In Your Prime - Spring 2012

YOUR

PRIME IN

A quarterly supplement serving Adams, Brown, Clinton, Fayette, and Highland counties

SPRING

2012

Serenity On the water

Photos by Carol Chroust

A couple heads out to try their luck at Cowan Lake. See page 5 for more fishing photos.

Those who fish reel in a positive state of mind

By CAROL CHROUST Contributing writer

For many seniors, fishing is a leisurely sport that encourages them to get out of the house and into the outdoors. Remaining active and interested in a hobby or activity helps maintain good health and a positive frame of mind.

“Fishing is my life,” said Delmer Rains. “It was always a part of my life, but now it IS my life.

There’s nothing like it in the world!”

The first nice days of spring found quite a few seniors at Cowan Lake in Clinton County. Many had infirmities that kept them in a wheelchair and housebound last winter.

Others had personal losses

that weighed heavily through the long hours shut indoors. The prospect of fishing was something to look forward to! It seems to take peoples’ minds off their troubles and ailments. All were upbeat and happy about getting out with their fishing poles and the possibility of catching a catfish, bass, crappie and, if they were lucky, a few bluegill.

Some catch fish for others to enjoy.

“I catch enough fish to have enough for a church supper and our family reunion,” said one lady who goes fishing at various area lakes. “I’m one of a family of 12 brothers and sisters.”

That’s a lot of fish!

“And, it’s so peaceful

YOUR

PRIME IN

Jim Farley of Harveysburg heads to the fishing pier at Cowan Lake. “I saw a man at the river last week,” he said.

“He had an oxygen tank and was on oxygen and was still out fishing. He was 80.”

A passion for purple and love of life at 99

A quarterly supplement serving Adams, Brown, Clinton, Fayette, and Highland counties

SPRING

2012

INSIDE...

Oldest cheerleader in the NFL Page 11

By ANDREA L. CHAFFIN achaffin@wnewsj.com

The first thing one notices when walking into Evelyn VanDerVoort’s apartment is the birthday cards. She started arranging them on the doors, counter tops and tables, but Sinking Spring resident Mary Wolfe collab- quickly ran out of room orated with writer Pat Lawrence to chronicle at her Cape May Retirethe story of her life. ment Village residence in Wilmington.

Last week, she received 165 cards for her in Hillsboro journalist Ohio Pat Lawrence and the Community Media two have produced, After her “The House That

By MARSHA MUNDY 90th birthday, Mary Built,” a small Ohio Community Media Mary Wolfe real- book that chronicles A Georgetown couple ized she wanted to Mary’s life and the share her life story changing social land- was recently recognized at the longest-married — not just for her scape around her. couple in Ohio. Marvin grandchildren, but It follows Mary also for their grandfrom her idyllic child- and Margaret Case were included in a nationwide children, to offer hood in the 1920s them a better underthrough her years as a search by Worldwide Marriage Encounter to standing of their own WWII “war widow” find the longest married lives. Her only obsta- and details the prescouple in each state. cles were blindness sures and conseWorldwide Marriage and the difficulty of quences of an Encounter delegates organizing decades of increasingly oppresKeith and Lori Maumemories into a read- sive marriage. rmeier, of Cincinnati, able narrative.

Fortunately, she See WOLFE, found a kindred spirit Page 6 See CASE, Page 7

Blindness no barrier

Special work with special children

Evelyn in 1932, in the dress that she wore at her high school graduation and at her wedding.

99th birthday. Many are purple, her favorite color.

“You can look at them,” she offered, admiring each one. “Can you believe it?”

Born on April 8, 1913 in Clinton County to Earl West and Eva Henry, VanDerVoort is the oldest of three See VANDERVOORT, Page 10

Longest-married couple in Ohio

Page 2

Hero honored Page 10

Don’t Pay Too Much See Your Monument Leader!

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out here,” she added.

Fishing is a wonderful occupation in settings that are relaxing and uplifting.

“I never thought I’d see the day when I could just take off and go fish!” said a newly retired minister.

“I worked full-time all of my life. I enjoyed it. I also pastored a church. I enjoyed it too. I recently served two small Methodist churches in the area. I always fished, but not whenever I wanted to.”

Treat yourself to a morning, day or evening at the lake, advises one enthusiast.

All it takes is a license, pole, line, cork, bait and a little patience. And, as an old fishing adage goes, “Keep a tight line.”

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Marvin and Margaret Case in their home in Georgetown.

2

In Your Prime - Spring 2012

Hartley has special bond with children she helps

By RYAN CARTER Ohio Community Media

It takes a truly caring, committed and passionate person to choose to work with kids who have learning disabilities.

The amazing compassion and patience that goes into this work often goes unnoticed and unrecognized. For Jenni Hartley, it’s never been about the recognition — it’s just simply what she loves to do.

After working in the medical field, including a stint at Fayette County Memorial Hospital, Hartley decided to start substitute teaching in 2001.

“I always wanted to be a teacher but I decided to go into medical instead,” she said.

OCM photo/Ryan Carter

Miami Trace Elementary handicap aide Jenni Hartley works with second-grader Dalton Gilliard. Hartley specializes in working with autistic kids and kids who have severe behavior disorders. Her focus is mainly in the multiple-handicapped unit.

“When I started subbing, I saw how much I enjoyed it.” Hartley, who is now a handicap aide at Miami Trace Elementary School, loves working with and educating all children, but she has always had a special bond with kids who have special needs.

“My niece has Down’s Syndrome so I got a lot of experience working with her,” said Hartley.

“My mother and sister taught so it’s kind of in the blood.”

Hartley specializes in working with autistic kids and kids who have severe behavior disorders and her focus is mainly in the multiple-handicapped unit. “With the autistic children, it’s about keep-

ing them focused,” she said. “It takes them a long time to process what is being said. You have to be patient with them and nurture them.”

Hartley, an Ontario, Canada native, has worked at every building in the Miami Trace school district except for the old Wilson Elementary.

Her experiences have been very rewarding, she said. “I just love it,” she said.

“Everybody here is really good to me and it’s a great place to work. I’m here for the kids to learn and for them to have fun, and it’s a joy to watch them grow.

“At the end of the day, you go home smiling.”

Boomers fight aging with team, fitness sports LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) The country’s largest generation is running, walking, swimming and using exercise machines in hopes of changing the face of aging.

Baby boomers the 78 million Americans born between 1946 and 1964 are working to counteract the effects of getting older.

They grew up watching Jane Fonda workout videos and were the first generation where large numbers exercised from their early years onward.

“Are the boomers playing more sports than 20 years ago? I think the answer to that is yes,” said Tom Cove, president of Sports Goods Manufacturers Association. It annually surveys Americans about their exercise activities. “The boomers are dramatically more active and the numbers are much more skewed to fitness and

According to one doctor, research shows that 70 percent of how we age is lifestyle choices, while 30 percent is genetic outdoor activities.”

