Chester County Edition
July 2014
Vol. 11 No. 7
Green-Thumb Therapy Horticultural Therapy Helps Seniors Grow Well-Being By Megan Joyce In horticulture therapy, a very tangible activity is used to create intangible healing. Much more than simply planting flowers, horticulture therapy is “the engagement of a participant in horticultural activities facilitated by a trained therapist to achieve specific and documented treatment goals,” according to the American Horticultural Therapy Association. Increasingly, this type of therapy is a highly effective practice for both seniors and adults with mobility challenges. Physically, the therapy strengthens muscles and boosts coordination, balance, and endurance. And when it comes to those improved intangibles, horticultural therapy has been shown to increase memory, cognitive abilities, task initiation, language skills, and socialization. Paula Swearingen, M.Ed. and owner of Floral Touch Horticultural Therapy and Floral Design, is a registered horticultural therapist who has seen the evidence firsthand. “Like most horticultural therapists, I came into this vocation as a secondary career path,” she said. Swearingen spent 17 years as a mental health and special education professional, working with children, youth, and adults with various disabilities. please see GREEN-THUMB page 10 Registered horticultural therapist Paula Swearingen, seated, often treats seniors and people with mobility issues using a ground garden or raised garden table, such as these offered by certified square-foot gardening instructor Joe Manotti, standing.
Inside:
CHESTER COUNTY
50plus EXPO Returns for 11th Year page 6
How Reverse Mortgages Work in 2014 page 8
The Squint-Eyed Senior
Baseball Today Theodore Rickard few weeks ago the news marked the 100th anniversary of the opening of Wrigley Field in Chicago. Wrigley was and still is the home of the so-often last-place Chicago Cubs. Despite this, Wrigley still retains a sacred, cathedral-like status to anybody raised, as I was, on Chicago’s Northside during the ’30s and ’40s. Summer days with the Cubs in town were special. On game days, the front car on the Rapid Transit “El” trains bore detachable metal signs that read, in capital black on white, “BASEBALL TODAY.” For kids, the best baseball day was a weekday since there’d be lots of empty seats, even in the bleachers. This was the ’30s. The baseball fans who had jobs were at work and the ones that didn’t have jobs didn’t have any money either. My baseball buddy, 10 years old as I was, was David Schwarzen, who went by
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the name of “Yankee.” His parents had come from someplace in central Europe and his repeated insistence on his citizenship as a nickname seemed somehow related to that. In the ’30s, 10-year-olds were not exactly flush with pocket money. Most were thankful their fathers were wielding shovels on WPA projects while their mothers waited for the precinct captain to bring the next “Kelly basket” full of canned goods, oatmeal, and flour so she could cook something for dinner. My baseball buddy and I were lucky. Our fathers had jobs. And so did we. Yankee had a break-of-dawn paper route and I had developed a group of regular customers to whom I sold the Saturday Evening Post every Thursday. When the Post went from 5 cents a copy to 10, the commission on each copy bounded from 1.5 cents to 3 cents. I was simply rolling in the stuff.
The alternative to walking 20 blocks was to ride the El to the Addison Street station, a block east of the Wrigley Field bleachers. Half fare on the El was only 3 cents, but you had to be accompanied by an adult. The trick, of course, was to wait in the El Station until an adult came along and then to follow immediately behind and plunk down the three pennies at the cashier cage and just keep going. Somehow we convinced ourselves that the cashier didn’t guess what we were doing. Once past the cashier, we’d dash to the platform and pretend to be breathless with having escaped pursuit, even though we knew there really was none. On game days, the old wooden cars built for the 1892 Columbia Exposition would be put into service and we would ride on the open platform of the last car. From here, to the passing world, we’d
whoop cheers for the Cubs on our way to Wrigley Field. The game would have started before we got there. There was no point in getting there earlier since the bleacher ushers didn’t abandon their posts until sometime in the sixth inning. Then they would wander into the stands to watch the game or simply sit on the steps and smoke cigarettes. But before dashing in, Yankee and I would pool our financial resources to patronize Louis’s hot dog wagon. Louis’s hot dogs were 15 cents. This was a premium price for a hot dog, but Louis’s were extra long as well as extra fat, or at least that’s how they looked to us. Louis would cut the hot dog in half for us. We always ordered “ever’thing on it.” Usually by the time we’d polished off the hot dog and licked the last of the please see BASEBALL page 5
Advertise in this vital community guide If your organization or business offers a product or service relevant to seniors, the disabled, caregivers, or their families, you should be included in the Chester County Resource Directory for the Caregiver, Aging, and Disabled!
Ad closing date: Oct. 17, 2014
• Online e-dition for anywhere, anytime access • Complementary print edition — no additional charge • Links consumer with the appropriate information and resources • Supports local agencies and promotes efficient coordination of services • 400+ informative listings (FREE expanded listing with display ad) • 8,000 free copies distributed throughout the county, including government offices, doctors’ offices, 50plus EXPOS, and wherever 50plus Senior News is distributed
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Contact your account representative or call 610.675.6240 now to be included in this vital annual directory. On-Line Publishers, Inc., 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512 • 717.285.1350 • 717.770.0140 • 610.675.6240 • info@onlinepub.com • www.onlinepub.com
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Farmers Market Vouchers Available The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture is once again offering vouchers through its Farmers Market Nutrition Program. These vouchers, worth $20, can be used to purchase Pennsylvania-grown fruits and vegetables at area farmers markets. Eligible individuals must be at least 60 years of age, reside in Chester County, and have an annual income of less than $21,590 for one person, $29,101 for two people, and $36,612 for three people. People living in residential facilities where meals are provided are not eligible. Those unable to travel to the
distribution sites can still obtain vouchers through a proxy, provided a signed form and photo identification of the older person is presented. Distribution sites for 2014 are: Coatesville Area Senior Center, Inc. 22 N. Fifth Ave., Coatesville Call (610) 383-6900 for distribution dates and times. Downingtown Area Senior Center, Inc. Downingtown Municipal Government Center 4-10 W. Lancaster Ave., Downingtown Thursday, 10 a.m. to noon Please call (610) 269-3939 to confirm date and time.
