Chester County Edition
July 2012
Vol. 9 No. 7
Self-Made Senior Idol 2012 Talent Competition Winner Earned Music Degree at 45 By Megan Joyce Most of us have encountered tough times in our lives where we were encouraged to heed the old adage of “dusting ourselves off ” or “picking ourselves up by our bootstraps.” We fall; we rise up; we move forward, bruised but vertical. These days, Vickie Kissinger’s bootstraps hang firmly hinged on a treble clef and a cluster of eighth-notes. The newly named 2012 PA STATE SENIOR IDOL and New Holland-area resident is a lifelong music lover, having started on the organ at just 5 years old. “My grandparents actually got me started in music. My grandmother in particular always had a love for music, and they took me for organ lessons,” Kissinger recalled. “That was just always a dream of hers: She wanted me to learn to play the organ.” As she grew up, her musical studies expanded to include piano as well, and by age 13 she was playing the organ in church; by 15, she was substituting for two different local churches. By high-school graduation, Kissinger was offered an organist position at a church in Akron. As a teenager, Kissinger had become interested in singing, and her jazzpiano teacher at the time encouraged her to embrace her voice. After she please see IDOL page 13 2012 PA
STATE
SENIOR IDOL Vickie Kissinger performing “At Last” by Etta James.
Inside:
Power Reigns Supreme at Senior Idol page 8
Is the Only-Child Trend Desirable? page 14
Silver Threads
Some Finer Points of Baseball W.E. Reinka
“B
atter swings like a rusty gate.� That was me—I didn’t need the other team to remind me that I was what baseball scouts call “good glove/no bat.� But this rusty gate never lost his enthusiasm for the game. Besides marveling at how batters slam a wooden cylinder against a speeding orb, I love the cerebral aspects of baseball. Games turn on strategies that work (or don’t). Here are a few of baseball’s lesserknown fundamentals that might enhance your appreciation for the game.
Wasting a pitch. Rarely do you see a three-pitch called strikeout. When a batter is behind with a no-balls, twostrikes count, he is prepared to swing at almost any pitch that’s not over his head. The pitcher intentionally throws out of the strike zone hoping the batter will “go fishing� and either miss for strike
three or hit a harmless roller. If you want to see the epitome of rage, check out the manager after his pitcher gives up an 0-2 homerun. A hallowed baseball story tells how an old-time manager vowed to fine any pitcher $50 who didn’t waste a pitch. In one game, after the umpire called an 0-2 offering “strike three,� the pitcher came running in from the mound yelling, “That was a ball!� Curve versus slider. The classic curveball breaks vertically from 12 to 6
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on the clock. Batters tend to swing over it unless it’s a “hanging curve� that takes too long to break and sits there like an apple on a branch. Sliders break sideways, low and away opposite the pitcher’s arm. Therefore, a right-handed slider breaks into a left-handed batter or away from a right-handed batter. Breaking balls are thrown with a twisting wrist that makes them slower than fastballs, so a breaking ball that doesn’t break is easy pickings for the batter.
Fair versus foul. All four bases are in fair territory. Home plate has the Vshaped base because it nestles in the confluence of the right and left foul lines. Balls that hit the “foul line� are fair. Balls that hit the “foul pole� or its extension screen are homeruns. A runner on third takes his lead in foul territory lest he get called out for interference by getting hit by a fair ball. Considerate umpires on the first and third base lines position themselves in foul territory because they are “in play� and when hit by a fair ball might affect the outcome of the play. Alas, left-handers. In the Big Leagues, left-handed throwers play only five of the nine defensive positions: three outfielders, first base, and pitcher. That’s not a rule. It’s due to the counterclockwise nature of the game.
Smile of the Month First catch! This month’s smile belongs to Greta, 6, of West Chester. She is the daughter of Stephen and Kristina Reisinger and the granddaughter of Steve and Carol Reisinger, all of West Chester.
Send us your favorite smile—your children, grandchildren, friends, even your “smiling� pet!—and it could be 50plus Senior News’ next Smile of the Month! You can submit your photos (with captions) either digitally to mjoyce@onlinepub.com or by mail to:
50plus Senior News Smile of the Month 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512 Digital photos must be at least 4x6'' with a resolution of 300 dpi. No professional photos, please. Please include a SASE if you would like to have your photo returned.
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You’ll understand immediately if you pretend you’re a second baseman fielding a grounder and throwing to first—see how you must make an extra turn if you throw left-handed? All those runners who are thrown out by a step would be safe against left-handed infielders. Conversely, a left-handed first baseman is in a better position to throw to second and doesn’t have to sweep the glove across his body to tag the diving
runner on a pick-off play. The theory against left-handed catchers is that they’re out of position on steal attempts to third and that, with most batters being right-handed, they must maneuver throws around batters on steal attempts to second. A few baseball theorists even prefer right-handed leftfielders on the theory that, on throws to the plate, their tosses tend to bounce to the right (into the
waiting catcher) rather than away from the play. Outfield arms. The pariah right fielder of Little League transforms into a respected player in the Bigs. Teams put rifle arms in right and weak arms in left because the throw from right field to third base is a full 90 feet longer than the throw to third from left.