They sign up for swimming classes and will pay to play basketball or hockey at odd hours in facilities used by youth during the day. People tend to do the same activities as in their youth, said Bill Beckner, research manager for the Virginia-based National Recreation and Parks Association. That could mean new sorts of senior activity centers.

“I keep waiting to see the first senior skate park,” he said. “I won’t be surprised when it shows up.”

And while boomers like their exercise to be social, the number participating in organized team sports is growing slowly because scheduling the time can be difficult. Across all ages,

the percentage of people participating in team sports grew by low single digits in the most recent survey in 2011, ending a two-year decline in sports such as tackle football, soccer, basketball and baseball. Participation had suffered due to the economic slowdown, Cove’s survey states.

There is also the problem of availability: Many communities don’t have enough fields for everyone who wants to play organized sports.

“Where ballparks are at a premium … usually they have a priority for the kids,” Beckner said.

Les Clemmons, 58, of Lubbock, played softball as a youngster and was happy eight years ago

when he found an over-50 league. It grew so popular a few years ago some games were starting at 10:30 p.m. that players had to move beyond the one field the city gave the league one night a week.

The league, now about 120-players strong plays at an older city park where it gets two fields one night a week.

The games provide more than just exercise, Clemmons said. Good friendships get built and are “the most important thing,” he said. “It’s more about camaraderie, teamwork.”

His 57-year-old league colleague, banker Gary McCoy, agreed but said players also enjoy the competition.

“It gives us that competitive relief, sometimes comic,” he said. “It’s not the chronological age; it’s how you feel.”

Boomers also find themselves playing basketball and soccer early in the morning or late in the day.

Where facilities are in higher demand, there is some squeezing out for space. That’s where being older literally pays and businesses fill the void.

Take senior softball leagues, where participation is booming. Games are often played at privately owned and operated facilities.

“They’re for-pay, firstclass facilities,” Cove said.

“There is some evidence there is some crowding out (of youngsters). They’re

looking for who will pay and frankly the older ones are willing to pay.”

Hockey facilities in some areas are tough to find for any age, he said.

“There aren’t enough hockey rinks in the world,” said Cove.

At health clubs, boomers are outpacing younger generations, said Dr. Vonda Wright, an orthopedic surgeon at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and a spokeswoman for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Those 55 and older are joining at a rate of 34 percent a year, while the rate for ages 35 to 55 is growing by only 18 percent a year, she said.

A million boomers joined health and fitness clubs between 2007 and 2010, according to a See BOOMER SPORTS, 6

Spring into a

Move

Helen and Cloyd Richardson February 2, 2010 Rushed to the hospital after a serious car accident.

Spring 2010 Transferred to the AGMC Rehab Unit for rehabilitation.

Summer 2010 Continue to make strides with outpatient therapy.

Fall 2010 Returned to AGMC just to say hello to the staff they grew to love.

Living proof that the road to recovery begins at Adena Greenfield Medical Center.

Cloyd and Helen Richardson’s lives took a turn when their car was struck by another vehicle. After lengthy hospital stays, they were transferred to AGMC’s rehabilitation center where they would undergo comprehensive inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation services. Fortunately for the Richardsons, our CARF*-accredited facility has a proven track record of successful outcomes, exceeding the national standards. With a plan that included a healthy balance of intense rehabilitation and encouraging pats on the back, Helen and Cloyd are back home and well on their way to a full recovery. Living proof that with expert care and determination, a serious accident can be just a speed bump in your life. To learn more about AGMC’s rehabilitation services, visit www.adena.org/agmcrehab.

For more information

937-382-2995 ckoerner@capemay.oprs.org

*Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) 2275388

In Your Prime - Spring 2012

3

Honesty has been the Hess policy for more than 50 years

By MEREDITH CREEK Ohio Community Media

With honesty at the forefront, Hess Auction Company provides complete service from beginning to end. Now owned and operated by Glenn Hess and his son, Brad, the company aims to carry on a tradition that started more than a half-century ago. “I’ve been around auctions since I was 6-years old,� Glenn said. “We all grew up around it and were intrigued by it.�

Glenn’s parents, Lela May and the late Dannie Hess, developed the auction company that has maintained a strong presence in Highland County’s many communities since 1954.

In 1967, Glenn joined his father on the auction scene as part of the company, followed by fellow auctioneer John Grover in 1986 and Brad in 1991.

Each of the men in the Hess family trained at the Reppert School of Auctioneering in Indiana. “Dad retired in 2005 and passed away two years ago. He was an integral part of where we are at today. “He and my mother worked together in the business and got things rolling. Mom did the book work and Dad did the auctioneering,� Glenn said.

As partners in the business, Glenn and Brad also work as salesmen with

Hess Auction Company, owned by Glenn (left) and Brad (right) began when Glenn’s parents, Lela May and the late Dannie Hess, developed the business in 1954.

Donald D. Fender Real Estate in Hillsboro for both private listings and those at auction. “We do personal property from household items to farm machinery, antiques, and guns. Any personal property that is legal to sell, we sell,� Glenn said.

This includes livestock, which Glenn said the company has all the equipment to sell on site. “John and I sell at the three-day produce auction for Mennonites in Bainbridge,� Brad said. “We do two extremely big consignment auctions in the

spring and fall for them that we all work on.� “We do a consignment auction for Baxla Tractor Sales in Seaman three times per year and the Lynchburg-Clay FFA consignment auction once per year,� Glenn said.

The company also does a farm equipment consignment auction, as well as a consignment auction once per year for the Amish community in Hillsboro, in addition to Supplementary Assistance to the Handicapped auctions and county fair auctions throughout the year.

As auctioneers, the

Hess men have accumulated several awards and honors. Among those, Brad won the Ohio Auctioneer State Bid Calling contest in 1995 and in 2000, and was recognized with the President’s Club Award for selling more than $2.5 million. “Since 1999, we have both been in the MillionDollar Club for realtors and in 2011, we sold a combined $4.84 million in real estate,� Brad said. “Two-thousand eleven was a good year and we want to do it again,� Glenn said. “In a time when everyone felt the real es-

tate market had a bad year, we are thankful.�

Growing up in Buford, both Glenn and Brad graduated from LynchburgClay High School where Glenn served on the board of education for more than a decade and Brad is preparing to begin his stint on the BOE. Glenn also served as the minister at Union Church of Christ, where he and his entire family still attend services. “We’ve been in the farm community all of our life. Raising cattle is our hobby to a point. That’s our golf game,� Glenn

said. “We do enjoy watching our grandkids play ball, show cattle and be involved in 4-H.� “We all grew up with an ag background,� said Brad, who is married to Kim Hess who does the accounting for Hess Auction Company.

The couple has two sons, Bricen, 13, and Caden, 10.

In addition to Brad, Glenn and his wife, Joyce, have a daughter, Jana (Hess) Holbrook. Joyce is active in the auction company by typing sale bills and clerking at auctions. “It really is a wholefamily business,� Glenn said. “We’re together every day.�

Glenn added that the company provides a unique opportunity to bring together both the seller and the buyer the day of the sale and that sales are completed in a timely fashion. “We offer complete service from beginning to end,� Glenn said. “Yeah, from start to finish,� Brad agreed.

