October 2022 - Life After 50

±Annual amount based on possible monthly or quarterly amounts. *You can use any licensed dental provider who is not on the Medicare preclusion or exclusion list. **To and from health services. Plan-approved locations and restrictions may apply by plan. Under 60-mile one-way trips. All Cigna products and services are provided exclusively by or through operating subsidiaries of Cigna Corporation. The Cigna name, logos, and other Cigna marks are owned by Cigna Intellectual Property, Inc. All pictures are used for illustrative purposes only. This information is not a complete description of benefits, which vary by individual plan. You must live in the plan’s service area. Call 1-888-284-0268 (TTY 711) for more information. Cigna is contracted with Medicare for PDP plans, HMO and PPO plans in select states, and with select State Medicaid programs. Enrollment in Cigna depends on contract renewal. © 2022 Cigna Some content provided under license. 954681 A_PA_02_V1 Y0036_22_98245_M

Cajun Christmas & New Year’s Eve Cruise

Dec. 27, 2022-Jan. 2,

San Antonio

Day 1: Depart from Colorado Springs for San Antonio. Enjoy a leisurely cruise along the Paseo del Rio.

Day 2: Take a sightseeing tour of the city from a local guide. Explore the area’s rich history with a visit to Mission San Jose, followed by shopping at an authentic Mexican Marketplace. Later visit the Alamo, the world-famous fort where Texans fought for independence from Mexico.

Day 3: Travel through the Texas Hill Country for a visit to the Lyndon Baines Johnson National Historic Park. Begin in Johnson City and explore the boyhood home of LBJ, our nation’s 36th President. Visit Stonewall, LBJ Ranch and the Texas White House. Enjoy an included lunch in Fredericksburg before visiting the National Museum of the Pacific War.

Day 4: The day begins at the LBJ Presidential Library and Museum in Austin. Experience the life and times of Lyndon B. Johnson and learn how legislation signed by LBJ affects you today. Enjoy lunch at The Salt Lick, Texas BBQ at its finest. Then visit Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, the internationally recognized botanic garden and research center. End the evening with a farewell dinner.

Day 5: After breakfast, depart for the airport for your flight home to Colorado Springs.

Colorado Springs,

Hawaii Four Island Holiday

An 11-Day Tour to Oahu, Maui, Kauai and the Big Island!

Day 1: Depart Colorado Springs for lovely Honolulu, Hawaii! Get ready for a fabulous sunset dinner cruise, followed by fireworks over Waikiki Harbor.

Day 2: Depart for a full day tour, including Pearl Harbor, the USS Missouri, the USS Arizona Memorial, a city tour of Honolulu and the National Cemetery of the Pacific in Punchbowl Crater.

Day 3: Today we depart for Maui. The Valley Isle. The day is yours to relax or explore this picturesque Hawaiian town.

Day 4: Experience Maui up close on this full day tour of the island.

Day 5: Enjoy a whale watching excursion today with a certified Marine Naturalist.

Day 6: This morning it’s on to the Big Island, the largest and geologically most diverse of the Hawaiian archipelago.

Day 7: Enjoy a full day tour of the Big Island including Volcanoes National Park, black sand beaches, beautiful waterfalls, the southernmost point of the United States, and much more.

Day 8: This afternoon it’s on to the lovely island of Kauai, known as the Garden Isle.

Day 9: See the north part of the island including Hanalei Valley, Wailua Falls, Kapaa Town, Moloaa Bay, taro fields and much more.

Day 10: Today we will visit Waimea Canyon. We’ll also see Spouting Horn, Koloa Sugar Mill and cruise down the Wailua River on our way to the famous Fern Grotto.

Day 11: Our last day in Hawaii is yours to enjoy on your own..

of Columbia & Snake Rivers

PERSON*

Experience the best of the Columbia & Snake Rivers in this 8-Day Tour

Day 1: Depart Colorado Springs for Portland, OR. Meet your tour manager and fellow travelers.

Day 2: Today you tour Mount Hood and Timberline Lodge. Once back in Portland enjoy a guided tour of the city.

Day 3: Depart Portland for the spectacular Columbia River Gorge to visit Vista House and stop at beautiful Multnomah Falls. Arrive at Pendleton and enjoy dinner at Hamley Steakhouse.

Day 4: Tour Pendleton Woolen Mills and Fort Walla Walla.

Day 5: Full-day jet boat trip on the Snake River in Hells Canyon, the deepest river gorge in North America.

Day 6: Historic Rider Ranch and Lake Coeur d’Alene dinner cruise.

Day 7: Wallace Silver Mine tour and Native American cultural dinner.

Day 8: After breakfast, depart Spokane for Colorado Springs.

*Based on double occupancy. Price includes roundtrip airfare from Colorado Springs, a fully escorted tour aboard a luxury motor coach, 7 nights lovely accommodations, 7 breakfasts, 3 lunches, and 5 dinners, all transfers, and transportation, all attractions as described, all taxes and fees.

From traditions and music to exclusive culinary masterpieces, you’ll find the spirit of the season at each river bend

Day 1: Gaze at the spectacular sights of New Orleans from the comfort of a luxury coach on an unforgettable 3-hour city tour. In the evening, journey through time on a paddle-wheel boat ride along the mighty Mississippi.

Day 2: Enjoy lively on-board commentary from your guide as you trace the shoreline of Lake Pontchartrain and Great River Road en route to Oak Alley Plantation, one of the most photographed plantations ever. Take a tour of Oak Alley Plantation with knowledgeable guides. This evening enjoy time on your own to explore the city.

Day 3: After breakfast, we’ll transfer to our beautiful ship and begin our cruise up the mighty Mississippi!

Day 4: St. Francisville today is a testament to the lifestyle of a bygone era, with its plethora of charming antebellum-period homes and striking architecture. This evening celebrate New Year’s Eve aboard your beautiful Paddle Boat!

Day 5: American Queen Steamboat Company features an exclusive port at Nottoway. While the boat is docked, visit the sugarcane estate - the largest standing antebellum mansion in the south.

Day 6: As we port in New Orleans, we say goodbye to Southern Charm and depart for the airport for our flight home. *Based on double occupancy. Price includes: roundtrip airfare from Colorado Springs, 5-day cruise, pre-cruise hotel stay, all tours as described and tours each

while cruising, all meals/drinks on board ship, all taxes and surcharges.

Yellowstone in Winter

Jan. 28-Feb.

Witness the majesty of Yellowstone in winter.

Day 1: Arrive in Salt Lake City, often called the “Crossroads of the West.” This bustling modern city is surrounded by mountains and features the historic Temple Square.

Day 2: Following breakfast you will be treated by the sounds of the world-famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir at their weekly live broadcast performance. Then board your motorcoach and travel through the Island Park Region. Our destination is West Yellowstone, the gateway to Yellowstone National Park’s west entrance. Check into our hotel for a two-night stay and a delicious dinner.

Day 3: Have your winter gear ready and your cameras packed as our private Snowcoach picks you up at your hotel and takes you into Yellowstone National Park. This 60-mile-long once-in-a-lifetime journey features a narrated tour to legendary geyser Old Faithful. There are many stops along the way including Madison Junction, Fountain Paint Pot and Biscuit Basin.

Day 4: Leaving Montana today, travel to the historic town of Jackson, Wyoming. En route, stop at the National Elk Refuge for an exhilarating open sleigh ride among the elk herd numbering in the thousands.

Day 5: Traveling south brings you through the rugged Snake River Canyon area before returning to Utah. Stop at the Utah Olympic Park for a tour of the facility which hosted the 2002 Winter Olympic Games and continues to host World Cup events. Continue to Salt Lake City where your accommodations and a delicious farewell dinner await.

Day 6: After breakfast transfer to the airport for your flight home.

*Based

Switzerland by Rail

August 31, 2023

A 9-day breathtaking rail tour through spectacular Switzerland

PER PERSON*

Switzerland by Rail is the perfect way to see Switzerland’s breathtaking mountains, charming mountain resorts, fascinating old towns and beautiful lakes—all while you relax in first-class aboard Switzerland’s famous trains. You’ll overnight in Zurich, the Lucerne area, Lausanne, Zermatt and St. Moritz.

One of the highlights of this Switzerland train tour is the journey aboard the Glacier Express from Zermatt, a picturesque cluster of rustic chalets beneath the majestic Matterhorn, to glitzy St. Moritz, one of the world’s most famous resorts. Another highlight is the journey aboard the Bernina Express from St. Moritz to Tirano, Italy. Traveling on the highest railway across the Alps, you’ll witness glistening glaciers, stunning mountain streams, alpine scenery, and tunnels and bridges that are engineering masterpieces. Stunning scenery and thrilling train rides... there’s no better way to see scenic Switzerland! So grab your camera and get ready for an amazing vacation!

*Based on double occupancy; single supplement is $450. Price includes fully escorted tour, roundtrip airfare from Colorado Springs to Denver, lovely accommodations, baggage handling, breakfast each morning, 4 dinners, all transfers, first class seats on the trains, excursion in Lucerne, all taxes and surcharges. Deposit of $400 per person is due to secure booking; final payment due 5/15/23.

The Voice of Adults 50+ in the Pikes Peak Region

October 2022 | Volume 35 | Issue 10

Publisher Kevin K. VanGundy

Managing Editor

Rhonda Wray

Editor in Chief Cloie Sandlin

Graphic Designers

B. Bigler

Michael L. Madsen

Customer Service Manager

Stacey Splude

Advertising Director

Kevin K. VanGundy

Advertising Executives

Jil Goebel

Advertising Assistant

Kayla Pool

Delivery Manager

Diane Salkovich

Delivery Eulogio Martinez Robert & Kathy Wernly

Bill Souba

Rea Gray LuAnn Weems

P.O. Box 50125

Colorado Springs, CO 80949

Phone 719-900-7664

Website www.LaFifty.com Email Info@LaFifty.com

Life After 50 is published by Pendant Publishing, Inc. dba BEACON Senior News P.O. Box 3895

Grand Junction, CO 81502 Phone: 970-243-8829

Life After 50 celebrates age and brings hope and help to seniors in the Pikes Peak Region and those who serve them.

Life After 50 is published at the beginning of the month and is distributed at more than 250 locations throughout Colorado Springs and the surrounding communities in El Paso and Teller counties.

Publication of advertising does not necessarily constitute endorsement. Columns are opinions of the writers, not necessarily the opinion of the publisher. Deadline for advertising and announcements is the 10th of the month preceding publication.

Display advertising rates are available upon request.

© Copyright 2022 � All Rights Reserved

On the Cover

Artist Natalie Becker honors women who are thriving after a breast cancer diagnosis with a survivor's collage at the Invitation for Hope art exhibit.

Photo by Rhonda Wray

IN THIS ISSUE

8 COVER STORY

The Art of Healing

Natalie Becker lived life at 100 mph until her breast cancer diagnosis at age 50. Now she uses art to assist her inner healing and spread knowledge and hope to other survivors

10

The Princess in the Pink Mask & Other Halloween Stories

From masks and costumes to high jinks and frights, readers recollect stories from their best and worst Halloween

12 Recipe: Roasted Salmon and Grapes with Pistachios Over Fresh Greens

13 Grief is the Price of Love

Cappadona Funeral Home provides a gentle crossover with compassionate and cost-effective care

15 The Potent Power of Pickle Juice

While the thought might be facepuckering, pickle juice has some pretty amazing health benefits

16

Tales from the Tombstones

Though cemeteries are often depicted in a creepy way, the reality is far from scary. Denver’s Fairmount Cemetery tours highlight its splendor and interesting regional history

24 Flatties on the Flat Top

This month, breast cancer survivors are banding together on the world’s largest flat top mountain

26 Faith: When Life Isn’t Fair

When we pray for God to do his will, we shouldn’t be disappointed in the outcome

27 What to Do With Your Old Tech Technology has become faster and cheaper, but it has also led to one major problem—what do you do with the old stuff?

28 3 Mistakes That Could Cost Medicare Beneficiaries a Fortune

Avoid these costly mistakes that can leave you paying more for Medicare or missing out on important benefits

30 CALENDARS

30 Calendar

36

38

Fall Fitness Tips

Take in these ways to avoid the fall and winter fitness slump and keep focused on staying fit

Bits

After

Senior Center Activities

41 Support Groups

42 Fun &

44 Classifieds

46 Opinion: The Sneaky Way Inflation is Hurting Seniors

Helping

Helping you find doctors who see the whole you

Open the door to the care you deserve.

Connecting you to personalized care for a healthier you

Connecting you to personalized care for a healthier you

Vera Whole Health is in the Humana Medicare network in your area and can actively help you make the most of your Medicare plan. With providers in Humana's network, you can find doctors who have time to listen—and an entire team dedicated to coordinating your care to serve your whole self.

Vera Whole Health is in the Humana Medicare network in your area and can actively help you make the most of your Medicare plan. With providers in Humana's network, you can find doctors who have time to listen—and an entire team dedicated to coordinating your care to serve your whole self.

An empathetic and holistic care team dedicated to

whole health

Convenient locations, including one close to your home

Time to listen to you–a minimum of 60 minutes for your first visit

Humana Gold

1-855-317-8209 (TTY: 711)

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North Nevada Ave.,

Vera Whole Health - Colorado Springs 5020 North Nevada Ave., Ste. 130 Colorado Springs, CO 80918

COMING SOON!

Washington St. Thornton,

Vera Whole Health - Denver 9750 Washington St. Thornton, CO 80229

Other Providers are available in our network. Provider may also contract with other plan sponsors. Important! 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, marital status or religion. ATTENTION: If you do not speak English, language assistance services, free of charge, are available to you. Call 1-855-205-7829 (TTY: 711). Español (Spanish): ATENCIÓN: Si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingü.stica. Llame al 1-844-346-2176 (TTY: 711). 繁體中文 (Chinese):

1-855-205-7829 (TTY: 711)

Other Providers are available in our network. Provider may also contract with other plan sponsors. Important! 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, marital status or religion. ATTENTION: If you do not speak English, language assistance services, free of charge, are available to you. Call 1-855-205-7829 (TTY: 711). Español (Spanish): ATENCIÓN: Si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingü.stica. Llame al 1-844-346-2176 (TTY: 711).

(Chinese):

Homespun Halloweens of yesteryear

Long before the moral debates or the X-ray machines examining candy for wayward needles or razor blades, there were just kids who liked to dress up and had a sweet tooth. When the end of October rolled around, class parties were filled with kids in costumes, from the ridiculous to the cute to the scary, and a desktop full of homemade treats that would never grace the class parties of today, like caramel apples and popcorn balls. If you overdid it, sometimes the bus ride home was a queasy ordeal.

Nobody decorated their houses for Halloween, or even fall, for that matter. Harvest parties hadn’t been thought of yet, nor had “trunk or treat,” collecting candy from people stationed by their open car trunks. There were no Halloween stores with Disney character costumes packaged with all the accessories. Every little girl wasn’t a princess. Making do with what you had around the house was the MO. My artist mom once painted a cardboard box as an exact replica of our Wheat Chex cereal for my sister’s costume. Unforgettable!

Some trick-or-treaters used pillowcases, but we had those orange plastic pumpkins with handles for our hauls. Mom wrote our names in Sharpie on top. (That probably wouldn’t fly now, with safety concerns.) My brother’s was the large one, I had the medium and my sister was the lil’ punkin’, in more ways than one. I was a candy saver. I’d shake the Slo-Pokes, Pixie Stix and Zotz from my pumpkin into my nightstand drawer, where they’d take up residence for weeks.

One year my parents attended a costume party. My mom sewed a tutu—not for herself, but for dad. The sight of our rugged, outdoorsy father, typically attired in jeans and a T-shirt and now gamely wearing pink tulle, gave us all the giggles! He couldn’t pirouette to save his life, but he got the big laughs at the party.

I leave my porch light on every October 31. I like it when baby lion cubs, little Elsas and bigger Marios and Luigis ring the doorbell.

I’ve noticed the age of trick-or-treaters has risen over the years. Well, who can blame them? Who doesn’t like a little chocolate every now and then, and who wouldn’t like a game of dress-up for longer than society deems allowable?

Costumes are a chance to unleash your inner creativity. A friend’s daughter dressed all in pink, with a shoe affixed to the top of her head. She was “stepping on a wad of bubblegum.”

My friend Lisa was a stoplight, with transparent circles of green, red and yellow, through which she’d shine a flashlight. I once wore head-to-toe forest green and hung ornaments on myself. I carried my toddler daughter, who was dressed as an angel, on my shoulders. We were a Christmas tree.

Americans spend more on Halloween than any other holiday except Christmas. This is unbelievable to me. Other than candy to hand out and maybe a pumpkin to set on my step, I haven’t dug deep to finance this holiday.

Though it’s big business now, a lot hasn’t changed. There’s the usually freezing cold night. Carving jack-o’-lanterns, and that unmistakable squash smell when digging out the seeds and “pumpkin guts.” The hope for a full-size candy bar at the next house. Pirates, superheroes and fairies trading their confectionery loot with each other after ringing the last doorbell, then falling exhausted into bed.

As always, it’s the one night for escapism. You can be someone else. You can connect with your neighborhood. Tricks? Nah. Just all the sweet treats. ■

LETTERS From Readers

Laughing Matters

Laughing Matters consistently includes sexist, offensive “jokes.” These jokes are the sort that might have been popular, unfortunately, over half a century ago, before women had the legal power and financial options to stand up for ourselves, but that “humor” is unacceptable now. Find a new source of jokes that are respectful of women!

