Lifestyles After 50 Sarasota/Manatee Edition, March 2019

SaraSota, Manatee ~ MarCH 2019

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Adult In Home Assistance Seniors Helping Seniors

wwwseniorcareeastpasco.seniorshelpingseniors.com/

Assisted Living Love To Know Seniors Program of All Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE)

www.seniors.lovetoknow.com www.npaonline.org/

Food, Clothing, Personal Care, Household Goods Meals on Wheels www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org Trinity Cafe www.trinitycafe.org Feeding Tampa Bay www.feedingamerica.org Daystar Life Center www.daystarlife.com Metropolitan Ministries www.metromin.org Education Eckerd College (St. Petersburg)

www.eckerd.edu/olli

Employment Florida Department of Elder Affairs www.elderaffairs.state.fl.us Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) www.doleta.gov/seniors/ Retirement Life Matters www.retirementlifematters.com Work Force 50 www.workforce50.com Financial Services National Council on Aging Benefits Check Up Women’s Institute For A Secure Retirement (WISER) BBF Capital Advisors

www.benefitscheckup.org/ www.wiserwomen.org/ www.bruceficken.com/

Lifestyles After 50 • Sarasota/Manatee • March 2019 • page 2

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

www.consumersadvocate.org/

www.bals.org www.irs.gov/individuals/tax-counseling-for-the-elderly

Pet Services Consumer Advocate TLC Pet Snip (non-profit)

www.consumersadvocate.org/pet-insurance/best-pet-insurance www.tlcpetsnip.org

Preplanning Final Expenses Aging Care Retirement Living LCB Senior Living Transportation Florida Department of Elder Affairs ITN Suncoast Travel and Leisure Florida Orchestra Gaylord Palms Orlando Players Theater (Sarasota) Straz Performing Arts Center (Tampa) Tampa Bay Rays

www.agingcare.com/articles/funeral-planning www.lcbseniorliving.com

www.elderaffairs.state.fl.us www.itnsuncoast.org/

www.floridaorchestra.org www.gaylordhotels.com www.theplayers.org www.strazcenter.org www.mlb.com/rays

Add your business to our new web directory.

Your company name and website link will be published in all editions of Lifestyles After 50 and on our website: lifestylesafter50.com contact your Account executive today at 813-653-1988 • Toll Free 888-670-0040

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

Sarasota 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 Nan Culbert: 727-542-5103 Nan.Culbert@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 Lake Edition: Lake/Marion/ Sumter 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 • Sarasota/Manatee • March 2019 • page 3

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

Thieves Market March 9 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

FREE admission

Event:

Place: Coquina Beach, South Entrance Address: 2650 Gulf Drive S., Bradenton Beach 34217 Phone: 941-518-4431 Website: islandsandbeaches.com/ market/ Event: Date: Time: Cost:

A Night of Music, Magic & Comedy March 9 6 - 9:30 p.m. $20 - $30

Hotel California: A Tribute To The Eagles Date: March 11 Time: 7 -9 p.m.

Cost: $25 - $49 Place: Riverview Performing Arts Center Address: 1 Ram Way, Sarasota 34231 Phone: 863-494-9362 Website: tickets.sunevents.com Event: Date: Time: Cost:

The Lion King March 14 thru 31 Varies Varies

Place: Place: Venice Community Center Address: 326 Nokomis Ave. S., Venice 34285 Phone: 941-861-1380 Website: www.scgov.net

Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall Address: 777 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, 34236 Phone: 941-953-3368 Website: www.vanwezel.org/

Event: Date: Time: Cost:

Community Yard Sale March 16 7 - 11 a.m.

FREE Admission for shoppers

Event: Date: Time: Cost:

University Town Center Art Fair March 23 - 24 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

FREE Admission

Place: City Hall Blvd.

Address: 4970 City Hall Blvd., North Port 34286 Phone: 941-429-7275 Website: cityofnorthport.com

Place:

The Mall at University Town Center Address: 140 Town Center Dr., Sarasota 34233 Phone: 941-552-7002 Website: www.mallatutc.com

Manatee River Garden Club “Bradenton in Bloom” Garden Tour Date: March 30 Time: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Cost: $15 for tour tickets in advance; $20 on day of tour. $12 for lunch tickets Place: Manatee River Garden Club Address: 3120 1st Ave. W., Bradenton Phone: 941-870-2259 Website: www.manateerivergardenclub.com

Event: Date: Time: Cost:

Event: Date: Time: Cost:

Event: Date: Time: Cost:

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

5th Annual Beer, Bands & BBQ March 30 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

FREE Admission

Place: The Bazaar Apricot & Lime Address: 821 Apricot Ave., Sarasota 34237 Phone: 941-379-9100 Website: musiccompound.com/bbb

Event:

Sebring Soda Festival April 5-6 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

FREE

Place: Downtown Sebring on the Circle Address: 368 S. Commerce Ave. Sebring Phone: 863-385-8448 Website: visitsebring.com

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

David Weekley Homeowners Wendy McGee, Gary & Nancy Adams and Bob Stewart

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DavidWeekleyHomes.com Bell Shoals Rd.