Of high importance to the Hess Auction Company is “customer satisfaction and carrying on the tradition of honesty that Dannie started,� Brad said.

The men stated that their trucks are their office and that potential customers may visit www.hessauctionco.com or call Glenn at 937-7632455 or Brad at 937-7634455.

Community Care Hospice preparing for eighth annual golf tourney June 15 Community Care Hospice is sponsoring its eighth annual Angel Care golf tournament June 15 at Elks 797 Golf Club.

The golf outing is one of community care’s premiere events with lunch,

prizes, silent auctions and golfing in support of Community Care Hospice which is providing care for local patients and their families, provided by a local staff of health care professionals.

The commitment of Community Care Hospice is to provide compassionate care so people can die in peace and comfort with dignity. Community Care Hospice cares for all patients regardless of ability

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a 9 a.m. tee time, opportunities to win prizes and recognition through best short competitions, a holein-one for a car and a lunch sponsored by Elks Lodge staff. Team registration for four golfers is

$400. For an additional $100, golfers can provide a holes sponsorship and recognition as a tournament sponsor. Proceeds from the outing will be dedicated to patients who are uninsured.

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In Your Prime - Spring 2012

Spring in bloom at Sugar Grove Cemetery

By CAROL CHROUST Contributing Writer

A welcome early spring was accompanied by a stunning display of blossoms and blooms. The trees, bushes and plants at Sugar Grove Cemetery in Wilmington were spectacular. Many of the recent plantings were made by the late Dr. Nathan Hale and Dr. Fred Anliot. Hale was a physician at Clinton County Memorial Hospital and Anliot was a professor of biology at Wilmington College.

Before and after retirement, the two activists spent their spare time beautifying the cemetery, measuring and recording the largest trees in Clinton County and starting the Clinton County Streamkeepers, an organization that protects and preserves the streams and waterways in Clinton County.

The loving and devoted efforts of Hale and Anliot leave a lasting legacy of beauty and preservation for posterity and the enjoyment of many generations to come.

Anliot also managed the Frank O. Hazard Arboretum and established the Herbarium at Wilmington College.

He played a key role in establishing five parks in the county. After reading in old textbooks and original pioneer manuscripts, Anliot learned the ancient White Swamp Forest was once in Clinton County.

On foot and by vehicle, he

Weeping bushes grace the drive at Sugar Grove Cemetery.

Photos by Carol Chroust

Tulip bush blossom prepares to unfurl.

searched for it for years.

Finally, he literally took to the air, found what remained of the White Swamp Forest and undertook to have it preserved.

The preserve, the AnliotDavidson Nature Preserve, appropriately bears his name.

Among many endeavors, Hale created the Hale Hospital Arboretum and

was active in the Clinton Rails-to-Trails Coalition.

A bridge on the Luther Warren Peace Trail was named after him as well as the nature trail in J.W. Denver Williams Jr. Memorial Park. Another bridge on the Peace Trail was named after his wife, Margery Hale, who was also active in nature preservation. The Peace

Trail is located directly behind the cemetery and the cemetery can be accessed from the trail.

Take a walk or drive through the cemetery to view the beautiful plantings and be uplifted and inspired any time of the year.

Notice the original unique cemetery design in the shape of a butterfly’s wings designed by landscape architect Leo Weltz.

In his earlier years, the landscape architect designed landscapes and gardens for European royalty and nobility. He died in Wilmington in 1890 and chose to be buried in Sugar Grove Cemetery.

Bark on a tree is like an artist’s palette of pastel shades.

Small gardens on either side of the front gate welcome visitors to the cemetery in Wilmington.

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A plant from the Wilmington Garden Club is featured at the front gate gardens.

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The staff at Wilmington Nursing & Rehab have been absolutely wonderful and have been right by my side helping me to recover and get better. They have kept me and my family well informed of my condition and of what my doctor’s have been wanting to do to help. Sherry Fleming, Director of Therapy and Tammy Murray, PT are top notch and have been with me every step of the way with my rehabilitation. They have encouraged me every day and their door is always open if I even need to talk.

The STNA’s are wonderful. They have been like family to me. They work closely with me and treat me like their own family, with love and respect, always there to help, lend a hand and talk to me whenever I need them.

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In Your Prime - Spring 2012

5

Spring fishing The Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ (ODNR) Division of Wildlife invites anglers to visit www.ohiodnr.com/creel to take an online angler survey.

Jossie Hickey of Goshen, right, is one of several out enjoying a good fishing day at Cowan Lake recently.

Jossie caught enough fish for a church supper and family-reunion fish fry.

Photos by Carol Chroust

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In Your Prime - Spring 2012

Fitness tips to help stay motivated (Family Features) Millions of people make a vow to lose weight or start a fitness plan, but many lose the motivation it takes to sustain a fit and active lifestyle within just a few weeks. With the right tools and support though, finding motivation to stay fit can be a snap.

Father, New York Times best-selling author, and “Extra” TV host Mario Lopez finds his motivation to stay fit using the techniques of his personal trainer, Jimmy Peña. Now, Peña wants to help people keep their fitness vows using the same techniques by offering these simple tips to maintain motivation all year long: Start Small • If you haven’t been active in a long time, don’t stress your muscles by doing too much too fast. Start slowly by taking the stairs or squeezing in a 20-minute jog on your lunch break.

Build Up Endurance • Track your progress and continue to build upon your exercise activities whether you’re running or jogging a route,

walking a path, biking, swimming or weight training, to push yourself a little farther each week.

Grab a Partner • You can improve exercise performance by having a partner who pushes you to your limits.

But if you prefer to workout solo, the built-in audio trainer in the new MOTOACTV from Motorola can provide motivation.

It’s like having a personal trainer right in your ear says Peña.

The device tracks fitness stats including time, distance, heart rate and even calories burned.

Then, upload your workout to www.motoactv.com to analyze the performance data.

Turn Up the Volume • Music is key for most of his clients, Peña says.

When they’re running out of steam, the right song can help put them on track to meet their fitness goals. Creating playlists of different music that keeps you motivated for different types of activities can really help keep you going. Remember to refresh playlists, as you can quickly tire of the same music.

BOOMER SPORTS Continued from 2 survey from the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association.

Wright said research shows that 70 percent of how we age is lifestyle choices, while 30 percent is genetic.

Doctors say boomers who’ve been active most of their lives and are reaching their late 50s or early 60s can continue to do so but with modifications. For those who have been sedentary much of

their lives, they say, it’s never too late to start moving.

It is important for boomers to work to strengthen the muscle groups around joints, like knees and hips, to avoid injury.

Numbers crunched by the orthopedic surgeon’s group show boomers are already feeling the ouch.