3-foot line. That mysterious line that extends to the right and parallel to the foul line in the last half of the distance from home to first base is the 3-foot line. A runner who strays to the left of the foul line or to the right of the 3-foot line may be called out if he interferes with the fielder taking the throw at first. The runner is allowed to run outside of the channel to avoid interfering with a fielder making a play.
Beware of New Medicare Card Scam As of May 2012, a new Medicare card scam has been brought to the attention of the Pennsylvania Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) and the Center for Advocacy for the Rights and Interests of the Elderly (CARIE).
Residents from all over Pennsylvania have received calls from scammers claiming to be “from Medicare.” The scammer states that Medicare is sending out new cards and then instructs the beneficiary to give the scammer their
checking account number in order to receive the new card. In at least two cases, the scammer already had the beneficiary’s address, bank name, and bank routing number. Remember: Medicare will never call
to sell you anything and will never ask for your checking account number. To report a similar scam or other Medicare fraud, please call the Pennsylvania Senior Medicare Patrol at (800) 3563606.
Resource Directory This Resource Directory recognizes advertisers who have made an extended commitment to your health and well-being. Assisted Living/Personal Care Harrison Senior Living of Coatesville (610) 384-6310 Simpson Meadows (610) 269-8400 Cremation Services Auer Cremation Services of PA, Inc. (800) 720-8221 Dental Services Family Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry (610) 692-8454 Disasters American Red Cross Greater Brandywine (610) 692-1200 Chester County Emergency Services (610) 344-5000 Salvation Army Coatesville (610) 384-2954 Salvation Army West Chester (610) 696-8746 Emergency Numbers
Financial Services Internal Revenue Service (800) 829-3676 Health & Medical Services Alzheimer’s Association (800) 272-3900 American Cancer Society (800) 227-2345 American Heart Association (610) 940-9540
Southeastern PA Medical Institute (610) 446-0662 Housing Eastwood Village Homes, LLC (717) 397-3138 Harrison Senior Living (610) 384-6310
Center for Disease Control Prevention (888) 232-3228
Community Impact Legal Services (610) 380-7111
Housing Authority of Phoenixville (610) 933-8801
Coatesville VA Medical Center (610) 383-7711
Legal Services Lawyer Referral Service (610) 429-1500
Domestic Violence (800) 799-7233
Legal Aid of Southeastern PA (610) 436-4510
Gateway Medical Associates (610) 594-7590 National Osteoporosis Foundation (800) 223-9994
Central PA Poison Center (800) 521-6110
PACE (800) 225-7223
Office of Aging (610) 344-6350/(800) 692-1100
Senior Healthlink (610) 431-1852
Nutrition Meals on Wheels Chester County Inc. (610) 430-8500 Pennsylvania Hunger Action Center (800) 366-3997 Office of Aging
Social Security Administration (800) 772-1213
CVS/pharmacy www.cvs.com Physicians Gateway Medical Associates (610) 594-7590 Senior Centers
Housing Assistance
Housing Authority of Chester County (610) 436-9200
Arthritis Foundation (215) 665-9200
Pharmacies
Coatesville (610) 383-6900 Downingtown (610) 269-3939 Great Valley (610) 647-1311 Kennett Square (610) 444-4819 Oxford (610) 932-5244 Phoenixville (610) 935-1515 Surrey Services for Seniors (610) 647-6404 Wayne (610) 688-6246 West Chester (610) 431-4242
Chester County Department of Aging Services (610) 344-6350
Not an all-inclusive list of advertisers in your area.
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July 2012
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Salute to a Veteran
The Japanese Plane Dropped a 500-Pound Bomb that Landed 10 Yards from Him
Corporate Office: 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512 Phone 717.285.1350 • Fax 717.285.1360 Chester County: 610.675.6240 Cumberland County/Dauphin County: 717.770.0140 Berks County/Lancaster County/ Lebanon County/York County: 717.285.1350 E-mail address: info@onlinepub.com Website address: www.onlinepub.com
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50plus Senior News is published by On-Line Publishers, Inc. and is distributed monthly among senior centers, retirement communities, banks, grocers, libraries and other outlets serving the senior community. On-Line Publishers, Inc. will not knowingly accept or publish advertising which may be fraudulent or misleading in nature. Views expressed in opinion stories, contributions, articles and letters are not necessarily the views of the publisher. The appearance of advertisements for products or services does not constitute an endorsement of the particular product or service. The publisher will not be responsible for mistakes in advertisements unless notified within five days of publication. On-Line Publishers, Inc. reserves the right to revise or reject any and all advertising. No part of this publication may be reproduced or reprinted without permission of On-Line Publishers, Inc. We will not knowingly publish any advertisement or information not in compliance with the Federal Fair Housing Act, Pennsylvania State laws or other local laws.
