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Doug Riddle – Fast motorcycles and fast boats Article by Jack McNeel Speed has long been a highly successful cornerstone of Doug Riddle’s life – first with motorcycles and later with boats. Recently, he has directed his energies toward building innovative new boats. Doug is a lifelong resident of Idaho – born in Mountain Home but raised in Lewiston from the time he started school. “My parents owned the motorcycle shop here in Lewiston. That’s why
I was into motorcycles,” Doug relates. He worked in motorcycle shops as a mechanic after he graduated from high school, including his parents’ shop, but he also got into racing motorcycles. He raced motorcycles for about ten years. “Mostly to have fun, but I did well,” he says. That’s a bit of an understatement as he won the Idaho state championship, held in Boise those years, for three years in a row! That was in the early 1970s and he raced throughout the northwest during that time while still working primarily as a motorcycle mechanic. Meantime, his dad had started building aluminum boats and founded the Weldcraft boat company. Doug worked there off and on as well but admits, “I wasn’t too interested in boats.” But that changed when his dad started guiding up in the Hells Canyon region of the Snake River, built the Kirby Creek Lodge, and soon found that trying to run both a boat building business and the lodge was just too much. He called Doug and asked him to take over the boat business. “That was how I started in the boats,” Doug says. “That was in 1978 when I took over Weldcraft and bought it from my dad. I was pretty young and had to learn real fast.” He kept Weldcraft until 1991. Times were tough, so he took on a partner, and in the process he later got eased out of the company. But he stayed in the boating industry. Doug started a company that didn’t build boats but was more of a dealership and repair shop. It wasn’t until about 2000 that he returned to building boats. Even before that, from the early 80s into the 90s, the racing bug hit again, but this time it was jet boat racing. “I raced in Canada, Mexico, and all over the U.S. and won the U.S. Championship three or four times. I had all the records on all the rivers but since then they’ve all fallen. Boats have gotten a lot faster,” he said. Continued on page 10
PAGE 2 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT
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Idaho Senior Independent A Barrett-Whitman Publication P.O. Box 3341 • Great Falls, MT 59403-3341 208-318-0310 • Toll Free: 1-866-360-5683 Fax: 406-761-8358 www.idahoseniorindependent.com E-mail: idahoseniorind@bresnan.net The Idaho Senior Independent is published six times each year in February, April, June, August, October, and December by Barrett-Whitman, 415 3rd Avenue North, Great Falls, MT 59401 and is distributed free to readers throughout the state of Idaho. The mail subscription rate is $10.00 per year (6 issues). The Idaho Senior Independent is written to serve Idaho’s mature population of all ages. Readers are encouraged to contribute interesting material. Views expressed in opinion stories, contributions, articles, and letters are not necessarily the views of the publisher. The appearance of advertisements for products or services does not constitute an endorsement of the particular product or service. The publisher will not be responsible for mistakes in advertisements unless notified within five days of publication. All copy appearing in the Idaho Senior Independent is protected by copyright and may be reprinted only with the written permission of the publisher. Advertising copy should be received or space reserved by the 5th of the month preceding the month of publication.
Jack W. Love, Jr., Publisher/Editor Colleen Paduano Dan Hubbard Lynn Hencley Lisa Krebs Rhonda Lee Sherrie Smith Nann Parrett
Office Manager Advertising Sales Advertising Sales Production Assistant Graphic Artist Admin/Production Assistant Editing Assistant
Contributing Writers Natalie Bartley Connie Daugherty Holly Endersby Clare Hafferman Cate Huisman Gail Jokerst Bernice Karnop Craig Larcom Liz Larcom Jack McNeel Michael McGough Dianna Troyer © 2012
Fine Home For Sale Perhaps you have known of a large family that lived in very modest housing, like most of us. And then, as the wage earner finally rose above the poverty level, they decided to build. They had some ideas on what the ideal house should be. Now that they had the means, they proceeded to build a great house. What they forgot to consider was that the kids were now gone, out on their own, and there are just the two originals remaining. Plans, however, proceeded and the new house was built. The home is 3,200 sq. ft., three-car garage, plus carport. It sits on a half- acre lot, and has sensational views in three directions. The view to the north is Hayden Lake and the hills, then the mountains behind that. The view to the west
The first buddings of spring are the perfect metaphor for the emergence of new love. They are a reminder that beautiful blossoms can emerge from small, simple seeds. Why not take that metaphor to heart, and plant the seeds for new love? If you respond to one of these ads, you may watch true love come into full bloom! To those who wish to respond to any of these personal ads, simply forward your message and address, phone number, or email address to the department number listed in the particular personal ad, c/o Idaho Senior Independent, P.O. Box 3341, Great Falls, MT 59403. We will forward your response, including your address, phone number, and/or email address to the person placing the ad. If you answer an ad in this section, there is no guarantee that you will receive a response. That is up to the person
is across the valley, over the top of several small communities. The airport is visible, and there are trains making their way to Spokane, then on to Seattle. Again, this view is bounded by mountains. The view to the South is much the same but framed by evergreen trees. This house looks down on the surrounding area, and no one looks down on us. Only a “king and queen” live in this mansion. So, we think a family, at least several people, should reside here. Therefore, we are putting it on the market. We have enjoyed it for seven years, but we are now ready to pass it on. Any takers? Please call. Bill Witthuhn 208-762-0919
who placed the ad. Please make sure you submit your correct address plainly printed, so you can promptly receive responses. Respond to the ads in this issue, and also sit down now and prepare your own ad to run in our next issue. There is no charge for this service, and your ad may lead you down the path of true love! Responses to personal ads appearing in this column can be submitted at any time. However, to place a personal ad in the June/July 2012 issue, the deadline is May 10, 2012. Do you have a zest for life? Do you have the time, desire, physical well-being, and freedom to pursue it? Do you know how to really communicate? Do you know how to reciprocate? If you answered yes to all these questions, please
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read on. I am a spiritual, SWM, 63, 5’9”, 175 lbs., retired, and in good physical condition. My interests include walking, reading, music, dancing, boating, motorcycling, camping, and traveling. I live in Coeur d’Alene. I seek a woman, 45-65, with similar interests, values, and qualities for friendship, companionship, fun, and perhaps more. My philosophy is to live life to the fullest and make the most of each day I am blessed with. If you feel the same, please contact me! Reply ISI, Dept. 8101, c/o Idaho Senior Independent, Box 3341, Great Falls, MT 59403. Single white female, 65, seeking tall white male, 64-69, for companionship or long-term relationship. I have been a widow since 2000 and have many interests, including animals (especially cats), dining out, comedy, movies, sewing, cooking, and crafts shopping. I am a lady with long, strawberry blonde hair and blue eyes. No smokers, drinkers, or drug users, please. A sense of humor. Being lonely 24/7 is no fun. I would like to find someone with similar interests. I am not a Miss America look-alike, but would like to find someone who considers looks important. It sure would be nice to hear from someone seeking the same thing I am. I live in Grangeville. Reply ISI, Dept. 8102, c/o Idaho Senior Independent, Box 3341, Great Falls, MT 59403. SWF country gal,, 5’6”, slim, attractive, long brown hair, brown eyes, spiritual, Christian, funloving, up-beat. I like traveling, new adventures, history, art, camping, fishing, outdoor activities, walks together, romance, and many other interests. I am looking for a true companion, 60-75, who has a sense of humor, is spontaneous, someone I can respect, love, care for, laugh with, share my heart, dreams, and goals. Would like a loving, openhearted gentleman who knows how to love his woman – sharing the same values to see if we are compatible in the “Big-this-is-our-life” and “we’re-in-this-together” decisions. Accepting each other’s uniqueness, spoiling each other for the rest of our lives. Age is not important if you have learned from the past and still keep an open mind. Will consider relocating. I am debt free. No drugs or smoking. Occasional drinking okay. Please enclose a phone number, address, and photo. Reply ISI, Dept. 8103, c/o Idaho Senior Independent, Box 3341, Great Falls, MT 59403. Dependable and clean, attractive, compact 1955 model with low miles. Auburn hair, green eyes, 5’2”, sense of humor, old fashioned, affectionate, considerate, honest spontaneous, down to earth. Like quiet times at home, reading, and gardening. Enjoy camping, spontaneous road trips, antiques, and yard sales. Seeking man 52-64 years financially secure with similar interests, qualities, and good personal hygiene/daily habits. Facial hair a plus. No boozers, smokers, druggies, or whiners. An honest one-to-one.
It’s not that I’m so smart it’s just that I stay with problems longer. - Albert Einstein
IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 3
Please send photo. Reply ISI, Dept. 8104, c/o Idaho Senior Independent, Box 3341, Great Falls, MT 59403. Seeking nice lady who would enjoy writing to me as a friend and pen pal. I am 74 years old and own my home in Idaho. I enjoy hunting and traveling here and abroad. I have Social Security and state retirement pensions. Write to me and I will exchange photo’s with you and give you my phone number. Reply ISI, Dept. 8105, c/o Idaho Senior Independent, Box 3341, Great Falls, MT 59403. Looking for someone who still enjoys making love - kissing, cuddling and maybe more. I may be getting old but I still care about love. I am interested only in sexually active people for correspondence and possible meeting. I am 5’9” and 180 pounds, a non-smoker, a non-drinker with a great sense of humor. I love to laugh. Girls and guys, let’s become friends. Reply ISI, Dept. 8106, c/o Idaho Senior Independent, Box 3341, Great Falls, MT 59403.
Reverse Mortgage Your local source for free information: Larry Waters NMLS 400451 Reverse Mortgage Consultant 208-762-6887 Local 855-762-6887 Toll-Free Must be at least 62 years old. Homeowners are responsible to keep annual taxes and insurance current. First National Bank of Layton NMLS 405871 All rights reserved. Copyright © 2012
SWF, 64, searching for SWM. I am honest, kind, young at heart, and enjoy doing many things. Please, no smoking and no drugs! Looking for day trips, back roads, lakes, mountains, watching wildlife, dancing, music, hot tubs, festivals, or just sitting, holding hands and watching life go by. Write to me and I will send my picture. Reply ISI, Dept. 8107, c/o Idaho Senior Independent, Box 3341, Great Falls, MT 59403. SWM, 78, ex-hyperactive adult, nominal Christian, latent Buddhist, looking for little old lady in tennis shoes, country girl or otherwise adventurous woman for friendship, companionship... potential partner. Pen pal okay and I will answer all responses. Reply ISI, Dept. 8108, c/o Idaho Senior Independent, Box 3341, Great Falls, MT 59403. ISI
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PAGE 4 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT
Oh, that Father Time… and the relentless passing of the seconds, minutes, days, and years – where have they gone? When we are young, our lives seem boundless. As we age and reflect on how we have spent our lives and become more conscious of the shortage of time left each moment becomes more precious. This issue, our winning Remember When contributor, Jerry Kautz of Payette, has captured this sense of life’s fleeting nature in his piece,
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Memories. Thank you and congratulations to Jerry, the winner of our $25 Remember When prize. Remember When contains our readers’ personal reflections or contributions describing fictional or non-fictional events from some time in the past. Contributions may be stories, letters, artwork, poems, essays, etc. Photos may be included. Each issue of the Idaho Senior Independent
features the contribution(s) deemed best by our staff. The contributor of the winning entry receives a $25 cash prize. We look forward to receiving your contributions for our June/July 2012 issue. Mail your correspondence to Idaho Senior Independent, P.O. Box 3341, Great Falls, MT 59403, email to idahoseniorind@bresnan.net, or call 1-866-3605683 or 208-318-0310.
Memories By Jerry Kautz, Payette The old man sat there on the dock in his folding chair, not moving a muscle. Anyone passing by might think him dead, if he did not occasionally check his fishing pole. He was enjoying the warm sun on his aging body; it felt toasty. Also, he was having wonderful replays of childhood memories and liked looking into his past. He thought, “How ironic, I began 75 years ago using a cane pole to catch fish, and now, here I am again using one almost identical to it.” Through the childhood fishing years, a cane
or bamboo pole was all he could afford to use to catch fish. Then, as he got older and could buy better rods and reels, these were what he used to pursue his quarry. As all fishermen of the day knew, better equipment meant more fish, although it did not always turn out that way. Now, sitting in his easy chair, relaxing and dreaming, the old gentleman did not really care whether he caught a fish. Just being out here one more time was what was important. He could be casting with a nice fancy rod now, but his elbow and shoulder joints just would not allow it. Picking up the old cane pole to check the bait was difficult enough. Whenever he was fortunate to hook a large fish, he had a dickens of a time hoisting it in. And, he could not pack very many fish back up to where the car was parked. It was not too many years ago when he could take his small boat to a nearby lake, put it in the water, and get around fairly well. As the years crept up on him, the old man found himself unable to handle the routine of loading and unloading the boat and accessories needed to put in a day on the water. His back gave out on him first and then the rest of his body. One morning he discovered his knees did not want to support his weight. Then his right elbow went bad, along with the bursitis in his shoulder and the rheumatism in his hips. He knew he was getting all messed
up, but he wasn’t going to quit, not until they threw dirt on him! The old fellow was still able to drive a car, but he knew even that wasn’t going to last much longer. He was now in his 85th year and getting frailer as time passed. Soon, he would be asking, no, BEGGING someone to take him fishing. He had taken several elderly people fishing when he was younger, now it is someone’s turn to take him; at least he hoped so. He thought, “Oh well, it’s a beautiful day and I’m not going to spoil it by thinking such thoughts. With any luck at all, I still have some time left to manage by myself.” Watching his bobber do a little dance in the breeze, he thought to himself, “I wonder if you can fish when you get to the other side of life? Will the other side let me be young again? What a place it would be, where you never grow old and hurt, and the fish were always biting.” The old man’s thoughts were interrupted as his bobber went under. He picked up his pole and lifted in a nice bluegill. It made his heart glad to see the little shaking fish swing toward him. The old excitement of catching a fish was still there. He knew that would never go away. From cane pole to cane pole, youth to old age, this is where he wanted to be. ISI
Political defeat better than death By Bill Hall Tell me something: Why is it that members of the military repeatedly risk their lives for their country but most members of Congress will not even risk losing an election? Why is it that police officers routinely go out there in the night along lonely highways and down dark alleys daring death, but members of the House and Senate tremble in their boots at the thought of defying moneyed lobbyists and ignorant voters on matters of principle? Why is it that members of the fire department dare run into a fire to save a child, but most members of Congress don’t dare tell a menac-
ing lobbyist with a pot full of cash to put it where the sun don’t shine? Most members of Congress would rather become puppets of pressure groups than die a mere political death at the polls. What is it that they fear? They fear leaving Congress – their love, their joy, their ego drug. They do not fear for their lives or least of all for their honor. By comparison with a selfless military death, what they fear is a pitiful little setback like losing their current jobs. They fear something that is wonderful by comparison with dying in a war. They fear ano-
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nymity. They fear going home and retiring among their grandchildren. Most of all, they fear us. And in one sense, they should. We voters today are a nasty, largely ill-informed, and totally selfish bunch. We behave like rabid badgers, snarling at members of Congress, threatening to bring them home and back down to earth. But that means that the worst we can do is to remove them from office, a fate worse than next to nothing. In many cases, we would be doing them a favor by voting them out of office. We would be rescuing them from the ignominious life of rolling over on their backs like submissive dogs as they encounter each alpha lobbyist with its fangs full of cash. But all the Tea Partiers, union kingpins, grayhaired senior activists, rabid environmentalists, overpaid corporate big shots, pharmaceutical lobbyists, and other welchers too cheap to pay their full national dues can’t really hurt members of Congress that much. Part of the problem is that voters today do not consume much uncolored news. Many among us watch the most heavily slanted cable channels and read narrow-minded Internet drivel that feeds us “facts” invented by people who are as ignorant and pig-headed as we are. A generation ago, there were only three national television channels and stacks of newspapers that provided a ton of news and only a little opinion. If the president was giving a speech or a political party was having a nominating convention, those events were on all three channels. If you watched television at all on those nights, that was what you got. It was much harder then to avoid the straight news while wallowing in propaganda. Today, we are at the mercy of our own avoidance of accurate information. We are hopelessly susceptible to the fantasies we want to hear. And we refuse to believe most of what we need to hear. Thus we find ourselves with chronically terrified members of Congress who, if they speak their true minds and their honest convictions, fear they will lose the holy grail of victory in the next election. But is an honorable defeat for too much truthfulness such an awful thing for an ethical person? Is winning an election that important? It is not as if members of Congress don’t have the golden parachute of lucrative pensions and better health insurance than what they have ever been willing to provide for the rest of us. Losing your life in the military or as a first responder is a tragedy. By contrast, losing a congressional seat is a disappointment. It is the difference between coming home to your family slightly embarrassed and coming home in a box. But you should be embarrassed most of all these recent years that you lost the people’s legislative branch to the moneyed forces of greed who now own it. It is not like the military. When we voters defeat you, at least we bring you back alive. We give you back your old friends and your sweet grandchildren to keep you warm until you die of old age and join our nation’s real heroes in the cold, cold ground. Hall may be contacted at wilberth@cableone.net or at 1012 Prospect Ave., Lewiston, ID 83501. ISI
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Idaho eye doctors help legally blind to see Local low vision doctor helps those with vision impairment to keep reading and driving. By Elena Lomabardi retired rancher from Utah, approached the Low Just because you have macular degeneration Vision Clinic last February. (or other vision-limiting conditions) doesn’t always “I could not read the street signs soon enough mean you must give up driving or reading. when driving, and I couldn’t read my morning Ever look through a pair of field glasses or paper.” binoculars? Things look bigger He was fit with bioptic teleand closer, and much easier scope glasses. “Amazing,” says to see. Dr. Jared L. Cooper Ross, “to be able to see things of Southern Idaho/Utah and far away again. Even the televiDr. Cheryl Dumont of Coeur sion is so much better now.” He d’Alene are using miniaturized was also provided with a Clear binoculars or telescopes to help Image Microscope glasses for people who have lost vision from reading the newspaper. macular degeneration or other “Telescopic glasses usually eye conditions. cost over $2000,” says Dr. Coo“Some of my patients conper, “especially if we fabricate sider me the last stop for people who have vision them with an automatic sunglass.” loss”, says Dr. Cooper, a low vision optometrist who Not all low vision devices are that expensive limits his practice to visually impaired patients in - reading glasses start at $500 and hand magnihis offices throughout Southern Idaho. fiers under $100. Every case is different because “People don’t know that there are doctors who people have different levels of vision and different are very experienced in low vision care, many of desires. my patients have been told that there was nothCall Dr. Cooper or Dr. Dumont for a free ing left that they could do to improve their vision, telephone interview at 800-451-2015 or visit Dr. fortunately this is usually not the case.” Cooper on the Internet at www.coopereyecare“My job is to figure out everything and anything utah.com. possible to keep a person functioning.” said Dr. Dr. Jared L. Cooper Idaho License #ODPCooper. “Even if it’s driving”. 100238. A patient of Dr. Cooper, Ross Johnson, 73 a
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Keeping Cool When Things Get Hot – Consider These Alternatives For Beating Summer Heat By Lisa M. Petsche When temperatures push those summer highs, you need to do something to stay comfortable. Cranking up the air conditioning is one option, of course. But there are other, less expensive and more environmentally friendly ways to feel a bit better when things heat up. Choosing Clothing – Wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothes that allow air to circulate and perspiration to evaporate. Stick to natural fibers like cotton, or microfiber materials with an open weave. Wear a hat to shade your face from the sun and remember the sunscreen. Activities – Avoid strenuous activity, including exercising, gardening, and mowing. If possible, stay indoors during the hottest part of day. Try to schedule outdoor activities in the early morning or evening. Otherwise, rest often in the shade.