Doctors’ visits for symptoms and diseases of the musculoskeletal system

WOLFE Continued from 1 Although blind from macular degenerations for the past 25 years, in her early life Mary was a musician, an avid reader, the well-traveled wife of a prominent Dayton businessman and a mother of

About half of Ohioans confident of Social Security

three. She lives on Brush Creek Farm, outside of Sinking Springs.

She says, “My husband found this property in 1958, and bought it for $67 an acre.” How the farm became hers is a critical part

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) About 46 percent of adults surveyed in Ohio are confident Social Security will be there for them throughout retirement and 56 percent are confident they’ll benefit from Medicare.

The survey was conducted for AARP Ohio for a Monday event in Columbus to help kick off a nationwide AARP “You’ve Earned a Say” campaign aimed at increasing conversation about health and retirement security. Those attending will link via satellite feed with others in Virginia, Florida and Colorado.

AARP Ohio President Mike Barnhart says volunteers will work throughout the year “to ensure that Ohioans get the say they earned.”

The survey of 500 Ohioans 18 and older was conducted from Feb. 6 to March 1 by Woelfel Research Inc. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.

and connective tissue in 2009 for boomers were markedly higher than five years earlier. Numbers of hip and knee replacements also are up.

Wright’s suggestions for boomers are to work on flexibility, do aerobic exercise regularly, carry a load that uses muscles in three planes of motion, rather than using weight machines, and equilibrium and balance.

“I believe we are saving lives by saving mobility,” Wright said.

Dr. Mimi Zumwalt, a 50-year-old orthopedic surgeon at Texas Tech

University who has injured both of her shoulders during fitness competitions, said active boomers need to think smarter about their bodies.

“You can’t slow down the aging process but at least you can protect” your body better, she said. “You need to preserve whatever your body has left and respect it.”

That’s what Sandy Collins is doing. A Lubbock resident who works in the Texas Tech athletics department, she played on the Women’s Tennis Association tour in

the 1980s and 1990s, climbing to No. 17 in the world. Because of the wear and tear, she has had surgeries on her left shoulder and four on the same knee. She no longer plays competitively but hits with her teenage daughter.

“You learn your limitations quicker and you listen to them more,” Collins said. “I understand my limitations and accept them because I don’t plan on having any more surgeries.”

Exercise doesn’t stop with the boomer generation, though. Athletes

near the century mark say it can be the proverbial fountain of youth. Houston’s Harry Pepper played baseball, football and some tennis in his younger years.

At 101 he’s still competing. Last year he was the sole entrant in the 100-year-olds’ division at the senior games. He had to compete to win his division, so he bowled with the 95-year-olds, besting their bronze medal winner’s score. “If you want to live, you’ve got to move your body,” Pepper said. “You lose it if you don’t move it.”

of Mary’s tale, but the house in the book title is actually a cross-stitched doll house and it provides an equally critical part of the story.

Always a great reader, Mary now has the local newspapers read to her. She says, “ I was listening to a story in the Shopper about Elaine Ault written by Pat

Lawrence. About halfway through, I said, ‘That’s who I want to write my story!’

And it was the right decision. Sometimes I would call her to say I need to put in something about this, and she’d answer, ‘Yes, I already did.’ It was like osmosis. She knew just what I was thinking.”

Extensive interviews

and a few months work resulted in “The House That Mary Built,” Pat says.

“A lot of living happens over 90 years and things get complicated. Mary wanted to share her life, good parts and bad, in gratitude, in acknowledgment and with a real hope that future generations of her family will benefit from

what they learn from her experiences. It was an honor to be asked to put her story into a book,” said Lawrence.

“Most authors struggle to find a voice. I simply tried to find Mary’s voice, and let her speak. I think people who read the book will enjoy meeting her as much as I did.”

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In Your Prime - Spring 2012

CASE Continued from 1 presented the Cases with documents acknowledging them as the oldest married couple in Ohio in February 2012.

The Cases were married Aug. 22, 1936, in Maysville, Ky. They celebrated their 75th wedding anniversary with a party at the American Legion Post in Georgetown in August 2011.

“I’ve been a member of the Legion since I came back from the service,” said Marvin Case, 95. “I’m not an active member anymore, but I still belong.”

The Cases live in a home in Georgetown built by Marvin’s father in 1924.

“Except for a couple years when I lived in Wilmington and when I went in the service, this has been my home nearly all my life,” said Marvin Case. “I used to live about two blocks east of the courthouse and now I live about two blocks west of the courthouse. I haven’t gone very far in my 95 years.”

Margaret Case, 93, said they met at a dance hall in Georgetown.

“We used to go to the dance hall and had to pay 10 cents to dance,” she said. “Somehow or another he found 10 cents to dance with me and we’ve been dancing ever since.”

Margaret Case lived most of her life in Higginsport, a small town situated along the banks of the Ohio River.

“There were many times when the flood waters got up into our house,” she said. “During the flood of ‘37, the water was up to the eaves of the house.”

The couple worked for a local shoe factory until the war started.

They had only been married a few years when Marvin Case went to Wright-Patterson Field in Dayton to join the Air Force. He served as a cryptographic technician in the Philippines during World War II, sending and receiving encoded top-secret messages.

While he was serving overseas Margaret Case and their daughter, Sharon, lived with Margaret’s parents in Higginsport.

“We had neighbors look after the house when I lived with my parents,” she said. “While living with my parents, he would send me money and with the money I made, I was able to save enough to pay off the house.”

When Marvin Case returned from the war he set up the “52-20” office in Georgetown.

“I met with a man in Batavia who ran the office there and he asked me if I would set up the office here. I ran the office which was set up to give returning soldiers $20 a week for 52 weeks while they looked for a job.”

He sold insurance and shoes for a time and sold and delivered bottled gas before setting up a business in his own back yard.

“We were the owners and operators of Georgetown Paint and Wallpaper until we sold the business in 1986,” he said.

The Cases were kept busy running the local paint store which was set up on their property.

They played a vital role in the restoration of Georgetown’s downtown district.

“When they were revitalizing the downtown buildings they would often come to us with little chips of paint and ask us to match the colors,” said Margaret Case.

The couple seldom took vacations because they did all the work at the store themselves.

Marvin Case says that the only regret he has is that they didn’t get to travel more.

“I’ve always said that the reason they have stayed so healthy is because all they did was work all the time,” said their daughter, Sharon Case Taylor.

She recalled a family vacation in more recent years.

The Cases received the official documentation from the Worldwide Marriage Encounter Cincinnati delegates in February 2012. From left are Marvin Case, Keith and Lori Maurmeier and Margaret Case.

“Because he was a veteran of World War II, dad received an invitation to go to Washington D.C. for the dedication of the World War II Memorial in April 2004,” said Taylor. “There were crowds of people everywhere, but what I remember the most was when people walked up to him and shook his hand to thank him for serving our country.”

When asked how their marriage has survived for so many years when the divorce rate is at 50 percent, Margaret Case responded.

“We took our wedding vows seriously — ‘til death do us part,” she said. “People are too quick to give up. People used to solve their problems themselves. Today they don’t try to patch

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The Cases shared another insight peculiar to their generation.

