New Horizons Newspaper

New Horizons A publication of the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging

November 2011 VOL. 36 • NO. 11

ENOA 4223 Center Street Omaha, NE 68105-2431

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Uniting & restoring

Nancy Kirk, executive director of theTri-Faith Initiative, draws on her background as an entrepreneur, public relations professional, and arts program administrator to lead a groundbreaking collaboration of three faith groups in Omaha. Kirk also ran an antique quilt restoration business. Leo Adam Biga chronicles Kirk’s multi-faceted career.

Story begins on page 11.

Therapists Families enrolled in ENOA’s Grandparent Resource Center are benefitting from their involvement with the Spirit of Chiron, Luv a Lamb, and True Buddy programs.

David and Sarah (left) recently spent time with Jackie Bowyer and Minnie, while Celeste (right) is shown taking Sunshine for a walk.

Pages 22 & 23.

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Medicare Part D enrollment, plan reviews available during November, December Older adults who want to enroll in a Medicare Part D insurance plan, have their current Medicare Part D plan reviewed, or change Medicare Part D providers are invited to visit one of the sites listed below on the dates and times shown.

Free assistance from trained counselors will be available. To make an appointment, please call Volunteers Assisting Seniors at 402-444-6617.

This year, the Medicare Part D enrollment dates are through Wednesday, Dec. 7.

In 2012, there will be changes in the Medicare Part D insurance plans including some of the medications covered and in the deductible and co-payment amounts.

When enrolling in Medicare Part D, to have your Medicare Part D plan reviewed, or to change Medicare Part D Tuesday, Nov. 1 Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging 4223 Center Street 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

“Voice for Older Nebraskans!”

providers, beneficiaries should: • Gather a list of their medications (including doses and when the medications are taken), provide the names of their health care providers (physicians, pharmacies, etc.), and bring any notices they have regarding changes in their Medicare Part D policy from their provider, Social Security, or Medicare.

• Be prepared to compare their Medicare Part D policy to other Medicare Part D policies based on costs, coverage (are your providers part of any plans you’re considering?), and customer service.

• Bring their Medicare card and their Medicare Part D card (if they have one).

Here are the dates and times trained counselors will be available to help older adults enroll in a Medicare Part D insurance plan, have their current Medicare Part D plan reviewed, or change Medicare Part D providers.

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Monday, Nov. 21 Papillion Public Library 222 N. Jefferson Street 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

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Wednesday, Nov. 2 Fremont Friendship Center 1730 W. 16th Street (Christensen Field) 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Tuesday, November 29 Lakeside Hospital 16901 Lakeside Hills Circle 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 3 Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging 4223 Center Street 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Thursday, Dec. 1 Volunteers Assisting Seniors 1941 S. 42nd St. • Suite 502 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

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Tuesday, Nov. 8 Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging 4223 Center Street 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Dec. 6 Papillion Public Library 222 N. Jefferson Street 12 to 4 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 9 Lakeside Hospital 16901 Lakeside Hills Circle 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 7 Volunteers Assisting Seniors 1941 S. 42nd St. • Suite 502 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Saturday, Nov. 19 Volunteers Assisting Seniors 1941 S. 42nd St. • Suite 502 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

For an appointment, please call 402-444-6617

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ADDRESS CITY/STATE/ZIP

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 402444-3076. 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 25,000 through direct mail and freehand distribution.

Omaha World Adventurers series continues Nov. 2

he third in the series of travelogues from Omaha World Adventurers (OWA) is scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 2 at the 20 Grand Cinema, 14304 W. Maple Rd. Showings of Budapest to Istanbul & a Danube Cruise with Clint and Sue Denn begin at 2 & 7:30 p.m.

The Denns will take armchair travelers from Budapest, Hungary to Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, and Istanbul, Turkey.

Of special interests are stops along the Danube River with its spectacular natural beauty and dramatic landscapes, and at Bucharest’s 3,100-room Palace of Parliament.

Tickets, which are available at the door, are $10. By bringing the OWA ad on page 21, New Horizons readers can receive a second ticket at no additional cost. Prorated four-show season tickets are also available at a discounted price.

For more information, please call RJ Franklin Production/Franklin Film Artists at 866-385-3824.

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; Ron Nolte, Cass County, vice-chairperson; Bob Missel, Dodge County, secretary; Jim Warren, Sarpy County & Jerry Kruse, Washington County.

The Nov. 2 installment of the Omaha World Adventurers film series will take viewers to places like Hungary, Turkey, Romania, and Bulgaria.

November 2011

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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Visiting these places will make you hunger, thirst for more

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he sign in the front of the long, squatty building is intriguing: See It Now: “ The Romance and Sex Life of the Date.”

The packed parking lot seemed a testament to the effectiveness of the sign. The truth is, if you think most of these visitors came here looking for something X-rated and spicy you’d be wrong. In fact, you’d be more likely looking for something sweet. The advertised movie is no skin flick but rather a 14-minute film that follows the trials and tribulations of producing dates.

Those sweets are “dates” the kind that grow on trees, not a boy-girl night out.

The place is Shields Date Garden in Indio, Calif., 25 miles east of Palm Springs in the Coachella Valley desert. Ninety-five percent of dates grown in America come from this barren site bordering the Salton Sea. It’s one of the vacation area’s most popular attractions. Popular because it plays to one of man’s most demanding temptations— pleasing one’s hunger. It’s a surefire way to attract visitors and is actively employed by thousands of attractions and museums scattered throughout the U.S., each of which features a food or drink.

There are plenty of them right here in the Midlands. Wineries in the greater metro area that welcome visitors include Four Winds and Glacial Till in Ashland, Soaring Wings in Springfield, and James Arthur in Raymond. In all, there are more than 30 wineries and vineyards in Nebraska.

Then there are those that feature popular foods, such as The Spam Museum in Austin, Minn., The National Mustard Museum in Middleton, Wis., and the National Dairy Shrine Museum in Fort Atkinson, Wis. If you want to branch out even further there’s The Idaho Potato Museum in Blackfoot, Idaho, the Jell-O Gallery in LeRoy, N.Y., and a salute to peanut butter at the Nutropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

In fact, there’s likely a tribute to most every item of food and drink somewhere in the country.

B

A courtship like none other

ut back to the lusting date.

The folks at Shields say research indicates the date palm fruit has been cultivated for over 6,000 years, starting from its birthplace in the Middle East. It’s also one of the most labor-intensive and most expensive-to-produce crops in the world.

To begin, date palms are fussy.

From the land of their origin comes the wisdom that “a date palm must have its feet in the water and its head in the fires of heaven.” So why are dates grown mostly in desert climates?

The Coachella Valley is a perfect

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example. While visually the barren countryside looks like nothing more than sand, rocks, cactus, and desert plants, underneath is a pool of water that seems unquenchable, fed by underground sources of water from mountain snows. How else could area agriculture survive, with vast fields producing fruits and vegetables for shipping nationwide? Or, for providing water for lush resorts featuring 120 golf courses, with lakes and waterfalls flanking flamboyant landscapes of flowers and tropical vegetation.

freezing.

Now the real reason I visit Shields on my annual escape from winter is the popular date milk shake. It’s created by adding chopped-up dates to vanilla ice cream. A blender does the rest.

I believe if I were ever limited to choosing one milk shake flavor, dates would win palms down.

Among the many museums dedicated to Biblical times, the smallest subject would seem the most unlikely to be honored. It’s the mustard seed, referenced to in several bib-

Travelogue

By Barc Wade

So that fulfills the “feet in the water” qualification. Meanwhile, the “fires of heaven” are supplied by an unrelenting sun that prompts summertime temperatures to well over 100 degrees for weeks at a time.

Winter readings generally are in the 70s and 80s.

The “sexy” nature of date palms is there are male and female trees.

Talk about harems, the prowess of the male is that only one of them is needed to pollinate 48 female trees.

After a female offshoot is planted, it takes five years before a commercial crop of 30 to 40 pounds is produced. Full production doesn’t occur for another five to 10 years when 150 to 200 pounds or more may be harvested.

There’s no Viagra available for the male palm, but it does get help from workers who climb the 40 to 50 feet tall trees via permanently attached ladders. Once at the top, pollen that was harvested from the male palms is then sprinkled by hand on the female blossoms.

As the dates develop it’s necessary to protect them from birds, accomplished by wrapping them with paper covers that look like grocery sacks. Ripening extends over several months with picking beginning in August and continuing until the end of the year.

In between, much care is required, such as pruning and dethorning new leaves to protect workers from injuries during the pollinating process.

Medjools are the most popular of dates. Other varieties include Blonde, Brunette, Deglet Noor, Honey, and six others. These are on sale at Shields and via catalog for shipping anywhere in the U.S. Should you want a catalog, please call 800-414-2555 or visit www.shieldsdategarden.com.

Date crystals, invented by founders Floyd and Bess Shields, are best for use in cooking. Dates are versatile, too, especially when stuffed with walnuts or almonds. For quick consumption, the fruit is best kept in covered refrigerated containers.

For long-term storage, unlike most fruits, dates retain their flavor by

New Horizons

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lical passages. The most commonly referred to is in Matt. 13 31-32: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.”

It is often referred to as a parable that predicts the growth of God’s kingdom.

While the National Mustard Museum in Middleton, Wis. wasn’t built around the Biblical references, it’s amazing how such a tiny subject is now celebrated with displays of over 5,300 mustards from all 50 states and 60 countries.

Perhaps because it’s such an unlikely subject, the museum has gained widespread fame, being featured on the Oprah Winfrey Show and the game show To Tell the Truth. It’s also been the subject of numerous newspaper and magazine features.

Among the attraction’s features is the Mustard Piece Theatre where viewers learn the use of the mustard seed in diverse ways from German sausage carts to renowned restaurants of France.

Visitors will also learn cooking tips that include the use of mustard and then can see for themselves what might be their favorites while attending the tasting bar which features over 100 varieties.

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Celebrating the staff of life

t would be surprising if there wasn’t a museum that celebrates bread, which may be one of the most commonly consumed foods in the world. Among the best is the Boudin Bakery Museum in the Fisherman’s Wharf district of San Francisco.

The bakery has been around for 150 years and today is described as a combination bistro, restaurant, and museum. Besides touting its own products, it also chronicles San Francisco’s history The highly respected eatery explains what puts the sour in the

November 2011

sourdough French bread for which it’s famous.

Museum visitors learn how bread is made through interactive displays and big plasma screen videos.

From there, viewers move on to an elevated catwalk to watch bread actually being made, from preparation to dough spinners in action, to the ovens and to the finished product. Then comes the museum’s real appeal, the tasting of pastries and bread with various dipping oils. All this for a mere $3 admission.

A potato by any other name is a spud

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e love baked, fried, scalloped, boiled, hashed, and mashed potatoes. No wonder there’s a museum devoted to the vegetable that was discovered in South America in the mid-1550s.

It gained popularity when introduced in Europe shortly thereafter, first in Spain and then England and Ireland. Potatoes became the main food in Ireland, but with the disastrous result that a blight destroyed potato crops in 1845 and 1846 leading to many deaths by starvation, prompting the influx of migrating Irish to the United States.

Today, Blackfoot, Idaho, lays claim to being the World Potato Capital and celebrates its claim through the Idaho Potato Museum and an annual festival. While there are other communities in the prime growing region, Blackfoot cemented its claim by creating the annual World Potato Expo that celebrates the worldwide importance of the bashful spud which hides underground until it’s harvested three to four months after planting.

