MyNorth Inspired Life, Spring 2023

CONTENTS

4 BIKING WITH E-ASE

How a little power assist can help you expand and level up your biking game.

7 MEDICARE AHEAD

We ask an insurance specialist how to navigate the Medicare maze. Turns out, there’s a lot to know.

10

NEVER TOO OLD FOR TRX

For seniors, heading into a fitness center for the first time in years— or the first time ever—can be intimidating. But as Carol Hilton found out, working through your fears pays off in muscle.

16

GOLD-STANDARD GRANDPARENTING

Searching for all-ages fun for hangtime with your grand-littles?

We rounded up favorite outings that’ll prove one undeniable truth: Nana and Papa know what’s good.

22

SECOND SHIFT

What if retirees in the region took supporting small businesses to another level?

WELCOME TO INSPIRED LIFE.

At the heart of this magazine is the idea that at every age, we share a common love of this place we call home. Meet new neighbors embracing adventures—both big and small. Discover ways to give back to the people, land and water of this region. Find real advice for taking good care of family, friends and loved ones. Tap into a true joy for the outdoors that keeps our inner lives vibrant and our bodies well. Connect. Join in. Find smart and new ways to inspire your life Up North.—the Editors

BIKING WITH E-ASE

How a little power assist can help you expand and level up your biking game.

by CINDY ROSS

There’s an image of a tiny cyclist on top of a straight line in the computer window on my ebike’s handlebar. When I spin the twist shifter, the line pops up like a hill, growing steeper the farther I turn it. I coordinate the actual steep hill that I’m cycling up with the little dude’s hill in the optical display. After my trail levels out, I crank my guy back to a flat line and we both roll effortlessly along.

I thought I should wait to ride an e-bike until I was too old for my traditional, pedal-driven bicycle, but my friend, Tim Brick, who founded Brick Wheels in Traverse City, told me otherwise. He’s out riding with me showing me the e-bike’s many shiny benefits; I already like my buddy in the computer screen.

An electric bike’s built-in motor with a rechargeable battery expands your possibilities no matter your age or fitness level. Surveys have found that the majority of e-bike riders are 50 to 70 years old, wanting to reinvigorate their interest in bikes. Maybe you have a health ailment, or bad knees or hips that prevent you from hopping on a traditional bicycle. Many e-bikes have “low step frames” enabling you to mount or dismount safely.

But e-bikes aren’t exclusive to those 50-plus. All types of cyclists are choosing them. Some are parents or grandparents who want to tow kids (or a canine companion) in a bike trailer. Others may live up a steep hill or want to ride more difficult routes. Still others want to supplement their transportation with a bike—riding to work and arriving at the same time as those who are sitting in traffic.

can have sophisticated displays that allow you to gauge calorie burn and cadence (pedal speed). They can remember previous routes and give you turn-by-turn directions. And they can even interface with a smartphone and give you elevation gain and GPS coordinates. “An e-bike is not magical,” Brick says, although it sure sounds like it to me.

WHERE TO RENT E-BIKES

Brick now takes me to the 4-mile Boardman Lake Loop Trail, where we ride alongside the lakeshore with blooming lily pads, across wooden bridges, over boardwalks, through cool pine forests and even some fun dirt singletrack. When I have to pull a hill, I dial my tiny bike friend up on the computer screen to show him ascending a hill, and together we destroy the climb.

Brick Wheels

736 E. Eighth St., Traverse City

Pedego Electric Bikes

823 S. Garfield Ave., Traverse City

Bayfront Beach and Bike

130 River St., Elk Rapids

Inn at Bay Harbor

3600 Village Harbor Dr., Bay Harbor

Latitude 45 Bicycles and Fitness

476 W. Mitchell St., Petoskey

Ride Leelanau

204 N. St. Joseph St., Suttons Bay

Suttons Bay Bikes

318 N. St. Joseph St. A, Suttons Bay

There are three kinds of electronic bikes on the market, Brick explains. Class I is pedal assist and will propel you to 20 mph, but only assisting when it feels pressure on the pedals. The computer senses the torque of your pedal—when you push harder and exert more pressure, the bike can register your effort and jump in to help.

Coastline Cycles

1100 Main St., Frankfort

Class II e-bikes have a throttle and are a bit more like a moped. You don’t need to pedal at all in order to be propelled forward. Bummer factor: These models are not allowed on bike trails.

