December 2009/January 2010 Winter scene photo by Becky Hart
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Wiley Dog Truffles Are Definitely For People Not for Doggies By Gail Jokerst Like many Montanans, JoAnn Kimbrough grew up in a family that, during the holiday season, took its candy making as seriously as its gift giving. Whenever JoAnn’s mom donned her apron to whip up a batch of toffee bars, divinity, or peanut brittle, JoAnn would appear by her side ready to assist in any capacity.
“Mom was a fussy cook and followed recipes to the letter. She watched her temperatures right to the degree,” recalls JoAnn, who learned the importance of precision from her mentor’s example and developed a love for the culinary arts at a young age. It didn’t matter whether her mom asked her to blend melted butter and sugar together; mix chopped nuts into bowls of liquid chocolate; or nestle treats in tins for friends and family, JoAnn enjoyed every phase of the candy production process. Several decades later, making candy by hand still enchants JoAnn. Only now, as part of her budding food business, Wiley Dog Truffles… & More, she creates glossy truffles filled with creamy smooth ganache centers and she makes her confections year-round, not just for the holidays. But taking the leap from stirring together a batch of homemade fudge to turning out professional-quality bonbons was not something that happened overnight for this Billings chocolatier.
“Before this, I’d never made more than fudge or divinity. I soon discovered the techniques for truffles were far more demanding. People who make good food know that it’s about patience and being willing to take on the learning curve to get the best product possible without skimping on quality,” states JoAnn. “Creating truffles is a skill. You have to learn to use a piping bag and molds and how to gently melt the chocolate and hold it at the right temperature so it stays malleable to work with. The whole process requires precision every step of the way and takes awhile to master. In the beginning, I needed five hours to create fifty truffles. Now I can triple that output in less than half that time.” Aside from the gorgeous sheen and fun shapes of Wiley Dog Truffles, what really makes these candies stand out in a crowd of chocolates are JoAnn’s unique flavor combos. While you would expect to - and happily can - bite into classic caramel, coffee, and mint fillings, you’ll also find she offers an array of surprising flavors to give those popular stand-bys some competition. Everything from chili pepper, curry, and cranberries to ginger, cinnamon, and balsamic vinegar reductions add intriguing nuances to these truffles. Granted, some people may consider such chocolate pairings odd. But anyone with an adventurous palate has no problem appreciating Wiley Dog Truffles’ delectable (Continued on page 52)
PAGE MONTANA SENIOR NEWS
DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010
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Many people worry that wearing a hearing aid will make them seem old, but it’s the untreated symptoms of hearing loss—misunderstanding people, frustration, feelings of isolation, withdrawing from difficult situations—that are more likely to make others think someone is ‘‘old’’. Not only are the Touch hearing aids very small, but they also have many features to assist people with hearing loss manage situations in which following conversations is difficult, such as in restaurants and crowds. As with most hearing aids, they can be programmed to match a person’s pattern of hearing loss. They also turn down background noise and ‘‘listen’’ to the environment and change settings to ensure the best hearing result, without the wearer needing to change programs.
HEARINGLife clinics are offering FREE road tests and home trials of the Touch hearing aid at all of their clinics. For your nearest clinic see above. Kelly Marrinan received her Doctor of Audiology degree from the Arizona School of Health and Science. All forms of health insurance are accepted including: Medicaid, Medicare, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Worker’s Compensation, Sterling, TriWest, Veteran’s Affairs, Lehrerleut Huetterite Benefit Plan, Lion’s Club, United, and many more.
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MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE
Montana Senior News A Barrett-Whitman Publication
P.O. Box 3363 • Great Falls, MT 59403-3363 406-761-0305 or 800-672-8477 FAX 406-761-8358 www.montanaseniornews.com email: montsrnews@bresnan.net
Support Streamflows
When House Bill 275, Sharing Streamflows For Important Fisheries, was defeated in 2009 in the House Natural Resources Committee, Montanans lost an opportunity to remedy the dewatering of 4,739 miles of important fisheries each year by irrigators who take 97.6% of diverted water. HB 275 applied only to year-round streams listed by the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) as important fisheries that are chronically or periodically dewatered (flow reduced below the point where stream habitat is adequate for fish). The resulting thermal pollution is a public health hazard because algae invasion, low levels of dissolved oxygen, and stagnant water kill beneficial aquatic life and increase biting insects. Sharing water during drought emergencies to sustain adequate instream flows would protect our fishing, travel, and recreation industries without seriously impacting legal irrigation water rights. Junior water right holders would be called on first to retain 25 percent of the average annual flow for FWP-listed fisheries that would hold a superior water right. Local water managers would determine when requirements are met. There is legal precedence within the public trust doctrine of shared common law that established our North American Model of protecting important fisheries during drought emergencies. Visit www.
MontanaRiverAction.org for additional information. Ed Verry & Joe Gutkoski Bozeman
Corrections
In the article on pages 58-59 of the October/November 2009 issue of the Montana Senior News, we incorrectly spelled Merrilee Gomol’s name. Larry Gomol taught at the Great Falls College of Technology, not at the College of Great Falls as reported. We apologize for the errors. MSN
The Montana Senior News is published six times each year in February, April, June, August, October and December at 415 3rd Avenue North, Great Falls, MT 59401 and is distributed free to readers throughout the state of Montana. The mail subscription rate is $8.00 per year (6 issues). The Montana Senior News is written to serve the reading interests of mature Montanans 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 Montana Senior News 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 Production Supervisor Advertising Sales Kathleen McGregor Advertising Sales Angie Erskine Advertising Sales Becky Hart Graphic Artist Peter Thornburg Distribution Sherrie Smith Admin/Production Assistant Contributing Writers Bob Campbell Connie Daugherty George Engler Clare Hafferman Sue Hart Kim Thielman-Ibes Gail Jokerst Bernice Karnop Craig Larcom Liz Larcom Michael McGough Dianna Troyer © 2009
PAGE MONTANA SENIOR NEWS
DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010
Remember when we were young and every year was a new beginning, even though the seasons and events were somewhat the same. We always found surprises and memories around every corner. We can still have these surprises, if we are open to what is new every day as we were in our younger years. Our winning Remember When contributor is Karen Tipp of Missoula whose poem Circle Of Seasons reminds us of life’s continuity. Thank you and congratulations to Karen, the winner of our $25 Remember When prize. Remember When contains our readers’ personal reflections, contributions describing fictional or non-fictional accounts from the “Good ol’ Days,” or reflections on life in general. Contributions may be stories, letters, artwork, poetry, etc. Photos may be included. Each issue of the Montana Senior News features the contributions 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 February/March 2010 issue. Mail your correspondence to Montana Senior News, P.O. Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403; email to montsrnews@bresnan.net; or call 1800-672-8477 or 406-761-0305. Visit us online at www.MontanaSeniorNews. com. MSN
Circle Of Seasons Submitted by Karen Tipp, Missoula Myriads of memories are flooding through my mind Of heritage and life-time friends, those special ties that bind. The neighborhood the way it was… no fear of playing free Hide-and-seek far and after dark was how it USED to be! Woodland Park was safe back then… a place for kids to go Whether summer or in winter, swimming… skating gave a glow! The lagoon that froze in winter in the park below the hill Where we skated the music played. I can hear it still! The warming house where we would go to sit around the stove Talking, laughing, joking too, while thawing frozen toes!
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And then toward spring the ice would thaw. The trees would sprout lightgreen. Yet it was STILL a wonderland… a magic change of scene! The lagoon then sported ducks… and rafts! Sun fun to push with poles As we navigated water that was stagnant and with shoals. Our parents said, “Off limits! These rules are firmly set!” Of course we’d sneak off anyway… and sometimes come home WET! The playground in the summer… going barefoot in the grass Swimming in the pool! How quickly time would pass! Then soon the summer ended… back to school once again How great to meet our teacher and perhaps a brand new friend! Soon autumn came in splendor as her colors she displayed In crimsons, gold and yellows she was gloriously arrayed! Then without much warning all the trees would be stripped bare And we’d wake up one morning to see snowflakes in the air! Thanksgiving came! The turkey! Family, friends all gathered ‘round Then it wasn’t long ‘til Christmas and we started counting down! The tree went up bejeweled with balls of bright and shiny glass With ropes of tinsel, twinkling lights… the Angel went on last! Lighted wreaths in windows, mantle decked in cedar boughs And joyful sounds of Christmas floated, echoed through the house! Aromas’ wafting from the oven and then cookies would appear! When friends stopped by to visit we all shared in Christmas cheer! Presents in bright paper topped with bows beneath the tree All different shapes and sizes we would shake but couldn’t see! School programs… concerts, plays, and operettas, too
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE
Awaiting that first opening night and listening for our cue! The choir loft on Sundays rang with songs of joy and mirth As we celebrated Jesus when He came to us on earth! Anticipation crackled in December’s frosty air… With the tree all trimmed and stockings hung, the fireside we’d share! How impatiently we waited… but AT LAST ‘twas Christmas Eve! Oh my! The gifts that Santa brought we hardly could believe! A sled! A doll! A train! New skates! Such fun that lay in store With days to play the time away… who could want for more! Just before vacation ended, a brand-New Year began So back to early bedtime and off to school again! And now we’ve come full circle through the seasons. One more Year! Treasured memories ever cherished with the others we hold dear. MSN
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PAGE MONTANA SENIOR NEWS
DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010
It is stocking stuffer time again and what could be better to find in your Christmas stocking than a new book. Whether you prefer fiction or nonfiction, something entertaining and light, something thought provoking and informative, or something with impressive story-telling photos for the coffee table, Montana authors have created just what you need. The wonderful thing about writing this column is that I get to experience so many books by Montana authors. The frustrating thing is that I cannot review all of them here throughout the year. I also cannot claim to have read all of Montana’s excellent writers, but I will touch on a few of my recent discoveries for Historical Fiction 1899–1929 this year’s Christmas gift list. One Montana writer whose work I have followed for years is Gwen Petersen - most well known for her cowboy poetry, ranchwoman style. Gwen’s writing has always By Helene McHeffey Webb, had a sense of fun and humor in it along with born & raised in Montana some real information. Her most recent book, Twelve year a mix of essays and cowboy poetry, has all old Viva travels with her three the fun and humorous descriptions readers young brothers from Sweden to America to join Papa. Her search have come to expect. Written in second person (a feat in itself), “Everything I Know for happiness takes her through medical school to a life in Butte. about Life I Learned from My Horse”, demHMcWebb Publishing onstrates a practical philosophy of life with a PMB 314 good dose of honesty and humor. From the 1726 Gregory Ave. beginning, Gwen warns that, “Loving horses Sunnyside, WA 98944 $19.95 plus shpg.-$4.50 is a surefire way to let the world know that writer@hmcwebbpubl.com you are slightly bonkers.” Then she goes on to tell stories about herself and others and how love for a good horse is something that cannot be cured because as every horse lover knows, “When I’m in the saddle on my horse, I’m truly free. “Everything I Know about Life I Learned from My Horse” is a must read
Dear Jacob... Love viva
for anyone who has ever loved a horse and a fun read for those who long to understand their horsey friends and family. Another Big Timber resident, Susan Spence, recently published her first novel. “A Story of the West” is a well-researched, cleverly written historical novel that takes readers back to the 1880s and the struggle over land ownership. There is just enough romance to provide interest without distracting and the ending is not quite expected. Two books - one not-so-new, one recently published - focus on women in Montana’s history. “Whispers on the Wind: Stories of Women from Montana’s History”, published in 2001 and still popular today, is a biographical collection focusing on women of Montana from Rosa Beall, who settled in the Gallatin valley in 1864, to Judy Martz, Montana’s first woman governor. The stories, according to author Lauri Olsen, are “the poignant remembrances of these women who by birth or by choice became the daughters of Montana.” Published in September, this more narrowly focused book tells the stories of women during Montana’s 20th century homesteading era. “Montana Women Homesteaders: a Field of One’s Own”, edited by Sarah Carter, reveals a picture of the lives of these amazingly strong women who came to Montana to claim their own land. Using original source material, Sarah gives these women a voice and an important place in Montana’s history. “Dear Jacob… Love Viva”, by Helene McHeffey Webb tells a fictional story about another strong woman who finds herself moving alone to Montana. The story of her emigration from Sweden to America and her eventual journey to Butte is told through a series of letters to Jacob. “I need to lay my entire past before you, Jacob. In the telling, I may be able to understand my responses in the here and now,” writes Viva from her home in Butte. As Viva attempts to discover herself, she provides readers with an understanding of an immigrant’s struggles and successes. This clever technique is sure to keep readers’ interest. “Snow in July” by Heather Barbieri is another novel told from a woman’s perspective. Although set in Butte, “Snow in July” deals with common contemporary issues. When her drug-addicted older sister moves back to Butte with her own two daughters, life, as usual, revolves around Meghan. Erin finds herself and her dreams put on hold as she and her mother struggle to determine the difference between help and understanding, and enabling. While the story is familiar, the symbolism is exquisite. A difficult, but definite read. “The Pedagogue: Educating Montana”, written by Charley Roll and ed-
DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010
ited by his son David, is not new, but worth exploring for its message about the evolution of education in our essentially rural state. Carl Rowland is an impoverished schoolteacher who struggles to support his family by working as a railroad section hand during the summers. The contrast between the two worlds in which Carl lives is an education in itself. Based on Charley Roll’s own life, “The Pedagogue� is a tribute to education and to teachers throughout Montana. Pictures really do tell stories and this year’s selection of books is fantastic. Published in March, “Montana Impressions�, is photographer John Reddy’s most recent tribute to Montana’s picturesque personality. This collection of photographs includes a bobcat and a grizzly as well as cowboys, cowgirls, Native Americans, and anglers. The artistry in each photo makes each scene come alive. “Border to Border: Historic Quilts and Quiltmakers of Montana� by Helena native, Annie Hanshew is a delightful combination of stories and more than 300 pictures of quilts and the people who made them. Quilt making is uniquely both art and practical home crafting depending on the time in history. “Border to Border� examines quilts from Montana’s territorial days up to the present offering what Annie calls, “snapshots� of both routine and important events in women’s lives. The “Postcard History Series: Billings� (James Reich) and “Postcard History Series: Fort Benton� (Ken Robison) provide a unique way to explore Montana history. The Billings book alone contains 226 postcards from Reich’s personal collection. The cards and descriptive text provide readers a fun visual view of the town’s transformation. The postcards in the Fort Benton book come from a variety of sources, and provide a full-bodied story of this Missouri River town that had such an influence on Montana’s development. Both books would make delightful gifts. For the younger set check out “Under the Snow�, a peak beneath the winter snow to the cozy world where small mammals, insects, and reptiles live, by Melissa Stewart and illustrated by Helena’s Constance Bergum. Another treat is “Goodnight Tiny Mouse� by Heidi Anderson. This cute bedtime story is also an eLIVE book - printed copies contain a code redeemable for a free audio version. What I have listed here is only a fraction of the books available by Montana authors at your local bookstore. Although I still prefer the tactile experience of holding a print book in my hands, of turning the pages, I have to admit that for long drives audio books are the way to go. Look for your favorite Montana author in the audio books section. Keep in mind the Montana titles and authors I have reviewed over this past year, and the ones I missed. Writers like Ivan Doig, Stan Lynde, James Welch, Ken Overcast, Richard Wheeler, Stanley Gordon West, Thomas McGuane, B.J. Daniels, and James Lee Burke to name a few. MSN
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE
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PAGE MONTANA SENIOR NEWS
DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010
The Growing Awareness Of Mental Illness In Our Communities By Bob Campbell Each year more individuals and community representatives attend the Montana State Conference on Mental Illness to hear outstanding national speakers discuss how mental illness is emerging from its status as a family secret and stigma and being recognized as treatable. Anyone who has experienced a family member suffering from schizophrenia, depression, or a bipolar disorder knows the fear and frustration of confronting the unexpected erratic words and actions. My mother inherited her bipolar condition from her father and she was afflicted with periodic “breakdowns” until lithium became available and stabilized her condition. This allowed her to live peacefully the remaining ten years of her life. The Helena conference was supported by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), which encourages each state to form its own network of organizations that can provide support to a condition that has only been understood in recent decades. Montana has a growing number of state and non-profit organizations that are improving
mental health services throughout the state. Although Montana is only one of two states with a budget surplus (North Dakota the other), the shrinking economy is placing more stress on families and creating a financial and mental crisis. If you are old enough to remember the lessons of the depression, you know what it takes to survive an economic downturn. Our generation also has an advantage of some immunity to the swine flu because of our exposure to a similar flu strain that young people have never experienced. Our Montana budget is also facing cuts and we can no longer afford costly programs that do not improve the quality of our lives as promised in the Montana Constitution. Missoula District Court judges have led the state in creating a Treatment Court for individuals with serious mental illness and chemical dependency disorders. This has the advantage of supervising individuals in a treatment program instead of the more expensive policy of punishing them in an endless series of revolving prison doors. The Helena conference had many outstanding speakers who have made remarkable achievements after controlling their mental illness. One was Dr. Fred Frese, Director of Psychology at Western Reserve Hospital in Ohio. When he was a Marine Corps officer, Frese was diagnosed with schizophrenia and was in and out of mental hospitals for ten years. Despite his disability, he earned a degree in International Business Management and a Doctoral degree in psychology. His has made a significant contribution through his book Healing the Broken Mind: Transforming America’s Failed Mental Health System and as a reviewer for
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Psychiatric Services magazine. If you or someone you know needs help in times of a mental crisis, call the National Association on Mental Illness at 1-888-999-6264 for direction to Montana organizations that provide mental health support and services. Also call Montana
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE
Department of Public Health and Human Services at 406-444-3964. The future for all of us is brighter because of this network of support that grows stronger each year. MSN
Montana Tech - A Leader In Science Education Founded as one of the four original campuses of the Montana University system in 1893, Montana Tech today has a current enrollment of over 2,690 students. All of our programs derive a special character and emphasis from the unique setting and continued trait of high quality that has characterized Montana Tech since its founding. Montana Tech has four primary aims: 1. assisting students in attaining success in their academic, professional, and life goals; 2. providing practical hands-on learning experiences; 3. outreach to the region in science literacy, external studies, cultural events, and economic development; and 4. conducting research as a contribution to curriculum, innovation, and problem solving.
Montana Tech has a vision, “To be a leader for undergraduate and graduate education and research in the Pacific Northwest in engineering, science, energy, health information sciences, and technology.” Montana Tech has a mission, “To meet the changing needs of society by supplying knowledge and education through a strong undergraduate curriculum augmented by research, graduate education, and service.” We seek donors who are in tune to our mission and vision. For more information contact the Montana Tech Foundation at 406-496-4278 or online at http://go.mtech.edu. MSN
Montana Public Radio Presents New Programming This fall Montana Public Radio made some changes to its morning schedule, extending news until 9 a.m. with Morning Classics following from 9-11 a.m. The new station schedule also dedicated more time to Montana news with local segments every half hour, feature reports from Emilie Ritter in Helena, Katrin Frye in the Flathead, or Kevin Maki in the Bitterroot, as well as Missoula anchor Edward O’Brien. Station Manager William Marcus notes, “In the past two years, we have planned for and created a significant, regional news team. We want to make sure everyone hears their great work.” News Director, Sally Mauk says, “We’ve gotten good response to the expanded regional reports during our evening newscast, and now we have the same depth of reporting for Montana Morning News.” Program Director, Michael Marsolek adds, “By retooling the morning program block we have strengthened our news service, but we have also expanded our commitment to classical music.” Classical has always been the core of Montana Public Radio’s music programming. The station’s commitment to classical music continues, with three to six hours of classical programming each day, with shows like Morning Classics, Performance Today, Saturday Music Hall, the Sunday Symphony, and more. For more information, visit online at www.mtpr.org or call 1-800-3251565. MSN PAGE 32 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2007
If you have difficulty understanding words clearly over the phone, just fill out this form! You may qualify for free assistive telephone equipment through the Montana Telecommunications Access Program!
MSN
The Montana Telecommunications Access Program (MTAP) provides FREE assistive telephone equipment to those who qualify, making it easier to use the phone to do business or keep in touch with family and friends.