- Joyce C.

Rhonda: I hear ya, Joyce. Humor is tricky— we definitely don’t all find the same things to be funny. Our jokes are submitted by readers, but perhaps your email will inspire more sensitivity. We all like to laugh, but when it’s overstepping boundaries, it’s a cheap shot.

Editor’s Column (September)

Thank you for your recent article, “A love letter to labor.” I enjoyed your sharing of life experiences; it touched my heart!

- Lawrence S.

We’ve been subscribers to Life After 50 since the very beginning. I just wanted to personally thank you for your wonderful editorial—your love letter to labor. It was just very well put. I don’t know exactly how old you are. I’m in my 81st year, but my growing up and my work history was very much like what you shared. That really resonated in my soul. Keep up the good work, and thank you again for that wonderful article.

- Don & Ruth C. Coastal Grandmother (September)

Just got finished reading the whole issue. It’s such a great mag! Also, I have a new-to-me outfit from Goodwill that fits with Coastal Grandma fashion!

- Cindy W.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!

■ Email: Info@LaFifty.com

■ Facebook: @LA50pikespeak

Rhonda Wray, Managing Editor Rhonda@LaFifty.com

■ Mail: PO Box 50125 Colorado Springs, CO 80949

■ Call: 719-900-7664

I leave my ber 31. I like it and bigger Marios

How a local artist recovered from breast cancer with creativity and balance

By Rhonda Wray

If you haven’t been diagnosed with breast cancer yourself (lucky you!), you likely know a woman who has. This month of National Breast Cancer Awareness is particularly relevant to readers of Life After 50 —mainly females, but also males, to a lesser extent. From ages 50 to 60, a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer is one in 43 and continues to go up, peaking between ages 60 and 70.

Natalie Becker, 52, a married mother of two from Colorado Springs, lived her life at a frenetic pace: mothering, volunteering for school events and substitute teaching.

Becker had her first mammogram at 45 and another at 47.

Both were normal.

“I was completely healthy, swimming and walking. I didn’t get sick much,” Becker recalled.

And then came COVID.

“My mammogram was delayed from the pandemic,” Becker said. “By the time I got in, it had been three years since the last one.”

In April of 2021, at age 50, without finding the proverbial lump in the shower, she heard what no one wants to hear: her routine screening caught “something suspicious.” She had stage 1A, grade 2 invasive ductal carcinoma breast cancer.

“The diagnosis hit me out of the blue. I

was scared,” Becker admitted. Her daughters were just 14 and 11.

LOCAL TREATMENT IS BEST

Becker was fast-tracked into surgery a month later. She wanted to be rid of the cancer! The early detection and rapid operation would help save her breast. A lumpectomy removed the most invasive cancer. Radiation targeted the rest of the wayward cells. She was surprised how fast she healed.

Becker’s “survivor buddy,” Laurel, had family who wanted to find the best surgeon in the country for her. After researching options in various cities, they concluded that the doctors in Colorado Springs were among the very best. Becker concurred with the excellent level of local care.

“Everyone was so kind, so good,” said Becker. “I felt so bad, like I did something wrong to get cancer.”

But they assured her she didn’t. Becker praised her team for their competence and excellent work.

Becker was prescribed Tamoxifen, an estrogen modulator for treating and preventing breast cancer. She discontinued it after it caused two polyps on her uterus that required surgical removal.

“THE DIAGNOSIS HIT ME OUT OF THE BLUE. I WAS SO SCARED. I FELT SO BAD, LIKE I DID SOMETHING WRONG TO GET CANCER.”

A MATERNAL HERO

There was more breast cancer on both sides of Becker’s family than she realized, possibly because it wasn’t discussed as openly longer ago. But she was well aware of her mother’s battle with the disease.

Patty Williams, 91, had breast cancer six years ago. Williams was on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) from age 55 to 65. In her late 60s, she was told she didn’t need mammograms anymore (HRT can affect their accuracy). Becker disagrees with how her mother was advised.

“Women over 50 are real people. They are mothers and grandmothers with so much life to them. They’re not just waiting to die,” Becker said.

Though our culture is youth-obsessed, “When you live more, you know more,” Becker affirmed.

Williams had a mastectomy and “bounced back really well,” said

Becker. In her mid 80s, with her yes-I-can attitude, Williams recovered her arm mobility and returned to her many interests.

“Women are superheroes,” Becker enthused. “My mom has been a huge inspiration to me.”

SWIMMING BUILDS STRENGTH

Becker got her doctor’s OK to swim again just three weeks post-surgery. Though she was an experienced Master’s swimmer, returning felt odd after a couple months out of the pool.

“I was a fish out of water,” she laughed. But she viewed it as part of her healing.

“Before, I just wanted to be faster. That wasn’t healthy. I was pushing myself too hard. Now I’m in my 50s. I don’t have to bust my butt,” she said.

Though her radiation team was surprised she kept swimming through her treatments since chlorine can irritate skin already sensitive from radiation, Becker simply applied cream and continued, because it improved her post-surgery shoulder mobility. According to Becker, tennis, pickleball and yoga can do the same.

ART ASSISTS INNER HEALING

Becker painted portraits and landscapes prior to her diagnosis that were beautiful but derivative,

and not at all personal. After a brief hiatus during treatment, she picked up her brushes again, yearning to infuse her art with meaning. Becker grew more expressive and experimented with different ways of putting paint down.

“Healing Waters” depicts a swimmer in brilliant blue water. The canvas Becker used was torn. She positioned the figure so the tear was at the lumpectomy site and added a Band-Aid.

“I want to keep using art for what’s meaningful to me,” she said.

Becker organized an exhibit of original fine art by breast cancer survivors called Invitation for Hope: Surviving and Thriving After Breast Cancer. A portion of the artwork sales went to the Lynn Sage Breast Cancer Research Foundation. The exhibit artwork may be viewed online at www.nataliesartndesign. com, and art is still available for purchase.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

There are some things Becker wished she had known before her cancer journey. She sees the benefit in synthesizing Western medicine with alternative treatments and encourages women to stay up to date on their screenings, as “it might be a bigger deal than you know.”

She loves meeting other survivors at various presentations she coordinates, which cover topics from nutrition and alternative ther-

apies to risk factors, prevention, screenings and more.

“If I get information out there, maybe it will help other women get diagnosed earlier, when it’s easier to treat,” she said.

There’s currently a 93 percent or higher survival rate for early detection.

Becker also urges women to “fill your heart and mind with good things,” eat plant-based as much as possible, walk 30 minutes daily along with weight-bearing exercise and use glass when possible, as plastics leach estrogen-like chemicals. Becker added that 80 percent of all breast cancers are ER (estrogen receptor)-positive, meaning the cancer cells grow in response to estrogen.

MOVING FORWARD

Prior to cancer, Becker said she operated at 100 miles per hour, ate quickly and consumed a lot of meat.

“As scary and awful as it is to go through cancer, you get to the other side and it’s wonderful! I changed my diet and my mindset. You can make a better version of

yourself,” said Becker.

Becker continues to be monitored with various tests, but the future looks promising.

“In the next decade there will be some big breakthroughs,” Becker predicted.

Clinical trials for breast cancer vaccines already exist. But until then, effective treatments coupled with lifestyle modifications and the positive attitude of considering yourself a survivor will get you through.

“Maybe we have more control than we think,” Becker mused. “Everyone who survives a long time seems to incorporate mental strategies of being mindful and staying managed.”

At the Invitation for Hope exhibit, Becker created a heart-shaped mosaic of survivors’ photos on display.

“I wanted to honor that so many have survived,” she said.

That’s her reassuring message: women can have a great quality of life and live a long time after a diagnosis.

“Like my friend says, it’s just a bump in the road.”

In Japan, cherry blossoms are a symbol of rebirth. During Becker’s treatments, she hoped for new life— just like the rebirth of spring trees.

Becker (center) and friends celebrate her first coffee shop art show.

To purchase art from Becker’s Invitation for Hope: Surviving and Thriving After Breast Cancer exhibit, visit www.nataliesartndesign.com and click “Gallery.”

Left: In “Healing Waters,” Becker used a torn canvas to her artistic advantage, signifying her lumpectomy. Right: “Introspective Reflection” captures her wait for test results, with time to ponder her hopes and future.

By Marti Healy

he wore the golden crown with regal bearing, and it reflected brilliantly in the sun. Her gown brushed against her ankles in the slight breeze that also swept through her hair. Her right shoulder dipped in casual elegance, arm draped languidly at her side. Her left hand rested smartly on her hip, bracelets dangling.

In reality, she was small in stature, barely touching four feet in height, if that; but, also in reality, she was six months away from turning 9 years old. And, in reality, “reality” had nothing to do with her truth.

She was a princess that Halloween, complete with a gold cardboard cutout crown, pink gauzythin ball gown and a Mardi Gras-style mask that was a mismatched shade of pink and slightly too large for her face. Its elastic band kept sliding down the back of her head, taking the front down with it, causing brutal consequences with her ability to see through the eyeholes.

Nevertheless, she was royal, beautiful and

achingly confident.

Of all the costumes and masks I’ve ever worn before or since that Halloween, this is one of the most memorable. This was my first store-bought costume, and the first time I wore a mask. I thought the gown exquisite, the crown startlingly realistic and the mask a disarming awakening to possibilities that had never existed before. Behind the mask, I could live within any dream I wanted. I could be anything I could imagine.

I have a black-and-white snapshot of this moment, where I can see the casual tilt of the head, the hand on hip and the utter confidence of being a princess behind a mask.

My current-day yoga instructor told me that the hand-on-hip stance has been proven to be one of the most confidence-centric messages delivered through body language, for the poser as well as the observers around her.

The only person I remember who wasn’t terribly impressed with my gold-crowned princess-ness was the “witch” standing behind me in

the picture—my 11-year-old sister. I suppose sisters are universal that way, and are meant to keep you humble. But it didn’t affect my self-image all that much. The mask protected me.

In the years since that day, I have learned about other kinds of masks. Those that guard and intimidate, and cover up and change; the masks that deny pain as well as love, and transform ugliness as well as beauty; masks that hide desperation and loneliness and fear and doubt; masks that protect the child in all of us.

I suspect most people believe that to really know and love one another, we need to look beyond the masks and cherish the faces behind them. But sometimes, the kindest thing we can do is to pretend we don’t see a mask at all, and simply accept the person as they want to be seen, the illusion as presented, the princess in charge. After all, reality often has nothing to do with anybody’s truth.

■

Punkin’ Donuts

If your readers are interested in a crafty Halloween decoration, this idea came to me a few years ago and isn't hard to do! They’re a hit at Halloween parties, but you do have to keep attendees from grabbing one, thinking it’s a real donut.

I used small pumpkins that you can buy at Sprouts, some paper products, paint, frosting, sprinkles, fondant, candy corn, googly eyes, etc. Needless to say, I won the pumpkin decorating contest at my office that year!

- Mary Galusha

My best (and worst) memories

By Noah LeVia

Author Charmaine Forde wrote “leaves descending to the ground, orange, magenta, green and brown,” when describing October. Poet Malcolm Lowry penned “the fallen leaves in the forest seemed to make even the ground glow and burn with light.” Trappist monk Thomas Merton said in October “the land is wild with red and gold and crimson.”

Blue skies, white clouds and vividly variegated leaves falling like multi-hued raindrops make up an animated artist’s palette of a month that is October.

It is also a mystical month, famed for celebrating connections between the living and the dead. It is the month of All Hallows’ Eve—better known as Hallow-

een—where smiling jack-o-lanterns sitting on porches light the night for costumed revelers celebrating an ancient festival dating from the ninth century.

Halloween is a day of youthful memories for many seniors—some fun, others frightening.

One of my favorite memories has stuck with me mainly because of how excited I was about my costume—a black cat with a tail! I also remember being on the front porch waiting to go trick-or-treating and hearing a loud bang. A few minutes later, a handyman who’d been working in our garage, limped to the front porch, his right calf bleeding. He said he’d reached for a hammer on a shelf when it fell, colliding with the box of bullets beside it. The hammer exploded a

bullet and fragments hit his calf. I spent that Halloween in the doctor’s office with the handyman and my father, entertaining myself by “playing cat” in the waiting room.

A few years later, I wore a pumpkin costume in an elementary school Halloween production. I was a chubby child, so portraying a round pumpkin was not an affirmative role for me. All I recall is standing next to more pumpkins and orange crepe paper billowing around our bellies.

My final memory takes a turn with abject terror! I was quite young when my father took me to Woolworth’s dime store, searching for a costume for me to wear on Halloween. As he guided me through the aisles, a man wearing a hideous devil’s mask jumped out from behind an

What was your favorite Halloween costume?

Venita Birky

“For our masks, we used to take brown paper bags and cut out holes for eyes. The real fun was decorating them. We’d glue on yarn for hair, paint them, and just add whatever we could find. Sometimes we’d even stuff ourselves with pillows. We were quite a sight!”

Tonya and Corbin Graber

Tonya: “We made papier-mâché masks for a family project, and I made Raggedy Ann. I think I still have it.” Corbin: “I was a cowboy. I had the hat and boots, and my mom made me a Western shirt with snaps. Yee-haw!”

aisle and yelled, “Boo!” Screaming, I turned and ran, but the man ran beside me on the other side of the aisle, roaring. I kept screaming, turned and ran back to my father for protection. My father laughed but gestured the man away while I trembled and sobbed.

This Halloween offers opportunities for creating enduring memories for us all. May we make pleasant and delightful ones, especially for young cats or pumpkins knock-

Compiled by Rhonda Wray

Crystal Karr

“My favorite was a teal genie costume, in the same style as the 'I Dream of Jeannie' TV show, that my mom made for me in eighth grade. I thought it was very risqué, and I couldn’t believe she let me wear it!”

Kelly Johnson

“I remember a Mickey Mouse costume that I really liked.”

Roasted Salmon & Grapes with Pistachios Over Fresh Greens

Recipe courtesy of www.GrapesFromCalifornia.com

Servings: 4

Ingredients

4 wild sockeye or coho salmon fillets (about 5 ounces each)

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

¹/₃ cup dry white wine

1 cup green California grapes

¹/₄ cup shelled, unsalted pistachios, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian parsley

5 ounces baby spinach

¹/₄ red onion, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon white wine vinegar salt, to taste freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

Heat oven to 400° F. Lightly oil shallow, 9-by-13-inch baking dish.

Pat fish dry and place skin side down in pan. Brush fillets lightly with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste. Pour wine in pan, scatter grapes around and sprinkle pistachios and parsley on fish.

Roast salmon 7 minutes for medium-rare; 8 minutes for medium.

In large bowl, toss spinach, onion, remaining oil and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper, to taste; toss again and divide among four plates.

Place fish on top of greens. Spoon roasted grapes around fish. ■

Ashley VanGundy

Grief is the price of love

the money. A prearrangement is transferable if a client should move to a different city or state.

It reflects a person’s exact wishes and desires and eases the burden for their loved ones. It also alleviates any questions or differences among family members.

By Grace Yenne

Funerals

can be a sweet time of comfort and even joy and laughter in addition to deep grief and sadness. Funerals underpin a necessary part of grieving and provide a safe place to set the foundation for “good grief.”

“I like to do for others, especially at such a difficult time,” said Paula Cappadona of Cappadona Funeral Home in Colorado Springs.

In 1996, Paula and husband Jim opened the full-service funeral home at 1020 E. Fillmore St. The business has six staff members in addition to the Cappadonas.

The family-owned-and-operated funeral home sets itself apart from corporate chains with personalized service at an affordable cost. Sometimes Cappadona said she has had to open the casket at the last minute when the family changed their mind about a closed casket. She’s also printed more funeral programs and added photos to the video to accommodate grieving loved ones at a moment’s notice.

When a person dies, Cappadona cares for the body while they meet with the family and help them decide if they will cremate the body or do a full burial, then proceed according to their wishes.

Cappadona has a chapel and works with several pastors and priests to conduct a service for the sorrowing families. They also work with the cemetery of the family’s choice to give their loved one a final resting place. If it’s someone who has no place to go, “we put them back with their faith,” Cappadona said, adding they are the only funeral home in town to work closely with the public administrator to give indigents a dignified end to their life.

“Advance preparation for a funeral is always a gift for your family,” Cappadona advised. “It’s a smart idea to think of these things ahead of time.”

No matter how it’s tailored, a ceremony is an important step in recovering from deep loss and celebrating a life well lived.

If a funeral is paid for ahead of time, Cappadona does not hold the money in a trust as most funeral homes do. They put the payment in an insurance policy for the client. When that person dies, Cappadona files for the funds with a death certificate and a statement of charges signed by the family.

This financial prearrangement benefits the family because they aren’t obligated to pay taxes on

Cappadona Funeral Home’s mission is to provide complete, compassionate and professional services during the bereavement period. They walk alongside families at their most vulnerable moments with empathy and expertise.

It’s important to recognize that grief never ends; it changes. It’s a passage, not a landing point. It is not a sign of weakness or a lack of faith. Grief is the price of love. ■

provides a gentle crossover with compassionate and cost-effective care

How do I find out where someone is buried?

Go to www.findagrave.com and enter the first and last name of your ancestor.

Paula Cappadona’s helping nature and Jill-of-all-trades competence serves her well as she works with grieving families.

“Muttrimony” unites a family

Ozby’s single-dog dare to say “I do too”

You might say our daughter was raised by wolves. Or, at least, amid their kin.