Harvesting is something I’m familiar with, not the way it’s done now but the way it was many years ago. As a high school age kid, I signed on to “pick” potatoes at fields near Gibbon, Nebr. It was stoop labor. A strange looking belt was stretched around my midsection. Hooks on the backside stored empty gunnysacks. Hooks in the front were where an empty sack was attached. As I headed bent over down the rows of just dug-up potatoes I’d toss them into the bag between my legs which got heavier and heavier. When the bag was about half-full, it was detached and an empty one hooked on. We were paid by the number of bags we filled. I lasted in the potato fields two days. Today, machines do most of the work.

My brush with potato picking isn’t recorded at the Idaho Museum but you can learn about the “agricultural, historical, social, scientific, educational, and economic aspects of the world-famous Idaho potato.”

It’s accomplished through displays and exhibits of farming and sorting equipment.

Among the more light-hearted tributes to the spud are the billboards on approaches to the town, Please turn to page 5.

Some delicious destinations you need to visit...

--Continued from page 4. featuring a grinning King Potato. On the premises is the World’s Largest Styrofoam Potato, standing 6-1/2 feet tall by 20 feet long.

Inside the museum, the World’s Largest Potato Chip – a 25 by 14 inch Pringle – is displayed.

Also on display are the burlap tuxedo worn by Idaho’s first Potato Commissioner in 1998 and a burlap rodeo queen outfit with vest and shirt.

During the summer visitors can help themselves to potato fudge, potato ice cream, and potato cookies.

A sign that once said “Free Taters for Out-of-Staters” now has a proviso, “With $3 admission.”

Revelations at Jack Daniels

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onfessions are brewing at Jack Daniels, or perhaps I should say, distilling. The flap revolves around a redesign of its well-recognized label to a revelation that Jack wasn’t really “Jack,” because his true name was Jasper. The switch in names for the largest selling whiskey in the world began way back in 1866. It was a wise decision because some how Jasper Daniels Whiskey just doesn’t sound right.

The famous label, black with white type, describes its contents as “Jack Daniels Old Time, Old No. 7 Sour Mash Whiskey, 86 Proof.”

It went on to say, “Distilled in Lynchburg, Tenn., Pop. 361.” Now, you won’t find the population mentioned because 7,362 people live in the Tennessee community near the Alabama border.

But everything else is the same at the museum that centers on the original log cabin office of its founder, a National Historic Site.

And by the way, Tennessee is a “dry” state.

America’s best smelling museum

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nother attraction that appeals to the sweet tooth is unique in that if you were blindfolded and driven into this town you’d know where you are just because of the smell.

The place is Hershey, Pa., and that’s all you need to know to identify the bestknown brand of candy in the U.S. Here, five permanent interactive exhibits unveil the rags to riches life of Milton Hershey.

More than 10,000 square feet of space tells how the chocolate king overcame early failures to find a town in 1903 that bears his name.

By 1915 he had created the world’s largest chocolate factory.

house and packaging plant.

At the end of the tour visitors can go to the hospitality room where free samples are dispensed. An introductory film traces the brewery’s history. One-hour tours include considerable

The candy maker’s impact on the town’s economy is even saluted with streetlights shaped like candy kisses.

At the end of your tour of the museum you’ll receive a booklet that will test your memory of what the exhibits told you about Hershey’s life. As a reward for participating earn a commemorative coin and a personalized newspaper page.

The Hershey Amusement Park, with 10 roller coasters among its 24 rides, helps sweeten the appeal of this chocolate-driven town. The Hershey Botanical Gardens features two rose gardens, a Japanese garden, a rock garden, and a butterfly house.

The candy maker’s impact on the town’s economy is even saluted with streetlights shaped like candy kisses.

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More food and drink attractions

n previous issues of New Horizons, I’ve featured other food attractions, so here’s a review of some you may want to include in your travel plans: • Kool Aid: You’ve heard the jingle hundreds of times, “Kool-Aid, Kool-Aid tastes great, Kool-Aid, Kool-Aid can’t wait.” So, if those words spark memories from your childhood days, you’ll want to visit the world’s largest Kool-Aid stand during the celebration of its founding in Hastings, Aug. 12-14.

Other times, the history of Kool-Aid is a popular exhibit at the Hastings Museum.

Invented by Edwin Perkins, Kool Aid was first manufactured in Hastings from 1927 to1931. Artifacts on display include smiling Kool-Aid pitchers and mugs, vintage packages, and items that trigger childhood memories of kid-operated street side stands.

• Beer: At the AnheuserBusch Brewery in St. Louis, visitors get a mix of attractions including a visit to the famed Clydesdale horse stables, a tour of the brew

walking between buildings with escalator stairs leading to birds-eye views of the brewing process.

• Ice Cream: The imposing name of this LeMars, Iowa, dairy products firm, tells it all: Ice Cream Capital of the World Visitor Center & Museum, the home of Blue Bunny Ice Cream. Wells Dairy claims its Iowa site produces more ice cream than any other place in the U.S. Located 23 miles northeast of Sioux City, Iowa, the museum is easy to find.

Just look for the red dairy barn-shaped building with an adjoining silo. Inside, the museum traces the history of ice cream through exhibits, films, photographs, dairy barn memorabilia, and interactive computer programs.

The star of the museum is a 105-year old vintage marble soda fountain, at which visitors can gobble down ice cream concoctions as they might have been served at the turn of the last century.

• Spam: Praised by Gen. Dwight Eisenhower for the

ham-and-pork luncheon meat’s role in feeding troops during World War II, its history is told at the Spam Museum in Austin, Minn.

Perhaps influenced by the I Love Lucy chocolate factory episode, one of the museum’s many interactive exhibits allows visitors to don rubber gloves and hard hats to be a participant in a simulated Spam production line.

• Jelly Beans: Kenosha, Wis., is the home of the Jelly Belly Center, birthplace of the original “gourmet” jellybeans. You’ll be surprised to learn the centuryold company also produces candy corn, taffy, gum-

mies, and other diet-busting delights. Tours are aboard the Jelly Belly Express train that roams the warehouse where at “stations” along the route, large screen videos feature the company’s history and candy making process.

Other popular food attractions include a tribute to Jell-O in LeRoy, N.Y., Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream in Waterbury, Vt., Candy Americana Museum and Candy Store near Lancaster, Pa., National Dairy Shrine Museum in Fort Atkinson, Wis., and the National Historic Cheese making Center in Monroe, Wis.

Dora Bingel Senior Center November 2011 events calendar You’re invited to visit the Dora Bingel Senior Center, 923 N. 38th St., this month for the following: • Nov. 7, 14, 21, & 28: Al-Anon meeting @ 7 p.m.

• Nov. 1, 8, 15, 22, & 29: Grief Support Group @ 10 a.m.

• Nov. 16: Regeneration Thanksgiving lunch with singer Paul Siebert @ noon. The cost is $3.

• Nov. 17: Red Hat Club Society meeting @ noon.

• Nov. 18: Hard of Hearing Support Group @ 10:30 a.m.

• Nov. 28: AARP’s Safe Driving Class from 1 to 5 p.m. for persons age 50 and older. The cost is $12 for AARP members, $14 for non members, and free for military veterans.

• Nov. 30: Birthday Party Luncheon @ noon. Eat free if you have a November Birthday!

The center will closed Nov. 24 and 25 for Thanksgiving!

A nutritious lunch is served on Tuesdays and Fridays. A fancier lunch is offered on Wednesdays. A $1 donation is suggested for the meals, other than $3 for Regeneration.

Round-trip transportation is available for $3.

Reservations are required 24 hours in advance for all special events.

Other activities offered at the facility include Tai Chi class Tuesday @ 1 p.m., a crochet class Wednesdays @ 9:30 a.m., and a 1 p.m. Bible study Wednesday and Friday.

For more information, please call 402-898-5854.

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Home Instead Center for Successful Aging Leavenworth Street at 38th Avenue (Parking & entrance from Lot 16 at 39th & Jones streets) Monday - Friday • 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

402-552-7210

www.unmc.edu/homeinsteadcenter/wellness.htm

November 2011

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Page 5

Call 402-444-6654 for more information

ENOA’s Gatekeeper Program works with businesses, law enforcement agencies

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he Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging has reintroduced its Gatekeeper Program that works with area businesses and law enforcement agencies to help identify older Nebraskans who need help to remain living independently and with dignity in their own homes.

The Gatekeeper program – available in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, and Washington counties – helps provide education regarding warning signs an older man or woman needs assistance from ENOA.

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New Horizons

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November 2011

The Gatekeeper program – available in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, and Washington counties – helps provide education regarding warning signs an older man or woman needs assistance from ENOA. These signs may include difficulties communicating, compromised economic and social conditions, problems with emotional health and personal appearance, physical limitations, and home environments in need of repair.

All information provided to ENOA through its Gatekeeper Program will remain confidential.

An ENOA case manager or service coordinator can assess the older adult’s needs, and when appropriate, help arrange for a variety of in-home services or programs such as Meals on Wheels, a homemaker, or a bath aide.

An ENOA representative is available to meet with local businesses or law enforcement agencies to discuss the Gatekeeper Program. To arrange for a Gatekeeper presentation, please call 402-444-6654.

ENOA senior center November 2011 menu Tuesday, Nov. 1 Swedish Meatballs

Wednesday, Nov. 16 Chick A La King

Wednesday, Nov. 2 Cheese Lasagna Rollup

Thursday, Nov. 17 Beef Jardinine

Thursday, Nov. 3 Beef Strip Patty

Friday, Nov. 18 Herbed Pork Loin

Friday, Nov. 4 Honey-baked Chicken

Monday, Nov. 21 Cheeseburger

Monday, Nov. 7 Savory Beef Casserole

Tuesday, Nov. 22 Garlic Rosemary Chicken

Tuesday, Nov. 8 Turkey Fritter

Wednesday, Nov. 23 Turkey Breast w/Gravy

Wednesday, Nov. 9 Oven-fried Chicken

Thursday, Nov. 24 Closed for Thanksgiving

Thursday, Nov. 10 Tuna Noodle Au Gratin

AARP offering driving classes The AARP Driving Safety Program offers a four-hour refresher driving class that reviews the rules of the road and emphasizes driving strategies for persons age 50 and older.

Fees are $12 for AARP members and $14 for nonmembers. There are no exams or tests involved. Insurance discounts may apply. During November the classes are free of charge for all military veterans and their spouses. Here’s the class schedule:

Friday, Nov. 25 Closed for Thanksgiving

Friday, Nov. 11 Closed for Veterans Day

Monday, Nov. 28 Turkey Ham w/White Beans

Monday, Nov. 14 Veal Italiano

Tuesday, Nov. 29 Spanish Beef Patty

Tuesday, Nov. 15 Beef Chili

Wednesday, Nov. 30 Roast Beef

November 2011

Wednesday, Nov. 9 Noon to 4 p.m.

Midlands Hospital 11111 S. 84th St. Call 1-800-253-4368 to register.

Monday, Nov. 14 Noon to 4 p.m.

Bloomfield Forum 9804 Nicholas St. Call 402-390-9991 to register.

Saturday, Nov. 12 Noon to 4 p.m.

AARP Information Center 1941 S. 42nd St. Call 402-398-9568 to register.

Friday, Nov. 18 Noon to 4 p.m.

Metro Comm. College 9110 Giles Road Class ID: AUAV-004N-72 Call 402-457-5231 to register.

The New Horizons is brought to you by the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging.

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Page 7

WHITMORE LAW OFFICE Wills • Trusts • Probate

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For example, Husband and Wife hold all of their property jointly. Husband is the first to die, and Wife inherits everything. Later, Wife dies without proper planning. Result?

Wife’s children receive all the family property. Husband’s children are “accidentally disinherited.”

