A publication of the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging
June 2013 VOL. 38 • NO. 6
ENOA 4223 Center Street Omaha, NE 68105-2431
PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID OMAHA NE PERMIT NO. 389
New Horizons ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED
Musical memories Leo Adam Biga chronicles the life of Omaha country music singer Brenda Allen. In addition to performing with names like Johnny Cash, Minnie Pearl, and Tex Ritter, Allen – as a member of The Taylor Sisters – performed for the troops in Vietnam. Her story begins on page 10.
POLKA
Inside Wasting money on cancer meds............................ 3 June calendar of events ......................................... 4
Ron Nadherny played the trumpet in area bands for more than 60 years. Recently, the Polka America Corporation presented its Frankie Award to Nadherny for his instrumental efforts in helping sustain polka music in the United States.
FGP, SCP honor volunteers ................................... 8
See page 20.
Tips for being safe while gardening..................... 17
Farmers’ Market coupons ...................................... 5 ‘Read it & eat’ ........................................................ 5 Exercising can improve your balance .................... 6 Homestead exemption apps due June 30 ............ 15 Kiewit Corporation donates paper products ........ 16 A holistic approach to treating depression .......... 16 Girl Scouts provide cookies ................................ 17
AAA program looks at impact of medications on older drivers
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Quality Care & Treatment -
Pain & Symptom Management Personal Care Services Grief Support Services Equipment, Supplies & Oxygen
www.progressivecare.com / Call
us 402-933-5836
Ombudsman Advocate A Division of ENOA
The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging is offering volunteer positions to individuals to become Ombudsman Advocates for residents of long-term care facilities and assisted living communities. Ombudsman Advocates listen to the residents’ needs and work to resolve issues. Volunteers serve two hours per week in long-term care facilities and assisted living communities and determine their own flexible work schedule. To apply to become an Ombudsman Advocate for ENOA in your community, please contact:
The Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging Ombudsman Advocate Division 402-444-6536, ext. 239
Need help qualifying for Medicaid? If you’ve been told your income is too high to qualify for Medicaid, you may have other options.
TODAY!
Celebrating 40 Years of Caring Our Legacy Continues...
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What you don’t know
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Let’s talk about the benefits that matter most to you.
Kim Shulters
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Between old wives’ tales and misinformation online, patients face a lot of confusion about health care, and self-diagnosis has become a popular practice. But when it comes to eye health, it’s important to know the facts and get the right kind of care in order to protect your vision. Older adults, who are at greatest risk for vision loss from eye disease, need to be especially diligent to keep their eyes healthy through regular checkups with ophthalmologists – medical doctors who specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of eye diseases. Eye Care America, a public service of the Foundation of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, provides eye exams and up to one year of care to men and women age 65 and older at no out-ofpocket-cost. Visit eyecareAmerica.org to see if you qualify. To help protect your vision and prevent vision loss at any age, EyeCare America clarifies five common eye health misconceptions: • Unless I feel pain or notice changes in my vision, I don’t need an eye exam. Most eye diseases, like glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration, have no early warning signs or symptoms. By the time a change in vision is noticed, the damage can be irreversible. Regardless of symptoms, regular eye exams are essential in protecting sight. • Computer screens ruin your eyesight. Spending long hours in front of a computer screen can cause eyes to feel tired and strained for a variety of reasons, including the tendency to blink less frequently. But the good news is computer screens are not responsible for any permanent damage to vision. • Kids don’t need sunglasses. Exposure to UV rays can increase your risk for AMD and cataracts. Since UV damage is cumulative, even the youngest eyes need to be protected from the sun. Make sure sunglasses block 100 percent of UVA and UVB rays, and don’t forget to wear them on the slopes or during other outdoor winter sports. Wear a hat and seek shade, too, to protect eyes from UV damage. • Vision loss is a normal part of aging. Getting older doesn’t mean vision loss is inevitable. Most vision loss can be prevented as long as you catch eye diseases early and take steps to protect your vision. Staying active, eating healthy foods, and practicing other healthy habits will help protect your vision as you age. • I just got my eyes screened when I got new glasses or contacts, so I don’t need an eye exam. Only a dilated eye exam allows an ophthalmologist to examine the entire eye and detect signs of eye disease. Even if you recently got a new prescription for glasses or contacts, you might still need a dilated eye exam. Taking proper care of our eyes is essential to preserve good vision as we age. The first step in maintaining healthy vision is to schedule regular, dilated eye exams, starting with a baseline exam by age 40. After age 65, you should schedule eye exams every one to two years or as advised by your ophthalmologist.
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ore than 80 percent of drivers age 65 and older regularly take medications, yet only half of them have talked to a medical professional about the possible subsequent safety issues related to driving. The AAA Foundation for Safety has developed Roadwise Rx, a free online tool that details common side effects of prescription and over-thecounter medications for older drivers. Roadwise Rx gives users an easy way to virtually pool together their pill bottles and talk to their doctor, according to AAA President and CEO Robert Darbeinet. Certain medications have been shown to increase automobile crash risks by up to 41 percent Research has shown nearly one in five older drivers use five or more prescription medications. AAA felt there was a need to develop a tool to help older drivers understand the safety risks of driving while using multiple medications. “In most states, including Nebraska, a motorist may be charged for driving under the influence of drugs, which includes prescription and overthe-counter medications, “ said Fred Zwonecheck, administrator of the Nebraska Office on Highway Safety. “For that reason, it’s important to know and understand the side effects of any medications being consumed before operating a motor vehicle.” For more information, log on the Internet to seniordriving.aaa.com.
Know the facts about your vision
UNMC study: Americans spending millions on cancer medications that have no benefits
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University of Nebraska Medical Center oncologist co-authored a recent article in the New England Journal of Medicine which determined the U.S. wastes an estimated $6 billion annually on popular white blood cell boosting drugs that have no medical benefits for most cancer patients using them. The drugs, filgastrim or pegylated filgastim (commonly known as Neupogen or G-CSF, and Neulasta or peg G-CSF), are routinely given to patients undergoing chemotherapy, but they only clinically benefit 10 percent of patients receiving them -- elderly patients with multiple conditions. Ninety percent of patients who get the drugs, which can cost $3,000 per round, derive no clinical benefit. Co-authors of the study were James Armitage, M.D., the Joe Shapiro Professor of Internal Medicine in the UNMC Division of Oncology/Hematology and Charlie Bennett, M.D., Ph.D., the Josie M. Fletcher Professor of Pharmacy of the University of South Carolina campus of the South Carolina College of Pharmacy. “These drugs have made a significant impact in the practice of medicine, however in oncology, they are still evolving as reflected in this article,” said Dr. Armitage, former president of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and internationally renowned lymphoma physician. The study summarizes a large body of evidence about the drugs and confirms recent recommendations by ASCO and European experts that the drugs’ usage should be limited to a small subset of patients. “This is a great illustration of what’s wrong in the American health care system. We simply cannot afford as a country to continue wasting billions of dollars on treatments that do nothing to improve the health of patients,” said Dr. Bennett. Low white blood cell counts amongst cancer patients are typically treated with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (GCSF) or pegylated G-CSF (peg G-CSF). Current guidelines indicate the agents should only be used in settings where risks of low white blood cell counts causing infections are very high. However, current practice is to administer these agents to almost all patients who receive chemotherapy in an effort to be “better safe than sorry.” ASCO has developed an initiative called Choosing Wisely in collaboration with the American Board of Internal Medicine. The initiative identified overuse of G-CSF and peg G-CSF as one of the five activities of
oncologists that, if properly addressed, would both lower the health care costs of the country and also improve the well being of cancer patients. The researchers summarized a large body of evidence using a clinical case study that found many patients have a low risk – less than 20 percent – of developing fevers and low white blood cell counts in the first place. For these patients, if they do not have other risk factors such as older age or other medical illnesses, treatment with G-CSF or peg G-CSF is not necessary, and is unlikely to improve their clinical course or prevent infections, and will greatly increase the cost of medical care. (UNMC’s Public Relations Department provided this information.) Bellevue Senior Center June 2013 events calendar
Make a donation to help support the
“Voice for Older Nebraskans!”
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Membership includes a subscription to the New Horizons newspaper. New Horizons Club Send Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging 4223 Center Street to: Omaha, NE 68105-2431 I get the New Horizons regularly and don’t need to be put on the mailing list.
You’re invited to visit the Bellevue Senior, 109 W. 22nd Ave., this month for the following: • June 4: Free blood pressure checks.
I would like to start receiving the New Horizons at home. My address is below. NAME ADDRESS CITY/STATE/ZIP
• June 10: Speaker on respite and rehabilitation. • June 14: Father’ Day picnic featuring magician Walter Graham. • June 21: Rock and Roll Remember program by Roger Webb. The Bellevue Senior Center is open Monday through Wednesday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Thursday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. An evening meal is served on Thursday. A variety of programs are available including chair volleyball Wednesdays @ 10:30 a.m., yoga, tap dancing, Tai Chi, and field trips. For more information, please call Debra Warden @ 402-293-3041.
Your home.Your care.Your pace. PACE: Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly. Our program includes primary, acute and long-term health care as well as day therapeutic and recreational services and transportation. Services are provided in the home, in the community and at our PACE Center.
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New Horizons New Horizons is the official publication of the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging. The paper is distributed free to people over age 60 in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Washington, and Cass counties. Those living outside the 5-county region may subscribe for $5 annually. Address all correspondence to: Jeff Reinhardt, Editor, 4223 Center Street, Omaha, NE 68105-2431. Phone 402-444-6654. FAX 402-444-3076. E-mail: jeff.reinhardt@nebraska.gov Advertisements appearing in New Horizons do not imply endorsement of the advertiser by the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging. However, complaints about advertisers will be reviewed and, if warranted, their advertising discontinued. Display and insert advertising rates available on request. Open rates are commissionable, with discounts for extended runs. Circulation is 20,000 through direct mail and freehand distribution.
Editor..............................................Jeff Reinhardt Ad Mgr................Mitch Laudenback, 402-444-4148 Contributing Writers......Nick Schinker, Leo Biga, Barc Wade, & Lois Friedman Fremont Delivery.........................Dick Longstein ENOA Board of Governors: Mary Ann Borgeson, Douglas County, chairperson; Jim Warren, Sarpy County, vice-chairperson; Jerry Kruse, Washington County, secretary; Gary Osborn, Dodge County, & Jim Peterson, Cass County.
For complete program details and benefits, please call
402-991-0330. 5755 Sorensen Parkway Omaha, NE 68152 www.immanuelpathways.org PACE participants may be fully and personally liable for the costs of unauthorized or out-of-PACE program services. Emergency services are covered. Participants may disenroll at any time.
June 2013
The New Horizons and the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging provide services without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, marital status, disability, or age.
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New Horizons
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Dora Bingel Senior Center You’re invited to visit the Dora Bingel Senior Center, 923 N. 38th St., this month for the following: • June 3, 10, 17, & 24: Al-Anon meeting @ 7 p.m. • June 4, 11, 18, & 25: Grief support group @ 10 a.m. • June 5: Holy Communion @11a.m. • June 19: Entertainment by Johnny Ray Gomez from the Merrymakers @ 11:30 a.m. The Regeneration lunch is $3. • June 20: Red Hat Club meeting @ noon. • June 26: Birthday party luncheon @ noon. Eat free if you have a June birthday. • June 28: Hard of Hearing Support Group @10:30 a.m. A nutritious lunch is served on Tuesday and Friday. A fancier lunch is offered on Wednesday. A $1 donation is suggested for the meals, other than $3 for Regeneration. Round-trip transportation is available for $3. Meals reservations are required 24 hours in advance. Other activities offered at the facility include: Tuesdays: matinee @ 12:30, quilting group @ 1 p.m. Wednesdays: Devotions @ 10:30 a.m., Tai Chi @ 11:15 a.m., Bingo @ 1 p.m., and Bible study @ 1 p.m. Fridays: Bingo @ 1 p.m. A foot care clinic is offered Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to noon for $10. For more information, please call 402-898-5854.