Resource Directory Dental Services Family Cosmetic and Implant Dentistry 1646 West Chester Pike, Suite 1,West Chester (484) 551-3006 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 Central PA Poison Center (800) 521-6110 Office of Aging (610) 344-6350/(800) 692-1100 Financial Services Internal Revenue Service (800) 829-3676 Funeral & Cremation Services Auer Cremation Services of Pennsylvania 4100 Jonestown Road, Harrisburg (800) 722-8200
Kennett Area Senior Center 427 S. Walnut St., Kennett Square (610) 444-4819 Tuesday and Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Surrey Services for Seniors 28 Bridge Ave., Berwyn (610) 647-6404 for distribution dates and times.
Oxford Area Senior Center 12 E. Locust St., Oxford (610) 932-5244 Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
West Chester Area Senior Center 530 E. Union St., West Chester Call (610) 431-4242 for distribution dates and times.
Phoenixville Area Senior Center 153 Church St., Phoenixville (610) 935-1515 Monday through Thursday, 8:30 a.m. to noon and 12:30 to 1 p.m.
This Resource Directory recognizes advertisers who have made an extended commitment to your health and well-being.
Health & Medical Services Alzheimer’s Association (800) 272-3900 American Cancer Society (800) 227-2345 American Heart Association (610) 940-9540 Arthritis Foundation (215) 665-9200
Housing
Pharmacies
Eastwood Village Homes, LLC 102 Summers Drive, Lancaster (717) 397-3138
Physicians Housing Assistance Community Impact Legal Services (610) 380-7111 Housing Authority of Chester County (610) 436-9200
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (800) 232-4636 Coatesville VA Medical Center (610) 383-7711
CVS/pharmacy www.cvs.com
Housing Authority of Phoenixville (610) 933-8801 Legal Services
Gateway Medical Associates Locations in Coatesville, Downingtown, Lionville, and West Chester (610) 423-8181 Senior Centers Coatesville (610) 383-6900 Downingtown (610) 269-3939
Domestic Violence (800) 799-7233
Lawyer Referral Service (610) 429-1500
Great Valley (610) 889-2121
National Osteoporosis Foundation (800) 223-9994
Legal Aid of Southeastern PA (610) 436-4510
Kennett Square (610) 444-4819
PACE (800) 225-7223
Nutrition Meals on Wheels Chester County Inc. (610) 430-8500
Senior Healthlink (610) 431-1852 Social Security Administration (800) 772-1213 Southeastern PA Medical Institute (610) 446-0662 Hearing Services
Pennsylvania Hunger Action Center (800) 366-3997 Office of Aging Chester County Department of Aging Services (610) 344-6350
Pennsylvania Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (800) 233-3008 V/TTY
Oxford (610) 932-5244 Phoenixville (610) 935-1515 Wayne (610) 688-6246 West Chester (610) 431-4242 Transportation Rover Community Transportation (484) 696-3854
Not an all-inclusive list of advertisers in your area.
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50plus SeniorNews
July 2014
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The Search for Our Ancestry 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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BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Sherry Bolinger Angie McComsey Jacoby Amy Kieffer Ranee Shaub Miller Sue Rugh ACCOUNT REPRESENTATIVES Christina Cardamone Anne Hill SALES & EVENT COORDINATOR Eileen Culp EVENTS MANAGER Kimberly Shaffer
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ADMINISTRATION BUSINESS MANAGER Elizabeth Duvall Member of
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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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Finding Relatives in the ‘Old Country’ Angelo Coniglio I plan on visiting my grandparents’ ancestral village of Belpaese in Sicily this fall. I’d like to contact relatives who may still be living there. I know my grandparents’ names on both my paternal and maternal side and their approximate birth dates. They emigrated to the U.S. as young adults around 1900. How should I proceed? – K. Lee Sapi, Buffalo, N.Y.
Q:
A: I have found that when folks plan to find “relatives” in the “old country” they tend to concentrate on relatives with only two surnames: their father’s and their mother’s. That may be because we feel “closer” to relatives who have familiar surnames. But if one’s grandparents all left siblings behind, barring duplication, they would have four different surnames: your paternal grandfather’s (the same as yours); your paternal grandmother’s; your maternal grandfather’s; and your maternal grandmother’s. So if you look for relatives only with your surname, you may leave out three-quarters of any relatives you may have there. If each of your grandparents left siblings behind, the children of those siblings would be your parents’ first cousins, and their children would be your second cousins. But your grandparents’ siblings may have included females. If those women married, their children, your parents’ first cousins, would have surnames different from the four familiar ones discussed above, and marriages by the females of the next generation would create even more variation.
All of those second cousins would be as closely related to you, regardless whether their surnames are different from yours and each other’s. Start by finding out if and where your ancestral town’s records exist. There may be civil records of birth, marriage, and death, as well as local church records of baptisms, marriages, and deaths. They could be on Mormon microfilm, on the Mormon website FamilySearch (www.familysearch.org) or other free sites, or on the paid site Ancestry.com.
If none of those venues has the records you seek, you may have to hire a researcher in Sicily to locate them, if you wish to develop enough information before your visit. Then locate your grandparents’ Atti di Nascita, or birth records. Sicilian civil records of birth are available for the year 1910 and earlier, back to about 1820, in the “Napoleonic format.” They give a wealth of information including: the name of the person presenting the baby for registration(usually the father); his age, occupation, and address; the time and date of the birth; the mother’s name; and the names, ages, and occupations of two witnesses to the registration. Additional information may include the names of the fathers of
the parents of the newborn and the signature of the father of the child. Small towns could have several people of about the same age with similar or even identical names, so you need to be sure that the birth records you find are really your grandparents’. A list of your parents and their siblings, by order of age, can help. The names of your parents, aunts, and uncles should be reflected in the names of your grandparents’ parents. Once you’ve found your grandparents’ birth records, you can confirm your great-grandparents’ names. Now search the birth records for nearby years to identify your grandparents’ siblings. Often, birth records are inscribed, years later, with notes that tell when and whom the child married. In the case of girls, this gives their husband’s surnames. Now put all that information in order, as a list or table that shows your family tree, including not only your direct ancestors, but also their siblings, nieces, and nephews whose names you have found and any “new” surnames you’ve uncovered. When you get to Belpaese, you’ll find that the locals are warm, friendly, and eager to speak with Americans. That’s when you pull out your family tree! Hopefully your new friends will recognize their own ancestors’ names and realize that they’re actually your relatives! Coniglio is the author of a novella inspired by his Sicilian research entitled The Lady of the Wheel, available in paperback at amzn.to/racalmuto or in an e-book at bit.ly/LadyOfTheWheelKindle. For more information, check out his webpage at bit.ly/AFCGen or email him at genealogytips@aol.com.