When her father and I wed, Erin was 7 years old. Her dad and I each came into the marriage with our own baggage. Kyle’s was in the form of two golden retrievers and a yellow lab. Mine consisted of two smaller pups from a pound in Phoenix. In the ensuing years, we took in an abandoned border collie and a severely injured Pomeranian. Chip and Ernie and their mom, Yvette, would enter our lives in Erin’s high school years.

After school, when not at band practice or forensics, Erin was at the vet clinic where I worked. If she wasn’t helping a tech clean kennels or hand-addressing billing statements, she was masked and gowned in surgery. The veterinarians gave her a front-row seat to the cutting and removing and repairing and sewing. The proper names for animals’ anatomy and bodily fluids were freely discussed.

Erin observed the inevitable cycle of life that occurs in an animal hospital. She was on deck when puppies were extracted from their mama’s belly during a c-section. And she witnessed her share of clients grieving after the loss of a beloved pet. Our dinner table discussions were not for the squeamish.

And then came college. And Dave.

Erin asked if she could bring a

friend to Thanksgiving, as he was unable to get home for the holiday. Having a soft spot for strays, we said, “Of course!” Dave fit into our dog-centric home perfectly, respecting Chip’s boundaries, quaffing from our “WOOF” mug and telling us stories about his own family pooch back home, a chocolate lab named Coco. Dave was obviously from a good dog family, and Kyle and I could picture him as part of our own pack.

You know how dogs just suddenly start giddily zooming around the house or the yard with their tongues out and their eyes wide open? That’s how Kyle and I felt when Erin and Dave—and their lab mix, Ozby—got engaged. Ozby even gave his blessing to the union by putting his pawprint on the marriage license.

On September 4, decked out in his Hawaiian-themed bowtie with the wedding rings securely attached to his collar (and fortunately, no squirrels in sight), Ozby trotted down the aisle to greet his human parents and take part in the ceremony. As we all cheered the newlyweds, Ozby joined in. He was the loudest of all!

THE RUFF LIFE

BY MARTI BENSON

Out-of-town family and friends are home with their own pets now. Chip and Ernie are rested up from entertaining the human guests. Our daughter, son-in-law and grand-dog have settled back into their daily lives. All is well in this ever-changing puppy pile we call our life. T

puppy pile we call our

The potent power of pickle juice

We all probably have a dusty, sealed jar of pickles in the back of the pantry that we’ve forgotten about. I know it sounds weird, but pickle juice has some pretty amazing health benefits you probably didn’t know about.

Pickles are fermented cucumbers that have been pickled in salt water. The pickles are pickled! Get it? (A little pickle pun never hurt anyone!)

Pickle juice is loaded with minerals, only two carbs and one gram of fiber. In most cases, the water even contains healthy probiotic strains.

There are all kinds of specialty pickle juice-based drinks depending on where you live. In North Carolina, many restaurants have pickle juice mixed with soda on the menu. There’s also a pickleback shot which combines pickle brine with whiskey!

So while it may sound like a face-puckering thought, pickle juice is utilized for many quick fixes! As for its medicinal benefits, here are a few pretty cool ways pickle juice can improve your wellness:

PICKLES HELP DIGESTION

On some level, the lactobacillus content in pickle juice aids your intestinal health. If you have an upset stomach, abdominal cramps or low stomach acid production (hypochlorhydria), the acidity of a small amount of pickle juice may restore proper pH and cause digestive troubles to subside.

PICKLES HELP LEG CRAMPS

Pickle juice is a popular folk remedy that supposedly relieves muscle

cramps or at least reduces the intensity within a minute of consumption! It works much faster than water alone. It might also help with recovery after a workout.

Perhaps a few spoonfuls in a cup of water could help someone with mild leg cramps, however, I wouldn’t drink it straight up if you are prone to heartburn or have an ulcer. Pickle juice contains a lot of sodium, and some believe it triggers reflexes that essentially shut off misfiring neurons, thereby alleviating cramps.

HANGOVER CURE?

Some suggest drinking pickle juice after a night of drinking. I don’t know about that one, but according to www.healthline.com, pickle juice contains sodium and potassium, both of which are important electrolytes that may be lost due to excessive alcohol intake.

Make sure your pickles are fresh and in date. If you eat these little guys, eat them in moderation because of the high sodium content. If you don’t like the taste of pickle juice straight up, you could pour a few teaspoonfuls into your salad dressing. ■

DEAR PHARMACIST

BY SUZY COHEN

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

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Fall fitness tips

By Kimberly Blaker

When

the weather turns colder, days get shorter and sweaters are pulled back out of the closet, it can be a struggle to keep up healthy habits. During the fall and winter months, health and fitness routines often take a back seat to staying warm and cozy.

After a few months of hibernation and holiday indulgences, the pounds, lack of energy and health consequences set in, reminding us of those long-forgotten fitness goals. It can be frustrating to feel like you’re starting back at square one. Instead of falling into this yearly cycle, read on for ways to avoid the fall and winter fitness slump and to keep focused on staying fit.

FIND AN ACCOUNTABILITY PARTNER OR GROUP

This is one of the best ways to stay consistent with your fitness goals. It’s much easier to blow off a workout if you’re only accountable to yourself. Finding a partner or a community with similar goals is a great way to keep yourself on track.

While in-person support is helpful, it isn’t always easy to find. Social media makes it much easier to join like-minded people in a virtual community. Do a quick search on Facebook or MeetUp. com, and you’ll find fitness groups for all levels and interests. They’re a safe place to share struggles and successes, provide moral support to one another and share ideas or tips.

JOIN A GYM OR CLASS

Another way to increase the odds of staying fit through the colder months is by joining a gym or fitness class. This requires a financial commitment, which may be an excellent external motivator.

Gyms offer many amenities to support fitness goals. These include personal training, a variety of equipment, and often classes you can explore for new ways to stay fit. Some fitness centers even have extras like childcare, rock climbing walls, saunas and heated pools. Such perks may help get you out the door on colder days.

If you like to socialize, fitness classes are also a great way to find a community of people who share the same goals. There are all kinds of fitness classes and studios that do dance, Zumba, yoga and CrossFit. Many offer trial periods. So if there’s a type of activity you’ve always wanted to try, you can do it with little risk and the potential for a big reward. Many libraries even offer free fitness classes.

WORK OUT AT HOME

Maybe braving the cold and dark sounds like too much, or working out with other people isn’t your bliss. If so, there are many ways to get in an effective workout at home.

Investing in a home gym is one way to stay active through the colder months. If you have space and money, particularly if other family members want an at-home workout too, purchase the appropriate equipment to fit your needs. It doesn’t need to be elaborate. Just a set of hand weights or a kettlebell can be enough to get you started.

How to keep fit in the cooler weather and shorter days ahead

IF YOU LIKE TO SOCIALIZE, FITNESS CLASSES ARE A GREAT WAY TO FIND A COMMUNITY OF PEOPLE WHO SHARE THE SAME GOALS.

However, used treadmills and bikes can often be found for practically nothing on Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace.

You can also find thousands of exercise videos on YouTube and written plans on the internet, DVDs, through your cable provider or at the library. There are also video game systems with fun workouts like the Wii Fit or dancing games. Whatever type of exercise or fitness plan you can think of, there are likely at least a few resources out there so you can do it at home. Many are designed for or take into consideration working out in small spaces or with limited time.

KEEP IT SIMPLE

If you’re starting from scratch or lack motivation, find small ways to incorporate healthy fitness habits into your daily routine. For example, take stairs instead of the elevator, park your car farther away

FIND SMALL WAYS TO INCORPORATE HEALTHY HABITS: TAKE STAIRS INSTEAD OF THE ELEVATOR, PARK YOUR CAR FARTHER AWAY, AND GO FOR A WALK DURING LUNCH.

in the lot, and go for a walk during lunch.

You can also start by taking an extra 15 minutes before your shower to do some quick exercises. A daily routine could include bodyweight moves like squats, pushups and planks. These can have a significant impact on your fitness when done consistently.

Regardless of your fitness goals, you can stay on track throughout the colder months if you find what works best to keep you motivated and consistent. T

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THE COMPROMISE

Submitted by Judy Cohen

My friend wanted a boat more than anything. His wife refused, but he bought one anyway.

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“I’ll tell you what,” he told her. “In the spirit of compromise, why don’t you name the boat?”

Being a good sport, she accept ed. When her husband went to the dock for his maiden voyage, this is the name he saw painted on the side: “For Sale.”

SIBLING RIVALRY

Submitted by Martin Lee

ment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?”

Without hesitation one little boy answered, “Thou shall not kill.”

POKER

Submitted by Bob Breazeale

A man walks into a casino and sees three men and a dog playing poker. He watches for a while and then says, “That dog must be really smart to be able to play poker.”

One of the players says, “Not really. He wags his tail when he has a good hand.”

about her baby.

“You had twins—a boy and a girl. They’re both healthy and your brother named them for you,” the doctor said.

“No!” the woman wailed. “Not my brother. He’s an idiot! What did he name the girl?”

“Denise,” the doctor replied.

Surprised, the woman said, “That’s actually a nice name. What about the boy?”

The doctor sighed deeply and re plied, “Denephew.”

DANGEROUS DRIVING

Submitted by Lynn Brown

Two older women were driving in a large car. Both could barely see over the dashboard.

the light was red again.

Again, they went right through. The woman in the passenger seat was almost sure that the light had been red but was really concerned that she was losing it.

At the next intersection, sure enough, the light was red and they went on through. So, she turned to the other woman and said, “Mil dred, did you know that we just ran through three red lights in a row? You could have killed us both!”

Mildred turned to her and said, “Oh no! Am I driving?”

DIGITAL GRANDMA: A POEM

Submitted by Lionel Watkins

The computer swallowed grandma. Yes, honestly it’s true.

She pressed ‘control’ and ‘enter’ and disappeared from view.

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A Sunday school teacher was dis cussing the Ten Commandments with her 5- and 6-year-olds. After explaining the commandment to “honor thy father and thy mother,” she asked, “Is there a command

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TWINS

Submitted by Rhonda Wray

A woman was three months pregnant when she fell into a deep coma. When she woke up six months later, she asked the doctor

As they were cruising along, they came to an intersection. The stop light was red, but they just went on through. The woman in the passen ger seat thought to herself, “I must be losing it. I could have sworn we just went through a red light.”

After a few more minutes, they came to another intersection and

It devoured her completely, the thought just makes me squirm.

She must have caught a virus or been eaten by a worm.

I’ve searched through the recycle bin and files of every kind;

A sPNSoslaevah

snalpsdnepedc ecivres.aerac

A eracideM eroma G evileht

moc.rekorbahi@enahs

moc.rekorbahi@enahs

moc.rekorbahi@enahs

llarofdezilanosrepplehC

I’ve even used the Internet, but nothing did I find.

In desperation, I asked Google my searches to refine.

The reply received was negative, not a thing was found online.

So, if inside your Inbox, my Grandma you should see, Please copy, scan and paste her, and send her back to me!

BROKEN FRIDGE

Submitted by Ben Kuckel

A man goes golfing a lot. He goes golfing one day and comes home to find a note on the refrigerator from his wife: “I’ve had it! It’s not working! I’ve gone to my mother’s.”

He opens the refrigerator door. The light comes on and it’s cold. He says to himself, “What is she talking about? The fridge is fine!”

He takes out a beer and drinks it.

BROKEN MIRROR

Submitted by Helen Curtis

I would like to return this mirror. The reflection doesn’t look like me anymore!

HOT DOG!

Submitted by Jem & Mickey Neal

The noblest of dogs is the hot dog—it feeds the hand that bites it.

MATH PROBLEM

Submitted by Amy Newman

The sixth grade teacher posed the following problem to one of her math classes:

A wealthy man died and left $10 million. One-fifth is to go to his wife, one-fifth to his son, one-fifth to his butler and the rest to charity.

Now, what does each one get?

After a very long silence in the classroom, Morris raised his hand.

“Yes, Morris?” the teacher asked.

Morris answered, “A lawyer!”

NEWSPAPER AD

Submitted by Bob Brezeale

Dr. Frankenstein was very clever. When he ran out of corpses, he ran an ad in the local newspaper. The ad read, “Are you overweight from lack of exercise? Then come to Franken Spa. We build new bodies.”

HIDDEN GEM

Submitted by Francisco Garner

A little boy opened the big family Bible. He was fascinated by the big book and fingered through the old pages. Suddenly, something fell out of the Bible. He picked up the object and looked at it. What he saw was an old leaf that had been pressed in between the pages.

“Mama, look what I found,” the boy called out.

“What have you got there?” his mother said.

With astonishment he answered, “I think it’s Adam’s underwear!”

SUCCESS SECRETS

Submitted by Yvonne Ruth

The second day of a diet is always easier than the first. That’s because by the second day, you’re off it.

SCIENCE FICTION

Submitted by Jem & Mickey Neal

I read recipes the way I read science fiction. I get to the end and I think, “Well, that’s not going to happen.” ■

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Putting the garden to bed Your winter garden checklist

As we wrap up a successful gardening season, there’s plenty of chores to be done in October, from draining irrigation lines to raking leaves for composting. More importantly, now is a great time to set ourselves up for even greater victories next spring. Here are a few things you can do to get your garden ready for next year’s growing season.

Don’t pull up old plants by the roots. Cut the plants at soil level instead. Old roots help with soil stability, texture and moisture retention, and can create pathways for water and air. Additionally, they protect the soil from extreme cold and act as a snowstop to collect

drifting flakes that can melt in your garden. Leave the spent vegetable plants, including the stem and leaves, in the garden so they decompose and release minerals back into the garden for next year.

Add compost or manure. Now is a great time to assess and amend your soil. Some gardeners test their soil while others simply estimate how many nutrients their plants absorb and replenish them. Adding compost now gives it plenty of time to break down, which makes it easier to release nutrients for crops next season. Pathogens in manure can also be mitigated by winter temperatures. Rabbit and llama manure are great choices

because they don’t harbor any pathogens and break down quickly. Make sure to use manure that is at least six months old, and avoid using manure from animals grazing on weedy fields so the seeds don’t pass through the animal and into your garden.

Expand your garden. The weather is cool and the soil is workable, which means it’s a good time to expand your existing garden. Turn up weed seeds buried deep in the soil and the winter frost will kill them. As soon as the soil warms in spring, you’re ready to plant and can stay ahead of next year’s weeds.

Start a compost pile. Building a pile of food scraps and yard waste now will make it ready for next year’s garden by April and May. It takes about four to six months for a compost pile to be finished and usable. I’ll outline this process in a future column, but get started now by visiting www.epa.gov/recycle/ composting-home.

Bring potted plants indoors. Tap

around the outside of the pots to make sure that any insect residents flee before bringing plants inside. Place plants in a sunny location near a solid wall so the thermal gain from the day’s sunlight can radiate back to the plants, keeping them warm as the nights start to cool off. It’s also a good time to transplant house plants into bigger pots or just freshen up the soil. With less daylight, your plants will enjoy the added nutrients and the extra attention.

Mulch perennials. Any new plants with shallow roots will appreciate the extra layer of protection from the cold. Dry leaves and straw both

leave air pockets for added insulation. Carpet and cardboard are not insulating and are better for suppressing weeds and retaining moisture in the summer.

Clear plants from doorways and windows. Brushing up against wet, snowy vegetation on a porch or doorway is no fun. Plus, we need all the warmth we can get during the winter, so take a close look at your

GROW WILD

BY BRYAN REED

windows and doorways to ensure that trees and shrubs are not obstructing the sun’s rays.

Clean up and store garden tools. By month’s end, we should be done with the pruners, shovels and other garden tools until next spring.

Clean off any soil buildup or sap accumulation to prevent corrosion.

If you’re concerned about plant diseases, wash all tools with one part bleach and three parts water. Lube cutting tools with lithium grease or camellia oil. Add a thin layer of oil on the metal portion to prevent rusting, and apply it to wood handles to prevent drying or cracking. Boiled linseed oil, olive oil and vegetable oil are all commonly used to lengthen the lifespan of tools. ■

Send your gardening questions to Bryan in care of Life After 50, or email him directly at BCReed@ColoradoMesa.edu

Fairmount

Cemetery tours offer splendor and history

By Steve Strickland

any modern memorial garden.

Fairmount Cemetery’s professionally guided tours are offered by the Fairmount Heritage Foundation, established in 2001 to protect and preserve the heritage of Fairmount and Riverside cemeteries for future generations.

Cemeteries

get a bad rap, especially at this Halloween time of year. Though they’re often depicted in a creepy way in decorations or horror movies (cue the foreboding music), the reality is far from scary. They’re fascinating!

As a monument industry worker, I have visited dozens of cemeteries in Colorado: forlorn and antiquated prairie cemeteries, picturesque mountain graveyards overrun with glorious wildflowers, and well-kept cremation gardens. All hold their own unique beauty, charms and stories.

But Denver’s Fairmount Cemetery is head and shoulders above the rest when it comes to the sheer

volume of granite, the masterful workmanship and the epic history it contains. The affluence and opulence of Denver’s movers, shakers and ordinary well-to-do of all decades is on enduring display in this magnificent garden of history.

