5.2015 Encore by Lynden Tribune

A Guide to a Fulﬁlling Senior Life in Whatcom County

ENCORE Wednesday

May 27, 2015

Brian Rae of Lynden has entered the ranks of author with his novel “Cruce.” It is about a young man facing important life choices.

A supplement of the Lynden Tribune and Ferndale Record

Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, May 27, 2015 | Ferndale Record

ENCORE

Lauren Brown, local World War II veteran, receives forgotten medals at age 89 'Doc' Brown became a local veterinarian serving Whatcom By David M. Kroontje Special to the Lynden Tribune

PFC Milton Kroontje trained to be a Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) gunner at Ft. Jackson, South Carolina, in 1944.

In late November 1944, an Everson farm boy, my father Pfc. Milton Kroontje, was biding time in England awaiting an event that all 13,000-plus of his 87th “Golden Acorn” Infantry Division comrades-inarms knew was going to be momentous. The Allies had invaded France on June 6, 1944, D-Day, and pushed inland from the Normandy beachhead. The follow-on to the Allied invasion ultimately landed over 2 million men in Europe — the largest movement of armies in the history of the world. It was during the Allies’ eastward advance that on Dec. 5, 1944, the 87th Infantry Division entered combat near Metz, France. Within four days of the 87th’s battle

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baptism, a Mount Vernon farm boy and member of Task Force Linden, Pfc. Lauren S. Brown, arrived in the European Theater of Operations through the French port of Marseilles. Developments on the battlefields of western Europe had created a need for the rapid deployment of additional American infantry. To meet that need, Task Force Linden was assembled from three regiments of the 42nd “Rainbow” Infantry Division and shipped to Europe ahead of the division’s main body, which remained in training at Camp Gruber, Oklahoma. On Dec. 15, 1944, my dad’s battalion was a few hundred meters from Germany just outside the Lorraine village of Obergailbach. German defenses there were intense because they protected the Reich’s industrially and economically important Saar region. During the evening of Dec. 15, shrapnel from a German artillery shell tore my dad’s watch from his left wrist, gouging out a wound that left a curious “divot” scar which, miraculously, caused no functional impairment. For the rest of my dad’s life, the scar was largely concealed by his watch,

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ENCORE but whenever I saw it I was reminded that had it been God’s will, a mere half-inch difference in shrapnel trajectory would have severed the wrist, and my dad might have lost his life. The European winter of 1944-45 was one of the worst on record. Infantrymen, particularly rifle companies like my dad’s Company E, 347th Infantry Regiment, were confined to the front with little latitude in the choice of shelter — an unpleasant factof-life in sub-zero temperatures. “In order to avoid frostbitten toes,” my dad told me, “my buddy Lee Hopper and I would dig a fox hole, lie in it side by side, slip off our boots and tuck each other’s feet up under the other guy's coat.” That was one of the very few stories that my normally chatty dad ever shared with me relating to his time as a soldier. Learning more about my dad’s experiences in World War II would be left for years later when, after dad’s death, Lee Hopper and Lauren Brown would give me first-hand accounts of the terror, carnage and occasional humor that reflected their shared battlefield experiences. These men’s recollections allowed me to realize that my dad likely suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome for many years. Their stories also allowed me to glimpse a piece of family history that only became important to me when my children began their military service. After returning from the war, Lauren Brown used the GI Bill to attend Washington State University, graduating as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Lauren “Doc” Brown came to Whatcom County in 1956 and joined a large-animal veterinary practice in Lynden. Doc became a well-known vet to the dairymen of Whatcom County, eventually leaving private practice to serve as a veterinarian for the State of Washington during a particularly bad outbreak of brucellosis (Bang’s disease) among Northwest dairy herds. It was in the early 1960s, on my grandparents’ Everson dairy farm that I, at the age of 5, first met Doc as he treated our sick cows. Thus began what would become my lifelong friendship with him and his family. Doc and his late wife Delores were my Cub Scout den parents. Initially owing to my friendship with their son Steve, they became very much like second parents to me. Setting examples of kindness, generosity and mentorship, the Browns came as close as any I know in living up to the maxim, “Do the right thing, for the right reason, every time, without regard to personal consequences.” Doc also became very well known in the Northwest for his prowess as a maker of fine muzzle-loading rifles and pistols. Doc’s guns, which number just over 100, are prized by aficionados of that firearm genre. For decades, Doc and Delores were active and involved members of the local shooting community. On Christmas Eve 1944, 20-year-old Pfc. Lauren Brown, as a member of Task

Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, May 27, 2015 | Ferndale Record Force Linden’s 222nd Infantry Regiment, entered combat near the French Alsace region’s city of Strasbourg — barely 44 miles southeast of where my dad, just days earlier, had been wounded. Fighting from defensive positions on the left bank of the Rhine River, Task Force Linden’s three infantry regiments took many casualties — they inflicted many more on the German forces attempting to reconquer the Alsace as part of Hitler’s Operation Nordwind. Owing to the oddities of military record-keeping as it relates to units detached from their main body, it would be many years before the 222nd Infantry would receive recognition for the unit’s remarkable achievements during January 1945. Down in rifleman strength by one- half, on the night of Jan. 24, the 222nd was ordered to hold “at all costs” a position along a 7,500-yard stretch of the Moder River’s right bank near Schweighausen, France. Over the course of the next day, the 222nd faced repeated, wild attacks from five German regiments supported by artillery. Despite losing 237 officers and men, the regiment held the line. By the following night the German attack collapsed against the 222nd’s stalwart defense of its positions. Correcting a decades-long oversight, on Jan. 10, 2001, the 222nd Infantry Regiment was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for “Extraordinary heroism and outstanding performance of duty in action against the enemy on 24 and 25 January 1945, in the Bois D’Ohlungen, and the vicinity of Schweighausen and Neuborg, France.” On Feb. 6, 1945, Task Force Linden was dissolved and the three regiments joined the recently arrived main body in reconstituting the 42nd “Rainbow” Infantry Division. By Feb. 17 the Rainbows were all in combat, this time benefiting from the experience of Task Force Linden’s three battlehardened infantry regiments. Over the years I’ve had many conversations with Doc about the war. Each visit gave me greater insight into the infantryman’s life in combat, a little better understanding of what my dad experienced as an Army rifle squad’s BAR machine-gunner, and additional specific knowledge about Doc’s experiences in Europe. I learned that the 42nd battled its way through the Siegfried Line near Dahn, Germany. Doc described how the division crossed the Rhine River on an engineer bridge at Worms, and drove relentlessly eastward crossing and recrossing the River Main while moving toward its objectives, the university city of Wurzburg and the important German ballbearing manufacturing center of Schweinfurt. On April 2, 1945, the 222nd arrived to the left bank of the River Main at Wurzburg, directly below the Marienburg Castle. There the division’s advance was temporarily halted because the Germans had blown the three bridges that crossed the channel. Two rowboat loads of 2nd Battalion U.S. Army Rangers crossed the river and estab-

PFC Lauren S. Brown got his training at Camp Gruber, Oklahoma, in 1944, then remained in Germany serving the post-war command in 1945. lished a small bridgehead. With that cover, the engineers soon established a pontoon bridge over which the balance of the battalion, while under German fire, made their crossing into the city. Among the first to cross the Main on the floating bridge were the men of Pfc. Brown’s mortar squad. They were urgently needed to bolster defense of the right bank bridgehead and protect the engineers who were beginning work on a Bailey bridge capable of supporting the heavy armor and supply vehicles that would follow. Vicious street fighting followed as the American soldiers faced both German Army forces and civilians determined to the defend their city. On April 5, during the process of clearing structures at the University of Wurzburg, men of Pfc. Brown’s mortar platoon came under fire — fire which they thought came from a sniper. After the loss of a man, Pfc. Brown grabbed the M-1 rifle in his jeep and urged his fellow squad mem-

bers to hunt down the sniper. Rather than a single sniper, the mortar unit was facing a strong counter-attack from perhaps several score of German soldiers. A moment before feeling pain, Pfc. Brown saw the muzzle of a Mauser rifle poke out from cover. The bullet went through Pfc. Brown’s arm and entered his chest, bouncing down his ribs before exiting his back. Although seriously wounded, Pfc. Brown continued to deliver effective fire until ordered to withdraw for medical treatment. For his selfless and determined actions, Pfc. Brown was awarded The Bronze Star Medal. A period of convalescence brought Lauren Brown’s war to an end, as Victory In Europe Day came in just over a month. After V-E Day, Pvt. Brown spent the better part of eight months in Berlin assigned to the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force working as a file clerk for the Office of Military Government United States. See Brown on C6

Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, May 27, 2015 | Ferndale Record

ENCORE

Retired educator Brian Rae launches ‘Cruce’ Rae says coming-ofage novel may be of particular interest to Intalco workers By Cameron Van Til sports@lyndentribune.com

Lynden resident Brian Rae, a retired Mount Baker High School principal and retired adjunct professor from Western Washington University in secondary education, recently released "Cruce," a coming-of-age novel. (Courtesy photo/Brian Rae)

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LYNDEN — Lynden resident Brian Rae, a retired Mount Baker High School principal and retired adjunct professor from Western Washington University in secondary education, spent his summers as a young man in the mid-1960s working at Kaiser Aluminum Mead Works smelter in Spokane. The working conditions, as he remembers, were far from ideal: It was very hot, gassy and, at times, dangerous. “It was such a unique place to work that it was hard to describe it to anybody,” Rae said, “and I couldn’t find much that had been written down about what it was like to work in the pot rooms back in those days. “So I thought it might be nice to write something based on my own experiences of working there in the summers, because when guys my age die, the memories kind of fade into history.” Thus began the idea for Rae’s first novel, “Cruce,” which was released on April 2, 2015. “There’s a group of people that are trying to put together a history of the plant,” Rae said. “So I’m hoping that some of the pot room scenes I describe can contribute positively to that history, because those are pretty accurate. “The characters’ names and so forth are changed from the guys I knew, but that’s pretty much how it was working in the pot rooms.” As Rae began working on the story, though, he realized that in order to appeal to a diverse range of readers, it would have to include more than just Kaiser. “I realized that it might only be interesting to men and women that worked at the plant and/or their families,” Rae said. “So I decided to add a ‘coming of age’ aspect, and then that part just kind of continued to grow.” The result is a novel that provides detailed, first-hand insight into the working environment of pot rooms, intertwined with a fascinating plot that centers on a young man, Bill Roberts, who is facing major, potential life-altering choices. “Cruce” takes place in Spokane during the summer of 1967, right after Roberts graduated from Gonzaga University. Roberts has committed to enter the Jesuit religious order at the end of August, and returns to his summer job at the Kaiser

Aluminum Mead Works smelter to pay off his college loan. However, Roberts soon meets the alluring Barb Scott, a woman who introduces him to pleasures he’s never imagined. And now Roberts must wrestle with important life decisions. Should he keep his commitment to enter the Jesuit novitiate and honor his mom’s dream that he become a priest? Should he keep his secure job at Kaiser and continue his relationship with Barb? Should he heed the advice of the “lifers” at the smelter to use his college education rather than get trapped at the plant like they did? Which choice will lead to lasting happiness? “Just as I wanted to describe for my family and friends what it was like to work at Kaiser,” Rae said, “I wanted to kind of give some glimpses into my growing up as a kid and a young man in Spokane during the late ‘50s and into the 60s.” Rae spent his freshman year of college at Carroll College in Helena, Montana, on a football scholarship. “But I didn’t like the long winters,” Rae said, “so I transferred to Gonzaga.” Rae graduated from Gonzaga in 1967 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, and then joined the Jesuits at the end of the summer. Rae didn’t become a priest, but during his six years with the Jesuits, he went through the first few phases of training, part of which was to earn an education degree and teaching major, he said. After receiving his major in English from Gonzaga in 1970, Rae taught in two Jesuit high schools — Loyola in Missoula, Montana, and then Seattle Prep — before leaving the Jesuits and beginning his career in public education. Rae said he has a lot of gratitude for the Jesuits. “The Jesuits to me were so instrumental in my life, providing me much-needed direction and focus,” Rae said. “I owe them a lot.” Rae then taught in the Kent School District for 14 years, was an assistant principal at Timberline High School in Lacey from 1987 to 1994 and served as Mount Baker’s principal from 1994 to 2000. Rae then worked at Western Washington University for 10 years and placed practicum students in local high schools for experience prior to their internships. Rae said he thinks local pot room workers at Alcoa Intalco Works in Ferndale will appreciate the scenes in “Cruce” that take place in Kaiser’s pot rooms. When the government originally built the Kaiser aluminum plant north of Spokane for U.S. planes, it was actually first operated by Alcoa, which now operates Intalco. “Even though the production and

Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, May 27, 2015 | Ferndale Record