Class III is similar to Class l, but its motor has a higher output with a zippy top speed of 28 mph. Both Class I and III

I keep my bike in the lowest of the four settings, ECO, but there is also touring, sport and turbo. (I can also shift gears, as with a traditional bike.) Each higher setting uses more battery and cuts back on your cycling time before needing a recharge. Both Class I and III get you 80 miles down the trail, but that will vary with the battery and motor type.

When we get to the end of the trail, Tim has me try the Class I e-bike. He says I will only notice a difference in the bike’s performance if I try to open it up at high speeds. Without my computer buddy, I make my own decisions on when to shift.

I initially thought riding an e-bike was not a workout, but it is actually an excellent one. By constantly pedaling, kicking along at 10 to 12 mph (a standard pace), you are getting a steady aerobic workout. The aim is to pedal at 80 revolutions per minute and your ebike’s gears will assist you in making that happen. Most of the time you can ride in ECO and have a ton of fun. This setting gives you the longest battery range—just drop it into turbo to get up a steep hill.

“I hear guys say, ‘I’m not that old yet,’ but what are they going to do, sit in the house until then?” Brick says. “I used to ride 50 to 70 miles every Sunday on my manual bike, but after a bunch of surgeries and arthritis challenges, I find myself grabbing my e-bike more and more often. How many times do you want to ride but you’re tired from work? With your e-bike it doesn’t matter.”

MEDICARE

AHEAD

Longtime Northern Michigan

local Elizabeth Edwards wears multiple hats: editor by day, wine bar owner by night. Life is way too much fun to hang up either and stop working, but as she nears 65 she wants to better understand her Medicare options. So, she turned to Andi Dolan, independent insurance specialist and founder of Traverse Benefits to help her navigate the Medicare maze.

by ELIZABETH EDWARDS AND ANDI DOLAN

ELIZABETH EDWARDS: Can you outline the parts and pieces in play?

ANDI DOLAN: The main terms you’ll hear are Parts A, B and D.

Part A: Hospital and hospice insurance you have been pre-paying via payroll taxes your entire working career.

Part B: Medical insurance (medically necessary and preventive care) you will be required to purchase if you do not have employer-based coverage. You’ll have higher premiums if you had elevated income two years prior to enrollment.

Part D: Drug coverage you are required to purchase in order to avoid penalty.

photo by Dave Weidner

MODERN DESIGN. MADE FOR THE WAY YOU LIVE.

Let Thomas & Milliken Millwork help you see Modern design differently.

MODERN DESIGN. MADE FOR THE WAY YOU LIVE.

Let Thomas & Milliken Millwork help you see Modern design differently.

MODERN DESIGN. MADE FOR THE WAY YOU LIVE.

MODERN DESIGN. MADE FOR THE WAY YOU LIVE.

MODERN DESIGN. MADE FOR THE WAY YOU LIVE.

MODERN DESIGN. MADE FOR THE WAY YOU LIVE.

Let Thomas & Milliken Millwork help you see Modern design differently.

Let Thomas & Milliken Millwork help you see Modern design differently.

Let Thomas & Milliken Millwork help you see Modern design differently.

Let Thomas & Milliken Millwork help you see Modern design differently.

Petoskey and Traverse City MI www.tmmill.com

Petoskey and Traverse City MI www.tmmill.com

©2021 Marvin Lumber and Cedar Co., LLC.

EE: I’ve been getting all kinds of information…

AD: You’ve been targeted. Six months before turning 65, your demographic data might be attached to a report known as T65. This allows insurance companies of various sizes to seek and find prospects so they may “sell” you Advantage or Supplemental Plans to augment original Medicare (Parts A, B, D).

Seek guidance early from your trusted professional circle. There are many moving parts and pieces to your personal Medicare equation. Talking often with knowledgeable local experts may optimize your planning (and comfort).

20 W-2 employees, your group policy pays first and Medicare becomes secondary.

Most (but not all) active employees who remain attached to group offerings enroll in only Part A, which could lower your group deductible exposures should hospitalization claims occur (yet primacy matters). Working beyond 65 years of age is a common occurrence. Get educated so you may understand how each of these parts fits your unique situation and the decisions that come with it.