Join our Muddy Boots event: Noon – 2 p.m.

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SHOULD BE JUST THAT. Encore at FishHawk Ranch is an age-restricted community. See a David Weekley Homes Sales Consultant for a copy of the restrictions and other details. Prices, plans, dimensions, features, specifications, materials, and availability of homes or communities are subject to change without notice or obligation. Illustrations are artist’s depictions only and may differ from completed improvements. Copyright © 2019 David Weekley Homes - All Rights Reserved. CBC1257289 Weekley Homes, LLC. Tampa, FL (TAMA103925)

Lifestyles After 50 • Sarasota/Manatee • March 2019 • page 4

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

MEET OUR SURGEONS MARY VINSON, DO, MNS

ERIC SOMMERS, MD, FACS

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Director of Thoracic Surgery

Recognized for her excellence in critical care, Dr. Mary Vinson specializes in the treatment of lung cancer and lung nodules via robotic surgery.

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 • Sarasota/Manatee • March 2019 • page 5 2/14/19 4:59 PM

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

Lifestyles After 50 • Sarasota/Manatee • March 2019 • page 6

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.

Happy Birthday to those born in March!

Bruce Willis 64 on March 19

Kurt Russell 68 on March 17

Glenn Close 72 on March 19

ward Terrence Ho ch 50 on Mar 11

COLLETTE TOURS/Tours and Cruises Unlimited 75th Anniversary of D-Day & Normandy Departing October 24, 2019 Returning November 7, 2019 Highlighting...Paris, Normandy, Omaha Beach, Mont St. Michel, 2-Nite Chateau Stay, Winery Tour, Lyon, Avignon, Nice, Monaco + More 15 Days * 20 Meals * 13 Breakfasts * 7 Dinners Contact: Patti Cardozo (561) 202-8388 * travelpacs@yahoo.com Cathy Inness (727) 379-4553 * cathycruises@gmail.com

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

March’s birthstone is: Aquamarine

Daniel Craig 51 on March 2

hap’s CyCle sales ............... 365-3443

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m + J enterprise....................650-7562 GrayBeals automotive.......921-4993 SARASOTA Brian’s auto repair............. 926-2526 tom Dion’s automotive ...... 926-4942 Gulf Coast auto parts ..... 377-1199 sarasota powesports...... 351-4330 sarasota automotive ........ 780-1333 moBile teCh auto repair .. 925-2446

PARRISH parrish Gen supply ............ 776-2141

BRADENTON napa auto parts ................... 746-4181 Come see Come save .......... 748-5965 total motorsports ........... 756-6500 aCtion Jet sports ............... 745-9521 usa transmission ................ 748-6961 h3 performanCe .................. 751-1949

VENICE auto worx of veniCe ......... 923-1438 aDvanCe auto parts ........... 484-6128 sarasota fun maChines .... 925-0376 ameriCan imports ............... 484-1340

Jay & Dean’s auto repair ... 924-2708 swift auto repair................ 922-3011

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If you or your business would like to get AMSOIL products at Wholesale CALL 941-586-3853

Seniors on the Go Transportation for everyone on the Sun Coast Friendliest Ride In Town!

(941) 444-0569

There are many reasons to get out of the house, and we’re glad to be the ones that give you a lift. Some of the common requests that we fulfill: • Airport & Cruise line Drop-off and Pick-up • Medical, Dental and Optometrist appointments el v • Nursing Home, Prescription Drug Pick-up a r T We 7/365 • Religious Services / 24 • Eating Out at Restaurants, Shopping • Outpatient Surgeries, etc.

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STEP-THROUGH BICYCLE LOUIE’S BICYCLE SHOP

RINGLING BICYCLES

14580 Tamiami Trail North Port, FL 34287 941-423-2613

3606 Manatee Ave W • Bradenton, FL 34205 941-749-1442

BICYCLES INTERNATIONAL 1744 Tamiami Trail S. Venice, FL 34293 941-497-1590

SARASOTA CYCLERY 3800 S Osprey Ave Sarasota, FL 34239 941-366-4144

BACKYARD BIKE SHOP 5610 Gulf of Mexico Dr. Longboat Key, FL 34228 941-383-5184

For more dealers contact Biria USA:

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Lifestyles After 50 • Sarasota/Manatee • March 2019 • page 7

Recipe

Sugar-Free Shamrock Shake

By JENNA LEE REEVES

T

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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Taking the Plunge

W

ith the conclusion of the Oscars, another awards season draws to a close. A whopping 44 award events have been held since January, affording the celebs plenty of opportunities to dress up and hang out.