ENCORE procedure techniques were much less modern at Kaiser,” Rae said, “I think the relationships of the workers in the pot rooms and the antics that they pulled on one another to help themselves cope with the grind of the weekly rotating shifts — I think that those are going to sound real familiar to workers at Intalco and that they’ll be able to relate to them.” Rae said his neighbor, who retired from Intalco in 2000 and recently read the novel, had such a reaction. “He said, ‘Oh my gosh, it sounds exactly like the pot rooms at Intalco,’” Rae said. “So I’m hoping that guys here at Intalco will find it interesting to read.” Rae noted that the novel includes some erotic scenes in relation to the coming-of-age aspect of the story. “(It’s) not only for dramatic effect, but also to create and develop the intense conflict that arises in Bill’s life during that summer,” Rae said. “It’s a very short period of time — three months for the most part — that the story centers in on. During that brief time he has to make a very important decision in his life, so it adds to the intensity of that decision.” “Cruce” can be ordered in both paperback and eBook versions. The paperback versions are available at www.createspace. com/5164452, Barnes & Noble and Village Books for $15.95. The eBook versions are available on Kindle, Kobo, Apple, etc. for $3.99.

Keep on

Brian Rae spent his summers as a young man in the mid-1960s working at Kaiser Aluminum Mead Works smelter in Spokane. His experiences there served as the inspiration behind Rae's novel. (Courtesy photo/Brian Rae)

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Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, May 27, 2015 | Ferndale Record

ENCORE

Brown: Army jacket was located in Lynden Pioneer Museum Continued from C3

David M. Kroontje presents Dr. Lauren Brown with a framed certificate of the Bronze Star Medal, First Oak Leaf Cluster, in March 2015, decades after being earned. (Courtesy photo/David M. Kroontje)

This duty allowed Pfc. Brown an opportunity to see bits of Europe from a perspective quite different from that of an infantryman. Twice he visited Switzerland. He witnessed the untoward behavior of some occupying Russian soldiers, and he offered kindness to German survivors of the war. He even stood in the bunker where Adolf Hitler committed suicide, and on the spot where the Führer’s body had been burned. Aboard the S.S. Vassar Victory, Lauren Brown sailed out of Bremerhaven for home on Jan. 25, 1946. Over the years, our interesting conversations not only deepened my admiration for Doc, but they led me to discover that he was due medals and awards for his military service that he didn’t know he’d earned: a second Bronze Star Medal, a third battle star for the European-Africa-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, the Army of Occupation-Germany Medal, the Presidential Unit Citation, and official recognition that he had earned the Combat Infantryman’s Badge. For all Americans it is a tragic fact that a 1973 fire at the National Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Missouri, destroyed as many as 18 million U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force personnel records dating from 1912 through 1964. The documents’ loss presents a challenge to researchers attempting to justify claims of former service members, make corrections to military records or collect facts for scholarly purposes. Since my dad died in 1984 — before the capture of his personal military history became important to me — I determined to do all I could to resurrect and correct the military record of another man that I respected greatly — Dr. Lauren Brown. Over the course of several months, with note pad in hand, I interviewed Doc about his Army service. Together we combed through his scrapbooks, the 42nd Infantry Division’s history book, photographs, other books on the history of the war, old records and memorabilia. Eventually, we assem-

bled enough evidence to make an application for “military records correction” to the U.S. Army Review Boards Agency in Arlington, Virginia. In cases such as Doc’s, well beyond a three-year statute of limitations, ARBA approval is only allowed if such a decision serves the interest of justice. Predictably, the wait for a determination on a request to the board can extend to many months, or years. Even after a positive ARBA review, it can take several months to get the record corrected, and even longer to get to the applicant any warranted physical awards and decorations. With Doc approaching his 90th birthday and recovering gallantly from a recently broken hip, and with me cognizant of the fact that none of us are gettin’ any younger, I enlisted the assistance of the offices of Congresswoman Suzan DelBene and Senator Patty Murray to speed a reply from the Army. With the Congresswoman’s office taking the lead in communicating with the Army, on Feb. 27 the service put Doc’s application on the fast track. On March 12 I received a letter from ARBA in which the board agreed to full relief for Doc’s request. Much to my surprise, Doc’s medals, ribbons and awards were delivered by courier the following afternoon!

