BEACON Montrose-Delta, October 2017

OCTOBER 2017

Vol. 3

No. 10

Montrose & Delta Counties’ Newspaper for Adults 50+. Over 13,650 Readers.

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Teaching students skills for tomorrow

Photo by Kathy Applebee

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OCTOBER 2017

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OCTOBER 2017

EDITORIAL

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Eat, drink and be scary

N

o matter how old I get, I’m never too old for Halloween. I love dressing up in costume, and I always look forward to seeing what others come up with as well.

I usually spend the early hours of All Hallows Eve with family at the mall or trickor-treat streets around town, watching kids parade around in costume, showing off their tiaras and vampire fangs and charming vendors into giving them candy.

Sometimes I’ll go home and hand out candy to trick-or-treaters while I get ready—which can be a scarier sight than whatever terrifying costume I decide to wear that year.

I’ve barely given any thought to my Halloween plans this year, and that’s where the BEACON comes in.

We’ve collected all kinds of upcoming events sure to scare up a good time for ghouls and boys of all ages.

You can read all about them in this month’s BEACON. Even if you decide to stay home this Halloween, make it a fun night in by inviting a friend over. It’s always nice to have someone help hand out candy to the variety of creatures that shows up at the door.

Medicare open enrollment begins Do you have questions about Medicare? You’re not alone. Open enrollment begins on October 15,

3

Every year depression affects

19 MILLION AMERICANS regardless of age, race, or gender

We are here to help

The BEACON staff had a gre at time at another sold-out year of Co lorado Mountain Winefest.

and RSVP’s Senior Health Insurance Project (SHIP) and the Colorado Gerontological Society have seminars and resources available to help you navigate the confusing world of government health insurance.

Read more about Medicare changes and where to get help, along with articles to help you make the most of your retirement years, in this month’s special section on Retirement Planning.

centermh.org 970.252.3200

FOR MORE INFORMATION

970.252.6220

EMERGENCY SERVICES

Get out and vote!

Help the library bring back programs and resources to underserved areas in the community by voting yes on a proposed increase to the Montrose Regional Library District mill levy. Read about how this nominal increase will benefit area residents in this issue of the BEACON.

Spoons at Sunrise

Help us honor our veterans In November, we’ll honor local veterans with an issue that tells their stories. We know of a few good stories, and could use your help to find more. Do you know an unsung hero?

Let us know by calling 243-8829 or emailing us at beacon@pendantpublishing.com. ■

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COVER STORY

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OCTOBER 2017

Melonie and Pat Enstrom guide students in Nucla High School’s Innovations class, rather than solve problems for them.

“Students come in at lunch and after school to work on their projects.

They dream big and initiate the next steps to make [those dreams] reality.”

Ah-ha moments: Teaching today’s students the skills of tomorrow Story and photos by Kathy Applebee

O

ne hundred years ago, Henry Ford claimed, “You can't learn in school what the world is going to do next year.”

But schools today must do exactly that: prepare students for jobs that don’t even exist yet to solve problems we have never encountered, using technology that hasn’t been invented.

How can teachers do this? Montrose’s West End School District may have an answer. Nucla High School’s Melonie and Pat Enstrom coach students enrolled in their ground-breaking class, Innovations.

Teaching self-reliance At home, the Enstroms operate their farm and large garden in traditional ways, growing alfalfa for their 50 head of cattle and garden on a large scale.

“Our house has an old coal furnace cellar that’s perfect for storage,” said Melonie, a 58-year-old librarian. “I have hanging baskets for the potatoes, garlic and other root crops.”

She uses tried and true gardening

techniques, like rolling potato pieces in wood stove ash before planting them to keep vermin away.

At work, however, the Enstroms are anything but old school, embracing new technologies and launching students’ imaginations.

Innovations started out as a once-amonth robotics club, led by Melonie.

When Principal Clint Wytulka saw how engaged the students were in the club, he asked her to facilitate a two-period class in the afternoon.

“I agreed and Innovations was launched,” she said.

Pat provides additional support.

He’s experienced first-hand how rapidly industries change and is able to encourage students to find answers for themselves and persist when they encounter roadblocks.

“As a mechanic, I had to adapt when cars became computerized,” Pat, 56, said. “In 1998, I certified as a Microsoft specialist, but what I learned became outdated in a year.”

To stay abreast of the ever-changing world of technology in his current position as the school district’s

IT specialist, he usually has to teach himself.

Scavenging parts Thomas Edison said, “To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk.”

The famous inventor would approve of Melonie’s mentoring methods.

Innovations’ first project had students dismantling and scavenging parts from old VCRs, printers and computers stuffed in a junk closet.

From that heap of scrap, the class built Bob, a programmable robot that serves as their mascot.

The students propose their own projects. Rather than solving problems as they arise, the Enstroms are “guides on the side,” encouraging the students’ own problem-solving and collaboration skills.

Innovations students brainstorm how to start a pet project and scour scrap heaps for materials. They search the internet for tutorials, and then adapt and build on what someone else has figured out.

Using trashed PVC pipe, leftover

OCTOBER 2017

COVER STORY

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wood and two fans from old desktop towers, members of the class constructed a miniature air hockey table.

The paddles and puck were made using Nucla High’s LulzBot TAZ 5 3D printer, with recycled felt glued to surfaces that come in contact with the table.

The San Miguel Power Association provided the cash to purchase the printer. The machine’s hum is ever-present as students turn their ideas into reality using software programs such as SketchUp, Blender and Tinkercad.

“Coby [Grierson] tweaks the settings on the 3D printer. He collaborates via Twitter with an outside expert when he needs ideas or advice he can’t get from his peers or us,” Melonie said.

Her students aren’t quitters, and they’ll be the first to tell you. Grierson said they won’t give up when they encounter a problem.

“We Google it eight ways to Sunday,” said classmate Michael Pfifer.

The students evaluate their own

processes and adjust as needed, skills that are critical in the 21st century.

As they outgrew the typical software used by high school students, Pat negotiated with companies to gain access to more sophisticated programs like Fusion 360 and AutoCAD. “At first I thought Fusion was too hard, but with help from Coby, it’s easy now,” student Will Gabriel said.

Where did Grierson get his expertise? He attended a University of Colorado in-service that the West End School District provided for the Enstroms. Many teachers might feel strange being in class beside their students, but that awkwardness doesn’t exist in the Innovations room.

Dream big Innovations is spreading. For the 2017-18 school year, the West End School District has added elements of the course to middle school classes.

Melonie and Pat work with classroom teachers to incorporate Ozobots, 3D printing and other engineering and tech into the curriculum.

Melonie watches as students fly a drone outside the school.

It’s easy to see why it appeals to this group of young dreamers. Ask the students what projects are on the horizon, and an avalanche of ideas tumbles forth.

They suggest solar panels on drones to extend battery life, repurposing failed 3D print jobs, developing an arcade game, building their own foundry…the list goes on and on.

The students’ enthusiasm was contagious. Could the next Edison, Bill Gates or Steve Jobs be attending school in Montrose?

“Attendance has not only improved, but students come in at lunch and after school to work on their projects,” Melonie said. “They dream big and initiate the next steps to make [those dreams] reality.”

To see some of what Pat calls “ahha moments” for yourself, visit the class website at sites.google.com/ weps.k12.co.us/innovations and prepare to be amazed. ■

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210 W. Main St., Montrose, CO 81401 ph: 970.765.0477 fax: 800.536.7516 Website: www.BeaconSeniorNews.com E-mail: Beacon@PendantPublishing.com The BEACON is published at the beginning of the month. Our goal is to inform and inspire the 50+ community in Mesa, Delta and Montrose counties.

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Cover Photo: Melonie and Pat Enstrom are training students in Nucla High School’s Innovations class for jobs that don’t even exist yet.

