Lifestyles After 50 Lake/Marion/Sumter Edition, March 2019

Lake, Marion, SuMter ~ MarCH 2019

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March 21, 2019 - 9 am - 1 pm • T Pepin’s Hospitality Centre

Spring Expo

4121 N 50th St., Tampa, FL

FREE ADMISSION Exhibits • Prizes Seminars • Free Bingo Free Health Screenings Free Coffee & Goodies Book Signing Event 10AM - 12PM

For Exhibitor Information, Call 813-653-1988 A Lifestyles After 50 Event Sponsored By:

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by Life of the Party

Lifestyles After 50 • Lake/Marion/Sumter • March 2019 • page 2

Meet Lifestyles After 50 humor columnist, Susan Goldfein

MARCH: COLOR IT GREEN reen is the unofficial color of March. From St. Patrick’s Day festivities to springtime’s magnificent new growth, green symbolizes life, freshness, fertility and the environment.

As the dominant color in nature, green generates feelings of hope and the promise of renewal.

And so does Trader Joe’s.

The other day, my daughter Lauren brought home a halfdozen Trader Joe’s apples in a bag – a wonderful, stretchy, eco-friendly, compostable produce bag that, unlike its plastic predecessors, won’t stick around for hundreds of years.

The bags, made by Crown Poly, are composed of starches, cellulose and vegetable oils, so they are plant-based rather than petroleum-based.

Trader Joe’s, a grocery chain known for its emphasis on clean food and sustainable business practices, says the aim is to have the new compostable bags for produce in their 474 stores by April 1, thus eliminating more than 1 million pounds of plastic this year.

This is a noble start since only a small percentage of plastic (about 9 percent) is actually recycled and much of it finds its way into landfills, ditches, rivers, lakes and oceans, where it can be deadly to wildlife. Plastic breaks up but never fully breaks down and instead turns into toxic microplastics that can invade our food and water supply.

As a consumer, you can help by buying earth-friendly products such as compostable trash or dog doo bags, diapers, cups, plates, containers and cutlery from Amazon and other retailers.

It should be noted that for now, most compostables are more expensive and not widely available. Some are suitable for backyard composting bins, others may require industrial composting facilities which operate at higher temperatures.

G

Lake Edition Published monthly by Lifestyles After 50 Volume 30, Issue 3

Publisher Ed Graves Ed. Graves@lifestylesafter50.com Editor Terri Bryce Reeves Terri. Reeves@lifestylesafter50.com Website Coordinator Allie Shaw Allie.Shaw@lifestylesafter50.com Distribution Nancy Spencer Nancy. Spencer@lifestylesafter50.com Questions/Customer Service 813-653-1988 • 1-888-670-0040 Press Releases Editor@lifestylesafter50.com Advertising Sales Carol Driggers: 850-313-0846 Carol.Driggers@lifestylesafter50.com Event Logistic Coordinator Vicki Willis: 813-765-1070 Vicki. Willis@lifestylesafter50.com

The good news is, it seems like the world is catching on to the plastics problem. Each day, more and more cities are taking the bold move to ban plastic bags and straws. More and more retailers are doing what they can to cut back on the use of plastics and promote the use of reusable, biodegradable and compostable products.

As citizens and consumers, let’s do our part by letting businesses, retailers and government officials know that green is an important color in our world – one we want to see all year ‘round and for centuries to come.

See you in April.

Terri Bryce Reeves

Event Sales Ed Graves: 731-267-1532 Ed. Graves@lifestylesafter50.com __________________________________

Our other editions:

Tampa Bay Edition: Hillsborough/East Pasco Suncoast Edition: Pinellas/West Pasco Sarasota Edition: Sarasota/Manatee Southwest Edition: Lee/Charlotte

To learn more, call 1-888-670-0040

Lifestyles After 50 P.O. Box 638 Seffner, Florida 33583-0638 Fax: (813) 331-2634 www.lifestylesafter50.com

Terri Bryce Reeves, Editor

May you always have Walls for the winds, A roof for the rain, Tea beside the fire, Laughter to cheer you, Those you love near you, And all your heart might desire! ~ An Irish Blessing ~

Attention Readers: The articles printed in Lifestyles After 50 do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Editor or the staff. Lifestyles After 50 endeavors to accept reliable advertising; however, we cannot be held responsible by the public for advertising claims. Lifestyles After 50 reserves the right to refuse or discontinue any advertisement. Our advertising deadline for each issue is the 15th of the previous month. Magazines are out by the 7th of each month. All rights reserved.