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The Way I See It
ADVANCED HEARING SOLUTIONS Hear better. It DOES matter!
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My Workshop Mike Clark here’s a place just off our family room that I like to call my workshop. Workshop is a misnomer, however. There’s hardly room to move in there, let alone do work. It’s become a place where I go only to look for tools when something in the house breaks, leaks, or falls apart. Sometimes I even think about making stuff—until I turn the lights on. I look there because I know I put tools in there at one time or another. I just don’t remember which ones or where. I store tools in other places, too (which exacerbates my problem), but the shop is the principal place for the essential implements that I need to maintain our home. Halloween decorations and paint cans (filled to various levels with paint and dried paint scum) are out in the open on a shelf toward the back of the workshop. I haven’t used either in years, but at least they are easy to find. I don’t know why Halloween decorations are in there. I certainly didn’t make them. And the paint colors are outdated. Easily finding things that are no longer of any use to me indicates another problem, as of yet undefined. Hoarding? But specific tools, when I am in urgent need of them, are hard to find. Not all tools, mind you, are hard to find; large, cumbersome tools are difficult to misplace, after all. There’s a 10-inch table saw right about in the center of the shop. It acts as an anchor and is a symbol of the possibilities and potential of what could
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someday be a viable workshop. To get to it, I must step over a chain saw, a circular saw, a jigsaw, and a router. All these power tools are in their original, molded-plastic cases, which enhances the size of each obstruction. Therefore, they offer a challenge when trying to climb over them. The router, by the way, is brand new; I forgot I had it. I also forget why I bought it. I would like to move everything aside while walking to my table saw and the workbench beyond, but pushing these ungainly objects to and fro just jams them more tightly against other articles that should not be on a workshop floor. These power tools can only be stored in the spaces in which they sit. I pick them up, and I set them down. Hand tools are not always so visible, however. And therein lies the gist of my troubles. Any relatively flat surface in the vicinity of a job I’m doing is a potential storage spot for a small hand tool. It is also a convenient spot to deposit wood scraps, bent nails, stripped screws, and other, larger tools. It happens often enough that a significant supply of important hand tools can end up concealed under mounds of things that should have been discarded long ago. Oh, the tools and gadgets that I’ve taken the time and care to hang on my large, brown peg-board are fairly neat and please see WORKSHOP page 7
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from page 2
“ever’thing” off our fingers, the ushers had given up and we slipped into the stadium and up the stairs that led to bleacher seats along the right-field foul line. We were convinced that left-handed batters hit most homeruns and by being past right field, we would have a better chance of retrieving a homerun ball. But we never did. The Cubs right fielder was Bill Nicholson. You could yell “Hi, Bill” to him from the bleachers. “Big Bill” was considered a homerun threat, although we never saw him hit a homer. He was said to be fond of chewing tobacco. Avid
Summer Sale
adult fans would throw packages of chew to him in dull moments, and at the end of a slow inning, he’d trot back into the dugout with a bulging shirtfront full of Plow Boy or Red Man Plug. These treats cost at least 15 cents each. The display of such adult extravagance was a wonderment to both of us. In fact, there are moments when it still seems so — at least to me. A collection of Ted Rickard’s family-fun essays is titled Anything Worth Knowing I Learned from the Grandkids. It is now available in paperback on Amazon.com.
The successful candidate should: • Enjoy building and maintaining your own long-term business relationships. • Be highly motivated, detail oriented, and able to multitask. • Have good communication skills. • Show a willingness to learn and grow in a fast-paced environment. We offer a competitive compensation plan with a benefits package that includes health insurance and a 401(k) plan. If you have sales experience and are interested in joining our growing sales team, please send your resume and compensation history/requirements to danderson@onlinepub.com. On-Line Publishers, Inc. • 3912 Abel Drive • Columbia, PA 17512 • 717.285.1350 www.onlinepub.com
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July 2014
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50plus EXPO Returns to Chester County for 11th Year By Christina Cardamone Baby boomers and seniors arrived at the Church Farm School in Exton on June 10 for the 11th annual Chester County 50plus EXPO. Hosted by OLP EVENTS, the EXPO provided attendees with a good, informative mix of information that was then presented respectfully to the visitors. Guests were able to attend this oneday event for free and browse amongst nearly 60 exhibitors who presented information on traveling, finances, home improvement, retirement, and wellness. The day’s event was made possible with the help of Coatesville VA Medical Center; Gateway Health; HealthAmerica Advantra, an Aetna company; Isaac’s Famous Grilled Sandwiches; Keystone VIP Choice;
Philadelphia Memorial Park; Surrey The health screenings helped guests Services; and Wegmans, as well as evaluate their vision, glucose, and BMI. media sponsors Wegmans provided WCHE, WFIL, tote bags for each and WNTP. attendee’s Throughout convenience. the day, Participants were attendees also able to sample commented on free Turkey Hill ice the event, cream and relax by describing it as the event’s stage, a good mix, where informational, entertainment was CHESTER COUNTY convenient, held throughout important, the day. beneficial, and The entertainment educational. started with an informational session, As the day continued, attendees were presented by The Pennsylvania Office able to take advantage of health of Attorney General’s “Senior Crime screenings offered by Chester County Prevention University,” on how seniors Eye Care Associates, Health Network can protect themselves against fraud Laboratories, and Take Shape for Life. and financial exploitation.
CHESTER COUNTY Principal Sponsor:
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Matt Macis followed with his songand-dance show that provided delightful music, hilarious comedy, and memorable dance routines. Certified Master Gardeners Helen Mastony and Janet Paterson led a gardening presentation, and Lori Rossi, a certified yoga instructor from Awakening Wellness Yoga, led the crowd in a chair yoga class. Finally, Barry Surran, 2008 PA STATE SENIOR IDOL winner, wrapped up the day’s festivities with his renditions of some classic tunes and hits. The 50plus EXPOs, presented by OLP EVENTS, will return in fall 2014: on Sept. 17 at the York Expo Center; on Oct. 22 at the Carlisle Expo Center; and on Nov. 5 at Spooky Nook Sports, Manheim. For more information, call (717)-285-1350 or visit www.50plusexpopa.com.