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402-637-3935 www.CohensComputerClub.com Dr. David M. Cohen, Ph.D. dmc@ieee.org

New Horizons

You’re invited to visit the Fremont Friendship Center, 1730 W. 16th St. (Christensen Field) to socialize, enjoy a nutritious, delicious meal, exercise, play pool, visit the computer lab, have a cup of coffee and a donut, play cards, etc. The facility is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Lunch is served at 11:30 a.m. A $3 donation is suggested for the meal. Reservations are due by noon the business day prior to the lunch you wish to enjoy. A supper club is held Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m.

This month’s activities include: • Nov. 2: Pianist Wally @ 10:30 a.m. Medicare Part D enrollment site from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

• Nov. 3: First Response Class taught by a representative from Midlands University @ 9:30 a.m.

• Nov. 9: Presentation on Alzheimer’s disease @ 10 a.m. Music by Art and Gwen Schmidt @ 10:30 a.m.

• Nov. 16: Music by the Link Duo @ 10:30 a.m.

• Nov. 22: Music by the JRS Trio @ 10:30 a.m.

• Nov. 23: Organist Lottie and accordionist Charles @ 10:30 a.m. followed a Thanksgiving meal @ 11:30 a.m.

• Nov. 30: Music by Rich Hayes.

The center will be closed on Nov. 11 for Veterans Day and on Nov. 24 and 25 for Thanksgiving.

For meal reservations or for more information, please call Laurie Harms at 402-727-2815.

H

Whether it’s a one-time lesson or ongoing instruction and support, learn how to use the computer with Dr. David M. Cohen, Ph.D., an educator and innovator who specializes in teaching computer skills to persons with little or no experience.

•

Tuesdays Feb. 21 - March 27 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Bellevue Senior Center 109 W. 22nd Ave.

Developed at Stanford University, the evidencebased Living Well: Take Control of Your Health program can teach practical lessons like managing symptoms and emotions, discovering better nutrition and physical activity choices, appropriate use of medications, effective communication skills, and evaluating new treatment choices.

Participants who complete the six sessions (12 hours) experience greater energy, improved social interactions, less time in the hospital, and more confidence in the ability to take care of their health.

They also learn how to manage their medications, deal with difficult emotions, eat well, control pain, set and accomplish goals, fight fatigue and frustration, start an exercise program, manage stress, and solve problems.

To register, or for more information, please call 402561-2290.

Embroiderer, 96, specializes in tea towels

Basic computer skills made easy!

Page 8

Mondays Nov. 7 - Dec. 12 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Corrigan Senior Center 3819 X St.

Fremont Friendship Center Deeveloped at Stanford November 2011 events calendar

Have a question about estate planning? Give us a call!

• Outstanding activities program

T

wo free workshops (all materials will also be supplied) designed to improve the self-management of your daily health are scheduled for eastern Nebraska.

Called Living Well: Take Control of Your Health, the six-week sessions will be held:

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• Quality living at an affordable price

Six-week, 12-hour ‘Living Well’ program can help participants manage their daily health

•

elen Kriz, a 96-year-old Snyder, Neb. resident, said despite a little hip pain, she feels “pretty good” these days.

Part of Kriz’s secret to good health and longevity may be that she embroiders or sews every day.

Kriz specializes in embroidering sets of seven tea towels. She sells the sets for $25 to folks in places like Snyder, Fremont, Omaha, and Lincoln. She also gives away a lot of the colorful towels she creates in her apartment.

Helen has more time to spend with a needle and thread since retiring at age 90 from her job working nine-hour shifts as a waitress at Adie’s, a Snyder restaurant. Prior to her days at the eatery, Kriz was employed by Campbell’s Soup in Fremont for 17 years.

Other than Wheel of Fortune, Are You Smarter Than a Fifth-Grader and reruns of The Lawrence Welk Show, Friz said most of today’s TV

November 2011

shows “are garbage” so she likes to keep busy sewing and playing cards with her neighbors.

While she enjoys the process of creating a set of tea towels, Helen said her favorite part of embroidering is seeing the finished

product.

As she approaches the century mark, Kriz plans to continue embroidering as long as she’s physically and mentally able.

“I can still thread a needle without (wearing) my glasses,” she said.

Helen Kriz, a 96-year-old Snyder, Neb. resident with some of the tea towels she embroiders.

Know the warning signs of macular degeneration

By Stephen Rose, Ph.D. Blurry vision and blind spots may be more than just signs of aging - they can be indicators of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). This complex disease affects more than 10 million Americans and is the leading cause of blindness for people over age 50.

Promising research is advancing new treatments and teaching us more about the disease, but people must take preventive measures and understand the importance of early diagnosis to protect their sight; especially as aging Baby Boomers are becoming more at risk.

Early diagnosis depends on detecting warning signs and regular visits to an ophthalmologist. A person suffering from the early stages of AMD may not notice changes in their vision. But as the disease advances, they may experience blurring in their central vision, especially during detailoriented tasks like reading.

Doctors diagnose AMD by identifying yellow deposits called drusen that collect underneath the retina. Most people initially suffer from dry AMD, which occurs when the cells in the eye’s macula slowly break down to gradually blur central vision. Some cases of dry AMD progress to the wet form, which causes rapid, advanced vision loss because abnormal blood vessels grow under the macula and leak blood and fluid.

A person seeing straight lines as wavy is a classic symptom of wet AMD. Genetics often play a role in AMD, but the heredity link is complicated as many people develop the condition without family history of it, while those with affected parents may never suffer vision loss. A number of additional factors are associated with AMD, including cigarette smoking, bright sunlight, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and diet.

The National Eye Institute conducted the Age-Related Eye Disease Study (AREDS) which found a dietary supplement containing a combination of vitamins and minerals reduced people’s risk of developing advanced AMD. The supplement is available over the counter, but should only be taken after consulting a doctor.

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Most people initially suffer from dry AMD, which occurs when the cells in the eye’s macula slowly break down to gradually blur central vision.

Studies have also linked consuming lower amounts of dietary fat to decreased chances of developing advanced AMD. Foods high in healthy omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish and nuts, as well as colorful vegetables rich in carotenoids may also help prevent AMD. Research holds promise for new AMD treatments. The biopharmaceutical company Advanced Cell Technology recently launched a clinical trial of a cellular therapy derived from stem cells that could preserve and restore vision of AMD patients.

Oxford BioMedica is conducting a gene therapy human study that could be a longlasting approach to halting vision loss from AMD, with only a single treatment. And Regeneron is seeking FDA approval of a therapy for wet AMD that requires less frequent treatment injections than existing treatments like Lucentis, which is FDAapproved for AMD, and Avastin, a cancer drug which is often prescribed off label to AMD patients.

(Dr. Stephen Rose is the Chief Research Officer for the Foundation Fighting Blindness.)

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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 numbers listed above.

2012 Tours Early Winter in Laughlin (by Air). January 4 - 7. $329. Includes non-stop, round-trip airfare to Laughlin, Nevada, 3 nights lodging at the Riverside Resort and Casino on the banks of the Colorado River, and shuttle transportation to and from the airport. Register early…these winter trips fill up fast!

Valentines Day in Laughlin (by Air). February 13 - 17. $349.

Includes non-stop, round-trip airfare to Laughlin, Nevada, 4 nights lodging at the Riverside Resort and Casino on the banks of the Colorado River, and shuttle transportation to and from the airport. Register early!

Treasures of Panama. April 11 – 19, 2012. See the Miraflores Locks on your tour of Panama City, enjoy a cruise through the rainforest to Monkey Island where you’ll see iguanas, toucans, and crocodiles, spend four nights at the Gamboa Rainforest Resort, cruise through the Panama Canal, enjoy the stunning scenery aboard the Panama Canal Railway, visit an Embera indigenous village to learn their heritage and traditions, and overnight at a luxurious beachfront resort in Playa Bonita.

Heritage of America. May 25 – June 3, 2012. Begin your trip with a tour of New York City, visit Philadelphia to see the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall, learn about and experience the Amish community lifestyle in Lancaster, enjoy a guided tour of Gettysburg, visit Shenandoah National Park, Monticello, Williamsburg, Mount Vernon, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., enjoy a guided tour of our nation’s capitol including the White House, Capitol, the monuments, memorials, and museums, visit the White House Visitor Center, Arlington National Cemetery, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and Kennedy gravesites.

Islands of New England. June 8 – 15, 2012. Enjoy a tour of Providence, Rhode Island, Newport’s historic mansions, tour the Marble House, tour the exciting city of Boston, visit a cranberry bog, see Plymouth Rock, enjoy a New England lobster feast, tour Martha’s Vineyard, cruise to Cape Cod, ride the ferry to Nantucket, tour Hyannisport—home of the Kennedy compound, and enjoy dinner aboard an elegant dinner train.

Canadian Rockies & Glacier National Park. July 17 – 24, 2012. Beginning in the Canadian province of Alberta, in the foothills of the Rockies, travel to Waterton Lakes National Park, then Glacier National Park where you’ll travel the “Going to the Sun Road” with its spectacular views, spend time touring Banff, overnight at the “Castle in the Mountains,” travel to Jasper by way of the unforgettable Icefields Parkway, see the Maligne Canyon, and visit the vibrant city of Calgary.

San Francisco with Lake Tahoe. August 23 - 29, 2012. Enjoy a sightseeing tour of San Francisco including the Twin Peaks, Seal Rocks, and Golden Gate Bridge, visit Fisherman’s Wharf, Union Square, ride a famed cable car, travel to Sonoma Valley to visit the wineries, visit Monterey to see one of the most breathtaking coastlines in the world, Pebble Beach, the California Railroad Museum in Sacramento, the old west town of Virginia City, and spend two nights at the Montbleu Resort & Spa in Lake Tahoe including a cruise on beautiful Lake Tahoe.

Greece and its Islands. September 23 – October 6, 2012. Begin in the capital city of Athens with a tour showcasing the ancient monuments, the Acropolis, Royal Palace, and Olympic Stadium, visit Thermopylae, Kalambaka, remote monastaries in Meteora, the ski resort town of Arachova, the ancient city of Delphi, enjoy a guided tour of Olympia where the first Olympic games were held in 776 B.C., visit the excavations at Mycenae, ferry across the Aegean Sea from Athens to the island paradise of Mykonos, sail to the fabled island of Santorini, see a fascinating landscape of vineyards, whitewashed chapels, volcanic cliffs, and breathtaking views of mountains and valleys in this beautiful country.

Alpine Christmas. December 4 - 11, 2012. Explore the traditional Christmas markets of Austria and southern Bavaria. You will stay in the same hotel in Innsbruck for the entire trip. Begin with a guided tour of Innsbruck, Germany, in the beautiful Austrian Alps. Visit the Neuschwanstein Castle and Wies Church, travel to Munich where you’ll see the Marienplatz, the Glockenspiel, and Olympic Park, visit Oberammergau where the internationally-known Passion Play is performed every ten years, enjoy a visit to Salzburg with it’s beautiful Mirabell Gardens and the site of Mozart’s birthplace, and don’t forget to shop all the Christmas markets!

More trips to come for 2012!

Watch our website at www.fontenelletours.com

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New Horizons

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Page 9

Try working some super foods like fruits, whole grains into your diet

By Carol McNulty

rich in calcium, potassium, Vitamin A, C and E, fiber, uper foods are packed and magnesium. with vitamins, antiKoszewski provides a list oxidants, and other of super foods that should nutrients that Americans be added to the diet: most often lack. These foods • Beans: Whether canned not only help reduce the or dry, beans, such as kidrisk of diseases, but also are ney, pinto, and black, are filling foods that are low in great sources of fiber, magcalories. nesium, and potassium.