For more information, call 208.667.5470 or visit www.gentiva.com
Around The House – Close drapes on sunny days. Consider awnings, shutters, or roll-up porch blinds to shade your house. Also consider growing vines. Run an electric fan to circulate air in the room you are using. While it will not alter the room temperature, it will evaporate sweat, which will increase your comfort. Place a fan in front of an open window at night to draw in the cool evening air. Install ceiling fans to circulate air in the rooms you use most. They can be reasonably priced, and use relatively little energy. (They increase heating efficiency in the winter, too.) Stay on the lowest floor of your home. Use a dehumidifier to remove excess moisture from the basement. Hang laundry outside to dry. If you use the dryer, do so during the coolest parts of the day. The same goes for the dishwasher, to minimize the impact of its heat. (Consider washing dishes by hand during heat waves.) Cooling The Décor – Accessorize your home with light, bright colors. Room accents can take the form of cushion covers, tablecloths, place mats or a mantel scarf, for instance. For color inspiration, think summer flowers and tropical fruits. Do not overlook white, which gives a crisp, fresh look. For patterns, try florals and gingham checks. Choose ocean blues and greens for a psychological cooling effect. Marine themes are always popular at this time of year. Bring out that collection of seashells and display them in a shallow bowl. Summer is a good time to be whimsical – have some fun with decorating. Cooling Yourself – Try cool showers or sponge baths. If you don’t have air conditioning (or it breaks down) and the heat becomes unbearable, visit a friend or relative who has air conditioning, or go to a cool public place such as a senior center, shopping mall, or public library, during the hottest part of the day. Avoid extreme temperature changes. For example, do not have a cold shower right after coming in from outside on a sweltering day. Cook meals outdoors on a grill or use the microwave in place of a regular stovetop or oven. Drink plenty of extra fluids even if you do not feel thirsty. Sip water or stock up on fruit juice and iced tea. Avoid alcohol and caffeine. Eat light, more frequent meals to avoid taxing your digestive system. Go easy on protein, and avoid foods that are spicy or heavy with calories. Energy Efficiency – An air conditioning unit is a must-have for older adults – especially those with chronic illnesses - to prevent adverse health effects when heat and humidity become oppressive. The following are some ways to maximize its efficiency. If you have a room air conditioner, try to shade it from the sun so it does not have to work as hard. If you have central air conditioning, keep your furnace and a/c system – which function together – properly maintained. To ensure maximum aircooling and save energy. Follow the tips below. • Regularly check and replace air filters. • Keep the area around your furnace and air conditioning unit free of clutter, plant overgrowth, and debris. • Dust around equipment, and vacuum filters and vents regularly. • Have your system regularly inspected by professionals. • Adjust controls accordingly when your home will be empty. • Turn off air conditioning and open windows when the outdoor temperature decreases at night, especially if there is a cool breeze. Lisa M. Petsche is a medical social worker and a freelance writer specializing in boomer and senior issues. ISI
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IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 7
The ABCs of Arthritis By Susan Frances Bonner RN BSN, author of Opening a Registered Nurse’s Eyes: A life Altering Journey Across North America The topic of arthritis is near and dear to my heart because both my husband and my stepdaughter have ankylosing spondylitis, one of several chronic diseases where joint pain is primary. Although it is not truly an arthritic disease, it is an autoimmune disease, which brings us to the “A” of arthritis. Arthritis is classified as an autoimmune disease, which is where the body tissues are attacked by body’s own immune system. The immune system is designed to defend the body against invaders of the body, including infectious agents. With autoimmune diseases, patients have antibodies circulating in their blood that target their own tissues. Today, there is no cure for the numerous autoimmune diseases, and people can have more than one autoimmune disease at a time. Since most of these chronic illnesses are not immediately lifethreatening, treatment can be tricky and is primarily focused on helping the person with the disease live as active and pain free life as possible. Arthritis is inflammation of a joint, typically accompanied by pain, swelling, and stiffness, that results from infection, trauma, degenerative changes, metabolic disturbances, or other causes. It can occur in different forms, such as bacterial arthritis, osteoarthritis, or rheumatoid arthritis. I know that everyone reading this article knows at least one person with arthritis or has one form of it himself or herself. This is not a new human condition. It is just that we are now finding out more about it and how best to treat it.
Indeed arthritis is a very old disease. Osteoarthritis has been discovered in dinosaurs, and the first evidence of arthritis in humans dates to 4,500 BC. Arthritis appears to be the most common ailment of prehistoric peoples and has been observed in skeletal remains of Native Americans found in Tennessee and Kansas. Evidence of arthritis has been found across the millennia, from the Ötzi mummy (circa 3,000 BC) found in the modern Italy/ Austria area, to Egyptian mummies circa 2,590 BC. So, if you or loved one has been diagnosed with arthritis, what should you do? The “B” of arthritis has to do with basic life changes to alleviate pain and keep you as mobile as possible because mobility is a very important therapy. But if you are in pain, you will not want to move. There are many medicines that treat the pain and inflammation of arthritis, for example aspirin, ibuprofen, glucosamine and chondroitin, Celebrex, and steroid medications. This is a short list and any medications should be discussed with your provider, even over-the-counter meds. Unfortunately, taking medications is one change that must be made to help combat this disease. Losing weight and exercising are necessary life changes that will help keep your muscles and joints supple and strong. Less weight on joints and muscles will help alleviate pain. Light exercise is recommended because heavy exercise will put strain on joints and muscles and increase inflammation and pain. Remember that exercise is to keep you moving, so stretching, walking, and swimming are all excellent ways to maintain mobility. The “C” of Arthritis has to do with the cure; however, there is no known cure for this chronic illness despite old wives’ tales promising relief.
Such mythical remedies include eating rum-soaked raisins, eggplant, and other nightshade vegetables and following the grapefruit diet, for example. There is no scientific evidence that anything can cure arthritis. The best way to combat this complicated disease is with knowledge from your physician, from the library, and from reliable sites on the Internet. By making lifestyle changes and using appropriate medications, you can live a long and rewarding life with this complicated chronic disease. Susan Frances Bonner RN, BSN is the author of Opening A Registered Nurses Eyes; A life Altering Journey Across North America. ISI
The Dented Bucket Submitted by Julie Hollar Our house was directly across the street from the clinic entrance of Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. We lived downstairs and rented the upstairs rooms to outpatients at the clinic. One summer evening as I was fixing supper, there was a knock at the door. I opened it to see a truly awful looking man. “Why, he’s hardly taller than my 8-year-old,” I thought as I stared at the stooped, shriveled body. But the appalling thing was his face, lopsided from swelling, red, and raw. Yet his voice was pleasant as he said, “Good evening. I’ve come to see if you have a room for just one night. I came for a treatment this morning from the eastern shore, and there’s no bus ‘til morning.” He told me he had been hunting for a room since noon but with no success, no one seemed to have a room. “I guess it’s my face... I know it looks terrible, but my doctor says with a few more treatments...” For a moment I hesitated, but his next words convinced me. “I could sleep in this rocking chair on the porch. My bus leaves early in the morning.” I told him we would find him a bed, but to rest on the porch. I went inside and finished getting supper. When we were ready, I asked the old man if he would join us. “No, thank you. I have plenty.” And he held up a brown paper bag. When I had finished the dishes, I went out on the porch to talk with him a few minutes. It did not take a long time to see that this old man had an oversized heart crowded into that tiny body. He told me he fished for a living to support his daughter, her five children, and her husband, who was hopelessly crippled from a back injury. He did not tell it by way of complaint; in fact, every other sentence was prefaced with thanks to God for a blessing. He was grateful that no pain accompanied his disease, which was apparently a form of skin cancer. He thanked God for giving him the strength to keep going. At bedtime, we put a camp cot in the children’s room for him. When I got up in the
morning, the bed linens were neatly folded and the little man was out on the porch. He refused breakfast, but just before he left for his bus, haltingly, as if asking a great favor, he said, “Could I please come back and stay the next time I have a treatment? I won’t put you out a bit. I can sleep fine in a chair.” He paused a moment and then added, “Your children made me feel at home. Grownups are bothered by my face, but children don’t seem to mind.” I told him he was welcome to come again. And, on his next trip, he arrived a little after 7 in the morning. As a gift, he brought a big fish and a quart of the largest oysters I had ever seen! He said he had shucked them that morning before he left so that they would be nice and fresh. I knew his bus left at 4 a.m., and I wondered what time he had to get up in order to do this for us. In the years he came to stay overnight with us, there was never a time that he did not bring us fish or oysters or vegetables from W E A R E C O M F O R T K E E P E R S® his garden. Other times we received packages in the mail, always by special delivery - fish and oysters packed in For over a decade, Comfort Keepers® a box of fresh young spinach or kale, S E R V I C E S has been helping seniors maintain every leaf carefully washed. Knowing independent lives by providing in-home that he must walk 3 miles to mail these care and safety. Like cooking, light and knowing how little money he had housekeeping, bathing or grooming. made the gifts doubly precious. And our SafetyChoice ™ PERS and Transportation Medication Management Systems means When I received these little rehelp is always available. membrances, I often thought of a comment our next-door neighbor made – after he left that first morning. “Did you keep that awful looking man last night? I turned him away! You can lose roomers by putting up such people!” Maybe we did lose roomers once or twice. But, oh! If only they could have known him, perhaps their illnesses Entire Entire would have been easier to bear. Treasure Valley: 895-8822 Pocatello Area: 234-9825 I know our family always will be Pocatello Area: 234-9825 Burley/Rupert: 434-8888 grateful to have known him; from him Burley/Rupert: 434-8888 Twin Falls Area: 733-8988 we learned what it was to accept the Twin Falls Area:208-895-8822 733-8988 Valley: bad without complaint and the good Treasure Each office independently owned and operated. with gratitude to God. Recently I was © 2009 CK Franchising, Inc. visiting a friend who has a greenhouse. W W W. C O M F O R T K E E P E R S . C O M ®
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As she showed me her flowers, we came to the most beautiful one of all, a golden chrysanthemum, bursting with blooms. But to my great surprise, it was growing in an old dented, rusty bucket. I thought to myself, “If this were my plant, I’d put it in the loveliest container I had!” My friend changed my mind. “I ran short of pots,” she explained, “and knowing how beautiful this one would be, I thought it wouldn’t mind starting out in this old pail. It’s just for a little while, until I can put it out in the garden.”
She must have wondered why I laughed so delightedly, but I was imagining just such a scene in heaven. “Here’s an especially beautiful one,” God might have said when he came to the soul of the sweet old fisherman. “He won’t mind starting in this small body.” All this happened long ago - and now, in God’s garden, how tall this lovely soul must stand. The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. While man looks at the outward appearance, the Lord looks at the heart. ISI
Plan Ahead For Positive Medical Visits By Lisa M. Petsche When the relative you are caring for must attend a medical appointment, planning ahead is crucial, especially if they have special healthcare needs. You need to be prepared not only for the appointment itself, but also for the travel and wait time involved. Follow the tips below to minimize stress and maximize success. Before you go • If accessible transportation is required, book it well in advance. • Do not schedule anything else on the appointment day. • If you are driving to an unfamiliar location, call in advance to get directions and information about parking options. Also inquire about the accessibility of the premises in terms of parking, entrances and washrooms, and whether transport chairs are available. • Complete any forms received at a previous appointment or by mail - for example, questionnaires or pre-op paperwork. • Review any literature received in advance regarding how to prepare for the appointment and what to expect. • Ensure your relative wears loose-fitting, breathable clothing and comfortable walking shoes. Layer garments to make it easy to adapt to warm or cool temperatures. • If the weather is inclement or you are anxious about parking, plan to take a taxi so you and your relative can be dropped off and picked up at the medical building’s entrance. • Make a list of everything to bring along. Read on for items you may want to include. What to bring • Tickets for accessible transportation, disabled parking permit, parking pass, or sufficient money for parking lot fees. • Mobility aids. • Nourishment. Snacks are especially important if you or your relative is diabetic. If your appointment is near lunch time, pack a sandwich and drink for both of you. If your relative resides in a care facility, request a bag lunch a day in advance. Bring an apron or towel to protect their clothing while they eat, and wet wipes for cleaning up
afterwards. • Sufficient prescription and over-the-counter medications to cover the time you expect to be away. Bring an extra dose in case the wait is unusually long. • Extra incontinence pad or brief. • Change of clothes and a plastic bag for soiled garments. • Facial tissues. • Hand sanitizer in a travel size. • Medical insurance information. • List of all health conditions and medications, including dosages and frequency of use. • List of questions and concerns. • Pad of paper and pen to record information and instructions. • Cell phone or coins for a pay phone. • Reading material or other diversionary items to keep your relative pleasantly occupied during waiting periods. Bring something for yourself, too. When you arrive • Make use of hand sanitizers at building and office entrances. • If it is your first time in the building, orient yourself. Consult any layout plans or directories, typically found by main entrances. Find out where washrooms are located, and whether there is a cafeteria, coffee stand, or truck stop for purchasing drinks and snacks. The latter is good to know for future visits. • Have health insurance information ready when you check in at the office or clinic. Let the receptionist know of any special needs your relative may have - for example, behavioral issues that may be exacerbated by noise or a long wait. Also advise them of special circumstances - for example, if your relative has another appointment in the building or elsewhere, such that time is a concern. Before you leave • If your relative resides in a care facility, ask the healthcare provider to make a brief note regarding any findings, recommendations, and plans. This is important information for you to take back for the charge nurse and the physician overseeing your relative’s care. Also inform staff of any tests or follow-up appointments that are scheduled or require booking. • If a referral is being made to another healthcare professional, ensure you are clear about their name, area of expertise and location, and the purpose of the consultation. • If your relative is being booked for a test, inquire about the typical amount of time involved and whether special preparation is required. When you get home • Note any further consultations or tests on your calendar right away. Attach appointment cards with a paper clip, so you have phone numbers handy should you have any questions or need to reschedule. • Keep any forms or information sheets you have been given in a labeled file folder for easy access. Lisa M. Petsche is a social worker and a freelance writer specializing in adult care issues. ISI
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Lewiston’s Mari Clark – Still cleaning teeth but not for people Photos and article by Jack McNeel Mari Clark was a dental assistant for nearly 30 years, which is a typical career. Then in 1990, she started a second career in a field that is not at all typical for a woman of retirement age. This new career? Taxidermy! Mari was raised in Tw i s p , Wa s h i n g t o n and received her dental training at Spokane Community College. She married her husband Dick and moved to the Orchards in 1967 before it was annexed into the city of Lewiston. They raised three youngsters there, and Dick began doing taxidermy in a single-car garage at their home. Tragedy struck in 1982 when Dick broke his back in a swimming pool accident in their backyard. “Our son, Nick, had worked with his dad since the time he was a little guy. He could out-skin anybody, so his dad had him doing lots and lots of skinning,” Mari explains. The injury did not allow Dick to do the work, although he still oversaw the business. Dick passed away in 2008. Nick purchased a site on Thain Road in 1985 and built a new log building to house Clark’s Taxidermy. Mari remembers walking in shortly after it was built and Nick’s saying, “Oh, mom, I think I’ve overbuilt.” What seemed too large in 1985 after working out of a single car garage now seems almost too small. Mari continued to work as a dental assistant until 1990 when the arthritis in her fingers worsened. So, she retired from dental work and began working in taxidermy with her son. “I came up here first to work around the yard because Nick was getting far behind outside. When winter came on he pulled me inside and I started doing all the rugs – bear rugs and cougar rugs.” This involved soaking them, stretching them and sewing them plus putting in the head forms
and eyes and getting them ready for the customers. “I did it all,” she adds. A year or two later Nick hired a third person who now prepares most of the rugs although Mari still assists when needed. “Now I mostly boil the skulls and work around the teeth making European mounts, or boil out the bear skulls and cougar skulls that people have sitting on their mantles. We didn’t used to do a lot of them but now they all want them cooked out whether it’s coyote, badger, or whatever.” Mari is not aware of any other women in the area who do taxidermy work and adds that it is rather unusual anywhere. “People often come in and say, ‘Oh how can you do that?’ The smell does get bad at times, especially if they have had them out in warm weather showing their friends. They may have maggots crawling on them and you just ‘glove up’ and go to it. It’s neat because it’s all a hands on experience.” Over time the business has grown, a
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fourth person was added to the business, yet it’s still a struggle to get shoulder mounts of animals returned to the customers in a 10-12 month time frame. Life sized mounts take about 18 months. “It’s very good,” she adds. So what exotic things have they done? “We did a floor pedestal of a giraffe that was nine feet tall,” Mari says. “We do a lot of African animals and stuff from New Zealand, Spain, pretty much from all over. We get different kinds of sheep from Spain and got a Marco Polo sheep from Russia. We also get a lot of things from musk ox to caribou to grizzlies from the Yukon Territories. And, we ship all over,” she adds. “We shipped a life sized cougar to Istanbul, Turkey and we shipped a black bear to Holland. That guy wrote us the neatest letter. He said it would be like Lewiston having its own wind mill on the corner to what the bear was to him in Holland. That was really fun.” Mari has been a very successful hunter in her own right. She has taken a “nice caribou” in Alaska and also a big horn sheep. She was lucky to have
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her name drawn for a moose permit in the mid-90s and taking a “really nice moose.” She lives in a mobile home so the sheep hangs in her son’s trophy room. Mari did a European mount of the moose and caribou, plus just an antler mount of a whitetail she took. The term “European mount” refers to a method whereby the skull is cleaned to pure white with the antlers left in their natural color and then attached to a plaque. “I just turned 70 last year,” Mari says. “Everybody asks when I’m going to retire. I say when the boys throw me out of here. I told my son, ‘I hope you’ll get rid of me if I don’t know when to quit.’ I tell my friends I’m not really a TV person and not one to just sit. I try to work out three times a week at Fit
Express for Ladies. It’s a low impact workout but a good workout and I try to keep in decent shape. I feel very fortunate because I can still walk and jog.” “I really like my job. The boys are wonderful to work with, so much different than gals.” She explains that in her dental career she worked mostly with women other than a male dentist. “The gals are a whole lot pickier than guys are.” Adding her two careers together, Mari has been working slightly over 50 years. “That’s a long time of picking peoples’ teeth or animals’ teeth,” she says with a laugh. And, she will likely be working on animal teeth a good while longer. ISI
Doug Riddle – continued from page 1 He didn’t want the hassle of a large company so has kept his boat building business a little smaller and kept overhead down by specializing in custom made boats. “Over the years we’ve done really well and built it up, but we’re still small. We sell directly to people all over the world.” In recent years some of the more far-ranging places have included Papua New Guinea, Russia, and Nigeria. His experience in jet boat racing has been beneficial to him as a builder. “It’s really helped us in boat design, how to make them work better and go easier.” That knowledge and experience in racing also caught the eye of Hollywood. He explains. “In 1998 I got a job working for James Bond movies.” He built 15 boats, which were shipped to London for the movie, The World is not Enough. He also worked on that movie for over five months, training drivers and keeping the boats running. “We built the little JQ boat (as it was called in the movie.) I met a lot of people in the industry. It was pretty good.” Then in 2008 he did the last of the Bond movies, Quantum of Solace. He built six boats for that movie and spent a month in Panama where the movie was filmed along the Panama Canal. Some will recall one of the earlier TV reality
shows – Junkyard Wars. Doug appeared on that show in 2001, building a jet boat which raced against an airboat. “We used a jet ski motor and a big barrel,” he laughed, “and hooked it up with a little 4-cylinder motor. It was pretty cool.” Doug, recently turned 60, still does an occasional motorcycle race. “I’ll race cross country once or twice a year and if I finish the race that’s a huge accomplishment for me. Basically I go for a trail ride,” he laughs. His boat work now includes a lot of work for the Canadian market. He explains a couple of the newer trends. “We’re developing boats that go across rocks and gravel bars. They have plastic bolted to the bottom and small motors so you just aim at a gravel bar, give her the gas and go sliding over it into the water on the other side. A lot of them are in Alaska and northern B.C. and Alberta. It’s been pretty popular for us.” They are also building some front loader, cargotype boats. “People can put 4-wheelers in the front, or cargo, and are used for either recreation or work boats. The recreational ones are all around 21 feet. You can put a 4-wheeler in and take your camping equipment or go hunting. They’re real popular in Alaska and Canada.” They make larger ones to be used as work boats and he tells of sending one to Papua, New Guinea, then going down there to check out the rivers. “That was kind of cool,” he says. This spring Toyota and Weaver Seed are sponsoring the 2012 U.S.A. World Jet Boat Marathon Championship here in Idaho. Doug explained that the location rotates among the competing countries – U.S., Canada, Mexico, and New Zealand. “We get a lot of entries from those other countries,” he explains. The first leg will take place on the St. Joe River near St. Maries, and then move to Lewiston to run on the Snake River one day and the Clearwater the other. Then it moves to Riggins for two final days on the Salmon River. Doug will be serving as a tech inspector at the sign in. This year the race will take place from April 1321. “It’s really the best time of year. It’s not going to coincide with a lot of other people’s plans. We had a race here last summer and I thought it was going to be a big problem in the middle of summer and everyone wanting to use the river with float
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boats, kayaks, and so on. It turned out real good and everybody had a great time. It was only for a couple of hours that they couldn’t use the river and was way better than I thought it might be,” he said in regard to possible problems. “The new boats are really fast. The fastest are running jet turbine engines. They’re really quiet.