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FEATURE STORY

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OCTOBER 2017

Nuclear Care Partners has helped Dean Quamme for the past two years. Nurse Pam Wilson visits him twice a week.

Cold War workers may qualify for benefits

By Jan Weeks

T

hey may not have been soldiers, but men and women who worked in the nuclear weapons industry are still suffering the long-term effects of the Cold War. And they may not know they’re entitled to government benefits if their illnesses can be traced directly to their employment in the nuclear field.

Fortunately, they no longer have to suffer alone. Three area agencies specialize in connecting workers with benefits and home health care.

All three have nurses throughout the Western Slope to assist affected workers.

Help is here Pam Wilson, a nurse case manager with Nuclear Care Partners (NCP),

visits Dean Quamme twice a week.

As an engineer at Hanford in Washington in the mid-1960s, he supervised a team that operated the chemical separations plant that produced plutonium.

“In those days, we didn’t think about low-level exposure. It was the high-level exposure you had to worry about,” he said.

After a lifetime of work as a general contractor, Dean and his wife, Suzanne, moved to Grand Junction, where he worked at the Grand Junction Operations Office, a former uranium refinery until 2004.

Dean has been an NCP patient for two years. The Quammes are so impressed by Wilson that they consider her part of the family.

NCP, a nurse-owned company, has

operated here for six years. Tyler Skeen, vice president of marketing and business development, likens finding ailing workers to finding a needle in a haystack. Many don’t realize their condition is related to previous work.

“Rocky Flats alone had 60,00080,000 workers, and some of those may be affected,” he said. “There is a lack of education and a lot of misconceptions among doctors and claimants.”

John Kelley, NCP’s community outreach manager, said the company spends its time getting former workers the information they need and educating the medical community on recognizing and caring for them.

He said it can take four to eight months to start receiving benefits

once the paperwork is completed and accepted.

NCP acts as a resource to point patients in the right direction for benefits.

“Patients must fill out the paperwork through a lawyer or authorized representative to get the Medical Benefits Identification card,” Kelley said. “Once they have the card, we can work with them, but we can’t file for them.”

Going the extra mile Critical Nurse Staffing, Inc. (CNS) also provides home health staffing from aides who take care of housework and shopping to round-theclock nursing.

Vickie Becoat, community outreach liaison, said that once patients are approved and CNS has approval let-

OCTOBER 2017

FEATURE STORY

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

Finding ailing workers is like finding a needle in a haystack.

Many don’t realize their condition is related to previous work.

“Rocky Flats alone had 60,000-80,000 workers, and some of those may be affected.” ters from doctors related to covered diagnoses, “the family doesn’t pay one penny. The Department of Labor pays for care.”

She also said that family members who have been taking care of loved ones who fall under DOL guidelines can be compensated for their work, as long as they fill out the proper paperwork and gain government approval. So a wife whose husband has been affected by a career in the nuclear field can receive payment for a certain number of hours per week she spends caring for him, once her husband becomes a patient of CNS. Professional Case Management (PCM) Marketing Communications Manager Shannon Porter said that

PCM has been providing in-home care for more than 30 years. The company began working with Cold War veterans 15 years ago.

“Congress passed the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act (EEOICPA) in 2001. PCM served the first client benefiting from this program in 2002,” she said.

In fact, she said PCM was the first company in the nation to specialize in quality in-home care for beneficiaries of the EEOICPA program.

The company provides all levels of care, from occasional visits to check vitals or do case management, all the way up to round-the-clock skilled nursing. Since many former workers

have cancers and lung diseases, PCM caregivers are trained and skilled to care for those types of illnesses.

Porter said that the company goes the extra mile to help former nuclear weapons and uranium workers through its membership organization, Cold War Patriots.

“The CWP connects these former workers to the resources they need to learn about the EEOICPA program and how to apply for benefits, and regularly holds educational town halls and resource fairs to connect the members to these resources,” she explained.

Though the process of applying for a lump sum compensation and other benefits can be grueling, it’s well worth it for those who have spent years dealing with the aftereffects of their service to America, and with the help of any of these agencies, it can be less challenging.

National Day of Remembrance In 2009, the U.S. Senate designated October 30 National Day of Remembrance, recognizing the men and women who supported our country’s defense.

NCP recognizes these Western Slope citizens at a special ceremony from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. at Grand Junction’s Las Colonias Park.

CNS staff, nurses and clients will gather at 1114 N. First St. in Grand Junction for a ceremony at 10:30 a.m.

Former nuclear workers are invited to a barbecue afterward. ■

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FIND HELP Nuclear Care Partners 644-2992 Critical Nurse Staffing, Inc. 424-5563 Professional Case Management 866-387-2123

EVENTS & WORKSHOPS: October 18, 5 p.m.

Grand Mesa Oncology, 1501 E. Third St., Delta Nuclear Care Partners hosts this free resource workshop to help former AEC Compound and uranium workers access the federal benefits they’ve earned to compensate for their exposure to radiation and toxic chemicals during their work on behalf of the U.S. defense. This workshop will cover: • How to File or Refile a Successful Claim: Learn why cases get denied and how to file a successful claim.

• What To Do With Your Monetary Award: Find out how to plan for your financial future and protect your monetary award with estate planning, wills and trusts.

• Home Care Questions You Should Ask: As home care companies approach you about using your health benefit, learn what questions you should be asking.

For more information, call 361-3405.

Photo courtesy of Nuclear Care Partners.

Photo courtesy of Professional Case Management.

Photo courtesy of Professional Case Management.

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TALKING DIGITAL

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OCTOBER 2017

TALKING

DIGITAL

By Adam Cochran

Crisis communication:

using Facebook to keep your friends and family close

I

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n 2010, my daughter began having mysterious health problems. We spent a lot of time traveling to Children’s Hospital in Denver while doctors tried to pinpoint a diagnosis and treatment.

A group allows people to join and communicate with each other, even if they aren’t friends on Facebook. For example, if you’re a member of a club, you may find a group useful for communicating outside of regular meetings.

My family is active in the community, and my wife and I each have a lot of family members. My daughter had her own group of friends, too. All of these worried people wanted regular updates about our medical situation.

A page allows people to like a certain topic and then receive updates from the page’s creator.

We felt loved, but it was extremely difficult keeping up with all the phone calls and emails. Communicating with everyone became almost as much of a burden as the health problems.

Finding a better way I used to help snowbirds create free blogs so they wouldn’t have to spend time writing letters and emails to friends and family back home. I would teach people how to post pictures and updates, and answer common questions about their day-to-day adventures. That’s one way to keep a group of people updated.

When my daughter got sick, I realized there was another way: Facebook is a built-in crisis management tool.

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What Facebook can do In addition to allowing individuals to create accounts for online personal interaction, the platform also provides the ability to set up groups and pages.

In our case, we decided to create a “Get Well” page for our daughter, where we posted messages, videos, pictures and other updates about her progress. Anyone who liked the page could comment on it.

Almost instantly, our communication dilemma went away. We felt like we were being cared for, our friends felt like they knew what was going on, and we could read comments and respond at our convenience.

Don’t miss out If you have family on Facebook but you aren’t there, you’re missing out on continuous updates, photos and even reports of the mundane that will make your network seem closer.

This is not an attempt to persuade you to begin posting selfies or playing games on Facebook. But just as television has a lot of garbage with worthwhile programs mixed in, Facebook has entire channels featuring messages and updates from the people you love most. ■

Send your technology questions to Adam in care of the BEACON, or email him directly at adamc@talkingdigital.org.