Proudly Sponsored By: Supporting Sponsors:
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Coatesville Veterans Affairs Medical Center Gateway Health HealthAmerica Advantra, an Aetna Company Isaac’s Famous Grilled Sandwiches Keystone VIP Choice Philadelphia Memorial Park Surrey Services Wegmans
WCHE WFIL & WNTP
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The 50plus EXPO is FREE to the community due to the generosity of our sponsors. 6
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Salute to a Veteran
Marine General ‘Chesty’ Puller Made Him an Offer He Couldn’t Refuse Robert D. Wilcox uke Wise grew up in a family of six boys and six girls. All the boys but Wise went in the Army. His oldest brother served in the artillery in World War II, and at Fort Sill he trained under Marine artillery officers. So he gave his kid brother some sage advice that Luke never forgot: “If you ever go into the military, choose the Marines.” So when Wise was 21, that’s exactly what he did. The Korean War was on, so after his basic training at Parris Island, S.C., he shipped out to Korea. There, he was to have an experience that every Marine might have dreamed about. He was to hear, “Wise, the general wants to talk to you.” The general was the legendary Marine “Chesty” Puller, who had earned an unheard-of five Navy Crosses for valor in combat—although he was best known for his comment, “We’ve been looking for the enemy for some time now. We’ve finally found him. We’re surrounded. That simplifies things.” Now, “Chesty” wanted to see Sgt. Luke Wise. “The only thing that came to mind,” Wise says, “is, ‘What could he possibly want to talk to me about?’” He was about to find out. “Sergeant,” the general said, “they tell me your IQ is off the charts … and that you have a photographic memory. I have a hazardous assignment that I won’t order you take, but I’m sure hoping you’ll volunteer for it.” He then explained that they needed someone to make repeated forays behind enemy lines and report details of
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ammunition dumps the those ammo dumps. We enemy had spread out over could often see the dumps several miles (and one even erupt in terrific blasts.” across the Yalu River in Wise had to extend his Manchuria). tour to finish the job, and What did Wise say? he says, “When it was “What do you think I over, Gen. Puller asked me said? You think I could what kind of assignment stand in front of a man like I’d like next, saying, ‘You ‘Chesty’ Puller, who had name it, and you’ve got it.’ specifically asked for me, I figured I ought to go for and tell him, ‘No, General, it, so I said, ‘Sir, I’d like to I think I would really chauffeur for an admiral.’ rather not’?” “And the next thing I Sgt. Luke Wise upon So then, how many knew, I was assigned to his return to the U.S. missions did he run, and the USS Pocono, the in 1953. what were they like? flagship for the “Well, there were Commander, 15 of them in all, Amphibious Force, and they were all Atlantic Fleet. Sure pretty hairy. They enough, I was the always meant admiral’s chauffeur moving only at and in charge of the night, because the ship’s orderlies.” North Korean One more thing troops were about Gen. Puller: everywhere. I was Wise later got a The USS Oriskany, whose planes forbidden to make personal letter from destroyed the North Korean bomb notes … everything the general, dumps. had to be thanking and memorized. I was commending him to zero-in on the ammunition dumps for the work he did in his clandestine that our air observers could see but missions. could not come close enough to target Aboard the Pocono, Wise toured the on. Caribbean, with stops at many exotic “When I got back from missions, the ports, from Jamaica to Trinidad. And general had me use my code name, ‘Sgt. yes, he was the admiral’s chauffeur Dutch,’ and send the exact coordinates whenever the admiral was ashore. for best bombing to the carrier, USS Wise left active duty in July 1954 but Oriskany (“The Mighty O”). Her aircraft stayed in the Reserve until 1959 as a would then fly the missions to flatten staff sergeant. He then returned to
Central Pennsylvania and worked in construction and cabinetry before retiring in 1999. In retirement, he had one almost unbelievable “small world” experience. He was shopping one day at a local farmers market, wearing his Marine Corps cap. A man stopped him and said, “We sure needed you Marines in Korea.” When Wise asked him how he knew about that, the guy said, “I was flying off the Oriskany, bombing the ammo dumps that you guys pinpointed for us.” When Wise asked him if he could remember the code name of the spotter who gave him the info, the guy said, “I’ll never forget it. His code name was ‘Sgt. Dutch.’” To which Wise said, “Well … I’m Sgt. Dutch.” Wise laughs and says, “You should have seen that guy’s jaw drop. He couldn’t believe he would ever actually run into Sgt. Dutch. And at the [farmers market], of all places. Turned out he was from Florida, just passing through. What were the chances of that? Maybe one in a billion.” Wise now lives in retirement with his wife, Collette, in a comfortable retirement community in Central Pennsylvania. But he keeps a collection of Marine Corps caps that he wears … always glad for the chance to meet other vets with whom he swaps stories of those terrible—but wonderful—days in the Marines. Colonel Wilcox flew a B-17 bomber in Europe in World War II.
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in order. I attribute that to the fact that I seldom use those things. They consist of screwdrivers, chisels, nut-drivers, pliers, wrenches, hand saws, hand drills, leftover plumbing supplies, and miscellaneous doodads that are all the wrong sizes and types for the tasks that I need to tend. I must have needed them at one time. I mean, why else would they be there? I have often searched an inordinately long time for a tool that I know I have. www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
And in my frustration, I give up looking. Then I go to the hardware store and buy a new tool. It saves me a lot of time, and the tool I need is usually inexpensive. The hours I waste looking could be spent repairing, I always say. In the latest episode, my garbage disposal jammed. You’ll have to ask my wife why, though. Fine, it could have happened to anyone (as she says). So I went down to my workshop to fetch a
quarter-inch Allen wrench to jog the flywheel back and forth, which usually clears the jam. I searched until I found an array of Allen wrenches lying scattershot in a place far from where they should have been. There was no quarter-inch wrench in the pile, although I know I have one—somewhere. In the meantime, I went to the hardware store to get a new one.