F Yes, I want to learn more about MTAP! Name: ____________________________________ Address: __________________________________ City: ______________________________________ State: _____________ Zip Code: _______________
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For more information just mail us this form or call toll-free:1-800-833-8503 Montana Department Public Health HumanServices Services Department of Publicof Health and and Human
PAGE 10 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS
DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010
Alberta’s Ellis Bird Farm Showcases Mountain Bluebirds Article and Photo by Bernice Karnop It is not unusual for someone with a few years under their belt to point to one seemingly small choice or event that changed the direction of their life. For Alberta, Canada, farmer Charlie Ellis, that moment was when he came across the directions for a simple nest box plan in a farm magazine. He built the box and set it out in the spring of 1955. When a pair of tree swallows moved in and laid eggs, he was thrilled. But some house sparrows killed the female and moved in on top of her and her dead nestlings. At that moment, Charlie determined that he would spend the rest of his life protecting the native birds from destructive non-natives like the house sparrows. Within a few years, he had built a 300-box nesting trail around his farm. In 1956, a single pair of mountain bluebirds moved into one of Charlie’s boxes. In just two decades, more than 60 pair of mountain bluebirds nested successfully on the Ellis Farm. Imagine the flurry of brilliant turquoise as these beautiful birds flew, perched, and hovered over the farm. In the late 1970s, the Ellis Farm claimed the highest nesting density of bluebirds ever recorded. Today it is not just the birds that flock to the Ellis Bird Farm. Even though it is well off the beaten path, 10,000 visitors from around the world visit each summer to enjoy what Charlie and his sister Winnie, who farmed with him, started more than half a century ago. Myrna Pearman, who has worked at the farm for 23 years as a biologist, service manager, and executive director says, “It’s a very endearing, inspiring place.” Today Ellis Bird Farm, 35 miles northeast of Red Deer in central Alberta, is an unusual partnership between a working farm, big industry, and a nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation of mountain bluebirds. The siblings, with no children to carry on their bluebird legacy, sold the farm to Union Carbide in the 1980s. The sale agreement guaranteed that the work Charlie pioneered with the mountain bluebird would go on. Union Carbide collaborated with the Red Deer River Naturalist Society to establish and fund the non-profit company, Ellis Bird Farm Ltd. Today Union Carbide’s Prentiss Plant for manufacturing ethylene glycol operates as MEGlobal Canada on one corner of the Ellis homestead site. MEGlobal Canada is a
major funding partner of the Ellis Bird Farm. The working farm continues to raise cattle, crops, and bluebirds using the conservation farming practices Charlie Ellis practiced. As a tribute to Winnie’s love of gardening, hummingbird and butterfly gardens, water gardens, and native wildflower gardens were developed. The gardens are a living demonstration of natural landscaping and are designed to attract wildlife of all kinds. The individual trees and flowers are deliberately chosen to attract birds and pollinator insects, as well as for their beauty. No pesticides or herbicides are used. Ponds are designed to draw deer and other wild creatures. Trails, including an extensive wheelchair path, link the areas. Many visitors go home with Pearman’s book, “NatureScape Alberta: Creating and Caring for Wildlife Habitat at Home”, tucked under their arm. Pearman’s other books include “Nestboxes for Prairie Birds, Mountain Bluebird Trail Monitoring Guide”, and a lovely “Children’s Bluebird Activity Book” for the grandchildren. Ellis Bird Farm does many programs during the summer, including a Bluebird Festival, school programs, senior days, and bird banding. During Grandparent/Grandchild day, participants spend the morning in an organic garden. Children learn where food comes from by picking strawberries, raspberries, or Saskatoons with their grandparents, and making them in to jam. In the afternoon, they build bird boxes together and participate in other hands-on nature activities at the bird farm. Children love the bug festival. Last summer eight world authorities on insects came, donating their time to introduce children to all kinds of insect life. They studied pollinators, pond life, and most intriguing, the crawly things that live on the dead gophers that a forensic entomologist brought. The small visitor center at Ellis Bird Farm will soon be enlarged, and they are building a covered area near the pond where grandparents may sit and watch the children play near the water. The teahouse in what used to be the Ellis’s home, recently received an update. Until now, the homemade soups and breads, and their specialty, Saskatoon pie, were made on the Ellis’s kitchen stove. To make sure of your place at the table in the Ellis’s living room, make reservations before you go. Last year they served 6,000 guests during their 15-week season. Last year extreme weather in April lasted several days, killing about half of the bluebirds, according to Myrna Pearman. Because bluebirds did not claim the boxes, tree swallows took over. The tree swallows will return and defend these nests from the bluebirds. To lessen the competition, the farm expanded their bluebird trail this fall. “If we have another extreme weather event this year, the numbers could be significantly reduced again,” said Pearman. “There’s not much we can do beyond controlling the sparrows, and putting out more boxes.” Admission to Ellis Bird Farm is by donation. To get there from Red Deer, go north on Highway 2 or 2a to the Blackfalds turn off. Go east on Highway 597, then turn north on Prentiss Road. To learn more about the Ellis Bird Farm, check out the beautiful photographs on their website, www.ellisbirdfarm.ab.ca, or call them at 403-3462211 from September to May, or 403-885 4477 from June through August. They are open mid-May through August from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m., Tuesdays through Sundays, and on special holidays. MSN
DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 11
Stonehenge Replica Stands in Washington By Craig & Liz Larcom Big-bucks investor Sam Hill was one of a kind, but the memorial he built to World War I soldiers and sailors was not. The monument that he started to build even before the War was finished was a copy of Stonehenge, the well-known ruin on the Salisbury Plain in England. Hill’s memorial stands today open to visitors near Maryhill, Washington. Hill’s Stonehenge was inspired by a visit to the prehistoric original, which, his host Lord Earl Kitchener told him, the Druids used to make sacrifices to their gods of war. Scholars no longer believe that Druids came to the English site early enough to build Stonehenge, let alone that human sacrifice was involved at any time. All the same, the story stirred Hill to think of the men of Klickitat County who sacrificed their lives in the War. He began his mammoth, life-sized undertaking even before the War was done, dedicating the altar stone in 1918. Skipping any copy of the earthworks that surround ancient Stonehenge, Hill jumped directly to working on the stones. But he decided to use reinforced concrete instead of moving humongous stones like the ancients did. It was a practical choice and an exciting one for Hill, who was a pioneer in the stuff. He had already used reinforced concrete to build a house in Seattle that was suitable for his executive standing (and included a 12-person elevator). With an outer circle of 30 pillars each 16 feet high, and an inner circle of another 40 smaller pillars, plus five pairs of pillars of different heights, this was a mammoth undertaking, which ultimately used three million pounds of reinforced concrete. The design aimed to capture what Stonehenge might have looked like in its prime. When Professor Campbell of the Lick Observatory came to the neighborhood to view an eclipse in 1918, Hill had
him calculate the placement of the stones, so that the tall Heel Stone’s shadow would fall properly on the altar stone at the solstice. Hill was a man of many projects, and this one lay unfinished for years, when Hill’s financial fortunes weakened. By 1930, his Stonehenge was finished and dedicated. Hill’s 12-year gap from beginning to end of construction was but a blink compared to ancient Stonehenge, which took 1,500 years to build, and may never have been in a completed form. Hill’s Stonehenge was not only the first monument to World War I, it was also the first copy of Stonehenge. Since that time the famous outlines have risen in a number of places around the globe, though often altered in scale and form, and in varying degrees of seriousness. While over a million people a year see the original Stonehenge, a comparative dribble of sightseers come to the monument at Maryhill. Visitors are likely to have at least a few minutes to themselves on a visit. Also unlike the English experience, visitors to Hill’s Stonehenge enter for free and can walk among the stones without signing up for a deluxe tour. Indeed, no tours are offered. The memorial stands on a windswept bluff above the Columbia River, with a distant view of Mount Hood. Hill’s Maryhill Museum, in a house that he never occupied, sits three miles to the east. The castle-like house is, of course, built of concrete. Stonehenge is open daily all year, until 10 p.m. From State Route 14, just east of its intersection with US 97 near Maryhill, take Stonehenge Drive to the monument. MSN
Confessions Of A Craps Player By John G. Brokopp, Senior Wire I’ll admit it right off the bat: I’ve never, ever made a “Don’t” wager during all my years of playing craps. Not even once. But that situation will change in the near future. First, allow me to digress for the sake of explanation. Players may wager from two standpoints at the craps table, the “right side” and the “wrong side.” When you bet right, you’re betting that the point will be rolled before the number seven. When you bet wrong, you’re betting that seven will be rolled before the point is made. The vast majority of players are right players. They’re always rooting for the point, cheering when the number hits, high‑fiving one another as the roll gets hotter, and heaping praise on the shooter the longer he holds the dice. It’s basic human nature to want to play the game that way. There is really nothing quite like a craps table when the dice are hot. The synergy of warding off the dreaded number seven and the stickman’s call of “seven out” is contagious. Wrong or “Don’t” bettors are generally despised by right bettors. They usually stand at one of the corners of the table, silent and inconspicuous. I’ve always taken delight in watching them lose. Nothing makes me happier than to watch a shooter make his point when there’s a stack
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DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010
of chips sitting in the “Don’t pass” section of the layout. “Don’t” bettors wait patiently for seven to be rolled? When and if it is, they must celebrate in silence and collect their “ill gotten gains” without fanfare. Right betting is a team sport. Wrong betting is for loners. Yet the true beauty of the game of craps lies in the fact that players may capitalize on both hot and cold playing situations. Is there another game in the casino that affords you that luxury? When the blackjack dealer is beating the table hand after hand, the only escape is to quit playing or move on. Can you bet that the dealer’s hand will beat yours? In some ways the insurance bet allows you to do this, but only when the dealer is showing an ace. Even then, it’s generally a bad bet percentage wise. In craps, cold tables are regarded as ones where the seven is popping up with regularity. They’re the kinds of tables where shooter after shooter rolls a point, pops a number or two, and then sevens out. Right bettors are getting killed,
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but if there’s a maverick “Don’t” bettor in the corner he’s having a field day and fattening up his rack of chips while those of his fellow players are evaporating faster than a drop of water on the sidewalk on a 100 degree day. I wonder why craps players are categorically labeled right bettors or wrong bettors. Why can’t you play the game from both sides? Why can’t you be a “right‑wrong” bettor or a “do‑don’t” bettor? If you can play from both sides, you are taking complete advantage of the freedom of the game and the opportunity it gives you to win even when the dice are cold. Instead of quitting or going broke, suffering through seven out after seven out, you have the option to jump to the other side and try to win money when the dice are ice cubes. You needn’t fear that wagering wrong is a bad bet percentage wise. Both “Pass” and “Don’t Pass” are two of the best bets in the casino. The only thing a “Don’t” bettor must overcome is the stigma of silently rooting against the shooter that he won’t make his point. It means subjecting yourself to being an outsider, the “bad guy,” the casino version of a mercenary. I bring this subject up because I have been compelled of late to accept the craps table invitation of making money when the sevens are frequent instead of just retreating and waiting for things to heat up. This doesn’t mean it’s bad to wait. In fact, it’s probably the smart thing to do. The more frequently you put your money in jeopardy on the layout the more you subject yourself to the constant grind of the house edge. In recent years I have played the game quite successfully using the system devised by the legendary “Captain” in gaming author Frank Scoblete’s books. In essence, it means sitting on the sidelines until a shooter has proven himself. This system is really a cleverly disguised money management technique but it does ward off being clobbered by quick seven‑outs. It has been my empirical observation, however, that there are certain situations in which you can “smell” a seven. For example, have you noticed that after a hot roll is completed the next shooter always seems to seven‑out? Or that the person who has no method to his dice rolling technique and just flips the cubes down the table, giving them little chance to tumble and bounce, never seems to last very long as a shooter? Under these and other circumstances I can see the advantages of placing an occasional “Don’t” wager. I can see sticking with “Don’t” bets as long as the dice are cold. As soon as there are signs of things heating up, such as an enthusiastic shooter making a point, then it’s time to jump back to the “right” side of playing! Will it work? I’ll let you know. Hey, maybe “Don’t” bettors aren’t such bad guys after all! MSN
DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010
How Well Can You Execute Your Money Management Strategy? By John G. Brokopp, Senior Wire There is precious little we have control over when we play slot machines. It is important, therefore, to take full advantage of something we can control whenever we choose to take on those dreaded one‑armed bandits one‑on‑one. That something is money management. Casinos enjoy a decided advantage over individual players when it comes to slot play, they are sometimes able even to affect the way we manage our playing money, often in ways we are totally unprepared to defend ourselves against. Furthermore, their efforts are sometimes presented to us as player convenience. For example, you probably are familiar with the credit meter on every slot and video poker machine. When you insert paper currency into the bill validator, the meter will display the number of credits that the money translates into. A $20 buy‑in will give you 400 credits on a nickel machine, 80 credits on a quarter machine, 40 credits on a fifty‑cent machine, and 20 credits on a one dollar machine. The meter counts the credits as you play, subtracting the credits you lose and adding the credits you win. Players have the option at any time to press the “cash out” button on the machine, an action that will trigger the mechanism to drop the coins one by one into the tray. Casino operators are well aware that when your money is just a display on a meter rather than cold, hard cash in your coin bucket or greenbacks in your wallet, it’s easier for you to continue to play. We have a tendency to lose sight of exactly how much money we have when it’s just a number. Did you also know that casinos have the ability to set the limit on the amount of credits a machine can store before it starts ejecting coins into your tray? It’s a fact that on every machine you play - it’ll automatically start paying you in coins if you continue to win and exceed the credit‑hold limit. In many casinos the limit is $500 in credits, but of
late I have observed that some casinos set their machines at a higher credit limit. At this juncture it is important to note that slot machines only earn a profit for their casino owners while they are being played. Whenever a player is waiting for an attendant to make a hopper fill, waiting for the machine to cash out, or waiting for a hand‑paid jackpot, the machine is idle and incapable of generating a profit. Casinos work hard to do all they possibly can to keep this slot down time to a minimum. Casinos put a priority on making certain that their machines are being played. One sure way to do this is to set the credit‑hold limit on machines at a higher level. What is eliminated? The fleeting minutes during which players can ponder the situation, take a mental inventory of how much money they really have, or even decide to stop playing, take the coin buckets to the cashier, and bring some profits home rather than playing them. The less time players have to think about their money, the greater the chances that they’ll continue to play. It is our assignment, as recreational casino gamblers, to control our money to maximize our chances of winning. Here are some pointers to continue the fun and win more: • Always play with coins rather than credits. The time it takes you to insert the coins, cash out, count winnings, and preserve profits, is time you are giving to yourself and taking away from the casino. By taking time away from the casino, you are reducing the chances of their taking money away from you. • Whenever you make a nice score, always take the time to cash out your winnings and put the coins into a bucket, knowing exactly how much you have, or at the very least, a good idea. If possible, cash in the coins, take the currency, and tuck it away in your pocket or purse. Good luck! MSN
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 13
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DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010
Back in the days when we baked a lot, the cakes had interesting, descriptive names. Can you remember what they were? Our winning contest is from June Zody of Glendive whose How Well Do You Know Your Cakes? quiz takes us back to the days when we baked more and didn’t watch our waistlines as much. Thank you, June. Congratulations to Judy Sirucek of Moore who submitted the winning answers to the Four Letter Words quiz that appeared in our October/November 2009 issue. Thank you, Judy. Two $25 cash prizes are awarded from the “Contest Corner� in each issue of the Montana Senior News. One prize goes to the person who submits the entry that our staff selects as the fea-
tured quiz or puzzle in the “Contest Corner� for that issue. Be creative and send us some good, fun, and interesting puzzles! The second $25 prize goes to the person who submits the most correct answers to the featured quiz or puzzle from the previous issue. When there is a tie, the winner is determined by a drawing. Please mail your entries to the Montana Senior News, P.O. Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403, or email to montsrnews@bresnan.net by January 10, 2010 for our February/March 2010 edition. Be sure to work the crossword puzzle in this issue and on our website www.montanaseniornews. com.
How Well Do You Know Your Cakes?
Submitted by June Zody, Glendive Below is a list of numbered phrases that could describe the cakes in the alphabetized list. On a sheet of paper match the lettered cake to the numbered description and drop it in the mail to us. You might just win this delicious quiz! ANSWERS: 1. What is the brightest cake? A. Fruit Cake 2. What is the heavenly cake? B. Marble Cake 3. What cake weighs the least? C. Short Cake 4. What cake is the hen’s cake? D. Sponge Cake 5. What cake has a royal title? E. Wedding Cake 6. What cake never pays its way? F. Sunshine Cake 7. What cake is the old maid’s cake? G. Feather Cake 8. What cake is the variety cake? H. Devil’s Food Cake 9. What cake do squirrels prefer? I. Layer Cake 10. What cake lasts a lifetime? J. Patty Cake 11. What cake is the small boy’s favorite? K. Lemon Cake 12. What is the baby’s cake? L. Nut Cake 13. What cake is diminuitive? M. Angel Food Cake 14. What is the mischief maker’s cake? N. Lady Baltimore O. Pound Cake
Answers To “Four Letter Words�
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1. Back 2. Mane 3. Mice 4. Moat 5. Nape 6. Nice
7. Pine 8. Rake 9. Ramp 10. Bake 11. Boat 12. Cake
13. Rice 14. Ruby 15. Vein 16. Cane 17. Cape 18. Goal
DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010
Across 1 Period for enjoying festivities 8 Diamond for example 10 Ludwig’s middle name, Morrison’s first 11 Sleigh light? (2 words) 12 Santa Claus feature 13 Stan who created Spider-Man 14 Present carrier 17 Turkey or chicken, for example 19 Columbia locale 21 Pick up 23 21st century communication technology, for short 24 Adding beauty to 26 Ring material 29 “Love Story” star, first name 30 Brit. record label 32 Tree decorations 33 Bach piece 34 Deck 36 Christmas time 38 Shirt accessory 40 Velvet Underground singer 43 Company 44 Holiday drink 46 Radiant 48 Skywards 50 Not available, for short 51 Miscalculated 53 Old record 54 Historic leader? 55 Harry and David container 56 Present from Santa 57 Picnic buster Down 1 Christmas songs 2 There were nine of them in the partridge song (2 words) 3 Presents for the studious? 4 Goes with Maria 5 Teacher’s Assistant, for short 6 Wild about 7 Christmas tree, often 8 “Love Actually” star 9 Steak order 15 Santa’s method of entry
16 Barbie’s partner 17 Bojangle beginning 18 Way back when 20 Bubbly drink 22 Forever and a day 23 Vital card 25 Icy coating 26 Present 27 Christmas illumination 28 Santa’s real helpers? 31 Enchant 35 Goes for the gold? 37 Kind of fire 38 Present for Dad, maybe 39 Driving move 41 Stopper 42 Shrek for one 43 Backup
Answers to “Affairs of the Heart” October/ November 2009 Issue page 13
45 Gossip 46 NFL time out play 47 Singer, Sayer 49 Honeybunch 52 1982 blockbuster 54 Loudspeaker system
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 15
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DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010
Great Falls Symphony Plays Beautiful Music The Great Falls Symphony is proud to be a part of a rich Great Falls arts community. Having celebrated 50 years of service to the region this past year, the Great Falls Symphony is made up of a full orchestra; symphonic choir; two professional resident ensembles, the Cascade Quartet and the Chinook Winds Quintet; and a regional youth orchestra. An important part of the annual financial support for the Great Falls Symphony comes from
the earnings on the organization’s Endowment Fund. During this Holiday season we ask you to consider a gift that keeps on giving all year long... the Gift of Music! To learn how you can support the mission of the Great Falls Symphony while at the same time saving a significant amount on your Montana State taxes through the Montana Endowment Tax Credit, call the Great Falls Symphony at 406-453-4102. MSN
Museum of the Rockies presents Memories of World War II: Photographs from the AP
The Museum of the Rockies proudly presents Memories of World War II: Photographs from the Archives of The Associated Press, which will appear through January 31, 2010. All WWII veterans are admitted free for the duration of this exhibit. Memories is a display of photos from all WWII theaters and the home front, from the classic Iwo Jima flag-raising in 1945 to scores of pictures not seen in decades. Although censorship delayed the release of many pictures for years, the power and pathos of these images is undiminished. The Museum has supplemented the exhibit with WWII artifacts and a listing of Montana’s fallen. Many photos credit AP staff photographers
by name; others came from anonymous Army or Navy photographers. The late Walter Cronkite, who covered the war for AP’s rival, United Press, observed, “Indeed, if there were no correspondents or photographers who went to war, what would the folks at home know... what would future generations know?” Bozeman’s Museum of the Rockies at 600 W. Kagy Blvd., on the south side of the MSU campus is open from 9 am to 5 pm, Monday through Saturday, and 12:30 pm to 5 pm on Sundays, except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. For more information, visit www.museumoftherockies.org or call 406-994-DINO. MSN
Goatees are for goats By Gretchen Anderson My friend Vicky came sashaying back to the table at DaVincis and announced to us all, “the lighting in the ladies room is perfect for tweezing chin hairs!” I just about snorted my Chianti through my nose. There were six of us at the table and we had just taken in Menopause the Musical. We all had a good laugh and what ensued was a colorful, 20-minute discussion about the best ways and places to tweeze. Fellow brunette and sweet friend, Leslie is convinced her car is the THE CONCERT to start 2010 with a BANG! best place. The natural light and the rearview mirror are perfect - that is until you are busted by the motorist next to you. Ooh, gross! It is one thing to tweeze your brows, but it is entirely
Tormé SINGS Tormé with the
unthinkable to groom one’s chin in public! We all decided it has to be in a private, confined space with spectacular lighting - and it is nice to have a magnifying mirror handy as well. As women, it is something we all have to endure eventually. Nature throws us some pretty hard curves. My esthetician friend, Kalen is remarkable at removing unwanted facial hair. I am thinking of moving her into my home and keeping her on fulltime. Though I am certain my husband, Mr. Man, would not go for that. He claims he already has too many females in his life and does not need - or want another one. So, I have told my girls that when I get older, they will take turns keeping me free of chin hairs. There are three of them - girls, not hairs. If I schedule them in rotation, maybe they will not forsake me and introduce me as their werewolf mom. One of my worst fears is that someday - way in the future - my grandkids will not call me Mamma Grety. They will call me Goatee Granny! (Cont’d on page 18)
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MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 17