OCTOBER 2017

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Beacon ad-Oct-draft2.qxp_BEACON ad-Oct issue 9/18/17 3:44 PM Page 1

ASK THE OLD BAG

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ASK THE OLD BAG

By Gayle Lagman-Creswick ADVICE COLUMN FOR THE OVER 50 CROWD

Your stuff is just that—stuff Dear Old Bag: When my ex-husband passed away, our children and six helpers spent four Saturdays trying to determine what his large estate was worth. I heard them quibble over who gets what. As I saw the agony and work they had to go through, I said to myself, “That will never happen with my meager belongings.” I went home, emptied closets and priced every single item, sorting them in boxes in preparation for a moving sale. I moved from 1,750 square feet to 550 square feet. Before my parents passed away, they put notes on every item in their apartment that said who the item was from—that item went back to the giver of the gift. If they purchased it, they decided who it went to. I hope these processes help readers who are struggling with parting with “things.”

Signed, No Name

they say something like, “Well, I have been going to him for 15 years and he knows my history.” Another friend says something similar about her hairdresser.

It drives me crazy. If I don’t like something, I change it. I had a husband who was a real piece of work and I got rid of him. How many people are miserable and just prefer to stay miserable?

Signed, Puzzled

Dear Puzzled: I had to laugh because I have friends who do the same thing. I guess they are more afraid of the unknown than they are with the status quo. They worry, “What if my new doctor, hairdresser or husband is worse than this? I think I’ll just stick it out!” OB

Dear No Name: It’s hard for seniors to part with things they have treasured over a lifetime. I will reiterate: They are just things. Be glad you had them to enjoy and let them go.

I downsized last year myself, and it was difficult. My daughter-in-law said, “Mom, if you don’t get rid of all this stuff, we are going to have to do it when you’re gone.” That did it for me. By the way, my kids wanted very little of my stuff. They have plenty of their own to deal with. OB

Dear Old Bag: You are probably going to think I am terrible. My kids certainly do. My husband has Alzheimer’s disease, and I want to admit him to a memory care facility. My kids think I should take care of him. They don’t know what I have put up with for years. He was a womanizer from about the 13th year of our 50-year marriage.

There was a new woman every year.

We fought behind closed doors but put on a good front for the kids. I’m sure if we had a loving relationship, I’d want to care for him as long as I could, but I simply don’t feel I can and I refuse to do it. What now? Signed, Unloving Wife

Dear Old Bag: Sometimes I am amazed at my fellow seniors. I frequently hear them complain about how they don’t like their doctor. I ask them why they still go to him, and

Dear Unloving: You either need to explain your marital relationship to your kids or accept their anger. My guess is they know more than you think they do. Good luck. OB ■

Send your questions to the Old Bag in care of the BEACON, or email her directly at lagmancreswick@cox.net

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10

LAUGHING MATTERS

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LAUGHING MATTERS Very busy

Submitted by Katie Moreno

Two new mothers were talking about a friend of theirs, who had just given birth to triplets. “You know, that only happens one in 12,000 times,” one mother said. “Amazing!” said the other. “How did she ever find time to do any housework?”

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Religious intolerance

Could have been me Submitted by Mary Randall

An elderly Coloradan called 911 on her cell phone to report that her car had been broken into. She was hysterical as she explained her situation to the dispatcher.

“They’ve stolen the stereo, the steering wheel, the brake pedal and even the accelerator!” she cried.

Submitted by Candice Howard

A guy had been isolated on an island in the South Pacific for 10 years. He lit a signal every night, but no one saw it and no one came to rescue him. Finally, the captain of a passing ship noticed the signal and sent a small boat to investigate.

The castaway explained that he had been on this island for a decade, waiting to be rescued.

“If you’re all alone, what are those three huts I see built in the lagoon?” asked the captain.

“The first hut is my home,” said the castaway. “The second hut is where I go to church, and the third hut is where I went to church before I got mad and changed churches.”

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A sign from above Submitted by Alice Seddon

A priest and a pastor from two local churches were standing by the side of the road, pounding a sign into the ground.

It read, “The End Is Near! Turn Yourself Around Now Before It’s Too Late!”

As a car sped past them, the driver yelled, “Leave us alone, you idiots!”

It drove around the curve ahead, and then the two men heard screeching tires and a big splash. The pastor turned to the priest.

“Do you think the sign should just say, ‘Bridge Out?’” he asked.

The dispatcher said, “Stay calm. An officer is on the way.”

A few minutes later, the officer radioed back in.

“Disregard,” he said. “She got in the backseat by mistake.”

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The biker bar Submitted by Martha Vest

A drunk man walked into a biker bar, sat down and ordered a drink. Looking around, he saw three men sitting at a corner table. He got up, staggered to the table, leaned over, and looked the biggest, meanest biker dead in the eye.

“I went by your grandma’s house today and I saw her in the hallway buck naked,” he jeered. “Man, she is one fine-looking woman!”

The biker looked at him without saying a word. His buddies were confused— this guy had a mean reputation.

The drunk leaned on the table again.

“Let’s just say this,” he said. “Your grandma is the best ever!”

Now the biker stood up, took the drunk by the shoulders, looked him square in the eyes and said, “Grandpa, go home. You’re drunk.”

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A gift for Mom Submitted by Linda Gregg

Three sons left home, went out on their own and prospered. During one

visit together, they discussed the gifts they had just sent to their elderly mother.

The first said, “I built a big house for our mother.”

The second said, “I sent her a Mercedes with a driver.”

The third smiled and said, “I’ve got you both beat. You know how Mom enjoys the Bible, and you know she can’t see very well. I sent her a brown parrot that can recite the entire Bible. It took 20 monks in a monastery 12 years to teach him. I had to pledge to contribute $100,000 a year for 10 years, but it was worth it. Mom just has to name the chapter and verse, and the parrot will recite it.”

Soon thereafter, their mother sent out her thank-you notes.

“Milton,” she wrote to the first son, “The house you built is so huge. I live in only one room, but I have to clean the whole house.”

OCTOBER 2017

ly answered, “Sure, why not?”The yuppie parked his car, whipped out his MacBook Pro, connected it to his cell phone, and surfed to a NASA page online, where he called up a satellite to get an exact fix on his location.

Then he fed the data to another NASA satellite to scan the area and take an ultra-high-resolution photo. He opened the image in Photoshop and exported it to an image processing facility in Germany. Within seconds, the yuppie received an email on his smartphone. He accessed a MS-SQL database through an ODBC-connected Excel spreadsheet and, after a few minutes, received a response.

Finally, he printed out a full-color, 150page report on his high-tech, miniaturized LaserJet printer, turned to the rancher and said, “You have exactly 1,586 cows and calves.”

“That’s right,” said the rancher. “Well, fair’s fair. I guess you can take one of my calves.”

“Marvin,” she wrote to the second son, “I am too old to travel. I stay home all the time, so I never use the Mercedes.

And the driver is so rude!”

He watched the young man select an animal and looked on with amusement as the young man stuffed it into the trunk of his car.

“Dearest Melvin,” she wrote to the third son, “You were the only son to have the good sense to know what your mother likes. The chicken was delicious. Thank you!”

Then he said, “Hey, if I can tell you exactly what your business is, will you give me back my calf?”

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

“You’re a congressman in the U.S. government.”

The herd Submitted by Isabel Loya

A rancher was overseeing his herd in a remote, mountainous pasture when a brand-new BMW came toward him in a cloud of dust. The driver, a young man dressed in a designer suit, Gucci shoes, RayBan sunglasses and a Yves Saint Laurent tie, leaned out the window.

“If I tell you exactly how many cows and calves you have in your herd, will you give me a calf?” he asked.

The rancher looked at the man, obviously a yuppie, then looked at his peacefully grazing herd and calm-

The young man thought about it, then replied, “Okay, why not?”

“Wow!” said the yuppie, stunned.

“That’s correct, but how did you guess that?”