50plus SeniorNews
Someday I’ll clean out and organize my workshop. And when I do, I’ll more than likely find two of everything. I’m going to plan a yard sale. Mike Clark writes a regular column for The Globe Leader newspaper in New Wilmington, Pa. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in organizational behavior/applied psychology from Albright College. Mike lives outside Columbia, Pa., and can be contacted at mikemac429@aol.com.
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Savvy Senior
How Reverse Mortgages Work in 2014 Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior, What can you tell me about reverse mortgages? I was considering one last year, but now I hear they are more difficult to get. – Ready to Reverse Dear Ready, That’s correct. Tighter rules on reverse mortgages that have recently gone into effect have made them harder to get, especially for seniors with heavy debt problems. The reason the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) made these changes was to strengthen the product, which has suffered from a struggling housing market and a growing number of defaults by borrowers. Here’s a rundown of how reverse mortgages now work in 2014. Overview: The basics are still the same. A reverse mortgage is a loan that allows senior homeowners to borrow money against the equity in their house. The loan doesn’t have to be repaid until the homeowner dies, sells the house,
or moves out for at least 12 months. It’s also important to know that with a reverse mortgage, you, not the bank, own the house, so you’re still responsible for property taxes, insurance, and repairs. Eligibility: To be eligible for a reverse mortgage, you must be at least 62 years old, own your own home (or owe only a small balance), and currently be living there. You will also need to undergo a financial assessment to determine whether you can afford to make all the necessary tax and insurance payments over the projected life of the loan. Lenders will look at your sources of income, your assets, and your credit history. Depending on your financial situation, you may be required to put part of your loan into an escrow account to pay future bills. If the financial assessment finds that
Smile of the Month July’s Smile of the Month is Ralph, proud granddog of Janice Whiteside of Nottingham.
you cannot pay your insurance and taxes and have enough cash left to live on, you will be denied. Loans: Nearly all reverse mortgages offered today are home equity conversion mortgages (HECM), which are FHA insured and offered through private mortgage lenders and banks. HECMs also have home-value limits that vary by county but cannot exceed $625,500. See the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development online (hud.gov/ll/code/llslcrit.cfm) for a list of HUD-approved lenders. Loan amounts: The amount you get through a reverse mortgage depends on your age, your home’s value, and the prevailing interest rates. Generally, the older you are, the more your house is worth, and the lower the interest rates are, the more you can borrow. A 70-year-old, for example, with a home worth $300,000 could borrow around $170,000 with a fixed-rate HECM. To calculate how much you can borrow, visit the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association’s website (www.reversemortgage.org). Loan costs: Reverse mortgages have a number of upfront fees, including a 2 percent lender origination fee for the first
$200,000 of the home’s value and 1 percent of the remaining value, with a cap of $6,000. There is also a 0.5 percent initial mortgage insurance premium fee, along with an appraisal fee, closing costs, and other miscellaneous expenses. Most fees can be deducted for the loan amount to reduce your out-of-pocket cost at closing. In addition, you’ll also have to pay an annual mortgage insurance premium of 1.25 percent of the loan amount. Payment options: You can receive the money in a lump sum, a line of credit, regular monthly checks, or a combination of these. But in most cases, you cannot withdraw more than 60 percent of the loan during the first year. If you do, you’ll pay a 2.5 percent upfront insurance premium fee. Counseling: All borrowers are required to get face-to-face or telephone counseling through a HUD-approved independent counseling agency before taking out a reverse mortgage. Some agencies are awarded grants that enable them to offer counseling for free, but most charge around $125 to $250. To locate a counseling agency near you, visit HUD’s Home Equity Conversion Mortgages for Seniors webpage (hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hecm/ hecmhome.cfm) or call (800) 569-4287. Jim Miller is a regular contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior Book. www.savvysenior.org
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Eastwood Village Homes LLC
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Celebrating L i f e Funeral Preplanning – Emotional and Financial Security for Loved Ones By Lori M. Myers We planned our careers, our children’s lives (much to their chagrin), and our travels. But thinking about planning for own death makes us uneasy. We know we should preplan, get it down on paper, and make it official. It’s important. But why? First, it removes the burden of doing so from our loved ones. A death can be an emotional time without the added stress of organizing and paying for those final arrangements while in the midst of grief. It’s even worse if the death is a sudden one, leaving loved ones unprepared and confused. They may rush to pay for a cemetery plot or grave without careful thought. Second, it ensures our own specific wishes will be carried out. Preplanning allows us to have the funeral reflect who we are and what we want. Do you want to be cremated or buried? If cremated, how should the remains be scattered and where? Who
should keep them? If buried, where do you want your final resting place to be? What sort of memorial service do you want? Do you wish something simple with only close family in attendance? Or is more of a large celebration something you feel comfortable with? Are there favorite songs or readings you wish to share with those who are present? Are there photos you want displayed as mourners enter the service? Depending on one’s religious beliefs, some funerals have to be conducted within 24-48 hours. Others have a little bit more time. Funeral preplanning saves a family much time agonizing over what they “think” your wishes could be as well as how to pay and who will pay. According to the Federal Trade Commission’s consumer information, you may wish to make decisions about your arrangements in advance but not pay for them in advance.
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If you decide to take this route, keep in mind that over time, prices will fluctuate and businesses may close or change ownership. It’s a good idea, they say, to review and revise your decisions every few years, and to make sure you communicate any and all plans and changes of those plans to your family. Any preferences should be put in writing and copies given to family members and your attorney, with one copy in a place where it can be easily found. Avoid putting the only copy of your preferences in a safe-deposit box in the event arrangements have to be made on a weekend or holiday before the box can be opened. According to the Federal Trade Commission, if you do prepay some or all of the funeral expenses, it’s important to consider the following: • What are you paying for? Are you buying only merchandise, like a casket and vault, or are you purchasing funeral services as well?
• What happens to the money you’ve prepaid? States have different requirements for handling funds paid for prearranged funeral services. • What happens to the interest income on money that is prepaid and put into a trust account? • Are you protected if the firm you dealt with goes out of business? • Can you cancel the contract and get a full refund if you change your mind? • What happens if you move to a different area or die while away from home? Some prepaid funeral plans can be transferred, but it could be at an added cost. Whatever planning you do, let your family know the details. Let them know where the documents are filed, whether or not you have prepaid. You may also wish to consult an attorney on the best way to ensure that your wishes are followed.