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July 2012
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Robert D. Wilcox
J
ohn W. Berglund saw plenty of action in the Marine Corps before the A-bombs, mercifully, ended WWII in the Pacific. But he all but missed the whole thing. When Pearl Harbor was attacked, he wanted to enlist in the Navy, even though his father tried his best to get him to finish his senior year at Rutgers University. But his vision was bad enough to cause the Navy to decide that they could fight the war without him. Learning from that, he adopted another tactic as he next tried the Marine Corps. He simply memorized the eye chart … and passed with flying colors. Because of his years of college, he was sent to Officer’s Candidate School at Quantico, Va., where he earned his commission. He then shipped to Camp Pendleton, Calif., where he was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 12th Marines. He soon was on his way to New Zealand, aboard a Liberty ship that he says “made maybe 10 knots when they pushed it.” With a deckload of oil and gasoline, and with 500 tons of high explosive in the hold, they were lucky to avoid attack during the 22 days it took them to reach New Zealand. After five months there, they were sent up to Guadalcanal, which had been declared secured—the fighting over. “Unfortunately,” he notes, “nobody had told the Japanese Air Force. They used to bomb us every night, although our biggest problem was the shrapnel from our own antiaircraft that fell all around us.” He explains that, unbelievably, they trained by firing on themselves. “We spent a day in the jungle, digging splinter-proof shelters. We then crawled in and called in fire from our 75-millimeter pack howitzers, one round at a time, until we heard fragments crashing into our shelter.” They then shipped to Bougainville, where they were strafed as they landed. “Our antiaircraft were using
proximity fuses that would go off when 15 yards from any target,” he says. “That permitted me to once see five Japanese planes in flames at the same time.” It was also in Bougainville that the Japanese plane dropped the 500pound bomb that landed 10 yards from where he was. “Yeah, it narrowly missed me,” he says, “and dug a hole that was 26 feet in diameter and 10 feet deep. As the round came in, I could hear the click of the fuse arming. Scared? I was so shook up that it took me half an hour before I could light a cigarette.
Captain John W. Berglund in 1945, newly back from the Pacific.
“I was then loaned to the 3rd New Zealand division, where my job was to supply them with naval gunfire to allow them to get their artillery ashore on Green Island. That was to take a few hours but wound up taking five days. “One of those days, I was working with a Navy lieutenant, trying to dig a foxhole into the coral. In two hours, we made it 9 inches deep. He was a bitter man. He had enlisted in the Navy, where he would sleep between sheets and enjoy a hot shower. And now here he was with the Marines in the mud. “The New Zealanders were trying to flush out the last of the Japanese troops on the island. A day after I left, I learned that they had found about 80 of them and in 40 minutes of fighting had wiped them out, while losing only four of their own men. Typically, the Japanese had fought to the last man.”
When Berglund left Green Island, he found that he had been chosen by lottery to go back to the States to form a new division. When he got there, though, he was sent to Fort Sill to take a course in sound and flash ranging before being returned to the Pacific, to the Corps Artillery of the 5th Amphibious Corps on Hawaii, the big island. He was reunited there with a buddy named Rick Ostrom, who had been in class with him at Fort Sill and was a privileged member of the Walker family, one of the five families who had originally owned all of the Hawaiian Islands. When Ostrom called Mrs. Walker to tell her he was there, he and Berglund were promptly invited to come out to her palatial home in the beautiful Nuuanu Valley, to find that, because of the war, they were reduced to having only five servants. “Some sacrifice,” notes Berglund drily. On another occasion, they were having cocktails with the Walkers when some guests arrived. They turned out to be Admiral Nimitz and an Admiral Lockwood. Berglund says, “You never saw two lieutenants get sobered up so fast in your life. After dinner, we played nickel-and-dime poker with the admirals, and I won the last hand from Admiral Nimitz. Mrs. Walker asked that we not tell anyone about that, and I couldn’t help wondering, ‘Who’s going to believe us?’” Then it was to Iwo Jima, where he landed on D-Day plus two and saw our flag flying from Mount Suribachi. His unit coordinated all the fire of 14 battalions of artillery. He was on orders to be in on the invasion of Japan, when we dropped the A-bombs, and the war was over. After he was discharged in 1969, he entered the Lutheran Theological Seminary. After being ordained, he served the Grace Lutheran Church in Philadelphia and came to a retired living community in Elizabethtown, Pa., in 1987 to enjoy his retirement. Colonel Wilcox flew a B-17 bomber in Europe in WWII.
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Savvy Senior
Tips and Treatments for Restless Leg Syndrome
Super Summer Hearing Aid Sale! Our Doctors of Audiology are devoted to improving the lives of our patients by providing compassionate care and comprehensive solutions for each person’s unique type and degree of hearing loss.
Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior, What can you tell me about restless leg syndrome? I’m 58 years old, and my wife thinks I may have it because I sometimes wake her up at night kicking my legs. – Restless Larry
• Get a blood test: Studies show that an iron or vitamin deficiency can cause or worsen RLS. Your doctor can easily check this with a simple blood test and may recommend supplementing your diet with vitamin E, iron, vitamin B12, or folate.
Dear Larry, If an irresistible urge to move your legs has you kicking in your sleep, you may indeed have restless leg syndrome (RLS), a common, under-diagnosed condition that affects around 10 percent of Americans. Here’s what you should know.