2. You can delay your Part B and D enrollment if your medically necessary services and creditable prescription coverages are currently provided through your employer-based program. While enrolled in an employer-sponsored health care plan, you are in a protected class (which means late Medicare enrollment penalties will not occur). When you do decide to leave your group policy, you will need to align your Part B and D enrollment and decide which “strategy” will augment original Medicare.

3. The type of plan you are offered through your employer matters. Health Savings Accounts and Medicare do collide. If you are enrolled in a Health Savings plan and enrolled in original Medicare Parts A, B, D (one or a combo of any) your tax favored contributions are no longer valid. Your tax professional should be your first call for advice and guidance.

EE: I love my job and plan to work beyond age 65, like a lot of my friends. What do I need to consider?

AD: You should know there is interplay between employer-based coverage and original Medicare (Parts A, B, D).  A few other things to know:

1. The size of your employer matters. For smaller organizations with fewer than 20 W-2 employees, Medicare can become the primary payer when coordinating your care with employer-based coverage. Larger employers with more than

EE: Where do I go to enroll in Medicare?  AD: Oddly enough, beginning your initial enrollment into original Medicare (Parts A, B) starts at the Social Security Administration. Website access, SSA.gov, has just gotten easier, with a redesigned website for 2023. You can start this process as early as three months before your 65th birthday.

Andi Dolan is owner of Traverse Benefits, a local independent insurance agency advocating and providing health, life and disability solutions for employers, individuals and Medicare beneficiaries across Northern Michigan. traversebenefits.com

“Seek guidance early from your trusted professional circle. There are many moving parts and pieces to your personal Medicare equation.”

Andi Dolan

photo courtesy of Andi Dolan

FUNCTIONAL

GETTING STRONG WITH TRX

FITNESS

For seniors, heading into a fitness center for the first time in years—or the first time ever—can be intimidating. But as Carol Hilton found out, working through your fears pays off in muscle.

by ELIZABETH EDWARDS

photos by DAVE WEIDNER

Four years ago, Carol Hilton, now 65, decided to start working out at the local fitness center, Sleeping Bear Bay Club. Her motivation? Watching her mother, aunts and uncles getting weaker and weaker as they aged. While Hilton was determined to fight to keep herself strong and fit, she was so intimidated by the idea of a fitness class that she went with her daughter for the first time.

Hilton soon found a high-intensity class with trainer Stacy Jago that motivated her enough to make the 10-plus-mile drive to the gym from her house three times a week, sometimes as early as 6 a.m. Comfortable as she was at Sleeping Bear Bay Club, Hilton was hesitant to try the contraption of straps and handles/foot cradles known as the TRX machine. “I felt like I wasn’t coordinated enough to work it all,” she says.

TRX, also known as Total Body Resistance Exercise, was created by a Navy Seal to give Seals, quartered in tight, far-flung places where there is no access to weights, a way to use their body as resistance weight. Beyond developing strength, TRX is a great way to foster mobility because it allows the user to work threedimensionally, as opposed to working out on a weight bench or other type of stationary machines. That feature is important to Jago, whose training philosophy is based on movement. “The

more you move, the more you can move,” says Jago, a black level (similar to a black belt in martial arts) TRX trainer. “TRX forces you to stabilize your body and your joints and core and you get more range of motion,” she says. All of which is particularly important as people age. “We still have to carry ourselves around. Sit down, stand up, climb stairs … TRX really helps with that,” Jago says.

While TRX is most often associated with young athletes (and Navy Seal types) working against their full body weight to gain strength, users are also able to control how much body weight they resist through foot position and stance—positioning known as unloading weight. That aspect allows Jago to work with people with specific injuries, such as to knees and hips, and seniors who can’t handle resisting all of their own weight but still need exercise in the three basic planes of motion—front to back, side to side and rotationally. Such was the case with the 70-something woman Jago worked with this summer who walked into the gym with the assistance of two canes because she recently had a rod put into her back. “Once I learned what her body could do, I just needed to modify the exercises for her,” Jago says.

To make TRX more appealing to students, Jago incorporates it into a class officially called Functional Fitness but which Jago refers to as “TRX and toys.” “We do some TRX exercises and then I bring other things like weights, bands and balls,” she says.