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DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010
Goatees - continued from page 16 Do not get me wrong, I feel blessed having been born a brunette. I am thankful I have never had to endure a blonde joke like my sister, Jody. She has lived all her life shaking her head and smiling at all those blonde jokes. Of course, she is secretly flipping off the teller of the joke while she is smiling. It goes with the territory. Blonde hair, blonde jokes. Dark hair, dark chin hairs. A few years back, I came home from a great
ladies weekend. I told Jody all about how we laughed our way through the camping trip and how I made three new really good friends. I could sense she was kind of jealous and felt left out. With little emotion or hesitation, she reached up and grabbed a half-inch, long hair that was growing out of my jaw line, pulled it out and said, “Well, they must not be such good girlfriends they didn’t tell you about that.” I guess she set
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me straight. Ever since that moment, I have been scrutinizing my chin and jaw line like an ethics probe in Congress. Short of creams, electrolysis, or laser treatments, I will keep plucking, trimming, and tweezing. And, if you happen to see a plate of pasta growing cold on a table at DaVincis, you will know where I am. MSN
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Accounting Mary Walsh, CPA & Associates www.marywalshcpa.com Art Gallery Planet Bronze Art Gallery www.planetbronze.com Education Billings Catholic Education Foundation www.billingscatholicschools.org Montana Tech Foundation www.go.mtech.edu Rocky Mountain College www.rocky.edu Elderhostel Exploritas www.exploritas.org Entertainment Montana Public Radio www.mtpr.org Montana Winter Fair www.totallywinterfair.com Museum of the Rockies www.museumoftherockies.org Spokane Coeur d’Alene Opera www.spokaneopera.org Environmental Action Montana Rivers www.montanariveraction.org Flowers Bitterroot Flower Shop www.bitterrootflowershop.com Food Specialties Cookies By Design www.cookiesbydesign.com Funeral Michelotti-Sawyers Mortuary www.michelottisawyers.com Health American Heart Association www.americanheart.org American Red Cross www.montanaredcross.org Benefis Health System Lifeline www.benefis.org Hemp & Cannabis Foundation www.thc-foundation.org Hearing Cascade Audiology www.cascadeaudiologymt.com Idealics/The Hearing Place www.hearingplacemt.com Mt Telecommunication Access www.montanarelay.mt.gov Rocky Mountain Hearing & Balance www.rockymountainentcenter.com Home Benjamin Franklin Plumbing www.benfranklinplumbing.com Energy Share Montana www.energysharemt.com In-Sink www.in-sink.com Intermountain Heating & A/C www.intermountainheating.com Inspiration Our Lady Of The Rockies www.ourladyoftherockies.com Legal Crowley Law Firm www.crowleyfleck.com Morrison & Balukas Law Firm www.mbtaxlaw.com Lodging Bennett House Country Inn www.bennetthouseinn.com Days Inn www.allyellowstone.com Deadwood Gulch Resort www.deadwoodgulchresort.com Jackson Hole Lodge www.jacksonholelodge.com Pheasant Hill Inn & Suites www.pheasanthillinn.net Rimview Inn www.rimviewinn.com Silver Lake Motel www.silverlakemotel.com Super 8 - Deadwood www.deadwoodsuper8.com Super 8 - Spokane Valley www.spokanesuper8.com Pediatrics St Vincent Children’s Healthcare www.svfoundation.com Pets Heart of the Valley Animal Shelter www.heartofthevalleyshelter.org Lewis & Clark Humane Society www.mtlchs.org Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter www.yvas.org Real Estate Amy Graham Realtor www.amygraham.realtyexmt.com Havre Montana Realty www.havremtrealty.com Kootenai Creek Village www.kootenaicreekvillage.com Real Estate by Hamwey www.trinawhite.com Realty Executives www.reexecs.com Russell Country Realty www.russellcountryrealty.com Select Realty www.selectrealty.com Restaurant A Taste Of The City www.capellasrestaurant.com Peking Garden West www.pekinggardenwest.com Perkins www.perkinsrestaurants.com Retirement Living Accessible Space www.accessiblespace.org Cambridge Place www.cambridgeplace.blogspot.com Sweetwater Retirement www.sweetwaterretirement.com RV Dealers Travel Time RV www.traveltimervs.com Skiing Lost Trail Powder Mountain www.losttrail.com Social Services Billings Food Bank www.billingsfoodbank.com COR Enterprises www.corenterprises.com Family Outreach, Inc www.familyoutreach.org Family Service www.famserv.com Ronald McDonald House Missoula www.rmhmissoula.org The WestMont Foundation www.westmont.org Travel Rimrock Trailways www.rimrocktrailways.com
DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 19
The House At 244
By Dr. Michael R. McGough It was a typical house in a typical neighborhood that had sprung up in suburbia in the years following the close of World War II. To most folks it would be no more or less than any of the other houses built in that era. The houses at 242 and 246 were not very different. Structurally 244 was what most houses are, a rather interesting combination of walls, floors, ceilings, windows, and doors. It would have been modern for its day, and over time it was upgraded, repaired, and enlarged a time or two. It became a great deal more than a house when we moved in; it became a home. That was in the early fifties. Recently it became just a house again. That happened abruptly when Mom moved out. Just as it had been before we moved in, it was once again lifeless and quiet. No one left there in the morning to go about their day, and it welcomed no one back at the end of their day. No one called it home any longer. It was once again, just what it started out as, a combination of walls, floors, ceilings, windows, and doors. For me there are no recollections of the move in, but then who does recall much of anything from when they were 19 months old. My departure just about 20 years later was no more or less dramatic than my part in the original move in. But during those twenty years, I did play a part in the experiences of that house. Some times I was a bit player, sometimes I had the lead, and then there were times when I just watched and listened. Regardless of my role, I was nonetheless part of the cast, one of the players turning that house into a home every day. It was a good gig, and I reflect on it fondly. After moving out and moving some distance away, going there required a trip. They were great trips and we made hundreds of them over the last 35 years. There are plenty of memories, the vast majority of which are entirely pleasant. Recalling them is still thoroughly enjoyable. For me there have been several homes since that first one, and recently there was an opportunity to reflect on some of their common features. Some of the lessons learned and values developed at 244 have been in each of those homes, and they are in my home today. The profound role of faith was evident in each of them. That has always been a basic, an unquestioned reality. Love and a sense of family were core values that have been cherished and protected in each of those homes. A certain sense of cheerful optimism and self-determination, both of which were driven by hard work, were learned early. The virtue of each is still admired and respected, and teaching them to each generation that comes along remains a family goal. And then there is talk and food. Both are seen as universal expressions of love and caring. They are the happy media for sharing your day. Although diets have changed over the last forty years as have our topics of conversation, sharing a meal and your day are still valued daily experiences. Now that the house has been sold, some new folks are going to get the chance to turn 244 into a home. I am happy for them and I wish them well. Just as it was the day it was built, it is little more than an interesting combination of walls, floors, ceilings, windows, and doors. In time, the new folks will make it their home, establishing their own unique brand of family. As we move through life and make the transitions that come our way, we may not remain part of the various houses where we have lived, but our experiences in those homes will always be part of us! MSN
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DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010
DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 21
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Saddle Up Montana - NFR Riders Coming To Town By Kim Thielman-Ibes Photo courtesy of Chase Hawks Rodeo One week after the National Finals Rodeo tosses its last hat into the ring, the cowboys saddle up and make their way to Billings, Montana to compete in what has become known as the best rough stock rodeo in the world - this year’s 15th annual Chase Hawks Memorial Rodeo. Sixty world-class cowboys including the likes of Bareback Rider and NFR alum Jason Havens, 2008 and 2007 Saddle Bronc R i d e r, a n d world champions Cody Wright and Taos Muncy will make their way to the Metra Park Arena for a special oneday event on December 19 to compete on bareback horses, saddle broncs, and bulls for a pretty nice payday with the winners in each category taking home $5,000 and custom buckle. Competitors are chosen by the Chase Hawks committee and those that are invited include past PRCA world champions, former and present NFR qualifiers, Canadian finals champs, Montana Rough Stock Circuit Champs, and rookies from PRCA rough stock events. These top-notch cowboys will be riding some of the best rough stock in the country, coming from the Calgary Stampede and the Sankey Rodeo Company including the PRCA Saddle Bronc of the
M e m o ri e s o f Wo r l d Wa r I I
Photographs from the Archives of the Associated Press
This exhibit is a spectrum of photos from all theaters of the war and the home front, ranging from Associated Press photographer Joe Rosenthal’s classic Iwo Jima flag-raising in 1945 to scores of pictures not seen in decades. Additionally, the Museum of the Rockies will be supplementing the exhibit with artifacts and interviews that tell the story of the War from a Montana perspective. Admission is free for all WWII veterans. The Museum and Planetarium are closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Day. MEMORIES OF WORLD WAR II September 19, 2009 through January 31, 2010
406.994.2251 museumoftherockies.org
year. They will be supported by rodeo announcers, judges, pickup men, and cowboy lifesavers - many also coming directly from the NFR. The rodeo places the cowboys in three-man teams, one cowboy from each event drawn at random prior to the rough stock draw. Stock is chosen the old-fashioned way by drawing a poker chip with the bucking horse or bull’s number from a cowboy hat. Be sure to join the cowboys and their families as they meet at the Billings Hotel and Convention Center on Saturday morning, December 19 for a leisurely bite to eat during the stock draw and team selection. The invitational rodeo features bucking chutes at each end of the arena thus eliminating delays in loading rough stock making for fast end-to-end action. Scott Chesarek, a former Montana State cowboy, professional bareback rider, and President of the Chase Hawks Memorial Association calls it the 10th round of the NFR. So if you cannot make it to Las Vegas this year for the first nine rounds, make your way to Billings for this champion roundup. Many cowboys, including Dan Mortensen, who participated in all the Chase Hawks Memorial Rodeos prior to his retirement, look upon this rodeo as a chance to have a good time with their
DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010
peers and their families and give back to a great cause while riding the best of the best. It is also a great place for up-and-comers to test their skills against the very best in the business. Mortensen remains involved with this prestigious event and this year will use his sharp eyes and instincts to pick stock. The event kicks off on Friday, December 18 with a Cowboy Gatherin’ Dinner and Dance at the Billings Hotel and Convention Center featuring a silent auction and Calcutta. Do not miss your chance to rub elbows with some of rodeo’s best. This boot stomping weekend is the main fundraiser for the Chase Hawks Memorial Association, a nonprofit all volunteer organization started in 1995 to help ease the pain for the Hawks family after losing their six-year-old son in a tragic accident. In past years, the Calcutta alone has raised more than $60,000 to aid families in need from Montana, Wyoming, and the Dakotas. General rodeo admission will be $10, reserved seats are $20, and premium seats are $35, with
Amusement
senior discounts available. Tickets for the Cowboy Gatherin’ Dinner and Dance are $50 each. To order tickets for the rodeo or the Gatherin’ call 1-800-3668538, doors to the Metra Park Arena open at 6:30 p.m. and the rodeo starts at 7:30 p.m. While you are at the Metra Park Arena, be sure to take a few moments and visit the Montana Pro Rodeo Hall and Wall of Fame Monument Site nestled into a grove of pine trees near the entrance. The 18-foot tall bronze sculpture of world champion bronc rider Dan Mortensen was created and unveiled by R.F. Rains six months before his death in October of 2002. Anchoring the statue is a curved brick wall with granite panels engraved with the names of Montana’s champion rodeo cowgirls and cowboys. Mark your calendars for December 18 and 19 and attend this Montana made event featuring world-class entertainment that provides help and hope to folks in need. For more information visit www.chasehawks.org. MSN
for
1. A bicycle can’t stand alone; it is two tired. 2. A will is a dead giveaway. 3. Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana. 4. A backward poet writes inverse. 5. In a democracy it’s your vote that counts; in feudalism, it’s your Count that votes. 6. A chicken crossing the road is poultry in motion. 7. If you don’t pay your exorcist you can get repossessed. 8. With her marriage she got a new name and a dress. 9. Show me a piano falling down a mine shaft and I’ll show you A-flat miner.
lexophiles
10. When a clock is hungry it goes back four seconds. 11. The guy who fell onto an upholstery machine was fully recovered. 12. A grenade fell onto a kitchen floor in France, resulted in linoleum blown apart. 13. You are stuck with your debt if you can’t budge it. 14. Local Area Network in Australia is the LAN down under. 15. He broke into song because he couldn’t find the key. 16. A calendar’s days are numbered.
The Car Of Tomorrow - 1950 Ford With the exception of Hudson, Fords with their slab sides were distinguished from everything else sprouting vestigial fenders from the ‘30s. Unlike today, when aficionados can barely tell one car from another, even the most illiterate of the car world knew a Ford when they saw one. By Hi Gere, Senior Wire I was 12 years old when I went with my father to pick up his new 1950 Ford. It was metallic maroon accented with wide whitewalls, brilliant chrome, and a 100-horsepower V-8 under the hood. The new-car aroma was intoxicating - the
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experience indelible. I slid my hand over the contour of the bullet nose in the grille. Surely, this was a thing of legend. The ’50 Ford was a refinement of the revolutionary ’49 model. With the exception of Hudsons, Fords with their slab sides were distinguished
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 23
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from everything else sprouting vestigial fenders from the ‘30s. Unlike today, when aficionados can barely tell one car from another, even the most illiterate of the car world knew a Ford when they saw one. I was further convinced by Tom McCahill’s test of the 1950 Ford in Mechanix Illustrated praising the car’s good handling. Surprisingly, he stated that the 6-cylinder was quicker to about 70 mph, but the ultimate top speed still belonged to the V-8. As the self-appointed service manager, I checked the oil, radiator, tire pressure, and tapped dust out of the air filter. The weekend ritual was hosing off the grime and scrubbing tires. Trying to talk my father into a pair of fender skirts was useless. All he would spring for were those antennalike curb feelers that warned of scraping the whitewalls. Maintenance had its perks. I was allowed to move the car around in the drive, sometimes under a shade tree, or
park it in the garage. In time, my parents permitted me to drive the country road to my grandfather’s farm. Although 1950 seems a long way back in development, the Ford (without electronics or power assists) drove surprisingly similarly to the current crop. Dad ordered it with overdrive, having economy in mind, but I discovered you could drop it into overdrive in any of the three forward gears — six ratios in all. I loved playing with that gearbox. Once when I was about 14, the Ford sat seductively in the drive with the key in the ignition. Dad was busy in his garden and Mom was conducting a girls’ 4-H meeting. I sneaked it down the road about a half mile to a friend’s house. I stayed only a few minutes, relishing his envy. “Watch,” I told him when I left, and then I barked the tires when I hit second gear. First gear would lay down a pretty good strip, but the ultimate was getting rubber in second. By the time I had a legitimate driver’s license, the odometer registered 80,000 miles. It still ran like a charm, although the maroon paint had faded (common with red pigment in those days). Regrettably, when an old codger made a left turn in front of me, I spun into a parking lot and connected with a stationary 18-wheeler. The car and my heart stopped. All I could think of was Tom McCahill’s comment from years before about the 1950 Ford. “It’s like igniting a box of matches,” he said. “It’s hotter than hell for a few seconds, but goes out fast.” Yeah, I thought - and this is the smoldering remains. MSN
Visit Our Lady Of The Rockies
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It all started with one man’s promise to Jesus, that if his wife were cured from cancer, he would erect a statue in honor of His Mother, Mary, and in respect to all mothers everywhere. In a short period, the project grew rapidly into what has become an enormous undertaking. “Our Lady of the Rockies” is a 90-foot statue erected in her honor on a site nearly 4,000 feet above the city of Butte on the East Ridge of the Continental Divide. The view from the top is breathtaking and spectacular. As you gaze up at Our Lady, you can easily be swept up in awe at the immense size and beauty of the statue. To think that human hands constructed such delicate work in steel! What an amazing accomplishment! The people of Butte, from all walks-of-life and from all religions, pulled together and devoted much of their free time to make this a reality. There is hope and inspiration in this lovely statue. We have many gift items here in the shop, we offer “Light the Lady” for all special occasions, Memorials, tiles for the Women’s Memorial Wall, and Gift of Love Plaques. We hope (&'& :JI you will come and visit us soon. For more information, contact Our Lady of the Rockies at 1-800-800-5239. MSN
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DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 25 OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2005
Seasons Greetings S erving You Hagler Anderson From all of us at
Sustainable Giving By Karen Telleen-Lawton, Senior Wire Mom’s Tree Party has been an evolving institution for close to 50 years. But last year’s version may rank as its best iteration. It shows how a tradition can outlive its goodness but be renewed. The party began in 1961 as a Christmas gathering for close family friends of my parents. I was allowed to invite three school friends, since it fell on my birthday. The gathering’s central feature was tree decorating, with gingerbread cookies, popcorn-strings, and homemade ornaments. Another party tradition was strolling around the corner to revel in a long block of 75-foot deodara cedars that were strung to the top with thousands of Christmas lights. When we grew older, we spent most of our time yakking instead of decorating the tree or circling the block. In a few short years, a dozen adult children started bringing a new set of children to string popcorn, nibble gingerbread, and to see the Christmas trees. The evolution I highlight here is the gift-giving aspect, which became increasingly cumbersome through the years. There were host gifts, December birthday gifts, and gifts for each family, or each child, or each person. After the first generation grew up, Mom instituted a blind draw, assigning each person to bring a gift to one other. But there was never 100% attendance or 100% compliance. Mom usually had a gift or two tucked away for the child with nothing to open, but the time between discovering the child crying in the noisy gaiety and fetching an emergency gift was like that Christmas story about the boy who wanted a pony or nothing for Christmas - it did not arrive until late Christmas afternoon. For the past few years, some of us have taken to giving “in lieu of” gifts: mosquito netting, bees and honey, or other charitable donations to our assigned recipients. But I could not help noticing that some children needed encouragement to express their pleasure with the alternative gifts. When they received a goat for a poor family in a developing county, they expected to have a real goat to play with. So, my godmother Sally had an idea. “Let’s everyone give to a charity of Marge’s choice,” she proposed. Mom’s choice was easy: a local organization providing healthcare, employment training, and a food bank, where she has
been an active volunteer for decades. Now we have a united focus, and parents can prepare and teach their kids about service and stewardship. In every town there are dozens of non-profits that would appreciate our gift dollars, probably more than anyone on our list would. Many churches, synagogues, and mosques have alternative gift catalogs, like our church’s “Gifts of Grace” program that supports six local and international charities with whom parishioners are involved. You can also check out websites like GiveForChange.com, but then you need to do some checking to make sure all is legitimate and efficient. You can give alternative gifts for altruism or purely for your own happiness. In a study NPR recently highlighted, subjects were given a small amount of cash. Half were instructed to spend it on someone else, while the others were told to buy something for themselves. At the end of the day, the donors reported a higher level of happiness than those who spent on themselves. It happens that at this point we are again bereft of little children. Generation III ranges in age from about 15 to 27; all of whom still enjoy the traditional walk through Christmas-tree lane, but none misses receiving a little trinket. Our new tradition will be sustainable if, from the beginning, we can show the next generation the joys of giving instead of receiving. MSN
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PAGE 26 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS
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Work Is Not All Bad You do not lose track of days on a job. Each day will have a specific name to it, like “work today” or “no work today.” That is easier to remember than Monday, Tuesday, etc. without looking it up on the newspaper. By Patrick M. Kennedy, Senior Wire creating social alternatives to saying hello to the If you have to go to work after you are retired, neighbor who just moved in next door. You do not that is, if you must go to work to survive, think of lose track of days on a job. Each day will have a the one or two positives of this situation - money specific name to it, like “work today” or “no work and… the other one. today.” That is easier to remember than Monday, Do not fret; there are numerous openings for Tuesday, etc. without looking it up on the newsqualified retirees. You were a CPA in your career paper. There will be more money to spend and to life; therefore you make the grade and can get a job save for a rainy day, like when you are too old to to run the cash register at a fast-food window or a work - dread the thought. checkout station. You were a high school football But, how to get started to initiate this bundle coach; therefore you are able to manage coaxing a of fun called a job. few boxes of cereal to get on the shelves. You were “Researchers at Harvard say that taking a the owner of a beauty salon; therefore you have power nap for an hour in the afternoon can totally the training to make the tables look pretty again refresh you. They say that by the time you wake after a gang of 12 has just had a birthday lunch at up you’ll feel so good, you’ll be able to start looking the local café. See how simple it is. for a new job,” says the philosopher and comedian, Of course, there are the downsides of getting Jay Leno. a new job, like: And remember this when you start looking, be • “I have a degree in liberal arts. Do you want careful, there is no job too simple for someone to fries with that?” complicate. Just because it says, “Maintenance • “I think, therefore I am overqualified.” Manager Wanted” that is not what it means. It reBut, just remember, better days will be com- ally means, “I need a janitor.” Account Executive ing on the new job. They are called Saturday and really means door-to-door salesman. Solid Waste Sunday, that is unless you get one of those any- Collector is no mystery, it is a garbage man. Ofday-of-the-week or any-time-of-the-day jobs. Just fice Assistant is usually someone to answer the remember what Robert Frost said, “The difference phones. Most retirees can qualify for these jobs. between a job and a career is the difference beBut another thing to consider is retraining. tween 40- and 60-hours-a-week.” School again? That is a dirty word. But maybe you After all, you had a career, and now this is a can get a better job than you had as a career. It is job, just for the money. And we know what you are something to think about and research - exploring asking, “A job would be nice, but will it interfere your likes and dislikes for a profitable future. with my life?” It is about money, but it is also about doing And you know you will have other questions something with all that time being bored and watchyour first day on the job, when you get one: ing TV. Life is longer than a 30-minute time slot • “Can I trade this job for what is behind door or a one-minute commercial break. Job is a dirty #2?” word to many, but on the other side of the coin, • “How do I set this laser printer to stun the “Retirement is the ugliest word in the language,” boss?” said Ernest Hemingway. • “When is quitting time?” It is a choice; more money or more time, • “When can I retire again?” or more money to do things with your time. But think of the positives on the other side of MSN this dilemma. One is meeting new people and
Amusement
for
1. A lot of money is tainted: ‘Taint yours and ‘taint mine. 2. A boiled egg is hard to beat. 3. He had a photographic memory which was never developed. 4. A plateau is a high form of flattery. 5. A short fortuneteller who escaped from prison is a small medium at large. 6. Those who get too big for their britches will be exposed in the end.