• Check your meds: Certain drugs that treat high blood pressure, heart conditions, nausea, colds, allergies, and depression can make RLS worse. If you take any of these, ask your doctor if something else can be prescribed.
• Dispensing all types and models of hearing aids
• Watch your diet: Pay attention to what you eat to see if it may cause or increase your symptoms.
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Do You Have RLS? RLS is a neurological disorder that causes unpleasant sensations in the legs (usually in the calf area) and an irresistible urge to move your legs when resting or sitting still, and the symptoms usually get worse with age. The main complaint with RLS, other than it being uncomfortable, is that it disrupts sleep. While researchers have yet to pin down a specific cause of RLS, they do know of various conditions that are linked to it, including: genetics (it often runs in families), anemia, kidney problems, peripheral neuropathy, diabetes, attention deficit disorder, and even pregnancy. Do you have RLS? If you answer yes to most of these questions, you probably do. • When you sit or lie down, do you have a strong desire to move your legs? • Does your desire to move your legs feel impossible to resist? • Would you use the words “unpleasant,” “creepy-crawly,” “electric current,” “itching,” “tingling,” “pulling,” or “tugging” to describe your symptoms? • Does your desire to move often occur when you are resting or sitting still? • Does moving your legs make you feel better? • Do these symptoms bother you more at night? • Do your ever have involuntary leg movements while you are awake? Tips and Remedies While there’s no cure for RLS, there are some things you can do to alleviate the symptoms. Depending on the severity of your case, here are some tips and remedies that may help: www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
• Financing plan available • Price match guarantee • 30-day trial period on all hearing aids
Call for an appointment!
• Limit caffeine and alcohol: Both of these can make symptoms worse.
610.363.2532
• Stretch: A good calf stretch and a strong massage may provide some relief.
Four office locations in Exton,West Chester, Coatesville, and Kennett Square. www.entacc.com
• Take a bath: For some people, a hot or cold bath can help, or try using a heating pad or ice pack. • Try compression: Wrapping ace bandages or wearing compression support stockings around the problem area have also been known to help. • Exercise: Moderate exercise (20 to 30 minutes three or four times a week) can also relieve symptoms and help you sleep better. Exercising late in the evening, however, can induce symptoms. • Reduce stress: Stress can aggravate RLS. Meditation and yoga are good relaxation techniques you may want to try, especially before going to bed at night. Treatments If the tips or remedies don’t improve your condition, prescription medications may help. Requip (or its generic Ropinirole) and Mirapex are two drugs approved by the FDA to treat RLS, but there are several other drugs that treat other conditions (dopaminergic agents, sedatives, anticonvulsants, and pain relievers) that have also been found to be helpful. Talk to your doctor about these options, or consult an RLS specialist (see rls.org to locate one) or a sleep specialist (see sleepcenters.org).
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July 2012
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Chester County
Calendar of Events Chester County Department of Parks and Recreation
Senior Center Activities
www.chesco.org/ccparks
Coatesville Area Senior Center – (610) 383-6900 22 N. Fifth Ave., Coatesville – www.cascweb.org
Wednesdays, 9 to 10 a.m. – Warwick Walkers, Warwick County Park July 29, 3 to 4:30 p.m. – Nature’s Best Anglers, Nottingham County Park
Support Groups Tuesdays, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The Wellness Community of Philadelphia: Support Group for People with Cancer The Cancer Center at Paoli Hospital 255 W. Lancaster Ave., Paoli (215) 879-7733 July 3, 2 p.m. Grief Support Group Phoenixville Senior Center 153 Church St., Phoenixville (610) 327-7216
Free and open to the public July 9 and 23, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Caregiver Support Group Adult Care of Chester County 201 Sharp Lane, Exton (610) 363-8044
July 17, 6 p.m. Family Caregiver Support Group Sunrise of Westtown 501 Skiles Blvd., West Chester (610) 399-4464
July 11, noon Family Caregiver Support Group Sarah Care 425 Technology Drive, Suite 200, Malvern (610) 251-0801
Community Programs July 10, 11 a.m. New Century Club Meeting (Women’s Charity Club) Days Hotel 943 S. High St., West Chester (610) 436-9158 eichhornb@verizon.net
July 7 and 21, 5 to 10 p.m. Bingo Nights Marine Corps League Detachment 430 Chestnut St., Downingtown (610) 431-2234
July 12 The Social Butterflies Meeting: 50+ Men and Women Harry’s Restaurant 2949 W. Lincoln Highway, Parkesburg Meeting time and reservations at (484) 667-0738 butterflynance@gmail.com
Great Valley Senior Center – (610) 889-2121 47 Church Road, Malvern Kennett Area Senior Center – (610) 444-4819 427 S. Walnut St., Kennett Square www.kennettseniorcenter.org July 8 and 22, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. – Latin Dancing and Lessons July 10, 2:30 to 4 p.m. – Tea Party: “United We Stand” July 24, 11 a.m. to noon – “Caring Transitions” Presentation
Free and open to the public
July 3, 11:30 a.m. West Chester University Retirees Luncheon Old Country Buffet 1090 E. Lancaster Ave., Downingtown (610) 269-1503
Downingtown Senior Center – (610) 269-3939 983 E. Lancaster Ave., Downingtown http://home.ccil.org/~dasc
July 30, 7 p.m. Medicare 101 Presentation by APPRISE Program Chester County Library 450 Exton Square Parkway, Exton (610) 280-2615
If you have an event you would like to include, please email information to mjoyce@onlinepub.com for consideration.