Celebrate Life Four Generations. Established 1923. Chardy Memorials is back with the original Chardy Family, managing the company with the same quality and service that was our trademark. Chardy Memorials means quality, beauty, and dependability. We do more than just commemorate lives, we celebrate them. I invite you to our showroom to see what over 90 years of experience can create.
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GREEN-THUMB
from page 1
“As the new millennium approached, it became more important to me to create a more balanced life—one where I could experience joy and pleasure while still serving others.” More than a decade ago, Swearingen resigned her job as an assistant director of special education in a public school district, sold her house, and started from scratch working as a landscape gardener at a local retirement community. After completing coursework and interning under the direction of a horticultural therapist, Swearingen earned a certificate in horticultural therapy from Temple University, effectively combining her background in human services with her love of plants and flowers. The therapeutic benefits of gardens and gardening have been documented for centuries, but it was Dr. Benjamin Rush, the “father of American psychiatry” and a signer of the Declaration of Independence, who first recorded the positive effects the therapy had on patients with mental illness in the 1800s. In the mid-20th century, horticultural therapy was used to aid the rehabilitation of hospitalized war veterans, expanding
the practice beyond the confines of began participating in flower-arranging mental-illness treatment. programs. “Seniors often find themselves facing “Eventually, she proudly found her loss of all types,” Swearingen said. “They designs on display in the main lobby. She may often find became that they are recognized by offered fewer the entire opportunities to community for contribute to her beautiful the happenings creations,” within their Swearingen family, their recalled. “She churches, or improved their emotionally communities.” and physically Swearingen to the point cited the that she was example of a able to leave the pastor’s wife skilled care named Jane community and who had move in with created the her family.” Seniors gardening in raised garden beds. flower Swearingen arrangements also recounted for her church for 40 years. After her her experience with three men who husband died, she moved to a skilled regularly grew and harvested vegetables nursing care community and her health for the local food bank, raising many deteriorated. pounds of food for their community She also became withdrawn and “despite having ailments such as clinically depressed, refusing to leave her congestive heart failure, dementia, and room for months until she gradually limited mobility,” she said. “They grew all of their vegetables in raised garden beds, harvesting from the For more than 18 years, 50plus LIVING has comfort and stability of their chairs.” Raised garden beds are the specialty been the guide to living and care options. and passion of Joe Manotti, certified square-foot gardening instructor for Your Will they find your services there? Garden Solution. These gardens consist of soil enclosed by a square frame, Your guide to choosing the right living usually made of wood, which is raised and care options for you or a loved one: above the surrounding soil. Raised garden beds are available in • Active adult and residential living two types: a ground garden is raised • Independent and retirement living about 8 inches off the ground, and a communities garden table stands on legs 3 feet high, a perfect height for those unable to bend • Assisted living residences and personal over to garden. care homes Manotti was inspired to offer raised • Nursing and healthcare services garden beds after his aging father, a • Home care, companions, and hospice lifelong gardener, had not gardened in 15 care providers years due health issues and limited Online & mobility. • Ancillary services “Two years ago, we built him a garden In Print. table, and this has enabled him to do onlinepub.com what he had done almost all of his life, and that was to grow his own vegetables,” Manotti said. “We thought, if he needed this, so did a lot of other people.” Must reserve by Aug. 29, 2014 Your Garden Solution’s garden tables are created by local Amish craftsmen out of Douglas fir, sassafras, and cedar To include your community or service in the 2015 edition woods. Manotti recommends a or for a free copy of the 2014 edition, call your representative or technique called square-foot gardening, (717) 285-1350 or email info@onlinepub.com where the 4-foot by 4-foot garden bed is
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filled with 6 inches of soil and subdivided into 16 square-foot sections. Each square foot grows different vegetables or flowers, enabling a gardener to grow a lot of plants in a small space. A square-foot garden bed typically yields many more vegetables than traditional row gardening and with fewer weeds. “The average person quits gardening after 2.5 years. Why? Because of the maintenance involved, such as weeding,” Manotti said. “Raised beds eliminate much of the maintenance since the soil [we offer] is formulated to provide plants with the optimal growing environment.” Manotti said that garden tables can grow most vegetables, with the exception of some deep-rooted plants like potatoes or garlic, which need more than 6 inches of soil. Raised garden beds—both ground gardens and garden tables—have become important elements of horticultural therapy, enabling horticultural therapists to bring the practice to patients with physical limitations. “Seniors and those with limited mobility love the garden tables! It enables them to enjoy gardening again,” Manotti said. Manotti shared the story of a Central Pennsylvania woman with severe arthritis in one knee that prohibited her from kneeling to tend to a vegetable garden. As a result, she had not had a garden for many years and missed it greatly— until her son told her about square-foot gardening and purchased her a garden table, which quickly yielded so many vegetables she was able to share them with others. Swearingen noted that horticulture therapy is often used as a complement to traditional therapeutic treatments. Therapists, she said, are trained to support participants who have physical limitations through the use of adaptive tools and proper body mechanics. “Horticultural therapy is unique in that it involves tangible outcomes that are valued by the participant and the community. The activities provide opportunities for decision making, creative expression, and contribution to others,” she said. Avid gardeners as well as those who have never tended a garden in their lives can benefit from horticulture both in and out of a therapeutic setting. “Plants are not influenced by poverty or wealth, by age or ability,” said Swearingen. “Nurture them, and they will grow. The same is true for us—if we nurture ourselves, we will grow. It is never too late.” www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
CROSSWORD
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Calendar of Events
Chester County