According to nutrition • Dark green vegetables: specialist Wanda Koszewski, Spinach, kale, and broccoli Ph.D., super foods often are low in calories, high in include fruits, vegetables, complex carbohydrates, and and whole grains that are great sources of Vitamin A.

S

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• Berries: Especially blueberries, pack a punch of antioxidants, Vitamin C, and fiber.

These foods not only help reduce the risk of diseases, but also are filling foods that are low in calories.

• Kiwi: This fruit is the most nutritionally dense of fruits and full of antioxidants, potassium, fiber, and Vitamin C. • Sweet potatoes, pumpkin, butternut squash, and other orange vegetables: These foods are packed with Vitamin A and fiber and also are great sources of vitamin C, potassium, and calcium.

• Salmon: This fatty fish is high in omega-three fatty acids that promote heart health. It’s recommended to eat fish two to three times a week to help decrease the risk of heart disease and possibly help with arthritis and memory. Herring, sardines, and mackerel also can be added to this group.

• Nuts: Nuts are full of protein and heart healthy fat and fiber. They’re also full of antioxidants. It’s recommended to eat an ounce of nuts as a snack or on top of foods.

• Tea: Whether green or black, both are full of anti-

oxidants. A Japanese study found men who drank green tea had lower cholesterol.

To get these super foods into your diet, try some yogurt mixed with berries and topped with an ounce of walnuts for a healthy snack or breakfast.

When preparing dinner, try to get in colorful vegetables on the plate. Have fruit for a snack. Instead of pop have tea to drink.

(McNulty is an educator with the University of Nebraska Extension Office in Douglas and Sarpy counties.)

Eclectic book group meets monthly at the Omaha Field Club

Y

ou’re invited to join the Eclectic Book Review Club for lunch at the Omaha Field Club, 3615 Woolworth Ave., on the third Tuesday of each month at noon.

The event will feature a meal, the review of a current book by a local author, and sometimes the local author.

For more information, please call Rita Eldrige at 402-558-4061.

Read it & eat

By Lois Friedman readitandeat@yahoo.com

November recipes for you to remember Time to hunker down and enjoy this lovely array of cookbooks for fall.

The New Southern Garden Cookbook

By Sheri Castle (The University of North Carolina Press, $35) What’s for dinner? What’s in season? In this case more than 300 healthful bookworthy recipes emphasizing and celebrating fruits and vegetables grown in the South. Apples through zucchini. Chapter tips, hints, and stories.

The Big Book of Slow Cooker, Casseroles, & More

By Betty Crocker Editors (Wiley, $19.95) Down home comfort food at your fingertips using 214 slow cooker recipes. Cook a batch; eat some now and freeze the rest for later. Frugal tips and budget pointers. Hearty dishes to dazzling desserts.

All About Roasting

By Molly Stevens (W. W. Norton, $35) Everything you need to know about roasting from this award-winning cookbook author. Loaded with information in essays, chapter, and head notes. A delightful read with shopping notes, how to choose, carve, and with detailed instructions for meats, poultry, seafood, fruits, and vegetables.

Plum Gorgeous By Romney Steele (Andrews McMeel, $25) Sixty recipes celebrating seasonal orchard fruit and what to do with it in the kitchen with stories, tales, and memories. Beautifully designed and illustrated. Citrus, berries, stone, and fall fruits.

Home Made

By Yvette Van Boven (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, $40) Gorgeous color photographs and hand drawn designs.

Start from scratch with over 200 diy recipes from Almond to Zabaglione and this funny named treat, which are actually peanut-raisin rock cookies.

Cow Pats 12 oz milk or semisweet chocolate 1/2 stick butter 2/3 cup raisins 3/4 cup peanuts Heat the chocolate and the butter in a double boiler.

Stir in the raisins and peanuts. Drop spoonfuls of the mixture on a large sheet of waxed paper. Leave to dry and set in the refrigerator. If you are in a decorative mood, you can melt a little white chocolate and with the help of a spoon run a thin trickle of white chocolate on the rocks. They will no longer look like cow pats but perhaps that’s for the best.

Page 10

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New Horizons

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November 2011

Tri-Faith Initiative part of Nancy’s 44-year life plan

Nancy Kirk on a recent visit to the Tri-Faith campus located on the grounds of the former Ironwood Country Club.

By Leo Adam Biga

L

Contributing Writer

ong before becoming executive director of the Tri-Faith Initiative, the Omaha collaborative that finds Jews, Christians, and Muslims building a shared worship campus, Nancy (Timmins) Kirk made a name for herself in the quilting world. Only not as a quilter – she’s quick to point out – but rather as a designer and aficionado.

It’s only natural to assume she’s a quilt maker since Nancy and her late husband owned The Kirk Collection, an antique fabrics supply, restoration, and appraisal business that gained an international reputation and clientele. Kirk still carries on aspects of the business by conducting workshops, making presentations, and producing DVDs and CDs on antique quilt restoration.

“I still love the teaching, the writing, and the speaking (about quilts),” she said. But the grind of multi-day conferences takes more of a toll these days on Kirk who has survived a heart attack and open heart surgery.

Much like her work with the nonprofit Tri-Faith Initiative, whose groundbreaking plan for a synagogue, a church, and a mosque on adjoining property is drawing worldwide interest, Kirk came to quilting an inveterate seeker always curious to know more. She’s learned enough to speak with not only passion but also authority about quilting as an art, craft, and healing process and quilts as potent, touchstone objects of utility, aesthetics, and humanity.

“Quilting serves many different purposes,” she said. “For some people it’s a craft activity, (and) a

stress reliever. Studies have shown the activity of quilting changes the brain’s alpha waves. For other people it’s an art medium, a very expressive way for a designer to work. For others it becomes very therapeutic.”

Quilts evoke intimate feelings tied to memories, rituals, and relationships.

“For the viewer or the recipient, quilts exist for people at an emotional level that is really very primitive,” Kirk said. “People respond with a part of their brain that usually has no language. Quilts represent people’s deep emotional connections with home, with comfort, with safety, (and) with love.

You see people wrapping up in quilts or touching quilts and being reminded of parents and grandparents and places they used to live.

And you start hearing these wonderful stories.”

The way Kirk sees it; every quilt has a story to tell.

“All you have to do is plant yourself near a quilt, particularly an older quilt at a quilt show and by the end of the day you’ll hear dozens of stories from people because they’re so evocative especially in this part of the country where people grew up with quilts. They’re very powerful objects.”

B

efore the Kirk Collection became a mail order source of antique fabrics for quilters the business made its name as a supplier to Hollywood film, television studio designers, and costumers in need of period materials. Nancy and Bill Kirk provided fabrics that ended up in costumes of such major motion pictures as Titanic, Forest Gump, and Wyatt Earp and network TV

Tons of dirt had to be moved at the west Omaha site which will include a church, a synagogue, and a mosque.

shows like Brooklyn Bridge and Homefront.

The couple ran the business out of their Bemis Park area home before opening a store at 45th Street and Military Avenue. Their customer roster extended to Europe and Asia.

Before she got into quilting, Kirk worked in the arts where her aesthetic sensibilities were honed to give her a deep appreciation for not only the fine and performing arts but antiques – including textiles – and fabrics.

The daughter of university professor parents who divorced when Nancy and her sister were young, Kirk grew up in her native New York City and a variety of other locales.

She absorbed a classic liberal arts education at Antioch (Ohio) College where she studied social sciences and journalism. Kirk’s put her writing skills to good use over the years as an arts administrator and a public relations professional. Her unplanned fascination with arts management was fired when she spent two years with an Antioch College theater project in Baltimore, Md. “At this funny little free theater we brought in very experimental theater and dance companies from all over the world (including) The Medicine Show (and) Pilobolus.

It was the out of town tryout place for experimental theater and dance.

I became absolutely in love with experimental theater and dance and I was exposed to some of the best in the world. We were always at odds with the state and local arts councils because we were doing and promoting this work that was very outside the mainstream.”

By the time she earned her master’s in arts management from the

November 2011

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University of Illinois and moved to Omaha to work a paid internship with the Nebraska Arts Council, Kirk found herself in the midst of a cutting edge arts movement here.

She arrived only a week after the devastating May 6, 1975 tornado.

Neither the storm, the relative uproar over the Bicentennial Interstate 80 sculpture project, edgy stage work by the Omaha Magic Theatre, nor the counterculture head shops, avant-garde films, and art happenings in the then-fledgling Old Market could scare her away.

Indeed, Kirk was won over by how open-minded Nebraskans were to new ideas.

“In all the time I worked for the state arts council and then 11 more years for the local arts council there was no one who said we shouldn’t have art.”

She recalled an Interstate 80 sculptures forum in some backwater Nebraska town where “an old man in coveralls got up and said, ‘I sure don’t understand this stuff, but I want to make sure my grandchildren have a chance to see it,’ and that was the attitude pretty much for anything.”

One of Kirk’s roles with the state arts council was traveling to rural hamlets and educating the local populace about the touring programs coming their way.

K

irk said resistance or suspicion to unfamiliar art disappeared when she framed the needs of artists “in terms that (rural) audiences could understand from their own perspective. That was a big part of my job.”

Like the time she went to a small town in advance of a touring opera Please turn to page 13.

New Horizons

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Page 11

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10/17/11 3:05 PM

Kirk helped bring the arts to parts of rural Nebraska --Continued from page 11. program. Kirk laid to rest concerns singers were divas for requiring humidifiers in their rooms by explaining that the artists needed the devices to keep their throats and voices supple in the same way farm tractors or threshers need routine maintenance to run right. Once she put things in practical terms, she said, humidifiers were readily volunteered.

“I came to have a real appreciation of what arts councils were doing in terms of opening up the doors to the arts in a lot of communities where there had really been nothing outside the high school play. A lot of them shied away from cutting edge kind of work.”

The arts councils that sprung up in the 1960s and ‘70s, she said, “Were bringing the arts out of the urban areas and into the rest of the country.” For example, the Omaha Community Playhouse formed the Nebraska Theatre Caravan “and took theater into towns that had never had professional theater. Opera Omaha organized small touring evenings of opera.”

Visual artists, dancers, authors, poets, and others began criss-crossing the state to present before general audiences or to do residencies in schools. Her focus on bringing the arts to underserved populations extended to a visual art program in the state penitentiary, where even death row inmates were provided art supplies for their self-expression.

Nancy’s work introduced her to the man who became her husband, Bill Kirk, who was a theater actordirector and kindred spirit.

Nancy Kirk authored an awardwinning book, Lobbying for the Arts which is used all over the country.

the American Institute of Islamic Studies and Culture (AISC).

“Not only was there no significant opposition to it, there was a kind of, ‘Well, I don’t quite understand it, but what can we do to help?’ attitude. When it came to raise money for the land four foundations stepped up.”

The intended Tri-Faith campus is on the grounds of the former Ironwood Country Club (12627 Pacific St.) which Jews formed decades ago when they were denied admittance to other area country clubs.

The campus plan is part of the Sterling Ridge mixed-use development in southwest Omaha that’s presently undergoing site preparation work. Plans call for three worship centers – one for each participating faith group – and a shared interfaith education center Kirk refers to as “the meeting place.”

having outgrown its current building and plot just east of 72nd and Cass streets. With its congregation largely residing now in suburbia, a move west only made sense.

When synagogue leaders began contemplating what they’d like in a new site, said Kirk, they were “very intentional about finding good neighbors” like the ones they have today in the Omaha Community Playhouse and First United Methodist Church.

She said when Temple leaders heard the Institute was planning to build a new mosque in west Omaha synagogue member Bob Freeman, Rabbi Aryeh Azriel, and others contacted AISC president and cofounder Dr. Syed Mohiuddin, “to discuss looking for land together to share parking lots.”