lexophiles
7. When you’ve seen one shopping center you’ve seen a mall. 8. If you jump off a Paris bridge, you are in Seine. 9. When she saw her first strands of gray hair, she thought she’d dye. 10. Bakers trade bread recipes on a knead to know basis. 11. Santa’s helpers are subordinate clauses. 12. Acupuncture is a jab well done. MSN
DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010
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IRS Seeks to Return $123.5 Million in Undeliverable Refunds to Taxpayers; IRS Reminds Taxpayers to Use E-file and Direct Deposit The Internal Revenue Service is looking for taxpayers who are due to receive a combined $123.5 million in the form of 107,831 refund checks that were returned to the IRS by the U.S. Postal Service due to mailing address errors. “We are eager to get this money into the hands of taxpayers, so don’t delay if you think you are missing a refund,” said IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman. “The sooner you update your address information, the quicker you can get your refund.” All a taxpayer has to do is update his or her address once. The IRS will then send out all checks due. Undeliverable refund checks average $1,148 this year, compared to $990 last year. Some taxpayers are due more than one check. Average undeliverable refunds rose by 16 percent this year, which is in line with the 16 percent rise in average refunds for all tax returns in the latest filing season. Several changes in tax law likely played a role in boosting refunds, including the FirstTime Homebuyer’s Credit and the Recovery Rebate Credit,
among others. The vast majority of checks mailed out by the IRS each year reach their rightful owner. Only a very small percent are returned by the U.S. Postal Service as undeliverable. If a refund check is returned to the IRS as undeliverable, taxpayers can generally update their addresses with the “Where’s My Refund?” tool on IRS.gov. The tool enables taxpayers to check the status of their refunds. A taxpayer must submit his or her social security number, filing status and amount of refund shown on their 2008 return. The tool will provide the status of their refund and in some cases provide instructions on how to resolve delivery problems. Taxpayers checking on a refund over the phone will be given instructions on how to update their addresses. Taxpayers can access a telephone version of “Where’s My Refund?” by calling 1-800-829-1954. The IRS encourages taxpayers to choose direct deposit when they file their returns because it puts an end to lost, stolen, or undeliverable checks. Taxpayers can receive refunds directly into personal checking or savings accounts. Direct deposit is available for filers of both paper and electronic returns. The IRS also encourages taxpayers to file their tax returns electronically because e-file eliminates the risk of lost paper returns. E-file also reduces errors on tax returns and speeds up refunds. E-file coupled with direct deposit is your best option; it’s easy, fast, and safe. MSN
Top Tools for Online Retirement Planning When it comes to getting a handle on your financial situation and gauging how much you will need to retire, the Internet offers a buffet of tools and calculators that can be very helpful. Here are some good sites to help get you started. Here are four dandy sites to use (try/compare), all of which are free. • WealthRuler: Available at TD Ameritrade, this tool charts your retirement outlook and suggests ways to help you develop a plan to reach your goals. Go to www.tdameritrade.com/planningretirement/wealthruler.html and plug in your financial information (taxes, planned financial events, yearly income, projected Social Security, IRAs, and other investments) to get your results. • Retirement Income Calculator: Provided by T. Rowe Price (www3. troweprice.com/ric/ric/public/ric.do), this tool uses the Monte Carlo methodology to project whether your retirement-income needs will be met based on your savings, assets, and age. • Vanguard Retirement Center: Provides retirement advice, along with different calculators depending on your needs and age: More than five years to retirement, less than five years to retirement, and already retired. See https://personal. vanguard.com/us/planningeducation/retirement. • MyPlan Retirement Quick Check: Offered by Fidelity (Fidelity.com/ myplan) this site starts (Continued on page 30)
DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010
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2728 Colonial Dr PO Box 6013 Helena MT 59604 lindac@mtnwestbank.com www.mtnwestbank.com Office 443-4381 Cell 439-6528
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DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010
with a fun “Snapshot” introduction that puts your retirement reality in perspective, and will help you create a plan to help you reach your retirement goals. Other Resources - If you do not like the company sites, there are many others you can turn to for free retirement planning information and calculators, such as: • Choose To Save: Created by the Employee Benefit Research Institute, this site (Choosetosave.org) offers the Ballpark Estimate retirement
planning worksheet, more than 100 online calculators, savings tips, and links to resources to help you manage your finances and plan your retirement. • CNN Money (cgi.money.cnn.com/retirement/tools): Provides a number of calculators that projects what and how much you need to save for retirement, and how you compare with other people in your age and income level. • Yahoo Finance: Offers retirement information and a variety of calculators at http://finance.yahoo. com/retirement. MSN
2010 Open Enrollment For Medicare Prescription Drug And Medicare Advantage Plans Continues through December 31 Provided by the Medicare Rights Center The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is reminding people with Medicare that through December 31, 2009 they will be able to make changes in their health and prescription drug coverage for 2010. Because some beneficiaries will see changes in their plans’ costs and coverage, it’s important that people with Medicare review the coverage and costs of their health or drug plans for next year. Beneficiaries can go to www.medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE to enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan, with our without drug coverage, or a Medicare prescription drug plan. Those beneficiaries who are satisfied with their current plan do
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IDAHO SENIOR INDEPENDENT
not need to do anything to remain in that plan in 2010.” For beneficiaries enrolling into Medicare Advantage (MA) plans only, they can make one change in enrollment - enrolling in a new plan, changing plans, or disenrolling from a plan - between Jan. 1 and March 31, 2010. However, the Medicare Advantage open enrollment period cannot be used to start or stop Medicare drug coverage, or to enroll or disenroll in a Medicare Medical Savings Account Plan. Everyone who has Medicare drug coverage under Part D or the Medicare Advantage should review their drug plan options for 2010, advises the Medicare Rights Center, to ensure that they will have drug coverage that best meets their needs next year. Even people who are currently happy with their plan need to review their options. They should not assume their plans will remain the same in 2010, as most plans change their costs and benefits every year. Until December 31, people with Medicare have the right to change their Medicare private drug plan or enroll in one for the first time. Medicare drug coverage (Part D) plans were required to send out the materials, called an Annual Notice of Change (ANOC), by October 31, 2009. People who have not yet received their
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ANOC packet should call their plan and ask them to send it immediately. The ANOC contains important information that will help people decide whether or not to stay in their current plan. Consumers who want to speak with a counselor can call the Medicare Rights Center’s toll-free hotline at 1-800-333-4114. Counselors are available Monday through Friday, 9 am - 5 pm (Eastern Time). The Medicare Rights Center is a national, nonprofit consumer service organization that works to ensure access to affordable healthcare for older adults. MSN
Make a donation today to the organizations throughout this edition that are doing so much to make Montana a better place for all of us! The Caldwell House – Filling a Critical Void in the Community
Since 1973, WestMont has been providing a wide range of services for individuals with developmental disabilities including vocational training, employment assistance, housing, and respite care. We currently operate 10-residential facilities and eagerly anticipate completing our newest project. The Caldwell House will provide compassionate and professional nursing care in a home-like environment for individuals with disabilities who require 24-hour medical assistance. The Caldwell House will operate with a skilled nursing staff specifically trained to care for people with disabilities. In Montana, only two other facilities like this exist – in Butte and Missoula. WestMont must raise the revenue to build and furnish The Caldwell House. Then, actual operations will be partially funded by the Developmental Disabilities Division of the State of Montana. With generous donations from our supporters, WestMont was able to purchase the land for The Caldwell House. Now we need donations to fund construction of this 10-bed facility. By providing this type of care, The Caldwell House will fill a critical void in Montana and the Helena community. As a Montana non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, your donation to WestMont is tax deductible as allowed by law and will go towards making The Caldwell House a reality. For additional information, visit us online at www.westmont.org or call today 406-447-3100. MSN
Why Not Help Oneself While Doing Lasting Good For Others?
By Obert Undem Director of Planned Giving, Rocky Mountain College, Billings Interest rates have never been as low as now, causing problems for those on fixed incomes. The costs of almost everything are up. Reliable investment options offering greater rates of return without high levels of risk are hard to find. John and Mary, both 75, found such an option. They chose a Rocky Mountain College Charitable Gift Annuity using $10,000 from a 2% matured CD. They did not seek more tax savings by transferring appreciated investments. Available in amounts of $5,000 or more, rates are based on age on issue date, and payments will be quarterly for life. Balances remaining at death of the survivor will fund scholarships for Rocky students from the donors’ hometown. John and Mary will receive $140 every three months, $560 per year, for their lifetimes. A $3,562 federal tax deduction, at their 25% tax bracket will save them $890; the Montana 40% tax credit will save them $1,425. The after tax cost of the $10,000 gift is $7,685. The net return increases to 7.28%. Seventy percent of the $560 yearly income will be received tax-free. The $7,695 adjusted cost will be recovered in 13 years 9 months. For more information, call Obert at 406-567-1142 or e-mail undemo@ rocky.edu. MSN
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Staying Strong: A Key to Wellness By Lynn Pribus, Senior Wire “Wow, Grams, you’re turning into a jock,” Jan’s teenaged granddaughter Emily exclaims as Jan easily does 10 reps with a 20-pound weight. Emily is suddenly seeing Jan as a strong woman instead of an old lady. And Jan knows she’s dropped a dress size since launching on a program of strength training six months ago. Regular cardio exercise which sustains an elevated heartbeat is important for maintaining health. Strength training is also a significant aspect of fitness. Here are some of the benefits: • Boost your energy. As you become stronger, you’ll feel more energetic and more in control. • Become stronger. Whether you’re hoisting your carry-on into the overhead bin, caring for another person, or facing an emergency, strength helps. • Look better. Trim your body by building muscle. Since muscle weighs more than fat, the scales may not show the difference, but your figure will. • Improve your outlook. Studies show regular strength training offers psychological benefits for those suffering from depression or experiencing difficult times. • Address medical problems. Strength training shows positive influence on osteoporosis (strengthens bones), arthritis (strengthens muscles supporting affected joints), heart disease (makes body leaner), and diabetes (makes muscles more sensitive to insulin and helps control blood sugar). • Manage your weight. Strength training can affect basal metabolism rate (BMR = the calories the body needs for breathing, digesting, maintaining body temperature, etc.) Increased muscle mass increases the BMR, meaning the body uses more of the calories it takes in. Dieting may significantly lower the BMR, because the body doesn’t know this “starvation” is intentional and it shifts into survival mode. • Maintain mobility and range of motion. How Does Strength Training Work?
As you stress muscle fibers, you cause microscopic tears and the fibers become tougher and stronger as they mend themselves. Always rest a day or two between sessions so the muscles can complete their repairs. Before starting strength training, check with your doctor. As you work out, pay attention to your body. Feeling good is an indication you’re exercising properly. Persistent soreness is a signal to slow down. Not all strengthening exercises involve weights or machines. Climbing stairs, doing push-ups, gardening, and other activities build strength as well. But let’s talk about weights. How Much Do I Lift? If possible, work with a personal trainer for a few sessions to ensure your form is correct. Start with a weight you can lift eight times in good form, but after that you need to rest your muscle. Each lift or repetition - which gym rats call a “rep” - should take about nine seconds, four seconds to move the weight, a one-second pause to prevent “bouncing” and four seconds to return to your starting point. In this case, eight reps would constitute a “set.” Make a workout chart and keep track of your efforts. Although progress is slow, you should see improvement in as little as two weeks. Be patient. Tendons and ligaments aren’t as strong as muscles and need time to catch up and you want everything to get strong together. Proper breathing is important. Exhale slowly through your mouth during the most difficult exertion of each exercise. This ensures you don’t hold your breath and raise your blood pressure - particularly important if you suffer from diabetes, glaucoma, or another condition that could be affected by increased pressure. How Should I Train? There are several methods of increasing your strength, each with pros and cons. • Free weights. Dumbbells and barbells are non-breakable and versatile. A full set costs about $100, but a beginner set (2#, 5#, and 8#) runs $20-$25. Check out garage sales and thrift shops for bargains. • Machines. Expensive. Fitness centers, which often have trainers available, usually have a variety of machines which are adjustable for a wide range of resistance. Safer and easier to master than free weights.
DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010
• Exercise bands. Inexpensive elasticized bands or loops are light and easily portable handy for travel. Booklets describe a good variety of exercises, but it’s hard to measure the level of exertion or progress. Too much resistance and you may not be able to complete a full range of motion. Too little and you won’t improve. To Learn More: Check your local library or bookstore. Weight Training for Dummies, by Liz Neporent and Suzanne Schlosberg, (IDG Books). This is an exercise bible for beginners as well as for those wanting to improve their strength-training. It has detailed information including cautions and “jargon alerts” on numerous specific exercises with free weights and machines. It also discusses training at home, finding a gym, and lingo such as “pecs” and “flies.” Photo-illustrated. Strong Women Stay Slim, by Nelson and Wernick, (Bantam). This book discusses strength training for weight management explaining why it works so well and illustrates exercises specifically designed for weight management. It includes recipes, meal plans, and progress logs. For more information and a monthly email newsletter, visit the website at www.strongwomen.com. There are also many good websites. Locate by typing “strength training exercises seniors” in your search engine. When to Be Careful Miriam Nelson, author of Strong Women Stay Young, Strong Women Stay Slim and other books, and Liz Neporent, contributing editor to Prevention Magazine and author of Weight Training for Dummies and other books, offer these suggestions:
1. Always warm up. To reduce risk of injury, do five minutes of easy aerobic exercise before lifting even small weights. 2. If you have glaucoma, a hernia, hemorrhoids, or any condition that could be affected by increased blood pressure, discuss strength training with your physician. Start at very low levels and never hold your breath as you lift your weights. Breathe! Exhale positively during exertion. Holding your breath can make blood pressure soar. 3. If you have a bad back, talk with your doctor. Start at the lowest levels and work up slowly. Maintain good posture. Do stretching and strengthening exercises for the abdominals as well as the back. 4. If you have osteoporosis, check with your doctor and start with very light weights or even no weights. 5. Women should wait six months after a mastectomy. Your lymphatic system may have been affected and training could cause edema. Decrease weights if you notice any swelling or tingling on the affected side. 6. Control your reps and don’t speed. Move slowly and with control both lifting and lowering. 7. Choose the correct weight. Every muscle cannot lift the same amount of weight - biceps can generally lift more than triceps, for instance. Too much weight and you may tear a muscle. Too little and you are not increasing strength. 8. Take a day of rest. Your muscles need about 48 hours to recover and heal between sessions. “Lynn the Jock” Pribus lifts weights in Charlottesville, Virginia. MSN
What Wondrous Machines Our Bodies Are
By Tait Trussell, Senior Wire Although some of us have aches, pains, cataracts, and high blood pressure, most of us do not realize what amazing machines our bodies are and how efficiently they work. Start with your heart. It is merely an 11-ounce muscle. Each day, it automatically beats about 100,000 times, pumping 1,800 gallons of blood. A tiny node causes the heart to beat. It sends a current about every second to nerve fibers in the heart. These fibers cause muscular contractions that send the blood churning through your body at about 10 miles/hour carrying oxygen to every
cell in your body. Then drop down to the more pedestrian part of your body. Your feet support a relatively heavy weight on a small surface, thanks to arches. Arches act as levers that pivot at the ankle, for example, so we can press the accelerator of our car. The average person walks about 65,000 miles during their lives. Feet cushion our legs to achieve this. One-fourth of our body’s bones are in
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our feet. Our nervous system is highly complicated. It not only controls thinking, it monitors our senses and regulates our organs and even our memory. Specialized nerve receptors in the eyes, nose, and ears are continually sending messages to your brain at what scientists say is at a rate of 300 miles per hour. You may think you are getting flabby. But you have about 600 muscles, with about 6 million muscle fibers. Some muscles are voluntary - you have to move your arms and legs yourself. Each muscle has its own high-grade supply of food the body makes from sugar. The nervous system tells many muscles when to contract and relax. You may not hear as well as you used to, but the ear is a marvel of anatomical science. Sounds go into your ear through a channel to the middle ear where they vibrate the eardrum. Vibrations from this thin membrane travel into the inner ear to meet three small bones. Tiny muscles in these bones allow the vibrations to pass to another membrane, which generates movement in a small liquid-filled passage called the cochlea. It is filled with 25,000 receptors that pick up the sounds and transform them into electrical impulses. The auditory nerve sends these im-
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pulses to the brain. The brain gets 25,000 auditory impulses a second and interprets them into music, voices, or other sounds. A normal brain has 10 billion nerve cells and 100 billion glia cells. They furnish the batteries for the brain’s activity. These cells float around storing memories and sifting information. Your brain gets a remarkable 2,000 responses a second from each nerve cell in the body. Your brain also gets 100,000 hearing receptors from the ears and 137 million receptors from the eyes. The brain uses about 25 percent of your body’s oxygen. One of the amazing chemicals our body makes is a complicated sugar that scientists call hyaluronic acid. It is a lubricant that has elasticity so it can absorb shock yet return to its former shape. It is often added to expensive skin moisteners and other cosmetics. For you to be able to see, with or without glasses, many chemical and electrical reactions must occur. Researchers recently have found that for you to see an image, one chemical in the eye must respond as soon as light strikes it - 500,000 times faster than the best camera film. The liver, our largest body organ, performs 500 different functions and is recognized as a highly complicated chemical facility. It filters the impurities out of our blood to the extent that a year’s worth of purified blood would be enough to fill several tanker trucks. How about a word about sex? Sperm cells, powerful as they are, are only about 1/600th of an inch long. The sperm “head” contains the father’s genetic information, the body of the sperm holds energy, and the “tail” propels it. A muscle in the testicles maintains the correct temperature. An amazing 200 million sperm are created every 24 hours. Other cells secrete testosterone. What a wondrous container we live in. MSN
Ronald McDonald House Provides Lodging During Medical Treatment
The mission of the Ronald McDonald House®, Missoula is to support families while they are seeking medical care for their children. Families travel here to access Missoula’s top-quality medical care. These families face many difficult decisions and challenges. The Ronald McDonald House®, Missoula provides housing for up to eight families when their children are in need of medical care. Each family has a unique story and circumstances. Universal to all however is the need to have a good, safe place to stay. The Ronald House provides sleeping, laundry, and cooking areas in an atmosphere of calm and understanding. Financial support for the Ronald McDonald House®, Missoula helps to support little children, the most vulnerable among us. These children need their parents to be in the moment with them as they struggle to grow and thrive. By providing a beautiful home in which to live, the Ronald McDonald House®, Missoula helps our guests meet their challenges with dignity and have a place they can sincerely call a home away from home. For more information or to contribute, contact Barbara Wickel, Executive Director at 3003 Fort Missoula Road, Missoula, MT 59804; 406-5417646; or www.rmhmissoula.org. MSN
DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010
St. Vincent Healthcare’s Montana Pediatric Project: Put your charitable investment to work for you… and for Montana’s kids.
For the past 110 years, St. Vincent Healthcare has championed services for children in Montana and northern Wyoming. In the past, many children in our state and region who suffered a traumatic injury or severe illness were airlifted to hospitals in Denver and Salt Lake City for treatment because the required level of care was not available in Montana. On October 1, 2008 that all changed. Thanks to the support of donors, the Montana Pediatric Project began providing intensive care services to children at St. Vincent Healthcare, allowing them to heal at home. In the past, over 400 children were sent miles away for care each year. With the
implementation of the Montana Pediatric Project this past year, 75% of those 400 children were able to stay in Montana and heal close to their families and friends. To continue this great service for Montana and northern Wyoming children and families, we need your support. We are seeking funds for a $2.5 million endowment that will secure this important project for future generations. To see how your support will help children when they are most vulnerable, please contact St. Vincent Healthcare Foundation at 406-237-3600 or www.svfoundation.org. MSN
A Guide for Hearing Aid Buyers By Pat Fournier & Sue Sherman Shopping for hearing aids can seem like being lost in a jungle. But if you learn just three basics - the level of hearing aid you need, the style you want, and the right brand for you - you can get through the jungle with confidence. This article will help you find the best and the most cost effective hearing aid that just fits you. What LEVEL of hearing aid do you need? A little hearing aid has a lot of technology inside. What you want to find out is how much technology you need to hear the way you want to. And, the amount of technology you need is tied to the price of that hearing aid, too. Below are prices and what technology can be expected at each level. • Basic level hearing aids deliver high quality technology for amplification but they do not have many extra special features. $600 + each • Business level hearing aids have directional microphones and some background noise suppressors. There is a lot of value at this level and it is very popular. $1,100 to $2,500 each • Advanced level hearing aids automate some of their features and work smoothly without user operation. $1,700 to $3,500 each • Premium hearing aids have all the highest fidelity components, automatic features, plus all the latest innovations. $2,400 + each What STYLE suits you best? The style of the hearing aid is what people see when they look at you. Any level of technology can be placed into any style of hearing aid. Some users want very small hearing aids. Others like the “open fit”
because they are also small and allow sound to enter and leave the ear naturally. This gives open fits a natural sound. Usually, the style of hearing aid you choose relates to your personal preference. The style of a hearing aid has just a minor effect on the price. Which BRAND should you choose? Hearing aid manufacturers have consolidated over the past ten years, because research and development in digital technology is so costly. Highly marketed brands typically cost more. Different brands from the same manufacturer are virtually the same. In the end, brand names still exist mainly for marketing purposes. Each of the different brands has some unique technologies and is constantly trying to improve comfort and programming. When shopping different hearing aid businesses, the more brands they carry the better they will be able to fit your hearing loss. Dare to Compare! - Shop around, as hearing aids are a major purchase. It is important to compare pricing and services. Ask your friends who have hearing aids, where theirs were purchased, and whether they would recommend that person or business. MSN
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If Hearing Loss is Not Treated, Brain Can “Forget” How to Hear and Understand Speech Most of the 28 million Americans living with untreated hearing loss may not be aware that failure to take corrective action could result in the brain’s actually “forgetting” how to hear and understand speech, warns HearUSA audiologist Cindy Beyer. “When the brain is insufficiently stimulated by sound over a period of time, it can lose a portion of its ability to process information,” said Dr. Beyer. “This condition is called auditory deprivation and studies indicate that the longer a patient goes without treatment the more likely it is that the brain will forget how to process speech, even after treatment is implemented.” “These findings strongly suggest that delaying treatment for hearing loss for years, as so many do, can risk permanently impairing the brain’s ability to understand speech,” said Dr. Beyer. She offered these facts about hearing loss: • Thirty-six million Americans experience hearing loss. (American Academy of Audiology) • While the vast majority of Americans (95%) with hearing loss could be successfully treated with hearing aids, only one in five currently uses them. (University of California, San Francisco Department of Neurological Surgery) • People with hearing loss wait an average of seven years before seeking help. (Center for Hearing and Communication) • Those who have difficulty hearing can experience such distorted and incomplete communication that it seriously impacts their professional and personal lives, at times leading to isolation and withdrawal. (Better Hearing Institute) • Nine out of ten hearing aid users report improvements in their quality of life. What are the indications of hearing loss? Dr. Beyer says any one of these can be a symptom: • You feel that people mumble and don’t speak clearly • You understand some people better than you understand others • You have difficulty understanding phone conversations • Family and friends comment on the need to repeat themselves • You have difficulty following a conversation in a crowded room • People complain that you turn up the volume on the television to an uncomfortable level • You have ringing in your ears Noting that, in most cases, the progression of hearing loss is subtle, becoming greater and greater over time, Dr. Beyer recommends yearly hearing examinations and urges those diagnosed with hearing loss to promptly seek treatment and void the risk and consequences of auditory deprivation. MSN
DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010
Oh, That Aching Back!