CEMETERY TOURS

Fairmount was established in 1890, a mere 32 years after Denver was founded, and it is still used as a burial ground today. The grandeur of the average monument in this cemetery would raise eyebrows in

Seasoned actors guide around two dozen paying customers through the tombstones and monuments of a dozen prominent names and families from Denver’s earliest days. Tours last an hour and a half and are 1.5-2 miles in distance at an easy pace. Mobility assistance devices are welcome. Fully charged scooters and power wheelchairs can easily traverse the grounds at Fairmount.

THE “GOOD OLD DAYS” WEREN’T ALWAYS SO

From the first family monument described on the tour through the last, the magnificence and artistic detail is astounding. Professional narrators tell of dramatic lives

and romances that were surprising—shocking, even! Despite our modern preconceptions about the staid people of the Edwardian and surrounding eras, divorces, affairs, murders, bitter family fortune feuds and unorthodox romances flourished right alongside the flowers and grass in Fairmount Cemetery during those times.

Stories of horrific crimes, mysteries and injustice have been laid to rest as well in Fairmount. Twelve-year-old Louise Frost was raped, stomped on and stabbed on the outskirts of Limon, in 1900. She died shortly after this brutal attack and was buried in Fairmount, reportedly in the same grave as her 2-year-old sister.

Compounding the shock and cruelty of this incident, what passed for an investigation in those days resulted in the arrest of a young Black man who was, quite possibly, not guilty. Even at the time the railroad laborer had his defenders, including a professionally trained detective. Without a trial, however, Preston Porter Jr., age 16, was burned alive by an outraged mob on the prairie near the scene of the crime. This act of lawless vengeance caused a national uproar.

Fifty-five years later, a massive, well-funded and orderly justice

system featuring trained groups of forensic scientists was in charge of the region when a luxurious DC-6B left Denver’s Stapleton Airport and crashed near Longmont. All passengers and crew, 44 people total, were killed, including the wife of an assistant to President Eisenhower.

Within a few weeks, investigators from the FBI and aviation authorities reassembled the wreckage of the plane and determined that a time bomb in the luggage storage section caused the disaster.

Investigators also used the wreckage evidence to swiftly focus on a suspect: Jack Gilbert Graham, the son of Daisie E. (Walker) King, a woman whose suitcase had evidently carried the bomb. Graham had a history of arson, violence and attempted insurance fraud stunts. He was executed in a state-of-theart gas chamber less than two years after the explosion. Walker-King is buried in Fairmount. The headline of her modest marker simply reads “Walker.”

BURIED BENEFACTORS

Though it may seem that Fairmount’s elaborate monuments are ostentatious or some indication

of roaring economic excess, it’s important to note that many of the prominent individuals buried here “gave as good as they got.”

They were generous donors, visionaries and benefactors in their community. Iliff, Speer, Bonfils, Clayton, Moffat, Cheeseman and Brown were just a few of the noteworthy names and examples of noble, intrepid, hard-working and conscientious wealthy and otherwise fortunate philanthropists. These surnames have earned their places on avenues, colleges, parks, tunnels, streets and foundations.

WAR HEROES MEMORIALIZED

Fairmount Cemetery contains four distinct areas and monuments dedicated to war heroes and military veterans. A magnificent bronze statue of a soldier, perched high on a granite and bronze marker, is dedicated to volunteers. Soldiers’ graves appear to radiate outward from this stately tower, and they bear the names of veterans from the Spanish-American War, the Civil War and peacetime soldiers who served up to the beginning of World War I.

Depicted in bronze, Lieutenant Francis Brown Lowry looks toward the graves of many World War I veterans, including actual members of his battalion, as though he were still addressing or commanding them. Lowry was the first Colorado pilot killed in World War I. Military airfields in Colorado were named after him.

Another area, a tribute to World War I veterans, bears a recognizable name. Lieutenant Francis Brown Lowry, depicted in bronze, looks toward the graves of many World War I veterans in the area, including actual members of his battalion, as though he were still addressing or commanding them.

Lowry was the first Colorado pilot killed in World War I. Military airfields in Colorado were named after the war hero, starting in 1924. Lowry Air Force Base operated from 1938-1994. Today that property is the home of Lowry Elementary School.

In the Garden of Honor, another section of the cemetery, the marble GI gravestones are arranged in another concentric formation, facing toward a simple flagpole flying the American flag. A fourth monument to veterans was dedicated in 1963.

The Nisei War Memorial honors more than 30,000 courageous and loyal Japanese Americans who served in World War II and the Korean War.

An attractive and complimentary map of Fairmount Cemetery, distributed to those taking the guided tour, reveals a flowing, overlapping and almost spontaneous pattern of sections and driveways. Any journey through this vast and imposing cemetery is bound to yield intriguing discoveries, as well as “six degrees of separation” links. They morph fluidly into more branches on the evolving family tree, or however you choose to interpret the epic, meaningful lives memorialized here. ■

IF YOU GO:

430 S. Quebec St., Denver, CO Fairmount Cemetery’s entrance is located on Quebec Street in southeast Denver, shortly south of its intersection with Alameda.

For tour information and hours, visit www.fairmountheritagefoundation.org or call 303-399-0692 .

An exquisite, life-sized angel keeps watch over Fairmount Cemetery.

By Lisa Lowdermilk

Being diagnosed with breast can cer is overwhelming. In addition to the initial shock that accom panies any cancer diagnosis, breast cancer patients face an additional burden: decid ing whether to pursue reconstruction.

For many patients, the choice to under go reconstruction seems easy enough at first glance. Doctors offer reconstruction in part to cover up the scarring associated with mastectomies, and that is still the route most patients take.

But the reality of reconstruction is far more complicated than many doctors would have us believe. In addition to a vari ety of health risks associated with recon struction, including lymphatic cancers and autoimmune disorders, chronic pain is an all too common side effect. To avoid these complications, 25 percent of breast cancer survivors opt to forgo reconstruction.

FLAT OUT LOVE

There is support for these women (af fectionately known as “flatties”) to feel comfortable in their own skin.

Flat Out Love is a community of flatties on Facebook with the mission to ensure all flatties feel beautiful and whole again.

Members hail from all over the world, including Australia, Africa, Canada and Mexico. The common thread tying them together is a sense of camaraderie, with gratitude for everything life has to offer.

“I wouldn’t give my cancer back for anything,” said Lissa Sears, 48, of Indianap

olis. “My life has changed so much for the better.”

Sears, who has multiple sclerosis, opted to go flat because of the health risks associated with reconstruction. Before her breast cancer diagnosis, she worked in window sales. Now she’s a stand-up comic and works as an actress.

“Everyone knows the saying, ‘You only live once,’ but the truth is, you only die once. You live every day. Take all the chances and live to the fullest!” said Sears.

Nancy Brisk of Colorado Springs shares Sears’ sense of gratitude following her

Flatties gather in a spirit of joy and camaraderie, thriving and surviving after breast cancer. This month, they will rally in Cedaredge, Colorado on the world's largest flat top mountain—Grand Mesa.

the flat top

No reconstruction? No problem. Breast cancer survivors band together

decision to go flat. After being diagnosed with breast cancer in October 2009, she underwent a double mastectomy with implants in January 2010. Eight surgeries later, she opted to have them removed in August 2020, citing excruciating pain and decreased quality of life.

“I was in pain 24/7 for three years,” Brisk, 65, said. “I couldn’t even bend down to clean, it was so painful.”

Despite all she’s been through, Brisk insisted it could have been much worse. Some patients suffer post-mastectomy injuries that can only be described as mutilation. The open-minded members of Flat Out Love understand the merits of reconstruction and why a woman would make that choice, even if they didn’t.

“I’m not against implants or prosthetics. My problem is that doctors don’t always give patients the option to go flat,” said Sears. “Doctors—both male and female— push reconstruction so much because it’s their idea of what a woman should be.”

Brisk agreed with Sears, advising patients to do their own research.

“There are a lot of really tough decisions you may have a knee-jerk reaction to,” Brisk said. “Take a step back. I didn’t really do that and think, ‘Why do I want these fake things on my chest?’”

RETREAT & RALLY

For International Flat Day on October 7, Sears and Brisk are helping organize the biggest get-together for flatties on the biggest flat top mountain in the world.

The Grace Project, an empowering

photographic project that captures the courage, beauty and grace of those who have had mastectomy surgery as a result of breast cancer, will be present during the retreat on the Grand Mesa in Cedaredge, Colorado on October 6-9.

Attendees will be treated to a variety of

fun activities, but most importantly, attendees can connect in person with other flatties from around the world in joyful gratitude for the new lease on life they’ve been given and all the possibilities that await them.

■

BREAST CANCER SUPPORT & RESOURCES

Find a list of breast cancer support groups on page 41

“I DIDN’T REALLY TAKE A STEP BACK AND THINK, ‘WHY DO I WANT THESE FAKE THINGS ON MY CHEST?’”

Gratitude for friendships, health and a new lease on life characterizes gatherings of flatties, an affectionate term for women who opt to forgo reconstruction after a mastectomy.

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When we think life isn’t fair

By Jean Alfieri

“‘For I know the plans have for you,” declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”

—Jeremiah 29:11, NIV

“Is he housetrained?”

“I don’t know if he’s trained, how he became a stray or why he stinks so bad.“

Josh’s frown deepened as he chewed on his bagel. “What name did you decide on?”

“Mister Magoo.” This got a chuckle.

“He looks like a Magoo.” Josh gave me a kiss and left, unconvinced this adoption was a good idea.

two minutes had strewn a couple dozen plushies, tug toys and squeakies about. His pug panting echoed off the walls.

“He’s a whirling dervish,” I muttered.

“Is he going to have a stroke?” Josh asked.

I shared his concern. The senior dogs we usually adopt stroll into the house, select one of the assorted comfy dog beds, circle once and lie down with a satisfied groan. They look at us with big, thankful eyes that say, “Wake me when it’s mealtime,” and life moves on.

I sat on the floor, hoping Magoo would rest. Nope. By midnight, Josh and I were exhausted. The

WHEN WE PRAY FOR GOD TO DO HIS WILL AND OPEN OUR HEARTS TO WHATEVER HE’S DESIGNED FOR US, WE SHOULDN’T BE DISAPPOINTED IN THE OUTCOME.

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But I was thrilled to add to our pack. I work at an animal shelter and was smitten by a pug puppy that came in the week before. Today he’d be ours. I barely got his leash on before he bolted from the kennel and sprinted down the hall.

“Wow, you’re sure rambunctious for just having surgery.”

“Pant-pant-snort,” was his reply.

“Okay,” I planned aloud, “let’s get home, meet everyone and then you’ll relax.” The stench of stray dog filled my car.

Introductions went well. When our three older dogs realized they couldn’t keep up with Magoo’s frantic exploration of the backyard, they retreated inside. It was dinnertime and, as interesting as the new stinky guy was, they had their priorities.

Magoo raced into the house, jumped on and off the couch, dashed out to the yard and back inside to repeat the course. During one intermission, he recklessly flipped the toy basket and in under

other dogs had long since retired, giving us a “good luck” expression as they departed.

I returned Magoo the next day, then cried all the way home. With only a couple hours’ sleep, I wondered, am I overtired? Relieved? Or truly disappointed it didn’t work?

Then I considered that maybe— just maybe—Magoo needed a safe place for only one more night so his forever family would find him. What if our house was that place?

When we pray for God to do His will and open our hearts to whatever He’s designed for us, we shouldn’t be disappointed in the outcome. We can be sad it didn’t work out like we wanted, but we can also delight in being part of God’s plan.

Though my heart was broken, I believe it worked out as it was supposed to—and for that, I’m joyful.

P.S. Magoo was adopted within a half hour of his return to the shelter! ■

What to do with your old tech devices

My wife helped me buy our first computer in 1996. I was terrified of them, but she assured me they were totally safe.

We were newlyweds and I was starting school and working two jobs. Although we couldn’t afford a computer, we knew that we’d only be able to see each other if I was able to write papers and do research at home.

The Internet had only been open to the public for about five years, but the commercial Internet that we know today was barely a year old.

In early 1997, I had been exposed to the internet enough to figure out how to connect to the university’s connection from home at nearly 28 kilobits per second. By comparison, today’s cable internet connection clocks around 100,000 kilobits per second.

The internet wasn’t the only digital technology I was adding to my life. My first digital camera was 1.3 megapixels and an image card could only hold fewer than 100 pictures at high resolution. My outdated iPhone has a 12-megapixel camera that also shoots video and can hold thousands of pictures and dozens of hours of video. The iPhone that was just announced has a 48-megapixel camera.

Obviously, technology has become faster and cheaper, but it has also led to a major problem. We have drawers and closets full of old equipment and obsolete cables.

I believe in keeping technology useful for as long as possible. I don’t recommend always buying

the best and fastest equipment. Typically, mid-tier equipment will do 95 percent of what 100 percent of people do. But eventually, you will need to upgrade to something nicer or faster.

Whenever I help set up a new computer, the person I’m helping always seems to ask: What do I do with the old stuff? What do I keep? Will I ever need this cable or gadget again? What can I throw away?

OLD TECHNOLOGY HAS VALUE TO PEOPLE FOR SEVERAL REASONS.

This can be difficult to answer because nobody wants to clutter the landfill with harmful elements or recyclable materials. The Great Depression created generations of people who fear throwing something away that they might need within the next 25 years.

This column will help guide you on what to throw away, how long to keep certain technologies, and how to safely dispose of items that aren’t supposed to go into the landfill.

BROKEN TECH

If your technology is broken and you don’t want to pay for the repair, nobody else will either. You will need to throw it away or recycle it, depending on what local laws require. Technology recycling is usually a separate service from other recycling services. Call your local landfills and waste management services for where to take technology waste.

Recycling almost always costs money based on weight. So, if you are extremely frugal, that may determine how much obsolete technology you keep piled in your garage or stored under your bed.

OLD BUT WORKING

Most working technology still has value to someone. If you enjoy having a little extra cash in your pocket and you have some free time, you can probably sell that old digital camera, laptop, or box of cables for a small fraction of the original retail value.

Old technology has value to people for several reasons.

There are prospecting hobbyists who dissolve circuit boards in acid and other chemicals to harvest the $6-$12 in gold found in the average old computer.

People who still have old videos, floppy drives, cassette tapes and other media with records and memories on them like to have obsolete technology that will allow them to access those files and transfer them to a more modern format.

The least expensive way to sell

your old equipment is to list it on

online classifieds sites like Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace, but you will make more money by selling it on eBay.

One of my favorite uses for old technology is to turn it into art. Just as steampunk art represents the beauty of the steam era, and industrial artwork reflects the beauty of motors, machines and urban industrial life, there is a growing demand for the aesthetic of vintage technology.

Unlike a steam engine or old car, obsolete technology will never be useful again. So turning it into arts and crafts is a great way to give it new life. Turn that old TV into a goldfish aquarium, turn the old payphone into a lamp, or dismantle that old digital camera or media projector for the great lenses inside. What better way to rid the world of eyesores of obsolete technology than to turn it into something beautiful that represents the impact that computers, cellphones, digital cameras, the internet and even gaming systems have had on society and culture? T

TALKING DIGITAL

BY ADAM COCHRAN

Send your technology questions to Adam in care of Life After 50, or email him directly at AdamC@TalkingDigital.org

3 mistakes that can cost Medicare beneficiaries a fortune

Avoid these costly mistakes that can leave you paying more for your Medicare or missing out on important benefits

By Christian Worstell

Medicare is designed to help beneficiaries save money on health care. But there are three simple mistakes people can make that could end up costing them a fortune, or at least a sizeable chunk of their retirement savings.

Whether you’re brand new to Medicare, approaching Medicare age or a seasoned vet, beware of these common pitfalls.

Medicare Mistake #1: Not Enrolling on Time

Enrolling in Medicare can save you a considerable amount of money on your health care, but only if you enroll on time.

Many people are automatically enrolled in Medicare Part A and Part B. You may be required to manually sign up for Medicare, however, depending on your circumstances.

If you fail to enroll in Medicare Part B during your Initial Enrollment Period (a seven-month window that begins three months before you turn 65) but eventually enroll at a later date, you could be subject to a 10 percent penalty for every 12-month period that you were eligible to enroll in Part B but didn’t.

And that’s not just a one-time fee, either. The 10 percent late enrollment penalty will be applied to your monthly Part B premium for as long as you remain enrolled in Part B.

In 2022, the standard Part B premium is $170.10 per month. So even if you are just one year late to sign

up and didn’t qualify for a Medicare Special Enrollment period, you’d be on the hook for an extra $17 per month (10 percent of $170.10) added to your Part B premium. Over the course of a year, your late enrollment penalty would equal $204.

Over the course of 10 years, you would pay more than $2,000 in late enrollment fees, and that’s without factoring in any Part B premium increases.

You can delay Part B enrollment with no penalty if you have what Medicare considers “creditable” health insurance coverage. Insurance provided by your employer or union could count as creditable coverage, but it depends on the size of the organization.

Confirm with your health insurance provider as well as with the federal Medicare program to confirm whether your coverage qualifies.

And don’t forget: Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) and Part D Medicare prescription drug plans also have late-enrollment penalties of their own.

Medicare Mistake #2: Forgetting the Lack of an Out-of-Pocket

Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) does not have an annual out-ofpocket spending limit. That

you are responsible for an un capped amount of copayments and coinsurance for Part A and Part B coverage over the course of a year.

With surprise high medical costs being the number one reason for personal bankruptcy in the U.S., this could be a vulnerable spot to be for the average American.

Take a discectomy for example, which is a common procedure in older adults to alleviate lower back pain. When performed at an ambu latory surgical center, a Medicare patient can expect to pay around $2,700 out-of-pocket for a discec tomy in 2022.