Consistent with hospitality being “such a central concept to all the

A

n advantage Omaha owns when it comes to supporting the arts and other things, Nancy said, is that it’s still small and accommodating enough to provide ready “access to power,” unlike other cities she’s lived where access is limited to a few individuals.

“Here, all you had to do was pick up the phone and ask for an audience with Willis Strauss, Peter Kiewit, Leo Daly, or John Bookout.

You could be heard. They might not agree with you, they might not end up supporting your cause, but you could make your case. I think it’s very much the same attitude that created Aksarben. It’s this place of kind of infinite possibility and egalitarianism.”

She said Omaha’s can-do spirit is what sold her on this place and has kept her living here.

“This is the kind of city I wanted to live in. I think this same spirit of civic work still exists now. It’s an attitude that makes the most extraordinary things possible.

“Tri-Faith is another example of it,” she said of the initiative whose partners are Temple Israel, the Episcopal Diocese of Nebraska, and

Nancy and her husband Bill owned and operated the Kirk Collection, an antique fabrics supply, restoration, and appraisal business in Omaha.

Support for the project, which was launched in 2006, has come together quickly from large though as yet undisclosed donors.

“Basically the donations have been made because it’s good for the city,” said Kirk. “They see this vision that this makes Omaha a better place to live for everybody.”

Tri-Faith was conceived in response to a seemingly mundane dilemma.

“The genesis is parking lots. This is a project about parking lots; very seriously,” Kirk said.

The Temple Israel synagogue has long been in need of a new site,

Abrahamic faith traditions,” she said, representatives from each group came bearing mounds of food for the meeting. That first confab led to more sessions.

“When they eventually began talking matters of faith rather than concrete it occurred to them they had two of the three major Abrahamic traditions represented,” Kirk said.

As a potential Christian partner the parties approached the Catholic Archdiocese of Omaha, whose thenArchbishop Rev. Elden Curtiss, declined. They next made overtures to the Episcopal Diocese of Nebraska,

November 2011

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whose then-leader, Rev. Joe Burnett accepted the offer.

In 2006 Tri-Faith was incorporated and since then the organization has presented several interfaith events to promote understanding, all while working toward a common goal of a shared campus. The endeavor has made headlines around the world at a time when religious and cultural differences continue to be serious dividing points. Building bridges is an appealing idea as the globe grows ever flatter and more interconnected thanks to online social networking and to grassroots movements like those of the Arab Spring and Occupy Wall Street.

“It turns out the parking lots are such a metaphor for what’s going on in the world because the fact is we all have to share this earth. “It’s how do we live together,” Kirk said.

Nancy’s Tri-Faith involvement began in 2008 when it might be said her decades-long quest for spiritual fulfillment reached a new plane.

In some ways, she acknowledges, she’s a most unlikely director of an interfaith project because for the first 35 years of her life she struggled with matters of faith. Then again, her uneasy journey steeled her for leading an initiative about celebrating differences.

“My father was a fallen-away Catholic, my mother was a fallenaway Unitarian, so I was brought up with no particular religion, in a household that wavered somewhere between agnosticism and atheism.

But both parents allowed us to be exposed to some variety of religions. There was no objection if we went to church with friends.”

On some level, Kirk’s faith odyssey echoed that of her divining rod maternal grandmother, Sophia Lyon Fahs, who was ordained a Unitarian deacon at 80 and wrote dozens of religious education books. Fahs’ last book, The Church Across the Street, was a comparative religions study.

The liberal, progressive themes of inclusion and tolerance her grandmother advocated are in line with those of Kirk and the Tri-Faith Initiative.

Kirk comes from a long line of matriarchal figures and accomplished professionals. Her greatgrandmother wrote books about her Presbyterian missionary work in China.

So it wasn’t as if Kirk didn’t have ready examples of faith to follow.

In fact, she said, “I envied people who had great faith but I didn’t understand the experience and didn’t expect to ever have it. I was never anti-religious, I just was not religious.”

Then, in the midst of building her arts career, what she least expected happened.

“I was one of those bolt of lightening people. Literally in the course of a 24-hour period I came to a very deep belief in the existence of God. I was at home and all of a sudden I felt this incredible sense of certainPlease turn to page 14.

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Nancy’s proud of her ability to bring people together --Continued from page 13. ty. It was so different than the kind of rational approach I’d always had to life. That’s when I started searching and doing a lot of reading. I didn’t talk to anyone about it really for a very long time.”

B

efore becoming a couple Nancy and Bill Kirk were friends. On a long road trip for an arts program she told him about her spiritual awakening and “how confusing it all felt” because it didn’t necessarily jive with what organized religion prescribed.

“And he said something very helpful; that the personal experience you feel is faith and all the stuff you hear in church and in the bible and other sources is belief. Belief is what happens in your head, and faith is what happens in your heart, and that both are OK. The part that is faith is intended to be a questioning process throughout your life.

Your responsibility as a human being is to continue to explore and try to understand and to go through periods of disbelief.

“The deeper you explore that abyss that you’re always afraid you’ll fall into and never come out of, the more you discover there are those dark nights of the soul when you feel faith has deserted you. But usually it’s the belief that’s deserted you, and the faith part can lead you back away from the edge of the precipice. And then you rebuild the belief.”

After being stricken with the spirit, Kirk tried on a number of faiths but it was only four years ago she “came to the Episcopal Church.” She’s a member of the St. Andrew’s congregation. She was finally swayed to the denomination, which she’d flirted with before, after seeing the church’s presiding bishop in the U.S., Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori on CBS. “I said, ‘I would follow that woman anywhere,’ so when it came to look for a new church I looked for an Episcopal church.”

Coming from where she did to where Kirk is today has informed and shaped the spiritual life she enjoys and her work with Tri-Faith.

“So this rather eclectic religious background of growing up outside any one particular faith tradition and not necessarily having a particular belief in any of them for the larger part of my life in some ways really helped prepare me for what I’m doing now. Because I came to the habit of questioning, researching, listening hard, and trying to understand other people’s faith journeys as part of my own.”

The discernment she does by opening herself to other beliefs enriches her life and her faith. “I find it fascinating and each of those encounters helps me refine my own faith and without any denial of my own tradition as I have adopted it now.”

Kirk felt drawn to engage in the

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Tri-Faith experiment after taking an inventory of her life a few years ago and deciding to embark on a new path she felt called to follow.

“When I turned 60 (she’s 64 today) I made a 44-year life plan.

I’ve always made long-range plans.

Women in my family thankfully tend to be long-lived. My grandmother died at 103. My mother died at 94. Both were active until the end. So it seemed like 104 was a good age to shoot for. I had become really fascinated with the changing role of religion in a pluralistic society.

“The Kirk Collection was kind of winding down; I’d closed our retail store. I didn’t want to cut another piece of fabric ever again in my life.

After about 25 years in the quilt world I was ready for a change. My husband had died. It was time to reinvent myself again.”

Kirk overlooks the future site of the Tri-Faith campus.

She didn’t tell anyone (at first) about her new life plan. Then, Kirk said, she finally got up the nerve to tell her business coach, and much to her relief he didn’t laugh.

“Once I said it out loud it was like, ‘Yeah, that’s what I want to do; some kind of ministry.’ Lay or ordained, it didn’t matter, but this is the subject area I wanted to be in.”

Kirk felt compelled to give back. “(Age) 60 is a great place to start because chances are you’ve done pretty much what you intended to do professionally and getting your kids raised up. It’s not really like a bucket list but there’s still a chance to contribute meaningfully to the world. We want to make sure by the end of our life we know our life had meaning and this is a great age at which to be doing it.

“We don’t have a lot of the distractions we had before of raising kids and building career. (Ages) 60 to 100 there’s a chance to do things that really change the world and getting it done is more important than getting credit.”

The philosophy reminds her of her college’s motto: “Be ashamed to die until you’ve won some victory for humanity.”

Fatefully, a group of Tri-Faith board members made a presentation at St. Andrew one Sunday.

Until then, she’d not even heard of the venture but she was immediately and powerfully attracted to its vision of three faiths partnering

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together.

“This is what I’m supposed to be doing,” is what she said she thought to herself. It wasn’t long before she offered her services to help spread Tri-Faith’s message and dream. When she learned the group was seeking an executive director she made a proposal and was hired.

Kirk saw the mission as a perfect fit for many reasons, not the least of which is her considerable public relations experience and expertise.

In a world full of noise and mixed messages, she said she aims to keep Tri-Faith on point with its mission of celebrating the diversity of our religious traditions.

“It’s beyond tolerance and acceptance and respect, it’s really about building relationships among people and celebrating those differences,” she said.

“As one of our board members, Rev. Ernesto Medina said, ‘The reason we know it’s working is we know the names of each others children,’ and that’s what it’s all about.

It’s building those relationships.”

Kirk said in this increasingly global space we inhabit, “I think the world is having to live into a new definition of who is our neighbor.

I think we’re called on to be really aware of our neighbors and getting to know them.”

Through events like Abraham’s Tent and the Tri-Faith Picnic, she said Jewish, Christian, and Islamic rites are celebrated and people learn what to say or do during worship services and ceremonies. As distinct as each tradition is, Tri-Faith reminds participants, “There’s so much the faiths share, we all greet each other with peace, we’re all talking about and praying to the same God.” She said learning how to offer peace in each faith tradition can be a profound thing, whether saying “Peace be with you” or “Shabbat shalom” or “As-salamu alaykum.”

“Just those few simple words and all of a sudden you feel very comfortable. It’s those little things that take the strangeness out of it.”

Then there is the exploration TriFaith inspires.

“A great thing that happens with the Tri-Faith is that as you engage in interfaith work and discussions you feel compelled to learn more about your own faith. You begin to explore your own tradition. You either question or affirm or study why you believe what you do and universally you end up more attached and committed to your own faith.”

Kirk’s impressed by how the TriFaith board, composed of both lay and religious people, doesn’t stray from its mission.

“I’ve worked with many nonprofit boards over the years and this is truly unlike any other board I have ever worked with. They expect that everything is possible, they have committed themselves to one another to make things possible.

There are really no internal politics, there’s no jockeying for position.

November 2011

There’s a spirit that infuses their discussions that they’re really there to do God’s work and that it’s going to happen. There’s such a certainty it’s going to happen. There’s a spirit of peace in the room that is extraordinary.”

She said internal politics don’t surface though she concedes, “Politics sometimes intrudes from the outside.”

The fallout of 9/11 played a part in Tri-Faith’s formation, according to Kirk. “In the sense that we’re all in this together and we’re the ones that have to find a solution to this, and focusing on the division is not the way.”

It’s not the first time the Omaha’s faith groups have banded together.

She said several joined forces to help feed and house Chief Standing Bear’s supporters during the great Indian leader’s Fort Omaha trial.

Many were active in the civil rights struggle. A number formed Together Inc. after the ‘75 tornado. More recently, faith groups have united in calling for an end to urban violence.

The Tri-Faith Initiative is something else again. She said Rev. Medina, pastor of St. Martha’s Church in Papillion, may have best summed up the miracle of the initiative: “This was beyond the imagination of many people but not beyond the imagination of God,” he said.

It hasn’t all been perfect. “There have been bumps in the road, and people who’ve gotten their noses out of joint over this or that, but for the most part even those who were a little suspicious at first have often ended up as the biggest cheerleaders.”

K

irk’s proud of many things she’s done in her life, from her work in the arts to her entrepreneurial success to her raising two adopted children, but she’s pretty certain Tri-Faith will be her most impactful legacy, at least in terms of sheer magnitude.