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Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, May 27, 2015 | Ferndale Record

ENCORE The happy and emotional conclusion to this story took place on March 14, 2015 when Doc’s son Steve and I managed to locate Dr. Brown’s original Eisenhower (IKE) Army jacket in the Lynden Pioneer Museum — the very jacket that Pfc. Brown had worn in Europe 70 years earlier! We framed the Bronze Star Medal certificate, adorned the old jacket with Doc’s medals and made a presentation to him at Lynden’s Christian Health Care Center. As we snapped some commemorative pictures in the nursing home’s hallway, a family came by with a man in their group pushing the wheelchair of a disabled relative. The man was an Israeli immigrant and former tank commander in that country’s army. Perhaps more intimately than most of us, the Israeli gentleman understood the perpetual significance of what Doc, and millions of others from America’s Greatest Generation, accomplished all those years ago in defeating the original Axis of Evil. The Israeli family stopped, offered Doc their sincere and emotional thanks for his service, urged the blessing of God upon him, and took some photos themselves! The spontaneous expression of gratitude choked Doc up and brought mist to his eyes — and to mine! For Dr. Brown, and for those of us who love and admire this humble, self-effacing man, it was, I think, a very good day!

Doc Brown sits with some of the evidence of his distinguished World War II service. Author and friend David Kroontje reports that Brown continues to do well, now residing back at the Meadow Greens facility of Lynden, and that Brown has also received one other award, the American Campaign Medal with two service stars.

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Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, May 27, 2015 | Ferndale Record

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Staying at home with a helping hand Volunteer Chore Program helps clients remain at home with everyday chore assistance By Brent Lindquist reporter@lyndentribune.com

WHATCOM — Sometimes, a little extra help is all a person needs to stay in his or her home. The Volunteer Center of Whatcom County offers the Volunteer Chore Program for exactly that reason. The program provides volunteers to help people 60 and older and adults with functional disabilities remain independent in their own homes. Volunteers help with a variety of tasks, including housekeeping, grocery shopping, laundry, yard work, transportation to doctor’s appointments, minor household repairs, mail-reading and bill pay assistance. “Volunteers really fill in when there is no one else to do so,” program director Abby Lund said. “Our clients have very little family or community support.” Lund said the program has about 80 volunteers who served 118 clients from January to March. Per year, the program averages 220 clients. She said the program often benefits the elderly, but not always. “People have a variety of different reasons and conditions,” she said. “They are at risk of losing independence because of a physical limitation or living with mental illness, or something else.” Lund said that the chore help is certainly the basis of the program, but

Chore program volunteer Bob Emery helped client Joelle by repairing her porch steps, which were rotting and unsafe to walk on. (Courtesy photo/Abby Lund) it goes far beyond that. It’s about a connection to the outside world as well. “It’s a connection where somebody’s helping somebody with essential tasks, but it’s also really a connection with the community,” Lund said. “Our clients are relatively isolated and don’t have a lot of support. The volunteers are not only providing critical assistance, they’re also providing that socialization experience. Human interaction is just as important as those essential tasks." For more information on the program, visit www.whatcomvolunteer.org/ programs/volunteer-chore-program, call Lund at 746-2366 or email her at abbyL@whatcomvolunteer.org.

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Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, May 27, 2015 | Ferndale Record

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Planning 101: Have a will, keep it updated Van Dalen: Your survivors will thank you A will is one of the most important documents you’ll ever create in your lifetime. Your will can clearly state who will be guardian of your minor children, who will inherit your assets, when they will inherit your assets, and any conditions that must be met for them to receive your assets. Yet, according to legal services website RocketLawyer.com, almost 50 percent of Americans do not have a will. If you die without a valid will, the court does not have your instructions to follow, and it has no way of knowing how you may have wanted to distribute your assets. The state where you lived steps in and makes the decisions for you, according to the distribution schedule set forth in its intestacy statutes. The state’s decisions may or may not conform to your wishes, or do what is best for the people closest to you. And your loved ones will likely have to hire an attorney and incur delays to determine who will receive your assets. These are some common misconceptions:

My assets are so small that a will is not necessary. You are generally worth more than you think. Even if some possessions do not hold great monetary value, they could hold an enormous amount of sentimental value — and that’s something you can’t put a price on. Failing to indicate who receives these treasures in your will can cause friction among family members that lasts for decades. When I die, my spouse will get all of my assets. Maybe, and maybe not. Any assets held jointly with right of survivorship automatically pass to the joint owner. And assets with a beneficiary designation, such as IRAs, life insurance and annuities, pass as stated on the beneficiary form. What happens when your surviving spouse dies? What happens if your beneficiary form is outdated? Will your children receive their share at too early an age? Does your spouse have the financial skill to manage the family wealth? I can create a will on my own and save See Planning on C10

Shane Van Dalen works from his office at 517 Liberty St., Lynden.