“We never bought a car on time,” said Margaret Case. “We would save until we had enough to buy what we wanted.”

The Cases, like so many in their generation, were frugal when it came to spending money.

“Mother always cooked at home,” said Taylor. “We never ate at restaurants and she sewed most of my clothes.”

Marvin Case served as the president of the Georgetown High School class of 1935 and is the sole survivor of that class. Margaret Case graduated from Higginsport High School in 1936 and is one of three remaining classmates.

The anniversary celebration in August 2011 brought their entire family together. They are the parents of one son, Jeff Case; one daughter, Sharon Case Taylor; three grandchildren, Marcy Taylor Heaton, Hannah Taylor Silverman and Nathan Taylor and three great-grandchildren, Raina Heaton, Connor Heaton and Arkady Silverman.

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In Your Prime - Spring 2012

Public service and a lifelong career in farming

By RICK HOUSER Contributing writer

“Good ol’ boy” — in its positive sense the term can be used to describe a wellsocialized man who lives in a rural and generally Southern area and may be humble and well thought of.

It is commonly applied to men with a family or generational wealth or prestige, or overall fine moral behavior.

Such a description might fit Adams County Commissioner Roger Rhonemus. “From my earliest memories, I have always wanted to be a farmer,” Rhonemus said.

Looking back on his life, one would never question his statement. Rhonemus was born in Springfield, Ohio, and at the age of 2 his family moved to Adams County. As he grew up and attended West Union School, he was introduced to 4-H and the Future Farmers of America. Becoming a member in both organizations, his passion for farming, and the overall understanding of man and nature sharing the same planet in harmony, grew clearer. From his fundamental desire to farm, Rhonemus realized that there was more to farming than land and equipment. He also learned in order to succeed, one must cultivate friends to harvest their trust. So as he grew (he now stands 6-foot, 5inches tall) so did his dreams of helping make things around him better.

In high school Rhonemus was a participant in almost any contest that the vocational agriculture organizations, school and his church were holding. He said his parents felt if there was a contest, he should give it a try. Through the

As a teenage FFA member, Rhonemus plants a tree Adams County Commissioner Roger Rhonemus beside the Adams County flag, with his proud mother assisting. which was designed by local historian Stephen Kelley.

were to become a county commissioner for Adams County. This was 12 years ago, and three terms later Rhonemus has decided to step down from the office he has held so long. During his terms in office, the county has excelled in economic and environmental improvements. “I have loved serving the people of this county and being involved in the deals that have improved the quality for the people living in Adams County,” he said.

He admits he will miss the elected office and being In 1959 Roger Rhonemus sits on what became his fa- involved with the deals for the county and meeting all vorite toy. He always aspired to be a farmer. the people. It is very many events and rewards being able to talk and con- doubtful that this man will he received over the years, vey. After graduating from ever stop meeting people. he became very adept at high school, Rhonemus “I love meeting people bepublic speaking. “When I continued his love for the cause all things are done first participated I was land and just kept expandfor the betterment of the very nervous, but as time ing his farming business. people,” he said. After has passed I have overHe also married and added Dec. 31 when his term is come the shyness,” he two sons and a daughter, up and he returns to prisaid. “But to this day, just of whom he is very proud. vate citizen life, there is before I speak, I get a little Then along came the idea still a lot of farming to do, nervous. Not about speakthat he could be of help to along with spending more ing, but I’m worried I his community by becomtime with his family, and won’t convey properly ing a township trustee. especially his grandchilwhat it is I want to say.”

This office he held for dren. Even though he says Anyone who has ever eight years. Then he defarming will occupy his talked with him knows he cided maybe he could be time, those who know him has definitely overcome of even more help if he say it is a very good bet

An 11-year-old Roger Rhonemus poses a steer.

this man of the people will stay involved in the working of Adams County.

“Adams County is such a special place to live in.

There are natural sights and plants that only exist in this county, and we are so fortunate to have them right in front of us,” When asked why he likes being so involved and interested in his community, he said, “my mom’s parents and my dad’s parents raised my mom and dad to do better than they were. My mom and dad raised my brother and two sisters and

myself to do better than them. My wife and I have tried to raise our children to do better than us, and I hope they are doing the same with their children.

That is how it is supposed to be, in my opinion.” It seems like an easy formula to follow — just work hard, be honest and talk to everyone you meet. “There is an old saying that goes like this — ‘people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care,’” Rhonemus said. Such is his formula for success.

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In Your Prime - Spring 2012

Tradition says, plant Paulownia when daughter is born Submitted by Wilmington Tree Commission

Once called a Pavlovnia tree, but now referred to as a Paulownia tree, this fast growing exotic from eastern Asia was named after Princess Anna Pavlovna, Queen of the Netherlands (1795-1865).

There is a great specimen planted in Wilmington at the southwest corner of West Vine and North Mulberry streets, which should be in glorious purple bloom very shortly. It is definitely worth the timely drive-by.

A charming old tradition dictates that you should plant a Paulownia tree when your daughter is born.

By the time she marries, it is time to cut it down in order to make a chest of drawers for her wedding day.

The wood is pale, very lightweight with a straight grain. It is both rot resistant and warp resistant, and has a high ignition point, which makes it highly bendable and excellent for crafting surf boards, musical instruments, and jewelry boxes.

Some even consider the Paulownia tree a very invasive “weed tree,” since it is a prodigious seeder with no known insect enemies, though it is attractive to wood boring insects (USFS Fact Sheet).

Huge clusters of lavender flowers emerge in spring on 15-inch long panicles with purple corollas, before the large 15-inch heart-shaped opposite pair-

Contributed photo

Huge clusters of lavender flowers emerge on the Paulownia tree in the spring.

ing leaves appear.

It is interesting to note that the dry capsule fruit contains thousands of tiny seeds.

This ornamental tree is extremely fast-growing, reaching a height of 50feet-by-40 feet wide, and providing quick shade. Some species of plantation Paulownia trees are harvested for sawtimber within five years, and can regenerate from their existing deep root system (About.Forestry.com).

According to the USFS Fact Sheet, Paulownia trees

can be planted in “contaminated soils which have resulted from industrialized development.” They are a “phyto-remediator, increasing the organic content of degraded soils, processing and filtering contaminants through the uptake of its vascular system, and emitting oxygen into the atmosphere.”

Paulownia trees grow well in deep moist welldrained soil on steep slopes or open valleys. An excellent tree for land erosion in Zones 5B-9, where temperatures are moderately cold, but it does need protection

Contributed photo

There is a great specimen of the Paulownia tree planted in Wilmington at the southwest corner of West Vine and North Mulberry streets.

from the wind. They require lots of light and do not like high water tables.

The Wilmington Tree Commission (WTC) is hosting an educational Tree Walk at Wilmington College on Wednesday,

‘Horsepower,’ yard sale events for hospice Community Care Hospice will hold its 2012 yard sale on Friday, June 1 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday, June 2 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., at the old Littletons building located at 982 W. Locust St. in Wilmington.