All the work, says Hilton, has eliminated her back pain and other aches and pains she’d begun to feel as she aged. With the comfort has come more mobility and strength—Hilton has been known to wow fellow students half her age with the length of time she can hold a plank. All of which is enough motivation to keep her heading to the gym, TRX and all, for “the rest of my life,” she says.

“THE MORE YOU MOVE, THE MORE YOU CAN MOVE.”

Carol Hilton and Trainer Stacy Jago

ALL THE RIGHT MOVES

Carol Hilton demonstrates gamechanging TRX moves recommended by trainer Stacy Jago.

1) TRX Chest Press

Works your core, chest, triceps, shoulders and legs.

Why it matters: These muscles help us negotiate ourselves out of chairs, push shopping carts and carry groceries and grandchildren.

2) TRX Balance Lunge

Works your legs and enhances mobility and stability of the ankle, knee and hip.

Why it matters: This exercise helps with getting up and down stairs, in and out of chairs and maintaining balance during daily activities—abilities that we star t to lose as we age.

3) TRX Suspended Crunch

Works your core, shoulders, triceps and legs.

Why it matters: This move strengthens and stabilizes all the muscles of your core and helps with ever y aspect of daily life.

4) TRX Back Row

Works your core, back, biceps, shoulders and legs.

Why it matters: This is helpful with shoveling, gardening, lifting and carrying objects.

NEVER GET SO BUSY MAKING A LIVING, THAT YOU FORGET TO MAKE A LIFE.

GOLD-STANDARD GRANDPARENTING

Searching for all-ages fun for hangtime with your grand-littles?

We rounded up favorite outings that’ll prove one undeniable truth: Nana and Papa know what’s good.

by CARLY SIMPSON

Cozy up with a Snow Days day pass.

Dip into the steamy, 94-degree outdoor pool, unwind in the sauna, roast s’mores, play board games by a roaring fire ... this all-access pass at Traverse City’s Delamar hotel is delightfully cozy. Daily passes available Sunday through Thursday until March 30.

Devour Tom’s Mom’s Cookies.

This pastel-painted cookie shop with gingerbread trim has been baking up delicious family memories in Harbor Springs since 1985. Work off that sugar buzz at nearby Thorne Swift Nature Preserve’s 1.5-mile trail system (typically open April 15 to November 15).

Go strawberry pickin’.

In mid-June, U-Picks and farmstands overflow with plump, juicy berries. Two favorites: Urka Farm in Brethren and Jacob’s Farm in Traverse City (get a pizza afterward from Jacob’s Kitchen).

Make furry friends at Hungry Ducks Farm.

Cuddle goats, feed sheep, take a hay ride, spin on the carousel, fish in the trout pond and don’t miss the model trains. And that’s just the start of the fun at this Charlevoix attraction.

Sail Grand Traverse Bay.

Two Brothers Sailing offers a private Power Island Cruise that lets you play out your Swiss Family Robinson dreams. Spend five hours with up to six guests sailing crystal clear waters, swimming to shore and exploring the island, and then picnic and relax back on the boat (pack your own food and drinks).

Find hidden clues … and your way out.

At Know Way Out in Petoskey, your group has 60 minutes to escape a meticulously themed room (think medieval castle, spy academy, Bermuda Triangle) by solving puzzles, completing challenges and finding hidden clues. Recommended for ages 12 and up.

Yo ho, yo ho—a pirate’s life for me.

Join a crew of swashbuckling buccaneers on the pirate ship Good Fortune. Operated by Star Line Mackinac Island Ferry Company, it offers passage to or from Mackinac Island along with evening cruises.

Be a pinball wizard.

Family-friendly Right Brain Brewery in Traverse City has an impressive lineup of arcade games, including pinball, Skee-Ball and Ms. Pac-Man. Order dill pickle popcorn and a soda from the bar, then play the silver ball. Bonus Points: Bike to the brewery along the Boardman Lake Loop Trail.

Walk an old-growth forest. Hartwick Pines State Park near Grayling is home to some of the state’s last old-growth pines. Hike the accessible, paved 1.25-mile Old Growth Forest Trail (stroller and ADA friendly) that’s adjacent to the visitor center. Watch for annual events like maple-syrup tapping and wood-shaving days in July.

photo by Carly Simpson

photo by Gail Snable

Power Island

Hungry Ducks Farms

Search for shipwrecks.