You can’t hear them coming, they just sssssssst.” How fast? “They get up to 130-140 mph on the smooth water. It’s totally amazing. I just can’t believe it when I see how fast they go. They hardly touch the water so there’s not much of a wake at all and have mufflers so aren’t real noisy either.” “Guys will say, ‘I bet Doug, that you’re just
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chomping at the bit to get in one of those boats and go that fast.’ I say, ‘No, I don’t want to have anything to do with it,’ he says laughing ‘I’d rather stand on the bank and watch them go by.’” Perhaps that is evidence that even the super fast slow down as the years add up. ISI
Brett Johnson Courts Recovery
Article by Bernice Karnop Photo by Adrienne Bennett Courts are an obsession for Lewiston’s Brett Johnson. This North Idaho Senior Games Racquetball coordinator’s goal is to put those struggling with drug and alcohol issues on a racquet ball court, a squash court, or a tennis court in order to keep them out of drug and DUI courts. He developed a program called Recovery Racquets that partners with drug and alcohol treatment centers and the drug court to offer what most treatments don’t have the resources to do: provide a physical aspect to treatment to go along with the mental and spiritual components. He never sees these
men and women as outcasts. He never sees them as hopeless. That’s because he once walked that path himself. When a man or woman in their 30s comes in feeling that the best of their lives is done, they can look at this 54-year old who has gone “from a stumble to walking with a purposeful frolic.” Instead of someone who’s surviving, he’s truly living. “Surviving is one thing,” he says, “and I was a survivor. But I don’t have to survive any longer. I get to live, and that’s by God’s grace and mercy.” The Adcope Athletic Club in Lewiston partners with Brett, giving him 10 free trial memberships for his Recovery Racquets program. “These ladies and gentlemen new to the recovery program get an opportunity to kick in their own endorphins,” he says. And Brett has an opportunity to share his experience and teach them to become accountable to parole officers, probation offices, and treatment center councilors who are there to help those who need to escape their own addictions. From birth, Brett’s hip joint and leg didn’t fit together properly. Doctors put him in Forrest Gump-type braces and told him he would never walk or run like the other kids. That proved to not be true, and he shed the braces. But when he was 15 years old, he stumbled again when his dad died prematurely. A Pakistani man, Yusef Kahn, took him under his wing taught him to play squash, a sport simi-
lar to racquet ball. Brett worked at a tennis club while Yusef continued to teach him world-class racket sports. He also taught him how to teach the games. Brett worked hard and it kept him off the streets... for a while. The extreme exercise caused pain in his hip and leg to flare up, so Brett treated his physical and emotional pain with drugs and alcohol. Soon the drugs and alcohol crowded out the good things and ruled his life for more than a decade. A turning point came when his mother told
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him she would do anything to get him help with his drug and alcohol problems. He didn’t respond right away, but when she died a few months later, he entered treatment. It was no garden walk. At five foot seven inches, he weighed 227 pounds and hadn’t been on a sports court for years. “I felt trapped. I didn’t know how to communicate with people. I was afraid of them and felt like they should be afraid of me because I was such a bad person.” Because people cared about him and gave him a chance, he was able to get his life back. One of the helpers was a retired tennis coach who encouraged him to start walking and from there to get back onto the racquetball court.
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He shed 50 pounds and began to help others who were trying to recover from their addictions. He took classes to be a chemical dependency professional. Brett moved to Lewiston three years ago from the Olympic Peninsula. An ad in the newspaper alerted him to the North Idaho Senior Games. The first year they canceled the racquetball events because there was no one to spearhead it. The year after that he took the helm. Cathy Robinson, director of the North Idaho Senior Games says,”Brett loves racquetball and does everything he can to introduce people of all ages to the sport. He’s brought that same enthusiasm to the North Idaho Senior Games and tells
Reviewed by Connie Daugherty Murder on Cell Block 9 written and published by L.D. Webb; 2011. This 270-page book started out as a college assignment – a short paper about the dangers of drug use for a 6th grade audience. But, as often happens with writing and research, the paper took on a life of its own. Murder on Cell Block 9 is the result. It is a true biography of a drug dealer based on information collected through interviews, court records, and newspaper articles. The author’s goal is “to make it clear… that drug use does not only affect the one using, but will most likely have a huge impact on their family, friends, and other loved ones as well… in many cases the lives of an entire community… can be altered.” And nothing is more effective than to tell the tale of one man’s life and how his actions affected the people around him. Richard Lee Holmes was born in 1953 in Nampa, Idaho. He was undisciplined as a child and got in trouble as a teenager. He spent some time in jail where he learned a trade and shortly after he was released, he met and married Debra. “Dealing drugs was not always the plan for Richard, but he had a family to support, and big dreams… he longed to own his own successful auto body shop so people would… respect him.” He and his wife, Debra started selling marijuana to support their mutual use of the substance. Then they “continued selling marijuana to make a living.” They were getting by with some occasional legitimate employment and
people about the NISG wherever he goes!” Brett works with both young people and older adults. He loves seeing what happens when he mixes the generations. “The kids really look up to these 70-years olds on the racquetball court running their little fanny’s off,” he says. “After a game they kick back and have a pink grapefruit together and share their stories.” Looking back, Brett realizes how good he has it today. In addition to his involvement on the racquet ball court and the drug courts, he’s started courting an active woman with whom he’s fallen in love. If you ask him how he’s doing, he has a quick answer. “Much better than I deserve.” ISI
there was decent money in their marijuana sales. But when their daughter was injured on the playground at school, they needed a large amount of money in a very short period. A friend suggested selling cocaine and told them about a new drug called “crank” or methamphetamine. They hesitated at first, but their daughter really needed the oral surgery. “Richard invested everything he and Debra had into the cocaine and meth venture.” The payback was amazing – quick, easy, and abundant. In no time, at all they had the money they needed to pay all their daughter’s medical bills. It is common knowledge how easily a onetime use of a drug can become an addiction. What is not so obvious is how easy it is to become addicted to selling drugs. The risk seems minor compared to the money that can be made without much effort. Richard was quickly hooked while at the same time justifying his activities. He needed just enough money to buy “the farm,” just enough to get his auto body business going, just enough to get through the next month’s bills. Somewhere along the way, drug dealing became a way of life. “Drugs have a way of changing people and… Richard seemed to have developed an air of arrogance about him. He was accustomed to the prestige that went along with being a high end drug dealer and had developed a taste for money and power.” He had achieved a sort of fame and recognition and “sadly he mistook the intimidation and fear people felt toward him as the respect he had so desperately been searching for.”
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He was living in a fantasy world where he was king; he even managed to get his wife and his mistress to agree to live together in the same house. Then the local authorities set up a sting and everything came tumbling down. From that day on things deteriorated even though Richard and his wife were both out of jail within twenty-four hours. Their easy money stream dried up. Within a few weeks of the raid and Richard’s release, Denise Williams, the young woman informant, went missing. Of course, Richard was the primary suspect although there was no proof. He was under almost constant surveillance. “Richard claimed that officers drove by his home so frequently they had begun referring to his property as Holmes Corner. He felt harassed and in his own mind innocent. He contacted a reporter to tell his side of the story. “He did not consider himself to be a drug dealer. He said that he sincerely believed that there is a major difference between selling dope to your friends at the same price you paid for it, and going out and selling to people on the street to make a profit.” He also claimed that he did not believe in murder and did not know what had happened to the informant. While Richard was proclaiming his heart-felt innocence to the reporter, the first grand jury to convene in Canyon County since 1953 was meeting. Once again, Richard was arrested. “The charges against him included conspiracy to commit first degree kidnapping, conspiracy to intimidate witnesses… and conspiracy to delay and obstruct the investigation into the disappearance of Denise Williams.” This time there was no getting out on bond. He was supposed to be tried on the drug charge in May – eight months after the raid, but the evidence had somehow disappeared so that trial never materialized. There was still no evidence of what happened to the informant so that investigation was still ongoing. However “when all was said and done, Richard Holmes was ordered to serve five to ten years in prison” for his part in the kidnapping of a drug addict customer of his. In court, Richard seemed remorseful or perhaps he was just sorry he did not have the world by the tail anymore. Richard’s sentencing and going to prison are not the end of the story. The informant’s body was still missing and the authorities still believed Richard somehow had something to do with her
Fishing and hunting guide, Rick Petrillo, has spent a lifetime outdoors Article and photo by Jack McNeel Rick Petrillo continues to live a life that young boys have dreamed about for generations. It is the same dream that brought trappers and explorers to the west, probably the same thing that spurred Daniel Boone and Davey Crockett. “I pretty much did what I did with my life because I love the out-of-doors and being away from town and in the back country. I just found out I wasn’t suited for an 8 to 5 job,” Rick explains. Most of Rick’s life has been spent as a guide for hunters, whitewater rafters, and anglers. At 69, Rick spends his falls and winters rowing a drift boat for steelhead fishing on the Clearwater River and his summers guiding fly fishers in pursuit of trout in Wyoming. “I’ve been fortunate. Overall my health’s been excellent.” His active lifestyle is probably responsible for his good health. Rick was raised in northern Illinois in a family that always did a lot of fishing including summers in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan. But he points out, “that was fishing for bass, perch, and crappie.” He left that area when he was 20 and “didn’t know much about the west.” Initially it was Colorado where he was doing construction work but he got into rafting work and spent portions of seven years rafting in the Grand Canyon from spring through fall and then returning to Colorado to work at a ski area. Rick moved to Idaho in 1974 and he has considered Idaho home ever since, though he has
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death. It turned out that he did know more than he had let on, but if he told the police what he knew he could put himself in danger. He was living in a prison where the rules about helping the authorities were clear. Whether out of sincere remorse or a desire to manipulate the system to his benefit, Richard eventually did help the police put the pieces together in the kidnapping and murder of Denise Williams. Then in September 1988, a riot broke out at the Idaho State Penitentiary. The trouble was contained to cell block 9 and brought under control within a matter of hours, but during the chaos, Richard Holmes was murdered. The story continues. Who killed Richard? Was he the victim rather than the perpetrator? Did the police allow it all to happen when they could have stepped in? While Murder on Cell Block 9 raises additional questions, the one message throughout the book is clear – becoming involved in the use or sale of
REASON
drugs is like tossing a pebble in a pond ripples radiate out and there is no telling what will happen. Murder on Cell Block 9 is a dark, depressing story, but by presenting a story of drug use from an insider’s perspective the author accomplishes her goal of informing readers of the danger of that lifestyle. L. D. Webb grew up in Caldwell, Idaho. She now works as a substitute teacher for the Caldwell School district and enjoys time with her family. ISI
E S T O L OV
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Win an iPod Touch!™ If you have a great shot of Idaho o that you’d like to share, the “Reasons to Love Idaho” Photo Contest could be your shot at a new Apple iPod Touch.™ n. Visit www.reasonstoloveidaho.com for more information. PHOTO © J. EDWARDS, CLARK FORK, ID
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spent time elsewhere including a couple of winters in Oregon. “I just spent time where the work was and it might have been in several states.” From 1974 until 1985, much of the work involved running rafts and drift boats on whitewater trips. There were also a few years guiding hunters on the North Fork of the Clearwater during the fall hunting seasons. “The hunting business is a terrible work overload when you’re running the whole camp, guiding, and doing the packing. It’s just really hard work but it’s a way of life different from that most people pursued. It’s very satisfying to be able to do those things in the backcountry and along the rivers and to do them well and to be free of concrete and McDonalds and everything else everyone else deals with all the time.” Rick moved to the Lewiston area about 20 years ago and to town in 2000. He is not married but was for a few years in the 60s and 70s. “If I had remarried I might not have been doing this all my life,” he says laughing. “You’ve got to
can
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get a little more ambitious if you are going to be supporting a wife and kids.” He began work with Jarrett’s Guide Service about ten years ago. They do some fly-fishing for steelhead early in the fall but it’s mostly gear, or bait fishing. Jarrett’s guiding permit is restricted to the Clearwater River so that is where Rick can be found from early fall until early February when fishing begins to drop off. His days, beginning about sunrise, find him working the oars to put anglers over promising locations for steelhead. He actually has about 25 years of experience on the Clearwater so his knowledge of the water and fish is extensive. Rick has seen many changes on the Clearwater River over the years. “The largest fish I’ve ever brought in was about 27 lbs. Most of the really big ones were wild fish – as opposed to hatchery fish. The Clearwater is famous for the B-run fish, those fish that stay in the ocean two or more years. In the 80s, we kept track of the length and weight of our fish for three years and the fishing was very good. The average B-run fish then was just over 14 lbs. and now it’s just over 12 lbs. It used to be fairly normal for one of our three boats to catch a fish 20 lbs. or over every day. Now it’s very rare to even catch a 20 lb. fish.” He believes the change in size is primarily due to gill netting on the Columbia. “It’s the big fish that get caught,” he comments. “Even the 10 and 12 lb. fish we catch frequently have gill net marks on them.” Rick has many stories from his years guiding. “People tend to lie about fishing. You’d be surprised. You catch a fish in the morning and it’ll grow four or five pounds by evening – same fish!” He has another hobby as well, something which might be surprising from a person so devoted to the outdoor life. Rick is also a poet. He began writing poems while still in his teens and published a volume of poems, Catching It Whole, in 1972. “I really started after I moved to Colorado and settled in the mountains because I had something that motivated me, which was the west – the space, the outdoors. It turned out that wild country was what I needed. Poetry represents what you see, feel, and think, so my connection to a more natural setting, a more natural pace of life, became the focus. I think the landscape comes out strongest in my poems and the effect it has had on me. It’s the power and beauty of the natural world and wildlife that had the biggest effect.” Explaining his life, Rick says, “You get to meet a lot of interesting people. You work in some wonderful country and on a lot of great rivers. You get to live on them. It’s not like a scenic tour, it’s an experience. The same with living in hunting camps – a lot of people think it’s roughing it but I thought it was just great!” “It wasn’t because it was easy or I made a lot of money because there’s always an off-season when you’re not making a nickel. Rafting didn’t pay well and neither did hunting and there’s no pension or overtime or double-time. You’ve got to do it because it’s what you want to do.” ISI
Sweet Shadows
©1972 By R.J. Petrillo Afternoon heat plods over the ridge nosing at yesterdays coldly beyond. Smoldering embers slowly relinquish earth warmth that was kindled Short hours before in the dawn. We awaken cool on crushed grasses. Time’s slipped beneath the fence unnoticed, withered away like spring flowers; the sun’s chugging for the roundhouse trailing sweet shadows behind.