As a reader of Lifestyles After 50, you are creating an established relationship with our advertisers. You may be contacted by email, telephone or mail as allowed by law.

Lifestyles After 50 • Lake/Marion/Sumter • March 2019 • page 3

local events around town • March 2019 Event: Date: Time: Cost:

2019 Greek Festival March 8 - 10 11 a.m.

Call

Place:

Event: Date: Time: Cost:

Winery After Hours March 9, 16 6 - 11 p.m.

FREE with RSVP

Event: Date: Time: Cost:

Mount Dora Spring Festival March 16, 17 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

FREE

Saint Mark’s Greek Orthodox Church Address: 9926 SE 36th Ave. Belleview, 34420 Phone: 352-245-3324 Website: www.greekfestivalocala.com/

Place: Lakeridge Winery & Vineyards Address: 19239 US 27 North Clermont 34715 Phone: 352-394-8627 Website: www.lakeridgewinery.com/ Events/wine-cheese-bar

Place: Historic Walking District Address: 230 W. 4th Ave., Mt. Dora 32757 Phone: 352-217-8390 Website: www.mountdoraspringfest.com

Event: Date: Time: Cost:

Event: Date: Time: Cost:

Event: Date: Time: Cost:

Place:

Yard & Craft Sale March 9 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

FREE to attend

Lady Lake Historical Society Museum Address: 107 South Old Dixie Hwy., Lady Lake, 32158 Phone: 352-259-4359 Website: www.ladylakemuseum.org/

Paws to Give Back March 16 9:45 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Volunteers Needed

Place: Lake County Animal Shelter Address: 28123 County Road 561, Tavares 32778 Phone: 352-343-9688 Website: www.lakecountyfl.gov/offices/animal_services/

Lifestyles After 50 Spring Expo March 21 9 a.m - 1 p.m.

FREE

Place: T Pepin’s Hospitality Centre Address: 4121 N. 50th St. Tampa Phone: 813-653-1988 Website: www.Lifestylesafter50.com/events

Event: Date: Time: Cost: P lace: Address:

The Villages Balloon Festival March 22 thru 24 5 - 10 p.m. $2 per vehicle to attend

Florida Horse Park 11008 South Highway 475, Ocala 34480 Phone: 352-307-6699 Website: www.facebook.com/thevillagesballoonfestival/ Event:

Marion County 175th Anniversary Celebration Date: March 30 Time: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Cost: FREE Place: Historic Downtown Ocala Address: 601 SE 25th Ave., Ocala 34471 Phone: 352-438-2300 Website: www.marioncountyfl.org/ about/marion-county-government-day

Event: Date: Time: Cost:

5th Annual Strut Your Mutt Charity Dog Walk March 30 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

FREE to attend/$30 to Register

Place: Wildwood Community Center Address: 6500 Powell Road, Wildwood 32278 Phone: 352-793-9117 Website: www.symfl.com Event: Date: Time: Cost:

2nd Annual Strawberry Festival April 6 3 – 6:30 p.m.

Varies

Place: College Park Church of God Address: 3140 SW 26th St., Ocala 34474 Phone: 352-237-2247 Website: www.collegeparkchog.org/

send your event news to Jenna@lifestylesafter50.coM by the 15th of each Month for publication in the following Month's issue.

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batteries. The Zinger features two steering levers, one on either side of the seat. The user pushes both levers down to go forward, pulls them both up to brake, and pushes one while pulling the other to turn to either side. This enables great mobility, the ability to turn on a dime and to pull right up to tables or desks. The controls are right on the steering lever so it’s simple to operate and its exclusive footrest swings out of the way when you stand up or sit down. With its rugged yet lightweight aluminum frame, the Zinger is sturdy and durable yet convenient and comfortable!