Oxford Senior Center – (610) 932-5244 12 E. Locust St., Oxford – www.oxfordseniors.org Phoenixville Area Senior Adult Activity Center (610) 935-1515 153 Church St., Phoenixville www.phoenixvilleseniorcenter.org West Chester Area Senior Center (610) 431-4242 530 E. Union St., West Chester www.wcseniors.org Just a snippet of what you may be missing … please call or visit their website for more information.
Property Tax/Rent Rebate Deadline Extended The deadline to apply for Pennsylvania’s Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program for older adults and residents with disabilities has been extended from June 30 to Dec. 31. The rebate program benefits eligible Pennsylvanians age 65 and older; widows and widowers age 50 and older; and people with disabilities age 18 and older. The income limit is $35,000 a year for homeowners and $15,000 annually for renters, and half of Social Security income is excluded.
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July 2012
The maximum standard rebate is $650, but supplemental rebates for qualifying homeowners can boost rebates to $975. As of May 31, the Revenue Department had received 529,023 rebate applications. As specified by law, rebate distribution began on July 1. After June 30, rebates were distributed as claims were received and processed. Applicants may obtain Property Tax/Rent Rebate claim forms (PA1000) and related information
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online at www.revenue.state.pa.us or by calling, toll-free, (888) 2229190. Forms and assistance also are available at Department of Revenue district offices (listed in the government section of phone directories), local Area Agencies on Aging, senior centers, and state legislators’ offices. Claimants who already applied for Property Tax/Rent Rebates may check the status of claims online at www.revenue.state.pa.us or by calling, toll-free, (888) PA-TAXES.
Give Us the Scoop! Please send us your press releases so we can let our readers know about free events occurring in Chester County! Email preferred to: mjoyce@onlinepub.com
(610) 675-6240 (717) 285-1350
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From left, John Bolendz, Walt Heppenstall, Ed Purdy, Ted Kircher, Bill Morling, Herb Davis, Carl Necker, and Warren Martin. Not pictured: Tom McLay, Ursula Stewart, and Tom Tracy.
Great Decisions Engages Group Members Tel Hai’s Great Decisions Discussion Group looks forward to their monthly meetings on campus. Staying up to date on
“Knock on wood” This phrase may have originated during the Middle Ages, when pieces of the cross on which Jesus was crucified were supposedly in circulation. Touching one of these was supposed to bring good luck.
current, major global issues and sharing their views with peers are among the benefits of the lively gathering.
If you have local news you’d like considered for Around Town, please email mjoyce@onlinepub.com ADVERTISEMENT
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July 2012
7
Cheri Coleman Campbell
Mark Ettaro
Power Reigns Supreme at Senior Idol Strong Performances a Hallmark of Competition’s 7th Year Frank Fedele By Megan Joyce
Nick Ferraro
Constance Kuba Fisher
Larry Gessler
Dan Kelly
Tom LaNasa
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July 2012
Early on in the performance lineup for the seventh annual PA STATE SENIOR IDOL finals competition, a recurring theme became audible: power. Out of the seven years of finals-night performances, 2012’s roster included more than a dozen musical dynamos whose notes could likely hit the ceiling even without the sonic aid of a microphone or the buoyancy of dinner-theater acoustics. Produced by On-Line Publishers, hosted by the Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre in Lancaster, and emceed by Diane Dayton of Dayton Communications, the 15 semifinalists for the evening’s show were culled from nearly 100 contestants who auditioned at regional tryouts in late April and early May. Both the sold-out crowd and the panel of local celebrity judges—RJ Harris of WHP580, Adrian “Buddy” King of the former Magnificent Men, Valerie Pritchett of abc27, and Janelle Stelson of WGAL-8— were treated to almost three hours of impressive musical talent, lively laughter, and powerhouse performances. And Deb Olsen of Manheim got the night started with a bang—many of them, in fact. The only drummer ever to make the SENIOR IDOL semifinalist cut, Olsen set what was to become the powerful tone for the evening as she thundered through The Bee Gees’ “You Should Be Dancing.” “People don’t know how to judge drummers,” noted King. “Basically it’s a matter of what you feel, and it felt really good.” Second in line was Margie Sheaffer of New Providence, who tipped her fedora and added a few wellplaced pouts while performing “Makin’ Whoopee” by Eddie Cantor. “It’s always important to choose the right song here, and I think you made a good choice,” said King. “You communicate the song very well.” “We’re off to a great start here; we’re going to have a tough time [judging],” Harris predicted. Third to the stage was Vickie Kissinger of Gap, whose