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Brushwork
©1972 By R.J. Petrillo I’m only strolling out to the rim to brush in the day’s closing strokes. I won’t be away any longer than tapering light will allow. Twilight’s glowing weave is my concern, fleeting as mourning dove shadows I could swat aside with a wide brimmed hat, blow out of sight on a single breath. ISI
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IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 15
2011 Tax Filing Requirements By Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior, With April 15th tax filing just around the corner, what are the 2011 IRS income tax filing requirements for retirees? I had to file and pay federal income taxes last year, but my income dropped and I’m wondering if I’m exempt this year. Recently Retired Dear Retired, According to the Tax Policy Center, 56 percent of retirees will not have to file or pay federal income taxes this year mainly because their incomes are under the IRS filing threshold. Here’s a breakdown of the 2011 filing requirements along with a few other tax tips to help you determine if you need to file. IRS Requirements - If your gross income is below the IRS filing limits, you probably won’t have to file a federal tax return this year. Gross income includes all the income you receive that is not exempt from tax, not including Social Security benefits, unless you are married and filing separately. You probably don’t have to file this year if: • You are single and your 2011 gross income was less than $9,500 ($10,950 if you’re 65 or older). • You are married filing jointly and your gross income was under $19,000. If you or your spouse is 65 or older, the limit increases to $20,150. And if you’re both over 65, your income must be under $21,300 not to file. • You are head of household and your gross income was below $12,200 ($13,650 if age 65 or older). • You are married filing separately and your income was less than $3,700. • You are a qualifying widow(er) with a dependent child and your gross income was less than $15,300 ($16,450 if age 65 or older). Special Situations - You also need to be aware that there are some special financial situations that require you to file a tax return, even if your gross income falls below the IRS filing requirement. For example, if you had net earnings from self-employment in 2011 of $400 or more, or if you owe any special taxes to the IRS such as alternative minimum tax or IRA tax penalties, you’ll probably need to file. To figure this out, the IRS offers a page on their website called “Do You
Need to File a Federal Income Tax Return?” that includes a list of financial situations and a series of questions that will help you determine if you’re required to file, or if you should file (if you’re due a refund). You can access this page at www.doyouneed2file.info, or you can get help over the phone by calling the IRS helpline at 800-829-1040. Check Your State - Even if you’re not required to file a federal tax return this year, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re also excused from filing state income taxes. Check on that with your state tax agency before concluding you’re entirely in the clear. For links to state and local tax agencies, see taxadmin.org – click on “Links.” Tax Help - If you do need to file a tax return this year, you can get help through the Tax Counseling for the Elderly (or TCE) program. Sponsored by the IRS, TEC provides free tax preparation and counseling to middle and low-income taxpayers, age 60 and older. Call 800-829-1040 to locate a service near you. Also check with AARP, a participant in the TCE program that provides free tax preparation at around 6,100 sites nationwide. To locate an AARP Tax-Aide site call 888-227-7669 or visit aarp.org/findtaxhelp. Send your senior questions to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. ISI
Support a Cause? Leave a Legacy By Teresa Ambord There is no mistaking the fact that Americans are a charitable bunch. In 2010, we gave more than $290 billion, mostly from individual gifts, according to the American Association of Fundraising Counsel. That’s nearly a third of a trillion dollars. Even in our depressed economy, last year 74 percent of us made some kind of charitable donation. Yet only about eight percent do so by “legacy giving.” Legacy giving is a gift made by bequest. It can also take more complex forms, such as a trust or it can be part of a life-income arrangement or endowment. • A bequest – also called a legacy - is a directive made in a will to give a certain amount of money or property to a specified beneficiary. A bequest can be structured in various ways. It can be general and unconditional so that the recipient organization gets a predetermined amount. It can also be for an amount that remains after certain events take place (residuary bequest) or it can be an amount that is conditional (contingent bequest). • A trust is an arrangement wherein the legal title to property is held by a trustee, for the benefit of another.
The “Self-Made Pension” The major risks to your retirement lifestyle really come down to one thing: The Unknown. How long will you live? Will your health hold up? What will happen in the economy? What’s the future direction for taxes? And how will the financial markets respond? Investors today face a greater need than ever for a product that can provide lifetime income during retirement. While the traditional approach of Asset Allocation may help you build wealth in your income-earning years, a Product Allocation approach can more adequately address the risks that threaten your financial security as you draw down your assets in retirement. Westmark Investment Services is committed to help you achieve your financial goals and to help make your future easier by offering you investment opportunities and services that would address these concerns and give you the information you need to make an informed decision.
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PAGE 16 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT
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• A life income arrangement is when money or property is left to an organization, with the stipulation that income be paid to designated beneficiaries for their lifetimes. Not-for-profits love legacy gifts because this is the least costly way to raise money and it helps them achieve stability and sustainability. From your perspective, it is not only a vehicle for supporting a cause close to your heart, but it is also a way to reduce your taxable estate. Whatever you leave by bequest will not be subject to estate or inheritance tax. Those amounts are deducted from your taxable estate, and there is no limit to the amount that can be set aside by bequest. Keep in mind, through 2012, the top estate tax rate is 35 percent for estates exceeding $5 million ($10 million for married couples). So if you are inclined to support a charity for the long-term, a legacy gift is a tax-advantaged way to do this. But I am Not Wealthy Enough to Have an “Estate!” Everyone has an estate of some sort, because an estate is simply a list of what you own. Anyone can designate a charity to be the beneficiary of a checking account or pension account, for the total balance or a specific amount. If everyone who is inclined to make charitable gifts during his or her lifetime were to make a legacy gift of even $100 upon the time of death, billions would be funneled easily into the coffers of critical not-for-profit causes. So how do you go about setting up such a designated gift? If you have a will, contact your
APRIL/MAY 2012
attorney or financial advisor to discuss the possibilities. But of course, not everyone has the resources to pay these professionals. If that is your situation, call the charity that you wish to support, and ask to speak to the Planned Giving Director. This person should be able to guide you through the process of ensuring that the funds go where you designate them. Before sitting down with a professional, make a list of what you own. Do not forget to include your retirement accounts, stocks and bonds, real estate, and other valuable property like expensive jewelry and artwork. Next, decide to which charities you
wish to leave money or other assets. Note: Be sure to get the name of the charity exactly right. You may intend your gift to go to the local branch of the Salvation Army, but if you do not specify the location, the gift will likely go to the national headquarters. Also, be aware that there is no shortage of scam artists out there. Some unscrupulous organizations deliberately choose names that are deceptively close to agencies with highly recognizable names – like the American Heart Association or the Red Cross – knowing that some individual donors will mistake them for the real deal, and the poser organization will siphon off
IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 17
donations that were not intended for them. Leaving a legacy gift – in whatever form you choose - is an easy way to help an organization you care about go forward, doing the good work that is meaningful to you. While it might not occur to most people to indulge in legacy gifts, America is a generous nation of individuals who support the causes close to our hearts. This is an easy way to do just that. Before you say no… give the idea some thought. Teresa Ambord is a former accountant, now a full-time business writer working from her home in rural northern California. ISI
How Much Do You Need to Retire? By Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior, Is there an easy way to figure out how much savings a person needs to retire? I’m 52 years old – about 10 years from when I would like to retire – and I want to see where I stand. Planning Ahead Dear Planning How much money you need to retire comfortably is a great question that all working adults should ask themselves. Unfortunately, far too few ever bother thinking about it. But calculating an approximate number of how much you will need to have saved for retirement is actually pretty easy and doesn’t take long to do. Here is a quick, simple three-step approach that can help you find your magic retirement number. Estimate Expenses – The first step is the trickiest – estimating your future retirement expenses. If you want a quick ballpark estimate, figure around 75 to 85 percent of your current gross income. That’s what most people find they need to maintain their current lifestyle in retirement. If you want a more precise estimate, track your current expenses on a worksheet and deduct any costs you expect to go away or decline when you retire, and add whatever new ones you anticipate. Costs you can scratch off your list include work related expenses like commuting or lunches out, as well as the amount you are socking away for retirement. You may also be able to deduct your mortgage if you expect to have it paid off by retirement, and your kid’s college expenses. Your income taxes should also be less. On the other hand, some costs will probably go up when you retire, like health care, and depending on your interests, you may spend a lot more on travel, golf, or other hobbies. And, if you are going to be retired for 20 or 30 years, you need to factor in the occasional big budget items like a new roof, furnace, or car. Tally Income – Step 2 is to calculate your retirement income. If you contribute to Social Security, estimate how much your monthly benefit will be at the age you want to retire. You can get a personalized estimate at www.ssa. gov/estimator. If you are married, remember to count your spouse’s benefits too. In addition to Social Security, if you have a traditional pension plan from
To Be Eight Again! A man was sitting on the edge of the bed, watching his wife, who was looking at herself in the mirror. Since her birthday was not far off, he asked what she would like to have for her birthday. “I’d like to be eight again,” she replied, still looking in the mirror. On the morning of her birthday, he arose early, made her a nice big bowl of Fruit Loops, and then took her to Adventure World theme park. What a day! They went on every ride in the park – the Death Slide, the Wall of Fear, the Screaming Roller Coaster, everything there was. Five hours later they staggered out of the theme park. Her head was reeling and her stomach was a little queasy. He then took her to a McDonald’s where she ordered a Happy Meal with extra fries and a chocolate shake. Then it was off to a movie, popcorn, a soda pop, and her favorite candy, M&Ms. What a fabulous adventure! Finally, she wobbled home with her husband and collapsed into bed exhausted. He leaned over to his wife with a big smile and lovingly asked, “Well Dear, what was it like being eight again?” Her eyes slowly opened and her expression suddenly changed. “I meant my dress size!” she said. ISI
an employer, find out from the plan administrator how much you are likely to get when you retire. And, figure in any other income from other sources you expect to have, such as rental properties, part-time work, etc. Calculate the Difference – The final step is to do the math. Subtract your annual expenses from your annual income. If your income alone can cover your bills, you’re all set. If not, you will need to tap your savings, including your 401(k) plans, IRAs, or other investments to make up the difference. So, let’s say for example you need around $45,000 a year for retirement and you expect to receive $25,000 a year from Social Security and other income. That leaves a $20,000 shortfall that you’ll need to pull from your nest egg each year ($45,000 – $25,000 = $20,000). Multiple your shortfall by 25, and that is how much you will need to have saved. In the case above, you would multiply $20,000 by 25 and come up with $500,000. Why 25? Because that would allow you to pull 4 percent a year from your savings, which is a safe withdrawal strategy that in most cases will let your money last as long as you do – at least 30 years. If you find that your savings are lacking, you might want to go back to your worksheet and cut some costs. Or, you may need to consider part-time work during retirement or postponing retirement so you can boost your savings. Savvy Tip: If you need help figuring out how much you will need to retire, there’s a variety of free online calculators that can assist you. Some top tools are offered by Analyze Now (analyzenow.com), T. Rowe Price (www3.troweprice.com/ric/ricweb/public/ric.do), and AARP (aarp.org/work/ retirement-planning/retirement_calculator). Send your senior questions to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. ISI
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Yvette Whitman – A multi-talented woman Article and photos by Jack McNeel Multi-talented is an inadequate adjective to describe the artistry, creativity, and accomplishments of Yvette Whitman, a member of the Nez Perce Tribe and current editor of Ta’c Tito’qan, the Nez Perce tribal newspaper. Yvette is a clothing designer, a passion ignited in her early childhood on the Cloud Ranch near Lapwai where she learned to sew from her mother. Her grandmother, Ermith Cloud, had been a designer for C.C. Anderson, which is now owned by Macy’s, when it was very rare for a Native American to work in that industry. It was her grandmother’s old Singer sewing machine with just two stitches, zig-zag and straight, where
she learned to sew at the age of five. By the time Yvette was in the seventh grade, she was designing clothes. She laughs as she describes the first time she had to cut up a Pendleton blanket to make a trench coat for Connie Evans, Nurse Practitioner, who was retiring from Nimiipuu Health in Lapwai. “Traditionally, if you were given a Pendleton as a gift you didn’t do that. We were taught to keep it as an heirloom. I was shaking with having to cut it. But Connie loved it and looked gorgeous in it.” Yvette designed another trench coat for actress Angel McFarland Sobotta who was running for Miss Indian America, which she wore to a
Redskins football game. “People were coming out of the stands, asking who did the work and wanting one. Angel had a note pad with orders from back east. I was in my early 20s then.” Yvette has done style shows of her clothing designs, the first dating to her high school years, later ones for the tribe at different occasions including the 2006 bicentennial of the Lewis & Clark expedition. She worked with Johnny Guerrero who wrote the music for that occasion and who has written music for artists such as Christina Aguilera and Brittany Spears. Another major show was a Plateau Women’s Leadership and Wellness conference in Pullman where she served as both designer and MC. “Designing is my passion. My latest project was designing for Hattie Kauffman, the CBS correspondent of The Morning Show and I’ll soon design for Elaine Miles, actress and comedian, for the premiere movie Fishing Naked, a comedy about Big Foot.” Along the way, Yvette attended the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles. While a student of design she began working with photography, which has led to her photos being used in promotional materials and on the covers of two travel magazines: Theater is another of Yvette’s accomplishments that can be traced to her childhood.
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“I come from a family that’s funny and entertaining. That’s what you did if you did not have television... you were creative. I was brought up with storytelling so it was something we did, all of us kids. Once you get bit by the bug you’re a ham and want to get out there and laugh and bring joy or pull out a story where you arouse emotions.� She began acting in plays in high school, but her first real performance was in Portland where she was one of the main extras in a movie called Permanent Records starring Keanu Reeves and Richard Bradford. “That opened my eyes to the film industry,� Yvette remarks. “I also loved Civic Theater because they were doing a lot of impromptu. My older sister Ermie is hilarious. We were both in the same agency and had the opportunity to model and act in film or stage and it was great to work together.� Yvette did many stage performances at the Civic Theater in Portland. Yvette’s writing career began more recently but it is something she has long enjoyed. “I always wanted to write books for children so I dabbled with writing in my free time.� She always liked to read and especially enjoyed Greek mythology and the history of different cultures. In 2005, Yvette inter-
IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 19
viewed for a reporter’s job with the tribal paper. “I love it,� she said. “I love working with people and loved interviewing because I got to dig into people’s backgrounds and lives. I’m inquisitive anyway.� As an accomplished photographer and although she had no journalism background, Yvette soon learned to get beyond the basic who, what, when, why, and where of a story in order to add flavor and texture to her writing. Editor Antonio Smith trained her in laying out a paper. When Antonio decided to retire, she immediately stepped into the position of editor. “The paper to me is heart. I am thinking of the community, the people. I love my job because I have great people who are always there when I need them, who haven’t let me down.� Designer, actress, photographer, writer, and editor are Yvette’s main accomplishments, but her story does not end there. Included on her “to do list� are more, bigger films with more speaking lines, more traveling – particularly to the fashion capitals of Paris and Milan. “It’s walking artwork,� she explains. Only time will tell where life takes her. ISI
Choosing Those Extras for Your New 55-plus Community Home By Patricia M. Johnson When you first visit these new adult community homes, you’ll find it a bit overwhelming. The basics are beautiful and the models more beautiful with their costly extras. My husband and I will soon have been living in our home in a beautiful 55-plus Community for two years. It was move-in ready. We knew this house was meant for us the minute we walked through the door. Actually, so did our Pomeranian. He scooted in, examined the rooms, stretched out on his back with all fours in the air. It was his, all his. As a retired designer, I knew I could change what we needed to change. Actually, nothing much came to mind. Of three bedrooms, one was the master; one my office; and one my husband’s room for all his choo-choos. My fear is that one day he will drill a hole into my office and start installing track to expand his exciting new world. I’m mentioning the following points because I hope you’ll not make some of the mistakes we’ve made and those of others I’ve interviewed in our area. Flooring – Most builders will give you tile at the entrance, kitchen, and master bathroom. Some will exchange for hardwood, which will cost you. Laundry rooms usually get vinyl, master bedroom and extra bedrooms, carpet. Family room, if one is there, would be carpet. If the home is already built, replacing flooring with tile and hardwood will be costly. Hardwood – Our home came with hardwood in the entire living room, dining room, entrance, hallway, office, family room, and sunroom. It is a dark cherry finish. Beautiful? Oh, yes. Easy to keep clean? Oh, no. My lifesaver is one of those small, lightweight steamers. They really work on those doggy nose prints. And when the grandchildren visit, I pull out the steamer the next day. Others and I have agreed that the lighter the hardwood flooring, the better. Safety in Flooring – Throw rugs on hardwood flooring are not good unless the rugs are backed with slip-proof tabs. When water or liquid is spilled on the floor and your vision is not the greatest, you can go flying. Breaking your whatever is not on your retirement list, so make the best decision on material items suited to you and your spouse’s needs.