Provided by the National Institutes of Health If you have lower back pain, you are not alone. Nearly everyone at some point has back pain that interferes with work, routine daily activities, or recreation. Americans spend at least $50 billion each year on low back pain, the most common cause of job-related disability and a leading contributor to missed work. Back pain is the second most common neurological ailment in the United States - only headache is more common. Fortunately, most occurrences of low back pain go away within a few days. Others take much longer to resolve or lead to more serious conditions. Acute or short-term low back pain generally lasts from a few days to a few weeks. Most acute back pain is mechanical in nature - the result of trauma to the lower back or a disorder such as arthritis. Pain from trauma may be caused by a sports injury, work around the house or in the garden, or a sudden jolt such as a car accident or other stress on spinal bones and tissues. Symptoms may range from muscle ache to shooting or stabbing pain, limited flexibility and/or range of motion, or an inability to stand straight. Occasionally, pain felt in one part of the body may “radiate” from a disorder or injury elsewhere in the body. Some acute pain syndromes can become more serious if left untreated. Chronic back pain is measured by duration - pain that persists for more than three months is considered chronic. It is often progressive and the cause can be difficult to determine. What causes lower back pain? As people age, bone strength and muscle elasticity and tone tend to decrease. The discs begin to lose fluid and flexibility, which decreases their ability to cushion the vertebrae. Pain can occur when, for example, someone lifts something too heavy or overstretches, causing a sprain, strain, or spasm in one of the muscles or ligaments in the back. If the spine becomes overly strained or compressed, a disc may rupture or
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bulge outward. This rupture may put pressure on one of the more than 50 nerves rooted to the spinal cord that control body movements and transmit signals from the body to the brain. When these nerve roots become compressed or irritated, back pain results. Low back pain may reflect nerve or muscle irritation or bone lesions. Most low back pain follows injury or trauma to the back, but pain may also be caused by degenerative conditions such as arthritis or disc disease, osteoporosis or other bone diseases, viral infections, irritation to joints and discs, or congenital abnormalities in the spine. Obesity, smoking, weight gain during pregnancy, stress, poor physical condition, posture inappropriate for the activity being performed, and poor sleeping position also may contribute to low back pain. Additionally, scar tissue created when the injured back heals itself does not have the strength or flexibility of normal tissue. Buildup of scar tissue from repeated injuries eventually weakens the back and can lead to more serious injury. Occasionally, low back pain may indicate a more serious medical problem. Pain accompanied by fever or loss of Prevention starts with early detection. bowel or bladder control, pain when coughing, and Stroke Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Peripheral Vascular Disease Venous Insufficiency progressive weakness in Get screened for all four of these vascular diseases in just one hour. the legs may indicate a All our screenings are pain-free and non-invasive. Screenings are pinched nerve or other performed by a registered vascular technologist and reviewed by a serious condition. People with diabetes may have licensed physician. Results in two weeks. severe back pain or pain Call (406) 860-1813 to radiating down the leg schedule an appointment. related to neuropathy. 2800 Central Ave., Suite A, Billings, MT People with these sympLocated in Rocky Mountain Vein Clinic toms should contact a doctor immediately to Learn more at bigskyultrasound.com Pe a c e o f m i n d . . . p a i n - f r e e !
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help prevent permanent damage. Quick tips to a healthier back Following any period of prolonged inactivity, begin a program of regular low-impact exercises. Speed walking, swimming, or stationary bike riding 30 minutes a day can increase muscle strength and flexibility. Yoga can also help stretch and strengthen muscles and improve posture. Ask your physician or orthopedist for a list of low-impact exercises appropriate for your age and designed to strengthen lower back and abdominal muscles. • Always stretch before exercise or other strenuous physical activity. • Don’t slouch when standing or sitting. When standing, keep your weight balanced on your feet. Your back supports weight most easily when curvature is reduced. • At home or work, make sure your work surface is at a comfortable height for you. • Sit in a chair with good lumbar support and proper position and height for the task. Keep your shoulders back. Switch sitting positions often and periodically walk around the office or gently stretch muscles to relieve tension. A pillow or rolled-up towel placed behind the small of your back can provide some lumbar support. If you must sit for a long period of time, rest your feet on a low stool or a stack of books. • Wear comfortable, low-heeled shoes. • Sleep on your side to reduce any curve in your spine. Always sleep on a firm surface. • Ask for help when transferring an ill or injured family member from a reclining to a sitting position or when moving the patient from a chair to a bed. • Don’t try to lift objects too heavy for you. Lift with your knees, pull in your stomach muscles, and keep your head down and in line with your straight back. Keep the object close to your body. Do not twist when lifting. • Maintain proper nutrition and diet to reduce and prevent excessive weight, especially weight around the waistline that taxes lower back muscles. A diet with sufficient daily intake of calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D helps to promote new bone growth. • If you smoke, quit. Smoking reduces blood flow to the lower spine and causes the spinal discs to degenerate. MSN
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Every move you make begins in one place:
your spine.
And when your spine is damaged or weakened due to injury or disease, it affects every aspect of your life.
The surgeons of the Spine Center at Ortho Montana have years of specialized training and experience, and see thousands of patients with complex spinal problems. We use progressive medications, physical therapy regimens and other conservative treatments, but if a surgical repair is required, we have the knowledge and skills that surpass any other practice in this region.
It’s time to get moving again. When you’re ready, our specialized spine doctors are here to help. Alan K. Dacre, MD Gregory S. McDowell, MD
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How will you be affected by the 2009 flu season and swine flu? Provided by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Will the seasonal flu vaccine also protect against the 2009 H1N1 flu? The seasonal flu vaccine is not expected to protect against the 2009 H1N1 flu. Who has been recommended to receive the 2009 H1N1 vaccine? CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has recommended that certain groups of the population receive the 2009 H1N1 vaccine first. These target groups include pregnant women, people who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age, healthcare and emergency medical services personnel, persons between the ages of 6 months and 24 years old, and people ages of 25 through 64 years of age who are at higher risk for 2009 H1N1 because of chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems. One thing that appears to be different from seasonal influenza is that adults older than 64 years do not appear to be at increased risk of 2009 H1N1-related complications thus far. About one-third of adults older than 60 may have antibodies against this virus. It is unknown how much, if any, protection may be afforded against 2009 H1N1 flu by any existing antibody. Therefore, as vaccine supply and demand for vaccine among younger age groups is being met, programs and providers should offer vaccination to people over the age of 65.
Do those that have been previously vaccinated against the 1976 swine influenza need to be vaccinated against the 2009 H1N1 influenza? The 1976 swine flu virus and the 2009 H1N1 virus are different enough that it is unlikely a person vaccinated in 1976 will have full protection from the 2009 H1N1. People vaccinated in 1976 should still be given the 2009 H1N1 vaccine. Where is the vaccine available? Vaccine is available in a combination of settings such as vaccination clinics organized by local health departments, healthcare provider offices, schools, and other private settings, such as pharmacies and workplaces. Are there other ways to prevent the spread of illness? Take everyday actions to stay healthy. • Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it. • Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective. • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs spread that way. • Stay home if you get sick. CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them. • Follow public health advice regarding school closures, avoiding crowds and other social distancing measures. MSN
What you should know about chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) How Does COPD Affect Breathing? The “airways” are the tubes that carry air in and out of the lungs through the nose and mouth. Healthy airways and air sacs in the lungs are elastic - they try to bounce back to their original shape after being stretched or filled with air, just the way a new rubber band or balloon does. This elastic quality helps retain the normal structure of the lung and helps to move the air quickly in and out. In people with COPD, the air sacs no longer bounce back to their original shape. The airways can also become swollen or thicker than normal, and mucus production might increase. The floppy airways are blocked, or obstructed, making it even harder to get air out of the lungs. Many people with COPD avoid activities that they used to enjoy because they become short of breath more easily. Symptoms of COPD include: • Constant coughing, sometimes called “smoker’s cough” • Shortness of breath while doing activities you used to be able to do
MONTANA SENIOR NEWS PAGE 41
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DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010
• Excess sputum production • Feeling like you can’t breathe • Not being able to take a deep breath • Wheezing When COPD is severe, shortness of breath and other symptoms can get in the way of doing even the most basic tasks, such as doing light housework, taking a walk, and even bathing or getting dressed. COPD develops slowly, and can worsen over time, so be sure to report any symptoms you might have to your doctor as soon as possible, no matter how mild they may seem. Everyone at risk for COPD who has a cough, sputum production, or shortness of breath, should be tested for the disease. The test for COPD is called spirometry. Spirometry can detect COPD before symptoms become severe. This simple, non-invasive breathing test measures the amount of air a person can blow out of the lungs (volume) and how fast he or she can blow it out (flow). Based on this test, your doctor can tell if you have COPD, and if so, how severe it is. The spirometry reading can help your doctor determine the best course of treatment. Spirometry is one of the best and most common lung function tests. The test is done with a spirometer, a machine that measures how well your lungs function, records the results, and displays them on a graph for your doctor.
DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010
You will be asked to take a deep breath, then blow out as hard and as fast as you can using a mouthpiece connected to the machine with tubing. The spirometer then measures the total amount exhaled, called the forced vital capacity or FVC, and how much you exhaled in the first second, called the forced expiratory volume in one second or FEV1. Your doctor will read the results to assess how well your lungs are working and whether or not you have COPD. There are many things people at risk for COPD can do: • Quit Smoking - If you smoke, the best thing you can to do prevent more damage to your lungs is to quit. To help you quit, there are many online resources and several new aids available from your doctor. The National Cancer Institute has information on smoking cessation. Visit SmokeFree.gov, the American Lung Association, or call 1-800-QUIT NOW for more information.
• Avoid Exposure to Pollutants - Try to stay away from other things that could irritate your lungs, like dust and strong fumes. Stay indoors when the outside air quality is poor. You should also stay away from places where there might be cigarette smoke. • Visit Your Doctor on a Regular Basis - See your doctor regularly even if you are feeling fine. Make a list of your breathing symptoms and think about any activities that you can no longer do because of shortness of breath. Be sure to bring a list of all the medicines you are taking to each doctor’s visit. • Take Precautions Against the Flu - Do your best to avoid crowds during flu season. It is also a good idea to get a flu shot every year, since the flu can cause serious problems for people with COPD. You should also ask your doctor about the pneumonia vaccine. MSN
Food for Your Eyes By Tait Trussell, Senior Wire Dry macular degeneration is the most common form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), affecting 85-90 percent of people who suffer from the disease. The cells of the macula in the eye slowly break down and yellow deposits form under the retina. Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of irreversible visual impairment among persons age 60 and over. “At the end stages of the disease” said Kathryn Colby, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Joint Research
Center at the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, “Vision is very poor and quality of life is compromised.” Recent studies have been exploring the use of an implantable prosthetic device - an implantable tiny telescope - for end-stage age-related macular degeneration. The device has not yet won Federal Food and Drug Administration approval, but doctors have described a surgical technique to make sure of proper placement while avoiding damage to the eye. Their technique was published in the journal, Archives of Ophthalmology.
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One-year outcomes with the implantable device show 67 percent of eyes with the implantable device showed great improvement in visual acuity. On the negative side, researchers have discovered a problematic gene variant. They based their findings on studies of patients with AMD, compared with unaffected people. What they found was that a variant in the C3 gene influenced the risk of developing AMD. For 30 percent of the people who carry one copy of the variant, the risk of AMD was increased by 70 percent. For the four percent of the population with two copies of the gene variant, the risk of AMD more than doubled. The goal of this research, according to Professor John Yates of University of Cambridge, is “a better understanding of what causes this devastating disease and to find better treatment and perhaps prevention,” AMD also may be connected to the quality of carbohydrates an individual eats. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition included an article by Allen Taylor, Ph.D., director of the Laboratory of Nutrition and Vision Research at Tufts DON’T HIDE GET THE TESTS YOU NEED. YOUR HEAD University. It confirmed Simple blood urine tests will show IN THE SAND. findings linking dietary how well your kidneys function. glycemic index with the risk of developing AMD. ALSO . . . CONTROL YOUR BLOOD SUGAR Glycemic index is a scale BLOOD PRESSURE. measuring foods based
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on how quickly the carbohydrates in foods are converted to blood sugar, or glucose. For example, foods such as white rice, pasta, and bread have high glycemic index. Meaning they have a faster rise and subsequent drop in blood sugar. But whole-wheat versions of rice, pasta, and bread are foods that have a low glycemic index. “Our findings show that 20 percent of the cases of advanced ADM might have been prevented if these individuals had eaten a diet with a glycemic index below the average for their age and gender,” Taylor notes. Although ADM occurs after middle age, what causes it may occur earlier. Even though there is no effective therapy for AMD, your diet may delay its progress. Identifying risk factors that can be modified is increasingly important as the population ages. The number of people with AMD in the United States is expected to double and reach three million by the year 2020. The risk of AMD may be achieved by relatively simple dietary changes, such as replacing white bread with whole grain bread. Increasing intakes of omega-3 fatty acids found in fish-oil supplements may protect against blindness resulting from abnormal blood vessel growth in the eye, which is common to the other form of AMD, namely wet AMD, which a minority of people have but which is equally serious. Aside from fish-oil supplements, wild salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, and sardines can protect against retinal disease, scientists believe. MSN
Surgery, Stunts & Chutzpah By Saralee Perel, Senior Wire “Your husband’s in the next bay wearing breasts,” the nurse said as she hurried by me in the pre-op area of our local hospital on Cape Cod. Yes, Bob was fully endowed while waiting for arthroscopic shoulder surgery. Dr. Timothy Kinkead, his orthopedic surgeon, has a warped sense of humor too. He ordered Bob an HCG, which I later found out is a pregnancy test. The staff became comedians. “Oooh,” one gal said, admiring Bob’s accoutrements, which looked remarkably real and were pointedly anatomically correct, if you get my drift. “Are those up for grabs?” A few years ago, Dr. Kinkead operated on Bob’s knee. When he lifted Bob’s gown, his expression was of a man looking at someone with three legs. And, in fact, that was essentially true. Bob had bought a very authentic-looking leg at a joke shop. The staff helped him dress and posi-
DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010
tion it. When Dr. K. saw Bob’s three legs, he went blank and sat motionless for an inordinate amount of time. When reality hit, he cracked up and took pictures. My husband is 61 years old, by the way. The leg was designed to appear chopped off with a hatchet. Thinking it might not be in the best of taste to carry a bloody leg into the hospital, we brought it in a long case. But when Bob was wheeled to surgery, I couldn’t find that case. Carrying the bloody leg, I raced through the pre-op bays, then through the waiting area filled with family members who looked up from their magazines. Then I ran through the parking lot, drawing stares from passers-by as I panicked and yelled, “It’s not what it looks like.� But that sounded insane so I called out, “Well it is a leg.� People kept staring so I shouted like a lunatic, “But it’s not my husband’s leg!� I threw it in our car. I’m sure that a hemorrhaging leg was a lovely sight to anyone who glanced in our windows. The fake bosoms that Bob wore for last week’s surgery were just the tips of the iceberg, so to speak. Bob’s name was on the curtain in the bay where he was supposedly waiting. But he wasn’t there. He was in the next bay, talking with an anesthesiologist who asked, “How are you doing?� “Better than that guy next door.� When the doctor opened the curtain, he looked like he had seen a ghost, which wasn’t all that far from the truth. Then the staff gathered around, waiting for Dr. Kinkead to arrive. I think all of Hyannis could have heard him laughing when he looked in that curtain because
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sitting upright in the chair and wearing a hospital gown, was a life-sized mummified skeleton. One staff comedian quipped, “Looks like you kept your patient waiting too long.� Later, in the recovery area, Bob was groggy and still wearing those ridiculous things on his chest. But they were on the outside of his gown. I grabbed them and stuck them in the only thing I could find, which was a clear plastic bag. Then I put them on the floor. I couldn’t imagine anything more bizarre-looking than body parts in a bag on the floor of a postsurgery unit. So clutching them to my own chest, a photo of which could have made it into Ripley’s Believe It or Not! I made yet another mad dash through the waiting room, the parking lot, and then to our car where I tossed them on the front seat. A charming display. That night, my friends asked, “How did you pull it off?� “We carried everything in a large bag. When a nurse asked, ‘Is there anything you need?’ Bob took the bones out and said, ‘An extra hospital gown please.’� The staff was such good sports. At www.CapeCodOrtho.com, it states that their central theme is to “provide the best medical care possible� and to “listen and respond to patient needs.� Dr. Kinkead, a Yale graduate, has more than medical expertise. He has heart, humor, and compassion. I don’t think those things can be taught. And so, if Dr. Kinkead does your arm surgery, call Bob. He could probably lend you a hand – literally. Saralee welcomes emails at sperel@saraleeperel.com. MSN
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Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter Builds The Tie That Binds
The mission of Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter (YVAS) is to provide shelter for animals in transition, serve as advocates for animals and their people, and be a leader in enhancing the human-animal bond. On March 22, 2009 The City of Billings handed the keys of the Billings Animal Shelter to the board and staff of Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter. We have five full-time and two part-time employees. Our volunteer staff includes a solid core of five individuals and numerous folks who donate their time as they are able. We house between 30 to 50 dogs and 80 to 140 cats on any given day that we shelter regardless of age, health, and need. We refuse no animals. Our commitment to finding homes for adoptable pets has led us to placing them in individual adoption homes, foster homes, other shelters, and breed rescues in Montana and surrounding states. YVAS is committed to decreasing the population of unwanted animals through spay and neuter by ensuring all animals that leave YVAS are altered. We work in partnership with other organizations to provide those services in a spay/neuter clinic format. We thank all those individuals and businesses who have supported us and look forward to additional partnerships in the community. For more information or to donate, please call us at 406-294-7387 or stop by and visit us at 1735 Monad Road in Billings. MSN
Mending Minds Lunch-and-Learn Program One in four U.S. citizens suffers from some sort of a mental disorder, regardless of their economic, educational, or social status. The Mental Health Center, serving Yellowstone and ten surrounding counties for 38 years, invites you to enjoy free monthly lunch-and-learn educational programs called Mending Minds. Program speakers narrate the important work done by the Mental Health Center and recount stories about the rescue, recovery, and renewal of people’s lives in our community. You will also have an opportunity to talk with Mental Health Center staff that passionately work to positively impact and improve the lives of those whose most basic needs are challenged by their mental illnesses. Learn about community resources available and what measures are effective in the treatment of these individuals. Don’t miss our next monthly free light lunch December 8, at 1650 Ave. D (corner of 17th St. and Ave. D, near West Park Plaza). Because seating is limited, call 406-839-2445 for reservations and to check for our January lunch date. Offices for the Mental Health Center are located in Billings, Hardin, Big Timber, Columbus, Lewistown, Harlowton, Red Lodge, and Roundup. MSN
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DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010
Father Burke is Billings poet-priest Moreover, he is often able to combine these two By Sue Hart Father William Burke, S. J., Chaplain at St. favorite leisure activities, as he does in The GrayVincent Healthcare in Billings, has the keen mind lings Were At Prayer: Today I fished at Broken Bridge. of a Jesuit, the heart of a fisherman, and the soul I threw a mosquito on the water of a poet. And waited for a Grayling to tear the surface A native of Hammond, Indiana, he grew up And impale itself on as the oldest of his para steel barb, ents’ ten children, seven But the Lord had boys, and three girls. “We walked on this water. fought a lot, but we had a The Grayling were at lot of fun,” he says. prayer “My father had a good A sacrament of sisense of humor, and it lence. pretty much fell to my Thank you Lord, just mother to be the discipliwhat I need. narian.” My mosquito will His father also had a dance on the water anlove for fishing, and as other day. soon as his first son was Preparing for the old enough, he would Priesthood - When Wiltake him fishing at the liam Burke knew he had nearby lakes. “We’d go a vocation to the priestto Mass and then take Fr. William Burke, S.J., prepares to say Mass in hood, he left Hammond the boat and go out to the the chapel at St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings. for the Jesuit Seminary lake,” he recalls. “Some[Photo by Sue Hart] operated by the Chicago times during the week, I’d bike to a nearby lake to fish. I’ve always felt God’s Province of the Society of Jesus - the Jesuits - in Milford, Ohio. From there he went on to St. Louis presence in nature.” Fly-fishing came along later in life and became University to pursue Philosophy and special studa passion. He currently works a four-day week, ies. He completed his theology studies in Aurora, which leaves three days for Fr. Burke to be at one Illinois, at an affiliate of Loyola University, where he of his favorite fishing spots, the Big Horn River earned a Masters in Divinity and was ordained. His mother was thrilled to have her son be(“wonderful for trout,” he says), a stream on a local come a priest - so thrilled that at the dinner folranch, the Stillwater River, and Big Horn Lake. lowing the ordination ceremony, she stood up and His other passion is poetry. “I had a high school English teacher who gave sang Somewhere My Love, the beautiful and very me a great love for poetry,” Fr. Burke relates. popular song Francis Paul Webster wrote for the
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movie Dr. Zhivago. Fr. Burke began his ministry doing parish work at St. Mary’s Church in Riverdale, Illinois, and he continued his parish work while attending Loyola Medical School in pursuit of a doctorate in Microbiology. He was transferred to St. Ignatius, a Jesuit parish in Sacramento, California, and was called to Chicago where he served as Director of Development for five and a half years, “raising money for the Jesuits’ retirement fund.” When the chance to go to Alaska was offered, he “jumped at it, because I love to fish.” His Alaskan assignment lasted 20 years. “For the first 5 1/2 years, I spent most of my time on the Alaskan Highway,”
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he says. “I had two parishes and three missions 109 miles apart.” Perhaps the long, silent drives or majestic scenery rekindled his love for poetry, so he revisited his interest in the form and began writing again. “People liked it,” he says. And he enjoyed it, too, especially when he started receiving acceptances for poems he had submitted for publication. His first chapbook Ivory White was published during this time. As a parish priest, Fr. Burke had many opportunities to officiate at milestone events in his parishioners’ lives, one of which he celebrates in another of his poems, Wedding in Alaska: Crack the heavens, Release its joy. White-flaked and dancing! Bride and groom kiss Their lives together While angels sing And Christ comes in glory!