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voice ran the gamut from gentle to formidable during Etta James’ “At Last.” “It’s one thing to have a good voice; it’s another to know how to use it. Your dynamics are sensational,” declared King. “You know how to build it, you knew how to maintain it.” Though Kissinger was an admittedly tough act to follow, York’s Tom LaNasa did so with confidence and finesse for Dean Martin’s “Bumming Around.” LaNasa’s plaid sport coat and straw hat were appropriately “bum chic,” his ensemble punctuated by a red handkerchief sack tied to a stick. “You can tell you’re a performer,” said Harris. “You had a lot of fun up there and I think that was the best part of your performance.” Both power and control were evident in Lynn Henderson Payne of New Freedom, who soared through “Someone to Watch Over Me” by George Gershwin. “The control in your voice is phenomenal, and hanging on those notes—spectacular,” Pritchett enthused. “That takes a lot of breath control.” Pritchett also praised Lancaster’s Larry Gessler for his vocal quality after his rendition of “A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square” by Mel Torme. “It was a very tender approach, and a very difficult song for intonation purposes,” King agreed. Jeff Mumma of York Haven brought forth another kind of power—patriotic power—for “Where the Stars and Stripes and Eagles Fly” by Aaron Tippin. And once he conquered his nerves after the first few lines, his vocal power was apparent as well. “Once we got to your voice, we know why you got here,” said Harris. “You have a great, smooth voice and a passion for country music in particular … you can tell it’s not a karaoke thing you did here. You really are good.” Reading’s Mark Ettaro earned high marks for his Sinatra-esque tones during “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” but it was also his comedic power that had the judges and audience applauding. Ettaro frequently namedropped Stelson into the song’s lyrics and, during the song’s instrumental interlude, he introduced the four
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2012 PA STATE SENIOR IDOL
Winner Vickie Kissinger
invisible members of his onstage “band”: the evening’s judges. “You have a really good voice, all joking aside,” Stelson said. “And of course I’m susceptible to hearing my name in a love song, but it was such a pleasure; it was really smoothie-smooth.” Power came back onstage in the guise of Cheri Coleman Campbell of Coatesville, belting out the gospel song “My Tribute” by Andrae Crouch. The judges and the audience were moved by not only her vocal power, but also her spiritual power—as Campbell focused her eyes and voice on a higher power. “You are one of these people who is just lit from within,” Stelson said. “And I think that’s where your music is born, too. And I don’t know what you’ve been through in your life, but you’re obviously praising for something, and I think you’re giving as good as you’re getting.” Harrisburg resident Nick Ferraro had a commanding stage presence coupled with a robust voice—even during the high falsetto notes of Jay & the Americans’ “Cara Mia Mine.” “That’s a tough song to sing, and a lot of nerve it takes hitting those falsetto notes,” said King. “I know what it’s like because I used to sing a lot of falsetto, and man, you can’t fake those.” Victoria Newcomer of Mount Joy rocked through KT Tunstall’s “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree.” Once again, the judges noted the power behind the performance. “I love that song, and you came out here and you crushed it!” exclaimed Harris. Stelson then observed that power can come in the seemingly straight-laced visage of a suit and tie after Philadelphia’s Dan Kelly used his theater chops to roar through “Mack the Knife” by Bobby Darin. “I liked the way you used the stage, and I really liked your energy in your singing,” Pritchett said. Next, Don “Duke” Larson showed that a powerful stage presence isn’t dampened by age—in fact, it can enhance it. At age 76, Larson’s voice soared confidently through “That’s Life” by Frank Sinatra, his fine suit and fedora completing the effect. “You are impeccably tailored; everything was perfect,” said Stelson. “You look the part. That was a
great story to tell, and you know what? You kind of have to be in your 70s to tell it.” Constance Kuba Fisher of Mechanicsburg worked the stage performing Jo Dee Messina’s kiss-off anthem, “Bye Bye.” Her love of performance and her plentiful stage experience helped carry her through the feisty tune. “You have a lot of soul and a lot of heart,” Harris observed. The evening’s last semifinalist to take the stage, Frank Fedele of Williamsport crooned “Walk Away” by Matt Monro, a performance Stelson called “very natural and very comfortable.” “I like the smoothness of your voice, and I also like the flow. It’s so rhythmic,” complimented Pritchett. After a brief intermission during which the four judges’ scores were tallied, all 15 semifinalists lined up on the stage … and Deb Olsen, Cheri Coleman Campbell, and Vickie Kissinger were named the night’s three finalists. For their second selections, Olsen drummed “Dance to the Music” by Sly and the Family Stone; Campbell performed “The Lord’s Prayer”; and Kissinger sang “My Heart Will Go On” from the movie Titanic. The judges as well as the audience then voted for their favorite, and after a brief intermission, Kissinger was named the 2012 PA STATE SENIOR IDOL. This time, it was the audience’s turn to exude some power as the theater exploded in applause. “I can see you have some training,” King said to Kissinger, “but even all the training in the world doesn’t make all that big a difference. It’s knowing how to sing—and honey, you know how to sing.” As the winner, Kissinger will receive a limousine trip for two to New York City for dinner and a Broadway show. Kissinger later said she was “floored” by her win, even as she stepped forward to sing “At Last” one more time. “Now I know how some of these people must feel on American Idol,” she laughed. “You’re enjoying the moment, but you’re not quite sure you’re really in it. It was exhilarating, actually. It really was.” For more information and highlights from the 2012 PA STATE SENIOR IDOL finals competition, visit www.SeniorIdolPA.com.