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.coatesvilleseniorcenter.org Mondays, 12:45 to 2 p.m. – Coffeehouse with Live Entertainment July 1, 12:45 p.m. – Kickoff to the Fourth of July Party July 23 – Christmas in July at The Treasures Shop
July 5, 6 to 11 p.m. – Freedom Fest, Nottingham County Park July 12, 8 to 10 a.m. – Birding at Black Rock, Black Rock Sanctuary July 19, 9 to 11 a.m. – Observing Odonata, Warwick County Park
Support Groups
Free and open to the public
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 1, 2 p.m. Grief Support Group Phoenixville Senior Center 153 Church St., Phoenixville (610) 327-7216 July 2, 6 p.m. Memory Loss and Dementia Support Group Sunrise Assisted Living of Paoli 324 W. Lancaster Ave., Malvern (610) 251-9994 July 3 and 17, 7 p.m. Alzheimer’s Support Group The Solana Willistown 1713 West Chester Pike, Willistown (610) 725-1713
July 8 and 22, 5 to 6:30 p.m. Bereavement Support Group Main Line Unitarian Church 816 S. Valley Forge Road, Devon (610) 585-6604 phoenixbereavement@yahoo.com Nondenominational; all are welcome. July 8 and 22, 6:30 to 8 p.m. Bereavement Support Group Jennersville Hospital Conference Room B 1015 W. Baltimore Pike, West Grove (610) 998-1700, ext. 226 July 9, noon Family Caregiver Support Group Sarah Care 425 Technology Drive, Suite 200 Malvern (610) 251-0801
July 10 and 24, 6:30 to 8 p.m. Bereavement Support Group Brandywine Hospital Conference Room 1 West 201 Reeceville Road, Coatesville (610) 998-1700, ext. 226
Great Valley Senior Center – (610) 889-2121 47 Church Road, Malvern July 10 and 24, 10 a.m. – Canasta Games July 24, 2:45 p.m. – Metaphysical Discussion July 30, 11 a.m. – Meal and a Message: Matter of Balance
July 14 and 28, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Caregiver Support Group Adult Care of Chester County 201 Sharp Lane, Exton (610) 363-8044
Kennett Area Senior Center – (610) 444-4819 427 S. Walnut St., Kennett Square – www.kennettseniorcenter.org July 3 and 17, 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Free Medicare Counseling Session July 9 and 23, 7 to 9 a.m. – Walnut Street Café Breakfast July 17, noon to 4 p.m. – AARP Driver Safety Program
July 15, 6 p.m. Family Caregiver Support Group Sunrise of Westtown 501 Skiles Blvd., West Chester (610) 399-4464 July 30, 6 p.m. Living with Cancer Support Group Paoli Hospital Cancer Center 255 W. Lancaster Ave., Paoli (484) 565-1253
Chester County Library Programs Downingtown Library, 330 E. Lancaster Ave., Downingtown, (610) 269-2741 July 8, 6:30 p.m. – Film Forum July 17, 6:30 p.m. – Downingtown Library’s Writers Group July 24, 1 p.m. – Senior Book Club Paoli Library, 18 Darby Road, Paoli, (610) 296-7996 Mystery Book Club – Call for dates/times
What’s Happening? 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 Let
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Please contact your local center for scheduled activities.
Programs & Events
Free or minimal charge
July 1, 11:30 a.m. West Chester University Retirees Luncheon For restaurant location, please email darsie@verizon.net July 5 and 19, 5 to 10 p.m. Bingo Nights Marine Corps League Detachment 430 Chestnut St., Downingtown (610) 431-2234 July 21, 6 p.m. Medicare Overview by APPRISE Members Exton Library 450 Exton Square Parkway, Exton (610) 280-2600 July 24, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Focus on Glaucoma Event Chester County Eye Care Associates 1011 W. Baltimore Pike, Suite 203, West Grove (484) 723-2055 jrooney@cceceye.com July 24, 6 p.m. Medicare Overview by APPRISE Members Exton Senior Living 600 Pottstown Pike, Exton (610) 280-2600
(610) 675-6240
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Deal Me In By Mark Pilarski
Did This Player Deserve to Be Tossed from the Casino? Dear Mark: I was asked to leave a casino by security for, if you can believe this, playing someone else’s leftover $12 worth of credits that they had left on a slot machine and didn’t cash out. Although not banned for life, I was rudely told it was against the law, made to return the $12, and told not to come back for 30 days. You have got to be kidding me! Whatever happened to “finder’s keepers, loser’s weepers?” – Matt N. For starters, Matt, the casino made you give back the money simply because it didn’t belong to you. “Finder’s keepers, loser’s weepers” is not a defense for taking credits discovered on a slot machine. You are basing your newly found booty on the premise that when something is abandoned, whoever finds it can claim it. Unfortunately, within the casino walls, this raises ethical and legal challenges. On the casino floor, credits left on machines do not belong to the person who finds them, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that they belong to the casino either. Casinos, as well as some gaming jurisdictions, have specific policies on how to handle abandoned credits. The children’s rhyme, “finder’s keepers, loser’s weepers” may apply in children’s games but doesn’t pass muster in gambling establishments. Like a pair of sunglasses left at a blackjack game, in the joints where I worked, we regarded credits left on a slot machine specifically as “lost property” and did our best to find their rightful owner. Today, especially if one uses his or her Player’s card, it is relatively easy to track the previous player. Nevertheless, a tip to you and other slot-playing patrons: before you walk away from any slot machine, don’t forget to press the cash-out button. As for you being 86’d from the casino, well, that might have been a bit over the top. I have never heard of any leftoverwww.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
credits-playing player being given the heave-ho. That said, that doesn’t mean there are not swindlers who make a living scavenging the millions lost each year by gamblers who forget their stored credits (winnings). The pretender who purposively circles the casino floor looking for orphan credits on a slot machine, or even change on the floor for that matter, can warrant the dreaded permanent 86 for making a full-time occupation of cruising the casino eyeing easy pickings. I will buy, however, that you weren’t a credit conniver looking for an easy score. So, playing slot manager for just a moment, my casinomanagement style would not have even warranted a wrist slap. I was one to operate more in the spirit of the law, not the letter of, although, I must acknowledge that every gaming supervisor will handle your scenario their own way. All I would have told you was that the next time you find credits remaining on the machine, you should inform some slot-floor personnel, and then I would have gone on my merry way. Had we found the previous player, I just would have credited him or her $12. Now let’s look at the positive here, Matt, of which there is one. For the next 30 days, you won’t be playing on a machine that has a house edge of up to 20 percent. Gambling Wisdom of the Week: “I have seen a pregnant woman stand at a 21 game, oblivious to labor pains, until we thought we were going to become midwives, and leave only when we summoned an ambulance.” – Harold S. Smith Sr., I Want to Quit Winners (1961) Mark Pilarski is a recognized authority on casino gambling, having survived 18 years in the casino trenches. Pilarski is the creator of the bestselling, award-winning audio book series on casino gambling, Hooked on Winning. www.markpilarski.com
Please join us for these free events!