Quiet night, starry bright, Bells are ringing. Bride and groom are singing, Laughing, crying. Playing, praying. Quiet night, starry bright, Bells are ringing.
Another Career Change - While he was in Alaska, the need for a hospital chaplain arose in Fairbanks, and Fr. Burke received permission to train in that field, which he did initially by working with a chaplain at Providence Hospital in Anchorage. When Fr. Burke worked at the hospital in Fairbanks, he spent time with people on dialysis, which prompted his second chapbook, “Poetry & Dialysis,” published through a grant from the Alaska Kidney Foundation. One has to wonder when he ever found time to fish! His third chapbook was published while he served as a full-time chaplain at Providence Hospital by the Jesuit Community. God Is a String Bean was seen as a collection of poetry that “could be helpful for patients,” he says. Even the title makes a person smile. Fr. Burke’s next move was to Missoula, which made him happy because of “all those great rivers nearby.” And apparently the word was out that this was a willing commuter-priest, because when the pastor in Bonner fell ill, Fr. Burke was on the road again, filling in for several months. Fr. Burke was still at St. Francis Xavier when he received a call from St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings about an opening for a priest-chaplain, four days a week and only very limited “on-call” nighttime duty. Would he be interested? Would he? “I love this work,” he says. “I enjoy visiting with the patients one-on-one. I’m thoroughly happy here.” And there are all those great fishing holes nearby. MSN
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DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010
The Family Tree Center Is A Leader In Preventing Child Abuse For nearly 25 years, The Family Tree Center has been part of the Billings Community. Changes have occurred, and expansion of program services has taken place, adding new opportunities for families and children in our community - in ever more complex times. Innovative programs, such as our respite childcare center, as much a part of vision as necessity, have continually been undertaken in response to community needs. In 1985, the call to prevent child abuse and neglect was answered by a number of community volunteers who believed, strongly, that child abuse and neglect rob children of their childhoods and sometimes of their lives. Today at the Center, professional staff members answer the call, 24
hours a day, seven days a week, supporting our community’s families. Preventing child abuse means that we all recognize we have a means to do that. Maybe, we support a struggling family. Maybe that means we open up our heart to struggling families. But at the very least, all of us recognize that struggling families affect us to the tune of $104 billion each year. If we can prevent child abuse and neglect, it saves us as taxpayers, but more importantly, it saves those children for whom the human consequences are incomprehensible. To learn how you can help us prevent the abuse and neglect of our children, please call 406-2529799. MSN
A Century Of Helping People In Need Family Service, Inc. is a 103-year-old, nonprofit Social Service agency with a mission of “Caring for People by Giving a Hand Up not a Hand Out. The Billings agency assists the low income of Yellowstone County with rent, utilities, prescription drugs, food, free clothing, eye examinations, and other basic needs. Family Service, Inc. is gearing up for its Holiday program, which last year provided over 1,500 turkeys and all the traditional holiday meal accompaniments, plus over 10,000 Christmas gifts to low-income children from the Billings area. Each
year there is an opportunity to Adopt a Family for the Holiday season. To find out more about helping a low-income family, contact Sandee Ketchem at Family Service, Inc. at 406-259-2269. Recently, Family Service, Inc. has seen a 25% increase in the number of individuals and families seeking help. Donations represent over 65% of Family Service, Inc. income and it needs your help now more than ever. For more information, contact Executive Director, Paul Chinberg at 406259-2269. MSN
Woodpecker Alley Becomes Road To Business For Earl Osse
By Liz Larcom - Photo by Craig Larcom Starting a sideline business wasn’t what Earl Osse set out to do back in 1996, but he could not have planned it better if he had tried. He just thought putting up a bunch of wooden woodpeckers between Ryegate and Harlowton would be fun. But when people saw the woodpeckers, one thing led to another and soon the retired mail carrier, carpenter, and long-time mayor of Ryegate,
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found himself making and selling woodpeckers to customers near and far. Though he has never bought a lick of advertising, Earl has sold over 12,000 of his woodpeckers. “It was kind of an accident,” 85-year-old Earl says. Driving around Harlowton one day with his friend Jerry Gantz, the two of them spotted a wooden woodpecker. Inspired, they decided to make some woodpeckers themselves and put them along US
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Hiking with her dog Chulo is Georgee Gee’s passion. So when hip pain prevented her from living her active lifestyle, she turned to the experts at Billings Clinic Orthopedics & Sports Medicine. This third generation Montanan underwent a hip replacement and within seven weeks was back to walking the hills around her ranch in Roscoe, eventually hiking the Red Lodge Creek Plateau at the base of Sylvan Peak.
DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010
12. So they made up a dozen woodpeckers, but, as Earl points out, “Twelve didn’t go very far.” The two made more and more woodpeckers, and by the time 42 of them were up, they’d reached the 30 miles to Harlowton. “We put them on power poles, but the power company took them down,” Osse says. “They weren’t supposed to be there.” So Osse and Gantz put them back on fence posts and trees, and right away people began to notice the birds. Many wanted to buy one for themselves. “Soon as we got them up along the highway, it just kept going and going and going and going. We just kept making them and making them. Jerry and I, we worked sometimes eight hours or so to keep up.” Then the word spread farther. “What happened, years ago, when I got started, a TV crew did a tape interview for a program called ‘The Backroads of Montana.’ Well, they play that every once in a while, way back East or California or whatever. I’ll get two or three calls every time. I can figure out when they run that. In fact they ran it in California the other day. This gal has ordered 6 of them.” An article in Country
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Earl Osse of Ryegate displays one of his largesized woodpeckers, his top selling item. He has sold over 12,000 of his various designs over the last 12 years. magazine prompted another rush of orders. “When Country magazine came out with that article, we sold over 200 to people from Illinois, Wisconsin, Nebraska, New York, Maine, and I don’t know.” Earl has sent woodpeckers to every state in the Union now, plus, Canada, Russia, China, Australia, Africa, and New Zealand. Sometimes his customers write back. “I’ve got a stack of cards and letters that high,” says Osse, holding his hand about seven inches above the table. “I’ve had some really precious letters I think
DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010
you’d say.� “I got a call from this gal back in Illinois. And she wanted to know what all it took and so I tell her - you send me your name and address and the money and I’ll mail it to you. So she did. She sent me cash. So I bottled it up and sent the woodpecker to her. About a week, ten days later I got a letter from that gal.� The woman wrote, “I was never so happy to get anything in my life. Some of my friends told me you might as well kiss that money goodbye!� Another letter Earl treasures is the one he keeps posted on his kitchen wall. “Dear Mr. Earl Osse,� the 12-year-old girl wrote. “I bought one of your woodpeckers today and I hung it on my house and it is so cute. I think you should advertise them on TV, if you don’t already. I always count the woodpeckers on the way to my grandmother’s house. My brother and I always used to see who could count the most. But now my brother is at war.� “It’s stuff like that makes the world go round,� Earl notes. He makes three models of woodpecker, one 18 inches long, one 6 inches long, and one a door knocker. The big ones outsell the little ones by three or four to one. All sell for $10 apiece, plus shipping and handling. “You know, when we first started out plywood was $14.50 a sheet, now its $30 a sheet. I get 25 big ones, and 10 little ones out of a sheet. So I’m okay, but it cuts down on the profit, you know,� Earl says. He has kept his price steady ever since he began. “They’re ten dollars and that’s where it’ll stay, as long as I do it,� he says. “Jerry Gantz, him and I are good buddies for life. But when we got to 7,000, he quit. He said, ‘That’s enough.’ He don’t want no more to do with it.� So although Earl keeps his friendship with Gantz, he has worked on his own since the year 2000. As Earl’s hands become shakier the work is
getting harder for him, and he looks ahead to the day when his son Eddie will take over the business. Earl severely injured his left arm in his younger years, so he has been used to working without it for most of his life. “I’ve had this since I was 19 years old,â€? Earl says. “There’s some things I can’t do, like running a wheelbarrow.â€? After a pause, he cracks a smile and adds, “Which I don’t miss!â€? “You can always figure out some way. You know, I’ve got all kinds of clamps. I’ve got clamps coming out my ears.â€? In spite of the sales that spin off from media coverage, Earl says most of his customers are the people who drive through the little town of Ryegate. Signs point customers to his home, and people can buy the woodpeckers at the grocery and cafĂŠ, too. “One time I went down to the cafĂŠ. I got my place where I sit all the time, and this gal was sitting at that table. She says, ‘You come on over here. I came all the way from Arkansas to see you! You don’t know me, but I bought some of your woodpeckers.’â€? Earl sat down and chatted with her, discovering in the course of conversation that she was born and raised in nearby Melstone and he knew of her family. “We sat there for an hour!â€? Earl relates. By now Earl identifies himself with woodpeckers so much that he has one of his creations fastened to the grill of his pickup. He doesn’t climb the trees along US 12 to replace damaged or stolen woodpeckers anymore, but his son takes care of it. “It’s funny how that took off like it did,â€? Earl muses. “Just a woodpecker!â€? MSN
Assisting Disabled Billings Residents
COR Enterprises, a nonprofit agency that provides vocational and supported living services to persons with disabilities in Billings and surrounding areas, continues to make progress on plans for a new facility. With the aging of the current facility and an increase in the number of people served, the need for a new building is even more imminent. Fundraising efforts have been successful, but national and local economic problems mean that more support is needed. Please consider making an individual, corporate, or memorial donation to the COR Enterprises Building Fund at 200 South 24th Street, Billings, MT 59101 or by visiting the donations page on the web at www.corenterprises.com. Your donation will help to provide a more spacious, comfortable, and safe environment for people with severe and/or multiple disabilities. For more information, please contact Tony Cline at 406-248-9115 ext 128. MSN Looking for a Unique Holiday Gift Idea for that Special Person?
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Wiley Dog Truffles - continued from cover change of pace. When you think about it, a bonbon with subtle wasabi undertones makes a most appropriate finale to a sushi dinner. Likewise, a sweet infused with whispers of citrusy lime seems the perfect way to cap off a bowl of Pad Thai noodles. And even if you don’t have a hankering for Japanese or Thai food, those quirky truffles taste darned good whether preceded by an all-American burger or a bowl of tomato soup. “People who like a little bit of crazy like to experiment with their chocolate. They prefer a new exciting taste experience rather than a re-run of something familiar,” comments JoAnn. “Last year, I donated 700 truffles for the Billings Winefest, a fund-raiser for Montana State University. Half of the truffles were filled with caramel and half with the chili seasoning and we ran out of the chili truffles first,” says JoAnn. She couldn’t have been more pleased at the response to her creation, which is a simpatico blend of sweet and heat. As with the wasabi-flavored truffles, you’re aware of an immediate jolt of tasty warmth mated with silky rich chocolate but it’s more like hit-and-run heat than a lingering burn. When asked about which of her 17 truffle flavors attracts the most fans, JoAnn says the answer
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depends on the market, though she does offer one elegant signature flavor called Cortez that’s a favorite among traditionalists and innovative eaters alike. Just tasting this tantalizingly complex blend of cinnamon, orange, pepper, cloves, and hazelnuts is enough to evoke images of Mexico and the ancient Aztecs, who discovered chocolate. Fortunately for this chocolatier, experimenting with various flavor combinations comes as a natural extension of the way she and her family like to cook and eat. “We’re adventure eaters, the kind of family that takes a camera to a restaurant. If the food is pretty we photograph it. Sometimes we even try to duplicate the dish at home adding our own touches,” says JoAnn, whose oldest daughter, Becky, happens to be a chef and whose younger daughter, Ali, feels right at home in any kitchen. For the last few New Years Eves, tired of traditional meals, the Kimbrough clan has taken their experimenting to new heights by choosing cuisines from different countries to make a five-course dinner. JoAnn, her husband, Don, and the girls each pick two recipes to consider then narrow down their choices to five recipes for five courses. “We’re not afraid to try new things. A bad choice is okay, too. We’re all right with that and move on. Last year we did German food. Some of it was good; some was frightening,” she admits. “But we had fun. Other years we’ve prepared a Moroccan, Irish, and Thai meal. It’s always an adventure.” The name for JoAnn’s company, by the way, comes courtesy of her daughter
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Becky’s dog, Wiley. This personality-plus canine is as much a member of the Kimbrough family as any beloved grandparent or cousin. For JoAnn, naming her company for her favorite pet was one way she could safely include Wiley in the chocolate action. As JoAnn says, “The name can be confus-
ing but these treats are definitely for people not doggies.” For more information, contact JoAnn at 406208-0304 or wileydogtruffles@gmail.com. You can also visit her website www.wileydogtruffles. com. MSN
Get in Touch with Your Wild Side: Visit Red Lodge’s Beartooth Nature Center and Billings’ Zoo Montana Article and Photo by Bernice Karnop In the summer, Willie, the coyote at the Beartooth Nature Center in Red Lodge, is ragged and scrawny with long matchstick legs poking out of his tiny body. When Willie dons his winter coat, however, the abandoned runt transforms into a majestic animal. Cascade, the new male wolverine at Zoo Montana in Billings loves tumbling in the snow, digging for bones, and playing with Luki, the Zoo’s resident female. “Winter is slow for visitors but it is the best time to see the animals,” says Jenny McCullough, Development and Marketing Director at Zoo Montana. “They are a lot more active and easier to see when it’s cool.” Jeff Ewelt, Executive Director of the Beartooth Nature Center, keeps the trails cleared for winter visitors. It’s a fun time to visit, he says. “First of all, you have the place to yourself. Also, the animals are at their most beautiful and you’ll see them frolicking through the snow, playing with toys like the ones they would have in the wild.” If you are lucky enough to go to the movie Where the Wild Things Are this winter, you will be rewarded with a close look at the Beartooth Nature Center and Zoo Montana. If you have “been there, done that,” read on. You will be surprised at all the exciting changes. Beartooth Nature Center, Red Lodge The Beartooth Nature Center is a sanctuary for animals and an opportunity for people to observe them in a natural setting and learn about them through interpretive displays. All of the animals are here for a reason. They cannot be returned to the wild because of injury or habituation to humans. Each animal has a story. For example, Lewis and Clark are tawny male mountain lion kits who tumbled from their mother’s mouth when a poacher
took her life. Fortunately, someone found them and contacted Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, but they were imprinted to humans. The vulture cannot fly because he was hit by a car. He is not everyone’s most beloved creature, but Jeff Ewelt, who came to the Center a year ago from the Tampa Park Zoo in Florida, says vultures are incredibly important to us as humans. “I’ve always been a fan of the underdog animal and vultures in particular,” he says. “They just don’t get the respect they deserve.” Vultures are designed for eating dead animals. Their bald head can dip into decaying meat without dirtying feathers and their short, hooked beak works perfectly for tearing through flesh. Less endearing characteristics include their ability to vomit on their attackers or throw up to lighten their load so they can fly. They urinate on their legs to cool down, with an added advantage - the acidic liquid kills bacteria picked up tromping through unsanitary material. Many readers will remember visiting the Red Lodge Zoo from their childhoods. In 1924, people visited the animals at the Silver Fox and Fur Farm. In 1936, the Beartooth highway brought more visitors to the area and by 1948, those visitors were stopping at the “See ‘Em Alive Zoo,” Montana’s first and only zoo. By the 1970s, the Zoo population
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peaked at more than 200 animals. When it closed as a private business in 1983, local citizens formed the Red Lodge Zoological Society and gradually built it up as a non-profit entity. Even more interesting than its past is the center’s projected future. The recently-purchased 20 acres on Rock Creek five miles north of town includes ponds, meadows, and aspen stands. The proposed visitor center’s theme is “Experiencing Montana.” Indoors, visitors will learn about Montana culture, history, and natural history. Outside await wilderness and the animal area. Readers may donate or support the center through a membership, which includes admission to Zoo Montana. Animal adoption makes a fun and unique gift for kids, adults, or for yourself. For more information about the Beartooth Nature Center visit its website at www.beartoothnaturecenter.org, call them at 406-446-4840, or write them at Beartooth Nature Center, P.O. Box 675, Red Lodge, MT 59068. Zoo Montana, Billings If you want to see a bear this winter, you will have to stop at Zoo Montana because the black bear at the Beartooth Nature Center will be hibernating. Bruno, the new grizzly
at Zoo Montana, however, will be awake. Bruno previously was kept in a small cage by an unlicensed owner in Tennessee. When he was confiscated by the state, he waited in the Knoxville Zoo while Zoo Montana finished his enclosure, then he rode to Billings in a horse trailer. Today visitors love Bruno and he basks in the attention. He is the zoo’s resident artist. His trainer drops the paint on the canvass and Bruno finger paints for treats. The zoo is rewarded with some very cool artwork and a bear who submits more readily to tooth and nail care. Zoo Montana is the only zoo and botanical garden in the state. It is one of around 200 officially accredited by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association in the U.S. Most animals are native to our region. Non-natives include Siberian tigers, red pandas, and Sika deer. Natives include otters, grey wolves, and porcupine. They are proud to have the extremely rare Wyoming toad, and kids love to watch the Madagascar hissing cockroaches. The Zoo also takes critters who could not survive in the wild. When a mother Bighorn sheep fell off a cliff and died, a rancher near Livingston found her days-old kid and brought him in to Fish Wildlife and Parks. Today Zoo visitors enjoy watching baby Lucky grow and thrive. For more information visit www.zoomontana. org on the web, or call them at 406-652-8100. Get in touch with your wild side this winter by visiting the Beartooth Nature Center and Zoo Montana. You will come away knowing how lucky we humans are to share our space with these sometimes-elusive Montana residents. MSN
Pictograph Cave State Park Is A Prairie Oasis
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Billings
By Kim Thielman-Ibes, Photo courtesy of Pictograph Cave State Park For years, Billing’s locals knew of the ancient rock paintings that adorned the walls of a cave carved deep into the Eagle Sandstone cliffs of Empty Gulch just a few miles southeast of the city. In the early 1900s, the caves proved a well-used stage stop between Billings and Coburn, a town on the Crow Indian Reservation. It was not until 1937 that the cave and its surrounding area gained national attention when an amateur archeologist discovered a treasure of prehistoric artifacts in the cave’s floor. What ensued was the first professionally supervised archeological dig in Montana, employing more than 60 men and sponsored by the WPA. Artifacts included stone and bone tools, carved amulets, pottery chards, and a prehistoric lodge on the rock floor of the valley below the cave. The discovery became more astonishing as the archeologists excavated distinct layers of deposits dating from 5,000 BC to the mid 1700s. “The discoverers recognized very quickly the significance of a situation in which many camp sites had developed one over the other as the deposits in the bottom of the cave accumulated. Here was a... invaluable clue to the... local cultures through time and a ‘Rosetta stone’ which would make it possible to arrange the... campsites in an historical order,” wrote William Thomas Mulloy, archeologist and project director for the site in the early1940s. Mulloy’s work remains a foundation for determining and interpreting the chronology of prehistoric Northern Plain’s cultures today. For thousands of years ancient nomadic peoples used the caves for shelter when hunting and traversing through Montana. During the excavation from 1938 to 1941, the project unearthed more than 30,000 artifacts. Notable were Eskimo barbed harpoon points made of caribou horn. Though the archeological excavation came to an abrupt halt with the beginning of World War II, the fascination has continued. Overlooking Bitter Creek, Pictograph Cave State Park hosts three caves: Pictograph Cave (known as Hieroglyphic Caves, Inscription Caves, and Indian Caves), Middle Cave, and Ghost Cave. Two large concretions (massive round bodies of rock bound together) call Ghost Cave home, as did the prehistoric hunt-
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ers and even the men excavating the site in the late 1930s. “The Middle Cave is a shallow deep shelter with a steep sloping floor,” says Darla Bruner, Park Manager and Interpretive Naturalist, “Though fossil remains have been found here there is no evidence of artifacts in this cave.” Adorning the walls of Pictograph Cave, the largest of the three natural formations, are mysterious clues left by the ancient dwellers telling the stories of their time. Archeologists recorded more than 106 rock art images in Pictograph Cave during the dig. Some of these prehistoric images have been lost to erosion and others to early vandalism, but many cave drawings remain to delight visitors. If you visit the cave today, you will see images of prehistoric shield bearing warriors, red images of deer, and black drawings of a turtle. Some of these painted figures are 2,000 years old.
Because of its contribution to Northern Great Plains archeology, the caves were designated a National Historic site in 1964 and a Montana State Park in 1969. A new visitor’s center shaped in the form of the caves themselves opened on July 17, 2009 and greets visitors to Pictograph Caves State Park. “The new modern facility blends perfectly with the landscape,” says Bruner. Here you can learn more about the generations of ancient ancestors who frequented the caves. The center includes interpretive displays with talking sticks - hand held devices that allow you to listen to original archeologists from the 1930s describe their remarkable excavation and hear a Crow elder provide interpretations for the rock art found in Pictograph Cave. From the visitors center a paved walkway winds its way up into Pictograph Cave. It is helpful to bring a pair of good walking shoes, a warm coat, and a pair of binoculars to view the details of the prehistoric drawings. The park is open year round and free to Montana residents wishing to enjoy this native treasure. There is a $5 fee for those visiting from out of state. From October through February, the Visitors Center is open from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Wednesday thru Saturday. Pictograph Cave State Park is only one of Montana’s 41 state parks, but it is one you will not want to miss on your next visit to Billings. For directions and information call 406-2472940 or visit www.pictograph.org. MSN
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Take A Break And Do It Often Make Regular Respite A Priority By Lisa M. Petsche If you are providing care to a chronically ill family member, you may be aware of the importance of taking a break from caregiving duties and having arrangements in place that allow you some relief. If not, though, this article is for you. Although caregiving can be very rewarding, it can also be stressful over time because of the physical toll of hands-on helping and the emotional strain of dealing with the illness of a loved one. That is why it is so important for caregivers to have respite on a regular basis. Healthcare professionals encourage caregivers to take breaks in order to attend to things on their to-do list they have been putting off, but especially to take care of their personal needs and to maintain their individuality. This break time can involve a wide variety of activities, from performing necessary household tasks, to running errands, to engaging in self-care (sleeping, exercising, getting a haircut, attending a support group), to enjoying some recreation and leisure time. Benefits - When practiced regularly, respite helps keep the stresses of caregiving manageable, preventing burnout. The benefits of respite extend to care recipients as well: they receive a fresh approach to care and perhaps more individualized attention from the alternate caregiver. If respite takes place in the community, it provides a stimulating change of environment and a chance to socialize as well as participate in new or previously enjoyed activities. In addition, regular breaks can serve to reduce any tension that might exist between caregiver and care recipient because of constant togetherness and perhaps personality differences. Care options - Inhome respite may be provided by: a personal
support worker employed by a government-sponsored program or hired by the caregiver through a home health care agency; an individual with or without formal training, hired under a private arrangement (most often located through word of mouth or newspaper classified advertising); a trained volunteer (for example, from the Alzheimer’s Association); or a relative or friend. Community-based respite options include: caregiver support groups that offer concurrent care; adult day care centers that provide social and recreational programming and often include a mid-day meal; and residential care facilities that have a short-stay program. Selection factors - Some caregivers are fortunate to have friends or relatives nearby who are able and willing to provide respite. Others, however, may not have anyone in the area in a position to help, and must rely on formal help instead. The following are factors to consider when choosing a respite service: • Type of assistance needed - companionship, supervision, housekeeping, personal care, or medical monitoring and intervention. • Special medical or behavioral needs, communication challenges, or eccentricities of your relative. • Time involved - length and frequency of desired breaks. • Setting - consider transportation issues as well as your relative’s energy level, personality, and any preferences he or she might have. • Cost, including whether a subsidy is available. If you decide to seek private in-home help, arrange to meet with a potential helper in your home after performing a telephone screening. Prepare a list of questions in advance, to help you determine his/her qualifications and suitability, and provide a comprehensive description of your relative’s needs and your own expectations. Pay close attention to how the candidate interacts with your relative.