Don “Duke” Larson
Jeff Mumma
Victoria Newcomer
Deb Olsen
Lynn Henderson Payne
Margie Sheaffer
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IDOL
from page 1
married, Kissinger took a hiatus from her musical pursuits for a few years to concentrate on her family, but a series of church positions soon had her back in the organist fold. Her love of vocal performance still lingered as well, so much so that Kissinger quit her job at a car dealership, went out and bought herself musical equipment, and started a “very busy” schedule of playing “all over the place” at local gigs such as restaurants, banquets, and clubs. “Performers will tell you this: You get out on stage and you kind of get the bug, and you love it,” Kissinger said. “Then you go back the next time, and you get nervous and say, ‘What was I thinking?’ You do know why you’re doing this— because you love it.” At the time, Kissinger even flew to Nashville and auditioned for a cable talent-search show. But four weeks later, the show was suddenly canceled. “It’s my way to express who I am,” she said of performing. “I get to express me.” It was in 1991 that Kissinger’s life screeched to a halt when her husband was killed in an auto accident. In the aftermath, Kissinger stayed home to focus on raising her daughter. “My life changed drastically. I didn’t sing for two years,” she said. It took another six years before Kissinger grabbed tenuous hold of those proverbial bootstraps by enrolling at Millersville University in pursuit of a degree in music education. “When you go to school at 41, it’s a little tough having a teenager at home too,” she laughed. “I thought I wanted to be a teacher, but I didn’t care to be in a classroom so much, so I opened my private studio.” Kissinger teaches piano and voice as well as beginner strings to a wide range of students: her youngest is a first-grader and her oldest is in his 70s. Her private studio also includes a concentration on specialneeds students, a specialization that grew after Kissinger received two phone calls from parents of blind and autistic children. “How sad, I thought, that they wanted to learn music and no one to teach them,” she said. Kissinger then took workshops on autism and read everything she could about learning disabilities. She now uses a rote approach, where these students learn by ear, and has taught voice and piano to students with blindness, ADD, ADHD, Aspberger’s disorder, pervasive developmental disorder, and mental retardation. “Over the past 15 years I have learned www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
The three finalists react as Vickie Kissinger is named 2012 PA STATE SENIOR IDOL. From left, Deb Olsen, Kissinger, and Cheri Coleman Campbell.
more from the students than I think they learned from me,” Kissinger said. “Most music teachers won’t teach special-needs students. They are afraid to because they don’t know how.” It was for this reason that Kissinger was a featured clinician at Penn State at the Pennsylvania Music Teachers Association Conference in 2005, where she lectured on “The Fear of Teaching Special-Needs Students.” But the teacher is still a student, too. Although her vocal training didn’t start in earnest until she studied for her college degree, Kissinger, now a classically trained mezzo-soprano, has been a student of renowned master voice teacher Dr. Thomas Houser for the last nine years. “You have to stay on top of your art; you have to stay on top of your vocal technique,” she explained. “You have to keep your instrument in good shape.” As for her personal taste in music, Kissinger said she enjoys all types and has performed everything from Patsy Cline country songs to arias and oratorios like Handel’s Messiah. For listening, she likes Luciano Pavarotti, Andrea Bocelli, Celine Dion, and Whitney Houston. “I like the big voices, the people I see really sing with their soul,” she said. “I like listening to the powerhouses. “What I really like to sing is what you heard last night [at Idol],” she added. “That’s where I feel my heart and soul.” The judges and audience at the PA STATE SENIOR IDOL finals competition would likely group Kissinger herself in with the powerhouse performers. Her rendition of Etta James’s “At Last” prompted Adrian “Buddy” King of The Magnificent Men, a seven-year SENIOR IDOL judge, to call Kissinger “one of the best [he’s] heard on this stage.” It had been the prompting of friends and family that finally got Kissinger to try
out for the talent competition, now in its seventh year. Backstage during finals night, Kissinger enjoyed the quick camaraderie that developed amongst the 15 semifinalists. After she was named one of the evening’s three finalists, Kissinger performed “My Heart Will Go On” from Titanic for her second song. “It’s a very powerful song,” Kissinger said. “And many people can relate to it, and that’s what you want for your
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audience: You want your audience to feel what you feel.” And what she was feeling that night, after her win was announced, was exhilaration. “I was shocked, and it was a surreal experience, it really was. I let out a holler,” she recalled, laughing. “It was one of those kinds of moments.” Looking ahead at her upcoming year as the reigning PA STATE SENIOR IDOL, Kissinger is eager to perform, hoping many singing engagements come her way as a result of her win. But even as she begins to look forward, she still glances back at the rough road she has traveled and is grateful for the place in which she now finds herself—or, as those who know her would likely say, the place in which she has put herself. “Obviously, I do have my grandparents to thank, and my family, my daughter, and my friends have just been the ultimate support system for me. They have been just wonderful,” Kissinger said. “I really do praise God for the blessings and thank him for the gift he’s given me. I really do, because that’s where it comes from. I don’t take the credit; I just get the guidance from my teachers— and I practice.”