“No guessing required,” answered the rancher. “You showed up here even though nobody called you, wanting to get paid for an answer I already knew and a question I never asked. You used millions of dollars worth of equipment trying to show me how much smarter than me you are, and you don’t know a thing about how working people make a living! Or about cows for that matter—this is a herd of sheep. Now give me back my dog!” ■

OCTOBER 2017

11

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A women’s group for cancer patients, survivors

A bed and biscuit inn for your furry friends

Not your average boarding facility

By Cecily Whiteside

A

cancer diagnosis is life changing, knocking “normal life” on its ear.

So many difficult decisions loom, followed by months of treatment like chemo, radiation and surgery. The goal? Recovery.

But when treatment is finished and patients get the word that they are cancer-free, what then?

For many, this is the beginning of a whole new set of challenges, both emotional and physical. The new Women’s Support Group at Delta’s Grand Mesa Oncology Center (GMOC) offers help to patients at this vulnerable stage.

When Tonnie Bules, a patient at GMOC and facilitator of the support group, finished breast cancer treatment, she was not prepared for the state her body, mind and heart were in.

“I was diagnosed with [breast cancer] in 2009,” said Bules. “My treatment took over a year. The nurses and staff at the oncology center became like family. When it was over, I felt lost. My body was desperately broken from six surgeries, chemo and radiation.”

She was weak and had no endurance, but she had to find a new normal.

“I felt like a baby bird heading out of the nest, trying not to face plant,” Bules said.

Finding “normal” has taken her eight years. She hopes to shorten the journey for other women through the new support group.

While there are rehab options for other health issues like heart attacks, pulmonary disease and hip replacements, there are generally no such options for rebuilding health after cancer treatment, nor is there insurance coverage if such programs do exist.

Jennifer Abila had a similar experience after treatment for her non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma treatment.

“I found survivorship just as hard as treatment in some ways,” she said.

Abila also found herself wanting to connect with those who were currently in treatment.

“I wanted to give them hope that there is life after cancer; to give them a positive outlook. To show them that your hair grows back!” she said.

The adjustment period after treatment can present challenges as survivors reenter lives changed forever by their experience. Besides the shift in priorities, there are physical changes that other survivors understand and can help with.

“My eating and sleeping habits changed,” said Abila, “and my taste buds, too. I had chemo brain—thinking and memory problems. When you talk about these things in the group, there is an instant connection. It feels great when someone says, ‘I know exactly how you feel!’”

Bules wanted to create a safe place for women to share the emotional, mental and psychological impacts of cancer treatment, as well as the physical effects. Since many of these issues are specific to women, and may encompass intimate details, she feels strongly about the group remaining just for women.

With confidentiality as one of the core components of the support group, she hopes to encourage an atmosphere of trust and intimacy.

“We want to make survivorship easier to navigate with some of the unique issues for women,” she said.

The Women’s Support Group welcomes women of any age with any cancer diagnosis who are now cancer-free or are still in treatment.

Attendees need not be patients of GMOC. The group meets at 11:30 a.m. on the second Tuesday of each month in the education rooms at the GMOC. For more information, call 874-6429. ■

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OCTOBE

B G I B A

K N A TH Montrose-De

B

eaconFest was a day of good fun and practical information for the boomers and seniors in our community. Thanks to our entertainers, seminar speakers and the 50+ local businesses who set up booths; and most importantly, you, our guests, the event was a tremendous success.

More than 1,300 people walked through the doors of the Montrose Pavilion, excited to immerse themselves in a day full of events and resources.

Buffalo Wild Wings, The Chicken Roost and Starvin’ Arvin’s provided guests with delicious food throughout

September 15, 2016 | Montr the day.

Beth Williams kicked off entertainment with her interactive performance, accompanied by a bit of yodeling; 8-year-old Clementine Rogers of Fiddle Power charmed audiences alongside her father, Tyson; Danny Agajanian & The Hallelujah Band featuring Ron Koss lit up the crowd with folk favorites and young Morgan Crouse captivated attendees with her guitar and powerful vocals. The Delta Hubwheelers even swung by to mesmerize audiences with their square dancing.

The seminar room hosted a spread

2017 SENIOR CHOIC

Best Overall Booth: Hartman Brothers

Friendliest People: Five Star Se

ER 2017

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BEACON

K YOU! lta

rose Pavilion | 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. of educational presentations, covering topics from volunteering, estate planning and alternative health treatments in an environment crafted especially for seniors, boomers and their families.

As if the seminars, live entertainment and vendor booths weren’t enough, guests were thrilled by the chance to win door prizes every 30 minutes.

One lucky winner went home with the grand prize: a trip to Las Vegas.

We also gave away one- and two-night stays to Box Canyon Lodge and several Marriott hotels; two round-trip tickets on Roadrunner Stage Lines; soak and

spa passes to Orvis Hot Springs and Yampah Spa; and various gift cards from local restaurants. We want to thank all of the vendors who donated the wonderful gifts that made these drawings so exciting.

As is true every year, this year’s BeaconFest wouldn’t have been the same without the friendly support of the vendors who set up booths. Each painted a picture of its own unique offerings to create a fair of local businesses that value being a part of our community.

Thanks to all who attended! ■

CE AWARD WINNERS!

enior Living

Best Giveaways: Walgreens

13

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OCTOBER 2017

HALLOWEEN EVENTS October 28

Local Live Music

u o r y next ev r e t a c s ent eL t u FULL SERVICE RESTAURANT & LOUNGE

420 Main Street | Delta, CO 81416 970-399-3660 Mon - Sat 11am - 8 pm, Sun 11am - 2pm TheChickenRoost.com

Birthdays • Weddings • Anniversaries • Graduations • Holidays

6th Annual Cider Fest Join this all-day, season-end celebration at Delicious Orchards, Hotchkiss. Activities include apple pressing, face painting, gourd painting, pumpkin carving, swings and live music.

October 28

Punkin Chunkin’ & Fall Festival There’s nothing quite like shooting pumpkins as far as possible. Come see for yourself from 9 a.m.-11 p.m. at DeVries Friendly Farm Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch, 60542 Gunnison Road, Olathe.

Through October 29

Pumpkins at the Covered Bridge Come join the harvest festivities at the Covered Bridge Ranch, 17249 6250 Road in Montrose. Admission is $7 per person and includes a hay ride, treasure hunt, haystack climb, hay bale maze, rabbit hole slide, giant spider web, obstacle course, corn boxes, petting zoo and tractor tire swings. For hours, call 917224-5313

Through October 31

DeVries Friendly Farm Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch Pick your own pumpkin and enter the straw bale maze with a slide into a corn pit at 60542 Gunnison Road in Olathe. Open daily from 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Night maze open 6-9 p.m Friday and Saturday.

Through October 31

Halloween at Red Shed Produce Enjoy a corn maze, scavenger hunt, farm animals, a big slide and a play area at Red Shed Produce at 713 1800 Road, Delta.

Open from 9 a.m.-7 p.m.

Sunday-Thursday, and 9 a.m.-10 p.m.

Friday and Saturday.

The BEACON staff on Halloween, 2016

OCTOBER 2017

15

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Rosemont BAPTIST CHURCH

S Townsend Ave E Niagara Rd

Turning Montrose Around

RosemontBaptist.org

FAMILY Sunday

FELLOWSHIP

Bible Study (all ages) 9:15 am Worship Service 10:45 am

Wednesday

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COMMUNITY 1598 E Niagara Rd Montrose, CO 81401 Office: 970.249.4887

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CJ Payton’s granddaughter Kylie dressed as Hulkerina

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970-249-3716 • WWW.MONTROSEUMC.ORG CJ Payton’s six-week old granddaughter, Zariah

Kathy Applebee and her grandniece, Emily

Service Times Celebration Service 10:00 am Sunday Family Night 6:30 pm Wednesday

Where Passion for God and Compassion for People meet….