The sale will be held rain or shine. CCH is currently accepting donated items to be sold.

No clothes or stuffed animals will be accepted.

Pick-up is available for those who want to donate, but cannot drop off.

The last day for pick up or drop off is Friday, May 25.

Total proceeds from this sale will be directed to patient care.

Cash donations will also be accepted.

Questions can be directed to Clinton County Hospice at 382-5400, Joyce Noland at 382-4745, or Patty Taylor at 4814828.

Horsepower for Hospice The 2012 Horsepower for Hospice event will be held at the Hillsboro Amvets Park at Rocky Fork Lake, located at 11539 N. Shore Drive in Hillsboro. If traveling on state Route 124, turn left

on North Shore Drive.

The event will be held June 7, 8, 9 and 10. Thursday, June 7 will be a family night with karaoke for the kids, movies on a big screen and popcorn.

Live music, camping, rides, contests, 50/50 drawings, corn-hole, biker games and tattoos will be featured throughout the weekend. “There will be food, refreshments, an auction and plenty of fun for a good cause,” said a spokesperson.

The cost is $15 a person or $25 for two. Call Cody Scott at 981-3501 or 4032407 for more information.

May 15, at 7 p.m.. Meet in the parking lot of Kettering Hall. Chris Hodgson, retired forester from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and Wilmington Tree Commission President Rick Stanforth will lead the walk and

point out many details of the gorgeous trees that are planted there. Cost is free!

For further information, or to make a donation to the WTC, contact Chris Hodgson at 289-3449 or email kchodgson1@juno.com.

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Through funding from the Older Americans Act, AAA7 provides a Caregiver Support Program designed to provide services that can help reduce stress, in addition to resources that can aid with providing better care for not only the loved one, but the individual caregiver as well.

A caregiver is anyone who is caring for someone who cannot complete

everyday functions such as dressing, feeding or using the restroom. Although caregiving is a loving and giving act, it often brings with it hard work, stress, and questions.

Those interested in learning more can call toll-free at 1-800-582-7277.

Callers can speak with a nurse or social worker who will assist them with information on programs and services. The agency also offers an in-home assessment at no cost.

Information is also available on www.aaa7.org, or the agency can be contacted through e-mail at info@aaa7.org. The agency also has a Facebook page located at www.facebook.com/AreaAgencyOnAgingDistrict7.

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In Your Prime - Spring 2012

Wilmington native entering Military Hall of Fame for Valor A. U.S. Navy veteran from Wilmington will soon be inducted into The Ohio Military Hall of Fame for Valor.

Harlan K. Sims, a petty officer in the Navy during World War II, was awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious and heroic achievement as a member of an underwater demolition team prior to the capture of Guam from the Japanese between July 17 and 21, 1944.

Sims is a native of Wilmington and entered the U.S. Navy from Wilmington.

He currently resides in Dayton.

The 13th annual induction ceremony for The Ohio Military Hall of Fame for Valor class of

2012 will be conducted Friday, May 4.

The ceremony will take place in Veterans Plaza at the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus starting at 11:30 a.m.

This year’s class includes representatives from the U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps who served during World War II, as well as the conflicts in Korea, Vietnam and the Middle East.

These Ohioans have gone above and beyond the call of duty and performed heroically in specific combat actions against armed enemies of the United States.

For their actions, they have received such commendations as the Navy

Medal and the Navy Commendation Medal.

In addition to Wilmington, this year’s inductees were born in and/or entered military service from or currently reside in Ohio towns and cities including Aberdeen, Ashland, Cambridge, Campbell, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Columbus Grove, Dayton, Dundee, Granville, Kenton, Lebanon, Liberty Township, Lima, Marysville, Monroeville, Contributed photo New Concord, Port ClinHarlan Sims while he ton, Roseville, Springfield, was in the U.S. Navy during Tiffin, Toledo, West Mansfield, Youngstown and World War II. Zanesville.

This year’s ceremony Cross, the Silver Star, the will bring the total number Distinguished Flying of Ohio Military Hall of Cross, the Bronze Star, the Fame for Valor inductees Army Commendation to 218, of whom five have

received the Medal of Honor.

The Bronze Star citation for Sims reads, “Undaunted by hostile rifle, machine-gun and mortar fire, Petty Officer Sims effectively assisted in preparing the way for the operations of the combat troops by swimming in, identifying obstacles and destroying these with explosives.

“By his courageous devotion to duty, Petty Officer Sims contributed greatly to the success of the hazardous mission and helped facilitate the subsequent amphibious assault on Guam. His gallant conduct was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.”

The induction ceremony will be open to the public. Currently, Gov. John Kasich, U.S. Rep. Patrick Tiberi; and Thomas Moe, director of Ohio’s Department of Veterans Services, are scheduled to participate, which will culminate with the singing of “God Bless the USA” by Brian Michael Smith.

The Ohio Military Hall of Fame for Valor was established in 2000 to recognize Ohio servicemen and women who were decorated for heroism in combat situations. Visit www.ohioheroes.org for more information regarding The Ohio Military Hall of Fame for Valor and the service members who have been inducted.

VANDERVOORT Continued from 1 siblings. Her family lived on 82 acres of land on Prairie Road, one and a half miles east of Wilmington.

West farmed the land and had a herd of Jersey cattle. For many years, he operated a small dairy and delivered milk each morning into Wilmington. VanDerVoort remembers helping her father bottle the milk, then coming along to Wilmington in the truck to deliver it.

“I knew everybody,” she recalled. “I can still ride along the streets and remember which ones I used to take a pint of milk to, and set it on the porch.”

VanDerVoort attended Shadyside School, a oneroom schoolhouse half a mile down the road from the house, for eight years.

She then graduated from Wilmington High School in 1932, a member of the first class to wear caps and gowns. The ceremony took place on the stage of the Murphy Theatre.

She’s been told she’s the only living member of the class of 100.

She met her husband, Paul, during high school when he showed up on her aunt’s porch looking for a friend attending Wilmington College.

“He came in and they went into the boy’s room and I said to my sister, “Oh June, the best looking guy went in his room. Sit down here and let’s

Evelyn, seated, with her grandchildren, three of whom performed a special rendition of “Hello, Dolly” for their “Granny Vanny” at her birthday party. From left to right, Jennifer Mount and Kimberlee Bonnell of Washington Court House, Tennyson Martin, Timothy Martin and Todd Martin of Wilmington, and Krista George of Hillsboro. Two grandsons missing are Scott Martin of Beavercreek and Anthony George of Orlando, Fla. Friends and family release 99 purple balloons in honor of Evelyn’s 99th birthday at her party, held at Cape May Retirement Village in Wilmington. Purple is her favorite color.

watch,” VanDerVoort confessed. “And when he left she said, ‘I’ve seen better.’

That was my husband!”

“I had been going with another boy, but I never went with anyone else after that.”

The couple was married for 58 years when Paul passed in 1990.