Fortunately, there are ways to protect yourself.

• Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans sold by private insurance companies often come with no monthly premium (though you still pay your monthly Part B pre mium) and are required by law to include an annual in-network outof-pocket maximum of no more than $7,550 in 2022 (with many plans offering far lower limits).

• Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) plans cover the costs of certain Medicare copays, coinsurance and other expens es. Having protection for those out-of-pocket costs can help save you money when you get Medicare-covered care. Certain Medicare Supplement plans also

include annual out-of-pocket spending limits.

It’s important to note that Medi care Advantage plans and Medicare Supplement plans aren’t the same thing, and you can’t have each type of plan at once.

Medicare Mistake #3: Not Reviewing Your Plan Options Every Year

Medicare beneficiaries have an opportunity to switch to a more affordable plan every year, but too many fail to take advantage.

Medicare’s annual open enroll ment period takes place from Octo ber 15 to December 7 each fall. You can perform a number of actions during this period, such as switch ing from one Medicare Advantage plan or Part D plan to another.

Prior to the beginning of fall Medicare open enrollment, ben eficiaries receive a notice from their current plan carrier that lists the details of any cost or cover

age changes to their plan for the upcoming year. With the average beneficiary enjoying access to 39 different Medicare Advantage plans in 2022, it’s wise to at least spend a few minutes comparing your plan premium with the others available in your area to see if you can save by switching.

Enroll on time. Put some out-ofpocket protection in place. Review your costs every year to see if you can save. Do these three things and your Medicare will do the very thing it’s designed to do: save you money on your health care. ■

Christian Worstell is a senior Medicare and health insurance writer with HelpAdvisor.com. He is also a licensed health insurance agent. Christian is well-known for the thousands of educational arti cles he’s written, helping Americans better understand their health insurance and Medicare coverage.

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ENROLL ON TIME. PUT SOME OUT-OF-POCKET PROTECTION IN PLACE. REVIEW YOUR COSTS EVERY YEAR TO SEE IF YOU CAN SAVE. DO THESE THREE THINGS AND YOUR MEDICARE WILL DO THE VERY THING IT’S DESIGNED TO DO: SAVE YOU MONEY ON YOUR HEALTH CARE.

CALENDAR

October 1

Walk to End Alzheimer’s

Walk 1.5 miles for a significant cause, starting at Memorial Park’s Prospect Lake. Raise funds for the Alzheimer’s Association’s 24/7 support and research. The Promise Flower ceremony starts at 10 a.m. 8 a.m. | 280 S. Union Blvd. | Free | act.alz.org | 719-372-5978

October 1

Creek Week Cleanup

Help clean up Bear Creek as part of the effort to maintain healthy local waterways for citizens and wildlife. Wear shoes that can get wet and muddy. Preregistration is required.

9-11 a.m. | 245 Bear Creek Road | Free | www.communityservices. elpasoco.com/nature-centers | 719-520-6387

October 1

Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day

Get your grandkids outside and develop their mountain biking skills, from tots on stride bikes to teens. Guided trail rides, trail etiquette handouts, riding clinics and more await at Fox Run Park. Register online.

9-11 a.m. | 2110 Stella Drive | Free | www.elpasocountynaturecenters. com | 719-520-6977

October 1

Blues on the Mesa

Come to Gold Hill Mesa to hear a stellar lineup of blues musicians, enjoy BBQ and Greek food and give back to the local blues community!

11:30 a.m.-6 p.m. | 142 S. Raven

Medicaid

Mine Drive | $50-$90 | www.blues onthemesa.org | 719-237-9953

October 1

CLAYFEST the Competitions

The pottery Olympics at Manitou’s Soda Springs Park Pavilion is back after 16 years! Who will throw blindfolded—the biggest—fastest—tallest—and maybe even the best?

10 a.m.-4 p.m. | 1070 Manitou Ave., Manitou Springs | Free | www.clayfest.com | 719-6851861

food, door prizes and the in-store giant Ferris wheel! A $15 gift card and goodie bag comes with admission. Breast cancer nonprofit Casting for Recovery benefits.

7-9 p.m. | 1226 Interquest Parkway | $25 | www.scheels.com | 719-2206444

October 3

Zach Williams Live

Grammy winner Williams’ gritty blend of Southern rock, country and faith-filled lyrics will transform the Pikes Peak Center with hits like “Chain Breaker” and “Rescue Story.” His hard-won sobriety infuses his lyrics with authenticity.

7-9 p.m. | 190 S. Cascade Ave. | $24$203 | www.pikespeakcenter.com | 719-477-2121

October 4

Play to Remember: Creating Connections

and continues to be a popular live performer and recording artist.

8 p.m. | 190 S. Cascade Ave. | $40$65 | www.pikespeakcenter.com | 719-477-2121

October 5

Old Blind Dogs

Get your seat at Stargazers and treat your ears to Celtic and traditional Scottish folk music, with influences from rock, reggae and Middle Eastern music rhythms. These diverse influences come together for a sound all their own.

7 p.m. | 10 S. Parkside Drive | $20 | www.stargazerstheatre.com | 719-476-2200

October 6

The Jeremy Facknitz Band

This six-piece band plays at Stargazers, marrying folk-rock and jazz stylings to showcase intimate stories of life, love and self-discovery.

October 1-2

Folk ‘n Flannel Festival

Don your flannel and head to Buffalo Lodge Bicycle Resort for a weekend full of live folk music, outdoor activities, food trucks, craft beer, local vendors, giveaways and more! Camp or “glamp” if you wish. See website for times.

2 El Paso Blvd. | $25-$80 | www. bicycleresort.com | 719-634-2851

October 2

Fall Fashion Night

Bring your girlfriends to SCHEELS to see their new fall releases. There’s

Families, caregivers and the cared for can explore materials and play together at the Colorado Springs Senior Center. You’ll discover how to use simple games and activities to connect with adults with cognitive impairments. This month’s theme is building activities.

10:30-11:30 a.m. | 1514 N. Hancock | Free | www.playtoremember.com | 719-344-5877

October 5

Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band

If you’re a blues fan, you won’t want to miss Shepherd’s “Trouble Is…” 25th anniversary tour at the Pikes Peak Center. He started as a teen

7 p.m. | 10 S. Parkside Drive | $20 | www.stargazerstheatre.com | 719-476-2200

October 6

The Gray Havens

Hear this soul-stirring folk duo fill Glen Eyrie Castle with richly textured compositions and multi-layered lyrics as they creatively sing of their faith in profound and playful ways.

7:30 p.m. | 3820 N. 30 St. | $45-65 | www.gleneyrie.org | 719-265-7050

October 6, 13, 20 & 27

Four-Part Medicare Series

Make important health care decisions with this informational webinar series covering Medicare

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Eligibility and Coverage (Parts A and B), Medicare Options (Medigap and Medicare Advantage Plans), Medicare Part D (Prescription Drug Coverage) and Other Health Insurance Options (PERA, COBRA, FEHB, Tri-Care, Medicaid and Employer Group Insurance).

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October 7

Spinphony

This all-female string quartet breaks down the barriers between classical, rock and pop and adds choreography too. Whether you’re a fan of AC/ DC, Vivaldi or Bruno Mars, there’s something at their Stargazers concert for you!

7 p.m. | 10 S. Parkside Drive | $20 | www.stargazerstheatre.com | 719-476-2200

October 7

Hunter’s Full Moon Night Walk

Join the Falcon Wanderers and walk the Cottonwood Creek Trail. The walk starts and ends at Colorado Springs Fire Department #20’s Community Room. Leashed pets are welcome. Bring your flashlight!

5-8 p.m. | 6755 Rangewood Drive | Free | www.falconwanderers.org | 719-330-8399

October 7

Nate Bargatze Comedy

“The Nicest Man in Stand-Up” brings his clean and relatable comedy to the Pikes Peak Center. Bargatze is a “Tonight Show” regular and was named one of Esquire’s “Best New Comedians” by Jim Gaffigan.

7-9 p.m. | 190 S. Cascade Ave. | $40$80 | www.pikespeakcenter.com | 719-477-2100

October 7-8

St. Joseph Rosary Society Craft Fair

Browse from the unique wares of 23 crafters and enjoy delicious baked goods and concessions at St. Joseph Catholic Church.

10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday & 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday | 1830 S. Corona St. | Free | www.stjosephcos.org | 719-271-0141

October 7-9

Body Mind Spirit Expo

Explore the holistic community at the Colorado Springs Event Center with alternative health, wellness tools, products and resources. There are learning sessions and presentations as well.

1 9 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. 7 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. 6 p.m. Sunday | 3960 Palmer Park Blvd. | $10 | www.festivalnet.com

October 8

Pumpkin Palooza & Chili Cookoff

The streets close down for this epic block party, making way for live music, food trucks, family photos, games, free pumpkins, bounce houses, giveaways and cash prizes for the best chili!

2-5 p.m. | 9449 Riverton Path, Fountain | Free | www.stayhappening.com

October 8

Face Vocal Band

This a capella, all-vocal rock band

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from Boulder comes to Stargazers to astound you with their complex harmonies and brilliant beat box rhythms. The tunes are recognizable pop, but their arrangements are 100 percent unique!

7:30 p.m. | 10 S. Parkside Drive | $25-$30 | www.stargazerstheatre. com | 719-476-2200

October 8

Water Lantern Festival

Decorate a lantern at Fox Run Park to commemorate a lost loved one, resolve to make a change or just because. Enjoy food trucks and the stunning visual of glowing lanterns floating on the lake. Registration is required.

4:30-8:30 p.m. | 2110 Stella Drive | $16 | www.communityservices. elpasoco.com | 719-520-6977

October 8

Boots, Buckles & Chuckles

Pull on your cowboy boots and mosey to Flying W Ranch for a chuckwagon supper of smoked turkey and brisket and a comedy show. This Western-themed event is a fundraiser for respite care of children with disabilities.

5:30-9 p.m. | 3330 Chuckwagon Road | $95 | www.sksfcolorado.org | 719-447-8983, ext. 42

October 9

Skerryvore

Soak in the sounds at Stargazers: fiddle, accordions, pipes and whistles, guitar and vocals underpinned by driving bass, drums and keys.

Skerryvore is contemporary Scottish traditional music fused with folk, trad, rock, Americana and jazz.

6:30 p.m. | 10 S. Parkside Drive | $15-$20 | www.stargazerstheatre. com | 719-476-2200

October 11 & 12

Play Crawls

Funky Little Theater Company is playing by the numbers: 10 micro-plays, 10 Colorado playwrights, 10 directors, 20 actors and two food trucks (open at 5 p.m.). Two locations too—Midland Ave. in Woodland Park on October 11 and Colorado Ave. in Old Colorado City on October 12 7 p.m. | Midland Ave., Woodland Park; Colorado Ave., Old Colorado City | $30 | www.funkylittle theater.org | 719-471-4462

October 12

Cheyenne Mountain Newcomers Club

Learn about women’s self-defense at this social club for women of all ages at Broadmoor Community Church.

9:30 a.m. | 315 Lake Ave. | Free for visitors; $30 annually | www.cmnc cos.org | 719-579-7529

Calendar continued on next spread...

CALL OR VISIT

Contact Info@PinnacleDentistryCO.com 719.590.7100

PinnacleDentistryCO.com

ONLINE

Location

Briargate Business Center 2430 Research Pkwy ∙ Suite 200 Colorado Springs, CO 80920

AN APPOINTMENT TODAY!

Discover how you can make a difference!

“Aging is…All of Us!”

Do you or a loved one need help and care? Silver Key makes the difference!

SilverKey.org | 719-884-2300

All Seniors | All Neighborhoods

CALENDAR

12

Medicare for Veterans

Are you a veteran, or are you turning 65 and new to Medicare?

Nick Palarino with Medicare

Mentors can educate you about Medicare, including TRICARE, VA Health Care or CHAMPVA in this free seminar at Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center. Please RSVP.

2 p.m. | 530 Communication Circle | Free | 719-301-3525 | nicky. colorado@gmail.com

leaders will cover bird identification, behavior and habitats, birding ethics and choices for binoculars, scopes and field guides. Preregistration is required.

6-8 p.m. Thursday, 8 a.m.-12 p.m. Saturday | 245 Bear Creek Road | $10 | www.elpasocountynature centers.com | 719-520-6387

October 14

Menopause the Musical

Celebrate 20+ years of female empowerment at the Pikes Peak Center through this hilarious international hit inspired by a hot flash and a bottle of wine. It’s the longest-running musical in Las Vegas history.

7:30 p.m. | 190 S. Cascade Ave. | $41$57 | www.pikespeakcenter.com | 719-477-2100

October 14-15

Living Proof Live

Experience the powerful Biblical teaching of author Beth Moore and worship led by Travis Cottrell at New Life Church. This two-day weekend unites women of all ages and stages to learn and grow spiritually.

www.stargazerstheatre.com | 719-476-2200

October 15

Songs by Lawrence

Listen to live acoustic folk, gospel and ballads by Lawrence Yoshito Shiroma. Same day, two locations: Mission Coffee Roasters at 9 a.m. and Third Space Coffee at 3:30 p.m. (with guest student guitarist Lisa Simon). Both concerts are free.

9-11 a.m. | 11641 Ridgeline Drive | 3:30-5:30 p.m. | 5670 N. Academy

October 15

Senior Life Expo

Don’t miss this community event at the World Arena offering seniors and their families the latest products, services and information on healthy aging. Speakers, demonstrations, prizes and food samples await you!

9 a.m.-2 p.m. | 3185 Venetucci Blvd.

| Free | www.seniorlifeexpocs.com | 719-636-0390

October 18

Veteran Stand Down

October 13

Boo Bash with Benefit

Be there…if you dare! Costume up and join Benefit Health Care to kick off the Halloween season with giveaways and games. Please RSVP.

3-5 p.m. | 5426 N Academy Blvd., #200 | Free | www.benefit.health care | 719-532-1100

October 13

CoComelon Live! JJ’s Journey

Splurge on a special grandchild outing at the Pikes Peak Center! Little ones will smile their way through this interactive musical adventure with magical special effects in this live stage show featuring favorite YouTube characters.

6-8 p.m. | 190 S. Cascade Ave. | $34$79 | www.pikespeakcenter.com | 719-477-2100

October 13 & 15

Birding 101

Join this two-part session for beginning birders! Aiken Audubon

7-9 p.m. Friday, 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m. Saturday | 11025 Voyager Parkway | $90 | www.lproof.org | 719-5946602

October 14

Forever Man, Music by Eric Clapton

Relax with the oldies at Stargazers with the music of Eric Clapton. The only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, singer-songwriter and guitarist Clapton’s hits include “Tears in Heaven,” “Layla” and “Wonderful Tonight.”

7 p.m. | 10 S. Parkside Drive | $17 | www.stargazerstheatre.com | 719-476-2200

October 15

Still the Same

Still like that old-time rock ‘n roll? This Colorado band performs the music of roots rocker Bob Seger at Stargazers. “We’ve Got Tonight,” “Shakedown,” “Like a Rock,” “Against the Wind” and more hits come to vivid life.

7 p.m. | 10 S. Parkside Drive | $17 |

Homeless and at-risk veterans are invited to the Colorado Springs Auditorium for whole-person care: food, clothing, health screenings and referrals, housing solutions, employment, substance use treatment, mental health counseling, wound and foot care and more.

9 a.m.-3 p.m. | 221 E. Kiowa St. | Free | www.va.gov

October 19

Nail Care

Come to the Humana Office for basic nail care. A complimentary manicure kit is included at no cost!

11 a.m.-1 p.m. | 5310 N. Nevada Ave.

| Free | www.humana.com | 719-5327700

October 20

Maxi’s Dance Group

Put on your boogie shoes and head to the Eagles Club, where Maxi’s Dance Group presents a performance by Lone Wolf. Join them every Thursday for dancing and music for ages 40+! Bar and food are available at 5:30 p.m.

6-9 p.m. | 1050 S. 21st St. | $8 ($5 members) | 719-660-1358

October 21

Boo at Bear Creek

Traverse the trails at Bear Creek Nature Center with a grandchild age 7+, meeting creepy creatures along the way that will dispel myths about things that go bump in the night. Preregister for specific times. 6-9 p.m. | 245 Bear Creek Road | $8 | www.communityservices.elpasoco. com/nature-centers | 719-520-6387

October 21

Micki Free

Rock out with this Grammy-winning Native American artist’s electrifying, blues-based original music at Stargazers. Discovered by Gene Simmons of KISS, Free was the guitarist in “Dancing in the Sheets” from “Footloose” and Eddie Murphy’s “Beverly Hills Cop” soundtrack. 7-9 p.m. | 10 S. Parkside Drive | $15$20 | www.stargazerstheatre.com | 719-476-2200

October 21-23 & 28-31

Boo at the Zoo

Dress up and head out to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo for a haunted house, spooky graveyard, pirate’s cove, lighted pumpkin patch and trick-or-treating and animals galore! Must purchase tickets in advance. 4-8:30 p.m. | 4250 Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Rd. | $0.75-24.75 | www. cmzoo.org | 719-633-9925

October 22

Family Scary Movie Marathon

Get your scare on at the Rockrimmon Library! There’s spooky movies for all, kids through seniors. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. | 832 Village Center Drive | Free | https://ppld. librarymarket.com | 719-531-6333, ext. 7008

October 22-23

Sugar Plum Food & Gift Mart Christmas shop ’til you drop at the Colorado Springs Event Center with unique handcrafted goods, featuring home décor, gourmet foods, art, jewelry, clothing, furniture, children’s toys and Christmas décor.