Participants needed for a COPD Research Study IRB # 024-09-FB A multi-center, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study to assess the pharmacodynamics, efficacy, and safety of 50mg Tetomilast administered as oral tablets in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease associated with emphysema. (Protocol 197-08-250) Do you have emphysema or think you may have emphysema? The University of Nebraska Medical Center is conducting a clinical trial of an experimental medication for people with emphysema. Participants must be 40 to 75 years of age and be a current or former smoker. You will receive medical testing and medication at no cost to you, and will be reimbursed for your time.
June 2013 events calendar 1 The Wizard of Oz Through June 30 Omaha Community Playhouse 402-553-0800
9 Omaha Symphony Flights of Freedom 2 p.m. Witherspoon Concert Hall @ Joslyn Art Museum $30 402-342-3560
Omaha Symphony The Midtown Men Also June 2 Holland Performing Arts Center Saturday @ 8 p.m. Sunday @ 2 p.m. $15 to $78 402-342-3560
14 College World Series Through June 26 TD Ameritrade Park 402-544-4404
6 Santa Lucia Festival Through June 9 Lewis & Clark Landing FREE
15 ZOOm at the Henry Doorly Zoo Also June 16 402-733-8401
7 Rockbrook Village Friday Concerts 7 to 8 p.m. FREE 402-390-0890
20 Shakespeare on the Green Titus Andronicus and Twelfth Night 60th & Dodge streets (South of the UNO bell tower) Through July 7 www.nebraskashakespeare.com
8 Renoir to Chagall Paris and the Allure of Color Through September 1 Joslyn Art Museum 402-342-3300 Sand in the City Also June 9 CenturyLink Center Omaha FREE 402-341-1500
28 Bank of the West Celebrates America 2013 Memorial Park 6 to 10 p.m. FREE 402-917-4751 29 Moo at the Zoo Henry Doorly Zoo Also June 30 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 402-733-8401
World Oceans Day Henry Doorly Zoo 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. 402-733-8401
Providing Ongoing Hearing Improvement
If you are interested in participating in this study for people with emphysema, call Sandy at 402-559-6365 or email her at stalbott@unmc.edu.
OMAHA 12100 W. Center Rd. (NW Corner of 120th & Center) Belair Plaza
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Open: Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. evenings by appointment
(402) 571-1207
FREMONT 2415 E. 23rd Ave South (East Hwy 30 next to Earl May)
(402) 727-7866 1-800-239-7866
Smallest CIC hearing aid now only $999. MSRP $2100. EXPIRES SOON!
Custom made for your ear only, yet fully automatic! Pop it in and go! www.glassmanhearing.com •
June 2013
Information on Farmers’ Market coupons available at ENOA centers
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lder Nebraskans meeting income and age guidelines are eligible to receive $48 in coupons that can be exchanged for fresh produce sold at Nebraska’s Farmers’ Market stands. The Nebraska Senior Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program – administered by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture and the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services’ State Unit on Aging – provides fresh, nutritious, locallygrown fruits, vegetables, and herbs. The program also helps increased consumption of the state’s produce.
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o be eligible to receive the coupons, applicants must show proof of age and income level. Coupon recipients must be age 60 or older and have an annual income less than $21,256.50 for a single person or less than $28,693.50 annually for a couple. The produce coupons will be distributed during June. Recipients will be given 16 coupons worth $3 each that can be used through Oct. 31, 2013. Only one set of coupons will be issued per household. Because the program’s appropriations are limited, not everyone requesting coupons will receive them. More information is available at any of the ENOA senior centers. A complete list of these facilities can be found online at enoa.org. Click on the ENOA Programs and Nutrition links.
CORRECTION A correction is necessary to an article that ran on page 3-A in the May New Horizons’ story about the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s Senior Employment Program. The paragraph should have read: ENOA’s Senior Employment Program works as a referral source for men and women age 55 and older looking for full-time and part-time employment. We apologize for the error. --Editor
Read it & eat By Lois Friedman readitandeat@yahoo.com
Latin American recipes you’ll love Enjoy international flavors. Your kitchen is the destination for these delightful Latin American cookbooks. A fiesta of eating! Rustica By Frank Camorra (Chronicle, $35) Incredible photographs and a fabulous read about Spanish food, the nation’s way of life, its people, culinary delights, essays, and 120 sweet and savory recipes created by this Spanish award-winning author. Gran Cocina Latina By Maricel Presilla (From W. W. Norton, $35) Relating a Venezuelan adventure of the sapoara (a spiny silver fish), this Cuban restaurateur details the history of the foods of Latin America while celebrating and preserving the traditions in 20 chapters. What a read! An encyclopedia of knowledge and more than 500 recipes. Frontera By Rick & Deann Bayless (From W. W. Norton: $24.95) From one of their Chicago restaurants, the Bayless husband and wife combination share 60 most requested recipes for margaritas for every season, as well as a year of guacamole and snacks.
Please support New Horizons advertisers
Tortillas To the Rescue By Jessica Harlan (Ulysses, $12.95) This New Mexican author shares how to stuff, roll, bake, wrap, and fry tortillas for breakfast through desserts. Tortillas 101 with 100 recipes. Tacos, Tortas, and Tamales By Roberto Santibañez (Wiley, $19.99) A native Mexican, Chef Santibañez cooks a colorful array of everyday recipes for tacos, tortas, and tamales, plus salsas, drinks, and desserts with color photographs of each.
Lot 273 • 2 bed 2 bath …$11,500
The New Southern-Latino Table By Sandra Gutierrez (University of North Carolina, $30) From Acarajé (Brazilian Fritters) to Zapallo (butternut squash), this Guatemalan author shares 150 recipes highlighting the surprising affinities between the foodways of the Latin and Southern regions with helpful headnotes and indexed sidebars. Here is the beloved classic Southern version of pimiento cheese using hand grated cheese.
Classic Pimiento Cheese
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1 pound shredded sharp cheddar cheese 1 (4-ounce) jar diced pimientos, drained 1 cup mayonnaise ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper ½ teaspoon hot sauce (such as Tabasco)
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, place the cheese, pimientos, mayonnaise, black pepper, and hot sauce. Pulse just until combined. (Makes 2 ¼ cups.)
Lot 69 • 2 bed 1 bath …$7,500
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June 2013
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New Horizons
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Exercising can improve balance, reduce your chances of falling
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or Americans age 65 and older, falling down can be the worst thing to happen to them, according to statistics from the National Council on Aging: • One in three older adults experiences a significant fall each year. • Every 18 seconds, an older man or woman is admitted into an emergency room after losing balance and hitting the ground. • Every 35 minutes, an older person dies from a fall, the leading cause of death for older men and women. “The projected cost in health-care expenses for 2020 due to fall-related injuries in the United States is $55 billion,” says Karen Peterson, a therapist and author of Move With Balance: Healthy Aging Activities for Brain and Body. She’s also the founder and director of Giving Back, a nonprofit organization that grows and spreads programs that support health for older adults. “It’s important for seniors to keep moving and learning, that’s what helps improve balance and coordination, and even helps build new neural pathways,” says Peterson, who emphasizes the cognitive importance to her workout programs. “But if you’re rather frail, or just very fearful of falling, you’re less likely to get up and move around.”
These activities benefit all men and women, from age 55 to 105. Peterson says a fun, social program of games and activities that include exercises specifically designed for older adults helps them address multiple issues, including those that tend to keep older men and women sedentary – which only lessens their strength and balance. Last year, her program was independently evaluated from Hawaii’s Department of Heath, which found a statistically significant reduction (38 percent) in falls by older adults. “Seniors of all ages need to continually work on improving their balance, coordination, strength, vision, and cognitive skills. When they do, they’re less likely to fall and more able to enjoy life.” Peterson suggests these moves, which address many different areas of the body: • The cross-crawl: After various light warm-ups, begin with the basic cross-crawl, which focuses on the fundamentals of balance. March in place, lifting the knees high. At the same time, reach across and touch the lifted knee with the opposite hand or elbow; alternate and keep going. This can be done sitting, standing, or lying down. Once any of these exercises are mastered, Peterson says participants should continue to challenge them-
selves. For even greater balance work, and to exercise the vestibular system, close your eyes and count backwards from 100 by threes. “It’s not fun if you’re not conquering a challenge,” she says. Her book includes several challenges for each exercise.
“Seniors of all ages need to continually work on improving their balance, coordination, strength, vision, and cognitive skills. • Forward toe-touch dancer: To improve motor skills, physical coordination, and cognition, there are many dance exercises that are appropriate for older adults. If needed, use a chair for assistance. Place your feet shoulder-width apart. Now, simultaneously extend your left foot and your right arm forward. Keep your left toes pointed down, touching the floor; or for more difficulty, maintain the toes a few inches off the floor. Repeat this move with your left arm and right foot. Hold each pose for several seconds, and increase holding time. • Sensory integration – the ar-
Senior Moving Services
row chart: Look at an arrow chart and call out the direction indicated by each individual symbol. Then, thrust your arms in that direction; in other words, say and do what the arrow indicates. For an additional challenge, do the opposite of what the arrow indicates. • Side-step walk: Walk sidestepping – bring your right foot across the left and step down three to five inches away from the left foot, ankles crossed. The closer the feet, the harder it is to balance. Alternate crossing the foot in front and then behind the other foot as you move along. Repeat several times, then do the same with opposite feet. As a bonus challenge, try a reading exercise from a vision card, designed for stimulating the brain/visual system, while sidestepping. • The cat jump: This activity is practice in case of a fall. The muscle memory of the movement will be etched in your body. Bend your knees in a squat. Jump a little off the ground with both feet, and land softly, like a cat, without jarring your body. Repeat until you are confident in your ability to prevent a spill. “Research shows most falls are preventable,” Peterson says. “These and other exercises, performed regularly, are a great way to achieve safety and a revitalized lifestyle.”
“Moving services personally tailored for seniors.”
We offer a full range of moving services that we believe can reduce the stress and anxiety related to your move. We specialize in both the physical and the emotional aspects of this type of move.
Examples of Services: • Provide a complimentary in-home assessment to determine your transitional needs. • Plan, schedule, and coordinate all aspects of the move. • Prepare a floor plan. • Organize, sort, pack, and unpack household contents. • Prepare change of address for mail delivery. • Coordinate transfer of utilities, phone, and cable service. • Disconnect and reconnect electronics. • Unpack and settle your new home including hang the shower curtain, make the beds, and hang the pictures; making your new home feel familiar. • Coordinate shipment of special heirlooms to family members. • Coordinate a profitable dispersal of remaining household items through estate sale, auction, consignment, and/or donation.
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Senior Moving Services today at
We understand the anxiety and the challenges, and we will personally see you through the entire move process; from the first phone call until the last picture is hung. There is hard work to be done and well will be with you every step of the way.