Mostly, it’s the women who were hanging out, which generates today’s topic.

Am I imagining it, or was 2019 the Year of the Supreme Plunging Neckline? Starting with the Golden Globes, I saw more of Halle Berry, Regina King, Gina Rodriguez and Patricia Clarkson than I ever imagined. It was nearly as intimate as sharing a dressing room with them while trying on bathing suits.

The number of perky boobs playing peek-a-boo with the audience was overwhelming. I held my breath in anticipation of at least one Janet Jackson-style wardrobe malfunction, but it never happened.

Was I disappointed? Maybe a little.

So how do they keep everything so perfectly in place? Are the gowns real or spray-painted body art?

Other pressing questions keep popping out of my mind: Are gowns without fronts cheaper?

Considering the designer skimped on the yardage, they should be. And that goes for backless tushy plungers as well.

Should females with breasts more substantial than a prepubescent’s wear one? Surely there are fashion rules which exclude well-endowed women.

Are there plastic surgeons who specialize in inserting magnetic implants to hold the damn things in place? And what happens when you have an MRI? Do they explode?

Do these low-cut gowns come with an instruction manual? Is it okay to wave? What about vigorous hand-clapping? What happens if you sneeze?

My exhaustive research did uncover (pun intended) a very real product on the market called Boob Glue. According to the video, you apply it to your skin, press the fabric to your breast and hold it for one minute. (Don’t forget to do the other side.) Now I’m not sure how well it performs, so use it at your own risk.

I do know one thing for sure. With all that flaunting of the goods, these ladies have succeeded in adding a whole new meaning to the term “Golden Globes.”

MEET SUSAN!

Lifestyles After 50 Spring Expo features “How to Complain When There’s Nothing to Complain About,”a book signing event with humorist Susan Goldfein., from 10 AM to 12 PM. Our free expo is March 21, 9 AM - 1 PM at the TPepin’s Hospitality Centre, 4121 N. 50th St. in Tampa.

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www.desototowers.com Lifestyles After 50 • Sarasota/Manatee • March 2019 • page 9

PAID ADVERTISEMENT

O

March brings musicals and more at The Players Centre!

pening on March 28 and running through April 14, catch the last show in our Wilde Broadway Series, Follies. This touching musical by Stephen Sondheim centers on a reunion of performers at a crumbling theatre soon to be demolished. Stars and showgirls from the past perform and share memories, sometimes accompanied by ghosts of their former selves. The score includes such Broadway staples as, “Broadway Baby,” “I’m Still Here” and “Losing my Mind.”

The Players Follies, a performance group of 55+ energetic entertainers, and The Flash Tappers, The Players’ own tap dancing performance group, present an amazing journey through songs, skits and dance. This exciting performance will remind you that even when you are movin’ on, you don’t have to forget about where you come from!

An Evening of Whimsy & Whiskers

Join The Players for a hilarious night of comedy with “Florida’s Own” William Peterson, as he entertains you with style as the one and only Rodney Dangerfield.

The March 1 date is already sold out, but March 29 you can still get tickets!

More than a comedian and more than a tribute, Mr. Peterson is a world-wide recognized impersonator of the legendary Rodney Dangerfield. Come laugh with us! The show will benefit The Players Centre for Performing Arts.

Friday, March 29, 2019 6:30 - 10:00 p.m.

To purchase tickets, call the The Players Centre for Performing Arts Box Office at 941-365-2494 or visit our website at theplayers.org. Feel free to visit us in person at 838 N. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34236.

Hyatt Regency Sarasota 1000 Boulevard of the Arts, Sarasota, FL 34236 Please join us for an evening of Mardi Gras enchantment filled with Please join for cirque du us soleil-style entertainment, an evening of Mardicocktails, Gras hand-crafted a delicious enchantment plated dinner, premium raffle, filled with cirque du soleil-style and our best silent auction to date. entertainment, hand-crafted cocktails,Valet Parking Complimentary a delicious plated dinner, Attire: Cocktail or Mardi Gras Chic premium raffle, and our Tickets are $150 Per Person best silent auction to date.

To purchase tickets or for sponsorship packages, please contact Hilarie King, Events & Development Manager, at 941.366.2404 ext. 308 or hilariek@catdepot.org.

2542 17th Street, Sarasota, FL 34234 • wwwcatdepot.org Lifestyles After 50 • Sarasota/Manatee • March 2019 • page 10

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“Dumbo” March Film

By RANDAL C. HILL

I

n 1941, Disney proved that being different can help one soar to new heights no matter what the bullies say with the release of the animated film Dumbo. Now, nearly 80 years later, a live-action remake comes to town and, along with it, a potentially darker plot.

