratchy throat.

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As thousands more tried it, some found other things they could use it against.

The handle is curved and textured to increase contact. Copper can kill germs picked up on fingers and hands after you touch things other people have touched.

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When he felt a tickle in his nose like a cold about to start, he rubbed the copper gently in his nose for 60 seconds.

“It worked!” he exclaimed. “The cold never happened. I used to get

Scientists placed millions of viruses on copper. “They started to die literally as soon as they touched it,” said Dr. Bill Keevil.

Tarnish does not reduce how well copper works, EPA tests showed.

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Statements are not intended as product health claims and have not been evaluated by the FDA. Not claimed to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Copper can stop a virus before it starts

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Pray for an end to all wars

By Jan Weeks

On November 11, 1918, at 11 a.m., the war to end all wars came to an end when Germany sued for peace after four long years of combat.

Though the fighting stopped, it would take until June 28, 1919, for hostilities to officially end with the Treaty of Versailles. Germany had little input on drafting the treaty, and some historians believe the harsh penalties imposed on Germany led to massive resentment that allowed Adolph Hitler to come to power.

any exposed skin. The gasses were not usually deadly but incapacitated large numbers of troops and had lifelong effects on those exposed.

providing

to

information

groups specifically designed for

affected

for

The Great War began on June 28, 1914, when a Serbian nationalist assassinated Archduke Ferdinand and his wife Sophie in a bid to free Bosnia and Herzegovina from Austro-Hungarian rule. For four long years, the Central Powers—Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Japan and the Ottoman Empire—fought the Allies—France, Great Britain, Italy and America.

World War I brought terrible weapons, unavailable before, to bear. New types of gun design, range and ammunition allowed both defenders and aggressors to use artillery to kill more people than any other weapon. Machine guns could fire 450 to 600 rounds per minute to mow attacking lines of soldiers down like stalks of wheat under the scythe.

Tanks, aircraft and submarines added to the arsenals, but the most silent, though seldom deadly, weapon was poison gas.

On April 22, 1915, German artillery fired cylinders containing chlorine gas in the Ypres area, sending other countries rushing to develop their own deadly gasses. Chlorine gas attacked the eyes and respiratory system; mustard gas did the same but also caused blistering on

Germany’s military back was broken when the Allies, battered but not broken, were joined by thousands of fresh troops from the U.S. Over the next 100 days, the Allies forced Germany to retreat behind the Hindenburg Line. The Allies broke through, and the Germans surrendered. An armistice brought the bloody battles of World War I to an end.

The heroism and horrors of the Great War were memorialized in songs, movies and poetry. Perhaps the most memorable piece of writing was the poem, “In Flanders Fields” by John McCrae, a Canadian physician who fought in the second battle of Ypres. His reference to the poppies blowing between rows of white crosses is why the American Legion Auxiliary still sells paper poppies to honor veterans.

Until June 1, 1954, November 11 was called Armistice Day. President Eisenhower signed legislation striking the word “armistice” and adding “veterans” after service organizations lobbied for the change and Congress amended the 1938 act that had made Armistice Day a holiday.

This month, let us remember and honor those who fought so bravely in so many conflicts, and let us pray that there may one day finally be an end to all wars.

■

Jan Weeks is a published author and long-time BEACON contributor. This piece originally ran in the November 2018 issue of the BEACON, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of World War I.

THIS MONTH, LET US REMEMBER AND HONOR THOSE WHO FOUGHT SO BRAVELY IN SO MANY CONFLICTS.

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Let your agent help guide you to the right health plan for you Humana and your local, licensed Humana sales agent are here with professional advice to help you select and enroll in the right plan for your needs.

Humana and your local, licensed Humana sales agent are here with professional advice to help you select and enroll in the right plan for your needs.

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Let your agent help guide you to the right health plan for you Humana and your local, licensed Humana sales agent are here with professional advice to help you select and enroll in the right plan for your needs. Putting experience on your side:

Let your agent help guide you to the right health plan for you

Humana and your local, licensed Humana sales agent are here with professional advice to help you select and enroll in the right plan for your needs.