Glass Bottom Shipwreck Tours in Munising take you on a two-hour Lake Superior excursion past sandy beaches, colorful sandstone cliffs, a historic lighthouse, Grand Island and two shipwrecks. Daily from Memorial Weekend until the end of September.

Hop a ferry to Paradise.

Board the Emerald Isle in Charlevoix and fill a weekend on Beaver Island with mountain biking, snorkeling, kayaking and simply sitting ’round a bonfire.

Meet real life lumberjacks.

At Mackinaw City’s Jack Pine Lumberjack Shows, audience members are divided into rival logging camps—the Mill Creek camp versus the Mackinaw City camp—and they cheer wildly as lumberjacks scale cedar poles, race across floating logs and send wood chips flying.

Wander in wonder.

A few area museum exhibits we love: Wonderground and its archaeological dig site at the Upper Peninsula Children’s Museum; the giant Lite-Brite board in the interactive Discovery Gallery at Traverse City’s Dennos; the theater stage (lots of costumes and instruments!) at Sandcastles in Ludington.

Kayak the Crystal River.

Pretty in every season, but especially fun during October’s salmon run when the river is teeming with large fish heading upstream to spawn. Rentals available at Crystal River Outfitters; the team will drop you off and a two- to three-hour paddle will land you right back at the shop in downtown Glen Arbor.

Believe in fairies.

Discover Alden’s delightfully mischievous “dinkies” and their eight doors scattered throughout town (more info online at aldenvolunteers.com). Or explore the homes of forest fairies at The Botanic Garden at Historic Barns Park in Traverse City.

photo by Dave Weidner

photo by Taylor Brown

Jack Pine Lumberjack Shows

Crystal River

SECOND SHIFT

Retirees are finding jobs— and a sense of belonging—while saving the day for small-town businesses.

by EMILY TYRA

photos by DAVE WEIDNER

You might notice a small posse of women of a certain age out and about in Cadillac. They meet to walk in the mornings, shop for cruise-wear together, watch each other’s cats, co-host a community book club in a nearby greenhouse. They even throw Cadillac’s biggest tea party every spring.

They live in town or the surrounding lake and farm country—one in the shadow of Caberfae Peaks, another in Boon, one out in Luther in the next county over. But, truly, these farflung neighbors may not have found this close-knit friendship if it weren’t for a singular thread: They all work at Horizon Books Cadillac.

The bookstore has been an anchor in town for 31 years. Manager Tereesa Arn says the Cadillac store’s steady success in recent years is due in part to a silver bullet: “I hire reliable retirees who are friendly, extraordinary, flexible and don’t require a living wage,” she shares. “All of my staff except myself and a soon-to-be retiring teacher fit these criteria—six retirees in total.”

It’s no secret Northern Michigan’s small towns and vacation communities are desperately seeking employees, a longstanding dilemma exacerbated by the pandemic and by the stark lack of workforce housing. Arn says that her cohorts at Horizon Books in Traverse City tell her that hiring locals 55 and up

as part-time staff is a model “they’d love to emulate, if people would come forward.”

The hope is with enough people stepping into these roles, even for a few days a week, the region’s robust retiree population could have the potential to help flip the script on the local labor narrative.

A multigenerational workforce may not be a total stretch in thinking. As Forbes reported last fall, while more than 2 million people retired nationally during the first 18 months of the pandemic than was otherwise expected, they now appear to be heading back to work. Forbes described this trend as “quiet returning”—a generational slant rhyme on the term “quiet quitting,” which Gen Z popularized via TikTok videos that shared the art of doing just enough at a job without letting it take over your life.

Forbes analysts note that retirees are quietly returning for more than money. While survey data from Joblist indicated a certain number of those quietly returning to work were doing so because they needed the money or feared inflation was eroding their retirement nest egg, the largest percent of retirees returning to work said they were simply in need of something fulfilling to do.

As Benzie Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Michelle Barefoot brings home, “most retirees who I know

Laura Henry, Vlasta Bovee, Linda Becktel

enjoy their ‘free time’ for a while before they get bored. There is only so much golf and gardening that one can do before they miss … the routine.”

Barefoot adds, “These folks are the cream of the crop, they have the experience and expertise, but may not want to necessarily engage fully back into the workforce.”