Something to take the grandkids to see? Let’s investigate.

The new Dumbo, set to be released March 29, will be light years away from what Uncle Walt gave the world many years ago – a few cartoon characters and an uncomplicated plotline. In today’s cinema world, that 1941 version just wouldn’t fly (excuse the pun).

Now director Tim Burton (Beetlejuice, The Nightmare Before Christmas) has re-imagined the iconic elephant with computer-generated imagery, and he’s surrounded him with a star-studded cast including Colin Farrell, Michael Keaton and Danny DeVito.

Farrell plays Holt Ferrier, a former circus headliner who returns home from war a damaged man. He and his two children are hired to care for Dumbo by circus owner and ringmaster Max Medici (DeVito). Due to his freakishly enormous ears, Dumbo has become the laughingstock of Medici’s second-rate operation. But Holt and the kids soon learn that those same ridiculed ears offer the baby elephant a chance for success in life.

Entrepreneur V.A. Vandevere (Keaton) imagines Dumbo as a headliner in his new entertainment venue called Dreamland, a place where a shiny veneer can hide dark and unsavory secrets.

Along with Vandevere, circus aerialist Colette Marchant (Eva Green) and Wall

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Street mogul, J. Griffin Remington (Alan Arkin), all manage to push their way into Dumbo’s world when they also foresee star potential—and piles of cash—in the precocious pachyderm.

With the inimitable Tim Burton behind the camera, you know that this Dumbo is going to be a little eerie, a little dark, probably a bit melancholy.

Add in the fact that Ehren Kruger, who wrote or co-wrote such sophisticated fare as the Transformers sequels, Scream 3 and the first two The Ring movies, is the writer behind this screenplay, and you may be more inclined to invite your hip teenage grandchildren to accompany you to the film than the younger set.

This time around, Dumbo offers no sympathetic Timothy

Q. Mouse and, mercifully, no trashtalking, racist crows. But whatever Burtonesque touches do make their way into the new feature, the touching tale is still guaranteed to yank at viewers’ heartstrings.

You may want to take along some pocket tissues if you go – as well as some for those hip teenage grandchildren.

Just in case.

Dumbo

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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 • Sarasota/Manatee • March 2019 • page 12

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.

How to Write a

Letter of Condolence

By Kathy Megyeri

L

ast week, I sent three condolence cards with letters. At my age, I anticipate sending even more as I am losing family members and friends in greater numbers.

I have often wondered if I am writing the most heartfelt words and saying what the recipient needs and wants to read so, I recently consulted an article

by Malia Woolan, published in the New York Times Magazine, offering tips to write a meaningful condolence letter.

This is what I learned: • Write a personalized card or letter, not an email or text message. If you know the person well, don’t post your sympathies on Facebook. A tangible note is more thoughtful and considerate.

• Don’t avoid the issue of death or grief by not referring to the person’s passing. Instead, try to include a special, touching or humorous memory in your letter.

• Avoid platitudes like “it was for the best” or “she’s in a better place.” Let the grieving draw their own conclusions. Simple, straightforward phrases like “I’m so sorry,” are in better taste. One of the most moving letters that Jacqueline Kennedy received following the death of her husband came from a 9-year-old boy who wrote, “I give you my deepest sympathy, which I know will not help much, but you may have all I have to give.”

• Don’t tell the bereaved to call if they need anything because they won’t. Instead, be specific about something you can do like delivering a meal, taking the grieving person out, walking the family’s dog, or sending a contribution to the beloved’s favorite cause.

• Often the most challenging time for the person in mourning is the loneliness that sets in after the funeral when the casseroles, the letters, and the wellwishers are gone. So, commemorate the loved one

on the first anniversary of his or her death. That’s when a note of remembrance means even more because it says, “When life has gone on and many have forgotten, I still remember, I still care, and I am thinking of you now, but even more, I am honoring the person we all lost.”

Hopefully, this makes you feel more confident about offering condolences to the grief-stricken. In these difficult times, I think it behooves all of us to reach out a little more to demonstrate compassion, caring, and love for our fellow man, especially when hearts are broken, loved ones are gone, and family members and friends are scattered. A warm and supportive condolence card or letter may be the closest thing to a hug or the touch of a hand that we can offer.

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Lifestyles After 50 • Sarasota/Manatee • March 2019 • page 13

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

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

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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.

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Lifestyles After 50 • Sarasota/Manatee • March 2019 • page 16

Ask About Affordable Financing

The Cat with 10 Million Lives

by Randal Hill

“W

rite me a story that first-graders can’t put down,” challenged William Spaulding, a director at Houghton Mifflin Publishers one day in 1955.

Spaulding then handed children’s author Theodor Geisel a list of vocabulary words for six- and seven-year-olds.

For years, Geisel had written—with limited success—under the name Dr. Seuss.