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To learn more, contact
June 2013
402-445-0996
www.seniormovingservices.com
U. of Nebraska food specialist has advice for keeping your barbecued foods safe, delicious By Carol McNulty
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f your summer plans include barbecuing, be prepared so the food remains safe while it’s being cooked on the grill. University of Nebrska extension food specialist Julie Albrecht, Ph.D., says to always wash your hands for 15 to 20 seconds using warm, soapy water before and after handling food. There’s no need to watch the clock or wonder how long 15 seconds is; just sing Happy Birthday twice. Use clean utensils, containers, and surfaces. If they aren’t clean, they can contaminate the food with bacteria and viruses that could cause foodborne illnesses. Don’t use utensils that have touched raw meats or other raw food items. Grilling is a healthy way to prepare the feast because foods are cooked without adding extra fat. Marinades tenderize meat surfaces. Cutting a quarter-inch deep with a knife in several places before coating the meat with the marinade will help it soak into the meat. Marinating meat or vegetables requires three things: • An acid ingredient to tenderize the meat, such as lemon juice, wine, vinegar, yogurt, balsamic vinegar, or soy sauce. • Herbs and spices for flavor and zest, such as garlic, red pepper flakes, green onions, rosemary, thyme, onion, or ginger. • Time: 30 minutes for flavor and up to four hours for marinating. Once the marinade is added, place the items in the refrigerator. Don’t thaw or marinate foods at room temperature. Use a nonreactive, sealed container or a sealable plastic bag. Also, try to avoid using metal containers, especially aluminum or cast iron. Make sure any marinade used on the raw meat or poultry isn’t used on cooked food unless it’s boiled. Discard leftover marinade that’s contaminated with raw meat or poultry juices. Large vegetables – like corn on the cob, eggplant, or asparagus – can be placed directly on the grill. Chopped vegetables should be wrapped in aluminum foil. Enhance the flavor by adding herbs and spices to the vegetables before wrapping them in foil and placing them on the grill. Albrecht says to be sure the grill is hot before plac-
ing food on its surface. Preheat coals on a charcoal grill at least 20 to 30 minutes before adding the food. For other grills, allow 15 to 30 minutes for it to preheat before cooking. Thoroughly cook food because if the food is partially cooked, bacteria can grow without being killed by the heat. Use a food thermometer because the meat’s color or juice isn’t a reliable indicator of how well it’s cooked. Make sure to use a clean food thermometer to check for internal temperatures. Hamburgers should be 160 degrees Fahrenheit. Beef, veal, lamb steaks, and roasts should be 145 degrees Fahrenheit for medium rare
and 160 degrees Fahrenheit for medium. Poultry should be 165 degrees Fahrenheit, and fish should be opaque, flake easily, and heated to 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
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lbrecht says to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Foods shouldn’t sit out for more than one hour, especially when it’s hot outside. Make plans so food is eaten almost immediately after it’s cooked. Refrigerate leftovers right away or put them into coolers with a lot of ice. If leftovers have been sitting out in hot weather for more than one hour, throw them
June 2013
away. The longer food sits at unsafe temperatures, the more likely harmful bacteria can grow and cause foodborne illness. Cold foods kept in coolers with ice are safe, but if
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the ice inside the coolers has melted, throw the food out. (McNulty is an educator with the University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension Office in Douglas and Sarpy counties.)
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A Caring Community Called HOME!
Volunteers honored at annual luncheons
Independent & Assisted Living
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Fontenelle Tours Omaha/Council Bluffs: 712-366-9596
Quoted prices are per person, double occupancy. For more information about our tours, please call Ward or Kathy Kinney at Fontenelle Tours at the number listed above.
Lakelyn Hogan (right) with Foster Grandparent Shelia Jones last month at the Foster Grandparent Program’s annual recognition luncheon at the D.C. Centre. The program was titled Foster Grandparents Are Superstars. Hogan – a recent University of Nebraska at Omaha graduate – helped develop a marketing campaign for the FGP and ENOA’s Senior Companion Program through Facebook, a video, and a survey which helped identify caregiver needs for the volunteers. The Corporation for National Service administers the Foster Grandparent Program nationally.
2013 Washington D.C. by private rail cars. July 1 - 8. Call for pricing and other details. What an adventure! Board one of several private rail cars headed to Washington, D.C. for the national annual “Fourth of July” celebration. Enjoy first-class service in these restored 1950’s vintage cars. Choose between roomette or bedroom accommodations departing out of St. Louis or Chicago. Your chosen space will be yours for the entire trip. For those boarding in St. Louis, enjoy a full day on your own in Chicago. You’ll have 3 ½ days (including the 4th of July) to explore Washington and participate in the annual celebration.Your rail car will be parked at Washington’s Union Station, two blocks from the Capitol.
Annie Fisher, a Senior Companion Program volunteer for 15 years, was among the men and women honored last month at the SCP’s annual recognition luncheon. Titled, Senior Companions are Superstars, the event was held at the D.C. Centre. The festivities included lunch, entertainment by the A.C.E. Puppet Troop, and recognition of the volunteers, volunteer stations, and the SCP Advisory Council. The Corporation for National Service administers the Senior Companion Program nationally.
Nebraska Junk Jaunt. September 27 – 28. $260. Come along on our fifth annual“Junk Jaunt,” covering more than 220 miles in central Nebraska. Participating towns have city-wide garage, yard, and bake sales. Two full days of treasure hunting! “Nunset Boulevard”at the Lofte. October 13. $99. ($89 if reserved before 8/13/13.) Enjoy another great performance at the Lofte Community Theater in Manley, NE. This Sunday afternoon performance of the comedy “Nunset Boulevard” will be followed by a home cooked meal at the Main Street Café in Louisville, NE where you will have your choice of three great selections. “Fox on the Fairway” at the New Theater. October 16. $119. Take a Wednesday trip to Kansas City and enjoy a great comedy about country club life during a golf tournament, as well as a wonderful lunch buffet at the New Theater. Tracks to Boone & Corn Crib. October 19. $169. ($159 if reserved before 8/19/13.) A Saturday trip to Boone, Iowa with a stop for a catered lunch at the “Corn Crib” in Madrid, and wine tasting from the Snus Hill Winery. Includes a 1-hour and 45-minute steam locomotive train ride on the Boone & Scenic Valley Railroad, a ride on the electric trolley, and the Railroad Museum & History Center. Daniel O’Donnell in Branson. November 4 - 7. $689. See Daniel O’Donnell, Mel Tillis, Red, Hot…& Blue!, Dinner with Yakov, The Haygoods, and your choice of either Miracle of Christmas or The Legends in Concert. Christmas at the Lofte. December 8. $99. ($89 if reserved before 10/8/13.) Enjoy another Sunday afternoon performance of “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” followed by a great home cooked meal after the play. Kansas City Christmas. December 11 - 12. $299. Enjoy a special holiday luncheon at the Webster House, New Theater Restaurant buffet dinner and evening performance of “Never Too Late” starring George Wendt from “Cheers,” “Christmas in Song” at the Quality Hill Playhouse, Toy & Miniature Museum, tour of Strawberry Hill Povitica Bakery, shopping at Crown Center and Zona Rosa, and lodging at the Drury.
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In Partnership with Collette Vacations (Let us help you find a Collette Vacation to your special destination when YOU want to go. Collette offers trips to numerous destinations both within the United States and throughout the world. Each trip is offered on many different dates throughout the year. Call us for further information.) Discover Switzerland, Austria and Bavaria. September 11 – 20, 2013. Fly to the beautiful countryside of Switzerland, Austria, and Bavaria with four-night stays in two cities---Bern, Switzerland and Innsbruck, Austria. With your Collette Vacations tour guide, you’ll explore the city of Bern, travel the shores of Lake Geneva to the medieval Chateau de Chillon, enjoy a panoramic train ride through the Swiss Alps to an Alpine ski resort, and visit Lucerne, the “Swiss Paradise on the Lake.” In Salzburg see the Mirabell Gardens (from the “Sound of Music”) and Mozart’s birthplace, visit Oberammergau, see a Tyrolean folklore show, and dine in a 1,200-year-old restaurant owned by monks.(Early booking saves $250 per person. Call for more information.)
Attorneys at Law William E. Seidler Jr.
www.seidler-seidler-law.com
Laughlin Laughlin in June (by Air). June 7 - 10. $300. Includes non-stop, round-trip airfare to Laughlin, Nevada, three nights lodging at the Riverside Resort and Casino on the banks of the Colorado River, and shuttle transportation to and from the airport.
10050 Regency Circle, Suite 525 Omaha, NE 68114-5705
402-397-3801
Watch New Horizons and our website www.fontenelletours.com for our 2013 trip schedule.
Delivering quality legal services since 1957.
Our new address is: 2008 W. Broadway #329, Council Bluffs, Iowa 51501
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ENOA menu June 2013 Monday, June 3 Beef Chili Tuesday, June 4 Chicken a la King
Tuesday, June 18 Fiesta Chicken Leg Quarter
Wednesday, June 5 Polish Sausage
Wednesday, June 19 BBQ Rib Patty
Thursday, June 6 Meatloaf
Thursday, June 20 Swiss Steak
Friday, June 7 Pineapple Glazed Ham
Friday, June 21 Herbed Pork Loin
Monday, June 10 Parmesan Chicken
Monday, June 24 Grilled Pork w/Mushroom Gravy
Tuesday, June 11 Ham & Macaroni Casserole Wednesday, June 12 Salisbury Steak w/Gravy Thursday, June 13 Chili Dog Friday, June 14 Roast Beef Monday, June 17 Spaghetti Casserole
Tuesday, June 25 Cheeseburger Wednesday, June 26 Southwestern Chili
Legal Aid offers older adults access to legal information Legal Aid of Nebraska operates a free telephone access line for Nebraskans age 60 and older. Information is offered to help the state’s older men and women with questions on topics like bankruptcy, homestead exemptions, collections, powers of attorney, Medicare, Medicaid, grandparent rights, and Section 8 housing. The telephone number for the Elder Access Line is 402-827-5656 in Omaha and 1-800-5277249 statewide. This service is available to Nebraskans age 60 and older regardless of income, race, or ethnicity. For more information, log on the Internet to http://www.legalaidofnebraska.com/EAL.
Please see the ad on page 3
New Horizons Club membership roll rises $200 Anonymous $50 Dr. Peter Suzuki Cynthia Schmidt $25 Vincent Moragues Jeannette Davis $15 Jean Schmid Richard Hyde Joan Liekhus $10 Cynthia Bamaze Shirley Mendenhall $5 Dorothy McIntyre John Schaffart Nancy Harkins Cheryl White
Thursday, June 27 Chicken a la Orange Breast Friday, June 28 Crunchy Pollock
Corrigan Senior Center You’re invited to visit the Corrigan Senior Center, 3819 X St. this month for: • June 6: Enjoy a meatloaf or deli ham sandwich lunch followed by a presentation from Creighton U. pharmacy students @ 12:30 p.m. Bring your list of prescription drugs. • June 10: Nebraska Farmers’ Market Celebration. Bring your favorite fruits and vegetable recipes for inclusion in our center binder. Enjoy a noon lunch, bingo, and a 2 p.m. presentation by Billene Nemec, coordinator of Buy Fresh, Buy Local Nebraska. Nemec was involved with the development and management of the Lincoln Haymarket Farmers’ Market. • June 11: Omaha area Farmers’ Market voucher program sign-up. Please call 402-731-7210 for more information. Enjoy lunch with us, too. • June 13: Father’s Day Week Kick-off. Yesterday’s Kids will sing a variety of barbershop and oldies tunes @ 11:15 a.m. The noon menu includes a chili dog or deli ham macaroni salad. Bingo to follow. • June 14: Father’s Day Lunch. Join us for a special roast beef lunch, woodcarving demos, and pinochle. • June 17: College World Series Kick-off @ 11a.m. Listen to Steve Cavlovic talk about South Omaha Baseball of Yesterday. See vintage uniforms and memorabilia. Stay for a delicious spaghetti casserole or chef salad lunch. • June 20: Welcome Summer Dinner & Mega Bingo. The noon lunch features a tasty BBQ chicken dinner. Stay for bingo and win cash prizes. The reservation deadline is noon on Friday, June 14. • June 24: Birthday Party & Bingo. At 11 a.m. enjoy music by Joyce Torchia sponsored by Merrymakers and our partner, Medibadge. The Corrigan Senior Center is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Lunch is served at noon. A $3 donation is normally suggested for the meal. Reservations are normally due by noon the business day prior to the meal you wish to enjoy. We offer chair volleyball on Tuesday and Thursday, Tai Chi on Tuesday and Thursday, card games, bingo, ceramics, exercise, woodcarving, and loads of fun! For meal reservations or more information, please call Lynnette at 402-731-7210.