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Is it time for joint replacement? Advice from Dr. Bruce of PeaceHealth Orthopedics Your joints support you every step of the way, every day of your life. It can be a long and bumpy road, and your joints are the primary shock absorbers. From toddler to senior, they’re at work every time you walk, run, jump or boogie down. As time passes, the cartilage in the joints begins to wear out, which causes the joint to become inflamed and painful. That pain is the calling card of arthritis. Arthritis is a complex family of musculoskeletal disorders consisting of more than 100 different diseases or conditions that destroy joints, bones, muscles, cartilage and other connective tissues. Osteoarthritis is one of the most common forms of arthritis and is a chronic condition characterized by the breakdown of the joint’s cartilage. It most commonly occurs in the weight-bearing joints of the hips, knees and lower back. Symptoms of the disease usually come on little by little and can include: • joint pain, which might get better with rest; • dull, throbbing pain at night; • stiffness and swelling in the joint; • difficulty walking or bending the joint. According to the Arthritis Foundation,

an estimated 27 million Americans live with osteoarthritis, but despite how common it is, the cause is still not completely known. In fact, many different factors may play a role in whether or not you develop it. And where and when arthritis occurs varies from person to person. Common risk factors for osteoarthritis include: Age — Years of wear and tear can put strain on the joint, but it doesn’t mean that osteoarthritis is inevitable. Obesity — Recent research suggests that excess body fat produces chemicals that travel throughout the body and cause joint damage, which would mean obesity plays a systemic, not just a mechanical, role in osteoarthritis onset. Injury or Overuse — Athletes and people who have jobs that require doing repetitive motion have a higher risk of developing osteoarthritis due to injury and increased stress on certain joints. Genetics or Heredity — Genetics plays a role, particularly in the hands. Just because you have one of these inherited traits, however, doesn’t mean that you are going to develop osteoarthritis. It just means that your doctor should check you more closely and more frequently for signs and symptoms. Muscle Weakness — Studies of the knee muscles show that weakness of the muscles surrounding the knee can lead to osteoarthritis. Strengthening exercises for thigh muscles are important in reducing

the risk. There are many treatment options available. Your doctor will likely recommend conservative management options in the early stages of arthritis, such as overthe-counter or prescription anti-inflammatory drugs known as NSAIDs. Cortisone injections, another form of treatment, place a concentrated dose of anti-inflammatory medication directly into the joint. Taking NSAIDs for extended periods or using cortisone repeatedly however, comes with their own issues. Physical and occupational therapy are also available, which include exercises that strengthen the muscles surrounding the joint and education to improve body mechanics, posture, mobility, daily living skills and safety. Additionally, lifestyle modifications can be beneficial such as nutrition changes that add anti-inflammatory foods and weight loss to ease the strain that added pounds place on joints. These treatment options can be very effective in managing arthritis pain. However, in some cases when symptoms are advanced, the pain inevitably warrants surgery. Knee, hip, shoulder and, more recently, ankle replacement procedures can give arthritis sufferers a new lease on life. The synthetic materials used to replace joints have evolved over the years, as have the surgical procedures. Today, a replaced knee or hip will last far longer and function better than earlier designs. And technology combined with good old-

Dr. Steven Bruce fashioned physical rehabilitation means shorter recovery. Living with and managing arthritis is a journey. Don’t live with pain. Evaluate your options, talk with your doctor and make a step toward the solution that works best for you. Originally from Chicago, Dr. Steven Bruce has lived in Bellingham since 1991. He is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon whose special interests include knee and hip replacement, arthroscopic knee surgery and fracture care.