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PAGE 20 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT
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Think about the tile you want in the master bathroom. A three-dimensional tile is best and not as slippery when wet. I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t tell you how many glasses Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve dropped â&#x20AC;&#x201C; gone forever. Have dentures? Better have a spare. My kitchen is big. Why couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t I have had this when the children were small and I cooked up a storm? But the tile floor can play havoc with your legs and feet. Have you ever had bone spurs? Need I say more? Use a rubber mat by the sink. The model home kitchens show every extra a kitchen has to offer. But do we really need all of that when we retire? Appliances and Cabinets â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A double sink is great but the newer deep sink is wonderful for me and not so for my neighbor. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m tall, sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s short and is afraid she may fall in one day. Seriously, I want you to think about all these things. Beauty has a way of telling us that we want it and want it now. Our range came with the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s heaviest top grids. What fun (NOT) it is to clean that range. It takes all my strength to lift one side with one hand and clean with the other. Our dishwasher was put in for party-people. It is restaurantsize. Almost forgot to mention the microwave located way above the range. It cooks, grills, bakes, reheats and, my word, it even microwaves. It comes with a DVD. It is so scary that I use my $29.95 counter microwave. Many of the cabinets in these models go upward, on, and on. Even I need a small ladder to reach the top shelves. The drawers in many new cabinets are self-closing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and fast closers. If you have arthritis in your fingers, beware. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll send you photos of my bruises. However, once youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re used to them, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be fine. Ceilings â&#x20AC;&#x201C; We have 10-foot ceilings. Many Cardona Senior Apartments have standard 8-foot. Expect a slight rise in your 208-238-5780 electric or gas bill if you have 10-footers. It costs )BXUIPSOF t $IVCCVDL more to heat two more feet, even though heat rises. Think about screwing in a light bulb when Devon Senior Apartments one blows. We have a handyman in the area 208-735-2224 whom we greeted at the door in our pajamas one / $PMMFHF 3E t 5XJO 'BMMT morning at four A.M. after two hours of a malfunction in one smoke alarm. We have since bought Eagle Manor a long extension pole that removes a bulb and 208-939-0409 replaces any size. That is, if you can balance the $FEBS 3JEHF 4U t &BHMF pole without falling over. Tricky, but fun. Windows â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Windows are much longer vertiFriendship Manor I & II cally with 10-foot ceilings. Most have blinds that 208-459-7075 8 -PHBO t $BMEXFMM leave 12-inches of open space above the blinds for extra light. We really like this. Some prefer to Gleneagles cover the space with a valance. It sure lights up 208-735-0308 the bathroom, but at night or early evening, I found )BSSJTPO 4U / t 5XJO 'BMMT out something interesting. When you are in the shower and look up at the uncovered 12-inches Lake Wood Ranch â&#x20AC;&#x201C; you see your reflection. 208-765-4111 Considering the above, I want you to know that / UI 4U t $PFVS E "MFOF we enjoy and love our new home. We really would not want to live elsewhere. The new friendships, Leisure Village I the security, and all the things we need in retire208-452-7927 ment are all together in one package. 4 $PMPSBEP "WF t 'SVJUMBOE Patricia Johnson is a retired interior designer/ architect. She enjoys helping seniors ease the Leisure Village III chore of moving. She can be contacted in care 208-459-6036 of Idaho Senior Independent. ISI 4 UI "WF t $BMEXFMM
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Baptizing A Drunk Submitted by Julie Hollar A man was stumbling through the woods very drunk when he came upon a preacher baptizing people in the river. The drunk staggered into the water and bumped into the preacher. The preacher turned around and was almost overcome by the smell of booze. Whereupon he asked the drunk, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Are you ready to find Jesus?â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Yes I am,â&#x20AC;? replied the drunk. So the preacher grabbed him and dunked him in the river. Then the preacher pulled the drunk up and asked him, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Brother have you found Jesus?â&#x20AC;? The drunk replied, â&#x20AC;&#x153;No, I havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t.â&#x20AC;? The preacher, shocked at the answer, dunked him into the water again, but for a bit longer this time. Then he pulled the drunk out of the water and asked again, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Have you found Jesus, my brother?â&#x20AC;? The drunk again answered, â&#x20AC;&#x153;No, I have not found Jesus.â&#x20AC;? By this time, the preacher was at his wits end, so he dunked the drunk in the water again, but this time he held him down for about 30 seconds. When the drunk began kicking his arms and legs, the preacher pulled him up out of the water and again asked him, â&#x20AC;&#x153;For the love of God, have you found Jesus?â&#x20AC;? The drunk wiping his eyes and gasping for breath glanced at the preacher with a puzzled look on his face and asked, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Are you sure this is where he fell in?â&#x20AC;? ISI
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IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 21
Teeth, Tails, & Trouble: A T. rex Named Sue and How to Raise a Dinosaur By Helen McMullin Edited by Britni Storer Imagine being the owner of your very own pet tyrannosaurus rex. It could roam your back yard, leave deep unmistakable foot tracks, and it would wake your neighbors with its growls and roars. If a T. rex does not sound like the pet of your choice, then perhaps something smaller, along the lines of a velociraptor, is more to your suiting. While the thought of owning a pet dinosaur may sound exciting, do not rush out looking for a T.rex sized leash just yet – you can enjoy the benefits of interacting with a dinosaur (without all the hassles of breaking laws and risking your life) at the Museum of Idaho (MOI). Now showing is Teeth, Tails, & Trouble: A T. rex Named Sue and “How To Raise A Dinosaur until May 12. But don’t mistake this exhibit as a “look, don’t touch” kind of display. Not only should you be prepared to interact with the exhibit and have a dialogue with the dinosaurs (as long as you don’t mind the crazy looks you will get from other people), you can even experience what it means to find and dig up your own dinosaur fossil. The Return of A T.rex Named Sue – A T.rex Named Sue is not new to the Museum of Idaho. but it is still as big, menacing, and marvelous as it was the first time when it debuted in 2003. The MOI thought it only fitting to bring Sue back in honor of its tenth year of operation. With 224 of her 321 known bones recovered and as the oldest known T.rex to date, studies have shown that Sue was 28 when she died. Further examination of her skeleton indicated she had a damaged shoulder blade, torn tendon in the right arm, and three broken ribs. There are also signs she suffered from infections, gout, arthritis, and other ailments. Although none of the injuries or ailments appeared to be life threatening, there is no indication as to how the Sue died. Perhaps she just got tired from carrying all that weight around – she weighed 7 tons after all. Sue’s massive skull alone is 5 feet long and weighs nearly a ton;
North Idaho Senior Games Promise Lewiston Fun In June By Bernice Karnop Just reading the list of the 14 different events at the North Idaho Senior Games in Lewiston is enough to raise your heart rate. And yes, there is something for anyone who loves fun or games. Events include swimming, cycling, bowling, billiards, and table tennis. There is pinochle, pickleball, racquetball, horseshoes, track and field, and archery. Trap shooting will be back this year after being dropped while they found a new venue. This six-day field day for seniors runs from June 13-18, 2012. The North Idaho Senior Games kick off the first of three 2012 Idaho events geared to people 50+. The others are the Southeast Idaho Senior Games in Pocatello, July 7-14, 2012, and the Idaho Senior Games in Boise, which are held intermittently from July 28 through September 22, 2012, mostly on the weekends. North Idaho Senior Games racquetball coordinator Brett Johnson, who is a young senior at 54, says the Games are a perfect fit for him. “People who are my age and looking forward to being seniors, we need to start taking care of ourselves.” One of his great joys in participating is meeting people who take good care of themselves. While participating in track and field events his first year, he watched a 70-year-old gentleman go seven feet in the standing
however, the size of her brain cavity is just big enough to hold a quart of milk. When you are that big, you do not need to be bright, and since we know little today about the brainpower of dinosaurs, Sue may have been the brightest beast in the jungle. On the other hand, size is not always to your advantage. Imagine carrying that much weight while trying to find something slower than you are for dinner. Sue’s top speed has been estimated at 15mph or less. With her excellent eyesight, keen sense of smell, and enormous teeth – whatever Sue caught, she was sure to hold. Although Sue was extremely massive, her short arms certainly were not much help because they could not even reach her mouth. The Premier of How To Raise A Dinosaur – Joining A T.rex Named Sue at the MOI, is the debut of How to Raise A Dinosaur. As the museum of choice to showcase this brand new display from Western Paleontological Laboratories of Lehi, Utah, this exhibit spans the entire second floor of the MOI. Taking visitors through the process of finding, recovering, preparing, and assembling dinosaur fossils, novice paleontologists will better understand how complex and time-consuming preparing dinosaur fossils can be. In other words, if you want to find your own $8 million dinosaur, become a paleontologist, or simply just have fun looking for bones on vacation, this interactive exhibit will give you an idea of just what’s involved. Including displays of various types of dinosaurs and their respective parts, many of the specimens featured in the exhibit come from Bone Cabin Quarry in Wyoming. The exhibit includes four new specimens, one of which has yet to be named. Teeth, Tails, & Trouble: A T. rex Named Sue and How to Raise a Dinosaur are on display until May12, 2012. The Museum of Idaho is located at 200 N. Eastern Avenue, Idaho Falls. Regular hours are Mon – Tue from 9 am – 8 pm, Wed – Saturday from 9 am – 5 pm and closed on Sundays. For more information regarding special tours, group rates, or planning your visit, view www.museumofidaho.org or call 208-522-1400. ISI
PAGE 22 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT
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broad jump. “There are some great athletes at these games,” he marvels. Brett was one of two from North Idaho Senior Games who went on to the Boise games and qualified for National Senior Games. The other one was swimmer, Brigitte Richardson, 74. Brigitte earned a bronze medal in the National Senior Games in Palo Alto, California, in 2009, and competed again in Houston, Texas in 2011. A friend introduced Brigitte to the North Idaho Senior Games in 2007. She also found them to be a perfect fit for her although she had never had a swimming lesson and never swam competitively before. She taught herself to swim when she was 12 years old, growing up in Germany. “I like to swim and always did all my life,” she says. And she took to the games, well, like a fish to water. After the North Idaho Senior Games, she competed in the Idaho State Senior Games in Boise, which qualified her for the National Senior Games. She swam in Senior Games in Montana, Arizona, and Washington. In addition to the fun, she recognizes swimming as a wonderful, low impact lifetime sport. “I was so surprised to see these ladies in their 90s... how fit they are,” she says. “It gives me the incentive to keep going as long as I can.” A 95 year-old retired professor from Harvard told her she would see her in two years at the National Senior Games in 2013. “I have to qualify first,” she says with a laugh. The Massachusetts woman expects to live into her 100s. Brigitte’s achievements in the highly contested National Senior Games are remarkable. She is competing against women in warmer states who train every day. She lives in Orofino and drives 100 miles round trip to Lewiston to train in the closest pool. She does this twice a week unless the weather is bad. The Best Western motel in Orofino opens its doors three times a week for a water aerobics class, which also helps her keep fit. Brigitte loves the challenge of competition. She says, “I like to do my best and see what comes out of it.” Her one wish is that there were more people competing on the state
level. You need that competition to see how you stack up, according to Brigitte. While there may be from 50 to 100 in her age group at Nationals, there were six last year in Lewiston. There were not many more at the Boise games. Cathy Robinson, director of the North Idaho Senior Games, wants to see more swimmers as well. The North Idaho Senior Games saw a 25% increase over all last year and they are working toward another increase this year. It is an excuse for people from out of the area to come and enjoy all that Lewiston has to offer, Cathy says. Last year, of the 150 who participated, 75 were from out of town. Participants do not have to stay all week. They come and spend a night or two, participate in their events and then go home. For this reason, out-of-towners like Bridgitte miss the final day hoopla. This year organizers plan mini-celebrations throughout the week at the site of each event so more people can join in the fun. We encourage Idaho Senior Independent readers to show off their vitality by participating in the games. The point of the games is to come out, enjoy the camaraderie, and not worry where you place. As Cathy says, “Get involved, get active, keep moving, have some fun, and make some friends!” If you do not compete, participate as a volunteer in one or more of the events. Either way you will be an inspiration to your grandchildren and their friends, passing on healthy lifestyle choices to a younger generation. In addition to the bronze, silver, and gold medals, you will go home with trophies of health, well-being, and enhanced quality of life – trophies that need no dusting and take up no space on a shelf. Detailed information, on-line registration, and contact information on this six-day fun and games event is available at www.northidahoseniorgames.org. You may also contact them by phone at the WA-ID Volunteer Center, 208-746-7789, or email Cathy Robinson at crobinson@northidahoseniorgames.org. ISI
Improve Your Golf Swing by Improving Your Tempo By Sean Cochran, EzineArticles.com We have all heard the word tempo in relation to the golf swing. Announcers on television speak of the “great” tempo Ernie Els has in his golf swing. What does tempo mean to the amateur and their golf swing? Tempo in the golf swing is a combination of many parts. Tempo is part timing in all aspects of the golf swing. It is part sequencing of each position within the golf swing, and it is part “feel.” Interconnecting each phase of the golf swing; address, take-away, backswing, transition, downswing, impact, and follow through is one part of tempo, Performing each of these phases with the correct timing is also tempo. Finally “feel” for the club head is part of tempo. How Do We Develop Tempo in the Golf Swing? A great question that does not have a simple answer. Developing tempo in the golf swing is a task that requires patience, practice, and time. There really are no short cuts to developing it within your golf swing. One practice session at the driving range will not do it. The use of a single training aide will not get you there. The implementation of a golf fitness program will not achieve this task on its own.
APRIL/MAY 2012
I say this because developing a PGA Tour type golf swing requires a “basket of tools” in your arsenal. Developing tempo and a silky smooth golf swing requires you to: • Receive proper instruction on the fundamentals of the golf swing
• Maintain a consistent practice schedule with your golf swing • Use swing drills to develop every as of your golf swing • The possible implementation of training aides into your practice sessions
IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 23
• Implementing of golf fitness program to develop your body around the golf swing. The “basket of tools” listed above put together can lead you to developing great tempo in your golf swing. It requires a comprehensive approach in which no short cuts can be made. ISI
Idaho volunteers bring Civil War history to life May 3-4 and for the public on May 5. By Dianna Troyer To help visitors see and understand what life A serendipitous stroll through the Western was like during the war, the volunteers will set Idaho Fair 14 years ago led Rich and Jan Dees up stations dealing with a camp hospital, launto a new and endlessly fascinating pastime, redry, Confederate and Union infantry, artillery, enacting life during the Civil War. cavalry, music, spies, the telegraph, sanitary “We noticed the Idaho Civil War Volunteers’ commission, the camp mess (food), Mr. Lincoln, display and thought it would be neat to participate blacksmith, and a preacher. in the events they organize,” recalls Rich, 66, who “Ten years ago when we started doing the had retired in 1991 as a squadron commander at Eagle Island camp, we had about six to seven Mountain Home Air Force Base. “Before we classes of fifth-graders. Then the word spread, moved to Idaho, we lived in Virginia, where reand now we have about 2,500 students. At minders of the Civil War are everywhere. We’re times, we’ve had to start a waiting list because both big history buffs, too.” so many teachers have wanted to bring their The Dees, who live in Meridian, joined the students out. This event really brings the time volunteers, a non-profit organization established period and the war to life.” in1994 to provide living history presentations and Rich says he does not mind answering stueducate the public about the war and lifestyles dents’ most frequent questions. from 1861 to 1865. “Are you really sending a message?” they According to the group’s website, “we’re ask, as he taps out a few sentences and tells dedicated to the preservation and presentation of the life of ordinary Americans during the extraor- Rich and Jan Dees, members of the Idaho Civil War Volun- them who invented the telegraph and how vital dinary times of the Civil War. We bring the past teers, re-entact the lifestyle betwseen 1861 to 1865. [Photo it was for communication. Once they see his guns, they ask, “Are they into the present in the hope that all Americans will by Dianna Troyer] real?” gain a greater appreciation of who we are today “They certainly are,” says Rich about his Remington six-shooter and through the life and times of those who came before.” The group has about 90 members in the Treasure Valley who meet at his other black powder weapons, an 1860-Henry rifle and .58-caliber 7 p.m. the third Tuesday of every month at Bob’s Sunrise Café in Garden Springfield. Volunteers’ guns still work, too, and the members fire them during City. “Our members represent both the North and the South, so we have occasional friendly rivalries and confrontations. At our re-enactments, we pick roles, so I’m in telegraphy services,” says Rich, who already knew Morse code, a skill he learned when he earned his HAM radio operator’s license in 1958. “I’m in the artillery, too, so I can fire our five cannons.” To share their knowledge, the volunteers will establish a Civil War period camp at Eagle Island State Park for Treasure Valley students on
PAGE 24 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT
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re-enacted skirmishes. “We use blanks for safety reasons,” says Rich. The volunteers shoot off their five cannons, too. Two of the cannons, both Napoleans, were used in the war. “They were displayed in front of the Idaho Veterans Home in Boise, and one of our members was walking past and realized the cannons were real because they had serial numbers on the tubes,” Rich recalls. The volunteers received permission from state officials to dismantle them from the decaying wooden carriages. The cannon tubes were replaced with replicas. “We’re still wondering how Civil War cannons made it to Idaho,” says Rich. At their meetings, the Dees say they still learn new information about the war. “Sometimes it seems like we start a conversation with ‘Did you know …,’” says Rich. “Civil War research is ongoing, so new discoveries are always being made.” Jan, 63, a camp laundress at the re-enactments, says, “No matter how old you are or how much you’ve read, you can always learn something. So much research has been done about the war, yet modern researchers are still gathering new information. We’re a unique group of people with varied backgrounds who love sharing that information and learning from each other.” At the re-enactments, participants wear clothing that is authentic to
the 1860s. “We have a sewing group that makes garments,” says Jan. Besides the educational events and skirmishes, the volunteers host a Victorian ball every March and wear styles of clothing from 150 years ago. “We wear the big hoop skirts and have a square dance with a caller,” says Deborah Bryd, who organizes the ball for about 180 participants. “Our family has been involved with the Idaho volunteers for about 13 years and love it. We got hooked on this when we lived in Colorado and went to some re-enactments there.” For more information, visit www.idahocivilwarvolunteers.com. The Dees may be contacted at 208-888-1343 and Deborah at 208-8547788. ISI
Tom Davis shifts from dairy farmer to drag racer
By Dianna Troyer To Tom Davis, a 72-year-old retired dairy farmer, drag racing is a lot like driving farm vehicles. “It’s like running another piece of equipment, you just have to shift at the right time,” the Meridian resident says of racing his 1956 turquoise green Chevrolet 120 miles an hour at Boise’s Firebird Raceway. The timing of his shifting has been competitive since he started racing in 2000. He has earned countless trophies in the pro division during the racing season from April to November. In 2010, he won most improved driver and placed second in points in the pro division at Firebird. In 2009, he won a $500 purse, placing first in the Dash for Cash at the Pepsi Nightfire Nationals, the raceway’s signature event in August that attracts drivers from every state to compete for a share of $165,000 in prize money. “I’ve never had trouble with my timing because I’ve driven tractors, combines, choppers... you name it. There are quite a few farmers who do well in drag racing because on a farm you’re running a lot of different types of machinery, so driving is second nature.” Unlike a combine, tractor or chopper, his Chevy supplies an incredible adrenalin rush, as he zooms down a quarter-mile track in 11 seconds. “There’s a lot more to it than just shifting at the right time, of course,” Tom says of driving in 20 contests he enters on Saturdays and Sundays during spring, summer, and fall. “There’s a lot of mental preparation, too, and there are so many factors involved in a good race, starting with the green light. You have to have good reflexes and timing. If the light turns green, but you leave too late, you’ll lose. If you leave slightly before the light turns, you’ll be disqualified. At the end, you have to know when to start braking, so you can stop safely.” After advancing through numerous two-driver heats, the final two fastest racers in each category If you are 62 or older, call to see if a reverse face each other for the title. mortgage is right for you. I’m here to make “If you win those early rounds and make it to you feel right at home. finals, you still have a lot of adrenalin pumping, and you have to try to calm down for the final race, so Doug Cook - NMLS# 487433 you can do everything right and win.” (208) 989-0644 Tom has never crashed. “I had a flat tire once, doug.cook@sterlingsavings.com but I had already made my run. I’ve never hit the
It’s never too late to plan for a better retirement
APRIL/MAY 2012
IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 25
wall and hope I never will.â&#x20AC;? While Tom is pleased with his individual wins, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most proud of racing with his family as a team. Tom credits his daughter and son-in-law, Dana and Mike Drummond of Ontario, Ore. with motivating him to race. â&#x20AC;&#x153;They were racing, and it looked like fun, so after I sold the dairy, I decided to give it a try.â&#x20AC;? Dana and Mike race in the super-pro and pro categories respectively, usually finishing in the top 10. Dana drives a 1969 red Nova at 135 mph, Tom Davis, far right, relaxes in the winnerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s circle with his family. From left are while Mike drives a blue 1969 Levi Burlile, Dana Drummund, Lindsey Burlile, and Mike Drummond. Tom races Mach 1 Ford at 124 mph. Tomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a 1956 Chevy. [Photo courfty of Firebird Raceway] granddaughter Lindsey Burlile and her husband, Levi, who live in Nampa, race a white 2004 Mustang and a white 1962 Ford Ranchero in the sportsman division respectively. The family is hard to beat. During four-day Labor Day races, teams from 13 racetracks in the Northwest compete. The top 15 drivers in each division from the different tracks race against each other. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve won that as a team three or four times,â&#x20AC;? Tom says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For us, racing is a great family sport. My wife, Sue, supports my racing, even though she doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t go the track for every race. We all cheer for each other. Afterward, when we get together for barbecues, we all like to talk about cars. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve raced together in Nevada, Washington, Oregon, and Mission, British Columbia.â&#x20AC;? The three generations of racers in the Davis family have their goodnatured family feuds with the timeless Chevy versus Ford argument. On the back of Tomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Chevy, he has a sticker that says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d rather push a Chevy than drive a Ford.â&#x20AC;? His daughterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sticker says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I married a Ford man, and my dad is still mad.â&#x20AC;? Her husbandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decal shows a little boy urinating on a Chevy. Tom enjoys the camaraderie at Firebird. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lot of laughing and kidding. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all friends, but weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re also extremely competitive, and everyone wants to win when that green light goes on. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a fun sport for all ages, too. We have a junior division for drivers ages 7 to 18, and there are even two racers in their late 70s.â&#x20AC;? Tom is proud to have Firebird as his home track, one of the premier
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tracks in the Northwest. “For the last two years, the track has been awarded “Track of the Year” in Division 6 by the National Hot Rod Association. Each year, Firebird makes improvements to the raceway.” After the season ends in October, Tom and his family spend the winter going over their car
engines, doing any general repairs. “We do most of the work, but if there’s a technical issue, we’ll hire a mechanic.” Unlike farming, Tom doesn’t foresee retirement from racing in the near future. “I’ll keep doing this as long as I have good reflexes. I’ll be ready to start practicing in April.” ISI
The Smiths excel at marksmanship and merriment at rendezvous By Dianna Troyer their 30th rendezvous at the Kennedy Ranch Decades ago, Lloyd Smith gazed at his unique near Cascade. Christmas present, a black powder rifle adorning A modern rendezvous is organized with the his wall, and began asking himself some life- same ideals described by well-known mountain changing questions, “Did it still work? If it did, why man James Beckwourth who wrote that summer hadn’t he ever shot it? celebrations featured Well, why not try?” “mirth, song, dancing, “After I took it out shooting, trading, runand shot it for the first ning, jumping, singing, time, I became hooked racing, target-shooting, on it,” says the 73-yearyarns, frolic, with all sort old retired cement mason of extravagances that who lives in Meridian. white men or Indians “That was more than 30 could invent and freely years ago, and I’ve been indulge in.” shooting ever since. It Besides entering was better than drugs the black powder shootand addicting, too. At ing contests, Lloyd also the time, I was downhill Linda and Lloyd Smith have been attending mountain competes in knife throwskiing and would have man rendezvous celebrations for nearly three decades. ing, tomahawk throwing, skied eight days a week if [Photo courtesy of Lloyd and Linda Smith] and pistol shooting. “I’m I could have, so I needed above average with the a new outlet and found tomahawk and knife, and so is my wife, Linda.” it through shooting the The Smiths have won numerous black powold-time firearms.” der shooting trail walks along with the knife and He soon found other hawk trail walks. “We also have a small black black powder aficio- powder business call Double L Traders and sell nados in the Treasure supplies for shooting, native America baskets, Valley who shared his fire-starting kits, tomahawks, throwing knifes, passion and belonged chokers, beaded earrings, handmade leather to a mountain man dresses, shirts and numerous other items that rendezvous group, the pertain to the pre-1840 era,” says Linda. Idaho Free Trappers. Linda started going to the rendezvous celThe trappers re-create ebrations after she met Lloyd 27 years ago. life before 1840 and “I was impressed with the diversity of people compete in more than there,” says Linda, 68, who retired from Hewletta dozen events at their Packard. “There are families and people from all rendezvous celebra- walks of life: doctors, lawyers, historians, artists, tions in forested areas. nurses, pharmacists. Our members range in age This summer, from June from 18, the age you must be to join, all the way 21-24, the trappers, up to 80.” who have about 30 The diverse members are drawn together members, will celebrate “by our common interest in the era before 1840,” she says. “We learn how hard it was just to stay alive during that time. Today, we’re accustomed to so much luxury, yet people then lived without luxuries and without complaining. Being in the group and going to a rendezvous is so much more entertaining than watching TV.” At a rendezvous, Linda and Lloyd forget about their modern identities and become Mountain Morning Medicine and Shooting Bull. “You have to earn your name,” says Linda, club scribe for the Idaho Free Trappers. “Your name is based on what you’re good at or how you made a fool out of yourself. I like brandy cream in my morning coffee, so that’s how I got my name.” Lloyd’s nickname is Shooting Bull. “He’s good at shooting the bull anytime with anyone,” says Linda. Lloyd, Linda, and other Idaho Free Trappers share what they have learned about the mountain man lifestyle at several educational community events throughout the year and at summer rendezvous celebrations.