Diana Barnett’s grandson Landon McPhail as Hulk

Diana Barnett’s grandson Liam McPhail as a stegosaurus

515 S. Hillcrest Dr. Montrose, CO 81401 970-249-4319

Visit us at www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

FUN & GAMES

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

I have the education and real estate experience to serve as your trusted adviser through the unique financial and lifestyle transitions involved in relocating or selling your family home.

Personal, Professional, Property Brokers

Michelle Klippert

Senior Real Estate Specialist 500 E. Main Street, Montrose

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970.275.3016

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Turn to page 23 for your puzzle answers Across 1 Typical reply to “Que pasa?”

5 Tall spars 10 Totalizes 14 Guinness of stage 15 Brass or bronze, e.g.

16 Passion 17 What a contested will might do?

19 Recital of events 20 Shake­spearean stage device 21 Drenched in sauce 23 Three, in Milan 25 Per capita 26 James Cameron film 29 Engine parts 31 Mil. branch 34 Affirmative moves 35 Fencing ploy 37 Sergeant or corporal 38 “Jefferson in Paris” star 40 Deep ­matter?

41 Sacrificial stone 43 ___ as directed 44 Does 65, rather than 55 47 Grown grigs 48 “Mal de ___” 49 Wee ones 50 Legally binding command

52 German border river 54 Lobby or novel ending 55 A cast of ___ 60 Cum laude start 64 Hindquarters 65 Will Rogers?

67 Wheelhouse direction 68 One starting a roast?

69 One of the Muppets 70 It’s in back of your house 71 Blows one’s horn 72 Line of stitches Down 1 Out-of-this-world org.?

2 Yodeler’s range?

3 Hero’s hangout 4 Crucial trial 5 ___-jongg 6 Hearty ­libations 7 Like a long shot’s chances 8 Matador’s foe 9 Buddy, binary and block 10 Empire conquered by Cortez 11 One seeking Mr. Right?

12 Earnhart of NASCAR 13 Transport for Susan Butcher 18 Graceful seabird

22 “___ la vista, baby!”

24 It takes things to extremes 26 Per ___ 27 Like some lips or change 28 A nonproductive ­tenant?

29 Blubbers 30 “___ Lang Syne” 32 Dieter’s place?

33 From Oslo 36 Prepared some beds?

39 Colorado park 42 Teaches 45 Balcony barrier 46 80’s “Star Wars” plan 51 She, in Rome 53 Took for a ride 55 Lazy Susan, e.g.

56 Polynesian dance 57 Hurler Hideo 58 Art trailer 59 Editor’s scribble 61 1,609 meters 62 “I Remember ___” 63 Niels Bohr’s concern 66 “___ Miserables”

For the puzzle answers see page 23

Retirees have different needs in Real Estate

OCTOBER 2017

FUN & GAMES

16

Crossword Puzzle

OCTOBER 2017

HOME & GARDEN 17

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Let nature do fall Alive & Digging

By Paige Slaughter

M

aybe I’m the odd one, but I just can’t seem to wrap my head around raking up leaves, stuffing them into a big black garbage bag and setting them out on the curb to be picked up in a truck, driven across town and buried.

Through spring and summer, trees are drawing trace minerals from deep in the soil and storing them in their leaves. Full of carbon, fallen leaves are food for our critters below ground, feeding earthworms and microbes, which create nutrient-rich topsoil.

Leaves help lighten heavy soils, creating space for life to thrive. They also act like a sweater, insulating bare ground and tender plants from the cold.

So for the love of life, let’s not treat our leaves like garbage!

To keep or to gift?

Since leaves make a fantastic mulch, you can use yours to mulch your garden beds, bare ground in your yard and even your lawn.

You can also experiment with composting by layering leaves with a nitrogen source like manure or bone meal.

Create a ratio of 5:1—five parts leaves to one part nitrogen. Make a layered pile and keep it moist. If you turn the heap each month, you’ll have a pile of great compost come spring.

If you have no use for leaves or compost, or aren’t interested in the work, consider gifting your leaves—that is, ensuring they return to the soil.

Both Mesa and Montrose Counties

offer a variety of recycling (composting) programs.

Grand Junction and Palisade offer leaf pickups beginning this month. In Grand Junction, leaves are transported to the Mesa County Organic Materials Composting Facility to be turned into compost.

Palisade’s program picks up leaves and takes them directly to local farmers and home gardeners who want to use leaves for mulch (call 464-5602 to request leaves).

Montrose citizens can drop off grass clippings and leaves at the Montrose City Public Works facility free of charge.

These materials are sent to a compost facility and then into gardens.

If there’s no existing program in your area, try reaching out to a friend or local farm. Someone would be thrilled to recycle your leaves into their soil.

Grow garlic for the health of it My favorite way to get leaves back in the ground has got to be growing garlic.

Packed with vitamins and minerals, garlic is a medicine as well as a key player in the kitchen. According to herbalist Rosemary Gladstar, garlic treats colds and flus, boosts the body’s immune system, is a powerful antiseptic, antibacterial and antimicrobial agent and is effective for maintaining healthy blood cholesterol levels.

It’s also quite easy to grow in our arid climate.

Order garlic now to plant this month.

Many seed companies offer discounts at this point in the year. To plant garlic, break a head apart into cloves, then plant each root-end down in fertile soil with good drainage. Cover with two inches of soil and six inches of leaves, which act as insulation.

Once in the ground, garlic is low maintenance. Begin watering in the spring, and you’ll harvest delicious heads in July.

Letting nature do fall is one of my favorite gardening philosophies. Returning nutrients to the soil is one of the easiest steps we can take toward creating rich garden ecosystems. ■

GARDEN CHECKLIST ❒ Clean up spent crops by pulling them or cutting plants at the base, leaving roots in the ground to compost themselves. ❒ Leave seed heads of flowers to feed the birds, or harvest seeds for next year’s garden. ❒ Add compost and mulch to garden beds as a nutrient-rich blanket. ❒ Seed wildflowers after the first frost, right before a snowfall. ❒ Seed winter greens like arugula, kale and mustard greens to harvest through fall and into winter. ❒ Divide perennials and plant spring-flowering bulbs.

Send your questions and comments to Paige in care of the BEACON, or email her directly at paige@fruitionstudio.com.

18

MONTROSE/DELTA COUNTIES

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FUN AFTER 50

GAMES

Activities offered by the Montrose Recreation District To register for these programs, call the Montrose Recreation District at 249-7705 or visit www.montroserec.com.

OCTOBER 16 The Montrose Connection Are you new to Montrose? Would you like to connect with like-minded people? Share ideas and network with others from 6:15 a.m.-8 p.m. at Proximity Space. Seating is limited, so register by calling 249-7705 or visiting www. montroserec.com.

TRIPS & TOURS OCTOBER 10 Hike Corkscrew Gulch This hike is led by Don Paulson, curator of the Ouray County Museum. Enjoy great scenery and hear the history of the old railroad days. Meet at the Senior Center at 7:45 a.m. Cost is $28; bring a sack lunch.

OCTOBER 14-15 Glenwood Springs overnight trip Spend Saturday at the Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park, then soak in Iron Mountain Hot Springs on Sunday. Depart from the Field House at 8 a.m. on Saturday. The cost is $217 for a single room, and $170 per person for double occupancy. Register by October 4.

OCTOBER 19 & 20 Archaeology field trip to Eagle Rock Join a tour led by Glade Hadden, an

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archaeologist with the Bureau of Land Management, to one of the oldest habitation sites in North America. This trip consists of a 1.5-mile round trip hike.

Can’t make it Thursday? The same trip repeats on Friday! Meet at the Senior Center at 8:15 a.m. The cost is $20; bring a sack lunch.