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Country music career took Allen from Vietnam to Vegas By Leo Adam Biga Contributing Writer
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renda Allen is not your typical crooner during open microphone nights at the southwest Omaha bar, The Lauter Tun. Unlike the amateurs and wannabes who struggle carrying a tune, she’s a pro who can style a song to fit her voice and mood or any crowd and occasion. A real cut-up, she invariably does comedy bits as part of her act. Her brazen, earthy manner comes through loud and clear. “I’m a straight shooter...full of p--s and vinegar,” Allen likes to say. The singer-guitarist, who was born Brenda Allacher, has decades of paying gigs behind her. She’s performed at major venues and appeared alongside bona fide legends including the late Johnny Cash, who became a friend and champion. Though long ago retired from her musical career, she simply can’t give up taking the stage, putting an audience in the palm of her hand and lapping up the laughs and applause. That’s why Allen often heads to the nearest nightspot to present selections from her vast repertoire of country and rockabilly sounds. A natural comedienne with a bold, often risqué sense of humor, Allen is a no-holds-barred personality with plenty of stories to share from her eventful life. She sometimes catches audiences off guard with not only her humorous anecdotes but also her unexpected true tales of love and loss, fear and regret, addiction and recovery. Allen was in her early 30s when she had to leave the successful band she helped found – The Taylor Sisters – to address her alcoholism. Brenda now has 39 years of sobriety that she maintains one day at a time. The Taylor Sisters were headlining at the famed Golden Nugget in Las Vegas when things came to a head for Allen, who upon getting herself clean and sober began a crusade against substance abuse. “I left the show in ‘73 because I was an alcoholic. I needed help,” she says. “I was told I had less than three months to live from cirrhosis of the liver. I had a good connection up there (she signals to heaven) because I’m the only one alive out of the original Taylor Sisters. He let me stay around because I talk about (the dangers of) alcohol and drugs. “I started going into schools and doing shows like that. Then I went to nightclubs and said, ‘All you drunks, if you want to meet me tomorrow morning I’ll take you into detox.’ I talked about it even in nightclubs.” Her use of alcohol to medicate feelings, she says, got worse after taking part in a three-and-a-half month long tour of Vietnam The Taylor Sisters made during the height of the war in 1969. Servicemen called Brenda “Crazy Legs” for the way she’d kick her legs up and
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A Brenda Allen performance features music, humor, and plenty of stories from her colorful life. fling her shoes into the crowd. The members of the all-girl band were not really sisters but the things they experienced in Southeast Asia bonded them like blood siblings. Allen is still haunted by all that happened while on tour. She survived a rocket attack that killed an Army nurse. Once, she was left behind by the convoy she was traveling in and had to catch up to it in the dead of night. Three U.S. army physicians died in an attack only hours after she met them. One time a mysterious U.S. Army colonel spirited her away blindfolded to a secret POW camp manned by a Special Forces unit. Brenda can’t shake the fact mere boys were put in harm’s way for so “dubious a cause.” Allen fears their lives were lost in a conflict she believes had more to do with boosting the military industrial complex than defending freedom. “To sacrifice a generation of young men for prosperity is sick,”
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she says. Allen will never forget being around scared, lonely young men who saw in her and her fellow entertainers their girlfriends, sisters, and mothers. “They were looking at you, longing for you. We let them know America loved them and we were there to entertain them. We sat and drank with them just like we were one of the boys.”
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ack home, Allen felt compelled to share these experiences with the press but she says nobody showed any interest. Then The Taylor Sisters hit it big at the Golden Nugget and between her busy career and wanting to forget what she saw at war, she suppressed the trauma. Her drinking got out of hand. Not long after Brenda left the group the other original Taylor Sisters died – one of cancer, the other by suicide. Just like that; two of her
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closest friends were gone. Allen has never married and has no children. A man she dearly loved, Hollywood makeup artist Jerry P. Soucie, died in a 1989 motorcycle accident. Life’s thrown more challenges at Allen. She was in a bad auto accident that cost her part of a foot. She was also an identity theft victim. After going on the wagon for good Brenda returned to performing, sometimes with bands led by Johnny Ray Gomez and Pat Hamilton. Increasingly, the entertainer felt a need to educate the public about the overlooked military and civilian roles American women played in Vietnam. She performed for veterans groups. Vets who saw her perform in Nam would call out “Crazy Legs” at her shows and she’d hold mini-reunions with them afterwards. She made a point to tell each vet, “Welcome home, soldier.” Allen advocated for a national --Please turn to page 11.
Brenda’s fan base once included Charles Starkweather
This photo of Brenda Allen was taken at Antelope Park in Lincoln. --Continued from page 10. memorial dedicated to the women who served. She was on a committee that pressed for the Congressional Medal of Freedom be given to United Service Organization entertainer Martha Raye.
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native of Lincoln, Neb., Allen grew up in nearby Martell, where her mother was the town’s switchboard operator. Brenda sang at church and school from childhood. When her older brother went into the service he left his ukulele behind and Brenda quickly learned how to play the instrument. She soon switched to the guitar. Rock ‘n’ roll’s advent changed her life while a student at Lincoln High School. “That was the beginning of it all – The Memphis Five, Elvis, rock ‘n’ roll,” she says. “In 1958 we were rocking and rolling and the black sound was coming in and I loved it. I was the only one that played guitar in my school and the
guys invited me to be in a rock ‘n’ roll band – The August Heat Wave. I was the only girl in the band. All the girls at school were mad at me.” Her parents were not thrilled with Brenda’s new passion either. “My parents didn’t approve. My mother shut the TV off when Elvis was on. My dad said, ‘Why don’t you sing at church?’ I said, They don’t applaud.” Allen enjoyed every opportunity she could find to make music for people. “I’d sit out on my front porch at night singing and playing and kids from the neighborhood would come. I loved doing that. I’d make money, too. I’d put a tin cup out there and say, ‘If you want to hear a song it’ll cost you a nickel.’” The pretty, vivacious, saucy Brenda attracted admirers. One was Charles Starkweather, just another neighborhood kid before he went on a killing spree that made him infamous. Allen was a close friend with Starkweather’s sister, Lavita. “Charlie was nice looking but he had bright flaming red hair, was bow legged, and he spoke with a lisp. He was slow. Kids made fun of him,” recalls Allen. “Lavita loved him dearly. Charlie called (me) up one day and said, ‘I’m Lavita’s brother.’ He’d been listening to me from his car. My father saw that and came out and said, ‘I don’t know who you are but I don’t want you here.’ I felt bad.” Brenda’s last encounter with Starkweather gave her a chilling insight into what may have contributed to his homicidal rage. “Lavita invited me to a slumber party and said to bring the guitar. There were about 10 of us girls. Her father came home and said ‘Hello’ and then came Charlie. He sat down and listened to me playing guitar and asked if I would show him some stuff. I gave him the guitar, showed him chords, and his father came in and said, ‘What are you doing in here?’ He was drunk. The dad took Charlie and threw him out the back door.” Brenda says she later learned Starkweather didn’t return home and the sister suspected her troubled brother was “with that girl” – meaning Caril Ann Fugate, his accomplice in the killing spree. Allen remembers asking Lavita what she thought of Fugate? “She’s nothing but trouble. He acts different
Allen advocated for the Vietnam Women’s Memorial which was dedicated in 1993 on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Glenna Goodacre was the memorial’s sculptor.
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At Lincoln High School, Allen was the only female in a rock ‘n’ roll band. with her,” Lavita replied. “The next few days they found the (dead) bodies. It was a very scary thing because Charlie was killing people he knew,” Brenda says. Tragic as that experience was, Allen would not be distracted from her goal of becoming a professional musician. Her first major public show happened by accident but whetted her appetite for more big stages. “I went to the (Nebraska) state fair and Jimmy Wakely (a popular singing cowboy) was appearing in the open auditorium. I snuck backstage and got his autograph. I was sitting back there singing with a band I knew from high school who were backing Wakely. We did The Bible Tells Me So – a big Dale Evans song back then. Somebody tapped me on the shoulder. It was Wakely, and he said, ‘I want to have you be my special guest.’” Before Brenda, then age 15, knew it she found herself being introduced before a crowd of a couple of thousand folks. “I didn’t have time to be scared. Later, he took me aside to tell me, ‘Take up country music.’ Well, I loved Teresa Brewer, Patti Page, (and) people like that. I said, What’s country music? He said, ‘Listen to Hank Williams.’ And he said there was only one big female name in country then – Kitty Wells.’” Allen followed Wakely’s advice and transformed herself into a country music artist. She began making a name as a solo entertainer and as half of the duet, The Country Misses. Brenda decided to go to Springfield, Mo. to audition for the Ozark Jubilee made famous by Red Foley on his show that was broadcast on ABC. Later that day she began an enduring friendship with Johnny Cash, AKA “The Man in Black.” At the time Cash was married to his first wife, Vivian. His second wife, June Carter, was not yet in his life. “That’s what started it,” Allen says of her long association with Cash. “We sat and played guitars that night and talked about country music. He was a perfect gentleman. I told him I was looking to join a band and he said, ‘Why not get your own band together?’ “Back in Lincoln I wrote him a letter and I got a letter back. We had exchanged pictures. I gave him a picture of myself with my Fender Telecaster (guitar) and I got his first songbook. He --Please turn to page 12.
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Nam tour included entertaining Nebraska National Guard troops
In 1969, Brenda Allen (far right) and The Taylor Sisters spent more than three months performing for the troops in Vietnam. --Continued from page 11. wrote, ‘Love & kisses.’ Trust me, he wouldn’t have written that after June (Carter). “Without me even knowing it he sent my picture to Fender. That’s the kind of guy he was. Fender offered me a contract to model.” Allen never signed the contract. Instead, she worked hard on her music, and at age 18, landed her next big break when she met Marty Martin who gained fame as Boxcar Willie. “I was his first girl singer. Because of my age I couldn’t be in nightclubs. He and his wife looked after me. We toured the Midwest in a big car. I learned a lot from Marty. He was a honey. He was a very, very good teacher for me. But I got bored because they wanted me to be the prim ‘Miss So-and-So.’ I’m not geared that way. I’m a ham.” Fate intervened again when Brenda got a call from an agent saying Cash was coming to Lincoln and needed an opening act. Brenda promptly pitched The Marty Martin Show featuring Brenda Allen. It was the early 1960s. They got the gig. “We opened in Lincoln for him at Pershing Auditorium and in Omaha at the Music Hall. I played the Music Hall with a lot of country acts.” “Wonderful,” is how Allen describes sharing the stage with Cash. She says he flattered her by saying,
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‘You’ve got a good voice.’” She says Cash and his lead guitar player Luther Perkins “sat me down and said, ‘Brenda, stick with country music, you’re going to make it.’” Allen says it was sometime in the early 1960s that June Carter “started entering the picture and I started noticing (different) things about John from when I first him.” Cash battled drug addictions at various points in his life.
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hen Allen turned 21 she began playing in Lincoln’s lounges and clubs. When not performing she modeled and worked the switchboard at the Hovland-Swanson clothing store. Brenda says a strict company policy forbid Hovland-Swanson employees from moonlighting. One night the store’s owner showed up where she was performing. His guest was newly hired University of Nebraska football coach Bob Devaney. Allen says the owner fired her on the spot, saying, “You sing better than you sound on the switchboard.” Now that she was on her own, Brenda focused on perfecting her comedy and country act that was equal parts innocent and naughty. How far she went depended on the crowd. “Then I’d start doing my version of Johnny Cash.”
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Allen had an established solo career going when she met fellow musician Joann Paugh backstage at a show. Paugh wanted to start an all-girl band. Brenda resisted. “But she kept bugging me and bugging me,” recalls Allen. The dye was cast after Paugh introduced her to Helen Taylor, a formidable guitarist herself. “We drew straws to see who would play bass and rhythm guitar,” says Allen. Helen got bass and Brenda (played) rhythm. Things moved fast for the group. They began performing as The Taylor Sisters before Helen’s husband took over as manager and changed the name to Helen Taylor and the Taylor Sisters. The band played with Cash a few times, even opening a 1964 Wichita, Kan. show with June Carter, Minnie Pearl, the Statler Brothers, and Lefty Frizzell. “I’d say we were in good company,” Allen says.