Instead, she notes, they typically look into volunteering at a nonprofit organization. “In Benzie’s case: Benzie Area Christian Neighbors, Oliver Art Center, Benzie Senior Resources and the Benzie Historical Museum are often flooded with senior volunteers; plus, all of the church quilt bees and other engagements at their houses of worship.”

But what can happen if some retirees consider—in addition to their volunteer roles—working at small local businesses, supporting their entrepreneurial neighbors within the quaint villages they love?

As Arn has discovered, to her delight, it’s the potential for a symbiotic relationship where everyone’s needs are being met.

“They are incredible employees,” she says of her senior dream team at Horizon Books Cadillac. “Resilient. It’s amazing the details they pick up and do without asking.”

Three have experience as librarians, one has experience in the restaurant business, still another is a retired police officer from the Chicago Police Department.

That’s Laura Henry, who moved to downtown Cadillac from downtown Chicago 12 years ago. After renovating her 120-year-old house, Henry started volunteering at the local elementary library, launching a “Reading Rivalry” competition for kids in Cadillac. Arn recognized Henry’s pluck and quickly hired her.

Having a seasoned cop sharing her knowledge is a boon: “We’re downtown and open late; there are real-world situations that crop up and they can handle those,” Arn notes, adding, “When you’re hired on, not only are you helping customers, you’re also doing the computer system, you’re a barista, you’re a janitor.”

She says her senior staff bring flexibility in scheduling, as none of them work full time.

“Everyone is really good at taking care of everyone else,” explains Carla Choponis, of their willingness to cover for

coworkers. Choponis previously worked in Pine River Schools in the computer lab and the library. “This was just a perfect place for a retirement job, two or three days a week.”

The benefits for Choponis are concrete. “I live way out in the country, so it’s nice to come in and see people. The more you keep busy, the better you’re going to be health-wise.”

What’s more, the bookstore gig still allows for a rich, full life says Vlasta Bovee, who lives near the ski hill Caberfae Peaks. The store’s only octogenarian employee moved from Colorado

THEY ARE INCREDIBLE EMPLOYEES. RESILIENT.

IT’S AMAZING THE DETAILS THEY PICK UP AND DO WITHOUT ASKING.

Judy Jenema

Whether you head North for vacation or a day trip. Start planning your next adventure on MyNorth.com

THIS WAS JUST A PERFECT PLACE FOR A RETIREMENT JOB,

A WEEK.

17 years ago and, because she adores downhill skiing, commits to just one day a week at the bookstore. “She’s my Saturday girl,” says Arn. “I never have to worry.”

Horizon ladies don’t hesitate to share their gifts with the community: They lead story hours. The walls are covered with loaner pieces from Henry’s quilting club. Choponis parlays her passion for collecting teapots and teacups into a ticketed tea party, held each spring. It’s an immense labor of love done by the entire staff who serve their guests from their own china.

Tea time is a beloved locals’ event, but Arn says the staff also shine as small-town ambassadors to the seasonal influx of visitors to Cadillac’s lakes and campgrounds. Bovee loves that people on vacation seek out the bookstore and is delighted to

help kids and young adults find their summer reads. Choponis considers it a badge of honor that the local bookstore is not a dying breed in Cadillac: “With big bookstores closing down, even ones in the big cities, we hear often, ‘It’s such a nice bookstore. There isn’t one close to me…’”

Arn has witnessed how a small cadre of retirees has meant stability and success for staffing. But even one senior community member deciding to roll up their sleeves can move the needle for a small business. In Leelanau County and other desirable vacation destinations, the shortage of affordable homes and long-term rental options adds to the struggle of finding and retaining employees.

Nevertheless, small business owners must make hay when the sun shines.

Case in point, Leelanau County’s Tom and Kathleen Koch who raise Mangalitsa pigs, poultry, eggs and vegetables at their 14-acre homestead and also operate the Polish Art Center boutique in the village of Cedar, the region’s unofficial Polka Capital, and home of the annual Polka Fest.

Last spring, after hearing countless customers ask where the Polish restaurant is in town, the Kochs planned to open their farm-to-table Polish food truck starting Memorial Day weekend. With one hitch. They needed a dependable person to take food orders while Kathleen ran the store and Tom helmed the stoves and grill.

Then, like kismet, Jane Sapardanis, a Maple City resident and retiree, popped into the Polish gift shop. “They were telling

TWO OR THREE DAYS

photo by John Konkal

Polish Countryside Kitchen

me about the food truck and getting all their ducks in a row. My son-in-law Eric was with me, and said, ‘You are looking at the right person to help you.’”

