Sunday, October 31, 2010
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THE EUNICE NEWS
Joseph E. Manuel, bookkeeper, partsman, postmaster. See page 2.
J.E. MANUEL
2 Sunday, October 31, 2010 The Eunice News
Senior Supplement
Joseph E. (Joe) Manuel, bookkeeper, partsman, retired Postmaster great people. And my custom- ers were always good. They DOZD\V FDOOHG PH E\ Ă€UVW name basis “Joe.â€? I enjoyed Joseph E. (Joe) Manuel, the personal contact.â€? 80, once a bookkeeper, parts Manuel always strived to man, and retired postmaster, treat people fair and good. enjoys life to the fullest. ´$W WKH SRVW RIĂ€FH WKH\ ZRXOG “I am always found out- send me to Charm School. side, of course, except when It was a course on how to it is raining or cold weather. I get along with people. When ‘piddle-Âaround,’ keep up with working next to 30+ people, a garden, and cut grass,â€? said and serving customers, this Manuel. was very important.â€? Manuel’s goal was to retire After retirement, Manuel at age 55, and he did. He was and his wife did what they KLUHG DW WKH 3RVW 2IĂ€FH LQ (X- always wanted to do, travel. nice in 1957 as a substitute The Manuels traveled by RV carrier and retired in 1986 as throughout 48 states, west- postmaster. Manuel worked ern Mexico and Canada. “We as a city carrier for 10 years. would stop at state and na- “I worked as a substitute car- tional parks and camp, do J.E. Manuel, left, promoted to Postmaster in 1979 by Robert LeBlanc. rier, got quite a bit of hours, sightseeing also. Our trav- worked all routes in Eunice. els to western Mexico we did Later I worked as a regular J. E. Manuel, U.S. Army Field with a group of friends,â€? he FOHUN LQVLGH WKH SRVW RIĂ€FH Artilliary, 1952 said. then I was promoted to super- 7KH FRXSOH DOVR Ă€VKHG DQG Fontenot of Chataignier, for a camped many years at Toledo visor,â€? he said. Manuel was postmaster in couple of years before marry- Bend and Chicot State Park. Welsh for one year, and later ing her in June of 1953. “We He said, “I don’t do so much returned to the Eunice Post met when we were in high Ă€VKLQJ DQG KXQWLQJ DQ\PRUH 2IĂ€FH ZRUNLQJ DV SRVWPDVWHU school. I met up with her at OLNH , XVHG WR Âľ 0DQXHO Ă€VKHG basketball games,â€? he said. until his retirement. for sac-Âa-Âlait and hunted deer The Manuels have two and doves. “Guess I am get- Manuel was born on Febru- ary 22, 1930 to the late Amel children, Cindy Manuel Dar- ting too old, used to enjoy and Lena Marcantel Manuel bonne of Basile and Kirk Ă€VKLQJ DQG KXQWLQJ Âľ ODXJKHG of Mamou. There were six Manuel of Baton Rouge, and Manuel. children born to the couple, two grandchildren, Jacque What Manuel does still en- three boys and three girls, Darbonne and Katie Dar- joy are gardening and vol- Manuel was the second to bonne Maggio. unteering for the VFW Post After military service, and American Legion Post. youngest. Two of Manuel’s sisters are living; Ena Fon- 0DQXHO ODQGHG KLV Ă€UVW MRE His garden currently consists tenot and Nedwyne Landry, working as a bookkeeper at of lettuce, mustard greens, LaHaye Chevrolet in Eunice. turnips, cucumbers, and cab- both of Mamou. He graduated from Mamou He stayed on the job for six bage. High School in 1947 and at- months. Manuel is a 50-Âyear member His next job was working of the American Legion Post tended Spencer Technical College in Lafayette for busi- as a partsman at L.G. Seale 129 and 15 plus-Âyear member ness for one year. “Back then, & Company in Eunice, where of the VFW Post 8971 where technical college offered short he stayed for four years. he received Veteran of the Manuel was then hired in Year in 2008. “I enjoy volun- courses. I decided to go for 1957 at the Eunice Post Of- teering for these two organi- business.â€? In 1951, Manuel was draft- ÀFH DQG WKH UHVW LV KLVWRU\ zations. I enjoy cooking and When asked what he liked barbecueing for the legions.â€? ed into the Army where he served for two years in an the most about serving as The Manuels are long-Âtime Artillery battalion in North postmaster, his immediate members of St. Anthony reply was, “The people. I en- Catholic Church in Eunice. Korea. He dated his wife, Olge joyed working right next to By Myra Miller myra.miller@eunicetoday. com
This Holiday Season consider a Eunice News subscription. *LIW FHUWLĂ€FDWHV DUH DYDLODEOH
Senior Supplement The Eunice News Sunday, October 31, 2010
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Social Security covers every season of life By Rose Fontenot Social Security District Manager The cool winds and chang- ing leaves are tell-Âtale signs: another autumn has arrived. Sometimes it’s hard to believe how quickly the seasons change and the years pass by. What- ever season of life you happen to be in, it may be a good time WR UHĂ HFW RQ WKH SURWHFWLRQ \RX have through Social Security. Each stage of life — from the spring of youth to the summer of middle age to the autumn of retirement — comes with its RZQ VHW RI Ă€QDQFLDO FRQFHUQV And in each situation, Social Security is there to help. Of the more than 53 million Americans receiving Social 6HFXULW\ EHQHĂ€WV QHDUO\ RQH
Social Security Rose Fontenot Public Affairs Specialist
third are not retired workers or their dependents. They’re disabled workers and their families, or the survivors of a deceased worker. These non- retirement Social Security ben- HĂ€WV FDQ EH HVSHFLDOO\ LPSRU- tant to young workers because about one-Âin-Âeight young peo- ple will die before retirement, and about one-Âin-Âfour will be- come disabled.