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They also meet the first Wednesday of every month at 7:30 p.m. to practice skills and to listen to guest speakers, so they can learn more about the era they are re-creating. This summer, the Smiths anticipate hundreds
IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 27
of participants from several western states will come to the rendezvous near Cascade, including members of about a half dozen mountain man groups from Idaho. “We’re looking forward to it,” says Linda.
More information about the Idaho Free Trappers may be found on their website, www.idahofreetrappers.com, or by calling Linda and Lloyd at 208-577-6389. ISI
For weather watcher Terry Fletcher Idaho skies are tame compared to the Midwest Article & Photo by Dianna Troyer The weather of southeastern Idaho is pretty wimpy compared to what volunteer weather spotter Terry Fletcher experienced during his childhood. “I grew up in Illinois and went to school in Kansas, so I’ve seen tornadoes and funnel clouds, and grapefruitsized hail that will put you under the tractor,” says Terry, 63, who lives five miles west of Twin Falls near Filer and provides the National Weather Service with current information from the field. “From where we live, I can see weather systems developing 30 and 40 miles away in every direction and track them. I’ve seen storms come up from Nevada and watched how they move based on the topography here.” In 2006, when Terry retired from the Sawtooth National Forest as a landscape architect, he learned to operate a HAM radio, volunteered to be a weather spotter for the National Weather Service, and began reporting precipitation levels to the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network at the Colorado Climate Center in Fort Collins. “We have more than 400 weather spotters like Terry throughout Idaho, and they provide an extremely valuable service,” says Jay Breidenbach, warning coordination meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Boise office. “Their observations of what’s happening on the ground help us correlate with what we see on the radar, so we can get storm warnings out as quickly as possible.” In his youth, Terry sought hilltops to watch storms roll around because it was exciting to see the power of wind and rain. “Here, we don’t even begin to have the severe weather I saw growing up. There, thunderstorms could last for hours, with lightning flashing across the sky all night long and five to six inches of rain falling. Here, a storm might last 20 minutes.” Terry’s childhood fascination with weather carried over to his Forest Service job in adulthood. During forest fire seasons, he was assigned the job of gathering weather information and applying that to maps to plan the strategy of how to fight a fire. Major forest fires are not only affected by current weather conditions, but
in some cases are so intense, they create their own weather systems. “Every 12 or 24 hours, based on the nature of the fire and risks involved, we prepared a new shift plan, giving information about where people should be in the f field to fight the f fire and what to e expect from the f fire,” Terry says. “During summ mers, I traveled t the nation as a p plans chief with s several different r regional and nat tional Incident Management T Teams.” When the fire s season ended, Terry experienced intense weather several times, working in the forests of southeastern Idaho. “I’ve been in the field on horseback checking on timber sales or roads, when a storm suddenly blew in, and the hair on my arms stood straight up. I told myself, ‘I’m getting down off of this horse fast because he’s wearing metal shoes.’ Or I’ve seen acres of timber snapped and blown down in some remote area where a microburst had touched down.” During the past five years, Terry has observed fairly tame weather. “Winter observations of snow are some of the more interesting data to collect. I’ve studied snow avalanche and deposition in the mountains and still find interesting flakes and crystals even in valley snowfalls. “I’ve seen funnel clouds and a few rotating wall clouds, precursors to a cyclonic storm, but not an actual tornado here in Idaho. In some ways, I miss the severe weather I grew Your Partner in Diabetes up with, although I don’t Education and Support need to see a tornado to make me happy. St. Luke’s Humphreys Diabetes Center has Weather is something six locations and 13 diabetes educators to I’ve always been intermeet your diabetes education and prevention ested in.” needs. Call us today to find out how we can help you live a long, healthy life. To volunteer to be a weather spotter, call the National Weather Service in Boise at 208(208) 331-1155 334-9861, extension hdiabetescenter.org 223. ISI Locations in Boise, Meridian, Nampa, Mountain Home, Fruitland and Weiser.
Lola Burdick, St. Luke’s Humphreys Diabetes Center patient and 2009 winner of our “Living Well with Diabetes” award.
PAGE 28 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT
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Chuck McCreath rummages around for rocks to stay rejuvenated By Dianna Troyer Throughout his life, Chuck McCreath has relied on rocks to rescue him in countless situations. They have relieved his boredom, revived his health, and been priceless for home décor, jewelry, and to occasionally sell. “I grew up during the Depression in Billings, Montana, so there wasn’t much else for kids to do other than pick up rocks, especially the agates east of town,” says the 80-year-old Boise resident, who is a federation director of the Idaho Gem Club, a group of rock hounds devoted to teaching others about rocks, hosting shows, and rummaging around Idaho and surrounding states for rocks and gems. When World War II started, Chuck got a little sidetracked and quit picking up rocks for a while. “My dad was an engineer for MK Company and was assigned to various bases around the country, so we moved around a lot. Then I joined the Navy and was in the Korean War.” Once Chuck finally settled in Idaho in 1952, his rock collecting urge returned, this time to revive his health. “In 1965, I took some Boy Scouts tubing, and they were headed for a barbwire fence, so I jumped in front of them. Five of them crashed into me. None of them were hurt, but my left leg was. The doctor told me I had to walk a lot or risk losing it. Since then, I’ve probably walked more than 100,000 miles. I’ve crisscrossed the countryside on foot from Vale, Oregon on down to Riddle.” In 1973, he and his wife, Shirley, joined the Idaho Gem Club and have since become life members. After retiring in 1991 as a supervisor of corporate appraisers at the Idaho State Tax Commission, Chuck had more time to lead rock hounding hikes. He still does, teaching others about what to look for and how valuable certain rocks are. “You need to know what you’re looking for,” he says. “I’ve seen people walk over something
worth $20 a pound to pick up something worth 10 cents. A piece of polished Morrisonite jasper is worth $75 to $125. Bruneau jasper might be worth $35 to $40 a slab unfinished and $45 to $70 polished and finished. Owyhee picture jasper is worth about $35 a pound.” Don’t expect to get wealthy from rocks, though, he cautions. “ S o m e younger people join a club, thinking they’ll get rich quick selling rocks. You might make some money on some pieces if you hold them 10 or 20 years.” Rock hounding has to be a hobby you fall in love with, Chuck advises. “You have to be willing to walk the miles, too. You can’t drive along at 35 miles an hour, looking out the window and expect to find anything.” During countless hikes over the past decades, he and Shirley have picked up rocks – lots of them. “We have 80 tons of rocks in our backyard,” Chuck says. “The edging along our property is made of about 14,000 to 16,000 pounds of petrified wood, much of it gem quality.” Whenever he wants to give a gift or make something, he often picks up a piece of rock on his property, then cuts and polishes it on lapidary equipment in his shop. Every year, Chuck and Shirley bring out new rocks to display. “We have so many, we like to rotate them. Right now, spheres are up.” From their vast collection, it’s easy for Chuck to select his most prized pieces. “One of the rarest is basaltic flow from Antarctica. Another is a Burmese ruby I bought in Burma when I was in the service. These two are the most cherished in our collection.” He often designs jewelry for Shirley, using rocks or gems they have found. “She always has first pick,” Chuck says. “I design something, then take it to a silversmith. I’ve made a lot of pieces for her. She especially likes the sapphires and sparkly gems. Me, I like it all, just about any rock. I love walking and just being outside and plan to keep on going as long as I can.” The Idaho Gem Club meets at 7:30 p.m. on the third Tuesday of every month at the Mountain View Church of the Brethren, 2823 N. Cole Road, Boise. For more information, Chuck may be contacted at 208-344-5085, or the gem club’s website is www. idahogemclub.com. ISI
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IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 29
Ol’ Blue Eyes Coming To Idaho Falls
Big Raffle Builds Better College Programs
Frank Sinatra has one of the most distinguishable voices in music history, and now audiences are getting to hear it off-Broadway... sort of. Performer Cary Hoffman has turned his highly rated PBS special and concert show My Sinatra into a biographical, often hilarious, and poignant one-man stage musical about his obsession with Frank Sinatra and the effect it had on him as a Long Island teenager growing up after losing two fathers and moving in with his three studio-musician uncles, who played on some of Sinatra’s classic records. Hoffman captivates audiences with his intimate journey and authentically sings Sinatra “Dead On!” (The New York Times), as he weaves in over 20 classic Sinatra songs, creating a musical score about his lifelong obsession. He will perform for one night only at the Colonial Theater (498 A Street in historic downtown Idaho Falls) on Thursday, May 10, 7:30 pm. Tickets are $32 and available at the box office, by calling 208-522-0471 or visiting www. idahofallsarts.org. ISI
The North Idaho College Foundation’s Really BIG Raffle is a great way to support student scholarships and program needs and possibly win big! With a good cause at stake and prizes that include a brand new $250,000 home, a car, and a boat, the event is a winning combination. In its 19th year, NIC’s largest annual fundraiser is now underway with only 5,000 tickets being sold for the upcoming July 11, 2012 drawing. Tickets are sold for $100 each at area businesses and through the college. Located in beautiful Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, the grand prize home has a single level three-bedroom, two-bath floor plan with a full unfinished basement. Features include a vaulted living room, granite kitchen counters, stainless steel appliances, 15 SEER heat pump, gas fireplace, large covered patio, and fully landscaped lot. The home is constructed by the college’s Carpentry program students, offering them a learning lab for their trade. The raffle is a fun event that community members support year after year. To learn more about participating in this event, please call 208-769-3271 or visit www.nic. edu/rbr. ISI
Classic DVDs from around the world By Mark Fee Over the past 60 years, the film world has changed immensely. A few monstrously successful film companies once dominated Hollywood. Very few films were made outside Hollywood or in other countries. But the film industry has become increasingly global and richly diverse. Despite the industry’s growth, films like noted French director, Francois Truffaut’s semi documentary, The Wild Child (1971), a never-equaled masterpiece, are often forgotten. MGM’s Dark of the Sun (1967) was produced in Africa, but written off as an action film. The film is an extremely intense and nerve wracking experience. Your local DVD store has numerous classic and overlooked films worth viewing. Some of my favorites and a few sleepers are listed below. In The Naked Prey (South Africa, 1966), Cornel Wilde leads a greedy, irresponsible group of white hunters on a safari with terrifying consequences. Wilde is sensitive to African tribal customs. The hunters are arrogant and indifferent. The safari is attacked. Wilde and the surviving members are tortured. Wilde is the only member of the safari, who is given a chance to live. He has to run for his life. The film is chillingly realistic. Wilde directed the film and plays the safari guide. His achievement is breathtaking and startling. Not rated; 3.5 stars. In The Endless Summer (1966, USA), two young California surfers take their surfboards around the world, in search of the perfect wave. The film follows the adventures of Robert August and Mike Hyson from West Africa to Australia, Tahiti, and Hawaii. The cinematography is unbelievable. The dialogue is natural tongue in cheek, and Bruce Brown’s direction is stunning. If you have never seen this film, it is a delightful must see! Rated PG; 3.5 stars.
In Dark of the Sun (1968, South Africa), Rod Taylor leads a volatile group of mercenaries, deep into the Congo, to rescue millions of diamonds. One of the mercenaries is a compassionate African American (Jim Brown); the other is a former Nazi. Taylor and his crew are responsible for delivering a group of frantic refugees to safety, as well. The journey is terrifying and grueling. Beautiful Yvette Mimeux (The Time Machine, 1960) plays a young nurse. Kenneth Moore plays an alcoholic doctor, who has a change of heart and stays behind to care for his patients. Jack Cardiff’s direction is razor sharp. A harrowing sleeper, but well worth watching. Rated PG; three stars. The Wild Child (France, 1970) is meticulously crafted, awe inspiring, and based on a true story about a boy raised by wolves in France and taken to a doctor, played by Truffaut, who tries to help the boy with language and socialization. But, the boy cannot speak and is deaf. Truffaut’s film follows the doctor’s work with the boy and ultimate failure. The film is fascinating, heartbreaking, and not to be missed. I cannot recommend it highly enough. Rated PG; four stars. In Juggernaut (Great Britain, 1974), Richard Harris and a crack team of specialists, has to dismantle a bomb aboard the luxury liner, Britannic. The ship has 1,200 passengers. Richard Lester directs the film with adroit skill. Harris is extremely effective as an alcoholic anti bomb specialist. Omar Shariff plays the ship’s captain. Harris cannot find the bomb and time is ticking away. The film is an exquisite thriller. Rated PG; three stars. Peter Riegert plays an oil representative in Bill Forsyth’s hilarious Local Hero (Scotland, 1983), who is sent to Scotland to negotiate a land deal. He has to purchase a small town. But nothing works the way he thinks it should. The town is stubborn, animated, and unpredictable. Riegert falls in love
with a mermaid. Jazz guitarist Mark Knopfler’s soundtrack is unforgettable. Burt Lancaster plays an eccentric oil tycoon. An extremely funny and poignant film and must see. Rated PG; 3.5 stars. Classic films are richly rewarding. I hope you enjoy the films I have mentioned. See you next time with classic DVDs! MSN
PAGE 30 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT
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IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 31
Crazy Horse Honors Idahoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Historic Legacy History ties Idaho to South Dakotaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Black Hills. Crazy Horse Memorial is a focal point in honoring the legacy of such Native Americans as Chief Joseph by educating new generations about the historic heritage and living cultures of the Nez Perce and other tribal nations. Crazy Horse Memorial is a nonprofit cultural education project dedicated in 1948. Lakota elders saw the development of nearby Mount Rushmore and asked Korczak Ziolkowski, a rising New England sculptor, to create this colossal monument in the Black Hills to proclaim, â&#x20AC;&#x153;the red man has great heroes also.â&#x20AC;? NBC Today and Rand McNally-USA Today travel correspondents in 2011 tabbed Crazy Horse among the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most patriotic spots to visit. The reporters noted that the Memorial is near the geographic center of the U.S., the heart of an area considered sacred by many tribes. Ad-
This is a photo of sculptor, Korczak and his wife Ruth in 1982, shortly before Korczakâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s passing. Ruth continues to oversee every aspect of the Memorial and will be 86 on June 26, 2012.
ditionally important to the media crews is Crazy Horseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission to tell the story of North American Indian people and their role in the continentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history. For similar reasons, an Internet-linked group of collaborating travel savvy parents called Trekaroo recently voted Crazy Horse as No. 3 among the top 10 family attractions in South Dakota. The worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest mountain carving in progress represents the spirit of Native Americans in the form of legendary Lakota leader Crazy Horse. He was a key strategist at the June 1876 Battle of the Little Bighorn that saw tribal warriors defeat cavalry troops led by George Custer. The anniversary of that fateful fight in southeastern Montana is remembered with a night blast on the Crazy Horse mountain carving. The hugely popular June 26 special event coincides with a salute to Crazy Horse Memorial PresidentCEO Ruth Ziolkowski, the wife of Korczak. A second night blast, on Sept. 6, remembers the 1877 death of Crazy Horse and the 1908 birth of the sculptor. For such special events â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Crazy Horse observes nine occasions annually â&#x20AC;&#x201C; visitors are admitted free to the Memorial in exchange for food or cash donations for the KOTA Care & Share Food Drive to benefit area families. Crazy Horse Memorial is open every day. As weather permits, visitors see and hear the drilling and bulldozing on the mountain and can even feel the blast vibrations. The regular explosions are shaping the carving, which will be 641 feet long and 563 feet high when completed.