Planning: Terms of a will can change as often as necessary; don't wait until it's too late Continued from C9 the legal costs. “Do-it-yourself” wills often do not contain all of the necessary components as required by state law. Anyone who might benefit from an invalidation of your will can contest it, and if the courts decide in his or her favor, your estate may have to pay for all legal costs. The few dollars you save now can cost your loved ones thousands of dollars later. I don’t want my final wishes to be set in stone. I’ll create a will later in my life. The terms of a will can change as often as needed. Legal experts agree that you should reexamine your will periodi-

cally to make sure it is up-to-date. A will should receive a “checkup” whenever there is a substantial change in your life. These are other issues: How do I create a will? Drafting a will is difficult and is not an endeavor you want to tackle singlehandedly. It’s important that you call on the services of an estate-planning lawyer. A lawyer will help you: • determine what type of will you need; • make the right decisions as to how your assets should pass; • change the terms of an existing will, if appropriate;

• save on estate taxes; • take advantage of estate planning opportunities people often overlook. How does life insurance fit into the picture? Life insurance is a vehicle you can use to help make sure your estate has the cash needed to pay expenses at your death, such as funeral costs, debts and estate taxes. Without liquid assets, the estate may be forced to sell assets — securities may have to be sold in a down market and other assets may have to be liquidated at a discount. In most instances, life insurance proceeds are paid income tax-free to your beneficiaries. If desired, life insurance can

be owned by a trust or a third party and also not be subject to estate taxes. Don’t wait until it’s too late. Creating a will forces each of us to come face-to-face with our own mortality — and dealing with death is difficult. But it will be much more difficult for your loved ones if you don’t have a will. To ensure that your will is legally viable, seek the services of a qualified attorney to draft and refine it. This educational third-party article is provided as a courtesy by Shane Van Dalen, New York Life Insurance agent in Lynden. Contact him at 354-4433 or svandalen@ ft.nyl.com.

Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, May 27, 2015 | Ferndale Record

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Go with a group to theatre show Upcoming tours explore Olympic park, Banff and B.C. rails heritage WHATCOM — Go with a group to the Tony Award-winning play “The Drowsy Chaperone” at the Bellingham Theatre Guild. The Bellingham Senior Activity Center hosts a benefit performance of the fivetime award winner on Wednesday, June 17. For all ages, this event includes a silent auction, appetizers, beverages, wine and dessert. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at Village Books, the downtown Bellingham Community Co-op, the senior activity center at 315 Halleck St. or online at www.brownpapertickets.com. For more information, go to: http://www.wccoa.org. If it’s farther travel you desire, tap into the offerings of Whatcom Senior Tour Program of the Whatcom Council on Aging. These two trips are coming up: Upper Olympic Peninsula June 23-26, 2015

All nature lovers, you must join in on this tour of the natural beauty of the Strait of Juan de Fuca on a ferry cruise and then breathtaking Olympic National Park. Stops on this guided trip are: Hurricane Ridge, Madison Falls, Lake Crescent, Salt Creek, Marymere Falls, Elwha River Dam, Olympic Game Farm (home of Gentle Ben) and Port Angeles. The package includes: motor coach transportation, round-trip ferry fees, waterfront Red Lion hotel, luggage handling, five meals, activities, park entry fees and escort. Scenic B.C. Hot Springs and Rockies Rail Heritage July 10-16, 2015 Consider this a circle tour trip of a lifetime, expertly guided from Bellingham to Banff National Park — a vintage rail lover’s delight! The tour goes east to Okanogan and up through the Kootenay Range and Canadian Rockies mountains into majestic forests with slot canyons and sapphire lakes. Retreat and relax at Radium Hot Springs. Step into pioneer-themed Fort Steele. Hear train history specialists nar-

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Funeral Home Cremation Monuments Markers

Moles Farewell Tributes The Natural Way to Say Goodbye

The Olympic Game Farm, featuring bison and the famous waving bears, is one of the stops on a guided tour of the upper Olympic Peninsula. (Brent Lindquist/Lynden Tribune) rate. Or Banff, Lake Louise and Valley Lake Chateau could be highlights for you. Package includes: deluxe coach, six nights lodging (two at Banff Resort), 18 meals, entry fees, vintage train ride, park

fees, bag handling and Canadian guide. To sign up or for more tour details, call 733-4030 extension 1015 or visit the center at 315 Halleck St., Bellingham. Those interested in either of these trips should get signed up immediately.

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Lynden Tribune | Wednesday, May 27, 2015 | Ferndale Record

Leave your knee pain behind You’ve got more important things to do with your time. Joint replacement can help you leave the painful ache of arthritis behind. Take the next step at www.peacehealth.org/ortho.

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