Indeed, Sapardanis ran a successful casual eatery in Grand Blanc, Shap’s Family Restaurant, for 15 years.

Kathleen Koch hired her on the spot, grateful to then focus on other aspects of launching the business. The buoying feeling was mutual, says Sapardanis, “I thought, wow, she’s hiring me and knows I am a certain age. I felt very relieved. I was in need of a job and an income boost.”

Sapardanis was with Polish Countryside Kitchen from opening day, through all the exciting growing pains. Soon folks were driving from miles away for the Kochs’ old-country recipes: pickle soup, cabbage rolls, garden cucumber salad with dill, sausages and pierogi sizzled on the grill. The alleyway was delightfully transformed with garden lights and garland, the picnic tables held fresh-cut flowers. Sapardanis’s smile was a constant welcome in the window.

“I was blown away by the bravery of Kathleen and Tom doing this,” she says. “Any restaurant business is a huge undertaking … I knew what was ahead. Luckily, they are people with open minds, so I could say, ‘Let’s try it this way.’ There were moments we were all overwhelmed, but they could quickly move on—a healthy attitude in that environment.”

Sapardanis adds, “I was glad to tap back into what was a very exciting part of my life. It was beautiful to watch the business bloom, and I was so happy to be a part of it.”

The Kochs saw firsthand the assets an older workforce brings to a burgeoning business. So, what would it take for Northern Michigan to be a trailblazer in this trend?

It could be as simple as stepping up to work for a neighbor you admire, or a retail or hospitality business you already frequent, says Sapardanis.

Sapardanis also encourages curious seniors who aren’t currently working but are seeking a job to check out AARP’s Senior Community Service Employment Program (see “Retirees at Work,” right).

The Polish Countryside Kitchen food truck will be back full throttle this spring, and Sapardanis hopes to reprise her gig.

“Every single person who came to the truck had a smile on their face. They’d say, ‘My grandmother made food just like this,’ and it would bring back all these sentimental feelings.” She adds, “I am 74 years old and a part of something brand new and exciting with people who are amazingly smart and talented. I’m so grateful they took a chance on me. I can’t wait to see what happens next.”

RETIREES AT WORK

How one program trains jobseeking seniors to find their perfect part-time gigs.

Maple City’s Jane Sapardanis found seasonal employment in her golden years at a food truck in Cedar, but not everyone seeking a job postretirement is ready to dive into a part-time gig right off the bat. She encourages curious community members to check out AARP Foundation’s Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP), which helps low-income individuals aged 55-plus prepare themselves to seek and find unsubsidized employment in their local communities.

Alicia Rusch is Project Director of the SCSEP Workforce Programs for AARP Foundation’s Traverse City office. She explains that SCSEP first matches eligible older job seekers with local nonprofits and public agencies so they can increase skills and build self-confidence in these work settings. “We partner with 501c3 nonprofits, but this is not volunteer work—it is paid work training,” she shares. “Seniors who have been out of the workforce get their feet wet and acclimate to working again. They learn hard skills, soft skills and communication skills.”

SCSEP’s older job seekers work an average of 18 to 20 hours a week at the host agency and are compensated via a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Labor.

Par t two, Rusch explains, is to move out of this training experience to permanent unsubsidized employment. “We have some agency supervisors contact us to hire our program participants. Supervisors pleased with the participant’s performance will tell us this is the employee we have been waiting for,” she adds. “Seniors come from a different generation of work ethic and make up a large pool of untapped talent—more employers need to look at hiring seniors.”

AARP Foundation SCSEP of Traverse City operates one of 72 SCSEP programs across the county and is currently recruiting.

“Qualifying incomes could be due to a lifechanging event … for instance, a spouse became catastrophically ill, depleting savings. We work with the full spectrum—individuals with a master’s degree, or who have a high school education and no previous job skills. If people are on the fence, or just curious about whether they qualify, it is worth it to see as there are so many nuances with eligibility that changes that picture for them.”

“It’s a fabulous program for the 55-plus gang,” Sapardanis adds. “It changed my life.”

231.252.4544; aarpfoundation.org/scsep

Alicia Rusch

photo courtesy of Alicia Rusch