While the death of a husband, wife, or parent is emotion- ally devastating, it often can EH Ă€QDQFLDOO\ GHYDVWDWLQJ DV well. Social Security provides D PRQWKO\ VXUYLYRUV EHQHĂ€W SD\PHQW WR KHOS WKH TXDOLĂ€HG family members of a deceased worker. Social Security disability protection is equally valuable. Few workers have an employ- er-Âprovided, long-Âterm disabil- ity policy. With Social Security, however, the average worker has the equivalent of a disabil- ity insurance policy that pays PRQWKO\ EHQHĂ€WV WR ZRUNHUV and their families, based on the workers’ lifetime earnings. So you can rest a little easier knowing that Social Security provides some measure of se- curity, if life does not turn out
as planned. On the other hand, if you do work and retire as planned, Social Security serves as the foundation for a secure retire- ment. Social Security is the largest source of income for most elderly Americans today, but Social Security was never intended to be your only source of income when you retire. You also will need other savings, in- vestments, pensions or retire- ment accounts to make sure you have enough money to live comfortably when you retire. The Social Security State- ment that you receive in the mail each year provides an estimate of your retirement, survivors, and disability insur- DQFH EHQHĂ€WV ,I \RX¡G OLNH WR try out some different scenar- ios and see how various retire-Â
ment ages and future earnings may change your retirement picture, visit our online Re-Â tirement Estimator at www. VRFLDOVHFXULW\ JRY HVWLPDWRU ,W provides an instant, personal-Â ized estimate of your future EHQHĂ&#x20AC;WV And perhaps the best news of all is that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s easier than ever to apply for retirement ben-Â HĂ&#x20AC;WV <RX FDQ GR LW ULJKW IURP the comfort and convenience of \RXU KRPH RU RIĂ&#x20AC;FH E\ YLVLWLQJ www.socialsecurity.gov/apply-Â WRUHWLUH ,W FDQ WDNH DV OLWWOH DV 15 minutes. Whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re young or old, Social Security is there through every season. You can Ă&#x20AC;QG RXW PRUH DW ZZZ VRFLDOVH-Â curity.gov.
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Sunday, October 31, 2010 The Eunice News Senior Supplement
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Make A Difference Dayâ&#x20AC;? recognized
Photos Submitted
The WOW Ladies Lodge 976 gave one box of Kleenex to each resident at Eunice Manor as recognition of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Make a Difference Dayâ&#x20AC;?. In front from left are Russell Thibodeaux, Mabel Babineaux and Houston Fontenot, residents. In far back from left are Ladies Lodge members Lyla LeBlanc, Tressella Melancon, Kathy Fruge and Evelyn Stringer. In front are Beverly Vidrine, Glenda Bergeron, Mae Austin, Shirley McGee and Norma Diaville.
WOW Ladies Lodge members recognized Oak Lane residents with â&#x20AC;&#x153;Make A Difference Dayâ&#x20AC;? by giving each resident a box of Kleenex. In front are Oak Lane residents Winnie Miller and Bessie Ledoux. In back from left are Lodge members Tressella Melancon, Evelyn Stringer,Beverly Vidrine, Shirley McGee,Lyla LeBlanc, Kathy Fruge, Mae Austin,Norma Diaville and Glenda Bergeron.