While you’re new to Medicare, Humana is not. Over the years, millions of people have trusted Humana’s Medicare Advantage plans.* Humana provides the healthcare benefits you want, prices them competitively and helps you understand your plan options.

While you’re new to Medicare, Humana is not. Over the years, millions of people have trusted Humana’s Medicare Advantage plans.* Humana provides the healthcare benefits you want, prices them competitively and helps you understand your plan options.

Putting experience on your side:

While you’re new to Medicare, Humana is not. Over the years, millions of people have trusted Humana’s Medicare Advantage plans.* Humana provides the healthcare benefits you want, prices them competitively and helps you understand your plan options.

While you’re new to Medicare, Humana is not. Over the years, millions of people have trusted Humana’s Medicare Advantage plans.*

Humana provides the healthcare benefits you want, prices them competitively and helps you understand your plan options.

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To view agent's online profile, scan this QR code using the camera of your smartphone or tablet or visit humana.com/pzapf.

To view agent's online profile, scan this QR code using the camera of your smartphone or tablet or visit humana.com/pzapf.

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Patti Zapf 970-301-8752 (TTY: 711) pzapf@humana.com humana.com/pzapf

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A more human way to healthcare™

A more human way to healthcare™

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*Source: Humana Inc. First Quarter 2022 Earnings Release, April 27, 2022 Humana is a Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO and PFFS organization with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in any Humana plan depends on contract renewal. Applicable to H5216-078-002. At Humana, it is important you are treated fairly. Humana Inc. and its subsidiaries comply with applicable federal civil rights laws and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, ancestry, ethnicity, marital status, religion or language.English: ATTENTION: If you do not speak English, language assistance services, free of charge, are available to you. Call 1 877 320 1235 (TTY: 711). Español (Spanish): ATENCIÓN: Si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-877-320 -1235 (TTY: 711).

*Source: Humana Inc. First Quarter 2022 Earnings Release, April 27, 2022 Humana is a Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO and PFFS organization with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in any Humana plan depends on contract renewal. Applicable to H5216-078-002. At Humana, it is important you are treated fairly. Humana Inc. and its subsidiaries comply with applicable federal civil rights laws and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, ancestry, ethnicity, marital status, religion or language.English: ATTENTION: If you do not speak English, language assistance services, free of charge, are available to you. Call 1 877 320 1235 (TTY: 711). Español (Spanish): ATENCIÓN: Si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-877-320 -1235 (TTY: 711). 繁體中文 (Chinese): 注意：如果您使用繁體中文

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*Source: Humana Inc. First Quarter 2022 Earnings Release, April 27, 2022 Humana is a Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO and PFFS organization with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in any Humana plan depends on contract renewal. Applicable to H5216-078-002. At Humana, it is important you are treated fairly. Humana Inc. and its subsidiaries comply with applicable federal civil rights laws and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, ancestry, ethnicity, marital status, religion or language.English: ATTENTION: If you do not speak English, language assistance services, free of charge, are available to you. Call 1-877-320 -1235 (TTY: 711). Español (Spanish): ATENCIÓN: Si habla español, tiene a su disposición

If

Call 1-877-320-1235 (TTY: 711). Español (Spanish): ATENCIÓN: Si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-877-320-1235 (TTY: 711). 繁體中文 (Chinese): 注意：如果

not

English: ATTENTION: If you do not speak English, language assistance services, free of charge, are available to you. Call 1-877-320-1235 (TTY: 711). Español (Spanish): ATENCIÓN: Si habla español,

*Source: Humana Inc. First Quarter 2022 Earnings Release, April 27, 2022 Humana is a Medicare Advantage HMO, PPO and PFFS organization with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in any Humana plan depends on contract renewal. Applicable to H5216-078-002. At Humana, it is important you are treated fairly. Humana Inc. and its subsidiaries comply with applicable federal civil rights laws and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, ancestry, ethnicity, marital status, religion or language.English: ATTENTION: If you do not speak English, language assistance services, free of charge, are available to you. Call 1-877-320 -1235 (TTY: 711). Español (Spanish): ATENCIÓN: Si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1 877 320 1235 (TTY: 711).

de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1 877 320 1235 (TTY: 711).

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It’s a new experience, but Humana helps take the mystery out of Medicare