(Seuss was his mother’s maiden name.) Geisel scanned the list and decided that creating and illustrating such a book should be easy. “I figured I could knock it off in a week or so,” he admitted later. “It took a year and a half.” Geisel had underestimated just how hard it would be to write a truly compelling children’s tale in a mere 200 words.

Determined to outdo (what he considered) boring Dick and Jane reading books, he chose to write a fun-to-read story predicated on the first two rhyming words that appeared on his list.

They happened to be cat and hat. *** One rainy day, an outrageous anthromorphic feline in an impossibly tall, striped hat visits two housebound youngsters: a girl called Sally and her unnamed brother, who narrates the story.

The cat sets about performing a bizarre trick that includes balancing sundry household items (including the family goldfish) while balancing himself precariously upon a huge ball. To nobody’s surprise, the cat and everything else crash to the floor in a heap.

Undaunted, he hauls in a box containing two wild-haired, impish creatures called Thing One and Thing Two. They proceed to run amok throughout the house, flying kites and scattering things everywhere.

The children and the fish panic when they realize that Mother will be returning soon. But the irrepressible invader calmly removes both Things, then zips about the house in a machine that quickly tidies up everything. By the time Mother breezes in, the cat has slipped out, the house is back in order, and Mother is none the wiser. *** Published in March 1957 and composed mostly of one-syllable words, The Cat in the Hat sold 1 million copies by the end of the decade and made Dr. Seuss a household name. His classic has now sold over 10 million copies worldwide and has been translated into several languages, including Latin (under the title Cattus Petasatus).

“I have great pride in taking Dick and Jane out of most school libraries,” Geisel later proclaimed. “That is my greatest satisfaction.”

Randal C. Hill, a former disc jockey, English teacher, record collector and author, confesses to being hopelessly stuck in the past. He lives on the Oregon coast and can be reached at wryterhill@msn.com.

Your Home Owners Insurance Is Not Complete A Home Warranty Is the Perfect Complement to Your Home Owners Insurance.

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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Lifestyles After 50 • Sarasota/Manatee • March 2019 • page 17

~ Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou ~ Where Gators, Gumbo and Gallic History Prevail

By FyLLIS HOCKMAN

at tour.

amp bo ound gator during a sw -p 00 1,0 a , Al g Bi th unes wi n Captain Jeremy comm Photo by Fyllis Hockma

S

pring is the perfect time for a road trip and if you’re looking for something unique, let us suggest Lafourche Parish in Louisiana, where friendly people, events, festivals and good times roll. This destination just 45 minutes away from the Big Easy and offers an authentic Cajun experience just like its well-known and commercial cousin, yet it is more accessible, affordable and unapologetically downhome.

During Mardi Gras season, the Parish is decked out in the traditional Carnival colors of purple, gold and green with many family-friendly parades as well as an abundance of king cakes, barbecue and crayfish boils.

But in many other ways, Lafourche, located on a 106-mile-long bayou in southeastern Louisiana, is a far cry from Bourbon Street, beignets and bar stools.

Here, life revolves around the bayou, where fishing, shrimping and oystering are time-honored professions.

When asking for directions, it’s either up the bayou, down the bayou or across the bayou. And when you say, “See you later, alligator,” it is quite possible you

will see an alligator sooner rather than later.

We learned this on our initial ride on an airboat, a combination of a large rusty old rowboat with multiple mismatched seats at varying elevations.

With Captain Jeremy presiding, we proceeded on a thrill ride through

extensive native greenery and wetlands at 40 miles per hour.

First, we communed with Big Al, a 13-foot gator weighing in at 1,000 pounds. To accentuate his largesse, Jeremy picked up his tail as well as his very large pointy-nailed, four-toed foot to illustrate how close they’ve become over the years.

Then his buddy, Sneaky, upstaged him by practically joining us on the boat as Jeremy deposited bits of chicken into his enormous and menacing mouth. A bit further down the bayou, Brutus came when called. Okay, so he knew there was chicken waiting, but still.

If history is your thing, visit Laurel Valley Village, the largest surviving 19th- and 20th-century sugar plantation complex in the United States. It contains nearly 60 original structures including a 1905 general store with a delightful assortment of the odd, the old, and sometimes unidentifiable including antique tools and farm implements used in the cultivation of sugarcane. And the Center for Traditional Louisiana Boat Building offers a look at how boats of yesteryear (pirogues, skiffs and dugout boats) were built.

Dining options allow you to sample cultural foods created from centuriesold recipes of French, Spanish, German,

Cajun music is often created with old-timey accordions, fiddles, guitars, and triangles African, Native American and Italian influences.

Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou has over 25 fairs and festivals throughout the year which celebrate everything from gumbo to Cajun jam music, all proclaiming the proud sense of community and the emphasis on family.