She can’t imagine making a greater contribution than bringing people together.

“I think the most meaningful part of the work is when I see people come to the table and sit with people of other faiths with excitement and anticipation instead of fear. If we’ve done our job and created a safe place, a place of trust where people feel they can be authentically themselves and authentically interested in the other, that is a real place of grace.”

If heredity’s any guide, then Kirk has miles to go before she sleeps.

Reflecting upon her life, her diverse pursuits have “felt to me as a continuum. They all enrich people’s lives in important ways and all involve starting something new, whether new types of arts programs, a new small business, or a one-ofa-kind religious development. I like being in on the start of things.”

(Read more of Biga’s work at leoadambiga.wordpress.com.)

Help is available for Nebraskans trying to stop smoking tobacco

If you’ve ever tried to quit smoking or chewing tobacco you know it’s hard. It’s difficult because nicotine is a very addictive drug. In fact, it’s common for tobacco users to try to quit several times before they’re successful.

The Nebraska Tobacco Quitline, sponsored by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services’ Tobacco Free Nebraska program, has been helping people quit using tobacco since 2005 as part of the national Quitline.

Last year, the Quitline helped 3,454 people.

Calls to the Quitline are free, confidential, and answered around the clock by trained quit coaches.

When individuals first call they’re given a choice of services including telephone coaching, self-help materials, referrals to community programs, or a combination of these.

If coaching is picked, callers can receive up to five coaching sessions at times that work the best for them.

“We know there isn’t a cookie cutter approach to quitting tobacco,” said Judy Martin, Tobacco Free Nebraska program manager. “What works for one person, might not work for another.

“That’s why the quit coaches are trained to address a variety of situations and circumstances like working with pregnant smokers or those trying to quit chewing tobacco.

“We also know not everyone feels comfortable quitting via a telephone Quitline, Martin continued. “As a result, Tobacco Free Nebraska has developed the QuitNow.ne.gov Web site with links to a variety of resources including online coaching, Facebook and other online communities, and text messaging.”

When men and women quit using tobacco, their health improves, the health of those they live with improves, and their pocketbook saves.

Quitting tobacco also lowers the risk of diabetes, lets blood vessels work better, and helps the heart and lungs.

Not smoking a pack of cigarettes a day would save tobacco users more than $2,000 a year. That’s enough to buy a new flat screen TV with lots of bells and whistles and still have money left over.

If you’ve been thinking about quitting tobacco or know someone who is, find resources and support at QuitNow. ne.gov or by calling the Nebraska Tobacco Quitline at 1-800-784-8669.

Health Care Fraud is Big Business

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Tax payers lose $80 billion to $160 billion every year to Medicare fraud and abuse.

Join the Fight!

Take a stand against health care fraud Become a part of our statewide volunteer network.

Call Nebraska Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP)

Contact Nebraska SMP to report scams

800-942-7830 www.dhhs.ne.gov/smp

Nurse, caregiver provides tips for caring for persons with Alzheimer’s Prevention and Care of Alzheimer’s Disease by Lavonne Steckbeck addresses the history, care, and prevention of the illness by offering information to aid in the understanding of and effective care for those facing the disease.

This book differs from others on Alzheimer’s in that its focus is not clinical but rather on providing helpful guidance to improve the experience of those suffering from the disease as well as their caregivers. It describes best practices for assessment, diagnosis, care, and prevention of abuse for Alzheimer’s patients.

Special sections for caregivers set forth the difficulties they face and provide advice to deal effectively with an emotionally stressful experience.

“I nursed my husband through his long battle with Alzheimer’s and know from experience that there is not enough information readily available to improve prevention and care,” says Steckbeck. “I wrote this book to address that need.”

Drawing on both the experience of caring for her husband and more than 40 years as a registered nurse, Steckbeck weaves personal narrative with insights from research to provide a valuable tool for patients and caregivers.

Prevention and Care of Alzheimer’s Disease is available for sale online at Amazon.com and other channels.

The New Horizons is brought to you each month by the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging.

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Holiday lights tour scheduled for Dec. 20 ou’re invited to enjoy a free bus tour of Omaha’s holiday lights on Tuesday, Dec. 20.

Touching Hearts at Home and Bloomfield Forum are sponsoring the evening’s events.

Buses will leave Bloomfield Forum, 9804 Nicholas

St., at 5:30 and 6:30 p.m.

Participants are asked to arrive at Bloomfield Forum for pastries and coffee 30 minutes before their tour bus leaves.

Reservations, which are due by Dec. 10, can be made by calling 402-9343303. Seating is limited.

Heartland Family Service Senior Center You’re invited to visit the Heartland Family Service Senior Center, 2101 S. 42nd St. for the following: • Nov. 3, 10, & 17: Why Arts Program @ 10:30 a.m.

• Nov. 3: Students from Methodist Nursing College will be at the center to get some ideas for their project which will be presented to participants on Nov. 18.

• Nov. 8: Trip to Fontenelle Forest for a visual hike through history. The cost is $6. The bus leaves the center @ 9:15 a.m. Sign up early by calling 402-553-5300.

• Nov. 16: Music by Kim Eames from the Merrymakers @ 11 a.m. Lunch features chicken a la king.

• Nov. 29: Senior crafts sale from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

The facility will be closed on Nov. 11 for Veterans Day and Nov. 24 & 25 for Thanksgiving.

The Heartland Family Service Senior Center is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lunch is normally served at noon. A $3 donation is suggested for the meal. Reservations are due by noon the business day prior to the lunch you wish to attend.

A nurse visits Mondays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to noon. Call 402-392-1818 to make an appointment.

Other regular center activities include free Tai Chi classes Monday, Tuesday, and Wedneday and bingo.

For meal reservations or more information, please call Karen Sides at 402-553-5300.

A Caring Community Called HOME! Independent & Assisted Living

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Quilt show set for November 11 to 13 at Lauritzen Gardens The Lauritzen Gardens second annual quilt show, Quilts in the Garden, Fiber Art in Bloom, is scheduled for Nov. 11 to 13 at Lauritzen Gardens, 100 Bancroft St. More than 100 botanically themed art quilts made

by Nebraska and Iowa quilters will be displayed.

The International Quilt Study Center and Museum of Lincoln will provide a rarely exhibited display of heirloom quilts from its collection.

The Lauritzen Gardens Guild has created quilts for the Quilts of Valor Foundation, an organization that provides quilts for military troops.

Lauritzen Gardens is open daily (except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $7 for adults, $3 for children ages 6 to 12, and free for members and children younger than 6.

For more information, please call 402-346-4002.

Expert provides gutter-cleaning tips

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all is the time of year to get your house in order before winter sets in. For most homeowners, this means it’s time for a good, old-fashioned gutter cleaning.

According to Robert Lenney, an expert whose company has cleaned out more than five million feet of gutter since 1996, gutter cleaning is the semi-annual project that strikes fear into the heart of urban and suburban warriors who face that dreaded request, “Honey, it’s time to clean out the

49th & Q Street • 402-731-2118 www.southviewheightsomaha.com

Someday this button might save your life.

For now, it sets you free.

By John Nelson We’ve all heard the phrase, “Let the buyer beware.” When it comes to selling gold, however, it’s also important for the seller to be aware.

Recently, I found an old gold ring in my safety deposit box. With gold selling for more than $1,800 an ounce, I thought I’d look into selling the ring to make some “mad money.”

I grew up in and around the jewelry business so it was easy for me to compute the value of the gold in the ring. I needed to determine how much the ring weighed and whether the gold in the ring was 10 or 14 karat.

A karat stamp on the inside of the ring indicated the gold was 14 karat. A friend of mine in the jewelry business weighed the

www.immanuellifeline.com

•

New Horizons

• Wear rubber-soled shoes or Korkers (shoes with grip spikes) for stability when walking on the roof.

• Use a small plastic spade or gutter scoop.

• Use gloves and proper eyewear.

• Unclog downspouts with a garden hose that has an adjustable spray.

• Install a downspout chain to eliminate annoying rain dripping sounds.

• Watch out for hazardous power lines.

• Clean gutters twice a year.

Shop around, know the facts before selling gold

With Lifeline by Immanuel, you can enjoy an independent lifestyle in your own home — knowing that you can call for help if you ever need it. One push of your Lifeline button connects you to someone with access to your medical history, someone who can evaluate your situation and immediately send help. To learn more about the security and peace of mind provided by Lifeline, call (402) 829-3277 or toll-free at (800) 676-9449.

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gutters!”

“At its best, gutter cleaning is a tedious and disgusting task. At worst, it can be scary and downright dangerous. One slight misstep and you are heading to the hospital with a broken bone and bruised ego,” says Lenney.

Here are Lenney’s top 10 tips for gutter cleaning: • Always let someone know you are cleaning your gutters.

• Use a ladder with a shelf and a plywood platform for stabilization.

• Clean off the roof first.

•

November 2011

ring at 5.75 pennyweights.

There are 20 pennyweights in a troy ounce. A troy ounce of gold is worth about $1,800. A pennyweight of pure 24 karat gold is worth $90. A pennyweight of 14 karat gold is worth $52.50. That meant my ring was worth $301.88.

I didn’t expect to sell my ring for $301.88, but I wanted a fair price. I visited six establishments near the Old Market. The first dealer offered $50 for the ring, others followed with bids as high as $204.

I accepted the $204 offer. This allowed the buyer and the smelter a reasonable profit.

My advice for anyone trying to sell gold is to shop around and to understand when weighing gold a pennyweight is 1/20th of a troy ounce and there are 31.1 grams in a troy ounce.

Rebuilding Together apps are due Nov. 4

Older Nebraskans have free access to legal information

Applications for the 17th annual Rebuilding Together Omaha – scheduled for Saturday, April 28, 2012 – are due Nov. 4.

Low-income older adults (age 62 and older) and persons with a disability that live east of 52nd Street in Omaha, are encouraged to apply for assistance with home repairs.

Applications are available by calling Rebuilding Together Omaha at 402965-9201, through Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging case managers and service coordinators, the Visiting Nurse Association, or by calling 211.

In addition to meeting income guidelines, applicants must be unable to make the repairs themselves, and can’t afford to hire someone to do the work.

Repairs include plumbing, electrical, doors, locks, flooring, general clean up, and home modifications like ramps, grab bars, and lighting.

Since its inception, Rebuilding Together Omaha volunteers have repaired more than 1,000 homes, making a $5 million impact in the community.

For more information, please call 402-965-9201.

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 1-800-527-7249 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.

Nicholas Halbur

Attorney & Counselor at Law Are you or a loved one entering a nursing home or in need of long term care? Please, come speak to me about your rights, key care issues, Medicaid, & other payment options.

I am a Nebraska and Iowa 13906 Gold Circle, attorney in the general practice Suite 201 of law including, but not limited Omaha, NE 68144-2336 to wills & estates, elder law, powers of attorney, guardianships & conservatorships, & planning for long-term care needs.

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nick@thompson.law.pro • www.thompson.law.pro www.linkedin.com/in/nicholashalbur

New Cassel Foundation honors Gary George, Dr. Julie Masters

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Gary George

Dr. Julie Masters

he New Cassel Foundation recently honored Gary George and Julie Masters, Ph.D. at its 12 annual Spirit of Francis Celebration.

George, executive director of Hospice House of Omaha – the Josie Harper Residence, received the Spirit of Francis Award. He has exemplified St. Francis’ characteristics by caring for people during their final journey in life, creating an atmosphere of respect and dignity while providing compassionate care for the individual and their family.

Dr. Masters, chair of the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Gerontology Department, received the Lempka Leadership Award. Dr. Masters was honored for her leadership on area boards, advisory councils, committees, workshops, campus partnerships, and advocacy for older Nebraskans.