OCTOBER 26 Y Bar Hitch Hayride and Dinner Meet at the Senior Center at 4 p.m. for a relaxing evening hayride, dinner and song! The one-hour ride travels along the river north of Olathe, followed by dinner cooked on an open fire. Val and Ken, owners of the Y Bar Hitch, will entertain us with song. Bring your own instrument if you want to play along.

The cost is $20; bring your own food to grill and a lawn chair.

OCTOBER 31 Ouray historical walking tour and lunch Meet at the Senior Center at 8:45 a.m. to enjoy Ouray to the fullest! The tour starts and ends at the Ouray County Museum at 420 Sixth Ave. If you aren’t able to walk through the town, you can enjoy the tour by riding to each of the sites in the MRD bus. The cost is $28; bring money for lunch.

The

OCTOBER 2017

OCTOBER 16 Monday Night Out Enjoy a potluck, line dancing and games from 4-8 p.m. Bring a dish to share and $2 for paper goods and prizes. You are free to participate in one or all of the activities. For more information, call Cindy at 252-4884.

THURSDAYS Montrose Cribbage Club Keep your mind sharp by playing Cribbage. Attendance is free and all ages are welcome. New player? We’ll teach you. Expert? We have players who will give you a challenge. Meet at the Senior Center from 1-3 p.m. Call 2527243 for details.

MUSIC & DANCE MONDAYS Line dancing Line dance from 4-6 p.m. on the first, second and fourth Mondays of the month, and 5-7 p.m. on the third Monday at the Montrose Senior Center. A $2 donation is requested.

MONDAYS Jam session/sing along Join us from 4–6 p.m. if you play an instrument and/or sing! Each person gets a turn to choose and lead a song and others play along.

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OCTOBER 2017

MONTROSE/DELTA COUNTIES 19

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Calendar OCTOBER 1 Free fall concert Join the Montrose Community Concert Band and Jazz Ensemble for an enjoyable selection of music of all types. For more information, contact Tina Woodrum at info@montroseband.com or 596-1188.

OCTOBER 3-5 Plein air painting Nothing compares to painting out of doors under natural light. Join nationally recognized local plein air painter Mike Simpson and learn this technique.

This three-day workshop isn’t medium specific and is held in a different location each day. Registration is $270. To register, visit www.weehawkenarts.org.

OCTOBER 7 “Kindness Diaries” tour Come hear the stories of global adventurer Leon Logothetis, who has visited numerous communities on a heartfelt mission making human connections and sparking a revolution of kindness.

Logothetis is the host of the TV show “Kindness Diaries” and the author of several books. This inspiring, free speech takes place from 3-4 p.m. at Crossroads Victory Church. For more information, contact Erin Berge at eberge@voa.org or 275-1220.

Square dancing The Delta Hubwheelers Square Dance Club will host a dance from 7-9 p.m. in the aerobics room of the Bill Heddles Recreation Center. Dances are Mainstream with Plus Tips. Bring refreshments to share at intermission. A plus workshop kicks off at 6:30 p.m. Call 835-3771 to verify details.

OCTOBER 7-8 Applefest Applefest is celebrating its 40th year with music, arts and crafts booths, beer, wine, cider and the arts at the downtown Cedaredge Town Park.

More than 150 vendors will showcase handmade art, crafts, jewelry and other goods. There will also be an antique and classic motorcycle show, a tractor show, apple treats and other family-friendly activities. The event starts at 10 a.m. on both days.

Community harvest celebration Cohere Gathering is a grassroots event in Pumpkin Hollow, southeast of Paonia. Admission for the weekend is $20. Cohere will host more than 10 original bands and performers. Learn new skills; enjoy fresh, local farm food; and taste homemade elixirs, teas and refreshing local brews. Camping in the orchard is included with admission and encouraged. To learn more, visit www. coheregathering.com or email love@ coheregathering.com.

OCTOBER 9 Medicare info sessions A Medicare counselor from Region 10 will present information and answer questions at two sessions in Delta in time for the start of Medicare’s annual open enrollment period on October 15. The first presentation will be at the lunch at the Delta Senior Center at noon. The second will be held during the Delta Diabetes Support Group at 2:30 p.m. in the Crag Crest Room of the Delta County Memorial Hospital’s Oncology and Rheumatology building.

Both presentations are free of charge.

OCTOBER 10 ADRC meeting The next meeting for the Aging and Disability Resource Center will be from 9:30-11 a.m. at Montrose Health and Human Services, 1845 S. Townsend Ave. George Winston in concert American pianist George Winston was born in Michigan and grew up mainly in Montana, as well as Mississippi and Florida. He is best known for his solo piano recordings. He’ll perform at the Montrose Pavilion from 7-9 p.m. Tickets are available at www.bit.ly/2jM8UEA.

OCTOBER 14 “One Step Closer” walk/run Montrose Memorial Hospital’s Bosom Buddies present the 25th annual One Step Closer to Help and Hope Walk/ Run at 8 a.m. at the Montrose Pavilion.

Entrance costs $30 in advance and $35 the day-of and includes a long-sleeved T-shirt. All money raised stays in western Colorado to help those who have been touched by breast cancer.

OCTOBER 14-15 Introduction to kiln-formed glass Learn glass fusing methods in this twoday course that includes all required materials and tools. Each student will design, assemble and fire a pendant and matching earrings, a small bowl or plate and an 8-inch display piece. The Weehawken Creative Arts class costs $120, plus $25 for materials. To register, visit www.weehawkenarts.org.

books in the Library Meeting room. On October 22, the sale is open for Friends of the Library members only from noon to 2:30 p.m., and opens to the public from 2:30-5 p.m. On October 23-24, the sale is open from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

OCTOBER 26 ADRC Community Resource Expo Join Aging and Disability Resources of Colorado from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Bill Heddles Recreation Center for a community resource expo. The event includes a free continental breakfast, lunch, numerous vendors and breakout sessions with speakers. For more information, contact Madison at Region 10/ ADRC at 765-3125. ■

OCTOBER 21 Square dancing The Delta Hubwheelers Square Dance Club will host a dance from 7-9 p.m. in the aerobics room of the Bill Heddles Recreation Center. This dance has a Halloween theme, and costumes are encouraged! Dances are Mainstream with Plus Tips. Bring refreshments to share at intermission. A plus workshop kicks off at 6:30 p.m. Call 835-3771 to verify dance dates and details.

OCTOBER 21-22 Scarecrow Festival Tour a variety of scarecrows and join the Montrose Library story walk at the Montrose Botanic Gardens for free from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. on Saturday and noon to 4 p.m. on Sunday. The Bookmobile will be present on Saturday from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. A silent auction of donated scarecrows will benefit the gardens. To make a scarecrow for the event, visit www.montrosegardens.org.

OCTOBER 22-24 Used book sale The Friends of the Montrose Regional Library will hold a sale of quality used

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Beacon Bits 98-year-old flies plane for first time Mabel Livingston, a Senior CommUnity Care PACE participant and resident at The Homestead at Montrose, enjoyed a flight around the San Juan mountains as part of a donation from the Angel Flight program on Wednesday. Pilot Michael Plante from Evergreen, Colorado, donated his time to make flying a plane a dream come true for Livingston, who turned 98 the next week. Livingston has always enjoyed flying and had hoped to obtain her pilot’s license,

but at 92 she gave up the challenge.

Livingston flew herself and three other passengers over the mountains, down to Durango, Silverton, Telluride and back to Montrose.

VOA AdvantAge provides options counseling for Region 10 As of September 1, all new referrals for Options Counseling, Information and Assistance sent to Region 10 are sent to Volunteers of America (VOA) AdvantAge. This is includes all referrals from local hospitals, health and human services, rehabilitation facilities, etc. Anyone needing application assistance will also need to be referred to the VOA. VOA AdvantAge has offices in both Montrose (121 N. Park Ave.) and Delta (350 Stafford Lane). Both offices are open the third Tuesday of the month from 1-4 p.m. and the second Wednesday of the month from 9 a.m. to noon.