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Who Has the Best Bites in Central PA? 50plus Senior News readers have spoken! Here are the Chester County dining favorites for 2012! Breakfast: Happy Days Diner Lunch: Baxter’s Dinner: Applebee’s Ethnic Cuisine: Kira Japanese Restaurant Celebrating: Eagle Tavern Bakery: Giant Coffeehouse: The Coffee Cup
My 22 Cents’ Worth
Is the Only-Child Trend Desirable? Walt Sonneville hile the number of families in the United States continued to grow in the period from 2000 through 2008, the share of families with no children increased from 52 to 54 percent. Among families with children, the percentage of those having only one child increased sharply from 41.4 percent in 2000 to 47.8 percent in 2008, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The Census Bureau found that between 1976 and 2004, the percentage of women aged 40 to 44 with only one child almost doubled to 20 percent. Should these trends be worrisome? Does it suggest tomorrow’s seniors will be given less personal care by their sole offspring? Might it suggest that the onlychild trend will lead to a nation of more adults who had been pampered by permissive parents? If an only child marries an only child,
W
their children have no cousins. Without siblings and an extended family, how does an only child develop rivalry skills and interpersonal peer relationships prior to school years? There are many examples of celebrities without siblings who rose above the tumultuous circumstances of childhood. Rudolph Giuliani’s father served time in Sing Sing prison and, after his release, became an enforcer for his brother-inlaw’s crime gang. Alan Greenspan’s parents had a troubled marriage, divorcing when he was 5 years old. The father became estranged from the son and ex-wife. Cary Grant’s parents quarreled often, causing the son to seek escape in Saturday afternoon movies. His mother was committed to a mental institution when the boy was 10 years of age. Franklin Delano Roosevelt was cared for by a governess and tutored at home
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until he was 14 years old, then sent off to a boarding school. These are examples from past generations. What can be expected from the adults of the Me Generation (the 1970s) and the Y Generation (19822002)? One writer characterized the Me Generation as having an apparent empathy deficit. In 2008 the TV show 60 Minutes had a program on the Y Generation describing them as “cynical, unaccustomed to hard work, and having fragile egos because their childhoods
were filled with trophies and adulation, unprepared for the cold realities of work.” Is there a cause-effect relationship between the only-child trend and the narcissistic sense of entitlement attributed to the “Me” and “Y” generations? We know an only child can be hardworking and empathetic, but if substantial numbers of them are not so oriented, they can stigmatize their entire generation and stunt a nation’s progress. Our nation seems to be confronted with conflicting values. While
overpopulation is a concern, having only one child may create its own undesirable effects. There are several reasons why the onechild trend has emerged. Economic uncertainty, divorce, and the high costs of childrearing are among them. The percentage of U.S. children raised by one parent (25.8 percent) is higher than any of the 26 other industrialized nations. Their average was 14.9 percent, according to a study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
One clear advantage of having an only child is that it avoids the problems associated with primogeniture—that is, the age-old practice of giving the bulk of one’s estate to the eldest son. Walt Sonneville, a retired market-research analyst, is the author of My 22 Cents’ Worth: The Higher-Valued Opinion of a Senior Citizen, a book of personal-opinion essays, free of partisan and sectarian viewpoints. A Musing Moment: Meditative Essays on Life and Learning, was released in January 2012. Contact him at waltsonneville@earthlink.net.
Celebrate Our Independence at the Movies When the fireworks are over and you’re out of hot dogs, what better way to celebrate the Fourth of July than with a good movie? Match the following quotes to the famous patriotic movie they’re from: 1. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) 2. Independence Day (1996) 3. The Patriot (2000) 4. Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) 5. Born on the Fourth of July (1989) 6. 1776 (1972) A. “Whenever we get too high-hat and too sophisticated for flag-waving, some
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thug nation decides we’re a pushover all ready to be blackjacked. And it isn’t long before we’re looking up, mighty anxiously, to be sure the flag’s still waving over us.” B. “I have come to the conclusion that one useless man is called a disgrace; that two are called a law firm; and that three or more become a Congress!”
C. “People say that if you don’t love America, then get the hell out. Well, I love America.” D. “We are fighting for our right to live. To exist. And should we win the day, the Fourth of July will no longer be known as an American holiday, but
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as the day the world declared in one voice: ‘We will not go quietly into the night!’” E. “Liberty’s too precious a thing to be buried in books, Miss Saunders. Men should hold it up in front of them every single day of their lives and say: ‘I’m free to think and to speak. My ancestors couldn’t, I can, and my children will.’” F. “A shepherd must tend his flock. And, at times, fight off the wolves.” Answers: 1 (E); 2 (D); 3 (F); 4 (A); 5 (C); 6 (B)
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