Retired fed employees meet at Omaha eatery The 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, call 402-392-0624.

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November 2011

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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 402-444-6558, ext. 224.

In Dodge and Washington counties, please call 402721-7780.

The following have volunteer opportunities in Douglas, Sarpy, and Cass counties: • The Omaha Visitors Center is looking for a volunteer Ambassador.

• Mount View Elementary School needs a TeamMates mentor.

• The Stephen Center Homeless Shelter wants volunteers for its thrift store.

• Alegent Health Bergan Mercy Hospital needs volunteers for its information desks and as patient and family escorts.

• The Omaha Police Department wants volunteers for a variety of assignments.

• Boys Town wants volunteer mentors and a volunteer office assistant.

• Lakeside Hospital needs volunteers for its Welcome Center and gift shop, as well as in its registration area, to visit patients, and to offer clerical support.

• Project NEMO wants volunteers for a variety of duties.

• The Douglas County Health Center wants volunteers for a variety of assignments.

• The Omaha Children’s Museum wants volunteers for a variety of duties.

• The Franciscan Centre is looking for volunteers for a variety of assignments.

• The Fund Fighting Fibromyalgia is looking for volunteers for a variety of duties.

• The Waterford at Miracle Hills needs volunteers for a variety of assignments.

• The Omaha Home for Boys wants volunteer mentors.

• The Ronald McDonald House Charities needs a receptionist and an operations volunteer.

• The Domestic Violence Coordinating Council/ Family Justice Center is looking for volunteers for a variety of assignments.

• ENOA’s Grandparent Resource Center wants volunteers to help walk sheep associated with the Luv a Lamb Program.

The following have volunteer opportunities in Dodge and Washington counties: • The Fremont Chamber of Commerce wants a volunteer for its visitors center.

• The Blair and Fremont Car-Go Programs needs volunteer drivers.

• CareCorps Inc. is looking for volunteers for a variety of duties.

• The Building Blocks Boutique needs volunteers to help with young mothers and babies.

• The Blair Auxiliary Closet needs help in its warehouse and gift shop.

• The American Red Cross needs a receptionist.

• The Hooper Care Center wants volunteers for a variety of assignments.

• The May Museum is looking for volunteers to serve as tour guides and for its gift shop and garden.

• The Washington County Recycling Center needs volunteers to handle quality control.

• Nye Point Health & Rehab wants volunteers to help with a variety of duties.

• The Fremont Friendship Center needs help with its Tuesday Supper Club.

AARP is offering computer classes

A

ARP is offering computer classes for beginners through Dec. 9 at the Kids Can Community Center, 48th and Q streets.

The nine-hour, threeday course, which focuses on computer basics including surfing the Internet, costs $15.

To register or for more information, please call 402-398-9568.

Nature programs for older adults The Fontenelle Nature Association’s SUN (Seniors Understanding Nature) program has an activity for older adults the second Tuesday of each month at the Fontenelle Nature Center, 1111 Bellevue Blvd.

North.

The programs, held from 9:45 to 11 a.m., feature an indoor program, an optional nature walk, and refreshments.

The cost is $5 per person each month.

The Nov. 8 program is titled, A Visual Hike Through History. Naturalist Jamie Vann will take guests on a virtual hike to ancient Indian earth lodge sites and other interesting places.

On Dec. 13, stop by for Design with Boughs of Holly with Jan Heiner.

While walk-ins are welcome, registration is preferred. To register, or for more information, please call Catherine Kuper at 402731-3140, ext. 240.

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Bilingual information Bilingual information about hospice care, palliative care, helping loved ones with grief and loss, and caregiving is available through the Nebraska Hospice and Palliative Care Partnership.

The number is (toll free) 1-877-658-8896.

The service is offered weekdays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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November 2011

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November 2011 events calendar

Help for the deaf, hard of hearing

he Nebraska Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing offers a variety of programs and services including specialized telecommunications equipment such as a free amplified telephone and ring signaling devices, an assistive devices loan program, presentations about the concerns of the deaf and hard of hearing, and sign language classes.

For more information, call Beth at 402-595-2774 or 800545-6244, or e-mail beth.ellsworth@nebraska.gov.

Inviting You to Become Part of Our Family

11 Opera Omaha: Hansel & Gretel Through Nov. 13 Friday @ 7:30 p.m.

Saturday @ 1 & 3 p.m.

Sunday @ 1 & 3 p.m.

The Rose Theater $19 402-345-0606

23 Holiday Poinsettia Show Through January 8, 2012 Lauritzen Gardens 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. $3 & $6 402-346-4002 24 Holiday Lights Festival: Thanksgiving Lighting Ceremony 14th & Farnam streets 6 p.m.

FREE 402-345-5401

Omaha Symphony: Daphins and Chloe Also Nov. 12 Holland Performing Arts Center 402-342-3560 Veteran’s Recognition Day at the Henry Doorly Zoo 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

402-733-8401

25 Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony Durham Museum 4 to 7 p.m. $5, $6, & $7 402-444-5071

17 Autumn Festival: An Arts & Crafts Affair Through Nov. 20 The Century Link Center Thursday & Friday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Saturday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

402-331-2889 18 A Christmas Carol Through December 23 Omaha Community Playhouse $24 & $35 402-553-0800

26 Holiday Lights Festival: Sounds of the Season Through December 17 13th & Farnam streets FREE 402-345-5401

19 Omaha Symphony: Double Take Strauss Performing Arts Centeron UNO campus 7 p.m. $30 402-345-3560

27 Holiday Harmony Through December 18 Lauritzen Gardens $3 & $6 402-346-4002

Welcome Home!

Florence Home HealthCare | House of Hope Alzheimer’s Care Transitions Day Program | Royale Oaks Assisted Living | Unimed Community Pharmacy

Start

your

&

shopping

18 Annual Poinsettia Sale

early this year while supporting two valuable programs in your community!

The annual Foster Grandparent Program’s and Senior Companion Program’s

th

Name:_________________________________________________________________ Address:_______________________________________________________________ City/State/Zip:________________________________________________________

Telephone:_____________________________________________________________

Poinsettia Sale

Single Stem

Multiple Stem

(5-7 Blooms) $10.00

(10-12 Blooms) $20.00

Red _____

en this form, and th te le p m o c se a Ple a check mail it back with rent Program a p d n ra G r e st o F (made out to the n Program) to: io n a p m o C r io n or the Se

ia Sale t t e s n i o P P FGP/SC treet S r e t n e C 3 422 68105 E N , a h a m O ext. 246 , 6 3 5 6 4 4 4 402 .gov

Pink _____ White _____ Total _____ $10 = ______

Have these beautiful poinsettias delivered to your home or business.

Check_the_delivery_date_you_prefer _

November_30,_2011_______December_7,_2011

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New Horizons

Red _____ Pink _____ White _____ Tri-Color ______ Total _____ $20=_______

The order deadline is

November 15, 2011 •

November 2011

A

A variety of care options are available to older Nebraskans

t one time – as part of their monthly rate – most assisted living communities typically provided three meals a day, housekeeping, weekly laundry services, and medication management.

Nowadays the cost for assisted living is often based on the recipient’s level of care needed. An individual may be assessed upon admission then re-evaluated on a regular basis. When their needs change, the cost will likely go up or down. If the individual requires a higher level of care the next step may be moving to a memory support or skilled nursing care facility.

The cost for these options varies. Assisted living generally runs an average of $2,900 per month plus care levels.

Memory support communities can range between $3,500 and $6,000. The monthly fee for nursing home skilled level of care facilities can be $5,000 to $8,000.

Men and women able to live an independent lifestyle but who may require some assistance to stay at home may con-

The Art of Aging

By Cathy Wyatt, CSA sider contacting the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging.

ENOA has a variety of programs and services – including Meals on Wheels, as well as the homemaker and bath aide programs – that promote independence and dignity. The fees for ENOA’s services are based on the client’s income.

Nobody is denied services, however, due to an inability to pay.

Working with an in-home care company is another option for older Nebraskans.

“Home care is for those who need extra assistance with the tasks of everyday living,” said Michaela Williams, president of Care Consultants for the Aging. “There are a variety of home care companies that can find different levels of caregivers to come into the home. Caregivers can range from those who offer companionship to certified nursing assistants and nurses.”

“In choosing a in-home care agency we encourage clients to review a list of all available agencies, review any recent state or federal surveys, and assure the agencies are bonded,” said Clayton Freeman, program director for the Alzheimer’s Association Midlands Chapter. “We encourage them to interview (representatives from) at least three agencies.”

When doing so, Freeman suggests asking about the costs, level of services provided, and the caregiver’s training, education, and licensure.

For more information on your in-home care options, please call ENOA at 402-444-6444.

Copies of Care Consultants for the Aging’s Omaha ElderCare Resource Handbook – which can be mailed to you for $9 – can be obtained by calling 402-398-1848 or by logging on the Internet to www.careconsultants.com.

‘A Christmas Carol’ to feature relative of Charles Dickens The Douglas County Historical Society will present three performances of A Christmas Carol Dec. 16 and 17 at the Field Club of Omaha, 3615 Woolworth Ave. The heartwarming story is a one-man show by Gerald Charles Dickens, the great-great-grandson of Charles Dickens.

Gerald Dickens is an actor and producer from Oxford, England.

His first Omaha performance of A Christmas Carol will be at 2 p.m. on Dec. 16. During a proper English Tea, Dickens will perform a 75-minute rendition of the timeless holiday classic.

Tickets are $37 for DCHS members and $40 for nonmembers.

An 8 p.m. dinner presentation of A Christmas Carol will follow that evening at the same venue. Those tickets are $72 for members and $75 for non-members.

Dickens will also offer a matinee performance of A Christmas Carol at 1 p.m. on Dec. 17. Tickets for DCHS members and students will be $27 while nonmember tickets are $30.

Tickets may be purchased beginning Nov. 1 at www. douglascohistory.org or by calling 402-455-9990.

We want to hear from

you!

Corrigan Senior Center November 2011 events calendar You’re invited to visit the Corrigan Senior Center, 3819 X St. this month for: • Tuesday, Nov. 1 – Nov. 22: Leaving a Legacy sessions lead by UNO students from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Please call 731-7210 for more information.

• Monday, Nov. 7: Veterans Day celebration. Veterans are asked to bring their pictures and memorabilia. Bingo follows lunch.

• Monday, Nov. 7 – Monday, Dec. 12: Free Living Well workshops from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Living Well is a chronic disease self-management program developed by Stanford University. The program is designed to help you take control of your health. Please call 731-7210 to sign up.

• Wednesday, Nov. 9: You Hold the Keys to Your Help @ 11 a.m. by Yvonne from CHAMPS. A lunch featuring oven-fried chicken follows.

• Thursday, Nov. 17: Turkey dinner and Mega Bingo.

The lunch menu is roast turkey, dressing, whipped sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, a tossed salad, a wheat roll, and pumpkin pie. Mega bingo features $75 in cash prizes.

The reservation deadline is noon on Tuesday, Nov. 15.

• Monday, Nov. 21: Birthday party with vocalist Cynthia Ziesman sponsored by Merrymakers. Lunch and bingo will follow Cynthia’s 11a.m. show.

• Wednesday, Nov. 23: Corrigan Thanksgiving dinner.

Special turkey lunch with all the fixings. Bingo will follow lunch.

The center will be closed Nov. 11 for Veterans Day and on Nov. 24 and 25 for the Thanksgiving holidays.

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.

Enjoy card games, bingo, ceramics, exercise, woodcarving, and loads of fun! A T’ai Chi Movement Improvement For Seniors class designed to help prevent falls is held at 11 a.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays.