Being Cajun means something different to the locals, depending upon whom you ask. To many, it’s the honored heritage imbued by the French Acadians who settled here in the 1750s. For others, it’s the catfish fingers and special gumbo (no okra please – that’s New Orleans Creolestyle). Often, it’s the music – slightly different than New Orleans Zydeco – created with accordions, fiddles, guitars, and triangles.

To the visitor, Cajun may describe the ubiquitous nature of crayfish, the strange accent and the prevalence of white rubber shrimping boots, known locally as Cajun Reeboks.

As one local explains: “Our Cajun runs just a little bit deeper than the rest of the state, and it shows up at every bend in the bayou.”

For more information about Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou, visit www.lacajunbayou.com or call (877) 537-5800.

Festivals are a big part of life on the bayou. Photo by lacajunbayou.com

Lifestyles After 50 • Sarasota/Manatee • March 2019 • page 18

PAiD ADVeRtiSemeNt

The Florida Orchestra has the power to rock you, move you

by Kelly Smith

Shayna Steele

I

n March, The Florida Orchestra starts out rocking before delving into some of the most beautiful music ever written. All live, with concerts in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater. Here are highlights: Women Rock (March 1-3): This Raymond James Pops concert pays tribute to the women who changed rock ‘n’ roll forever, including Carole King, Tina Turner, Janis Joplin, Aretha Franklin, Pat Benatar and more. Featuring I Feel The Earth Move, What’s Love Got To Do With It, Proud Mary, Hit Me With Your Best Shot, I Love Rock n’ Roll and You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman, with premiere vocalists. Conducted by Bob Bernhardt. Special performance Friday, March 1, at Busch Gardens in Tampa.

The French Connection Coffee concert (March 14): French works that are simply fantastique!

Featuring Debussy’s Clair de Lune, Gounod’s Funeral March of a Marionette and Saint-Saens Danse Bacchanale. Stuart Malina conducts. Free coffee and doughnuts at this morning matinee.

Broadway Tonight (March 16 & 17): Performers straight from Broadway revisit your favorite classics, featuring songs from Lion King, Evita, Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables and many more.

William Waldrop conducts.

The Creation (March 22-24): Haydn’s crowning achievement takes all the drama of creating the world and transforms it into a resounding choral masterpiece, featuring soloists and the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay. Michael Francis conducts. Free tickets for kids and teens in advance to this and all Tampa Bay Times Masterworks concerts. Special performance March 22 at Idlewild Baptist Church in Lutz.

Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 1 (March 29-31): Michael Francis leads one of the world’s most sought-after pianists, Benjamin Grosvenor, on Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 1, along with a deeply moving performance of Schoenberg’s Transfigured Night, played mostly in the dark. Free tickets for kids and teens in advance.

The Florida Orchestra: Performs regularly at the Straz Center in Tampa, Mahaffey in St. Petersburg and Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater. The orchestra offers affordably priced tickets to a variety of concerts, though prices vary depending on demand. See floridaorchestra.org or call 727.892.3337 and 1.800.662.7286.

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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.

Egyptians used copper to purify water “Sixteen flights and not a sniffle!” she and heal wounds. They didn’t know exclaimed.

Businesswoman Rosaleen says about viruses and bacteria, but now when people are sick around her she we do.

Scientists say the high conduc- uses CopperZap morning and night. tance of copper disrupts the electrical “It saved me last holidays,” she said. balance in a microbe cell and destroys “The kids had colds going round and round, but not me.” the cell in seconds.

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.

The strong scientific evidence gave stuffiness if used before bed. One man inventor Doug Cornell an idea. When said, “Best sleep I’ve had in years.”

Copper may even stop flu if used he felt a cold coming on he fashioned a smooth copper probe and rubbed it early and for several days. Lab technicians placed 25 million live flu virusgently in his nose for 60 seconds.

“It worked!” he exclaimed. “The es on a CopperZap. No viruses were cold went away completely.” It found alive soon after.

Copper even kills deadly germs worked again every time he felt a cold coming and he hasn’t had a cold since. that have become resistant to antibiHe asked relatives and friends to otics. If you are near sick people, a try it. They said it worked for them, moment of handling it may keep seritoo, so he patented CopperZap™ and ous infection away from you and your loved ones. It may even save a life. put it on the market.

The EPA says copper still works Soon hundreds of people had tried it and given feedback. Nearly 100% even when tarnished. It kills hundreds said the copper stops colds if used of different disease germs so it can within 3 hours after the first sign. prevent serious or even fatal illness.

CopperZap is made in the U.S. of Even up to 2 days, if they still get the pure copper. It has a 90-day full moncold it is milder and they feel better.

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Lifestyles After 50 • Sarasota/Manatee • March 2019 • page 20

Gift card scam alert!