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hen the call came that changed their lives. The Taylor Sisters had toured with country star Sheb Wooley who called Brenda to say, “They need you in Vietnam,” to which she responded, “What’s Vietnam?” He thought The Taylor Sisters would go over well with the boys. Brenda says the decision to go was easy
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“once we heard what was going on over there and how bad it was.” Instead of going with the United Service Organizations (USO), the group went independently though the Johnny Robinson talent agency that hooked them up with an agency in Saigon, who signed them over to the Korean Entertainment Corporation. Brenda and her friends arrived in Saigon the first week in April. The humidity, heat, and stench were what first struck her. The ladies were kept busy until they returned home in July. “We did three (or) four shows in a day within a 150-mile radius every four or five days,” says Allen. They traveled by jeep, truck, boat, and helicopter. The women were given strict orders to not venture out at night alone but that didn’t always prevent them from going off on their own, especially with an enlisted man they liked. “We always made sure the others knew where we were,” Allen says. “After an outdoor show in Da Nang, a snap-to colonel wearing a green beret came up to me and said, ‘I want to ask you a question. I am in charge of one of our POW camps and we have a North Vietnamese soldier starving himself. He doesn’t want to talk, he’s afraid we’re going --Please turn to page 13.
Nurse’s death led Allen to fight for D.C. Mall memorial
Allen’s Vietnam tales have been told in newspaper articles, a book, and a documentary. --Continued from page 12. to poison him. We want to get some information out of him. Would you be willing to help?’ I said, ‘I don’t know, where is it?’ ‘You can’t see where it is, but it’s about an hour’s drive from here. We’re Special Forces. Please do it.’” Whether out of curiosity or patriotism, Brenda agreed to go. “I told the girls if I’m not back by six o’clock this is who I went with and I want you to report it. He loaded me up with my guitar in a jeep. We drove for a while and then he said, ‘I have to blindfold you.’” At the camp Brenda found herself in an officers club, where the colonel barked, “Attention. This young lady was going to help us with our North Vietnamese prisoner but he’s already been put down for the night. She has her guitar here, and she’s going to entertain you.” “The place went bonkers,” Allen recalls. “They grabbed me and sat me on the bar. I cracked jokes and sang to them for about 45 minutes.” When it was time for her to leave, Brenda says the soldiers separated into two lines and saluted her. At the end of the line was the colonel. As he walked her out he removed his green beret and placed it on her head. “He took me back and I never heard a word from him since,” she says. Allen tried tracking the colonel down but her inquiries with the Army were fruitless. She assumes he was part of some covert unit. Allen still has his green beret and sometimes dons it for pictures and performances. She also has a vest pinned with medals and decorations given to her by military personnel. (See the photo on the front page of this month’s New Horizons.)
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n Chu Lai, a group of Nebraska National Guard troops had just come back from the bush, when the commanding officer, “Big Daddy” Richardson, asked Brenda and the girls to do one more show for the guys from Nebraska. “Are you kidding?” she replied. Once on stage inside a Quonset hut, she recalls, “I said, ‘Hit it girls,’ and we did There Is No Place Like Nebraska. The roof went off – the
place exploded (with excitement).” Allen says Chu Lai; a central coastal area “was one of our favorite places because we had privacy taking a shower (there).” She remembers Richardson saying he was going to work the ladies hard, but when they’d get back, their favorite food and drink would await them. “And it was, too,” Brenda recalls. Lobster, blackberry brandy, and Cutty Sark scotch. “We’d do five and six shows a day for that man. The men wouldn’t let us quit and we weren’t about to leave those boys. The guys were just absolutely beautiful. We’d come back exhausted.” While her Vietnamese tour was memorable, an incident in Chu Lai, however, scarred Allen forever. “One night, we’d come back from a show and a few of us were in the officers club drinking when there was a loud CLAP and the building just shook.” It was the start of a prolonged mortar attack. A GI grabbed Allen and threw her down under the bar. “Aren’t we supposed to go to a bunker?” she asked, “Too late now,” she was told. “We took 16 rounds over a period of four or five hours. We just lay there on the floor and got drunk. I was so scared. “Around daylight a young man came running in shouting, ‘They got a nurse at the 312 Surg-Evac (surgical evacuation)’ which was like a block away.” The victim, army nurse Sharon Ann Lane of Canton, Ohio, was the first Army nurse to die under hostile fire in Southeast Asia during the war and one of 68 American women in all – military and civilian – to die in the conflict. “She was decapitated by shrapnel,” says Allen. The incident shook the singer to her core. “She was 26 and I was 21. What really gets me is why her and not me? (It was) because she was saving lives. I held her mother in my arms at the dedication of the statue in 1993.” After that horrific incident, The Taylor Sisters pushed off to their next stop as the war ground on as usual. “We just forgot about it, we had to put it behind us,” Taylor says. “The next day it was a whole new ballgame, a whole new area to perform in.” Performing for the troops was a sober reminder of what the men in combat faced. Brenda couldn’t fathom “seeing their best friends blown apart” and having to keep on fighting. “I still have post traumatic stress.” Allen says she learned Western performers had a price on their heads. The bigger the star; the higher the bounty. Bob Hope was the biggest target of all though he reduced his exposure to danger by being flown to safety every night. Another brutal reminder of war’s vagaries came when Brenda and Helen got their picture taken with three U.S. Army doctors on the
deck of a boat headed for Cua Viet, a base in the demilitarized zone near the North and South Vietnamese border. “It was sand and tents and water. It was R & R for the troops.” The Taylor Sisters did a show on a small stage with a sheet as a backdrop. The all-male audience sat on a sandy beach on the South China Sea. “Cua Viet was getting hit almost every night. That’s why they got us back down the river right away,” Allen says. “We did an afternoon show, they loaded us up, and away we went.” After the band left, the base came under attack that night and suffered major casualties. Allen was informed the men she got her picture taken with were among those killed. “They died the day we played for them.”
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he Taylor Sisters landed the Golden Nugget slot soon after returning from Nam. “We had a good thing – an allgirl country western show band. We had the comedy, all the girls sang, we all played different instruments. We made history as the only headline act at the Golden Nugget without a recording.” Years of loss and love, making people happy, and getting healthy again followed. Then Brenda found the cause that was so close to her heart. Getting the Vietnam Women’s Memorial approved by Congress and erected on the Washington, D.C. Mall took years of
persistence. “We fought and we fought,” Allen says of the sisterhood that took up the fight. The bronze statue by sculptor Glenna Goodacre depicts women in fatigues caring for a wounded soldier. Brenda was there for the statue’s dedication. She was there for the 10th anniversary in 2003 and she’s due to be there again for the 20th anniversary in November. Allen always says a few words and sings a few lyrics when visiting the memorial. She became a big supporter of the Shirley Lauro play, A Piece of My Heart that dramatizes the truelife stories of American women in Nam. When the Blue Barn Theatre in Omaha produced the play the woman who led the effort for the Vietnam Women’s Memorial, Diane Carlson Evans, attended opening night. She later invited the production to be performed in D.C. for the memorial’s 10-year anniversary. Brenda’s Vietnam story has been told in newspaper articles, the book Potpourri of War, and in a Nebraska Educational Television documentary Not on the Front Line. For a time she drowned her feelings about what happened in Vietnam in booze. But once she confronted those bittersweet memories the healing began. Of that intense time over there, she says, “I wouldn’t trade those experiences for anything.” (Read more of Biga’s work at leoadambiga.wordpress.com)
Allen still enjoys playing her guitar and singing during open microphone nights at area establishments.
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Spring clean all your records, documents
Participants needed for a COPD Research Study IRB # 397-11
By Steve Casto
A clinical outcomes study to compare the effect of Fluticasone Furoate/Vilanterol Inhalation Powder 100/25-mcg with placebo on survival in subjects with moderate chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and a history of or an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. (Protocol HZC113782) Do you have COPD and a history of cardiovascular disease? The University of Nebraska Medical Center is conducting a clinical trial of an investigational medication for people with emphysema. The study drug combines a long-acting beta-agonist with corticosteroid in a single inhaler.
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don’t know about you, but I occasionally have to clean out the garage. And once I get started, I think about “cleaning” all the clutter I’ve been collecting. And that inevitably means cleaning out my desk and files. One of the questions I often get from my clients trying to do the same thing is: ”What records do I have to keep, and which can I shred and throw away?”
ments. Also, if you have made non-deductible contributions to your IRA, keep your form 8606. It proves you’ve already paid tax on the non-deductible portion of your contributions. • Investment account statements. Shred your monthly statements after you get your quarterly statement. Shred your quarterly statement as soon as you get your next quarterly statement. Shred all of your quarterly statements after you get your year-end statement. Keep your year-end statement
It’s a good idea to staple your receipts to your monthly (credit card) statement each month. This will allow you to find receipts quickly and easily so returning unwanted items is easier.
You may be eligible if you: • Have a diagnosis of moderate COPD. • Have a history or risk of heart disease. • Are between 40 and 80 years of age. • Are a current or former smoker. You will receive an investigational study drug or placebo, & study-related medical and study procedures at no charge.
So I thought I’d pass along my four rules of shredding: • Bank records and statements. Only keep your deposit and withdrawal slips until you verify them on your next monthly statement. Keep your monthly statements for seven years in case of an IRS audit. Shred your CD records as soon as they mature and you’ve been credited the interest. Shred all your loan papers, with the exception of your mortgage, as soon as the loan is paid up. Keep your mortgage documents to validate purchase price to ensure you get your full tax forgiveness in case you sell your house for a gain in the future. • Retirement plan statements. Keep your year-end IRA and 401(k) state-
Please call Sandy Talbott at 402-559-6365 or email her at stalbott@unmc.edu if you are interested in participating in this study.
for at least seven years. If your brokerage does not keep track of all sales and purchases of individual securities on its year-end statements, you should keep the monthly statements to verify purchase price. • Credit card statements and receipts. It’s a good idea to staple your receipts to your monthly statement each month. This will allow you to find receipts quickly and easily so returning unwanted items is easier. After 12 months you can shred your receipts and credit card bills unless you need the bills to support tax deductions. If that’s the case you should keep the billing statements for seven years. (Casto is a financial planner in Omaha.)
We need your
! t r o p sup
I would like to become a partner with the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging, and help fulfill your mission with older adults.
ENOA
Traditional funding sources are making it more difficult for ENOA to fulfill its mission. Partnership opportunities are available to businesses and individuals wanting to help us. These opportunities include volunteering, memorials, honorariums, gift annuities, and other tax deductible contributions.
$30 = 7 meals or 1.75 hours of in-home homemaker services or 1 bath aide service for frail older adults. $75 = 17 meals or 4.75 hours of in-home homemaker services or 4 bath aide services for frail older adults. $150 = 35 meals or 9.5 hours of in-home homemaker services or 8 bath aide services for frail older adults. $300 = 70 meals or 19.25 hours of in-home homemaker services or 16 bath aide services for frail older adults. Other amount (please designate)__________________________ Please contact me. I would like to learn more about how to include the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging in my estate planning. Name:_____________________________________
Please ma donationil your tax deducti with this fo ble rm to: Easter
n Office oNebraska n Aging Address:___________________________________ Attention : Jef City:______________State:_____ Zip: __________ Phone:____________________________________
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f Reinha 4223 C rdt Omaha, enter Street NE 6810 5-2431 (402
) 444-665
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RSVP Retired and Senior Volunteer Program The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program is recruiting persons age 55 and older for a variety of opportunities. For more information in Douglas, Sarpy, and Cass counties, please call 402-444-6536, ext. 229. In Dodge and Washington counties, please call 402721-7780. The following have volunteer opportunities in Douglas, Sarpy, and Cass counties: • Mount View Elementary School wants a TeamMates mentor. • Alegent Health Bergan Mercy Hospital needs volunteers for a variety of duties, • Boys Town wants volunteer mentors and a volunteer office assistant. • The Disabled American Veterans need volunteer drivers.