The two had actually married on a Sunday in Newport, Ky., nearly three weeks before her high school graduation. The justice was at a Reds baseball game, leaving the sweethearts waiting. Upon returning, he told VanDerVoort that if she were his daughter, he’d turn her

over his knee.

“We were silly kids,” she laughed. “I was 19 but I’ll always remember that.” VanDerVoort wore a lavender dress created by her aunt to the wedding.

She wore it again under her cap and gown later in the month, she recalled.

The couple went on to have three daughters. Now, there are eight grandchildren, 35 great grandchildren, and after this summer, 15 great-greatgrandchildren.

“Gee, I think I’ve got the world record,” she chuckled.

VanDerVoort was the first administrator of Clin-

Evelyn VanDerVoort, 99, continues an active lifestyle. She was the first administrator of Clinton Memorial Hospital’s fledgling volunteer program in 1961, and continued to serve as a hospital volunteer until 1979.

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to celebrate her birthday, releasing 99 purple balloons. Three of her grandsons dressed up and sang “Hello, Dolly,” changing the words to “Hello, Granny.”

“My doctor tells me every time to keep doing what I’m doing,” she said, adding that she doesn’t take hardly any medicine and eats what she wishes (except for candy).

With a memory that puts many others to shame, a shining personality and an active lifestyle, one could assume VanDerVoort will shortly be celebrating her centennial.

“My father used to say that some people were too ornery to die,” she said before bursting into giggles.

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volunteer until 1979.

She recalls sitting in the home of the then-hospital administrator, Eslie Delin, and asking her, “How would you like to have a volunteer service at our hospital?” she said.

VanDerVoort said the volunteer group started a Ruth Lyons Christmas Club at Clinton Memorial Hospital (CMH), in which children who were in the hospital would each get a gift. There is still a cabinet at the hospital from the club, which she had built at Fisher Lumber, she said.

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In Your Prime - Spring 2012

11

Age no obstacle — Ben-Gal cheerleader at 43

By ANDREA L. CHAFFIN achaffin@wnewsj.com

Laura Vikmanis wasn’t going through a mid-life crisis, like some people inferred — that wasn’t it at all. The divorced 39-yearold mother of two was feeling lost in her life, so she reached back and decided to do what made her happy years ago.

She did what every woman does in such a situation: try out to be a cheerleader for the Cincinnati Bengals. “At first I was like, oh my God. What am I doing?� Vikmanis, who works as a dietitian at Miami Valley Hospital, recently confessed. “But I feel like I’m the spokesperson for the over 40 crowd.�

Growing up in Springboro, she met her now exhusband as a young woman, and continued to date him long-distance while living in Los Angeles for college.

It was when she moved back to Dayton that everything went downhill. Although she realized her impending marriage was all wrong, the wedding money was already tied up, so she went through with it anyway and hoped things would get better.

They didn’t.

Instead, she gained weight throughout the pregnancies of their two daughters, mostly due to a car accident and knee injury when she was nine months pregnant. She left her job and became a stay at home mom. The marriage was verbally abusive and her husband was with a younger woman. “We didn’t do anything at all and I ate like crap,�

Vikmanis said. “Then, I just knew that I couldn’t do this any longer.�

After a messy divorce, a restraining order and a failed rebound relationship,

Laura Vikmanis in her cheerleader outfit.

she set out to find what made her happy and get herself together. She started training for a marathon, but it all led back to an original passion, something she had been doing since she was three years old. “Dancing is where I feel at home,� she said. “It’s like an outlet.�

As legend goes, she was at a Bengals game with her sister watching the cheerleaders and thought, “I could do that. That looks fun.�

So, a few months before turning 40, she went to the auditions. It was hard not to notice all of the 20-somethings “and their perfect little bodies, all young and happy.� “I wanted to tell them they had their whole lives in front of them,� Vikmanis admitted with a giggle. “I was nervous but thought, screw it. This might be something I could enjoy.�

She didn’t make the final cut in 2008, but returned in 2009 and became the NFL’s oldest cheerleader. Now, at 43, she’s completed three seasons as a Ben-Gal. Between multiple practices as a team per week and individual exercise, the job is physical, to say the least. And just like the professional cheerleading programs on TV, the girls go through “glamour consultations.� “They’ll meet you oneon-one and say very nicely that they’d like us to wear a push-up bra and maintain our goal weight,� she said. “We’re a product, so we need to represent them. You really have to be on top of your game if you’re out there in that little outfit.�

She also pays close attention to portion control, but eats everything her daughters do, she said, adding that her job as a dietitian is to not be skinny, but

Finally Finally, Fi lly, The TTh Hear H Hearing ring i Aid You’ve Asking Y ou’ve B Been Ask ing For EARZLINK K Hearin Hearing ng Care, Ohio’ Ohio’s ’s Premier Hear Hearing ring C PProvider Care id offers ff s you the th industr industry’s ry’ y’s most effe effective ective hearing solutions, helping you to...

Laura in a 1987 photo before she decided to transform her life and chase a dream.

healthy, and that she practices what she preaches.

Additionally, each Ben-Gal must be a full-time student or worker.

Vikmanis has written a book about the revolution in her life titled, “It’s Not About the Pom-Poms.� The Ben-Gal herself was at Books ‘N’ More in Wilmington last week to sign copies and meet with readers.

And just when it seemed her life couldn’t make any more of a dramatic twist, New Line Cinema picked up the rights to make her life into a movie, and assigned screenwriters whose

credits include “Gnomeo and Juliet� and “Ratatouille.�

Producers are planning to make the movie a comedy, she said. “So many funny things happen in the cheerleading world,� she said. “They’re definitely showing parts that aren’t so good, but as I’ve gotten older I’ve learned not to take myself so seriously. I think it will be great as a comedy.�

The attention frenzy surrounding the production has See CHEERLEADER, Page 12

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In Your Prime - Spring 2012

CHEERLEADER Continued from 11 been a bit crazy, she admitted, but she’s on a mission to get out the message about verbal abuse.

“Verbal abuse can be hidden under the carpet because physical abuse can be so prominent,” she said.

“Nobody talks about how it affects people. It can just chip away at your self-esteem, then 20 years later you realize you’re not a fraction of your personality anymore.”

The message isn’t just, “everybody become a cheerleader,” she said with a laugh. It’s about dreaming big and letting fears down.

“Just be fearless like when you were younger and stop believing all the bad stuff people are telling you,” she said with an earnest voice. “It doesn’t have to be extreme.

“Whatever your dream is, go do it,” she said. “You can change your life — it’s not set in stone.”

Contributed photos

Above, Laura Vikmanis with her daughters, Lila, left and Alexa, who are now ages 15 and 13. At right, Vikmanis strikes a pose at a Bengals game and left, the cover of her book. Her story is being considered for a movie. She is the oldest cheerleader in the NFL.

Baby boomers turn to college to boost job skills COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Steve Newman never expected to be going back to college in his 50s to train for a new job.