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Ask for and check references (both educational and employment-related), and do a police check before hiring someone. If you wish to pursue care in an adult day care program or residential care facility, take some tours and talk with staff and clients. Involve your
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relative in this process as well, if feasible. Otherwise, bring along a family member or friend for a second opinion. Lisa M. Petsche is a clinical social worker and freelance writer specializing in eldercare issues. MSN
Peace in the Valley: Seven Ways Caregivers Can Face Their Fears and Better Help Their Loved Ones Take That Final, Sacred Walk “I’m dying.” These are words that most of us dread hearing from the people we love. However, death is an inescapable part of life - and if it hasn’t happened already, chances are you’ll be called upon to help a parent, spouse, friend, or other loved one through the valley. Yes, it can be a terrifying prospect. But according to Donna Authers, it’s also a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: to help your loved one make the most of his final years, months, and days... to help him take the next step without regret... and to create priceless memories for you to cherish. “The illness and decline of someone close to you, especially as the end draws near, is one of the most testing times in your life,” says Authers, herself an experienced caregiver and author of the book A Sacred Walk: Dispelling the Fear of Death and Caring for the Dying (A&A Publishing, 2008, ISBN: 978-0-6152458-5-0, $15.95). “Still, it’s important to know that serving as a caregiver can reward you with a rich, full experience. Death will always bring sadness, but it does not have to be characterized solely by pain and sorrow—it can also be accompanied by faith, grace, and love.” Authers - who grew up overshadowed by a paralyzing fear of death due to the early loss of numerous family members - first experienced the trials and joys of caregiving when she spent time with her beloved grandmother, Angelina, in the last months of her life. Through Angelina’s wisdom and example, Authers was able for the first time to witness a peaceful passing and experience “good grief.” “My grandmother’s faith strengthened my own, and I was able to realize that I hadn’t seen her for the last time,” recalls Authers. “Grandma taught me so much about living a full, selfless life with no regrets - not only through her life, but also through her death. Learning those lessons took courage on my part: the courage to face my fears, and the courage to continue loving Grandma even though I knew I would lose her soon.” Since that time, Authers has served as a caregiver to many others, both as a family member
and as a representative of ministries and hospice organizations. “Through my experiences with the dying and their families, I’ve learned that there are two groups who need to be considered: the person receiving care, and the people who are giving it,” she says. “Focus on your loved one, but don’t ignore yourself and your own needs in the process. Remember that both of you are still alive at this moment, and use the time to draw even closer together.” Helping someone make his or her final life transition is an intimate and profound privilege, whether you are the primary caregiver or not. And while there is no single formula to follow during this bittersweet time, you can take steps that will enable you to provide support to your loved one without feeling unnecessarily frightened or burdened by stress and anxiety. Being a caregiver isn’t easy - but it is an experience you can’t afford to miss. Taken from A Sacred Walk, following are several important thoughts for all caregivers to consider as they spend the last bit of precious time with their loved ones: Strive to be “God with skin on.” In today’s busy, competitive world, the “still, small voice” of reason and love can easily be drowned out, and those who are hurting often have to maneuver life’s minefields without the support and companionship they so desperately need. Even before you are called upon to care for a loved one in need, you can serve as a caregiver to those whom you
Because I Love It at Home!
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encounter in the ebb and flow of daily life. “Being a caregiver isn’t something that begins only when a loved one needs your help,” stresses Authers. “The skills you’ll use to walk a friend or relative home are practiced and honed every day - something I call being ‘God with skin on.’ You never know which of your coworkers, friends, or acquaintances might need a pair of helping hands or a nonjudgmental listening ear. By developing patience, kindness, gentleness, and other selfless qualities, you’ll be ready to help when someone you meet has been unpleasantly surprised by life. And you’ll be able to step in without hesitation and put those skills to use when someone you care about is beginning his or her final journey.” You need care, too. When you’re a caregiver, you might feel as though you need to have all of the answers and show no sign of weakness. After all, you’re supposed to be the pillar of support, right? Wrong, says Authers. Your patient isn’t the only one who needs care - you do too. The responsibilities on your shoulders are immense, and they - like grief - are more bearable when they are shared. “Receiving care isn’t a luxury, as many people think,” explains Authers. “It’s a necessity. Quite simply, you can’t do it all by yourself. Take advantage of the consistent and reliable aid your support network can offer, and don’t be afraid to reach out if you need more. Those who are close to you can help you regain your balance after a traumatic event rocks your life. Even the little things - a meal prepared, a chore completed - can make a huge difference in your stress level. “Also, keep in mind that sometimes your family and friends may not be the right people to help you,” she adds. “They may be too emotionally involved, or they might not have the expertise you need. Sometimes a pastor, a counselor, or a volunteer who represents a caring organization might be best able to give you the support you need. Remember, the more at peace you are, the better you’ll be able to cherish the time you spend with the loved one for whom you’re caring.” Hospice is for the
living. It’s a surprising statement, isn’t it? Most of us associate “hospice” with the final act of dying. The reality, though, is that the dying process can last weeks or even months, and it can pass through multiple stages. According to Authers, many people fail to realize that hospice facilities often provide support services to patients, caregivers, and family members throughout this journey, long before the patient is “ready” for hospice. “Hospice care is superior, and it provides welcome support that a hospital can’t,” asserts Authers. “For example, when my mother was in the final stages of cancer, she gained new friends in Helen, a volunteer who visited her at home, and in Carol, her nurse. Although Mom no longer had years ahead of her, she was still very much alive - and the relationships she formed with these two wonderful women cheered her up and comforted the rest of us. We knew that Mom had a medical professional who cared about her on call, 24/7. “Working with hospice can also take the responsibility of dealing with practical details off the shoulders of caregivers so that they can focus solely on their loved one,” Authers continues. “Many hospice facilities provide volunteers who will run errands or provide respite care when family members need a break. Some even provide medications, house calls, and grief counseling. Research what your local hospice offers - don’t overlook this invaluable source of support!” Don’t treat death as a secret. No matter how strong a support network your loved one might enjoy, her inner fears about dying may linger, and it’s important to make sure that they don’t remain unspoken. One of the greatest services a caregiver can offer is identifying those fears and making sure that they are alleviated. For example, these fears might include fear of the process of dying, fear of loss of control, fear of the unknown, and fear that life will have been meaningless. In addition to talking to your loved one, make sure that affected family members and friends are aware of what to expect as death draws near. By dispelling misconceptions, you will enable everyone to focus on the tasks at hand, and you’ll also help ensure that unnecessary fears of death are not perpetuated. “Talking about your loved one’s impending death and helping him confront his fears about it are difficult, emotional tasks,” Authers warns. “You might wish to sweep these issues under the rug because they’re so painful, but resist that temptation. Easing the fears of a dying loved one, as well as the fears of family and friends, will ultimately bring the fullest measure of peace and closure.”
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Anticipate what your loved one needs. As your loved one takes his final journey, he’ll probably need more physical aid than he once did - but his spiritual and emotional needs will be different, too. To ease the burden, don’t just ask what you can do to help. Anticipate it. According to Authers, those who are ill might be unable to think of or articulate exactly what they need or want, or they might be uncomfortable expressing it. “Your contribution might be preparing meals, vacuuming a neglected house, or coordinating a ‘driver pool’ to assist with transporting a patient to her doctors’ appointments,” suggests Authers. “These practical acts of kindness are some of the greatest gifts you can give. “Don’t underestimate the value of your time, attention, and presence, either. Be sensitive to the desires and fears of the person for whom you’re caring, and treat her as herself, not as someone who is dying. Try to make her final days relaxing, affirming, and reassuring. Listen to her patiently if she wants to talk, and above all, make sure she knows just how important she is to you.” Harness the power of forgiveness. Mental health professionals tell us that the number one inhibitor to finding peace is our inability to forgive. Forgiveness releases the hold the past has on the present, and it acts as a soothing balm to the soul. Perhaps the person for whom you’re caring needs your help and encouragement in reconciling with others. Maybe there are even issues between the two of you that need to be addressed. Don’t hesitate to help restore the lines of communication. Doing so can dispel many of the regrets your loved one may be holding onto, and it can keep anger and resentment from being his legacy. “It’s bittersweet when people wait until they are on their deathbeds to restore a broken relationship,” observes Authers. “Sweet because a burden is being released and bitter because it didn’t happen sooner. Ultimately, though, working through disappointing relationships and situations encourages physical, emotional, and spiritual growth.
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When forgiveness, reconciliation, and love are present, even the fear of death can disappear.” Practice “good grief.” As a caregiver, you know that you will experience a great deal of grief when your loved one passes away. Chances are you’re experiencing grief already. Don’t try to avoid those feelings, even if you want badly to do so. Instead, learn how to grieve well. “Good grief” does not mean that you won’t feel sorrow and hurt - you will. However, by letting yourself experience the feelings of sorrow, pain, hurt, loss, and confusion that are bound to come, you will be able to embrace life once more with a stronger faith and a renewed sense of purpose. It is important to note, though, that after the initial shock of a terminal diagnosis has worn off, you should try to behave normally around your dying loved one so as not to burden him. Make sure you have others to help you work through your grief. “I learned the hard way that when you try to stifle grief or hurry it along, you only prolong its sting and confuse yourself,” Authers shares. “Grief manifests itself in different ways for different people. Express your emotions when they rise up, and be thankful for your tears - they are a blessing because of the love they represent. And remember something that my mother told me when she was dying. ‘Things will be different from now on, but different doesn’t mean it won’t be better.’ Cherish the memories you have, and have faith that you will see your loved ones again.” “Always remember, the work that you are doing as a caregiver is sacred,” concludes Authers. “Letting go of someone you love is excruciating, but you can protect yourself from debilitating grief by replacing your fear with new memories. Make them right until the end. Remember what you have learned from those who have died, and cherish the love and the laughter that you shared. Recall and be grateful for the help you received along the way. And finally, know that you have provided a service of inestimable, eternal value.” MSN
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PAGE 62 MONTANA SENIOR NEWS
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STONE CHILD COLLEGE R.R. 1 Box 1082 • Box Elder, MT 59521 (406) 395-4875 • (406) 395-4836 FAX
Stone Child College is a tribally controlled college on the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation. Located in Rocky Boy, Montana; home of the Chippewa Cree Tribe. Stone Child College is an equal opportunity junior college offering both educational and technical programs. The college has been reaffirmed for Accreditation by the Commission of Colleges and the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges. Degrees Offered: Associate of Arts Degree General Studies Human Services
Associate of Science Degree Business Computer Science Applied Science
Certificate Programs 1 year - Construction Technology, Customer Relations, Accounting/Information Management, Business 2 year - Pre-Engineering Assistant For more information contact the college or visit us at www.stonechild.edu
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Eagles League – Nintendo Wii Bowling By Lynn Byrd Photos by Eagles Manor It all began when we received the donation of a Nintendo Wii set at Eagles Manor in Helena. Then we asked resident Diane Funk to organize residents into bowling teams to compete with other retirement homes in the area. Diane put together four teams of three people each. Diane got help from Marge Coppinger, who had been co-manager of a bowling alley and had experience with various aspects of league play. She showed Diane how to set the teams up according to league play with score sheets and schedules. Marge is now in charge of the score sheets and schedules and Diane puts it all together and sends out reports. Diane believes the program has many positive benefits. “It was an experience in patience and in learning to use the Wii remotes. Even though it was difficult at first, it was fun and is very addictive! We have real good team spirit, and everyone participates and encourages their own players as well as opponents. Members of other teams come to watch even though it is not their day to play, just to cheer everyone on. Guests who walk through the ‘bowling alley’ stop to watch and show an interest. We bowl as a league twice a week and then anyone can play whenever they want at any other time. We have an extremely good time bowling against Hunters Pointe, which we do once a month. This has become a social event as well, and we have lunch together and ice cream socials too,” Diane relates. A second Wii was also donated to Rocky Mountain Development Center (RMDC) in Helena and they are in the process of learning how to use it. When they have a team, we will organize competitions with them. Diane notes, “The hardest thing to learn is using the remote to bowl. The technique involves releasing a button at the proper time so the virtual ball rolls down the alley.” Marge adds, “The most fun thing is creating Mii people to represent ourselves. There is a way to gather all the Miis together in the Plaza. They act like real people, walking around, sneezing, sleeping, talking, and waving! It really brings the whole game to life.” Before this month’s game, Diane will be going to Hunters Pointe to “pick up” their Miis and transfer them to our remotes and vice versa. That way the Miis can travel from one console to another via the remotes. This means that each team’s Miis are always available to play wherever they go. The Wiis are available to all residents, regardless of physical/mental ability. Wii bowling can be done standing, sitting in a chair, and even from a wheelchair. You do not have to be an experienced bowler to enjoy playing, and everyone has a good time. Although some people have a harder time learning to use the Wii, everyone can eventually get it, build self-esteem, and have fun virtual bowling. MSN
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Harlowton’s Tom and Trudi Horan Manufacture Rocky Mountain Cookware
Happy New Year!!!
Article and Photo by Bernice Karnop People in Harlowton are not quite sure what Tom and Trudi Horan are making down there in the old potato warehouse, but they know one thing. They’re sure nice people. Tom and Trudi moved to Harlowton in 1990. That’s almost 20 years ago now, but in the way of small Montana towns, they’re still sort of newcomers. For them, that’s not a bad thing. In fact, the warm embrace of this community is what drew them here. It’s the main reason they plan to stay in Harlowton. When they decided to move to Montana from Colorado, they wrote to several towns asking for information. Some sent a few brochures, but Harlowton stood out from the pack. Gerry Miller, the editor of the Harlowton Times-Clarion, wrote them a letter, sent several newspapers, and invited them to visit. “The people showed us around and they were all so nice,” said Trudi. There was another advantage. “Things were cheap here,” she says, grinning. “We had a boy and a girl, a dog and a cat, a pickup and a trailer, and very little money.” She did not list their other assets - a strong work ethic, an understanding of business and marketing, a fine education from the school of hard knocks, and an undamaged sense of humor. They rented a house in Harlowton for $100 a month. Since they had to clean it out, the owner let them have the first three months rent-free. They bought the potato warehouse near where the railroad tracks used to be, began making novelty items including stools and small tables which had cowboy boots and jeans for legs. The stools were included in a story in the Wall Street Journal about
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off-beat gifts. Tom noticed that the Hutterites were making a few griddles to sell locally and in Yellowstone Park. He thought they were cool, but the Colony wasn’t interested in making a business of them. So Tom designed his own griddle, bought a 22 ton press and made the die stamped steel griddles for homeowners, RV, camper, and outfitter use. He went on the road with the griddles and sold 4,000 the first year. He already knew marketing because, in addition to farming in Colorado, the Horans made novelty items from plasticized cow chips. They marketed the infamous Turd Birds and had fun organizing cow chip throwing contests. Why would any one buy cow chips? “You always know someone who deserves one,” Trudi says with a mischievous twinkle. Still, she was glad to leave that behind. “I didn’t want to be known as the Cow Chip Queen at my high school reunion,” she quips. Cabella’s picked up the griddles in 1995, and continues to be a big customer. The griddles have also been in Chef’s Catalog and the Vermont Country Store catalog, and were even featured on television’s QVC. “We discovered a niche market,” Tom says. “Our products are an inexpensive alternative for restaurants because they can add it to an existing stove without expensive hood modifications.” Today they sell 20,000 griddles and broilers a year and 85 percent go to restaurant suppliers. Donna Ferguson from J&V Restaurant Supply in Great Falls says they sell a lot of the Rocky Mountain Cookware items. “Everyone who we’ve sold to absolutely loves them,” she says. In all, Rocky Mountain Cookware makes 13 different models of griddles and broilers, which they sell across the United States and Canada. Rocky Mountain Cookware products are made from high quality tempered steel. The steel comes, precut, by truck from Minnesota. Shipping hasn’t been a problem. A timber hauler from Big Timber brings the steel back after delivering his load from Montana. “Haulers like the tonnage and the steel doesn’t damage easily,” says Tom. At the plant, the steel goes first to a cutter which clips off the square corners to give
the griddle a nice rounded edge. From there it’s polished to a shine before being stamped into shape. Finally the handles are welded on, and the finished griddles and broilers slipped into boxes made by Montana Containers from Bozeman, and shipped out by UPS. Rocky Mountain Cookware employs six workers. In this small town, they have not had a problem finding or keeping workers, whom they train. Some have been with them for six years. The business also maintains one resident cat. Squeaky sleeps near the office and rides the fork lift for fun. Squeaky learned that the plant is not all fun when she caught on fire from a spark. Quickly doused, she’s no worse for the wear, and came away from the experience a wiser cat. Rocky Mountain Cookware is a manufacturing plant, not a retail outlet. You can buy in Harlowton at Painter’s Ace Hardware or the Made in Montana shop. Of course you can buy their products from restaurant suppliers or sporting goods stores. The home models sell for $36-$55. Visit www.rockymountaincookware.com, to see their products and for dealer information. For Tom and Trudi Horan, Rocky Mountain Cookware is more than a business. It’s about Montana’s future. “Small businesses were the largest employer in the country at one time,” Tom says. “Tourism is okay for Montana, but it won’t do it for the little communities. Here, the future lies with people.” And besides, Tom says, “People are finally beginning to know our name.” MSN
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Heart of the Valley Finds Homes For Animals As the days turn shorter and winter takes hold, it’s time to reflect on the thousands of animals Heart of the Valley Animal Shelter has placed in their forever homes during the past year. The Border collie mix that once watched as everyone passed her cage in the shelter will instead be snoozing on her cushy new bed while her family exchanges presents. The tabby kitten that arrived at the shelter shivering in a cardboard box with his littermates now curls up in his new “mom’s” lap as she reads by the fire. There’s so much joy when these animals - and so many others - find families of their own.
Located in the Gallatin Valley, Heart of the Valley is a no-kill, open-door animal shelter, committed to finding a home for every adoptable animal. We’re able to perform our vital work thanks in large part to the generosity of individual contributors. We hope you’ll consider giving to help the homeless animals of the Gallatin and Madison valleys as they await their forever homes. By supporting Heart of the Valley, you have the power to transform their lives with your kindness. For more information on how to make your contribution, contact Kathryn at 406-388-9399. MSN
Learning about life from my cat, Eddie By Saralee Perel, Senior Wire Day after day, I’d ask my husband Bob, “Has the vet called with Eddie’s results?” “Not yet,” he would say. On the day he answered, “Yes,” I blocked his response from my brain. I had just come in the front door and went to hang up my coat. Bob touched my shoulders. “It’s not good,” he said. I felt like something explosive hit me in my chest. “Just tell me straight,” I said. “Eddie has a very aggressive cancer. He has about two months at the most.” Now, I have worked in emergency rooms as a psychiatric consultant. I am used to trauma – that is – other people’s traumas. But I had the oddest reaction. I thought, “If I put my coat on and go back out the front door, as if I hadn’t come home yet, I could go back in time and what I’m hearing will not have happened.” I really believed that. Bob had me sit on the couch. But I was still unable to take it in. I could only see his mouth moving as he told me about our cat, my little soul mate Eddie. Every few seconds or so, the thought sank in, “Eddie is dying.” But instantly I would go right back into never-never land, dismissing any intrusive thoughts – of reality. Finally, my tears turned to torrents. “He’s supposed to be around for years. He is fine! He just saw the vet for a routine physical!” In denial, I so needed to find a way to make it all untrue. I called the vet. “Are you sure?” was all I could think of to ask. He was sure.