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Lifestyles After 50 • Lake/Marion/Sumter • March 2019 • page 4

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FOOD FESTS

By RANDAL HILL

One sign of spring in Florida is the vast array of food and music festivals that start popping up in nearly every corner of the state. This time, we’ve handplucked what we believe to be some of the top food festivals on Florida’s West Coast. So, mark your calendars and don’t miss some great gastronomical fun.

FLORIDA STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL Festival grounds, Plant City, through March 10 flstrawberryfestival.com

Sure, this annual get-together offers an abundance of star-studded entertainment, parades, rides, exhibits and vendors, but keep in mind that its primary purpose is as a celebration of those little heart-shaped morsels of succulence for which the festival is named. More than 10,000 acres of strawberries are grown at local farms each year, and since 1930, Plant City folks have celebrated with a gala that draws a half-million visitors from around the world.

Florida Strawberry Festival vendors sell every imaginable strawberry delight, from the traditional (pies, cheesecakes, milkshakes) to the, ahem, unusual (strawberry-laced hamburgers and pizzas).

See website for ticket prices.

FORT MYERS BEACH/LIONS CLUB SHRIMP FESTIVAL

Fort Myers Beach, March 9 & 10 fortmyersbeachshrimpfestival.com What began as a blessing of the local shrimp boats decades ago has blossomed into a major annual Fort Myers Beach party. The fun kicks off on Estero Boulevard, March 9th at 10 a.m., with a two-mile-long, dazzling parade replete with floats, bands and Clydesdale horses. The crowning of the 2019 Shrimp Queen follows afterward at Lynn Hall Park.

Each year, the Lions Club cooks up over a half-ton of locally caught shrimp. Each dinner consists of a halfpound of the steaming, delectable

crustaceans, coleslaw and the Lions’ “secret recipe” cocktail sauce.

Besides a shrimp-eating contest, over 100 vendors will set up on or near the pristine beach. Free admission.

of musical styles including Motown, country, pop and Latin tunes.

Registration is required to attend this event. Visit the website for more info.

ST. ARMANDS SEAFOOD & MUSIC FESTIVAL

St. Armands Circle Park, Sarasota, May 24-26 seafoodfestivals.com

CUBAN SANDWICH FESTIVAL

Centennial Park, Ybor City, Tampa, March 31 thecubansandwichfestival.com

CLEARWATER BEACH TASTE FEST

Pork, Swiss cheese and “secret” ingredients. Aromatic, freshly baked Cuban bread. Who serves up the Sunshine State’s very best Cuban sandwich? You be the judge at the 8th annual Cuban Sandwich Festival in Tampa’s historic Ybor City. Live music and dance performances on two stages. Over 100 vendors offering food and sundry exhibits. Free admission.

Special note: Watch folks attempt to create the world’s biggest Cuban sandwich, the day before at Centro Asturiano de Tampa. The planned length is (hold on) 170 feet!

USA Today ranks Clearwater as Florida’s Best Beach Town. Judge for yourself when you enjoy the food and fun at the 10th annual Clearwater Beach Taste Fest on May 3, from 6 to 9 p.m. This highly anticipated “oceanfriendly” event features hearty samples of casual and fine-dining cuisine supplied by over 30 local restaurants.

You’ll also find wine and craft beer, and a wide variety of vendors.

Get your groove on as crowd favorite C’Nergy takes the stage with a range

Pier 60, Clearwater Beach, May 3 clearwaterbeachtastefest.com

The 3rd annual St. Armands Seafood & Music Festival at St. Armands Circle Park is back Memorial Day weekend with scrumptious fresh seafood, meat and vegetarian dishes prepared onsite by local restaurant folks using indigenous and sustainable ocean resources from Florida’s coastal waters. The annual bash also includes tasty side dishes, desserts and drinks to enjoy while relaxing amid the strains of live R & B, rock, classical and calypso. Arts and crafts booths, gourmet food and specialty items round out the attractions.