12th Annual
• Exhibitors • • Health Screenings • • Seminars • • Entertainment • • Door Prizes •
Sept. 17, 2014
Limited Sponsorship Opportunities Available
Memorial Hall East 334 Carlisle Avenue York
YORK COUNTY
9 a.m. – 2 p.m. York Expo Center
18th Annual
15th Annual
LANCASTER COUNTY
CUMBERLAND COUNTY
Oct. 22, 2014
Nov. 5, 2014
9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Carlisle Expo Center
9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Spooky Nook Sports
100 K Street Carlisle
2913 Spooky Nook Road Manheim (Just off Rt. 283 at the Salunga exit) (717) 285-1350 • (717) 770-0140 (610) 675-6240
www.50plusExpoPA.com
Who Has the Best Bites in Central PA? 50plus Senior News readers have spoken! Here are the Chester County dining favorites for 2014! Breakfast: Frazer Diner
Fast Food: Chick-fil-A
Lunch: Neopolitan Delicatessen
Seafood: Red Lobster
Dinner: Twelves Grill & Café
Steak: Texas Roadhouse
Ethnic Cuisine: Sovana Bistro
Outdoor Dining: Cutillo’s Restaurant
Celebrating: Seven Stars Inn
Romantic Setting: Dilworthtown Inn
Bakery: Suzy-Jo Donuts
Smorgasbord/Buffet: Shady Maple Smorgasbord
Coffeehouse: Starbucks
Caterer: Samantha Julian Caterers
Winner of $50 Giant Food Stores Gift Card: Sharon Gettel Congratulations!
50plus SeniorNews
July 2014
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Tinseltown Talks
Here’s to You, Mrs. Robinson Nick Thomas hen NASA honored June Lockhart last October, it would have been quite fitting to borrow the above lyrics from a popular Simon and Garfunkel song to salute the 89-year-old actress. Best remembered by sci-fi fans for her role of TV space mom Maureen Robinson in the ’60s series Lost in Space, Lockhart told me recently that the NASA recognition was a highlight of her long career, which includes a Tony Award, an Emmy nomination, and a couple of stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. “I was presented with the Exceptional Public Achievement Medal for my work with the space agency,” she explained. “I’ve been to two space shuttle launches and worked with NASA since the 1970s, addressing their employees and traveling on NASA’s behalf to promote the agency. “So I’m absolutely thrilled by this recognition,” she said. “No other actress has received this honor.” One of her memorable experiences occurred during a space shuttle mission in 1992. “I called NASA one day and spoke with astronaut Ken Reightler and told him I had a good wake-up song for them to use,” recalled Lockhart. She was referring to “The World is Waiting for the Sunrise,” a catchy ’50s hit by Les Paul and Mary Ford. The song held special significance because the lyrics were written by her father, beloved character actor Gene Lockhart. “So I went to mission control in Houston, and at around 2 a.m. they
The1960 cast of Lassie. Pictured are June Lockhart, Hugh Reilly, Jon Provost, and Lassie.
Publicity photo of Guy Williams and June Lockhart promoting their roles on the television series Lost in Space. National Symphony Orchestra Conductor Emil de Cou, right, listens to Lockhart introduce a set of space-themed music during the “Salute to Apollo” ceremony at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
played the song for the crew of the Columbia mission,” she explained. “Then a voice from space came over the speaker: ‘Some of us up here want to know what Lassie’s mother is doing in mission control at 2 o’clock in the morning!’” Lassie, one of TV’s longest-running shows (1954-1973), was Lockhart’s other big hit in which she dispensed maternal wisdom, this time for six seasons as a farm mom. Later, she morphed from matriarch to medic as Dr. Janet Craig for three seasons on Petticoat Junction. “Petticoat Junction was a delight to do
with wonderful scripts,” said Lockhart. “It was great playing comedy after Lost in Space, which was more dramatic, and Lassie, which didn’t have many laughs.” On the big screen, 12-year-old Lockhart made her debut in the 1938 holiday classic A Christmas Carol, alongside both her parents, Gene and Kathleen Lockhart, who played the Cratchits. While she went on to costar with greats such as Gary Cooper in Sergeant York and Judy Garland in Meet Me in St. Louis, A Christmas Carol is special since it was the only time she appeared with her parents in a motion picture.
Thomas’ features and columns have appeared in more than 300 magazines and newspapers, and he is the author of Raised by the Stars, published by McFarland. He can be reached at his blog: http://getnickt.blogspot.com
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But it was memorable for other reasons, too. “My daughter, Junie, and granddaughter, Christianna, have never let me forget that the first words I ever spoke in movies were: ‘I know, I know– sausages!’” said Lockhart, referring to her on-screen guess for the contents of a food package Mr. Cratchit brings home. “We all shriek with laugher when we watch it now.” In addition to being an advocate for NASA and many other causes, Lockhart continues to work and co-starred in the comedy spoof Zombie Hamlet, which had its world premiere at the 2012 Palm Beach International Film Festival and was released on DVD in December 2013. In 2013, she appeared in the interactive movie series Tex Murphy, a gaming platform that combines animation with full-motion video of real actors. “That was a new experience, and I really enjoyed it. And in December, I also celebrated my 80th year as a paid performer in the business! I made my debut at the age of 8 in Peter Ibbetson at the Metropolitan Opera House.” While actors are used to receiving accolades for career milestones, Lockhart admits to still being quite overwhelmed by the NASA recognition and is, she says, “over the moon about it!” Congratulations, Mrs. Robinson!
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Veterans’ expo and Job Fair H November 14, 2014 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Eden Resort • 222 Eden Road, Lancaster
They served us — now let us serve them! Reserve your space today! The Expo brings federal, state, and local agencies together with area businesses to provide information and resources to veterans and their families. The Job Fair brings veterans and spouses who need jobs together with employers who can benefit from this rich source of talent to aid their organizations.
2 events — 1 location At the Expo
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Veterans Benefits & Services Community Services Thank-a-Vet Participants Medical/Nonmedical Resources Products and Services Available Support/Assistance Programs
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