The summer 2012 work will focus on developing Crazy Horseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s outstretched hand that rests atop the horseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s head along the skyline. At other times, look for the mountain carvers working at the lowest reaches of the mountain, just above surrounding ponderosa pine trees. In addition to the awe-inspiring carving, the Memorial has an extensive offering of educational exhibits, including Little Bighorn Battlefield relics. A Montana resident, Charles Eder, an Assiniboine-Sioux and three-term chairman of the Fort Peck tribal executive board, gave the first items
to begin the Indian Museum of North America at Crazy Horse in 1965. Now the museum has thousands of historic artifacts and vibrant contemporary art displays from tribes throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The original museum wing features an exhibit dedicated to storied Nez Perce leader Chief Joseph. The display includes a carving in maple by W.R. Bingham, and artistic portraits by Norman Bean, Lisa Goins, Shauna McPherson, Howard Terpning, and Heinmot Touyalaket. Ziolkowski family physician and Memorial
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PAGE 32 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT
board member Dr. Lawrence Massa provided the displayed Nez Perce beading, including a man’s vest and an intricate necklace. A cornhusk bag trade item unique to the Columbia Plateau is among cultural samples shown in the visitor complex Welcome Center. Nearby are a Kootenai pine needle basket and pre-historic stone points (arrowheads and spear points) linked to the Cascade and Kennewick. Contemporary carving examples include the paired “Native American Woman” and “Native American Man” by Kootenai artist Adeline Chaddelson. Visitors also enjoy: • The “Dynamite & Dreams” movie explaining the Memorial’s history and mission. • Meeting artisans creating and selling works at the Native American Cultural Education Center, and programs featuring American Indian drummers, singers, and dancers. • Talking with student greeters from the Indian
GOLF ST. EUGENE.
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University of North America at Crazy Horse. Many of the students working as Memorial tour guides are tribal members from across the country. • The Ziolkowski family home and sculptor’s studio, filled with antiques, fine art, and examples of Korczak’s sculpture. • Laughing Water Restaurant, Snack Shop, and traditional free coffee. • Museum gift shops offering exclusive Crazy Horse souvenirs and American Indian-made gift items.
Incredible Loop Drive By Jack McNeel Majestic mountains, beautiful water, interesting towns, and a lengthy (free) ferry ride highlight this auto trip in southern British Columbia. Looping around and across Kootenay Lake, it can be traversed in a day but it is much more enjoyable to take more time and explore sights along the way. Let’s begin in Creston, just minutes from the Idaho border at Porthill. Orchards and vegetable farms surround the town, encroaching into the back yards of motels and homes. Summer/fall visits reward travelers with a variety and multitude of produce while earlier visitors enjoy the sights and scents of trees in bloom. You might enjoy a visit to Kootenay Candles, a small factory that offers tours as well, or possibly a tour of the Columbia Brewing Co., makers of Kokanee beer. Just west of town the Creston Valley Wildlife Area provides boardwalks through the marshes for photo opportunities and a fine wildlife museum as well. Heading west on Highway 3 the road leads over Stagleap Pass where you will occasionally see caribou and bighorn sheep. It is the highest point on the loop at 5,800 feet so snow may still hug the roadside into the month of June. Then it is down to Salmo where the road turns north. The small town of Ymir is just ahead, now with a single hotel where once there were thirteen. Nearby is the Stewart Creek Rest Area, a great place for a picnic lunch with a gorgeous waterfall that practically falls onto your table.
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From the Memorial Day weekend through mid-October, visitors also can see the dazzling “Legends in Light” laser-light program shown on the mountain nightly at dark. Crazy Horse is on U.S. 16/385 between Custer and Hill City, just 17 miles to Mount Rushmore. For details, call 605-673-4681, e-mail memorial@crazyhorse.org, or visit www.crazyhorsememorial.org. ISI
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Nelson soon appears, a good place to spend the night if you are planning to make this more than a single day trip. Incredible old homes and businesses crowd the town that sits on an arm of Kootenay Lake. If you like to shop and eat, this is the place, and with many unique gift shops, excellent restaurants, and amazing old buildings it is well worth the trip all by itself. The Court House’s conical towers and the nearby City Hall with its pink brick and marble face make downtown colorful. Heading northward on 3A it is a short drive to Balfour where you will board a ferry for the 30-minute cruise across Kootenay Lake to the eastern shore. The ferry departs hourly and is part of the B.C. road system so there is no charge for you or your car. Mountains rise up on all sides and reflect in the crystal clear waters of the lake, which are noted for fishing. You can see circles on the water where trout have dimpled the surface as the ferry slides past. If you want a short side trip and chance to stretch your legs there is a road leading to the south from the parking lot and six miles farther, a sign marks a trail to Pilot Bay Lighthouse. A 10 to 15 minute walk through the cedars brings you to the 1907 lighthouse where spectacular scenes of the lake are visible from the viewing platform. Back on 3A, you will soon come to Crawford Bay where a variety of craft businesses sells handmade items. There are glass blowers, wood workers, soap makers, potters, weavers, and blacksmiths. A business sells handmade brooms of many styles and sizes. If you need a gift, or a memento of the trip, you will find many things of quality. Kokanee Springs Golf Course is also nearby, a beautiful 18-hole course at the northernmost point of this loop drive. Heading southward back toward your beginning at Creston, Kootenay Lake will be almost continually in view. The road is good but slow, turning and twisting almost continually through
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dense forests. It has been named B.C.’s best motorcycle ride because of the rhythm of turning back and forth, but it also means autos seldom exceed 45 mph. Various rental cabins and motels provide overnight lodging and meals are available throughout this stretch as well. You will likely stop at the Glass House, an amazing home made of glass – over 600,000 embalming bottles went into its construction. The bottles are not only used in the house but in the bridges and small storage buildings as well. The
landscaping is interwoven with the glass structures and includes small ponds and figurines. The Glass House rests on a small bluff with beautiful views of the lake. It is just a few more miles to Creston and the Idaho border. The combination of artists and artisans, incredible lake and mountain views, majestic old buildings, a valley of produce – plus a free ferry ride, make this one of the most attractive and enjoyable auto trips anywhere in the west. ISI
Travelers’ Rest: A Premier Site along the Lewis and Clark Trail - A Beautiful Drive From Lewiston By Bernice Karnop to explore both the Marias and the Yellowstone “Who Pooped in the Park?” is a book that River areas. Someone spilled a bit of lead in the explains how to identify animals by their scat. fire and unknowingly left it for another “corps of At Traveler’s Rest State discovery” to find much Park just outside of Lolo, later. west of Missoula, you will Analysis showed get an even messier take that the lead found on the question. here came from KenTravelers’ Rest is at tucky. The Captains the east end of the Lolo recruited some of their Trail, a natural hub for men and gathered trails going every direcsupplies in Kentucky. tion. Native Americans For decades, Lewused the trails long beis and Clark’s camp fore white people came was thought to be at to the area. Old Toby, the confluence of Lolo Native guide for the LewCreek and the Bitteris and Clark expedition, root River. A National led them here to camp Park Service Nationand rest before tackal Historic Landmark ling the forbidding Bittermarked this spot back root Mountains in 1805. in the 1960s. When They camped here again the physical evidence when they came back in was found in 2002, 1806. the National Park SerTravelers’ Rest is vice acknowledged the the only archaeologi- Bring the grandchildren to Travelers’ Rest State Park mistake and moved the cally verified Lewis and just outside of Lolo for an afternoon of discovery about Landmark 1.5 miles up Clark campsite from their the Corps of Discovery, Native Americans, and early Lolo Creek. This may settlers in Montana. [Photos by Bernice Karnop] 4,000-mile journey. “We be the only site that, have a lot of other evionce marked, was dence to support the theory, but the mercury in changed by the the latrine was something that was specific to the Park Service. Lewis and Clark expedition at that time,” says Today TravelMartha Lindsey, Program Director of Travelers’ ers’ Rest State Rest Preservation and Historical Association. Park boasts an The Journals indicate that Captain Lewis pre- e a s y - t o - w a l k scribed Dr. Rush’s Bilious Pills to Privates Silas half-mile loop trail Goodrich and Hugh McNeal when they camped around the camp. here, June 30-July 3, 1806. The powerful laxative Numbered sites pills contained mercury, among other things, and are explained in ingesting them guaranteed that the users spent the colored broconsiderable time at the latrine. When archaeolo- chure, which algist excavated the latrine, they found traces of lows you to do mercury vapor in the pit. Since no one else in the the hike at your west at the time used mercury for medicinal pur- own speed. We poses, the findings confirm exactly “who pooped were there in the in the park.” spring close to The first artifact found at Travelers’ Rest was the time of year a tombac button, a metal button made mostly of the men returned brass. They found it by running metal detectors t o T r a v e l e r s ’ over the ground before they started digging. Rest. The still Analysis showed that the button was manufac- snowy Bitterroot tured in the 19th Century and was the type used on Mountains look military uniforms at the time of Lewis and Clark. just as daunting Archaeologist opened two dig sites - the latrine as they did in and a cooking fire. The camps were consistently 1805 and 1806. laid out according to the Order of Encampment As we hiked the military manual, a fact that helped them know trail, we noticed where to expect the different sites. an old Douglas In the fire pit they found fire cracked rocks, fir standing vigil charcoal, ash, and a blue bead like Lewis and over the archeoClark carried for trading. Because this was a logical site, even popular area used by Native people, these things as it shaded the supported the evidence that the group camped t r a v e l e r s 2 0 0 here, but could not confirm it unquestionably. years ago. One thing found in the fire pit did confirm it, a Bring the grandhardened pool of melted lead. Native people did children since not melt lead. The Corps melted lead to make there is plenty of bullets. At Travelers’ Rest the men prepared sup- room to run. They plies since they planned to split the party in order will also enjoy go-
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PAGE 34 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT
ing into the Visitor Center with you. The Lewis and Clark portion of the museum, which opened in 2001, gives more details of the story. In 2009, the Holt Museum was expanded to include bright Native American beaded clothing and art, an 1880s Main Street display, and lots of artifacts from the logging industry. In the spring and summer, volunteers answer questions, talk to visitors, and will be glad to share hands-on artifacts with your grandchildren. Winter hours are Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday noon to 4 p.m. In the summer, they are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week. Admittance is by Montana license plates or for a $5 fee per
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vehicle for those from out of state. From January free access to the storytelling and other benefits. For more information, call Travelers’ Rest until March, they have weekly storytelling hours on Saturday, which costs $4 per person. Member- State Park at 406 273-4253. ISI ships may be purchased for $35, which allows
International Peace Garden Lives Up to It’s Name Article and Photo By Bernice Karnop As we waited to pay for our first visit to the International Peace Garden that straddles the U.S.-Canadian border between North Dakota and Manitoba, I talked with a woman in another camper. They buy a yearly pass and come often to this botanical garden. “What keeps you coming back?” I asked. “It’s just so peaceful,” she replied. The Garden founders would have been pleased with her answer, although they intended it to celebrate the absence of war when they created the International Peace Garden. It acknowledges the longest unfortified border in the world and creates a symbolic and scenic reminder of that fragile commodity, peace. But perhaps the peacefulness of this setting where you can camp in the trees, walk nature trails, and watch the abundant wildlife, is just as rare and significant today. History of the Gardens - Horticulturist Henry Moore started the gardens in 1926 to celebrate the coexistence between the United States and
Canada. They were dedicated on July 4, 1932 with a stone cairn at the entrance inscribed, “To God in His Glory. We two nations dedicate this Garden and pledge ourselves that as long as man shall live we will not take up arms against one another.” What You See - What do you see at this offthe-beaten-path attraction? Most impressive are the terraced beds filled with 150,000 flowers. Streams, fountains, and pools enhance the peaceful atmosphere. One popular and fascinating feature is the floral clock, a 13-foot timepiece with a face full of flowers. It not only works, it keeps more accurate time than your watch. It is regulated by satellite four times a day. Most of the garden’s floral designs change each year. The exceptions are the floral depictions of the American and Canadian flags. The flowers are at their finest after July 4. Workers know they can lose thousands of dollars worth of plants to frost if they get started too early. We were there in early June when the trees were in full bloom, but they were just setting the flowers out. Other features of the International Peace Garden include the mellow sounds coming from the carillon Bell Tower, a 1976 bi-centennial project of North Dakota Veterans. At one end of the garden, four concrete columns, called the Peace Tower, rise 120 feet into the air. The Peace Poles at the other end of the gardens are a gift from the Japanese Government, and are inscribed “May Peace Prevail” in twenty-eight different languages. The Peace Chapel, sponsored by the General Grand Chapter Order of the Eastern Star, is a quiet place to sit. The stone walls are embedded with marine fossils and inscribed with quotes about peace by famous people from around the world. Renovations - A new $4,000,000 conservatory is being built and will make visiting the International Peace Garden a delight year ‘round. Visitors will be able to step from the North Dakota winter into a tropical oasis. In addition to the conservatory, which will be the first of its kind in North Dakota, the building will include a food venue, a gift shop, and interpretive displays. Another major project this summer is an octagonal sunken garden and surrounding landscape. This garden development will be the first area protected from the deer and moose. From 800 to 1,000 of these large animals live in the area and, although they are delightful to see, they damage countless plants each year. A Sobering Reminder - As we strolled past pools reflecting the fragrant pink blossoms on the trees, I noticed an area with twisted steel and concrete. “I hope someone cleans up that junk soon,” I remarked. Then I noticed the sign. These are steel girders transported from the New York World Trade Center. The shocking debris forms a memorial to those who perished there, and is indeed a sobering reality check in the International Peace Garden. Natural Areas - In addition to the formal gardens, the Peace Garden includes natural areas on both sides of the border. The North Drive on the Canadian side winds around Lake Stormon, past picnic areas and trail heads to several small lakes filled with beaver and waterfowl. Fees - The International Peace Gardens are not a National Park. To our surprise, the Park Pass doesn’t work here. Daily passes cost $10 per vehicle; season passes cost $25.
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Getting There - We left Highway 2 at Minot and drove north to the Turtle Mountain Scenic Byway, Highway 43. The west entrance to the Scenic Byway starts at Highway 14 and goes to St. John on the east. The low hills are covered with deciduous trees and bushes, promising some fine color in the fall. We stopped at Mystic Horizons, a 21st Century
Stonehenge with solar equinox and solstice observation points. On this high point of land you can see forever. The Twisted Oak Trail takes you past prairie flowers through the twisted oaks to more spectacular viewpoints. The Scenic Byway passes Lake Mitigoshe State Park, constructed by the WPA in the 1930s. Just 15 miles north of Bottineau, the park is popular
IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 35
for water sports, winter sports, and nature viewing. For a look at something unusual, stop at Dunseith to see the world’s largest turtle. The Dunseith Turtle is made of tire rims - more than 2,000 of them. Creator George Gottbreht collected them over 20 years, and constructed the 18-foot-high, 40-foot-long reptile in about six weeks. ISI
Which will it be… heaven or hell? Submitted by Julie Hollar-Brantley While walking down the street one day a corrupt Senator is tragically hit by a car and dies. His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the entrance. “Welcome to heaven,” says St. Peter. “Before you settle in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high official around these parts, you see, so we’re not sure what to do with you.” “That’s no problem, just let me in,” says the Senator. “Well, I’d like to, but I have orders from the higher ups. What we’ll do is have you spend one day in hell and one in heaven. Then you can choose where to spend eternity.” “Really?” says the Senator, “I’ve made up my mind. I want to be in heaven.” “I am sorry, but we have our rules.” And with that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator and the Senator goes down, down, down to hell. When the doors open and he finds himself in the middle of a green golf course. In the distance
is a clubhouse and standing in front of it are all his friends and other politicians who had worked with him. Everyone is very happy and in evening dress. They run to greet him, shake his hand, and reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at the expense of the people. They play a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster, caviar, and the finest champagne. Also present is the devil, a very friendly guy who is having a good time dancing and telling jokes. They are all having such a good time that before the Senator realizes it, it is time to go. Everyone gives him a hearty farewell and waves while the elevator rises. The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens in heaven where St. Peter is waiting for him, “Now it’s time to visit heaven,” St. Peter says. So, 24 hours pass with the Senator joining a group of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing. They have a good time and, before he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by and St. Peter returns. “Well, then, you’ve spent a day in hell and
another in heaven. You can now choose your eternity.” The Senator reflects for a minute, then he answers, “Well, I would never have said it before, I mean heaven has been delightful, but I think I would be better off in hell.” So St. Peter escorts the Senator to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell... However, when the doors of the elevator open, the Senator is in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage. He sees all his friends dressed in rags, picking up the trash, and putting it in black bags as more trash falls from above. The devil comes over to him and puts his arm around his shoulders. “I don’t understand,” stammers the Senator. “Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and clubhouse, and we ate lobster and caviar, drank champagne, and danced and had a great time. Now there’s just a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look miserable. What has happened?” The devil smiles at him and says, “Yesterday we were campaigning. Today, you voted.” ISI
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A lot of people who have made our lives a little better go unnoticed or forgotten. Famous Inventions is the subject of this month’s quiz. Can you name the innovators behind these gadgets, games, and goodies? Because no one submitted the completely correct answers to Billboard Rockin’ Chart Toppers of the 60s that appeared in our February/ March 2012 issue, we will carry forward the prize to whomever submits the winning answers to this
month’s quiz… so, a $50 cash prize is on the line. Two $25 cash prizes are awarded from the “Contest Corner” in each issue of the Idaho Senior Independent. One prize goes to the person who submits the entry selected by our staff as the featured quiz or puzzle in the “Contest Corner” for that issue. Turn your creativity loose and send us some good, interesting puzzles! The second $25 prize goes to the person who submits the correct answers to the featured quiz
IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 37
or puzzle from the previous issue. When there is a tie, the winner is determined by a drawing. Please mail your entries to the Idaho Senior Independent, P.O. Box 3341, Great Falls, MT 59403 or email them to idahoseniorind@bresnan. net by May 10, 2012 for our June/July 2012 edition. Remember to work the crossword puzzle in this issue and on our website www.idahoseniorindependent.com.