For meal reservations or more information, please call Lynnette at 402-731-7210.

New Cassel Retirement Center

• Do you gave questions about the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging, its programs or services?

Holiday Boutique & Open House

• Do you have a comment about the agency and how it serves older adults in Douglas, Sarpy, Dodge, Cass, and Washington counties?

Auditorium Entrance / Free Admission

Saturday, November 12, 2011 9am to 3pm

§ 3 Delicious Meals Daily § Transportation Available § Wellness, Recreation & Activities § 24-Hour Health Services § Free Wi-Fi / Computer Lab

• 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.

r Novembe In Move Special

§ Daily Mass & Rosary § Weekly Inter-Faith Service § Weekly Housekeeping § Safe & Secure Environment § Gift Shop / Beauty Salon

Call (402) 393-2277/ 900 North 90th Street

November 2011

Omaha, NE 68114 / www.newcassel.org Sponsored by the School Sisters of Saint Francis

•

New Horizons

•

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Overcoming obstacles by following the appropriate actions

Brent Bowyer instructs Sarah as she adjusts Minnie’s halter.

By Jeff Reinhardt

S

New Horizons Editor

even-year-old David and his 6-year-old sister Sarah strategically placed several logs – some flat on the ground, others elevated slightly – along a course inside the corral. Using a boundary tool, the youngsters traced a path in the sand that Tulip, a miniature horse, and Minnie, a jet-black Friesian, would follow to navigate the obstacle course.

“We’re teaching them if you do the appropriate actions you can overcome your obstacles,” explained Brent Bowyer to a visitor at the 14-acre Neola, Iowa ranch he shares with his wife Jackie.

The youngsters disappeared into a barn. A few moments later, they reappeared with Tulip who was wearing a halter and lead rope David had placed on her head. After leading the brown and white horse around the course for a few minutes, the children and Jackie took Tulip back to her corral. It was now time for Minnie, four months pregnant, to

take a stroll with David and Sarah around the corral.

The youngsters carefully guided the large animal through the course as Minnie’s long hair blew in the autumn breeze.

“If you can control an animal that big it can become very empowering,” Brent said.

D

avid, Sarah, and their grandmother Mary Woodrow became involved with the Bowyers and their Spirit of Chiron program as a way of bringing some normalcy into their lives. Before moving in with their grandmother in February 2010, the youngsters had bounced from one foster home to another.

“Spirit of Chiron (developed in 2009) is about connecting humans to horse wisdom,” Brent said.

“We’ve found people have their own solutions to their own problems,” the New Zealand native said with a thick accent.

“Horses have a great ability to read what people are thinking,” he continued. “They won’t engage

David and Sarah brush Tulip’s hair during a recent visit to the ranch Brent and Jackie Bowyer operate near Neola, Iowa.

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New Horizons

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Celeste with Sunshine, her new Luv a Lamb buddy.

with you if you’re sending out mixed signals. You don’t have to change your behavior, you just have to acknowledge it.”

The program was named for Chiron, a Greek mythological figure who took the form of a horse and was known as a master of the healing arts.

Woodrow learned about the Spirit of Chiron through the Eastern Nebraska Office on Aging’s Grandparent Resource Center. Coordinated

by Nancy Fullwood, the Grandparent Resource Center is designed to strengthen and support grandparents age 60 and older so they can provide safe and secure homes for the grandchildren in their care. Program services include support group meetings, access to low cost or pro bono legal services, counseling, and help locating transportation.

A true animal lover, Fullwood heard about the Spirit of Chiron through the Creative Healing Workshop. She realized many of the families involved with the Grandparent Resource Center could benefit by spending time with the Bowyers, their program, and their horses.

“I truly believe in the power of animals,” Fullwood said.

The Bowyers’ ranch features four 1,500-pound Friesian horses, a Dutch breed noted for being graceful and nimble despite their size.

“Being around these horses makes the grandchildren feel good about themselves,” Fullwood said.

“It gives them a sense of control and teaches them about the importance of having mutual respect.”

Woodrow is pleased she, David, and Sarah have had a chance to work with the Spirit of Chiron.

“We want to take advantage of every learning opportunity that’s available to us,” she said.

D

uring his first visit to the Bowyers’ ranch, David was asked to draw a picture of what he had seen and done that day.

His drawing featured horses, farm animals, and other people but not

November 2011

himself. After the next session, the drawing included the boy’s head, but not his face. Following the third visit, a more self-assured David drew a scene that was highlighted by his smiling face.

“That was a graphic description of his growth,” Woodrow said.

Although they’ve only spent a few hours with the Bowyers and their horses, David and Sarah have reaped tremendous benefits from the program, according to their grandmother.

“They’ve become more confident in themselves and they’re able to communicate their feelings better,” Woodrow said. “They got more out of four weeks with the Spirit of Chiron than they did from a year in (traditional) therapy.”

She also spoke highly of Brent and Jackie.

“They’re the most caring, open, and gentle people I’ve ever met, and they truly believe in their program and what it can do.”

To learn more about the Spirit of Chiron, please call 712-308-2052.

S

everal miles southwest of the Bowyers’ ranch, Kathy Mann operates the Luv a Lamb and True Buddy programs in rural Papillion.

With some assistance from Mann, Celeste, age 9, and 5-yearold Virginia tied Sunshine and Bahama Mama, respectively, to a wooden fence on a beautiful October afternoon.

Excitement soon filled the barn as the young girls brushed the animals’ wool. Occasionally, the sheep turned their heads – perhaps in appreciation – to view the children.

Onlookers felt the special relationship that was being built between the girls and their furry friends.

Mann then filled buckets with water and Dawn dishwashing soap so Celeste and Virginia could bathe the sheep. After the soap was rinsed off and the wool was dried, it was time for the youngsters to walk --Please turn to page 23.

Helping kids be the best they can be --Continued from page 22.

Sunshine and Bahama Mama. The girls and Mann showed the sheep how to step up on and then over four bales of hay that were placed along the narrow course.

It was hard to tell who enjoyed the activity more amongst Mann, Sunshine, Bahama Mama, Celeste, Virginia, and the grandparents.

The True Buddy Program – started by Mann in 2009 – unites young volunteers from Papillion, Omaha, and Millard with children who have developmental disabilities, medical challenges, and other special needs.

Fullwood said she heard about the program through the Douglas and Sarpy County Extension Office and thought it would be ideal for families enrolled in the Grandparent Resource Center.

Mann was proud as she observed the youngsters developing greater confidence and self-esteem by feeding, walking, bathing, and petting the sheep.

“At first, they’re a little afraid to come out of their comfort zone,” she said. In short order, however, a bond is built between the children and the lambs. “It’s amazing to watch them smile and become more relaxed,” Mann said.

She said sheep and lambs are perfect “pet therapists” because they don’t kick or bite and they have the abil-

ity to quickly adapt to any situation.

“Our sheep truly engage in the process and become docile. They have an understanding to be gentle with these children,” Mann added.

“They got more out of four weeks with the Spirit of Chiron than they did from a year in (traditional) therapy.”

K

athie Joy, who works two jobs while raising Celeste, said the True Buddy Program has been wonderful therapy for her granddaughter. “She would love to live on a farm with a lot of animals.”

Joy is thankful the Grandparent Resource Center has allowed her and Celeste to participate with Mann and the True Buddies.

“This is an opportunity I couldn’t provide for her on my own.”

Pat Plummer said her 5-year-old granddaughter Virginia loves bathing, feeding, brushing, walking, and petting the sheep.

Spending time on Mann’s farm has also given Virginia a chance to interact with animals she had previously

only seen and read about in books.

Mann is pleased the Luv a Lamb and True Buddy programs have touched so many lives.

“Our goal is to assist kids of all walks of life and abilities in being the best they can be now and in the future. Our sheep program keeps evolving into something truly great and has the potential to touch children’s lives everywhere.”

For more information about the Luv a Lamb and True Buddy programs, please call 402-510-3989 or log on the Internet to www.luvalamb.com.

To learn more about ENOA’s Grandparent Resource Center, please call Fullwood at 402-444-6536.

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

Front porch sale Women’s clothing, purses, antique lamps, books etc.

Call for more information:

Use the New Horizons CLASSIFIEDS Call 402-444-4148 or 402-444-6654 to place your ad.

OLD STUFF WANTED (before 1975) Postcards, photos, drapes, lamps, 1950s and before fabrics, clothes, lady’s hats, & men’s ties, pictures, pottery, glass, jewelry, toys, fountain pens, furniture, etc.

Call anytime 402-397-0254 or 402-250-9389

www.immanuelcommunities.com

Please call 402-444-4148 or 402- 444-6654 to place your ad

POOL TABLES Moving, refelting, assemble, repair, tear down. Used slate tables.

We pay CASH for slate pool tables.

DO YOU NEED HELP?

Big Red Billiards 402-598-5225

With meals, laundry, errands, and household duties.

Reasonable rates.

Call 402-345-2596

Will transfer your cassettes, June 7, 2011LPs, & 8-tracks to CD. Also VHS tapes to DVD.

Some of the nicest, newer 1 bedroom apartments. Elevator, w & d, heated parking garage. Small complex. By bus & shopping. No pets or smoking.

402-453-2198

BUYING or SELLING?

Trinity Courtyard 620 West Lincoln Street Papillion, NE 68046 402-614-1900

Eastern Nebraska a Office on Aging • 4223 Cent

Affilated with the Nebraska Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

CLASSIFIEDS

deFreese Manor

Lamplighter II

PAID THROUGH December 2011

93rd & Maple • 402-397-6921 402-345-3232 John A+ Heartland TOP CASH PAID Here’s yourConst. ad for the classified section for the July issue. Ple Concrete Best & honest prices know if this is okay, or if you have any changes.

Driveways, garage floors, paid for:

sidewalks, retaining walls. patio specialists.

Thanks!

Insured/references.

Mitch Laudenback 13 year BBB Member

@ New Horizons

402-731-2094

John Bouska Tree Trimming 1913 Farnam St. #708 68102-1915 Beat the

falling leaves!

Chipping & removal.

Your prunings chipped.

Experienced & insured.

Senior discount.

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

Who Gets The Family Pictures?

The answer can be; EVERYONE! These precious memories and favorite images can be preserved and duplicated for everyone. Old snapshots improved and fast fading color images from the 50’s and 60’s rescued.

Digitizing these images will preserve them now and for many future generations.

Subsidized housing for those age 62 and over with incomes under $24,750 (1 person) or $28,250 (two persons)

402-894-9206

2669 Dodge Omaha, NE 402-345-0622

• Remodeling & Home Improvement

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.

Integrity Builders

REPUTABLE SERVICES, INC.

• Painting Interior & Exterior

Free estimates & inspections • Roofs • Windows • Siding • Gutters

• Handyman Services • Senior Discounts • Free Estimates

Storm damage specialist

Call Colin @ 402-510-7360

Kathy Mann offers some tips to Virginia as she bathed Bahama Mama.

Assisted Living at Immanuel Courtyard 6759 Newport Avenue Omaha, NE 68152 402-829-2990

BBB Honor Roll member

November 2011

• References • Fully Insured Quality Professional Service Better Business Bureau Member

402-4 5 5-7 0 0 0

•

Call or email now for more information & a special $25 offer for up to 50 images.

ImagesJohn • 402-598-8436 jr28nel@msn.com

Monarch Villa West 201 Cedar Dale Road Papillion (402) 331-6882 Bellewood Courts 1002 Bellewood Court Bellevue (402) 292-3300 Managed by Kimball Management., Inc. We do business in accordance with the Fair Housing Law.

New Horizons

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