Customers may set up appointments by calling 417-2668.

Mini Med School comes to Delta Mini Med School will improve your understanding of the human body and help you take charge of your health.

Free lectures take place on the University of Colorado’s Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora and are broadcast to sites across Colorado where anyone can watch (and interact) via live video feed. Each presentation includes an hour on the evening's topic, followed by a half-hour question and answer session. Visit Grand Mesa Oncology Center’s Crag Crest classroom at Delta County Memorial Hospital on Wednesdays from 7-8:30 p.m. through November 1 for these lectures. The October 4 lecture by Nichole Zehnder, MD, focuses on topics in medicine. On October 11, James Hill, MD, will discuss the science behind permanent weight loss. On October 18, Matt West, MD, will discuss neurology. The October 25 lecture features Katherine Bakes, MD, and focuses on emergency medicine.

Register at fastfor.ms/A9CD2.

Montrose Memorial Hospital receives high ranking for knee replacements According to “U.S. News & World Report,” one of the best places to receive a knee replacement surgery is

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com right here in Montrose. The evaluation included 4,500 hospitals across the U.S. and looked at several data measures.

An high rating indicates a hospital is significantly better than the national average in a given procedure or condition. Montrose Memorial Hospital performed 193 joint replacements in 2016. For more information about the program, call 252-2974.

Ageless Authors contest Ageless Authors, the first publishing project exclusively for writers age 65plus, is now accepting submissions for a nationwide contest. Writers can submit short stories, essays and poetry based on these topics: Military Memories; Dang I Wish I Hadn’t Done That; and Parents, for Better or Worse. Cash prizes will be awarded. Outstanding entries will also be published in an anthology.

Each submission requires an entry fee of $20. The deadline is December 15.

To submit your work, visit www.ageless authors.com/current-contests.

Volunteer opportunities • Mothers of Preschoolers is seeking some special volunteers to rock babies, play, sing and spoil little ones for two mornings a month. This gives their mamas time to refuel and to be encouraged. Contact Maria at 509619-3062 or MontroseMOPS@gmail. com.

• Volunteer drivers are needed to deliver meals to low-income and frail seniors. Drivers are background checked and need to provide references. Contact Betty Hayes at 2498804.

• The Museum of the Mountain West seeks volunteers to be trained as tour guides, landscapers/ groundskeepers, light construction, building maintenance and janitorial.

Call Rich or April at 240- 3400 to set up a time for an interview.

Support Groups • Parkinson’s Support Group meets monthly on the last Monday (except in December) in the first floor conference room. For details, call Ashley at 252-2996.

• Al-Anon and Alateen Delta meets Tuesdays at 7:30 pm at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 145 W. Fifth St.

OCTOBER 2017

Call Elizabeth at 874-9832 or Shirley at 323-5067.

• Al-Anon Montrose meets Thursdays at noon at First Presbyterian Church, 1840 E. Niagara. Call Lucy at 5969919.

• Al-Anon and Alateen Montrose meets Mondays at 7 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 1840 E. Niagara.

Call Karis at 275-4107 or Lisa Marie at 964-8849.

• Al-Anon for Women, Montrose meets Sundays at 3:30 p.m. at All Saints Anglican Church, 2057 S. Townsend Ave. Call Peggy at 9644970.

• Bosom Buddies, a breast cancer support group, meets on Wednesdays from noon to 1 p.m. at Community Connections, 645 S. Fifth St. Call Francie Smiles at 252-2814.

• Cardiac Support meets monthly the fourth Wednesday at Montrose Memorial Hospital in Conference Room A. • Caring for Caregivers Delta meets monthly from 11 a.m. to noon the second Tuesday at Delta Partners.

Call Danielle Angotti at 200-7163.

• Dementia and Alzheimer's Support meets monthly from 4-5 p.m. the last Monday at Horizons Health Care and Retirement Community. Call 275-4220.

• Diabetes Support meets monthly at 6 p.m. the first Tuesday at Montrose Memorial Hospital. Call 2407280.

• Family Caregiver Support Group meets from 1:30-2:30 p.m. the first and third Wednesday at Montrose Memorial Hospital. Call 275-2138.

• Low Vision Support meets the first and third Wednesdays of the month at the Center for Independence. Call 249-3785 for times.

• Stroke and Brain Injury Support meets at 11 a.m. to noon on the second and fourth Thursdays of the month at Montrose Memorial Hospital. Call 252-2550.

• Montrose Survivors—Loss to Suicide meets monthly from 10 a.m. to noon the second Saturday at the Center for Mental Health. Call 2523228. ■

OCTOBER 2017

MONTROSE/DELTA COUNTIES 21

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Clubs & Activities Black Canyon Camera Club meets monthly from 11 a.m. to noon on the second Tuesday at the First Church of God, 1102 Howard St. in Delta. Stay from noon to 1 p.m. for a workshop.

Visit www.blackcanyoncameraclub.org or call 399-3674 for details.

Black Canyon Classics Car Club meets monthly on the first Tuesday.

The club is open to all ages interested in classic cars, street rods, trucks and other vehicles. For meeting time and location, call 249-6051.

Montrose Amateur Radio Club meets monthly at 7 p.m. on the third Friday at the Olathe Community Center. Call 417-6142.

Montrose Elks Bingo takes place at the Montrose Elks Lodge, 801 S. Hillcrest Dr., every Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.

Montrose Pavilion Dance Club hosts dances at the Montrose Pavilion from

Spin to win cash prizes!

Slick Rick’s

7:30-11 p.m. on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month. Enjoy great music and refreshments. Dancers of all ages are welcome. Bring a snack to share. Cost is $5. Call 252-7172.

Montrose Women’s Club meets for monthly luncheons at noon on the third Monday, September through May. All Montrose area women are invited to attend. For location and more information, call Lexy Stevenson at 275-3336.

San Juan Dance Club meets at the Lion’s Club House in Montrose every Thursday from 6:45-8 p.m. Enjoy two hours of fun and free dance. Call Ron at 708-8333 for more information.

Western Slope 4 Wheelers meets monthly at 7 p.m. on the first Tuesdays at the Montrose Rod & Gun Club’s indoor range, 1211 6450 Road in Montrose. Call 275-0754. ■

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New device stops a cold as it starts

R

Pat McAllister, age 70, received one ecent research shows you can stop a cold in its tracks if you take one for Christmas and called it “one of the simple step with a new device when best presents ever. This little jewel really works.” you first feel a cold coming on.

People often use CopperZap for preColds start when cold viruses get in your nose. Viruses multiply fast. If vention. Karen Gauci, who flies often, you don’t stop them early, they spread used to get colds after crowded flights.

Though skeptical, she tried it several in your airways and cause misery.

But scientists have found a quick way to kill a virus. Touch it with copper. Researchers at labs and universities agree, copper is “antimicrobial.” It kills microbes, such as viruses and bacteria, just by touch.

That’s why ancient Greeks and Egyptians used copper to New research: Copper stops colds if used early. purify water and heal wounds. They didn’t know about vi- times a day on travel days for 2 months.

“Sixteen flights and not a sniffle!” ruses and bacteria, but now we do.

Business owner Rosaleen says Researchers say a tiny electric charge in microbe cells gets short-cir- when people are sick around her she cuited by the high conductance of cop- uses CopperZap morning and night. per. This destroys the cell in seconds. “It saved me last holidays,” she said.

Tests by the Environmental Pro- “The kids had colds going round and tection Agency (EPA) show germs round, but not me.”