You just might come away from this Sarasota event with a life companion as the Humane Society of Sarasota County will be there with their mobile adoption center featuring lots of adorable furry faces.

Free general admission.

Lifestyles After 50 • Lake/Marion/Sumter • March 2019 • page 5

COLLETTE TOURS/Tours and Cruises Unlimited 75th Anniversary of D-Day & Normandy

Happy Birthday to those born in March!

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Bruce Willis 64 on March 19

Kurt Russell 68 on March 17

Contact: Patti Cardozo (561) 202-8388 * travelpacs@yahoo.com Cathy Inness (727) 379-4553 * cathycruises@gmail.com

Glenn Close 72 on March 19

ELECTRIC FOLDING ward Terrence Ho ch 50 on Mar 11

Celine Dion 51 on March 30 March’s flower is: Daffodil

March’s birthstone is: Aquamarine

Daniel Craig 51 on March 2

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Lifestyles After 50 • Lake/Marion/Sumter • March 2019 • page 6

SOCIAL SECURITY SCAM ALERT T

he Social Security Administration (SSA) is receiving reports of fraudulent telephone calls from individuals claiming to represent Social Security. The unknown callers use threatening language to warn unknowing victims that they will be arrested or face other legal action if they fail to call a provided phone number or to press the number indicated in the message. In some instances, these unknown callers switch tactics and communicate that they want to help an individual with activating a suspended Social Security number. Such calls are a scam, and are not coming from official SSA representatives.

Please inform your family members and extended networks not to engage with such callers, and to report any suspicious calls to Social Security’s Office of the Inspector General by calling 1-800-269-0271 or submitting a report to the OIG website (oig.ssa.gov/report).

You are urged to read and share our Social Security Matters blog (blog.ssa.gov) which provides more information on the nature of these fraudulent calls, as well as instructions on how to report such activity.

DIAGNOSED WITH LUNG CANCER? HAVE YOU CONSIDERED SURGICAL TREATMENT? Cancer treatment decisions deserve second opinions.

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With over 20 years of experience, Dr. Eric Sommers is nationally recognized for his expertise in minimally invasive video- and robotic-assisted lung and chest surgery, with faster recovery times and world-class outcomes.

To schedule an appointment, call TGH Thoracic Surgery at (813) 519-3172.

Learn more at tgh.org/thoracic-surgery.

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Lifestyles After 50 • Lake/Marion/Sumter • March 2019 • page 7 2/14/19 4:59 PM

Gift card scam alert!

O

ne of the latest ways scam artists try to steal money from you is through the use of gift cards as a form of payment.

In this con, the con artist may pose as someone from the IRS, business or utility company trying to collect money they say you owe. Or they may pose as someone from Apple or another “tech support” group and tell you that you have a virus on your computer or cell phone than needs urgent fixing. Some may say a family member needs your immediate help. They may have spoofed (hidden) their number on Caller ID and changed it to look like a neighbor or legitimate business is calling.

The scammer will then direct you to purchase a gift card for a certain amount and ask you to share the numbers and PIN on the card’s back. Many of them will even stay on the phone with you as you go to purchase the gift card.

When you give them the number and PIN, that is the last time you will hear from them and the scam is over. They just got your money.

Remember that no government agency or legitimate business will ask for a gift card as a form of payment. If someone asks for a gift card, just hang up.

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Lifestyles After 50 • Lake/Marion/Sumter • March 2019 • page 8

New Kitty on the Block

W

hy on earth would any senior want to buy a cat? These are the days when we’re trying to simplify our lives and save money.

Animal food and cat litter costs add up. Veterinarian bills can be devastating.

That’s what we kept telling ourselves – but it didn’t work.

A few months ago, the Joy of My Life ordered a Sphynx kitten from the Internet. I was determined not to like him. When we met him at the Fort Lauderdale International Airport in November, I immediately fell in love.