O

BIG CHANGES FOR TAX SEASON

by DaviD Novak

T

he new tax law enacted a little more than a year ago was the largest piece of tax legislation passed in more than 30 years. As you get ready to file your taxes for 2018, here’s a reminder of some of the major changes:

• 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.

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.

David Novak, CFP® is a Certified Financial Planner™ at Novak & Powell Financial Services in Pinellas County.

Please note: he is not an attorney and this article should not be construed as one offering legal advice.

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

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 • Sarasota/Manatee • March 2019 • page 21

March Word Search

In the grid below, twenty answers can be found that fit the category for today. Circle each answer that you find and list it in the space provided at the right of the grid. Answers can be found in all directions – forwards, backwards, horizontally, vertically and diagonally. An example is given to get you started. Can you find the twenty answers in this puzzle?

Last Month’s Answers February Sudoku Last Month’s Winner is Mike Saunders, Sanibel Good Luck!

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Win Great Prizes!

Good Luck!

New winner selected each month

March Sudoku Sudoku requires no arithmetic skills. The object of the game is to fill all the blank squares with the correct numbers. Each row and each column of 9 numbers must include all digits 1 through 9 in any order.

Each 3 by 3 subsection of the 9 by 9 square must include all digits 1 through 9 as well. Good luck! The first correct answers selected from the drawing on the 20th will win.

Send your answers along with your name, address, telephone number & email to: Send your answers along with your name, address, email and telephone number to: LIFESTYLES AFTER 50 P.O. BOX 638, SEFFNER, FL 33583

Good Luck!

The first correct answers selected from the drawing on the 20th of the month will win.

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(Puzzles must be received by the 20th of the month)

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QuestIoN: After becomINg A PrIest, mAeWyN succAt chANged hIs NAme. Who do We kNoW hIm As todAy? ANsWer:____________________________________________

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Last Month’s Winner is Janet S. RadeR, FoRt MyeRS

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Play each week to be entered in a drawing to win a prize each month!

Deadline for entries: March 20th

Name Address City

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Email

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Zip

Mail to: Lifestyles After 50, P.O. Box 638, Seffner, FL, 33583

Mattie Parr, Valrico was our last months winner!

Last month’s answer: Bee Keepers

The more you play the better chance you have to win!

Go to LifestylesAfter50.com and click on the Trivia Palooza icon to play each week.

Lifestyles After 50 • Sarasota/Manatee • March 2019 • page 22

Answers to FeBrUArY seArch

Seniors Getting Together WomEn SEEKinG mEn 4884 - LooKinG FoR my PRinCE. DWF, 62 yy, iSo nD, SD, SoH, TLC, an honest companion and friend. I like to travel, weekend get aways, bowling, miniature golf, dancing. I love to walk.

Quiet nights at home watching a good movie. I will make popcorn. Candlelight dinners, tennis, swimming, cruising, watching sunsets. I am a loving, caring, honest, romantic woman. Photo/ Phone please. Punta Gorda.

4885 - LooKinG FoR FUn. WW, travel and exploring new places. I like yoga and the gym, jet skis and boating.

Attractive, young 70 yr. Send recent photo. Port Charlotte.

4875 - SWEET HonEST WomAn. iSo nice handsome man for loving/ fun relationship. Reply with name and phone number. Will exchange with same. Must be 55+, stable and kind with a good sense of humor, and loves music and art. SW Florida.

4866 - ARE yoU A PoSiTivE GEnTLEmAn PASSionATE AboUT LiFE? I am a classy, attractive Lady in my early 70’s. I like Golf, Travel, Theater, Concert, Movies, Boating, Dining out or at home. I am always on the go and think it is no fun to have fun unless you have someone to share it with.

Interested? Then send me a letter.

4856 - bE A FRiEnD. Life goes by so fast. ISO friendship only with W widower, age 80-84, who has SOH, is kind, LT, SD, NS, to meet for coffee occasionally . I am W, WW, attractive, intelligent in early 80’s. S. Fort Myers.

4859 - SWF SEEKinG HonEST WHiTE mALE. 70-80. Honesty, friendly, healthy. I am a good cook/baker. Likes going to movies, dinner, dancing, travel. Family involvement. Reply with telephone #. N. Fort Myers.

4840 - bSF, iSo LovinG FRiEnDSHiP. 68yy and am honest, easy going, caring & trustworthy, kind, happy & loving, church. NS, NDrg, SD, FF. Send recent

picture with contact information. NO felons. Manatee/Sarasota.

4829 - SWF SEEKS ComPAnion. I like to dance, swim, movies or theatre, travel, walks in park. Will turn 80 in October. Everyone says “no way”. Judge for yourself.