Did you know? According to the Lupus Foundation of America, more than 1.5 million Americans and 5 million people across the globe have a form of lupus. Though lupus can strike men and women, regardless of age, 90 percent of those diagnosed with the disease are women. Most of whom develop lupus do so between the ages of 15 to 44.
Seniors: Boost your immune system for optimal health
The strength of a personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s im-Â mune system is generally what determines if he or she gets sick. If two people are exposed to the same germs, the one with a weaker immune system tends to get sick. Medical experts often agree that the elderly and the very young can experience seri-Â ous and adverse reactions to seemingly mundane illnesses. 6LPSOH FROGV RU WKH Ă X FDQ WXUQ into pneumonia and other life-Â threatening situations if left untreated. The culprit is often an underdeveloped or compro-Â mised immune system. As you age, your physiology changes. Bones become less GHQVH KRUPRQHV Ă XFWXDWH DQG you may experience a weaker immune system. As a result, seniors are more susceptible to illness than their younger counterparts. But boosting the immune system by changing your diet, exercising and get-Â ting outdoors can be a way to stay healthy. Doctors say that it is possible to boost your immune system. The secrets lie in understand-Â ing how the immune system works -Â-Â and how your every-Â day life can offer you greater protection. In simple terms, the im-Â mune system is a network of cells and organs that block unwanted visitors from wreak-Â ing havoc inside of the body. Should a germ get by, the body has strong defenders that can eliminate the threat. These are known as antibodies. When you get an inoculation, a small amount of an offending par-Â ticle is put into your body so that your immune system can develop antibodies against it. Should you be exposed to that type of invader again, you will SRVVHVV WKH DQWLERGLHV WR Ă&#x20AC;JKW it. Your immune system can lose some of its protective proper-Â ties if it is faced with a con-Â stant onslaught of diseases and must overcompensate for poor health habits. But there are ways to get your immune V\VWHP EDFN LQ Ă&#x20AC;JKWLQJ VKDSH 1. Get plenty of sleep. Mom was right ... lack of sleep can affect the bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability to func-Â tion correctly, which includes fending off disease. Routine
VOHHS GHSULYDWLRQ FDQ GHĂ&#x20AC;QLWH-Â ly affect overall health. 2. Reduce stress. Stress can have a number of negative health implications. It slowly wears away at the immune
system and leaves you suscep-Â tible to a host of illnesses. Take measures to reduce stress as much as possible to be health-Â ier.
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Senior Supplement The Eunice News Sunday, October 31, 2010
Iota Manor tenants enjoy ice cream
Eunice Manor resident paints
Email us your Senior pictures @ myra.miller@ eunicetoday.com Photo Submitted
Eunice Manor resident Mabel Babineaux, right, receives a painting lesson from Louisiana State University Eunice nursing student Meghann Garacci.
Photo Submitted
The tenants of Iota Manor Apartments were treated to an ice cream party under the gazebo recently
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Sunday, October 31, 2010 The Eunice News Senior Supplement
â&#x20AC;&#x153;Do-Gooder in our Midstâ&#x20AC;? Y a n c y Fontenot is the best-Âkept secret in town. Or, as I like to say, Yancy Fontenot is Euniceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own Mother Theresa. I could write Ben Burson for days on what a tre-Â mendous and kind person Mrs. Fontenot is. She has dedicated her life to helping those who are less fortunate. She is an awesome person; I have such profound respect for her love of people, and how much I admire and respect her just on a personal level. However, in Mrs. Fontenotâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s work as the Director of the
Eunice Community Health Center (ECHC), Mrs. Fontenot is at the helm of the Center as it serves it mission statement to pro-Â vide services to the citizens of the tri-Âparish area who are uninsured and under-Â insured by providing them with free medical assess-Â ment, medication, and dis-Â counted lab work. Thousands of local area residents have been servedâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;some in incred-Â ibly dire circumstances. The ECHC literally saves and changes the lives of our fellow citizens every day they open their doors. I am a total believer of the Eunice Community Health Center, as it serves those who fall beneath the cracks of the public health system.