He has the classic Sphynx personality – a combination of a monkey, gymnast and two-year-old child. He is silly and fearless. I don’t think I’ve laughed this hard since I first saw Harvey Korman and Tim Conway do their dental chair bit.

He is beautiful too – a chocolate tabby with large, round lemoncolored eyes; big perky ears and fur that feels like a chinchilla.

Fur you say? Aren’t Sphynx hairless? Jake is a second-generation Sphynx, which means he is a Sphynx crossbreed. Outcrossing is done to enhance the health and broaden the gene pool. It takes several generations of outcrossing to get the hairless look.

Males of the species are the most affectionate while the females are witchy primadonnas.

Jake must be part Cheetah because he is the fastest animal Michael Wright lives in Mulberry Florida. You can share pet stories or medical advice with him at micwrighthamo@gmail.com.

on the planet. Entering or exiting our house takes some quick maneuvering on our part. He can streak out the door in a flash before you even realize it.

Fortunately, he stops at the edge of the pavement and flattens down on the ground without going any further.

Several times he’s been caught by the tail which is as long as the rest of his body. If it pops off, he soon grows another one like a lizard. (This part I say this in jest, but wouldn’t that be cool?)

This little charmer enjoys chasing milk bottle caps, long walks on the beach at sunset and listening to music, preferably Cat Stevens.

I had forgotten how sharp needlelike kitten claws could be. They don’t merely scratch. If you are taking baby aspirin or any blood-thinner, they will lay you open.

There’s much more I could tell you about Jake, but it will have to keep until another time. My arm is getting numb and I need to awaken my honey so she can loosen my tourniquet.

Jake

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Some of the top tax changes for small businesses: • The corporate tax rate was lowered from 35 to 21 percent.

• A 20 percent tax deduction is allowed for income earned from sole proprietorships, limited liability companies, partnerships and S corporations. The deduction applies to the first $315,000 of income for joint filers (and $157,500 for other filers) and reduces their effective marginal rate to a 29.6 percent maximum.

Wage income is not eligible for the lower rates on business income.

• Businesses are now allowed to write off the full cost of new equipment purchases.

• Small businesses can continue to write off interest on loans.

One final note: If you are still working, whether part-time or full-time, check the amount of your tax withholdings. Many have been surprised with refunds that are lower than they expected, not realizing the reason was an adjustment in withholdings by their employer. The IRS Withholding Calculator (at www. irs.gov) can help you determine the right amount of tax to withhold from your paycheck. You may need to complete a new Form W–4 to adjust the amount withheld.

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For information about investment decisions and financial planning, contact him at (727) 451-3440.

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• Individual tax rates were lowered by about 2 percent at each bracket to 0, 10, 12, 22, 24, 32, 35 and 37 percent.

• Personal exemption was eliminated and standard deduction increased to $12,000 for individuals and $24,000 for married couples.

• Taxpayers are now allowed to deduct property taxes and state and local income taxes (or sales taxes in lieu of income taxes) up to a $10,000 maximum.

• The child tax credit was increased from $1,000 to $2,000 and is refundable up to a $1,400 maximum, but begins to phase-out for families earning over $400,000.

• The mortgage interest deduction was preserved for new mortgages on a first or second home. Home equity debt interest not used to improve the home is suspended.

• The estate and gift tax exemption doubled from $5 million to $10 million.

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Lifestyles After 50 • Lake/Marion/Sumter • March 2019 • page 9

Women of the Wild West KATHY MEGYERI

March is Women’s History Month and for fun we’re going to take a look at some colorful and often notorious Women of the Wild West – those who you may not have read about in the history books, but whom collectively were heroines and heartbreakers, entertainers and entrepreneurs, outlaws and other women of note.

Phoebe Ann Mosey, stage name Annie Oakley (18601926), was a sharpshooter who was said to have split cards on their edges, popped corks off bottles and snapped cigarettes out of the mouths of men. In 1887, she joined Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show and became an international superstar.