4119 SEEKinG HonEST GEnTLEmAn. Former airline stewardess and model, 5’4”, 104 lbs., slender, white with Ph.D. in healthcare. Fulbright scholar, eats healthy and exercises. Likes sports and animals. WW. Loves the Lord. Florida.

mEn SEEKinG WomEn 4881 - SWm, 5’7”, 150#. Seeking female willing to relocate and share my home & nice life. Must be fun. ND, NS, romantic, affectionate, easy going.

I am same. Please send letter & include description, photo and phone. Thank you 4869 - iSo LTR, SWm, 75, easy going, out-going, disease and drug free. NS, ND, loves life. Looking for someone to share it with. Age/looks unimportant, sincerity is. Photo/phone please. Thank you.

4871-SinGLE WHiTE mALE, iSo Asian (J, C, Ph). 65 YY, pretty, long term relation. Ft. Myers, Cape Coral area.

Send photo & phone.

4800 - SinGLE WHiTE mALE. My name is Edward. I am a retired dairy farmer seeking a companion between 67 & 70 years of age. Someone who likes to go out to dinner, music, travel, talking, being happy.

4797 - SinGLE WHiTE mALE. Slim, young 70. Non smoker, many interests.

5’10” tall. Seeks slim female, 60 to 70.

Fort Myers, Cape Coral? Dancing. Send photo and phone number. No smoker.

4787 - mALE, W, WW, C, 77 yy, 5’5”, nS, nD, nDrg, HWP, R, absolute gentleman. Love golf, movies, day and short trips, dancing. ISO attractive, W, lady, C, 65-75 YY, SOH, NS, NDrg, SD, LTR, FF, TLC. Send photo and phone.

Lee, Charlotte area.

4771 - FUn LovinG DWm, 69YY, 6’, ISO 59YY+, NS, SOH, HWP, secure female who likes travel, tennis, bicycling, dancing, for possible life partner, NS only. Send recent picture with contact information. Fort Myers area.

To PLACE An AD: Send your ad, stating what edition(s) you would like it placed in, along with a $6 fee for 30 words (25¢ for each additional word, abbreviations not charged) to the News Connection USA, Inc. address listed below. Ads received by the 15th of the month will appear in the following issue.

To RESPonD To An AD: Write a letter to the person you want to contact. Place that letter in a stamped envelope and write the ad # on the bottom left hand side of the envelope. Place your stamped, numbered envelope(s), along with $2 for each letter enclosed, into another envelope and address it to: News Connection USA Seniors Getting Together P.O. Box 638, Seffner, FL 33583 CommonLy USED AbbREviATionS: F-Female, M-Male, S-Single, D-Divorced, WWWidow, A-Asian, B-Black, H-Hispanic, I-Indian, W-White, C-Christian, J-Jewish, YO-Years Old, YY-Years Young, ISO-In Search Of, SOH-Sense Of Humor, SM-Smokes, S-Light Smoker, NSNon Smoker, ND-Non Drinker, SD-Social (Light) Drinker, DR-Drinks, NDrg- No Drugs, LTR-Long Term Relationship, HWP-Height & Weight Proportional, R-Retired, P-Professional, FF-Friendship First, TLC-Tender Loving Care.

Seniors Getting Together

Personal Ad Placement only $6 per month!

Deadline for ads is the 15th of the month prior to placement.

MArk The edITIOn(s) YOu WOuLd LIke TO run YOur Ad In: ❍ Tampa Bay & Suncoast (Hillsborough/Pinellas/Pasco) ❍ Lake/Marion/Sumter ❍ Southwest & Sarasota (Lee, Charlotte/Manatee)

Ad Copy ••• PLeAse PrInT neATLY ••• 30 Word Limit TITLE:

(First 4 Words)

4860 - SWm, 78, 5’5”, 160. NS, ND, NDrg. Likes sunsets & nature. Am a fit, honest, spiritual person. Would like to meet a healthy, fit, lady for friendship & doing outings together. North Port Area.

4850 - SinGLE, WHiTE, SLim. Retired Colonel. Loves dancing, golf, traveling.

Seeks 65-75, slim female. Let’s talk, laugh and begin a friendship. Bonita Springs.

4849 - RETiRED ARmy CoL. needs wife. Dance, travel, NY, NJ & other states. Likes to dance. Member of Bonita Springs Golf & Country Club.

Let’s talk. I love to dance.

CITY:

(No Charge)

If more room is needed, please use separate sheet. Mail this form along with $6 for each ad per month (add $4 for each additional edition/market in the same month).

We cannot accept your ad without it. This information is confidential.

Name: Address: City: Phone:

State:

Zip:

Email: MAIL TO: ATTN. / SENIORS GETTING TOGETHER Lifestyles After 50 • PO BOX 638, SEFFNER, FL 33583 Lifestyles After 50 • Sarasota/Manatee • March 2019 • page 23

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