• The Douglas County Health Center wants volunteers for a variety of assignments. • The Omaha Police Department needs volunteers for general duties. • Together Inc. is looking for an intake assistant. • Keep Omaha Beautiful wants volunteers for onetime yard cleaning projects. • Big Brothers & Big Sisters of the Midlands needs volunteers for a variety of assignments. • Omaha Serves is looking for volunteers to help with disaster recovery. • The Valley Public Library needs volunteers to help patrons with basic computer skills. • The Louisville Care Center wants volunteers to help with fishing outings for its residents. The following have volunteer opportunities in Dodge and Washington counties: • The Blair and Fremont Car-Go Programs needs volunteer drivers. • The Fremont Friendship Center needs help with its Tuesday Supper Club. • The Fremont Area
Medical Center is looking for volunteers for its information desk on weekends and to help out evenings at the A.J. Merrick Manor. • The Danish American Archive and Library in Blair needs volunteers for a variety of assignments.
Vols needed at AARP center AARP is recruiting older men and women to serve as volunteers at its Nebraska Information Center, 1941 S. 42nd St. (Center Mall).
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Making diabetes education more affordable in 2013! To help serve more families in the community, we have redesigned our Basic Skills and Comprehensive Treatment and Training classes and removed the biggest barrier…COST! Certified Diabetes Educators will equip you with the skills and confidence you need to successfully manage your diabetes. To learn more, call 402-399-0777 ext. 230 today! Diabetes Education Center of the Midlands is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing the quality of life of diabetic individuals and their families.
FREDERICK SQUARE 2910 South 84th Street • Omaha, NE 68124 (402)-399-0777 • Fax: (402) 614-8672 www.diabetes-education.com Volunteers can choose the days and hours they wish to volunteer at the center that is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, please call 402-398.9568.
Return homestead exemption applications by June 30
pplicants whose names are on file in the assessor’s office in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, and Washington counties should have a homestead exemption form mailed to them by early March. New applicants must contact their county assessor’s office to receive the application. The 2013 forms and a household income statement must be completed and returned to the county assessor’s office by June 30, 2013. A homestead exemption provides property tax relief by exempting all or part of the homestead’s valuation from taxation. The state of Nebraska reimburses the counties and other government subdivisions for the lost tax revenue. To qualify for a homestead exemption, a Nebraska homeowner must be age 65 by Jan. 1, 2013, the home’s owner/occupant through Aug. 15, 2013, and fall within the income guidelines shown below. Certain homeowners who have a disability and totally-disabled war veterans and their widow(er)s may also be eligible for this annual tax break. When determining household income, applicants must include Social Security
GREAT NEWS!
and Railroad Retirement benefits plus any income for which they receive a Form 1099. The homestead exemption amount is based on the homeowner’s marital status and income level (see below). Maximum exemptions are based on the average assessed value for residential property in each Nebraska county. The Douglas County Assessor’s office (1819 Farnam St.) is sending volunteers into the community to help older adults complete the application form. The volunteers will be located at sites throughout the county. A list of these locations will be included with your application. Assistance is also available by calling the Volunteers Assisting Seniors at 402444-6617. Douglas County residents can also have their homestead exemption questions answered by calling 402-597-6659. Here are the telephone numbers for the assessor’s offices in the counties served by the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging: Douglas: 402-444-7060; Sarpy: 402593-2122; Dodge: 402-727-3916; Cass: 402-296-9310; and Washington: 402426-6800.
Household income table Over age 65 Married Income
Over age 65 Single Income
Exemption Percentage
0 - $31,000.99 $31,001 - $32,700.99 $32,701 - $34,400.99 $34,401 - $36,000.99 $36,001 - $37,700.99 $37,701 - $39,300.99 $39,301 and over
0 to $26,500.99 $26,501 - $27,900.99 $27,901 - $29,200.99 $29,201 - $30,600.99 $30,601 - $32,000.99 $32,001 - $33,400.99 $33,401 and over
100 85 70 55 40 25 0
June 2013
The New Horizons is brought to you each month by the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging.
We want to hear from
you!
• Do you gave questions about the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging, its programs or services? • Do you have a comment about the agency and how it serves older adults in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, and Washington counties? • Maybe you have a story idea for the New Horizons.
Send your questions,comments, story ideas, etc. to
DHHS.ENOA@nebraska.gov We appreciate your interest in ENOA and the New Horizons.
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New Horizons
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ENOA has a variety of Kiewit Corporation makes donation volunteer opportunities
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he Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s Foster Grandparent Program, Senior Companion Program, Ombudsman Advocate Program, and Senior Medicare Patrol Program are recruiting older adults to become volunteers. Foster Grandparents and Senior Companions must be age 55 or older, meet income guidelines, have a government issued identification card or a driver’s license, able to volunteer at least 15 hours a week, and must complete several background and reference checks. Foster Grandparents and Senior Companions receive a $2.65 an hour stipend, transportation and meal reimbursement, paid vacation, sick, and holiday leave, and supplemental accident insurance. Foster Grandparents work with children who have special needs while Senior Companions work to keep older adults living independently. Ombudsman advocates work to ensure residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities enjoy the best possible quality of life. Ombudsman advocates, who must be age 18 or older, are enrolled through an application and screening process. These volunteers, who are not compensated monetarily for their time, must serve at least two hours a week. The Senior Medicare Patrol program helps Medicaid beneficiaries avoid, detect, and prevent health care fraud. These volunteers, who are enrolled through an application and screening process, are not compensated monetarily for their time For more information, please call 402-444-6536.
Series of bone health programs continues Wednesday, June 12 The Omaha Area Bone Health Group is hosting a series of free meetings during 2013. The sessions are held at the Creighton University Medical Center, 601 N. 30th St. The Omaha Area Bone Health Group is sponsored by the Creighton University Osteoporosis Research Center and affiliated with the National Osteoporosis Foundation Support Group program. The organization is dedicated to providing information and support for persons whose lives are impacted by bone health and osteoporosis. For more information, please call Dorothy Norton at 402-493-2493 or Susan Recker at 402-280-4810. Here’s the schedule of programs: Wednesday, June 12 What You Should Know About Hip Protectors With Dr. Robert Recker 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Room 5766
Wednesday, Oct. 9 Physical Activity & Exercise for Strong Bones With Karen Paschal, PT 1 to 2:30 p.m. Room 5766
Wednesday, Sept. 11 Bone Healthy Treats With Jennifer Meyer, RD 1 to 2:30 p.m. Room 5766
Wednesday, Nov. 13 Enjoy Chair Massage With Beverly Riley 1 to 2:30 p.m. Room 5766
Maplewood Estates
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Call: 12801 Spaulding Plaza www.maplewoodestatesonline.com Omaha, NE 68164
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The men and women in the accounting department at the Kiewit Corporation recently took up a collection of toiletries, cleaning supplies, and dozens of rolls of toilet paper and paper towels. The items were then donated to the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging for distribution to its clients. The supplies were delivered to the ENOA office by Kiewit staff members (from left): Paul Finochiaro, Corrienne Gray, and Jason Jones.
WHO: Depression will be world’s second most common debilitating disease by 2020 It’s no wonder nearly one in 10 Americans suffers from depression. “Top risk factors include being unable to work or unemployed; having no health insurance; (or) suffering from obesity,” notes psychologist Gregory L. Jantz, citing a Centers for Disease Control study. “Unfortunately, those topics have dominated headlines for the past five years. What’s worse, by 2020, the World Health Organization estimates depression will be second most debilitating disease worldwide.” Jantz, the author of Overcoming Anxiety, Worry and Fear, (www.aplaceofhope. com) says these negative emotions along with sustained, excessive stress can lead to depression, which now overshadows other problems for which patients seek help at his clinic. “Depression can be rooted in a number of problems, and those need to be addressed – simply taking a pill is not usually effective treatment,” he said. “Anger, fear, and guilt can all be underlying causes, even when the person isn’t aware he’s experiencing those feelings.” A holistic treatment approach, which may or may not include medication, helps people overcome a bout of the debilitating illness, and teaches them techniques on how to manage it themselves, Jantz said. People at risk of depression can work at maintaining their emotional equilibrium by counterbalancing negative feelings with optimism, hope, and joy. This is most effective if they do this holistically, addressing the four main categories of human need. “By purposefully feeding the intellectual, relational, physical, and spiritual aspects of your life’s positive emotions, you can achieve balance,” Jantz said. He offers these suggestions: • Intellectual: Be aware of what you’re
June 2013
feeding to your mind. Try reading a positive, uplifting book, and setting aside time in your day to fill yourself up intellectually with constructive, encouraging messages. Be aware of what you are reading and listening to, and seek to counter the negative input we all get with positive influences. • Relational: Think of a person you really enjoy talking to, someone who makes you feel good about yourself or someone who’s just fun to be around. Plan to spend time with that person, even if it’s just for a moment or two. Make the effort to verbalize your appreciation for his or her positive presence in your day. • Physical: Physical activity is a wonderful way of promoting emotional health. Engage in some mild exercise this week. Take a walk around the neighborhood. Stroll through a city park. The goals are to get your body moving and to allow you to focus on something other than yourself and your surroundings. Greet your neighbors, stop at the park and watch someone playing with his dog, or cheer at a Little League baseball game. Intentionally open up your focus to include the broader world around you. • Spiritual support: Take some time to nourish your spirit. If you are a member of a religious organization, make sure to attend services this week. If you are not, listen to some religious or meditative music. Spend time in quiet reflection, meditation, or prayer. Intentionally engage in an activity that replenishes and reconnects your spirit. If you are not depressed but feel anxious and stressed, have trouble sleeping, or find your not content much of the time, Jantz said it’s time to start taking care of yourself. “Depression is painful and as debilitating as any other disease,” he added. “Take steps to de-stress your life and to work on emotional balance before it gets worse.”