Children can visit the live animal Nativity scene too!

9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday | 3960 Palmer Park Blvd. | $8 adults, free 16 and under | www.rjpromotions.com | 719-6373960

October 23

Gaither Vocal Band

“Gaither” equals gospel! You won’t want to miss this inspiring Grammy-winning group at the Pikes Peak Center. Hear old favorites like “Something Good Is About to Happen” and new music from their recording “That’s Gospel Brother.”

6-8 p.m. | 190 S. Cascade Ave. | $29$72 | www.pikespeakcenter.com | 719-477-2100

October 23

John Mulaney

Check your stress at the World Arena door and laugh it up with Emmy winner and comedian Mulaney on his From Scratch tour.

7 p.m. | 3185 Venetucci Blvd. | $60$130 | www.broadmoorworldarena. com | 719-477-2100

October 25

Night Sky Photography Workshop

Learn how to photograph the night sky at Kane Ranch Open Space. You will need an interchangeable-lens camera with a wide-angle lens, a sturdy tripod and a remote (optional). Prepaid registration is required.

7-9 p.m. | 12791 Squirrel Creek Road | $20 | www.elpasocountynature centers.com | 719-520-6387

October 28

Halloween Movie & Popcorn

Come to the Humana Office to share a scare! A poll will be taken to choose the movie.

12-2:30 p.m. | 5310 N. Nevada Ave. | Free | www.humana.com | 719-5327700

October 28

The Long Run

“Take It Easy” and unwind at Stargazers with the ’70s sound of America’s best-selling rock band, The Eagles. This Northern Colorado band plays

hit after hit, including “Best of My Love,” “Peaceful Easy Feeling” and “Lyin’ Eyes.”

7 p.m. | 10 S. Parkside Drive | $25 | www.stargazerstheatre.com | 719-476-2200

October 29

Emma Crawford Coffin Races

It’s quirky, it’s spooky, and it’s the annual Emma Crawford Coffin Races in Manitou Springs! Costumed impersonators of Emma ride on coffin-like contraptions pulled by teams of “mourners.”

12-3 p.m. | 800 Manitou Ave. | Free | www.emmacrawfordfestival.com

October 29

Last Men on Earth

This popular rock band from Northern Colorado comes to Stargazers. They’ll keep you guessing what lost radio hit they’ll play next that you forgot you loved! Their eclectic repertoire includes hits from Journey, Foreigner, Toto and more.

7 p.m. | 10 S. Parkside Drive | $20 | www.stargazerstheatre.com | 719-476-2200

October 29

Trunk or Treat

Costumed kiddos are welcome at the Church at Briargate. There will be lots of open car trunks with tasty treats, as well as food trucks, games and more!

11 a.m.-2 p.m. | 9550 Otero Ave. | Free | www.churchatbriargate.org | 719-528-6060

October 29

The Coroner’s Ball

This carnival of curiosities at the City Auditorium features live entertainment and a true crime scary story series with El Paso County Coroner Leon Kelly. It’s family friendly during the daytime (and free), but beware! The auditorium will be haunted after sundown with a cocktail hour and exclusive events for adults only.

10 a.m. | 221 E. Kiowa St. | Free to $150 | www.hunthalloween.com | 719-385-5969 ■

CLUBS

21st Century Toastmasters meets weekly at Library 21c.

Fridays | 1 p.m. | 719-591-8045

ACC Grass Roots 307 Cribbage meets weekly at the Colorado Springs Elks Lodge.

Wednesdays | 4:30 p.m. | 719-331-1200

ACLU defends civil rights and liberties. Call for details. 303-777-5482

Adult Coloring Club meets monthly at Florissant Library.

1st Thursday | 10:30 a.m. | 719-748-3939

Austin Bluffs Sertoma, a community service organization, meets for breakfast at Hotel Elegante.

2nd & 4th Wednesdays | 7:30 a.m. | 719-460-5561 (Pat)

Austrian-American Enzian Club is a German-speaking culture club that meets monthly at VFW Post #101.

2nd Wednesday | 2-4 p.m. | 719-380-1163

Black Forest AARP meets for a monthly potluck at Black Forest Lutheran Church.

2nd Wednesday | 12 p.m. | 719-596-6787

Black Forest Trails Association meetings are open to the public at Black Forest Community Club. 2nd Wednesday | 6:30 | www.black foresttrails.org

Blazer Ski Club meets weekly year round with organized ski trips, golf, hiking and more. Wednesdays | www.blazerskiclub.org

Bridge Players Duplicate plays daily at the Bridge Center. Monday-Friday at 12:30 p.m. | Tuesdays at 9 a.m. | Saturdays at 6 p.m. | 719-634-7250

Bulldog Club meets monthly at Westside Community Center.

4th Monday | 6-8 p.m. | goatgalmjb1@hotmail.com

Carnelian Coffee Book Club meets monthly at Out West Gift Shop.

1st Sunday | 1 p.m. | jpaisley@ppld.org

Cheyenne Mountain Hooked on Crochet meets virtually to crochet

or knit.

1st & 3rd Thursdays | 10 a.m. | www.ppld.org | 719-389-8968

Cheyenne Mountain Newcomers Club for women meets monthly at Broadmoor Community Church. Annual dues are $30.

2nd Wednesday | 9:30 a.m. | www.cmncos.org

Colorado Springs Breakfast Club for Singles 50+ meets monthly at Patty Jewett Clubhouse. Cost is $20 (cash or check). Must RSVP.

1st Saturday | 9 a.m. | 719-260-0651 | tbc50plus.org

DAV Knob Hill holds a bingo fundraiser at 6880 Palmer Park Blvd. to help aid local veterans.

Sundays | 5:30-9 p.m. | 719-591-8787

El Paso Pacers walking club meets monthly. RSVP by email.

3rd Thursday | 9 a.m. | 719-5206977 | theresaodello@elpaso.com

Falcon Adult Group meets monthly at High Prairie Library.

1st Wednesday | 11 a.m.

Falcon Garden Club meets monthly at High Prairie Library.

3rd Saturday | 10 a.m. | www.falcon gardenclub.org

Florissant Bookworms meets monthly at Florissant Library. 3rd Wednesday | 12 p.m. | 719-748-3939

Falcon Wanderers Volkssport Club meets for regular walks. Membership dues are $10 per person, $16 per couple and $20 per family. 719-597-4307 | www.falconwanderers.org

MAG (Moving Ahead Group), a social group for those who have lost a spouse or partner, meets for dinner at BJ’s Restaurant & Brewhouse.

Last Sunday | 4 p.m. Maxi’s Dance Group meets weekly at Eagles Club #143 with music for ages 40+ and food and drinks for purchase. Cover is $5 members, $8 non-members.

Thursdays | 6-9 p.m. | 719-660-1358.

Colorado Springs Chess Club meets weekly at Acacia Apartments ballroom.

Tuesdays | 6 p.m.

Colorado Springs Coin Club meets monthly at Fraternal Order of Eagles #143.

4th Tuesday | 6:30 p.m. | 719-632-4260

Colorado Springs Numismatic Society meets monthly at Gold Hill Police Station’s community room.

2nd Sunday | 2 p.m. | 719-632-4260

Colorado Springs Scrabble Club meets virtually weekly for three games on Woogles.io.

Mondays | 6-9 p.m. | 719-332-5141

Colorado Springs Stamp Club meets monthly at Vista Grande Baptist Church.

1st Tuesday | 7 p.m.

Curiosity Unlimited offers continuous learning opportunities with monthly UCCS professor lectures at Ent Center for the Arts, Chapman Foundations Recital Hall. Visitors welcome!

2nd Friday | 10 a.m. | www.uccs. edu/curiosity | 719-755-5082

Friends at the Table Cookbook Club meets at Florissant Library. 3rd Friday | 11:30 a.m. | 719-748-3939

Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship meets for breakfast at IHOP, 6005 Constitution Ave. 2nd Saturday | 7:30 a.m. | 719-229-3317

Gleneagle Sertoma, a community service organization, meets twice monthly for lunch. 1st & 3rd Wednesdays | 11:30 a.m. | 719-331-1212

Gold Camp Victorian Society meets monthly at Cripple Creek Heritage Center. 4th Saturday | 2 p.m. | info@gold campvictoriansociety.org

Hi-Country Newcomers is a social group open to all women in Colorado Springs. Activities include hiking, book club, games, lunches and tours. Call for membership and locations.

2nd Monday | 10 a.m. | 719-464-7633

International Dance Club hosts weekly dances. Live bands, variety of styles, family friendly. Cost is $12. Saturdays | 7-10 p.m. | 719-633-0195

Not So Young Book Club meets monthly at Woodland Park Library.

1st Wednesday | 11 a.m. | 719-687-9281

Paralyzed Vets of America plays weekly at Bingo World. Tuesdays | 12:30 p.m. | 719-578-1441

Pikes Peak Camera Club meets virtually. Zoom link on website. 2nd Wednesday | 7 p.m. | 719-634-2376 | www.pikespeak cameraclub.com

Pikes Peak Computer Application Society meets at Springs Community Church, 7290 Lexington Dr. 1st Saturday | 9 a.m. | asdtitus@ gmail.com

Pikes Peak Genealogical Society meets virtually. 2nd Wednesday | 6 p.m. | www.ppgs.org

Pikes Peak Over the Hill Gang meets monthly for dinner. This club is for active adults 50+ who enjoy skiing, biking, hiking, golfing, camping, etc. Membership required.

2nd Wednesday | 719-388-1534 | www.ppothg.org

Pikes Peak Posse of the Westerners meets monthly for dinner and program at the Masonic Center.

2nd Monday | 6 p.m. | RSVP: 719-473-0330

Pikes Peak Water Garden Society meets at Mountain View Church of

Christ (April through October).

2nd Thursday | 7 p.m. | 719-6480740 | www.ppwgs.org

PILLAR Institute for Lifelong Learning holds classes (live, Zoom, video) on a variety of topics. www.pillarinstitute.org | 719-633-4991

Rampart Range Blue Star Mothers meets monthly at Falcon Police Department.

1st Sunday | 2 p.m. | 719-651-8038

Read Amok Book Club meets monthly at Florissant Library.

2nd Monday | 12 p.m. | 719-748-3939

Red Hat Society meets at Fountain Valley Senior Center

1st & 3rd Fridays | 1 p.m. | 719-6002644

Rotary Club meets weekly for lunch and a speaker at The Antlers. Visit website for Zoom link and to RSVP. Fridays | 12:15 p.m. | 719-338-3239 | www.portal.clubrunner.ca/3250

Senior Circle Book Club meets monthly at Woodland Park Library.

2nd Thursday | 10:30 a.m. | 719-687-9281

Silicon Mountain Mac User Group meets virtually. Visit website for Zoom link.

2nd Monday | 6 p.m. | www.smmug.org

Sno-Jets Ski & Adventure Club meets for ski trips, biking, hiking, dinners and more. Summer membership (May-September) is $15. See website for activities. www.snojets.org

Socrates Cafe meets weekly for discussion at the Monument Library. Tuesdays | 1-3 p.m. | 719-531-6333, ext. 7005

Sons and Daughters of Italy meets monthly at VFW Post #101.

1st Tuesday | Dinner 5:30, Meeting 6:30 p.m. | 719-290-9586

Sons of Norway meets monthly for a heritage meeting at Viking Hall.

2nd Wednesday | 7 p.m. |

719-574-3717

Travel Club meets regularly through Fountain Valley Senior Center. 719-600-2602 | mbowers@fvscenter.org

Triviality Trivia plays weekly at Gold Camp Brewing Company. Wednesdays | 7 p.m. | 719-319-3798

Veterans of Korean service time or peace) meets monthly at BPOE Elks 304, 3400 North Nevada Avenue. Lunch and speaker are $13. Call to reserve.

3rd Saturday | 11:30 a.m. | 719-2146121 | www.vva1075.com

Vietnam Veterans of America meets monthly at Colorado Technical University.

4th Saturday | 9 a.m. | 719-650-1513

Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 1075 meets monthly at Skills Academy, 1575 Garden of the Gods Road.

Last Saturday | 9 a.m. | 719-2358162 | http://vva1075.com

Women’s Army United, Chapter 75 for women veterans meets at Sand Creek Police Department.

4th Saturday | 10 a.m. | 719-6603641

Woodland Park Book Club meets monthly at Woodland Park Library.

1st Tuesday | 10:30 a.m. | 719-687-9281

Yarnia! Knitting & Crochet Club meets monthly at Florissant Library.

2nd Thursday | 10 a.m. | 719-748-3939 ■

BITS

District 20 hiring bus drivers, custodians, paraprofessionals

Academy District 20 is looking for individuals who want to educate and inspire students to thrive. If you want to have an impact on students while receiving benefits and a competitive salary, there’s a position for you! Become a bus driver with free Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) training, a Monday through Friday schedule and pay starting at $19.25 an hour. Work with students and teachers in the classroom or on the bus by applying to become a

Silver Key seeks food donations for Bountiful Bags

Seniors who cannot afford a Thanksgiving meal will have one courtesy of Silver Key and volunteers like you! Items needed include cranberry sauce (whole berry or jellied, 14- or 16-ounce cans), instant mashed potatoes, dry stuffing/dressing (6-ounce boxes), turkey gravy (dry mix, 0.87- (7/8) ounce packets), green beans (14 .5-ounce cans), yams/sweet potatoes (29-ounce cans) and desserts (dry mixes). Donations may be dropped off through October at Silver Key, 1605 S. Murray Blvd., from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday. For additional collection sites or to give a monetary donation, visit www.silverkey.org/bountifulbags or call 719-884-2300.

Hearing aids coming to a drugstore near you

Seniors aged 50-80 are twice as likely to schedule a vet visit for their pet than to get their hearing assessed, a recent study revealed. About 30 million Americans experience hearing loss, and only about 20 percent of them get help. But help may be as close as your nearest Walgreens or CVS. The Food and Drug Administration recently

special education paraprofessional. These positions start at $18 an hour and training is provided. Apply to become a school custodian to keep a student’s learning environment clean and safe. To find the perfect fit for your schedule, learn more at www.asd20.org/ careers.

approved the over-the-counter sale of hearing aids with no prescription requirement. Many seniors feel the financial pinch of expensive devices and hearing tests. Basic Medicare does not cover the cost, which can range from $1,000 to $5,000. Some with a hearing loss simply do without, which can interfere with communication and lead to cognitive decline and depression. Those with mild to moderate hearing loss should be able to buy hearing aids online and in retail stores—no doctor visit required. Some audiologists feel pharmacy hearing aids will not have the precise fit and best settings, perhaps similar to the difference between drugstore reading glasses and those prescribed by an optometrist. But if it’s between the OTC aids or none at all, it’s still beneficial.

“Our Shorts Are Showing” Playwriting Competition and Festival

Treat yourself to original short plays written, directed and performed by local Colorado talent at The Cottonwood Center for the Arts, 427 E. Colorado Blvd. The winning plays from this 10th annual contest are “Cruise from Hell” and “Udder Madness” by Sue Bachman, “The Dining

Set” by V.B. Rankin, “No Seagulls in Hawaii” and “Behind the Wheel” by Phil Ginsburg and “Shirley Scott” by Jessie Caldwell. Two mini-plays (monologues) and one short play will be performed live onstage. The remaining three short plays are live on tape with no editing, and they will be presented on the theater’s large screen between the live stage productions. You’ll see the plays as the actors performed them—goofs and all—from their opening to closing lines. It’s front-row magic, and it’s taking place in the second floor David Lord Theatre on October 13 and 14 at 7 p.m. The cost is $10 for adults and $5 for seniors over 65. Buy tickets in advance at https:// ourshortsareshowing10.bpt.me.

Unsold reserve seats may be available at the door for cash or check only.

Sunday night frights at the museum

It’s a blast from the horror movie past! For the month of October, the Manitou Springs Heritage Center and Museum, 517 Manitou Ave., will show scary movies on Sunday nights. All movies are free. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the movie starts at 6 p.m. Popcorn and concessions are available. For more information, visit www.manitouspringsheritagecenter.org or call 719-685-1454.

� October 2 is “The Phantom of the Opera” from 1925, starring Lon Chaney and Mary Philbin. This version is a silent movie with an original synchronized soundtrack.

� October 9 is “The Last Man on Earth” from 1964, a postapocalyptic science fiction film based on the 1954 novel “I Am Legend.” Vincent Price stars as the sole survivor in a world of vampires.

Osteoporosis Yoga Series at Who Gives a Scrap

Join this fall series just for seniors with an emphasis on strength and stability and preventing osteoporosis. Classes take place Tuesdays and Thursdays in October from 10 a.m. to noon. Money from this donation-based yoga class goes to a charity chosen by class attendees. Suggested donation is $5-$10. For details, visit www.whogivesascrap colorado.com or email yogaforkind ness2021@gmail.com. Please RSVP.

Deadline to Apply for $750 Cash Back is October 17, Even if You Don't Have to File Taxes

All Coloradoans age 18 and over can receive the Colorado Cashback $750 Tabor Refund. Individuals on limited income need to complete the Colorado Income tax forms DR 0104. Individuals who file federal

� October 16 is “Revolt of the Zombies” from 1936, starring Dean Jagger and Bela Lugosi and featuring zombies during World War I.