Some users say it also helps with sinusdie fast on copper. So some hospitals switched to copper touch surfaces, es. Attorney Donna Blight had a 2-day like faucets and doorknobs. This cut sinus headache. When her CopperZap the spread of MRSA and other illness- arrived, she tried it. “I am shocked!” she said. “My head cleared, no more heades by over half, and saved lives.

The strong scientific evidence gave ache, no more congestion.”

Some users say copper stops nightinventor Doug Cornell an idea. When he felt a cold coming on he fashioned time stuffiness. One man said, “Best a smooth copper probe and rubbed it sleep I’ve had in years.”

Users also report success in stopping gently in his nose for 60 seconds.

“It worked!” he exclaimed. “The cold sores and warts. It can also prevent cold went away completely.” It infection in wounds, cuts and abrasions.

The handle is sculptured to fit the worked again every time he felt a cold coming on. He reports he has never hand and finely textured to improve contact. Tests show it kills germs on had a cold since.

He asked relatives and friends to try fingers to help you avoid spreading illit. They said it worked every time. So ness to your family.

Copper may even stop flu if used he patented CopperZap™ and put it early and for several days. In a lab on the market.

Soon hundreds of people had tried test, scientists placed 25 million live it and given feedback. Nearly 100 per- flu viruses on a CopperZap. No viruscent said the copper stops their colds es were found still alive soon after.

The EPA says the natural color if used within 3 hours of the first sign.

Even up to 2 days, if they still get the change of copper does not reduce its ability to kill germs. cold it is milder and they feel better.

CopperZap is made in the U.S. of Users wrote things like, “It stopped my cold right away,” and “Is it sup- pure copper. It carries a 90-day full money back guarantee and is available posed to work that fast?”

“What a wonderful thing,” wrote Physi- for $49.95 at CopperZap.com or tollcian’s Assistant Julie. “No more colds for me!” free 1-888-411-6114.

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EVENTS BINGO! Montrose Elks Lodge October 31, 2017, 6:30 p.m. Wear your favorite costume for your chance to win awesome prizes. There will be lots to do, prizes to win and memories to be made! Bring a friend and see what this event is all about.

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Library levy would lighten load

 “[BeaconFest] was well organized; well supported (I did a mini-seminar and was well supported technically by Danny). Great layout (not too crowded).”

- Kelly Thompson, HopeWest

I

“Kevin was a great emcee [at BeaconFest]. The music performers were excellent. The attendees are all so very special.”

- The Chicken Roost  “Thank you so much for sending me a copy of The Beacon Guide.

I am very interested in our health care resources and challenges in the valley, the state and in the country. The guide you sent seems well organized, and how wonderful to have up-to-date resources at my fingertips. I will certainly be happy to share with others.”- Kayla Dodson  “My thanks to all of you for doing such a great job with the article about my husband Ed’s story regarding the need for blood donors (“Donating is in their blood: Family honors one man’s legacy by paying it forward,” September Health & Wellness insert). I hope it will inspire a lot of people to step forward and become donors.” - Nancy Keddy loie: Thanks to you and your C family for being heroes and saving lives. Readers, you can be heroes, too. St. Mary’s Bloodmobile travels throughout the Western Slope to reach people who want to give blood. View their schedule at www.sclhealth.org or call them at 298-2555.”

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By Stephanie Summar magine your local library was open every day of the week. Imagine it had all the materials you need, when you need them. Imagine its Bookmobile was a regular presence in the area.

Voting yes on a proposed increase to the Montrose Regional Library District (MRLD) mill levy would turn those fantasies into reality.

The library’s mill levy—a tax rate used to fund local services—is the primary funding mechanism for programs and operations. Raising the levy from 3 to 3.85 will add approximately $450,000 to the MRLD’s annual budget, enabling it to provide vital community resources.

The levy has not been raised since the 2007 recession, which hit the library hard.

“The 2007 economic downturn dramatically affected our ability to operate the library to it fullest and its most useful potential,” said Emily Schneider, president of the MRLD Board of Trustees and co-coordinator of the Library Election Committee.

“TABOR and Gallagher regulations have stagnated revenues the MRLD receives from property taxes. Yet every year we’ve managed to balance our budget and maintain our required reserves.”

In the past 10 years, the library has cut one-third of its staff, onethird of its materials budget, 70 percent of its Bookmobile services, maintenance and groundskeeping projects and its hours of operation to five days a week.

“The Bookmobile... serves as Olathe’s Branch Library, yet due to budget restraints [it] can only go to Olathe a couple times a month.

And senior living centers have been eliminated entirely from the Bookmobile schedule,” said Caroline Evans, a retired elementary school teacher who serves as MRLD trustee and co-coordinates the Library Election Committee. “This is just one of the many improvements we need to make to our library to remain viable to this community.”

The increase comes with a 10-year sunset provision and equates to a $6.12 increase a year per $100,000 of residential valuation. Commercial properties will see an annual increase of less than $25 for every $100,000 of valuation.

It’s a small price to pay for a full-service library that could begin to resume all operations in January.

“There’s so much more we can do with our library if the community votes ‘yes’ to the nominal mill levy increase in their ballot this fall,” Schneider said.

Mail-in ballots will be distributed in mid-October, said Casey Corrigan Reichmann, who handles the campaign’s public relations. Early voting represents the best opportunity for the increase to pass. She urged voters not to be complacent in this year’s election.

Election Day is November 7.

To learn more about the proposed mill levy increase, visit www.imagine yourlibrary.org. ■

kvetch \ kfech  “It is hard to hear the door prize announcements. Can you post the winners on a board so that we can see who won?”

- BeaconFest attendee

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FUN & GAMES Game answers from page 16

I FIND BY WA N T I N G L E S S I H AV E M O R E Sally Crum loves her little log cabin that she helped construct. There’s something to be said for splitting your own wood and hauling your own water. For Sally, it’s given her the independence she wants, while still being able to ask for help when she needs it. Rocky Mountain Health Plans Medicare helps people like Sally keep living the life they’ve built for themselves.

Find a Medicare plan that fits your Colorado lifestyle at www.rmhpMedicare.org or call 866-305-1132 (TTY: 711)

RMHP MEDICARE PRESENTATIONS • NO COST • NO OBLIGATION Space is limited, reserve your seat today. Call 800-273-1730 (TTY: 711) to RSVP for these events.

A salesperson will be present with information and applications.

For accommodation of persons with special needs at sales meetings call 800-273-1730 (TTY: 711).

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Wednesday, November 1, 2017

Thursday, November 16, 2017

10:00am-11:30am Holiday Inn Express 1391 S. Townsend Avenue

10:00am-11:30am Bill Heddles Recreation Center 530 Gunnison River Drive

10:00am-11:30am Holiday Inn Express 1391 S. Townsend Avenue

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RMHP is a Medicare-approved Cost plan. Enrollment in RMHP depends on contract renewal. This information is available for free in other languages.

Please call Customer Service at 888-282-1420 (TTY dial 711). Hours are 8am - 8pm, 7 days/week, Oct.1–Feb.14, and 8am - 8pm, M-F, Feb.15–Sept.30.

Esta información está disponible gratuitamente en otros idiomas. Por favor llame a la línea de Atención a Clientes, al 888-282-1420 (TTY marque 711).

Horario de 8am - 8pm, 7 días a la semana, del 1 de octubre al 14 de febrero; y de 8am - 8pm, de lunes a viernes, del 15 de febrero al 30 de septiembre.

RMHP complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, or sex.

ATENCIÓN: si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-888-282-1420(TTY: 711). CHÚ Ý: Nếu bạn nói Tiếng Việt, có các dịch vụ hỗ trợ ngôn ngữ miễn phí dành cho bạn. Gọi số 1-888-282-1420 (TTY: 711). H0602_MS_MC244B_09252017 Accepted