Senior
Coffee
with Ben Burson
a program of the Myra Bordelon Burson Foundation
So many dedicated health professionals-Â-Âand just plain volunteers-Â-Âwork to make this Center yield the amazing results that it does. Yet, so many elderly per-Â sons do not realize that they qualify for certain programs designed specifically for them. Moreover, with so many of our elderly people living on extremely tight budgetsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;any assistance can alter their
lives for the better. If they get assistance with these pro-Â grams, they can stretch their monthly dollars and reduce the amount of stress they are under. I can tell you that the ECHC has it down to a science-Â-Â the science of helping the most vulnerable in our community. However, it is now our turn to help the ECHC. They are currently a finalist for a $50,000 grant with the Mid-Â South â&#x20AC;&#x153;Do-ÂGoodersâ&#x20AC;?; this organization has launched an online campaign to encour-Â age the public to nominate individuals and nonprofits making a difference in their communities. With the ECHC as final-Â ist, they have a real shot at receiving these badly needed
funds. Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s face it, times are tough. So many people have lost their insurance. So many people are relying on organi-Â zations like the ECHC to help them during this very dif-Â ficult time. You, the reader, can help them help our com-Â munities just by casting your online vote. It will take you less time to vote that it will to check your bank balance. And, we can allow the ECHC to con-Â tinue it incredibly important and badly needed work in our community. As I understand voting ended Friday. I hope you did cast your vote for something that can help the lives of someone less fortunate than yourself.
Life Expectancy Stats Life expectancy refers to the projected amount of years the general population will live. In the 16th through 18th centuries, individuals were expected to live until the age of 40. Even as early as the begin-Â ning of the 20th century, an age of 45 was thought to be a long life, considering individ-Â uals from classical Rome and Greece an average only lived until about age 28. Thanks to
modern medicine and better disease prevention in most developed areas of the world, the current world average is 67.2 years. In much of North America, the average is 77.5 to 80. Women tend to have a lower mortality rate than men. Geographic location, climate, availability of medical care, and diet play a large role in life expectancy. Black or African popula-Â
Dr. Brent Ardoin Board Certified in:
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tions tend to have lower life expectancy rates due to war, starvation and disease in countries of origin. Residents of the Peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Republic of China boast the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s high-Â est life expectancy at 84.4 years.
Volunteers are the Heart & Soul of our Community. Make a difference in the lives of the terminally ill by contributing to the services provided by our hospice program. Please call today to find out how you can enhance the comfort and quality of life for patients and their loved ones. 302 Main Street Mamou, LA 70554 337.468.0364 PROUD MEMBER OF LHC GROUP | WWW.LHCGROUP.COM
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Senior Supplement The Eunice News Sunday, October 31, 2010
Iota Manor tenants enjoy birthday party
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Goodhope tenants create pumpkin crafts
Classified Ad deadline for garage sales is Tuesday before 12 noon. Photo Submitted
Charlie Leger, a tenant at Iota Manor, celebrated his birthday with friends in the community room at Iota Manor Apartments. Tenants were treated to a Bingo and birthday party honoring birthdays for the month.
Submitted Photo
Tenants at Goodhope Place Apartments show off their Halloween Pumpkin crafts.
It ’s All About Helping People.® The emergence of new medical treatments and technologies has made home health care a viable option for more patients. With home care, you’re treated at home for conditions that used to require a hospital stay. That includes strokes, cancer, even diabetes. At Eunice Community Home Health our main goal is to provide our patients with peace of mind. While under our care, you may receive Philips Lifeline® personal response service offered at no charge to all patients who qualify. The one-touch button on a pendant or wristband connects you to a certified professional who can provide assistance 24 hours, seven days a week. Putting the patient first has helped us become a leading resource for those needing home care. Our committed and highly experienced staff provides compassionate and quality care to each patient entrusted to our care. At Eunice Community Home Health our philosophy is simple... It’s
All About Helping People.® 3581 Highway 190 | Eunice, LA 70535 | 337.550.0002 Proud Members of LHC Group | www.lhcgroup.com
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Sunday, October 31, 2010 The Eunice News Senior Supplement
Pumpkins and Jack-O-Lanterns at Oak Lane Wellness
Call The Eunice News for all your laminating needs.
Photos Submitted
Oak Lane resident Mable Rougeau, preparing to carve a Jack-O-lantern for Halloween decorations.
Oak Lane resident Eltria Guillory carves a Jack-O-Lantern for Halloween decorations.
Getting you home and functionally independent is our goal. There are times when a patient’s complex medical needs require a scope of care that falls outside the boundaries of a traditional hospital. For those patients, our long-term acute care program provides the individualized attention they need for a healthy and successful recovery.
Our program delivers a careful balance of highly specialized medical care and compassionate, personalized attention. It’s specifically designed for those individuals who are medically stable, but have conditions that will require more than 25 days of care. So call today. You’ll see that we go to great lengths to get you back home and independent.
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