Famous Inventions Created by ISI Staff Below are 25 inventions, along with a list of 25 inventors. On a numbered sheet of paper, match each invention with its correct inventor, and send it to us. The winner will receive a $25 cash prize. Good luck! 13. Microwave oven I. James Naismith R. Mary Anderson 1. Cotton gin 25. Windshield wiper 14. Electric refrigerator J. Eli Whitney S. Ezra Warner 2. Electric iron 15. Sandwich K. Benjamin Franklin T. Alessandro Volta 3. Zipper A. Ruth Wakefield 16. Teabag L. Thomas Sullivan U. Earl john Montagu 4. Polaroid camera B. Henry W. Seeley 17. The game of basketball M. Tim Berners-Lee V. Edwin Herbert Land 5. Paper clip C. Johann Vaaler 18. Bubblegum N. Galileo Galilei W. George Crumb 6. Telegraph D. Frank Henry Fleer 19. Crossword puzzle O. Arthur Wynne X. John Lloyd Wright 7. World Wide Web E. Thomas Moore 20. Lincoln Logs P. Dr. John Stith Pemberton Y. Samuel Finley Breese 8. Automatic bread slicer F. Dr. Percy LeBaron 21. Ice resurfacing machine Q. Judson L. Whitcomb Morse ISI 9. Can opener Spencer 22. Bifocal glasses 10. Chocolate chips G. Frank J. Zamboni 23. Chemical battery 11. Coca-Cola H. Otto Frederick 24. Thermometer 12. Potato chips Rohwedder
Answers to Billboard Rockin’ Chart Toppers of the 60s Created by ISI Staff C – Elvis Presley (Are You Lonesome Tonight) Y – Brian Hyland (Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini) G – The Marvelettes (Please Mr. Postman) M – Ray Charles (Hit The Road Jack) W – Bobby “Boris” Pickett & The CryptKickers (Monster Mash) J – Chubby Checker (The Twist) A – Lesley Gore (It’s My Party) T – The Angels (My Boyfriend’s Back) O – The Beatles (I Want To Hold Your Hand, She Loves You, Can’t Buy Me Love, Love Me Do, A Hard Day’s Night, and I Feel Fine) E – Manford Man (Do Wah Diddy Diddy) P – Louis Armstrong (Hello Dolly!) B – The Byrds (Mr. Tambourine Man)
F – Rolling Stones (Get Off of My Cloud) S – The Temptations (My Girl) Q – Simon & Garfunkel (Sounds of Silence) H – Nancy Sinatra (These Boots Are Made For Walking) R – The Turtles (So Happy Together) X – The Monkees (I’m A Believer) D – Aretha Franklin (Respect) N – Otis Redding (Sittin’ On The Dock Of The Bay) I – Marvin Gaye (I Heard It Through The Grapevine) V – The Doors (Hello, I Love You) K – Sly & The Family Stone (Everyday People) U – The Archies (Sugar, Sugar) L – Peter, Paul, & Mary (I’m Leaving On A Jet Plane) ISI
PAGE 38 IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT
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Take Me Out Top The Ballgame By Myles Mellor
Across
Down
1. Tim Lincecumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nickname (2 words) 5. Diamond corners 9. Have in your fantasy baseball team 10. Hitterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stat 11. First name of the one the most famous hitters of all time 12. Mark â&#x20AC;&#x153;The ___â&#x20AC;? Fidrych, pitcher for the Detroit Tigers 14. Underhanded 16. Touch a runner to put him out 18. â&#x20AC;&#x153;___ so fast!â&#x20AC;? 19. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s between the back edge of the infield and the fence 23. Raise 25. Pitcher, Clemens 26. Friendly 28. Oakland team 30. Lady 32. Like ___ 33. Old record 34. Roman 6 35. ____ a base 37. _____ play 40. Continue! (2 words) 42. Place on the bat where the ball will travel the greatest distance (2 words) 45. Yankeesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; star 46. Red Sox pitcher, ___ Wakefield 48. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Take me out to the ballgameâ&#x20AC;? subject 49. Lost to the Phillies in the 2008 World Series
1. One of the greatest hitters of all time, known as â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Georgia Peachâ&#x20AC;? (2 words) 2. Defense mistake 3. Phillies top pitcher, first name 4. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hammerinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Hankâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;sâ&#x20AC;? last name 5. In 1951, he hit the â&#x20AC;&#x153;shot that was heard around the worldâ&#x20AC;? (2 words) 6. Pitcher who was given the most expensive contract for a pitcher in the history of baseball, as of May 2011 7. Direction 8. Play where the batter has to swing at the ball while the runner tries to steal (3 words) 13. Period 14. Go fast down a mountain 15. Knock out, abbr. 17. Snagged 20. Advocate 21. One of the bases 22. Do very well at 24. Atlanta players 27. Not me 28. Against __ odds 29. Pace 31. Short ___ (catches a ball as it bounces) 36. Sense of self 37. __ or die 38. Big home run hitter, first name 39. Joey Votto plays for this team 41. Giantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; giant, Mel 43. Items purchased 44. Friend 47. â&#x20AC;&#x153;___ Baseballâ&#x20AC;? starring Tom Selleck
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IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT PAGE 39
How to Save Money on Your Prescription Drug Costs By Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior, What tips can you recommend to help me save on my drug costs? I am 62 years old, and currently take six different prescription medications that I can barely afford. Poorly Insured Dear Poorly, There are actually a number of ways you can reduce your medication costs without cutting quality, but you will need to take a proactive approach. The following tips can also help people with a Medicare prescription drug plan avoid the “donut hole” coverage gap, or reduce their costs once they reach it. Here are some cost-cutting strategies to try. Check your insurance: If you have drug coverage, your first step is to find out what your plan does and doesn’t cover. You can do this by visiting the insurer’s website or by calling their 800 number on the back of your insurance card. Once you have this information, share it with your doctor so (if possible) he or she can prescribe medications that are best covered by your plan. You also need to find out if your insurer has a mail-order service. This would help you to purchase your medications for 20 to 40 percent less. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist: Find out if the medications you are taking are available in a generic form or a less expensive brand-name drug (you can also look this up online at sites
like destinationrx.com). About 75 percent of all premiums drugs on the market today have a lower-cost alternative. Switching could save you between 20 and 90 percent. Many chains like Wal-Mart, Target, Costco, Kmart, CVS, Walgreens, and Kroger sell hundreds of generics for as little as $4 for a 30-day supply and $10 for a 90-day supply. Another cost cutter is to buy your medications in bulk. Many pharmacies give discounts if you buy a three-month supply of drugs versus a 30-day supply. Also, find out if the pills you are taking can be cut in half. Pill splitting allows you to get two months worth of medicine for about the price of one. Shop around: Drug prices can vary from drugstore to drugstore, so it’s definitely worth your time to compare prices at the different pharmacies in your area. Using U.S.-based online pharmacies are another way to save 25 percent or more. Drugstore.com and familymeds.com are two good sites that provide solid savings, but there are dozens to choose. If you opt for an online pharmacy, be sure you purchase from ones that have the “VIPPS” seal of approval (see www.vipps.info) from the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy. People enrolled in a Medicare prescription drug plan also need to make sure the online pharmacy they’re buying from is included in their network. Otherwise, the purchase may not count toward their deductible. Get a discount card: Many pharmacies have free or low-cost discount card programs
that will let you buy generics for $4 or qualify for steeper discounts on other drugs. Other drug card programs worth a look include togetherrxaccess.com, rxsavingsplus.com, yourrxcard.com, rxfreecard.com, pscard.com, and familywize. com. Search for drug assistance programs: If your income is limited, you can probably get help through drug assistance programs offered through pharmaceutical companies, government agencies, and charitable organizations. To find these types of programs use benefitscheckup. org, a comprehensive website that lets you easily locate the programs you are eligible for, and will show you how to apply. Buy from Canada: This option offers savings between 50 and 80 percent on brand-name drugs, but it is important to understand that it is illegal to import drugs from Canada. The FDA, however, does not prosecute anyone who imports prescription drugs for personal use. If you are interested in this option, see pharmacychecker.com, an independent resource that finds the lowest prices from licensed and reputable Canadian pharmacies. (Note: This is not a good option for Medicare Part D beneficiaries because it will not count toward their deductible.) Send your senior questions to Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. ISI
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How to Choose Your New Best Friend from an Animal Shelter
“Our mother needed hospice care. The nurses at BGH were incredible. Their gentle care was comforting to all of us. Mom’s well-being was obviously foremost in their roles; however, we also felt taken care of. Our thanks to all those folks” - Mary P.
Among the biggest victims of the economic recession are the beloved family pets surrendered to shelters as their owners deal with extended joblessness. The U.S. Humane Society estimates 6 to 8 million dogs and cats enter shelters each year – and 3 to 4 million are euthanized. “We don’t have firm numbers but we know anecdotally that the communities that have been hardest hit by the economic downturn are seeing that reflected in their shelter intake numbers,” says Inga Fricke, director of sheltering issues for the U.S. Humane Society. “And, unfortunately, while the majority of the public is in favor of adopting pets from shelters, very few – usually about 20 percent – actually do. That has recently gone up slightly to the mid-20s.” Fricke and retired police officer Irvin Cannon, a confirmed dog lover whose new book, For the Love of Dog Tales (www.FortheLoveofDogTales. com), gives voice to man’s best friend and the hope that people getting back on their feet will consider adopting a shelter dog, perhaps in observance of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Month in April. “You won’t find a better companion, whether you bring home a mystery mixed-breed or a purebred Labrador,” he says. “Everyone thinks mutts are smarter and generally healthier, but really, it all depends on their mix of breeds and which breed strain is dominant.” Border collies and Rottweilers are two of the smartest breeds, Cannon says. But they tend to have other traits, too, which are just as important to consider when choosing what dog best suits your lifestyle. Remember – dogs are as individual as people are. A dog’s breed, or breed mix, is no guarantee that it will have certain traits. That said, border collies tend to need lots of room to run and lots of attention – they are high-maintenance, Cannon says. If you cannot spend a lot of active time with them, they will be unhappy and you will have problems.
N.S. Burbank, M.D. • C.J. Fatz, M.D. • K.C. Hewel, M.D. C.E. Ley, M.D. • A.J. Martinez, M.D. • K.P. McKlendin, M.D. B.J. McNamee, M.D. • A.E. Michalson, M.D. L.S. Michalson, M.D. • D.E. Moody, M.D. R.L. Opp, M.D. • T.F. Reichel, M.D. • R.S. Thornton, M.D. Diplomats of the American Board of Radiology 700 Ironwood Drive, Suite 110 Coeur d’Alene, ID 83814 208.666.3200 • Fax 208.666.3217
1300 E. Mullan Post Falls, ID 83854 208.777.1305 • Fax 208.777.1313
kootenaihealth.org/imaging
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Rottweilers are fast learners and loveable family animals, but they also tend to have bold personalities associated with pack leaders. If you do not think you can assert your authority, or if you have young or shy children, you might want to consider a more submissive breed. Dominant dogs that are allowed to bully their family members can become dangerously aggressive. Here are some other tidbits regarding breeds: • Among other dog breeds known for intelligence: Shetland sheepdogs, golden retrievers, Labrador retrievers, poodles, Australian cattle dogs, Papillons, and Doberman pinschers. • Bulldogs, beagles, and Basset hounds all start with “B” but get much lower grades for smarts. • It is a myth that mutts have fewer health issues than purebred dogs. Because some breeds have tendencies toward problems such as deafness, blindness, or hip dysplasia, remember, these are inherited genetic issues. So if your mixed-breed includes some German shepherd, it may also have hip dysplasia (a problem with the joint’s bone structure). • If you are in the market for a purebred dog, you have a 25 percent chance of finding one – although maybe not the breed you want – at a shelter. If your heart is set on a specific breed, check your area for a rescue group specializing in that breed. Do not forget to mark April on your calendar for Prevention of Animal Cruelty Month, which recognizes the 1866 charter signing of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Visit www.aspca.org/fight-animalcruelty/ for 10 ways you can help prevent cruelty to animals. Irvin Cannon was a poor kid growing up in Detroit when his family took in a stray dog. It surprised young Irvin that his father would be willing to share the family’s meager groceries with a dog, but he soon discovered the return on their investment was enormous. A former police officer in Detroit and Denver, he also worked as a corrections officer in Arizona. ISI
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Hear Your Life – Inspiring Stories and Honest Advice for Overcoming Hearing Loss By Melissa K. Rodriguez, BC-HIS One in six Americans suffers from hearing loss, but who is listening to their cries for help? New book explores how hearing loss affects the quality of life and how to help your loved ones face a new, silent reality. Sarayi was born without ears, but now she hears the birds and her mother’s voice. Donna is a nurse who chooses to hear every heartbeat clearly. Margaret was reunited with the love of her life when her husband decided to seek help. Joseph, a former boxer, hears the bell ring at his beloved matches once again. These are just a sampling of the real-life stories of people profiled in Hear Your Life: Inspiring Stories and Honest Advice for Overcoming Hearing Loss, by Melissa Rodriguez, Board Certified in Hearing Instrument Sciences. Rodriguez, hearing aid expert and hearing loss advocate, regularly witnesses how hearing loss negatively affects people of all ages. As a result, she has made it her life’s work to bring awareness to hearing loss, advocating for those who may be too scared to admit they need help. “People’s preconceived ideas about hearing loss are primarily negative,” Rodriguez says. “No one wants to admit to hearing loss. They think it means they’re ‘old’ or ‘stupid.’ My mission is to show people that hearing loss can happen to anyone and that getting help doesn’t make them weak.” Hear Your Life is written to reveal the serious effects of hearing loss by reading the accounts of real sufferers. Rodriguez profiles more than a dozen patients she’s worked with to design and fit their hearing aids, ranging from young children to centenarians! The resource guide included in the back provides useful information to all readers; like measuring the decibels of common noises, interesting facts about the ear, and a hearing self-exam. Finally, the list of FAQs provides answers for hearing loss sufferers and their loved ones; like how to help a parent or loved one seek help; how expensive hearing aids are; and how frequently one should test one’s hearing. In an informative and inspiring read, Hear Your Life explores: • Why hearing loss is the least talked about, most severely under diagnosed, and most often untreated medical problem. • The societal stigma of hearing loss and how to encourage loved ones to get the medical attention they need. • Why hearing loss can cause isolation, financial hardships, negativism, missed opportunities, and broken relationships. • Tips for supporting family members and loved ones who suffer from hearing loss. • Real-life stories of success over hearing loss with the help of hearing aids and support from loved ones. Melissa Kay Rodriguez grew up around the hearing aid business. Shortly
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after high school, she obtained her license to fit hearing aids and obtained her National Board Certification in 1995. She is currently the owner of Hear On Earth Hearing Care Center in El Paso, Texas and an active volunteer with the Starkey Hearing Foundation. Rodriguez sat on the board
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of the Texas Hearing Aid Association and served a six-year term on the Texas Governing Board, regulating the fitting and dispensing of hearing aids. She has made multiple humanitarian trips to fit hearing aids in Juarez and Mexico City, Mexico; Peru; as well as many other locations. She is currently a member of the International Hearing Society, the Texas Hearing Aid Association, and eWomenNetwork.
Rodriguez is an avid ballroom dancer who directs stage productions semiannually at her husband’s dance studio. She currently lives in El Paso, TX with her husband Mando their two rescue dogs, who frequent her hearing center to mingle with the patients. Hear Your Life: Inspiring Stories and Honest Advice for Overcoming Hearing Loss (May 2012) will be available on Amazon.com, bookstores across the country, and www.HearWithMelissa. com. ISI
Belly dancing can keep you fit, limber, and laughing for a lifetime By Dianna Troyer Sidonia Miller found an elixir for happiness 35 years ago after giving birth to her daughter. “I started belly dancing to get back into shape and got hooked,” says the 62-year-old Boise resident, who teaches weekly classes, leads workshops, gives presentations about Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dances, judges shows, and writes articles about belly dancing. “It’s so good for your cardiovascular system, it keeps your muscles limber, and most importantly it makes you feel so happy.” Sidonia was introduced to belly dance through a community education class, and then taught others through the Boise city program for more than two decades. In 1985, Sidonia opened her own dance studio, Beli Danse Academie. Her Troupe Raks Al Dunia (dance of the world), with more than 20 dancers, performs at most of festivals in
the valley. “Many of my students have been dancing with me for 10 to 20 years, and several are now teachers. Some of my students come once a week, others twice a week. Belly dancers form a strong sisterhood, and we always have such a good time together. There is no such thing as being too old, too fat, or without rhythm. We are all beautiful, diverse, and when given a chance we can find joy in movement at any age.” Belly dancing is popular in the Treasure Valley. “We have four troupes and more than 100 dancers in the area.” She advises women who want to learn belly dancing to find a continuing education class. “You can dip your toes, see if you like it first, then if you do like it, you can enroll at a studio,” she says. “We have many teachers, including myself, here in the valley.” Sidonia advises students to learn belly dancing from an instructor rather than a video. “To learn correctly, you really need to have a person there to make sure your posture is correct and the movements are done properly.” Sidonia’s basic hour-long class introduces a student gently to belly dancing. “We have a good warm-up for 10 to 15 minutes, then work on choreography for 20 minutes, then dance and have a
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thorough cool-down. It’s really a good workout that’s meant to tone and firm muscles and not focus on weight loss.” She also teaches classes that offer an aerobic style of dancing that is more intense physically “if you really want to work up a sweat. It just depends on what you want to do.” She also offers a special class for older women, showing them how motion is lotion for their bodies. Initially, she helps them get acquainted with how their body can move to regain mobility in their lower back and hips and be comfortable. For Sidonia and others, belly dancing is a lifelong passion. “There are women in their 60s and 70s dancing comfortably,” she says. She sees women of all ages dancing at shows she judges. Shows in metro areas attract so many dancers that they often last all day. Sidonia performed at a show in March in Salt Lake City that started at 10 a.m. and ended at 10 p.m. Most dancers perform individually for 10 to 20 minutes, while troupes dance for 15 minutes to an hour. Sidonia has won several awards at Belly Dancer USA contests. In 2011, she placed second in the seven veils category and won first in the People’s Choice Award. In 2008, she won first place in the goddess division. Belly dancing respects each woman’s individuality and body. “Women are beautiful inside and out,” she says. For more information, Sidonia has a website, www.sidoniaomdunia.com, or she may be reached at 208-385-0781. ISI
Oops, Be Careful You Wish For Submitted by Jim Meade A 54-year-old woman had a heart attack and was taken to the hospital. While on the operating table she had a near death experience and so seeing God she asked “Is my time up?” God said, “No, you have another 43 years, 2 months, and 8 days to live.” Upon recovery, the woman decided to stay in the hospital and have a face-lift, liposuction, breast implants, and a tummy tuck. She even had someone come in, change her hair color, and brighten her teeth! Since she had so much more time to live, she figured she might as well make the most of it. After she had recovered from her last operation, she was released from the hospital. However, while crossing the street on her way home, she was run over and killed by an ambulance. Arriving in front of God, she demanded, “I thought you said I had another 43 years? Why didn’t you pull me from out of the path of the ambulance?” God replied, “I didn’t recognize you.” ISI
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