� October 23 is “Attack of the Monsters” from 1969, a classic Japanese giant monster film. A UFO takes two boys to another planet where the inhabitants want to take over the earth.

Reap the harvest of area markets while you still can! Though some have already shut down, this is the last month for the following:

Briargate

9 a.m.-2 p.m. | Oct. 5 | 7610 N. Union Blvd.

Colorado Farm & Art Market at the Indy

3-7 p.m. | Oct. 5 | 235 S. Nevada Ave.

Colorado Farm & Art Market at The Margarita

9 a.m.-1 p.m. | Oct. 1 & 8 |

7350 Pine Creek Road

Fountain

8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. | Oct. 1 |

618 E. Ohio Ave., Fountain

and state income tax will automatically receive the refund, as well as those who filed the PTC 104 for 2021 prior to June 30, 2022.

Download the form at www.irs.gov, complete and mail it before October 17, 2022. Once you download the form:

� Check “ full year ” box

• Complete name, address and other information on page 1

• Put zero on Line 1, 5 and 7

• Sign the form on page 4

• Mail to Colorado Department of Revenue, Denver CO 802610005 before October 17.

Ghost Stories of Old Manitou Walking Tours in October

Every Friday and Saturday in October, walk and wonder as a spirit guide recants stories from Manitou Springs’ history and guides you

Monument Hill

8 a.m.-2 p.m. | Oct. 1 & 8 |

66 Jefferson St., Monument

Old Colorado City

7 a.m.-1:30 p.m. | Oct. 1, 8, 15 | W. Colorado Ave. & 24th St.

Spencer’s Lawn & Garden Center

9 a.m.-5 p.m. | Daily | 1430 S. Tejon St.

from scene to scene. Starting at 6 p.m., the one-hour tours depart every 15 minutes from the Manitou Springs Heritage Center, 517 Manitou Ave. Cost is $16. Children under 11 are free. Tour dates are October 7-8, 14-15, 20-22 (Thursday-Saturday), and 27-28. For details, visit www.manitousprings heritagecenter.org or call 719-6851454.

Miners’ Pumpkin Patch Opens for Season

Fall into fall on Saturdays at the Western Museum of Mining & Industry, 225 North Gate Blvd. There’s music, food, a pumpkin patch, hayrides, giant board games, a hay maze and slide, sack races, a petting zoo and gold panning. The fun takes place every Saturday in October from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Cost is $10-$12. For details, call 719-4880880 or visit www.wmmi.org. T

LET’S SHOW OFF YOUR SMILE!

Honest, ethical dental care focused on your personal wants and needs. We are going above and beyond to make sure you are safe from COVID exposure. As a non-profit organization, we have various grants to help support you!

SENIORS & VETERANS

Qualification, scheduling and more information (719) 310-3315

www.CommunityDentalHealth.org 1436 N. Hancock Ave. Colorado Springs

FUN AFTER 50

Smoking Cessation

1-2 p.m. | Oct. 26 | Free

VIRTUAL BOOK CLUB

1514 N. Hancock Ave., Colorado Springs

To register for classes, call 719-955-3400 or visit www.CSSeniorCenter.com

SPECIAL EVENTS

50+ Yoga Retreat

8:15 a.m.-1 p.m. | Oct. 1 | $25

Silent Auction “Ignite Your Passions”

8 a.m.-5 p.m. | Oct. 3-7 | Bid

Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close by Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman

11 a.m.-12 p.m. | Fridays |

66 Jefferson St., Monument

To register for classes, call 719-464-6873 or visit www.TriLakesSeniors.org

CLASSES & ACTIVITIES

Arts & Crafts

11 a.m.-1 p.m. | Thursdays

Book Club

11 a.m.-12 p.m. | Oct. 14 | 719-3300241

GAMES

Gentle Yoga

3:45-4:45 p.m. | Mondays & Thursdays starting Oct. 24 | $55

Zumba Toning

9:30-10:15 a.m. | Mondays starting Oct. 24 | $30

Bunco

Bring $3 and a snack to share.

1-3 p.m. | Oct. 14

Bingo (must RSVP)

1-2 p.m. | Oct. 19 | 719-330-0241 | sue@monumentalfitness.com

Mind-ergize

Exercise your brain with cognitive exercises.

12-1 p.m. | Tuesdays

Line Dancing

1:30 p.m. | Tuesdays

Mix It Up!

Low-impact aerobics, simple weight training and stretching.

8-9 a.m. | Wednesdays

Mind Matters

Gentle stretching, meditation and visualization work.

10-11 a.m. | Wednesdays

Tai Chi Gong

11 a.m.-12 p.m. | Wednesdays & Thursdays

Chair Yoga

12-1 p.m. | Wednesdays

Zumba Gold

9-10 a.m. | Thursdays

Building Better Bones & Balance

Safe for those with osteoporosis.

1:30 p.m. | Thursdays

Speed Dating!

3-4:30 p.m. | Oct. 19 | $10

Craft Supply & Notions Sale

9 a.m.-2 p.m. | Oct. 20 & 21 | $5

Halloween Silent Disco

1:30-3 p.m. | Oct. 27 | $10

Trick-or-Treating Senior Style

1:30-3 p.m. | Oct. 28 | Free

LIFELONG LEARNING

End-of-Life Transitions

9:30-11:30 a.m. | Oct. 10 | Free

Macrame! Halloween Ghost

9:30-11:30 a.m. | Oct. 11 | $16

Have a Better Garden Next Year!

1-2:30 p.m. | Oct. 20 | $3

ProActive Living Series –Aging in Place

10-11:30 am. | Oct. 20 | Free

HEALTH

Immune Support 101

1-2 p.m. | Oct. 5 | Free

Medicare 101

1:30-2:30 p.m. | Oct. 13 | Free

Understanding Alzheimer’s & Dementia

1-2 p.m. | Oct. 18 | Free

Flyswatter Volleyball

1:30-2:30 p.m.

Microsoft

1-3 p.m.

Oct.

Chess Club

12 p.m. | Mondays Pinochle 12-4 p.m. | Tuesdays

Hand & Foot

Oct.

1-4 p.m. | Tuesdays & Wednesdays Mahjong 1-4 p.m. | Fridays

EXERCISE

Lean & Fit Muscle

Conditioning

9:15-10:15 a.m. | Mondays Yoga

10:15-11 a.m. & 6-7 p.m. | Mondays, 6-7 p.m. | Wednesdays, 10:15-11 a.m. | Fridays

Tai Chi Fusion

Reduce stress and promote serenity through gentle, flowing movements and deep breathing.

12-1 p.m. | Mondays

Strong for Life

1:30 p.m. | Mondays

Essentrics

Strengthen your core and improve balance and mobility. 9-10 a.m. Tuesdays | 10-11 a.m. Thursdays

Gentle Yoga 10:15-11 a.m. | Tuesdays

Zumba

5:30-6:30 p.m. Thursdays | 9-10 a.m. Saturdays

Total Body Strength

9:15-10:15 a.m. | Fridays

ASSISTANCE

Active Minds & Bodies

Caregivers may drop off loved ones for a three-hour free program of crafts, cognitive awareness and gentle exercise. A light lunch is provided. Must RSVP.

10 a.m.-1 p.m. | Oct. 3 | 719-3300241

Silver Key Services

Silver Key offers assistance with finances, guardianship, mental health, companionship or ongoing case management.

9 a.m.-12 p.m. | Thursdays | mstephens@silverkey.org

Visiting Nurses Association

VNA offers a foot care clinic with a variety of services. Call for an appointment.

9 a.m.-3 p.m. | 2nd & 4th Tuesdays | 719-577-4448

5745 Southmoor Dr., Colorado Springs

To register for classes, call 719-600-2644 or visit www.FVSCenter.org

ART

Interpretive Dance

10:30-11:30 a.m. | Mondays

Knitting/Crocheting

1-2 p.m. | Mondays

Tap Dance

10:15 a.m. | Tuesdays

Porcelain

9:30 a.m.-12 p.m.; 12:30-3 p.m. | Tuesdays

Blood Pressure Checks

10:15 a.m. | 1st & 3rd Tuesdays

Cardio Drumming

2:30-3:30 p.m. | Tuesdays

Tai Chi

9:30-10:30 a.m. | Wednesdays

Low Vision Support

1 p.m. | 3rd Wednesday

Zumba Basics

2:30 p.m. | 4th Thursday

Active Minds

2:30 p.m. | 3rd Thursday

Chi Kung 10-11 a.m. | Fridays

GAMES & LEISURE

Ft. Logan Trip

9 a.m. | 2nd Monday

Movie Day

1 p.m. | 2nd Wednesday

Bingo (and cash prizes)

WOODLAND PARK

SENIOR ORGANIZATION

321 N. Pine St., Woodland Park

To register for classes, call 719-687-3877 or visit

www.WoodlandParkSeniors.com

SPECIAL EVENTS

Aspen Leaf Tour & Lunch

10 a.m.-2 p.m. | Oct. 7

Butte Theater & Lunch

10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. | Oct. 19 | $10

Catered Meal & Program Medicare presentation. Reserve by Oct. 21.

11:45 a.m.-1 p.m. | Oct. 25 | $7

ACTIVITIES

Movies with Popcorn & Lemonade

1 p.m. | Wednesdays

HEALTH AND EXERCISE

Quilters

8:30-11 a.m. | Wednesdays

Oil Painting

9-11 a.m. | Wednesdays

Harmonizers

2 p.m. | Wednesdays

Woodcarving

8 a.m.-12 p.m. | Thursdays

Card Making

9:30-11 a.m. | Thursdays

LEGAL

Legal Assistance

1:30 p.m. | 2nd Wednesday

HEALTH

Dementia Support Group

2-3:30 p.m. | 3rd Monday

Chair Yoga

2:30-3:30 p.m. Mondays | 9-10 a.m.

Fridays

Zumba Gold

9-10 a.m. | Tuesdays

1 p.m. | Tuesdays & Thursdays

Birthday Social

11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. | 4th Thursday

Wii Games

10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. | Fridays

Red Hat Society Meeting

1 pm. | 1st & 3rd Fridays

Ice Cream Happy Hour

12:30-2:30 p.m. | 3rd Friday

Game Day

10 a.m.-4 p.m. | 1st Saturday

Thrift Store Super Saturday

10 a.m.-2 p.m. | 1st Saturday

Cripple Creek Run

9 a.m.-4 p.m. | 2nd Saturday

Holiday Craft Workshop

1-4 p.m. | Oct. 3, 4, 17 & 21

Watercolor Class

1-4 p.m. | Oct. 24

Crochet & Knitting

10 a.m. | Wednesdays

Quilters

9 a.m. | Mondays

Low-Impact Cardio

9 a.m. | Tuesdays & Thursdays

Chair Yoga

9 a.m. | Wednesdays

Dominos, Cribbage & Euchre

9 a.m.-12 p.m. | Monday-Friday

Bingo

10:30-11:30 a.m. | Thursdays

Chair Tai Chi

9 a.m. | Fridays FOOD

Silver Key Lunch

Make a reservation 24 hours in advance.

11:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m. | Monday-Friday | $3.50

October Potluck Lunch

Bring a dish to share.

11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Oct. 11

PIKES PEAK

LIBRARY DISTRICT

Genealogy Basics (Virtual)

10 a.m. | Oct. 4 & 15

Craft Exchange

Bring your new/gently used art, craft and hobby materials to the Monument Library and exchange them for new-to-you craft supplies.

1-4 p.m. | Oct. 1

Sign Painting

Paint a decorative 12-inch round sign. All materials provided.

12 p.m. | Oct. 5 | Monument Library

12 p.m. | Oct. 22 | Manitou Library

1776-1876 Culture Fest!

Celebrate cultures of the Pikes Peak region at the Cheyenne Mountain Library through different cuisines, music and more.

5:30-8 p.m. | Oct. 7

Halloween: A Social History Hear about Halloween’s history at the Old Colorado City Library.

10:30 a.m. | Oct. 8

Secrets of Successful Investing in Any Market

Learn about investing from licensed stockbroker and financial advisor Ron Phillips at Library 21c.

6:30-8 p.m. | Oct. 11 & 13

The Power of Mushrooms

Discover the power of mushroom supplements and find the perfect mushroom for you through this online live presentation.

2 p.m. | Oct. 18

Tour of Special Collections

Join PPLD Special Collections at the Penrose Library for a behind-thescenes tour of the historic 1905 Carnegie Building.

6-7 p.m. | Oct. 20 & 27

Share Class: Caramel Apples

Join author and creator Elayne Prechtel at Library 21c for an easy demonstration with tasty samples.

1 p.m. | Oct. 24

All Pikes Peak Reads

Susan Orlean will discuss her book, “The Library Book,” and how it fits into the All Pikes Peak Reads theme of reinvention at Library 21c.

4 p.m. | Oct. 15

RAMPART LIBRARY DISTRICT

Tai Chi at Florissant Library

10-11 a.m. | Tuesdays

Family Fun Fridays at Florissant Library

10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Fridays

Tai Chi at Woodland Park Library

5-6 p.m. Thursdays | 10-11 a.m. Fridays

Free Legal Clinic (Online)

Call 719-748-3939 to schedule an appointment.

2-5 p.m. | October 13

Trunk or Treat at Florissant Library

2-4 p.m. | October 22

Local Authors Showcase at Florissant Library

1 p.m. | October 15

Paranormal Investigating at Florissant Library

4 p.m. | October 22 T

SUPPORT GROUPS

Amputee Support Group meets at Encompass Rehab Hospital.

1st Tuesdays | 5-6:30 p.m. | 719-632-5075

Community Reinforcement And Family Training has support for families and friends of loved ones struggling with substance use at Springs Recovery Connection. 719-377-2161 | aneeley@srchope.org

Daddy’s Little Girls brings hope to abuse survivors through the love of Jesus Christ. 719-649-9054 | www.daddys littlegirls.net

Dementia Support Group meets at Fountain Valley Senior Center.

3rd Monday | 2-3:30 p.m. | 719-6002644

Depression and Bipolar Support has support for those living with or affected by mood disorders. 719-477-1515 | www.dbsacolorado springs.org

El Paso County Colorado Progressive Veterans is available 365 days a year to help veterans, active duty military and their families with VA health care and disability, homelessness, emergency needs, PTSD and mental health support. 719-488-8351 | www.epccpv.org | info@epccpv.org

Emotions Anonymous, a program for unsolved emotional problems, meets at First Lutheran Church, 1515 N. Cascade Ave.

Mondays | 6 p.m. | 719-685-1091

Falcon Senior Services meets at Patriot High School in Falcon. 2nd Wednesday | 11 a.m. | 719-494-0353

Gamblers Anonymous meets virtually and in person at the Red Cloud Serenity Club, 10400 Ute Pass Ave. in Green Mountain Falls. Virtual: Mondays | 6 p.m. In-person: Saturdays | 9 a.m. www.coloradoga.org

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren supports those parenting grandkids. Call for details. 719-578-8007

Grief Share helps attendees find

healing after losing a loved one.

4th Tuesday | 10 a.m. | 719-330-0241 | sue@monumentalfitness.com

Headway Brain Injury & Stroke Support Group meets at Fargo’s Pizza, 2910 E. Platte Ave.

1st & 3rd Wednesdays | 11:30 a.m.1:30 p.m. | 719-459-0901

Hearing Loss Association of America meets virtually. www.hlaacoloradosprings.org

Keeping in Balance with the Life Tree meets weekly at Ambrose Family Health. Sessions are $5. Thursdays | 2-3 p.m. | 719-203-5340.

Low-Vision Support Group meets at Fountain Valley Senior Center. 3rd Wednesday | 1 p.m. | 719-6002644

Monday Morning Happy Hour meets virtually for caregiver support. Mondays | 8:30-9:30 a.m. | 520-6476768 | www.journeycarecoordinat ing.com

Multiple Sclerosis Alliance meets virtually. Visit website for schedule. 719-633-4603 | www.msasoco.org

NAMI Support Groups meet virtually and in person at First United Methodist Church, 420 N. Nevada Ave. Registration required: 719-4738477, www.namicoloradosprings.org

� Connection Support Group is for those living with mental health conditions.

Virtual: Tuesdays | 7-8:30 p.m. In-person: Thursdays | 7-8:30 p.m.

� Family Support Group is for family members of people living with mental health conditions.

Virtual: Wednesdays | 7-8:30 p.m. In-person: Thursdays | 7-8:30 p.m.

Overeaters Anonymous meets over Zoom and in person at Peak Vista Community Health Center. In person: Thursdays | 9-10:15 a.m. | 719-205-9080 | www.oasouthern colorado.org

Parkinson’s Support Group meets at First United Methodist Church, 420 N. Nevada Ave. 2nd Saturday | 10 a.m.

Breast Cancer Support

Financial

Connect with breast cancer survivors in any phase of treatment. Next webinar is October 10, 5-6 p.m. pccintegrativetherapy@centura. org

Compassionate Friends

719-481-2255

The Comfort Zone 719-687-1170

Online & Telephone

CancerCare www.cancercare.org

After Breast Cancer Diagnosis

www.abcdbreastcancersupport. org | 800-977-4121

Susan G. Komene Helpline 877 GO KOMEN (877-465-6636) www.breastcancer.org

Facebook

These Facebook groups are often private to protect those in the groups, requiring you to request permission to join.

I Got This!

This ladies-only group is for those who have been diagnosed or survived breast cancer.