Cigar-smok ing, gun-toting, whiskey- drink ing “Stagecoach Mary” Fields (1832-1914) was born into slavery, freed after the Civil War and did a variety of odd jobs until her 60s when she became the first female African-American star-route mail carrier in the U.S. Would-be thieves didn’t stand a chance against this stagecoach driver with the “temperament of a grizzly bear.”

Pearl Hart (1871-1928), the “Lady Bandit of Arizona,” was a Canadian who came to the West in the 1880’s and was the only documented female stagecoach robber in U.S. history. While on trial, she claimed, “I shall not consent to be tried under a law in which my sex had no voice in making.” She went to jail anyway where she charmed the warden into allowing her to entertain visitors, journalists and photographers in her cell.

Pearl de Vere (1862-1897), the “soiled dove of Cripple Creek,” was the madam of the stylish Colorado brothel, The Old Homestead. Catering to rich gold miners, a room cost $250 a night but offered carpeting, bathtubs with running water, chandeliers, and an intercom. Her funeral was the most lavish in the town’s history as bands played, There’ll be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight. The Old Homestead is now a museum.

Carrie Nation (1846-1911), a member of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union, crusaded against alcohol before Prohibition by smashing up Kansas bars and liquor barrels with her axe. She proudly sold souvenir hatchets and signed photos of herself in her later years.

Lifestyles After 50 • Lake/Marion/Sumter • March 2019 • page 10

Eliza Farnham (1815-1864) was a novelist, feminist and abolitionist. In 1849, she organized a party of single women to travel to California to meet eligible bachelors of the Gold Rush and save them from the evils of drinking and depravity. Her unconventional methods helped transform the land into one fit for wives and families.

Myra Maybelle Shirley Reed Starr, a.k.a. Belle Starr (1848-1889), was part of the Jesse James-Cole Younger gang. A flamboyant outlaw and horse thief, she often wore velvet riding dresses with plumed hats while sitting side saddle and carrying six shooters. She was fatally shot in the face at age 40.

Martha Jane Canary, “Calamity Jane” (1852-1903) is said to have dressed like a man, shot like a gunslinger and drank like a fish. As part of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show, she told outlandish tales of frontier life. Despite her daredevil ways, she cared for the poor, sick and injured. Alcoholism and poor health led to her early death at age 51; she’s buried next to her friend Wild Bill Hickok.

Olive Oatman (1837-1903) was captured by a Native American tribe at age 14, enslaved and later sold to the Mohave people. During her time with the Mohave, they raised her as their own including giving her a ritualized blue tattoo on her chin. Later, after returning to white society she spoke highly of her treatment with the Mohave though she would often cover her tattoo in public.

Sacagawea (1788-1812). As a translator, this Lemhi Shoshone woman is credited for the successful outcome of the 1804-06 Lewis and Clark Expedition. She made the cross-country trip pregnant and returned with a newborn baby on her back. She is believed to have died from an illness at age 24, but her legacy continues: she is honored on a U.S. dollar coin and was inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 2003.

ENCORE CAREERS: Basketball Referee

BY JEFFERY LEAF

Just in time for March Madness, our occasional series about encore careers returns with a look at a woman living her dream as a basketball referee for girls and boys basketball.

W

hat do you do when your children, who you followed during their athletic careers through high school, graduate? If you’re like Barbara Noonan, you take up refereeing.

Noonan, 57, has been officiating girls and boys middle and high school basketball for four years now. As she’d watch her own daughter and son enjoy the sport, she’d often fancy herself out on the court, making those fast, hard calls in the center of it all. So when she saw an ad one day for a basketball officiating class, she jumped at it.

She took the course, passed the test, and started to work.

Noonan’s a member of the Gulf Coast Basketball Officials Association (GCBOA), which serves the counties of Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte and Hardee.

Of the 94 officials in the GCBOA, only four are female.

“I don’t feel like other officials treat me any differently,” she says.

Noonan retired from teaching at Middlesex Community College in Lowell, Mass., but still teaches accounting and

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management classes online. the sport. It makes her happy, She works basketball as many gets her out of the house, gives nights of the week as she her a purpose in life, and keeps wants from mid-November her sharp, she says, as she has through February. Noonan to react quickly and decisively lives in Osprey in Sarasota to make the right calls.