I have not told too many people about this. With so many traumas many of us have in our lives, I was afraid that friends would not have compassion. And some that I did tell said, “It’s just a cat.” We adopted Eddie from a shelter when he was eight weeks old. From day one, he has spent his life destroying our house. We spend half of our time cleaning up broken pieces of china he has shoved off a table and the other half keeping him safe. We have ugly plastic outdoor fencing above our shower door. That is because Eddie had a grand old time flinging himself to the top of the door while I would be taking a bath. Then he would do a high dive into the bathtub. He may hang in there for a while with treatment. He deserves that chance. We have several veterinarians helping us. I asked one of them, “Do you have any advice on grief?” “Take it one day at a time. Eddie doesn’t know he has cancer. He’s not thinking as a human would. He’s just happy – in the moment. He doesn’t think about what will be or when or how. We could all learn a lot from that.” I must say that I look at Eddie differently at this point. I wish that it had not taken a dire diagnosis for me to do this. When I hold him, I am acutely aware that he will die sooner than his time. Hence, I appreciate and savor each moment with him. He is different with me too. He runs a hundred miles an hour to greet me. Meowing and purring like crazy, he jumps into my arms, and then closes his eyes in cat ecstasy while he licks my face. I am so angry with myself. I agonize, “Why did this have
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to happen for us to develop a closer bond?” From now on, I vow it will not take cancer to teach me this appreciation of loved ones. I wish I had learned this before I am about to lose Eddie. I do not want his purpose in life to be the lessons he has taught me. But alas, he has been my greatest philosopher. I tell him, “You’ve taught me that family bonds matter more than stupid pieces of china or
scratched furniture. You have taught me to think twice whenever the choice is between picking you up when you want to snuggle, and walking right by you to do something that could easily wait. You have taught me that loving one another is always what is most important. And Eddie?” I whisper from my soul to his, “What will I ever do without you?” Saralee Perel welcomes e-mails at sperel@ saraleeperel.com/. MSN
Silencing Windows XP and Other Tips By Richard Sherman, Mr. Modem Q. In Windows XP can I stop the sound I hear when I shut down? The sound is so annoying I want to throw my computer out the window! A. Go to your Control Panel > Sounds (or Sounds and Audio Devices > Sounds) tab. You will see all the various sounds listed, including one for “Exit Windows.” Just click any that you do not want to hear and select “None” for the sound to be played. Click Apply > OK when you are finished. From this point forward, the only things you will hear will be the sounds of silence. I feel a song coming on…. Q. You have mentioned using MSCONFIG to disable programs that launch at startup, but the MSCONFIG utility does not seem to be present on my computer. How can I get it, or is that even possible? A. Normally, to use MSCONFIG, you would click Start > Run > type MSCONFIG, press ENTER, then click the Startup tab. If your system does not have the MSCONFIG utility (Microsoft omitted it from Windows 2000 for no apparent reason), or it is not functioning properly when you attempt to launch it, you are not out of luck. A free utility called the Startup Control Panel (www.mlin.net/StartupCPL. shtml) solves that problem. Double-click it after it has been downloaded and you will be able to see every program that is launching automatically each time you start your computer. To enable an item, place a check mark next to it. To disable it, remove the check mark. Q. When I create Word documents, I sometimes have spelling errors, but I don’t always catch them when I go back through a document looking for the red squiggly line that appears under each error. There must be a way to jump right to the errors, isn’t there? A. Yes, there sure is. Look for a little “book” icon on the Status bar, at the bottom of your Word document window. If the icon has an X on it, Word has detected a misspelled word or grammatically challenged sentence. Doubleclick the book icon to move quickly to the offending text. Right-click the book icon to configure options for spelling and grammar. Hint: The Word Status bar is a little sliver of a bar at the bottom of a Word document, just above the Windows Start button and Taskbar. Q. I’m trying to print an Excel spreadsheet, but I cannot figure out how to avoid printing the letter and number designations along the top and left side of the sheet. I have tried redefining the print area to no avail. Do you have any suggestions? A. You can select any print area you wish by highlighting it, but there is a little trick to it beyond that. If you don’t want anything but the data on a spreadsheet to appear - no column or row headings or anything else - select the area you want to print, then click File > Print Area > Set Print Area. That will place a dotted line around your designated area. Click File > Print > Selection > OK and only your selected text will print. MSN
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Now - More Tax Credits For Home Buyers!
The Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009 has extended the tax credit of up to $8,000 for qualified first-time home buyers purchasing a principal residence. The tax credit now applies to sales occurring on or after January 1, 2009 and on or before April 30, 2010. However, in cases where a binding sales contract is signed by April 30, 2010, a home purchase completed by June 30, 2010 will qualify. Probably more relevant to our readers is the new $6,500 Move-Up / Repeat Home Buyer Tax Credit. Of course the devil is often in the details. Answers to the following questions will provide some clarity until the Internal Revenue Service updates its relevant tax forms in December. What is the definition of a move-up or repeat home buyer? The law defines a tax credit qualified move-up home buyer (“long-time resident”) as a person who has owned and resided in the same home for at least five consecutive years of the eight years prior to the purchase date. For married taxpayers, the law tests the homeownership history of both the home buyer and his/her spouse. Repeat home buyers do not have to purchase a home that is more expensive than their previous home to qualify for the tax credit. How is the amount of the tax credit determined? The tax credit is equal to 10 percent of the home’s purchase price up to a maximum of $6,500. Purchases of homes priced above $800,000 are not eligible for the tax credit. The tax credit does not have to be repaid unless the home is sold or ceases to be used as the buyer’s
principal residence within three years after the initial purchase. Are there any income limits for claiming the tax credit? Yes. The income limit for single taxpayers is $125,000; the limit is $225,000 for married taxpayers filing a joint return. The tax credit amount is reduced for buyers with a modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) above those limits. The phaseout range for the tax credit program is equal to $20,000. That is, the tax credit amount is reduced to zero for taxpayers with MAGI of more than $145,000 (single) or $245,000 (married) and is reduced proportionally for taxpayers with MAGIs between these amounts. What types of homes will qualify for the tax credit? Any home that will be used as a principal residence will qualify for the credit, provided the home is purchased for a price less than or equal to $800,000. This includes single-family detached homes, attached homes like townhouses and condominiums, manufactured homes (also known as mobile homes) and houseboats. The definition of principal residence is identical to the one used to determine whether you may qualify for the $250,000 / $500,000 capital gain tax exclusion for principal residences. It is important to note that you cannot purchase a home from, among other family members, your ancestors (parents, grandparents, etc.), your lineal descendants (children, grandchildren, etc.) or your spouse or your spouse’s family members. Please consult with your tax advisor for more information. Also see IRS Form 5405. MSN
Tips For Choosing A Mortgage (NAPSI) - Doing a little homework before choosing a mortgage could help save homebuyers plenty of cash. Still, many consumers accept the first loan they’re offered, often not realizing they may be able to get a better deal. On any given day, lenders and brokers might offer different interest rates and fees to different consumers for the same loan. In fact, neither lenders nor brokers are required to find the best or most affordable loan for you. According to the Federal Reserve Board, the best way to avoid overpaying for a mortgage is to shop around. The Fed offers these tips: • Know What You Can Afford - Review your monthly spending plan to estimate what you can afford to pay for a home. Be sure to include mortgage, property taxes, insurance, monthly maintenance, and utility costs in your calculation. It’s also important to check your credit report to ensure all the information it contains is accurate. A higher credit (Cont’d on page 70)
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Tips For Choosing A Mortgage - continued from page 68 score might help you get a lower interest rate on your mortgage. • Know the Benefits and Risks - Mortgages have many features. Some have fixed interest rates and some have adjustable rates. Still others have payment adjustments or allow you to only pay the interest on the loan for a period of time before you pay against the loan amount. There are also certain loans that charge penalties if you pay them off early and some that have a large payment due at the end of the loan. A
mortgage shopping worksheet can help you identify the features of different loans. You can find a sample of one at www.federalreserve. gov/pubs/mortgage/worksheet.pdf. • Know Your Options - You can get a loan from a mortgage lender or a mortgage broker. Brokers arrange mortgage loans with a lender, rather than lend money directly. Be sure to shop around for the best deals. • Get Advice You Can Trust - A mortgage
loan is one of the most complex and expensive financial commitments many people ever assume. It’s OK to ask for help. Talk with a trusted housing counselor or a real estate attorney who you hire to review your documents before you sign them. For more information, visit www.federalreserve.gov/consumerinfo or call Federal Reserve Consumer Help at 888-851-1920 (Phone) or 877-766-8533 (TTY).
We are well on our way into a New Year! Our first holiday will be one of romance and new relationships. Find someone to start the new year with and also celebrate Valentine’s Day. New beginnings can be wonderful and insightful. 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 Montana Senior News, P.O. Box 3363, 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’s up to the person 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 February/March 2010 issue. There is no charge for this service and your ad may bring a breath of fresh air to your heart as well. Responses to personal ads appearing in this column can be submitted at any time. However, to place a personal ad, the deadline for the February/March 2010 issue is January 10, 2010.
dances, rodeos, movies, long drives, hand holding, and dreams unfulfilled. I can scout the best hunting with you, furnish your home wonderfully, cook old fashioned meals for all your friends, design a leather garment for you, and make you feel alive. You, 65-75, openly affectionate, 100% fair and generous, some education, and tired of being alone. I’m in Billings, but will answer all with a happy picture. Reply MSN, Dept. 26201, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403.
Looking for a great man to Be Mine in 09! I’m a youthful lady with many, many interests and talents. Born in South Dakota, and lived my adult years in California. Love this Big Sky Country which can be very big on loneliness. Show me your state with
When you met your grandchild it was love at first sight… and every jump for joy since then has lifted your heart.
Now that she’s ready for college, you can provide a lift. Help make her college degree possible.
MSU Billings provides all the building blocks for success: individual attention, expert professors, respected academic programs—and a friendly, safe, fun and enriching environment. 406-657-2888 1-800-565-MSUB www.msubillings.edu
Tuition Waivers for Seniors As a senior you qualify to take on-site or online classes for credit at reduced cost. You are also welcome to audit courses. Call 406-657-2888 for details.
Sweetheart seeking sweetheart. SWF, slender, athletic, fit, 65-years-old, and experienced in life. I like to fish, ski, hike, camp, quilt, cook, and write. I am honest, tactful, considerate, and understanding. I’m looking for someone who likes to do the same things I do, and who shares my values. Also, it is important that he drink very little, or none, doesn’t smoke, or do drugs. Reply MSN, Dept. 26202, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403. SWM, 58, 165 lbs, seeks true Christian lady interested in discussing the Bible and prophecy. Someone interested in gardening, country life, and alternative medicine. Will answer all replies. Reply MSN, Dept. 26203, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403. I am a white female with dark eyes, 145 lbs, and 5’ 2”, and in my middle 70s. Would like to meet a gentleman close to my age. I like dancing,
DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010
singing, dining, fishing, picnicking, playing cards, and watching TV. Hope to meet someone with the same interests. Please send a photo. Reply MSN, Dept. 26204, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403. I’m waiting to meet that tall godly gentleman in his 70s. We will go to church together and serve the Lord together. This man likes music. He appreciates good home cooking, and likes to eat out now and then. There is no room in his life for booze, tobacco, or drugs. He is clean spiritually and physically. He likes to fish and drive on short or long trips. If you fit this description please contact me. I’m waiting to hear from you. I’m 5’7”, 128 lbs, enjoy Christian TV, and music. I like to cook, and enjoy making a home. Let’s celebrate Christmas together. Reply MSN, Dept. 26205, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403. SWM, 62-years-old, 6’2”, 210 lbs, N/S, retired, who meets life challenges with honesty, compassion, humor, and a positive attitude. Enjoy travel, animals, music, walks, country living, gardening, and romantic evenings. Seeking friendship with a like minded lady. No email. Reply MSN, Dept. 26206, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403. Life is too short not to be shared or not to have fun. I am a white female, widow, Christian, 70-year-old, looking for friendship and/or companionship. I have brown hair, blue eyes, and stand 5’7”. I enjoy dancing, movies, yard sales, dining out, local football and baseball games, taking walks, day trips, and spending time with friends. I work part-time at an elementary school where I have been for 33 years. I love pets! I am looking for a friend or companion who shares my same interests, is a non-smoker, who enjoys laughing, has good communication skills, an honest, open personality, and enjoys life. Reply MSN, Dept. 26207, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403. WANTED: One good woman, age, and looks unimportant. Me, mid 60s, SWM, fit, honest, and romantic. I am a non-smoker, non-drinker, enjoy boating, and am a wrangler type guy. Prefer someone in the Billings and outlying areas. Will answer all. Reply MSN, Dept. 26208, c/o Montana Senior
News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403. DWM, 62, N/S, N/D, 5’8”, 155 lbs, green eyes, long dark silver hair, and retired. My interests are my dogs, pontoon boating, swimming, country living, prospecting, some fishing, metaphysical subjects, exploring the Northwest by water, etc. I would like to hear from a woman who is independent, retired, height and weight proportionate, with an adventurous spirit, and some similar interests. I am in Missoula country. I will respond to all letters. Please enclose a phone number and I’ll call you. Reply MSN, Dept. 26209, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403. Eastern Montana, 76-years-young, classy country lady, 5’8”, blonde, long geared, taking care of myself, and healthy. Needs to find a Mr. Right to build an overtime relationship with right person, who is intelligent and financially secure, no smoking, drinking, drugs, and an abiding citizen. I am not a caregiver or work horse. I have many interests. Will answer letters, please send a picture. Reply MSN, Dept. 26210, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403. DWF, NS, mid-60s young, looking for male companion to hike, fish, travel, dine, and dance through our golden years. NW area of Montana, but will respond to your reply. Please send a picture with your letter. Reply MSN, Dept. 26211, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403. Male companion in his late 70s, non-drinker, non-smoker, and no drugs of any kind. I am looking for a lady companion around the same age or early to mid 80s. I like to travel and fish. Reply MSN, Dept. 26212, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403. SWF, a widow, looking for a companion 70 to mid 80s. My interests are traveling, dancing, music, and history. I am a non-smoker, and social drinker. I’m friendly, faithful, and open to new experiences. I live in the Billings area. Reply MSN, Dept. 26213, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403. WWF, 70-years-old, 5’3”, 170 lbs, brown eyes, brown hair, secure, honest, open minded, understanding, loyal, easy going, and kind. I like
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to camp, fish, a variety of sports, dining out, and watching television. Looking for someone interested in a quiet life. I also enjoy western music and music from the 60s and 70s. Looking for someone between 68 and 75, 170 to 250 lbs, and 5’6” to 6’11”. Please send photo and phone number. Reply MSN, Dept. 26214, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403. Retired, nice looking, amiable, SWM, seeking a 60 something, youthful lady, anti-tobacco, trim not slim, will relocate a plus, healthy, no drugs, large breed sociable dog friendly, light drinker OK, pleasant looking, outdoor type, non-gambler, for a LTR. I am a non-hunter, gambler, drugs, tattoos, body piercing, and have all my teeth, good eye sight, and health conscience. I’m clean shaven, blue eyes, salt and pepper hair, 5’8”, 180 lbs, seldom have a drink. I have forest land with rental homes. I love wild salmon, other ocean fish, lake swimming, bicycling, exploring, friendly sports, tennis, picnics, good movies, and hugs. Reply MSN, Dept. 26215, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403. I am a retired male in my mid sixties, looking for a lady about my age or younger. I am in pretty good shape, very active, love the outdoors, and go south in winter when I can. I am looking for a best friend with a positive attitude and likes to play and be a kid again. Cuddling, traveling, camping, hiking, and sports are all fun. I do not do drugs or smoke. I live in northwestern Montana. Please send a picture and reply soon. Reply MSN, Dept. 26216, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403. Married teacher most of my life - now retired from both. No real desire to do either again. But sometimes it’s nice to have a special lady to hang out with to share some slow-lane adventures. If you’re 60-ish, live in central Montana, and feel you might be that lady, please write. A short “bio” and a recent picture would be nice. I will answer. Reply MSN, Dept 26217, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403. I am in my late 60s, young for my age, looking for a dancing partner, and friendship in the Bozeman area. Would like a picture with your reply. Reply MSN, Dept 26218, c/o Montana Senior News, Box 3363, Great Falls, MT 59403. MSN
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Connect with Christmas Past at the Legacy Doll Museum, Billings
New Schedule. 89.1 Missoula
89. 9
Kalispell Great Falls
News ‘til 9am. 91.3 Butte
91.5
N. Missoula
mtpr.org
91.7
91.9
Helena Whitefish Dillon
Hamilton
Montana Public Radio The University of Montana Missoula MT 59812 800.325.1565 406.243.4931
By Bernice Karnop, Photo courtesy of Legacy Doll Museum “Curley haired dolls that cuddle and coo” have been a staple in Santa’s bag for… forever. This December at the Legacy Doll Museum in Billings, you can peek at what Santa brought to your house when you were a child, as well as to your mom’s and grandma’s houses when they were children. “Christmas is a wonderful time to visit the Doll Museum,” says Dale Bochy, who opened the museum two years ago. In addition to the permanent collection of more than 500 antique and vintage dolls, she and Joedie Johnson, a writer who works at the museum, filled their Christmas room with trees, dolls, vintage ornaments, art, and vintage Santas. Dale, 57, is a Great Falls native whose love of dolls started in childhood. Her 30-year collection got away from her and when she found a building, she opened the museum to share it with the community and help educate others about how to appreciate and preserve dolls. Dolls connect us to our childhood, good or bad, according to Dale. The first thing many people do when they come in is tell their own stories. Sometimes the dolls help them resolve childhood issues. For example, a man whose mother collected dolls always felt that she loved them more than she loved him. After he toured the museum, he felt noticeably better. Many collectible dolls are simply beautiful works of art. They also tell history in a unique way. One doll, donated to the museum by a woman who received it during World War II, came from Germany. The doll-maker believed that dolls should have little expression on their faces. Hitler’s government thought that made German children look unhappy so he ordered her to stop manufacturing them. The story of this particular doll indicates that they kept making them in spite of the order. Dolls provide a wealth of political history, but they also have a personal connection to family history. Dale teaches people how to store them properly – keep them from extreme temperatures, wrap them in cloth, and lay them face down so their eyes do not drop back into their heads. She will also tell you to journal the story of your dolls to give to your family. Does she have a favorite doll? “That would be almost a sin,” she insists. “You wouldn’t do that to your child and I wouldn’t do that to my dolls.” Instead, she has some important dolls. These include French dolls from the 1880s from a company called Bru and others from their competitor Jumeau. She has wonderful German dolls from
DECEMBER 2009/JANUARY 2010
1910, and a nursery filled with baby dolls in elaborate christening dresses from the 1890s. “What sets us apart is the way they are staged,” says Dale. The Legacy Doll Museum displays the dolls in vignettes using 4,000 vintage accessories, like stoves and tables, which are lovely and valuable in their own right. This museum is one of a kind in Montana, with the nearest comparable one being in Seattle. Bring your grandsons along with your granddaughters. Vintage toys like the Schoenhut Humpty Dumpty circus tent with all its accoutrements fascinate boys (and men). If you have never heard of Schoenhut, Google it before you go. The Legacy Doll Museum stages special events such as a tea in the spring and a doll sale in the fall. They set up several doll appraisals
throughout the year. To keep up with their events, visit their website, www.legacydollmuseum.com or call the museum at 406-252-0041. The wheelchair-accessible Legacy Doll Museum is at 3206 6th Avenue North, in Billings. Admission is adults, $5; seniors 65+, $4; and children under 12, $3. There is no charge for visiting the store if you want to dash in without taking time to tour the museum. The store sells antique, vintage, and moderns dolls. Members are allowed to sell their collectable dolls on consignment, so the merchandise is always changing. “If you are a doll collector you will appreciate the Legacy Doll Museum. If you are not a doll collector you will love it,” says Dale. “There’s something for everyone.” MSN
The Family Tree of Vincent Van Gogh Submitted by Julie Hollar His dizzy aunt… Verti Gogh. His brother who ate prunes… Gotta Gogh. His brother who worked at a convenience store… Stop N Gogh. His grandfather from Yugoslavia… U Gogh. His magician uncle… Where-diddy Gogh. His Mexican cousin… A Mee Gogh. His Mexican cousin’s American half-brother… Gring Gogh. His nephew who drove a stagecoach… Wellsfar Gogh.
The Holiday Spirit Shines
This holiday season soak up a little holiday spirit by visiting the Moss Mansion. 16 Christmas Trees on display throughout the house! HOLIDAY HOURS begin NOVEMBER 17 Open Sunday and Tuesday through Friday 1 to 3pm Saturday, 10am to 3pm Tours on the hour with the last tour beginning at 3 pm. Groups welcome!
M OSS M ANSION
HISTORIC HOUSE MUSEUM 914 Division Street Billings, MT 406-256-5100
The Mansion is available for weddings & special events.
His constipated uncle… Can’t Gogh. His ballroom dancing aunt… Tang Gogh. His bird lover uncle… Flamin Gogh. His fruit-loving cousin… Man Gogh. His aunt who taught positive thinking… Wayto-Gogh. His little bouncy nephew… Poe Gogh. His sister who loved disco dancing… Go Gogh. And his niece who travels the country in an RV… Winnie Bay Gogh. MSN
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SENIOR LIVING GUIDE MON TANA
Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not the Rehab person in Room 127...
WINTER 2009
TM
Please visit us online to see all of our services as well as what makes us special in Montana.
In Billings, Montana: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Let Our Community Be Yours.â&#x20AC;?
His name is Phil.
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He is an Engineer, a fly fisherman and chief of the bar-b-que. Your Dad and Husband. Our Friend and Neighbor.
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In Western Montana:
We Care Because You Care. What is Rehabilitation?
ramps, stairs, and Wii fit on flat screen TVs to enhance balance. But it is really our people By Karen Powers who make the difference. Our therapists are always inventing A fall, break, accident, stroke, heart attack or decline of strength new and interesting ways to get you back to your best self. are all reasons for rehabilitation therapy to be prescribed. Our mission is a holistic At Innovative Rehabilitation, approach toward wellness: led by physical therapist and Physical Therapists work on geriatric specialist Amy Paris, our strength, mobility, coordination cadre of physical, occupational and dexterity so you can walk and speech therapists, latest farther, stand up straighter and equipment, technologies and keep your balance. facilities are designed to get you Occupational Therapists help you back on your feet. develop coordination and create techniques such as how to get in and out of the shower or how to cook or do laundry when you have just been given a walker. Speech Therapists work to strengthen the muscles used in speech, improving speech clarity, articulation, redeveloping speech and language skills, swallowing techniques, and eating and communication techniques. How do we do it? Therapists work Therapy at Innovative with clients by using interesting Rehabilitation is one of the best exercise equipment, model ways to return to a quality of life kitchens to help with coordination, we all deserve.
Innovative Rehabilitation can be found in Billings at Valley Health Care Center, Billings Health & Rehabilitation and Westpark Village.
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We Care Because You Care.