But the 51-year-old Hilliard resident also never expected to get laid off three years ago after 25 years as a civil engineer.

“Fortunately, my wife and I had been making provisions for an undefined emergency since the middle of the previous summer, so we were not

without resources,” Newman said.

With high unemployment, low home values and downsized retirement accounts, hundreds of thousands of baby boomers are turning to college to boost their job skills. The number of students ages 50 to 64 increased 17 percent nationwide between fall 2007 and fall 2009, according to the latest data available from the Na-

tional Center for Education Statistics.

The growth has been even more dramatic at Columbus State Community College. The number of students age 50 and older increased more than 81 percent, to 1,506 students, between fall 2007 and fall last year. That age group is the fastest growing population at the school.

“It used to be that many older adults came to col-

lege to help pass the time during their retirement and to enrich their lives,” said Chandra Bell, a counselor and career-assistance coordinator at Columbus State.

But people are now coming back “because they have lost their jobs, need new skills to keep their jobs or are planning a new career because they can’t afford to retire as planned,” Bell said.

With 78 million baby boomers entering their re-

tirement years, the country not to mention Ohio needs more of these experienced workers to stay in the workforce longer, even in part-time positions, officials said.

“Keeping older workers engaged in the labor force is vital for the continued economic growth of our region,” said Bill LaFayette, a Columbus economist and owner of the consulting firm Regionomics.

The labor force growth rate has already been declining and is projected to slow to a crawl between 2020 and 2025 because of the exodus of baby boomers, he said.

With people living longer, healthier lives, there is also a new demand for programs designed to train the over-50 population, said Celia Crossley, a See COLLEGE, 13

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In Your Prime - Spring 2012

13

Is it time for an adventure?

(Family Features) Women are on the move — especially women of the Baby Boomer generation.

If you’ve felt the urge to see different places and experience a new adventure, you’re not alone. The Travel Industry Association estimates that 32 million single American women traveled at least once last year — and a lot of them were Boomers.

“I’m in my early sixties, and in the last year, I traveled thousands of miles — with my husband and children, with girlfriends and alone,” says Harriet Lewis, vice chairman of Grand Circle Corporation. The company specializes in international travel and adventure for Americans aged 50 or older.

Lewis says that travel can make a difference in our lives as individuals, and in the lives of those we come in contact with.

“During a recent trip to

Egypt, I climbed Mount Sinai late at night in order to see the sunrise. The experience changed my life,” says Lewis. “The Middle East was an area of the world I had explored before, but not in such depth, and spending time with people in Syria, Jordan, Israel and the Sudan in the past year has shifted my worldview. Travel changes us. It makes us more curious, more thoughtful, more tuned in to our world.”

Lewis advises other women who are considering traveling to ask themselves some questions as part of their preparation: • What do you want to gain from your travel experience: Adventure? Culture? Relaxation?

Inspiration? Which destinations, countries or regions interest you most?

Make a list, put them in order, and outline the steps you need to take to make your “bucket list” a reality.

Do you need to schedule

vacation time or start saving?

• Do you want to travel with friends, family, or go it alone? Do want to make your own travel plans or go with a tour operator that will handle the planning for you? If you choose a tour operator, consider the size of the groups (the smaller the better), your cost per day and what you are getting for your dollar. Are the guides local, knowledgeable, and able to connect you with local homes, schools and communities so that you get a real taste of local life? If you are traveling with a tour as a solo traveler (popular among women these days regardless of marital status), ask what the company offers solo travelers in terms of making them feel comfortable. Will they help match you with a roommate of the same gender? How will they break the ice? What do they do when it comes to

meal times to ensure that solos have partners or friends to eat with? How can you get the best value for your dollar? Compare what a tour operator can offer you vs. what you can find on your own. Can you use your airline miles to save costs? If you choose a tour, are the single supplement fees free or reasonable? Are there certain times of the year where costs are lower based on seasonality?

Lewis believes that taking the time to ask these key questions will ultimately give you a much more fulfilling experience.

“Travel is the best way I know to enhance your life,” she says. “I really believe what Mary Anne Radmacher said about travel is true for women: ‘I am not the same having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world.’”

To learn more and start Photo/Grand Circle Corporation planning, please visit www.gct.com and Friends enjoy la dolce vita at an open air market in www.oattravel.com.

Italy.

mary factors: money and a desire to get a counseling degree to help children deal with their increasingly complicated home lives.

“Preschool teachers barely make above minimum wage, which makes no sense when you think about taking care of someone’s most-valuable asset,” Harrison said.

She tried a few online psychology classes with a for-profit college in 2005 but didn’t really get started on her education until she enrolled at Columbus State’s Delaware campus in fall 2010. Harrison has

enjoyed school so much she wants to transfer to Ohio State to work on a bachelor’s degree and eventually earn a master’s so she can become a school counselor. She isn’t daunted by her age.

“The way I look at it, people my age, we have maybe 25 or more years left of working in us, especially in something that we enjoy,” she said.

When Newman lost his job, he and his wife, Deb, who is a stay-at-home mom, had saved about half of what they thought they might need to sustain themselves for about six months with no other income.

“We were glad to have made such decisions, de-

spite not having had time to complete our preparation,” he said.

Through friends, Newman immediately landed a job as a marketing director for a men’s legwear company in Granville. He took a job 11 months later as a traffic engineer for the Ohio Department of Transportation.

But neither worked out long term. So the father of four signed up for a free three-week program at Columbus State that was created to train dislocated workers in logistics the movement and storage of goods from the beginning to the end of a supply chain.

After the training, Newman got a job as an inven-

COLLEGE Continued from 12 career strategist and managing partner of Crosworks.

Last year, about 36 percent of workers said they expected to keep working past age 65, compared with 20 percent in 2001, according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute.

“It’s a different world today where 50 to 70 is considered the new ‘middle age,’ ” Crossley said.

Martha Harrison, 52, of Powell started playing with the idea of going back to college in 2005 after more than 20 years as a preschool teacher. She was motivated by two pri-

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tory specialist at ODW Logistics Inc. in Columbus. He then enrolled in a three-quarter-long online certificate program at Columbus State, which helped him move to a more-advanced job at the pharmaceutical company of Boehringer Ingelheim Roxane Inc. Even though Newman had earned a bachelor’s degree from Ohio State in 1984, going back to college was challenging, he said.

“In the past 13 days, I’ve had to read seven chapters, take nine quizzes, solve four sets of problems, take one midterm and two finals and that doesn’t even count working 40 hours

and spending time with my family.”

Newman is just thankful for a second chance, even though he’s making $60,000 a year less than his peak salary as a civil engineer. He’s also looking forward to working his way up in what he hopes turns out to be a long, successful second career.

“Getting laid off was quite a blow,” he said.

“But finding something else to go after and making strides to move ahead has me feeling good again.” ___ epyle(at)dispatch.com ___ Information from: The Columbus Dispatch, http://www.dispatch.com

14

In Your Prime - Spring 2012

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