County but works as needed Though there are times when the tempers of coaches and in all four counties served by parents can flare, that doesn’t the GCBOA. Officiating basketball offers worry Noonan. Her lifelong Noonan the best seat in the love of the sport, her passion house, some cash and plenty for helping young people learn of exercise. and grow, and her desire to be “It is a gym membership the best she can be keep her without having to pay for it,” motivated. she says.

Perhaps her favorite moment is when the five-foot-three ref Engaging with high school players also helps with her tells people what she does with college teaching by keeping her free time. More often than her up-to-date on the fads not, their response will be, “You Basketball officiating is a passion for and language of her college are a basketball referee?”

Barbara Noonan, 57, of Osprey students.

Women and men: Experience Most importantly, officiating has helped Noonan, a the passion and pleasures of officiating basketball. social person, find friends who share a mutual interest in Contact Ac@gcboa.org

Government and Senior Community Resources Administration for Community Living (ACL) www.acl.gov/ American Association of Kidney Patients www.aakp.org American Red Cross www.redcross.org American Association of Retired Persons www.aarp.org/tampabay The ALS Association Florida Chapter www.webfl.alsa.org Area Agency on Aging (Elder Help Line) www.youragingresourcecenter.org Department of Business and Professional Regulation www.myfloridalicense.com Florida Information Locator www.stateofflorida.com Hills County Dept of Aging www.hillsboroughcounty.org Internal Revenue Service (Seniors & Retirees www.irs.gov/individuals/seniors-retirees Medicare www.medicare.gov National Parks www.NPS.gov Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) www.seniorsinservice.org Ronald McDonald House Tampa rmhctampabay.org/ Senior Connection (Hillsborough) www.agingcare.com Senior Games www.flasports.com/florida-senior-games Service Core of Retired Executives (SCORE) www.score.org Social Security Administration www.SSA.gov U.S.Department of Housing and Urban Development www.UD.gov Health & Medical Services Addiction Center www.addictioncenter.com American Association of Kidney Patients www.aakp.org Dementia www.dementia.org Melanoma Research Foundation www.melanoma.org National Stroke Association www.stroke.org Senior Home Improvement Program (SHIP) www.thecentre.org/programs services-for-older-adults National Institute of Senior Health www.nihseniorhealth.gov Insurance Consumer Advocate Legal Services Bay Area Legal Services Tax Counseling for the Elderly

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Lifestyles After 50 • Lake/Marion/Sumter • March 2019 • page 11

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New device stops a cold New research shows you can stop a cold in its tracks if you take one simple step with a new device when you first feel a cold coming on.

Colds start when cold viruses get in your nose. Viruses multiply fast. If you don’t stop them early, they spread and cause misery.

But scientists have found a quick way to New research: Copper stops colds if used early. kill a virus. Touch it with copper. have stopped getting colds.

Researchers at labs and universities People often use CopperZap preagree, copper is “antimicrobial.” It ventively. Frequent flier Karen Gaukills microbes, such as viruses and ci used to get colds after crowded bacteria, just by touch. flights. Though skeptical, she tried That’s why ancient Greeks and it several times a day on travel days.

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Some users say it also helps with Tests by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) show germs die sinuses. Attorney Donna Blight had a fast on copper. So some hospitals tried 2-day sinus headache. She tried Copcopper for touch surfaces like faucets perZap. “I am shocked!” she said. and doorknobs. This cut the spread “My head cleared, no more headache, of MRSA and other illnesses by over no more congestion.”

Some say copper stops nighttime half, and saved lives.

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Lifestyles After 50 • Lake/Marion/Sumter • March 2019 • page 12

Sugar-Free Shamrock Shake

Recipe

By JENNA LEE REEVES

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hose of you who thought your milkshake drinking days are over, cheer up! You and the little leprechauns can celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with this refreshing matcha green tea milkshake that has all the sweet creaminess everyone loves, minus the fat, calories, artificial coloring and sugar.