Fremont Friendship Center
Occupational therapy student offers some safety tips for older gardeners By Kaylee Wallace With spring underway and summer right around the corner, gardening is a popular activity this time of year. Safety and the prevention of falls and injuries are of upmost importance for older adults while gardening. The following can help you and your loved ones safely garden throughout the spring and summer: • Don’t try to get everything done in one day. Work for a while, relax for a while, and then repeat if necessary. Accidents are more likely to occur when you’re tired and not paying close attention to the task at hand. • Check for hazards in your yard like roots, uneven ground, loose steps, rocks, etc. Ask a friend or family member to walk the yard with you to double check for hazards. They may see something you’ve overlooked. Then fix the things you have identified as hazardous. • Protect your skin. Wear long sleeves, pants, and gloves. Apply sunscreen to those areas that aren’t completely covered. As we age, our skin gets thinner and it’s easy to get scratches, bruises, and sun damage. The skin can be especially fragile if you’re on medication. • Protect your eyes not only from the sun but also from particles like dirt and twigs. Wear safety glasses/
goggles or sunglasses. • Carry a cell phone or an emergency response system with you in case of an emergency. • Use a cane or a walking stick when on uneven ground or hills. The additional support can help prevent falls and help you get back up if you fall. • Avoid ladders, climbing on chairs, or onto buckets. Ask a family member or friend to complete tasks that involve reaching up to another level. • If possible, bring the garden to you. In other words, garden at waist level. Invest in a planter bed or place pots on the table to make everything reachable without having to bend, lift, and/or kneel. This makes gardening much easier on the joints and on the body as a whole. It can also help you conserve your energy. • Schedule gardening around the heat of the day. Morning, early afternoon, or evening are the best times to go out and beat the heat. Try to avoid going outside during the hottest parts of the day (between 1 and 4 p.m. • Stay hydrated. Drink water before, during, and after gardening. Keep a water bottle with you while you work and drink water often. The mixture of sun, heat, and activity can take a toll on the body, and it’s very important to stay well hydrated. (This list was adapted
You’re invited to visit the Fremont Friendship Center, 1730 W 16th St., this month for the following: Farmers’ Market coupon sign-up from 9 to 10:30 a.m. and @ 1 p.m. on June 3 and June 5 from 9 to 10 a.m. from http://www.utsandiego. • June 5: Presentation on caregiving. com/news/2012/may/31/ • June 6: Music with Ron Schulzkump @ 10:30 a.m. ten-safe-gardening-tips-for• June 12: Learn about Heart Health with Beth from seniors/?page=2#articleENOA @ 10 a.m. followed by music with Rich Hayes. copy). • June 16: Non-perishable food items collection all Gardening is a fun hobby week for the Fremont Low Income Ministry. that’s good for the mind, • June 19: Music with Terri Orr @ 10:30 a.m. body, and spirit. Growing • June 20: Presentation on music therapy. old shouldn’t mean you • June 25: Movies with Larry @ 10:30 a.m. can’t participate. To remain • June 26: Free health screenings from 10 to 11:30 a.m. independent and safe in the Music with Wayne Miller @ 10:30 a.m. garden, use these tip as well The center is open Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, as the resources below. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Tuesdays 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. (according to • www.gardeningwithschedule); and Friday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. ease.com. This website Lunch is served @ 11:30 a.m. There is a $3 suggested offers adaptive gardening donation for the meal. Reservations are due by noon the tools designed for ease of business day prior to the meal you wish to enjoy. use. Their “ergonomic deA Tuesday supper club is served @ 5:30 p.m. sign” helps compensate for The center also offers exercising, Tai Chi, crafts, card the repetitive actions related games, billiards, and a computer lab. to gardening, making it easFor meal reservations or more information, please call ier on the body. The webLaurie Harms @ 402-727-2815. site allows you to browse their products, place orders online, and call their 1-800 number for customer service. Their products include arthritic grips, grabbers, Wills • Trusts • Probate lightweight tools, a rolling garden seat, and more. Ask A Lawyer: • www.gardeningknowhow.com. This website has Q — Should I put my child’s name on my home title? a lot to offer to the average A — Let’s look at the pros and cons of this. gardener, but also to gardenPro — It will avoid the need for probate on your home. ers with limitations. They Con — You would make a gift of a share of the property, provide a number of great and your child would become an owner (joint tenancy). articles about adaptive tools, Your child and his/her spouse would have to sign if you garden accessibility, and ever wished to borrow against your home or sell it. If you ever need Medicaid, you would be subject to a penalty more. period. Your child would also have to pay capital gain tax Cut out this article and on the difference between your original cost and the value place it near where you keep at the time of your death. your gardening supplies as You can avoid these negative factors by use of TOD Deed a friendly reminder. Safe or a simple trust. We can help with that, so please call. gardening will help you and your garden bloom! Have a question about estate planning? Give us a call! (Wallace is an occupational therapy student at AARP Legal Service Network • No Charge For Initial Consultation Omaha’s College of Saint 7602 Pacific Street, Ste 200 • (402) 391-2400 Mary.)
WHITMORE LAW OFFICE
http://whitmorelaw.com
ENOA beneficiary of Girl Scouts cookies donation
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ENOA staff members Mary Ann Eusebio (left) and Chris Gillette unload some of the 5,268 boxes of cookies the Girl Scouts Spirit of Nebraska donated to the agency’s clients and volunteers.
crew of nearly a dozen Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging staff members formed a bucket brigade as they unloaded two vans filled with cookies donated recently to the agency by the Girl Scouts Spirit of Nebraska. The 5,268 boxes of Thin Mints, Lemonades, Shortbread, and other popular varieties of the sweet treats were distributed to participants in ENOA’s Meals on Wheels Program, Care Management Program, Medicaid Waiver Program, Grandparent Resource Center, Senior Companion Program, Foster Grandparent Program, SeniorHelp Program, Ombudsman Advocate Program, Retired and Senior Volunteer Program, Congregate Meals Program, Senior Employment Program, and Rural Transportation Program. “ENOA is grateful to the Girl Scouts Spirit of Nebraska for its generous donation,” said Jeff Reinhardt, the agency’s director of public affairs. “I’m confident the men and women who receive the cookies will really enjoy them.”
June 2013
Immanuel Affordable Communities Immanuel Communities offers beautiful affordable independent apartment homes for seniors who are on a fixed income. Call today to schedule a personal visit.
Income guidelines apply
Immanuel Courtyard 6757 Newport Avenue Omaha, NE 68152 402-829-2912
Assisted Living at Immanuel Courtyard 6759 Newport Avenue Omaha, NE 68152 402-829-2990
Affilated with the Nebraska Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
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New Horizons
Trinity Courtyard 620 West Lincoln Street Papillion, NE 68046 402-614-1900
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Retired fed employees meet at Omaha eatery
Get help in finding assistive technology
he National Association of Retired Federal Employees’ Chapter 144 meets the first Wednesday of each month at 11:30 a.m. at the Amazing Pizza Machine, 13955 S Plz. For more information, please call 402-333-6460. The National Association of Retired Federal Employees’ Aksarben Chapter 1370 meets the second Wednesday of each month at 11:30 a.m. at the Amazing Pizza Machine, 13955 S Plz. For more information, please call 402-392-0624.
Older adults may notice gradual changes in their hearing, memory, vision, and mobility that could create the need for assistive technology. Some of these older men and women may need a cane, a scooter, a listening device, or a lighted magnifier. One way to learn more about obtaining assistive technology equipment is by logging on the Internet to at4all.com. For more information, please call Assistive Technology Partnerships at (toll free) 1-888-806-6287.
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Advice to help you avoid Medicare fraud on phone Scambook, the Internet’s leading complaint resolution platform, is warning older adults about the trending phone scam capitalizing on a fraudulent Medicare. Scambook has received more than 100 consumer complaints about one alleged benefits company that has conned older Americans out of more than $130,000 dollars. A caller asks the victim to verify basic information such as a telephone number or mailing address, deluding them into providing much more private information such as a Social Security number or bank routing number. This leads to subsequent unauthorized deductions from the checking account. To protect vulnerable older men and women, Scambook advises the following 5 tips: • Never give any personal information to an unsolicited caller. Any legitimate insurance company or Medicare representative will not request personal financial information over the phone. • Pressure to “act now” is a red flag. If the caller says it’s a “one time offer” or attempts to coerce consumers with a certain deadline, this is a significant red flag. • Hang up as soon as the call becomes suspicious. Scambook advises consumers to trust their instincts. If the caller is speaking too fast and refuses to slow down, repeat themselves, or answer questions, it’s likely to be a scam. • If in doubt, get the caller’s information, call the insurance company or Medicare, or research them online. Ask for the caller’s name, phone number and extension, and the name of their direct supervisor. Scambook recommends searching for this information on their complaint database or by using Google. If the caller does turn out to be legitimate, older adults can call them back. • Contact the healthcare provider and monitor finances. If an older adult suspect a caller was trying to scam them, Scambook suggests calling the healthcare provider directly to pull up a record of the phone call. Additionally, monitor bank accounts and statements very closely. The sooner an unauthorized charge is seen, the easier it will be to dispute.
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New Horizons
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Paint-a-Thon apps are due by June 7
By Melinda Myers Container gardens have long been used to add a spot of color by a front entrance or expand planting space in city lots, balconies, and decks. Don’t let past experience and tradition limit your vision. Try one or more of these attractive, fun, and functional ways to include containers in your landscape, large or small. Add vertical interest to any garden or garden space. Select a large attractive container filled with tall plants like papyrus and canna. Or elevate a small pot on steppers or an overturned pot for added height. Create height with smaller pots and plants by strategically stacking and planting them into a creative planting. Try setting any of these planters right in the garden to create a dramatic focal point. Create a privacy screen or mask a bad view. Use an arbor or other support for hanging baskets and then place a few containers below for an attractive screen. Or create a garden of containers to provide seasonal interest using a variety of plants. Use trees, shrubs, and ornamental grasses for height. Save money by purchasing smaller plants. Elevate these on overturned pots for added height and impact. Mask the mechanics by wrapping the pots in burlap. Then add a few colorful self-watering plants in the foreground for added color and beauty. Fill these with annuals or perennials for additional seasonal interest. Bring the garden right to your back door for ease of harvest and added entertainment. A self-watering patio planter, window box, or rail planter reduces maintenance and makes harvesting herbs as easy as reaching out the window or backdoor. Plus, guests will have fun harvesting their own fresh mint for mojitos or greens for their salads. Define outdoor living spaces within your landscape. Use containers as walls and dividers to separate entertaining and play areas from quiet reflective spaces. Consider using pots with built in casters or set them on moveable saucers to make moving these pots easier. This way you can expand and shrink individual spaces as needed simply by moving the pots. Create your own vacation paradise. Use planters filled with cannas, bananas, palms, and New Zealand flax for a more tropical flare. Add some wicker furniture to complete the scene. Or fill vertical gardens, an old child’s wagon, metal colander, or wooden and concrete planters with cacti and succulents. Add some old branches and large stones. You’ll feel as though you’ve hiked into the desert. All you need is a bit of space and creativity to find fun new ways to put containers to work for you in the garden this season. (Myers is a gardening expert, TV/radio host, and author.)
Douglas and Sarpy County residents that meet income guidelines and who are age 60 and older or permanently disabled at any age are encouraged to apply for the 2013 Brush Up Nebraska Paint-aThon. In August, for the 25th consecutive year, volunteers from area businesses, church congregations, and service clubs will paint the residences of individuals selected for the program at no cost to the homeowner. The application forms, which must be returned by June 7, are available by dialing 211 or at any area Wells Fargo Bank branch. For more information, please call 402-965-9169.
OFD can install free smoke, carbon monoxide detectors The Omaha Fire Department’s Public Education and Affairs Department is available to install free smoke and/or carbon monoxide detectors inside the residences of area homeowners.
To have a free smoke and/or carbon monoxide detector installed inside your home, send your name, address, and telephone number to: Omaha Fire Department Smoke/Carbon Monoxide Requests 10245 Weisman Dr. Omaha, NE 68134 For more information, please call 402-444-3560.
Florence AARP group meets third Monday of month Individuals age 50 and older are invited to attend the meeting of AARP’s Florence chapter the third Monday of each month. The gatherings are held at Olive Crest United Methodist Church, 7180 N. 60th St. at noon. The sessions include friendly people,
a meal for $7, a short meeting, and programs on a variety of topics. For more information or to arrange for a ride, please call Ann Van Hoff at 402556-3576, Marjorie Willard at 402-8401, or Ruth Kruse at 402-453-4825. Here’s the schedule for the rest of 2013:
June 17 Alzheimer’s Caregiving With Pat Callone
September 16 Picnic
July 15 Respite Care With Elizabeth Chentland Respite Resource Center
Call Today for a Free Report: (402)-291-5005 or www.7DaysCash.com
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Expert provides guide for gardening with containers
August 19 Hospice for Seniors With Kate Peppin
June 2013
October 21 Transylvania & Unitarians With Janet West November 18 Aprons With Judy Meyers December 10 Christmas Music
Make plans to provide care for a loved before the need arises
Lewy Body support group meets June 18
The Metro Omaha Lewy Eastern Nebraska a Office on Aging • 4223 Center Street • Omaha, NE 68105 Body Dementia (LBD) Support Group will meet lans for summer trips to the lake, a visit to the on Tuesday, June 18 at 1 amusement park, family reunions, and other p.m. at the Millard branch vacations are being made. For families who proof the Omaha Public vide care to an older loved one, there’s another Library, 13214 Westwood layer of planning that must take place before Ln. hitting the road. LBD is a group of Someday this button might save Who will care for Mom or Dad while you’re away? Can progressive brain diseases you really trust someone else to take care of them? WhataifOffice that the second leadingStreet • your For now, it sets you free. Eastern Nebraska onare Aging • 4223 Center Omaha,life. NE 68105 you don’t have any other family members in the area? cause of degenerative deWith Lifeline by Immanuel, you can enjoy an independent lifestyle in your Did you know some assisted living and long-term care mentia among older adults, own home—knowing that you can get help if you ever need it. In a fall or communities often offer short-term, overnight stays for affecting more than 1.3 emergency, every second counts. Lifeline by Immanuel with AutoAlert is a older adults who need assistance with daily living? This million American families. medical alert pendent that can automatically call for help, even if you can’t service is called respite care, and it allows for caregivers to More information about push your button. Getting you connected to someone with access to your medical history, someone who can evaluate your situation and immediately take an extended vacation, run errands, or just take a much- Lewy April Body Dementia is 3, 2013 send help. To learn more about the security and peace of mind provided needed break without worrying about caring for a loved available online at www. by Lifeline, call (402) 829-3277 or toll-free at (800) 676-9449. one. lbda.org/go/awareness. For more information Free Activation for Father’s Day about the support group, Available June 1- June 30 pleaseAuthor log on to E. annt88@ AndersenTo receive requested no proof. Free Activation you must mention this ad cox.net or call Ann Taylor at 402-452-3952. www.immanuellifeline.com By Jen Vogt
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If lots do not sell in April he wants to run again in May.