Flat Out Love

A community of flatties (women who opt to forgo reconstruction after a mastectomy).

Polio Survivors Support Group meets regularly. Call for details. 303-212-0017

Proactive Living Series meets at the Colorado Springs Senior Center to share tips on aging and resources. 3rd Thursday | 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

PTSD Spouse’s Support meets at UCCS Veterans Clinic. Tuesdays | 4 p.m. | 719-255-8003

Traumatic Brain Injury Support Group meets virtually through The Independence Center. Local Breast Cancer Support Group

Each of these groups has specific parameters within which to get help. Find out if you qualify by visiting their websites.

Breast Cancer Assistance Fund www.breastcanceraf.org

The Gift of Hope www.forthegiftofhope.org

The Pink Fund www.pinkfund.org

The Sisters Network www.sistersnetworkinc.org

Other

Cleaning for a Reason

This non-profit offers free home cleaning to patients battling cancer through their trusted network of residential cleaners and volunteers. www.cleaningforareason.org

Casting for Recovery

This group combines peer support with the therapeutic sport of fly fishing in free retreats. The gentle motion of fly-casting increases mobility and connecting with nature delivers emotional benefits. www.castingforrecovery.org

The Grace Project

The Grace Project is an empowering photographic project that captures the courage beauty and grace of those who have had mastectomy surgery as a result of breast cancer. www.the-grace-project.org

2nd & 4th Wednesdays | 1:30-3 p.m. | 719-471-8181

Vital Times, for those wanting to grow spiritually and meet new friends, meets at Sacred Heart Parish Center.

2nd & 4th Wednesdays | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | 719-600-8642

Widowed Persons Grief Support Group meets twice monthly at the Colorado Springs Senior Center. 2nd & 4th Fridays | 1-3 p.m. | 719955-3400

■

Puzzle

CAREGIVERS

FOR RENT

Two Senior Apartments for rent. 1BD, 1 person, no smoking, no pets (cat ok), no babysitting or overnight company. $675 per month plus electric & gas, $200 damage/cleaning deposit. 719-244-6100.

Furnished room with private bath available for financially secure female. All utilities included. laundry and kitchen privileges. West side $650 monthly $200 deposit. 719-434-2922.

FUN & ENTERTAINMENT

St Joseph’s Rosary Society Craft Fair. October 7th from 10:30-5 and October 8th from 10-3. FREE! 23 Crafters, baked goods and concessions. Call Pat 719-271-0141 or 719-632-5436. 1830 S. Corona St., 80906.

Maxi’s Dance Group is back! Dance party every Thursday 6-9pm, Eagles Club 1050 S. 21st St. Music for ages 40+, food and drink available for purchase. $8 cover; $5 members. 719-660-1358.

HELP WANTED

HOME REPAIR

REAL ESTATE

COMPUTER & MEDIA

FLAT RATE COMPUTER REPAIR.

Starting at $60. Free pickup & delivery or up to 2 hours of on-site tune-up, virus removal and/or training. Call Richard with SOBE I.T. 719-470-1910.

VOLUNTEER AT SILVER KEY to help provide seniors with meals, rides, client support, food pantry support, and veterans support. Office staff and materials support also needed. Please apply online at: silverkey.org/volunteer

HOME REPAIR

MORE THAN A HANDYMAN. Home Maintenance, Repairs, Yard Work, Projects. 15% Senior Discount (62+). Call Mike - a Senior and Veteran. 719-338-4279. Voice mail answered same day.

HANDYMAN SERVICES. ODD JOBS Plumbing, Carpentry, Fences, Decks, Doors, and more. (Mowing or yardwork in the spring and summer.) John 719-471-7471.

HOUSECLEANING

EXPERTISE HOUSECLEANING, reliable and trustworthy. Senior personal care services are also available. Please call Karen 719-4342922.

INSURANCE SERVICES

THE ABC’S OF HEALTHCARE. Licensed Health Insurance Agent, 15 years’ experience. Individual/ Family Insurance through Connect for Health Colorado, Medicare plans, Life Insurance, Final Burial Expense, Home Care Insurance, Vision, Dental, and Hearing. Call JoAnne 719-434-2015 PeakInsuraceBroker.com

REAL ESTATE

BEN IS BUYING HOUSES. If you would like a quick, no-hassle cash sale for your home in “as-is” condition and for a fair price, please text or call me so we can talk. Ben 719-492-1671

SERVICES

FASTRACK MOVING. 3 MEN/TRUCK $155 HR. 719-822-8964. www. FasTracMovingandDelivery.com

PERMS, Roller Sets, Teasing, Color, Highlights, Cuts, Blow Dry/Curling, Iron Styles. Quiet in-home salon. Off N. Carefree between Powers and Oro Blanco www.WaveHairSalon.biz. Catherine Williams Owner/Stylist Call or Text: 719-675-0169

SERVICES

EXPERT CARPET REPAIRS 40 Yrs Experience. Repairs, Re-stretches, Seam Repair and Pet Damage Inlays. 719-229-1597 or 719-473-5110. Free estimates and Senior discounts.

S.C.S.E. SANDYS CARE SERVICE EXPRESS Specializing in same day, last minute, when available. Mail –bank – babysitting – shower – meals - dog feeding etc. Bonded, insured. 9am-4pm, Monday-Friday. 719-2038898.

SENIORS LOVE HELPERS that arrive at the door! If you do heavy lifting, climb ladders, painting, cleaning, cooking, or hair care, place an ad in Life After 50. Readers are hunting for your services! 719-900-7664.

TREE REMOVAL, TREE TRIMMING and stump grinding. 24/7 Emergency Service available. Text or Call Ben’s Landscaping 719-492-1671.

DAILY LABOR: Housecleaning, lawns depends on size, yard clean up, gardening, gutter cleaning, car removal. $25 per hour. 719-310-5247

SERVICES

PERSONAL ASSISTANT – I can provide and help with Rides and Running Errands, Yard/House Work, Home-Made Meals Delivered, Dog Walking/Sitting. Kind, Trustworthy, Dependable, References Provided. Call Joel 719-351-2365.

WANTED

1950S-1960S LP’S, 78’s AND 45’s. Blues, jazz, rock ‘n roll, country, Broadway, movie soundtracks, TV, R&B, soul, children’s, spoken word, etc. I’m a collector, not a business. Call me first - I pay the most for your records. 719-633-5848 or 719-4409288

CASH FOR OLD BANKS AND TOYS, presidential pin back buttons, Simpich dolls, military insignia and memorabilia. Will buy single items or entire collections. 719-632-9904.

VINTAGE ITEMS WANTED. TOYS, comic books, children’s books, dolls, movie and music posters, Halloween, guitars and amplifiers, and plastic model kits. I’m a collector, not a business. 719-633-5848 or 719-4409288.

Ten years without a cold?

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.

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.

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.

Are you looking for something meaningful to do?

Your time and wisdom are valuable. Become a Foster Grandparent Classroom Volunteer. You can share your skills and experience while children shower you with curiosity and hugs. Get involved with Volunteers of America’s Foster Grand parent Program.

Could you use a little extra money each month?

• Do you love children and enjoy spending time with them?

• Are able to volunteer 15-40 hours per week helping children learn and succeed?

• Are you 55 years old or older? Do you live in El Paso County?

• Is your income under $27,180 for a single person household, or under $36,620 for a two-person household?

• Could you use an extra $200 - $400+ per month, plus travel reimbursement?

If you answered YES to these questions, call (719) 632-1448 todayto get involved in the Foster Grandparent Program.

“It worked!” he exclaimed. “The cold never happened. I used to get 2-3 bad colds every year. Now I use my device whenever I feel a sign I am about to get sick.”

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.

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.

As thousands more tried it, some found other things they could use it against, including: Colds, flu, new viruses and variants, sinus trouble, cold sores, canker sores, strep throat, nighttime stuffiness, morning congestion, nasal drip, skin infections, thrush, warts, styes, and ringworm.

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.

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.

Users say:

“It works! I love it!”

“I can’t believe how good my nose feels.”

“Is it supposed to work that fast?”

“One of the best presents ever.”

“Sixteen airline flights, not a sniffle!”

“Cold sores gone!”

“It saved me last holidays. The kids all got sick, but not me.”

“I am shocked! My sinus cleared, no more headache, no more congestion.”

“Best sleep I’ve had in years!”

Made in America, pure copper. 90-day full money back guarantee. Price $79.95. Get $10 off each CopperZap with code COBS9

See www.CopperZap.com or call toll-free 1-888-411-6114. Buy once, use forever.

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.

advertisement)

New research: Copper kills viruses in seconds.

AGREE.

TRUCK® IS BAD FOR BUSINESS.

After all, more people are letting TWO MEN AND A TRUCK ® do their moving thaneverbefore.Andwhy not. For just a few dollars more than renting a truck and trying to round up all your friends to help, it’s easi-

Afterall,more peopleare letting TWOMENANDA TRUCK ® dotheirmoving thaneverbefore.Andwhy not.Forjustafewdollars morethanrentinga truckandtryingto roundupallyour friendstohelp,it’seasi-

The sneaky way inflation is hurting seniors

By Thomas Ryan

ertocall TWOMENANDA TRUCK ®.Letustakecareof everything.Frompacking tounpacking,everymove canbetailoredtomeet your individualneeds. Plus,itwon’tcostyou anarmandaleg,not tomentionyour back.

er to call TWO MEN AND A TRUCK ®. Let us take care of everything. From packing to unpacking, every move can be tailored to meet your individual needs. Plus, it won’t cost you an arm and a leg, not to mention your back.

PRESENTTHISCOUPONANDRECEIVE

Call (719) 576-6683

Inflation has soared to the highest level in four decades. Gas is roughly 40 percent more expensive than it was a year ago. Groceries are up about 10 percent.

Yet there’s one sector of the economy where prices are growing much more slowly: health care. And ironically, that’s creating problems for patients who rely on home medical equipment like power wheelchairs, ventilators and home oxygen equipment.

munity or exits Medicare entirely because of stagnant payment rates and rising costs, then she may have to seek care more frequently in expensive clinical settings, or may end up in the emergency room.

Or consider someone who relies on a wheelchair to live independently. If the home care provider they rely on to service their wheelchair disappears, possible consequences include impaired mobility at home, the need to bring on a part- or full-time caregiver, or even transitioning to an assisted living facility.

Call(719)576-6683fordetails

Fillmore

3220FillmoreRidgeHeights ColoradoSprings,CO80907

Colorado Springs, CO

All-Inclusive

Elderly)

for seniors, assisting participants

they

enjoyable

The providers they depend on for their home care are getting walloped by rising labor, transportation and material costs. But unlike other businesses, they can’t simply raise prices to compensate. Their prices are effectively set by Medicare. Those reimbursement rates are based on a seven-year-old formula that barely covered providers’ costs before inflation took off.

Unless Congress intervenes to raise reimbursement rates soon, millions of Americans would no longer be able to get the care they need at home. At best, they’d have to move into nursing homes or other clinical facilities. At worst, some could go without care altogether.

Scenarios like these are already happening. And the problems will multiply if home medical equipment reimbursement rates remain unchanged even as inflation spikes.

Thankfully, a bipartisan group of lawmakers in the House have introduced legislation that would address this looming crisis. The DMEPOS Relief Act would raise payments for many providers of home medical equipment by an average of 9 percent. This would provide a lifeline to local home medical equipment providers burdened by inflation and more importantly, the patients who rely on them for care.

It’s also inexpensive, relative to Medicare’s budget. Home medical equipment accounts for less than 2 percent of Medicare spending. More importantly, home-based care can keep people out of higher-cost environments like hospitals and nursing homes.

Transportation from home to medical appointments and our adult day health center.

Transportation from your home to your medical appointments and our adult day health center.

The double whammy of inflation and supply chain snags has hit home care companies hard. Key supplies like replacement parts for power wheelchairs and tubing for home oxygen machines have been hard to come by. When the equipment patients and home care providers need is available, the price of shipping and transportation is almost prohibitive.

Coordinated care plans that makes it easy to access highly qualified doctors, nurses, and specialists.

Coordinated care plans that make it easy to access qualified doctors, nurses, and specialists.

Rocky

Our staff and other seniors create a caring community that will help you or your loved one thrive.

Our staff and other seniors just like you create a caring community that will help you thrive.

Imagine a senior with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, who is dependent on home oxygen. If her home care provider scales back service in her com-

The current inflationary spiral is a national crisis. Home care providers and the patients they serve are finding that out the hard way. It’s time for Congress to ensure these patients can get the care they need by updating Medicare’s reimbursement rates. T

A wide variety of exciting activities and events to stay active and engaged.

A wide variety of exciting activities and events to keep you active and engaged.

Here’s how PACE can make healthcare stress-free

Let us help you or your loved one Live Happier by offering stress-free healthcare through:

Thomas Ryan is president and CEO of American Association for Home Care. This piece originally ran in Medical Economics.

Fall in Love With

GRACIOUS RETIREMENT LIVING

Resident Juanita Cruz

“WOW OH WOW.”

“My exact words as I walked into Summit Glen were ‘Wow oh wow.’ The atmosphere is beyond words. Happy residents enjoy their meals with great food in the dining room, there’s the safety of live-in managers 24/7, the cleanliness, great walking paths, beautiful grounds, all the activities and entertainment. I have a new family of friends who are very friendly. Summit Glen has eased the loneliness that consumed me after the loss of a loved one, and I cannot find the exact words to thank God for directing me here. Home is where the heart is, and Summit Glen is it!”

Residents Bill and Sandra Patheal

“THERE’S PEACE OF MIND.”

“Living at Summit Glen takes the ‘sting’ out of getting old! There’s peace of mind having an excellent management team available 24 hours a day. We can decorate and furnish our own roomy apartment to make it home, and the dining room with the cheerful young servers creates a very happy atmosphere. The most important advantage of living here is all the many activities and the opportunity to make many new friends.”

Resident Loren Loy

“WHAT MORE COULD I ASK FOR?”

“Living at Summit Glen is a pleasure. The food is excellent, with many choices to pick from. My apartment is super, and the accommodations are great. More importantly, the young people who work here are fantastic. Lots of good entertainment is provided by the activity coordinator and her helpers. What more could I ask for? Thanks to our wonderful management team!”

ARE YOU

Medicare information and enrollment—I can help

Let’s discuss Medicare Advantage and how it fits into your life

Let’s discuss Medicare Advantage and how it fits into your life

Let’s discuss Medicare Advantage and how it fits into your life

If you’re new to Medicare, I can help you make sense of it.

If you’re new to Medicare, I can help you make sense of it.

Let’s discuss Medicare Advantage and how it fits into your life

If you’re new to Medicare, I can help you make sense of it.

Or maybe you have Medicare now and you’re looking for a new plan—or a new premium. Maybe you want to add coverage, such as a prescription drug plan or a Humana Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan. I’ll listen to you and put information together.

Or maybe you have Medicare now and you’re looking for a new plan—or a new premium. Maybe you want to add coverage, such as a prescription drug plan or a Humana Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan. I’ll listen to you and put information together.

Or maybe you have Medicare now and you’re looking for a new plan—or a new premium. Maybe you want to add coverage, such as a prescription drug plan or a Humana Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan. I’ll listen to you and put information together.

If you’re new to Medicare, I can help you make sense of it.

Or maybe you have Medicare now and you’re looking for a new plan—or a new premium. Maybe you want to add coverage, such as a prescription drug plan or a Humana Medicare Supplement Insurance Plan. I’ll listen to you and put information together.

We’ll find the right plan for you

We’ll find the right plan for you

We’ll find the right plan for you

We’ll find the right plan for you

Then we can discuss how that information may become real in a Humana Medicare Advantage plan that fits your needs. One with everything Original Medicare has—and that may have benefits you might not get with Medicare Part A and Part B.

Then we can discuss how that information may become real in a Humana Medicare Advantage plan that fits your needs. One with everything Original Medicare has—and that may have benefits you might not get with Medicare Part A and Part B.

Then we can discuss how that information may become real in a Humana Medicare Advantage plan that fits your needs. One with everything Original Medicare has—and that may have benefits you might not get with Medicare Part A and Part B.

Let’s talk. Whatever you’d like to know about Medicare, whatever choices you make about it, I can help.

Then we can discuss how that information may become real in a Humana Medicare Advantage plan that fits your needs. One with everything Original Medicare has—and that may have benefits you might not get with Medicare Part A and Part B.

Call a licensed Humana sales agent

Let’s talk. Whatever you’d like to know about Medicare, whatever choices you make about it, I can help.

Let’s talk. Whatever you’d like to know about Medicare, whatever choices you make about it, I can help.

Let’s talk. Whatever you’d like to know about Medicare, whatever choices you make about it, I can help.

Humana MarketPoint® Of fice 719-532-7700 (TTY: 711)

Call a licensed Humana sales agent

Call a licensed Humana sales agent

Humana

Humana

Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m

719-532-7700 (TTY: 711)

719-532-7700 (TTY: 711)

Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m

Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m

A more human way to

A more human way to healthcare™

A more human way to healthcare™

(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):

語言援助服務 。請致電 1-877-320-1235 (TTY：711) 。

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, marital status or religion. 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 ，您可以免費獲得 語言援助服務 。請致電 1-877-320-1235 (TTY：711)

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, marital status or religion. 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

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, marital status or religion. 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):

語言援助服務 。請致電 1-877-320-1235 (TTY

語言援助服務

1-877-320-1235 (TTY

711)

711)