Stevia, created from the leaves of the Stevia plant, is my sweetener of choice as it is all natural with zero calories. Studies have shown it may lower blood sugar levels. Matcha green tea is loaded with antioxidants and can boost metabolism.

At only 100 calories a serving, your milkshake drinking days are only a blender away.

This recipe serves two.

Ingredients: 1 c. plain, nonfat yogurt 1 c. unsweetened vanilla almond (or cashew) milk 1 tsp. matcha green tea powder Directions: Mix all ingredients in a blender; 1 or 2 Stevia packets (sweeten to taste) puree until smooth. Top with ¼ tsp. almond extract non-dairy almond milk whipped ½ tsp. vanilla paste topping if desired. Add a sprig 2 sprigs of mint leaves of mint for good luck!

1 c. ice cubes

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Lifestyles After 50 • Lake/Marion/Sumter • March 2019 • page 15

PAID ADVERTISEMENT

Computed Tomography of the Abdomen/Pelvis C

omputed Tomography, also called a CT or “CAT scan,” is an accurate, noninvasive diagnostic test in which a series of exceptionally thin (5mm) images are taken of internal organs, soft tissues and blood vessels. CT’s ability to capture fine details makes it especially helpful when examining organs in the abdominal region, including the liver, kidneys, upper areas of the small and large intestines, pancreas, stomach, adrenal glands and spleen, and the pelvis, which houses the lower small and large intestines, bladder, sigmoid colon and prostate gland in men.

Doctors refer patients to have an abdominal or pelvic CT in order to discover the presence, location and severity of a variety of diseases and disorders.

“Some of the most common issues are infection, kidney LDCT-ForThem-MatureLIfestyles_HalfPage.pdf

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stones, inflammatory bowel disease, abdominal abscesses and certain cancers,” says radiologist Dr. John Cain. “CT is also used to detect specific vascular disorders, which, when caught and treated in time, may prevent serious problems like stroke and kidney failure.” When disease is present, CT is often used to assist in guided biopsy, avoiding the risks associated with exploratory surgery.

CT is a quick, outpatient test, usually taking only 5-10 minutes.

In certain cases, contrast material may be needed, but even then the test typically takes only 20-30 minutes, so you’re in and out in no time. The test itself is easy. You simply lie still on a table while the CT scanner passes over the area being studied and captures a series of images, which are sent to a computer for your radiologist to examine.

“Our technologists are nationally registered, licensed by the state and

rigorously trained in advanced CT technology,” says radiologist Dr. Caleb Rivera. “Our Board Certified radiologists examine all results in-house, meaning we never send images out for someone else to interpret.

Patients remain within our care from beginning to end, and we consult directly with referring doctors when making a diagnosis.”

“CT imaging is painless and super fast,” says radiologist Dr. John Scales. “It produces images so rapidly that it can be used to discover internal injuries, aneurysms and bleeding quickly enough to save lives. It is enormously useful in helping us diagnose and prevent the worsening of a wide variety of problems.”

RAO offers CT scanning with a doctor’s referral at its Medical Imaging Center and TimberRidge Imaging Center.

For more information about CT scanning services at RAO, visit raocala.com or call 352.671.4300 and a highly trained staff-member will be happy to assist you.

2:51 PM

DO IT FOR YOU… AND FOR THEM You matter to so many. That’s why if you are or were a heavy smoker, it’s important to ask your doctor if Low-Dose Computed Tomography (LDCT) lung cancer screening is right for you. Just a few painless minutes of your time can help protect your life and the love others cherish.

Are you a candidate for LDCT? For guidelines you can share with your doctor, visit www.raocala.com/services/low-dose-ct-screening.

It’s worth it.

www.RAOcala.com (352) 671-4300

ACR Accredited Computed Tomography available at Medical Imaging Center and TimberRidge Imaging Center

We are proudly contracted with a variety of insurances and file all claims with the exception of non-contracted HMO's. Visit our website for a detailed list of contracted insurances. Contracted insurances are subject to change.

A FULL CIRCLE OF CARE CENTERED ON YOU.