April 15, 2013 Lynette Burton 6615 N. 64th Plaza, Apt. 21 Omaha, NE 68152
He will mail you a check for $16.00.
CLASSIFIEDS
Please call 402-444-4148 or 402- 444-6654 to place your ad
FOR SALE
POOL TABLES
OLD STUFF WANTED
Lynette, (before 1975) Moving, refelting, assemble, repair, Postcards, photos, drapes, Here’s your ad for the classified section for the May issue. Please let me tear down. Used slate tables. 1950s and before fabrics, We pay CASH for slate pool tables. know if this is okay, or if you have anylamps, changes, give me a call clothes, lady’s hats, Big Red Billiards @ 402-444-4148 or mail your check for&$32.00 to:pictures, pottery, men’s ties, glass, jewelry, toys, fountain New Horizons pens, furniture, etc. Call anytime c/o Jeff Reinhardt, Editor 402-397-0254 or 402-250-9389
4223 Center Street Omaha, NE 68105
A+ Heartland Concrete Const.
Thanks! Mitch Laudenback @ New Horizons
The National Respite Network recommends caregivers use respite care before they begin feeling stressed or overtired. Respite will be most effective if it’s used before the caregiver begins to feel overwhelmed so their time away can truly be restful. Vacations and time away from care-giving responsibilities can be beneficial to caregivers. Many caregivers find it difficult to make time for themselves. Many feel added pressure or stress associated with care-giving. More than half see a decline in their own health as the focus on the loved one’s health. For all these reasons, it’s extremely important when the opportunity for rest and relaxation presents itself, caregivers take advantage. Even if you’re not able to take an out-of-town vacation, respite stays can be useful for caregivers who fall ill, are expecting severe weather conditions, or just need a short break or want to plan a “staycation.” Some of these situations happen suddenly, so it’s important to research respite care options before you might need them. A further benefit of using respite care is that you have the opportunity to try care communities you’re considering for future needs without making a long-term commitment. Respite stays can help families determine if a long-term care community or assisted living community will be a good fit down the road. Planning a respite stay does take some advanced preparation. Many respite care communities recommend at least a week’s notice to ensure availability and to provide adequate time to fill out paperwork and obtain the necessary information. However, in the case of emergencies, same day stays may be arranged, depending on room availability. Since many vacations take place during the summer months, it’s especially important to plan ahead this time of year if you know you’ll be using respite services. (Vogt is with Midwest Geriatrics, Inc. in Omaha.)
Driveways, garage floors, sidewalks, retaining walls. patio specialists. Insured/references. 13 year BBB Member
402-731-2094
FOR SALE
2 lots in Section G at Evergreen Cemetery. For more information call
REPUTABLE SERVICES, INC.
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NEW HORIZONS NEWSPAPER and ENOA AGING
Best & honest prices paid for: Old jewelry, furniture, glassware, Hummels, knick-knacks, old hats & purses, dolls, old toys, quilts, linens, buttons, pottery, etc. Also buying estates & partial estates. Call Bev at 402-339-2856
Senior Citizens (62+)
• Safety Equipment Handrails Smoke and Fire Alarms
Accepting applications for HUD-subsidized apartments in Papillion & Bellevue. Rent determined by income and medical expenses.
• Handyman Services • Senior Discounts • Free Estimates • References • Fully Insured
402-4 5 5-7 0 0 0
June 2013
ROOF DAMAGE?
It’s important to repair your damaged roof BEFORE it starts leaking. Call us today for a free, no obligation inspection. Let us help you determine if your roof should be patched or if we should negotiate with your insurance company to get you a new roof! MDR Roofing Insurance claim specialists since 1970
402-413-0065 402-734-3613
Tree Trimming Beat the bursting buds!
Bellewood Courts 1002 Bellewood Court Bellevue (402) 292-3300 Managed by Kimball Management., Inc. We do business in accordance with the Fair Housing Law.
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Chipping & removal. Your prunings chipped. Experienced & insured. Senior discount.
402-894-9206
Monarch Villa West 201 Cedar Dale Road Papillion (402) 331-6882
Quality Professional Service Better Business Bureau Member
93rd & Maple • 402-397-6921
TOP CASH PAID
• Remodeling & Home Improvement
• Painting Interior & Exterior
Lamplighter II
Some of the nicest, newer 1 bedroom apartments. Elevator, w & d, heated parking garage. Small complex. By bus & shopping. No pets or smoking.
PAID THROUGH March 2013 402-895-4980.
LEND A HAND CNA & Medication Aide Certified. An affordable helping hand when needed. Dedicated to helping families in need. “Making a difference one step at a time” Licensed and insured. Please call Lynn for more information: 402-686-6200.
402-333-7356
402-598-5225
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Non-Medical In-Home Respite Care for Seniors
3 spaces in Section I Evergreen Cemetery Call
New Horizons
deFreese Manor
Subsidized housing for those age 62 and over with incomes under $25,050 (1 person) or $28,600 (two persons) 2669 Dodge Omaha, NE 402-345-0622
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Ron Nadherny honored for his contributions to music
Between 1950 and 2012, Ron Nadherny entertained audiences as a member of several polka and Big Bands.
T
he way Ron Nadherny feels about his 63-year career playing the trumpet in a talented collection of polka and Big Bands can be best summed up by the words on a plaque hanging on a wall in the sound room at his midtown Omaha home: Without music, life would be a mistake. The 78-year-old’s contributions to music have been recognized with his induction into the Sokol Omaha Polka Hall of Fame in 1981 and the Milligan (Neb.) Music Hall of Fame in 2012. Recently, the Polka America Corporation presented Nadherny with its Frankie Award. Named after Frankie Yankovic – the legendary polka musician – the Frankie Award is given each
From 1959 to 1961, Ron Nadherny toured the upper Midwest and Canada with the Whoopee John Orchestra.
Page 20
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year to individuals who have made outstanding lifetime contributions to polka music. In 2013, Nadherny and Ernie Daigle of Massachusetts were the award’s national recipients. Omahan Ed “Sonny” Svoboda, a friend of Ron’s for more than 60 years, and a PAC board member, nominated Nadherny for the Frankie Award. “Ron is a very talented individual and an outstanding musician,” Svoboda said.
B
orn at Lincoln General Hospital in 1934, Nadherny lived his earliest days on a farm near Dorchester, Neb. After a year in Ohio, he and his family moved to Omaha in 1942 so his father could get a job at the Martin Bomber Plant. A 1952 Omaha South High School graduate, Ron played the trumpet in the Packers’ marching band for four years. His first paid musical gig ($6) came in 1950 as a member of the Cardinals Orchestra. That decade Ron also performed with the Sparta Orchestra, the Red Raven Orchestra, the Golden Prague Orchestra, and groups led by Charlie Kucera and Dave Huskey. In 1956, looking to expand his musical talents, skills, and knowledge, Nadherny joined Skippy Anderson’s Big Band. He stayed with them until being drafted into the Army in 1957. Assigned to Korea, Nadherny played the trumpet in the Army’s First Calvary Band. He also formed a combo that performed in officers’ clubs, and later became the military band’s drum major. Shortly before his 1959 discharge from the service, Ron was asked by John Wilfahrt to join the nation’s top polka band, the Whoopee John Orchestra from Minnesota.
New Horizons
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Nadherny accepted the offer, so he, Wilfahrt, and company spent the next two years entertaining audiences throughout the upper Midwest and Canada. “One year we played 328 nights covering 475,000 miles,” Ron recalled. The orchestra also recorded two albums on Decca Records, performed on radio shows, and taped a TV pilot for CBS that never aired. Weary from the long bus rides, and looking to settle down with his future wife, Lois Paulsen, Nadherny quit the Whoopee John Orchestra in 1961. He came back to Omaha, where in addition to his musical career, he worked for First National Bank of Omaha and as a sound and recording engineer for the Liberty Tape Duplicating Company (later sold to United Artists and Capitol Records), Czech Records, and his own recording service. During the next several years, Nadherny – the father of two and grandfather of four – played with a variety of area polka bands including gigs with orchestras headed by Ernie Kucera, Al Grebnick, Eddie Janak, Vern Luddington, Elmer Scheid, Fezz Fritsche, Earl Schmidt, Jerry Schuft, and Eddie Skeets. During the same period, he also performed with local Big Bands led by Tony Bradley, Lambert Bartak, Mal Dunn, Dick Wickman, Don Hamsa, Greg Spevak, and Bobby Layne. In 1973, he started the Ron Nadherny Polka Band. Bandleader Layne had purchased Lincoln’s Pla Mor Ballroom and gave Nadherny two days to put together a six-piece polka band to entertain at the dance hall. “We played there at polka festivals for the next 31 years,” Nadherny recalled proudly. Working with Layne, Ron also combined his musical and sound engineering skills to produce the Pla Mor Polka Party, a half-hour Sunday afternoon radio show for four years on stations in Fairbury and Plattsmouth, Neb. In 1994, fearing polka music’s popularity was declining and with friend Sandy Biery serving as his
driving force and inspiration, he started the Ron Nadherny Orchestra, a nine-piece Big Band. Nadherny retired both the polka and Big Band ensembles in 2012. “I wanted to go out on top,” he said.
R
on said he fell in love with music in general and the trumpet specifically as a toddler when he attended polka dances with his parents. “I really think I was born with this feeling of wanting to be a part of something that was so rewarding,” he said. When reviewing his seven decades in show biz, Nadherny credits his longevity to a love of music and the satisfaction he got from entertaining audiences. “I get a kick out of watching people have fun,” he said. Ron has made countless friends during his career, and this month will reunite with members of the Whoopee John Orchestra in Wisconsin. “As a band, we became a unit and have stayed in touch.” While at times he misses being on stage, Nadherny is glad he doesn’t have to load and unload his van and set up the equipment for dance engagements any more. Career highlights have included playing at the Aksarben coronation with the Six Fat Dutchmen, the Aksarben Rodeo, and at the Kansas City Jazz Festival as part of a bill that featured Count Basie. Favorite venues included Omaha’s Sokol Auditorium, the Prom Ballroom in Saint Paul, Minn. and Milwaukee’s Legion Club. Nadherny’s most challenging gig was performing almost non-stop for three hours with the Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Circus Band when it came to Omaha. When asked about the best part of being in an orchestra, Ron’s answer was simple, yet eloquent. “Synchronizing and becoming a cohesive unit with a group of musicians.” There’s only one way to end a story about Ron Nadherny. That’s by repeating the advice he gave the audience at the end of each performance: “Stay young and keep dancing.”
Ed “Sonny” Svoboda (right) presented the Frankie Award to Nadherny in April at the Starlite Ballroom in Wahoo.
June 2013