Chester County Edition
August 2012
Vol. 9 No. 8
Growing Community Spirit One Garden at a Time By Katie Weeber Some people enjoy plants, purchasing a few potted blooms each summer to decorate their backyards, while others are born with natural green thumbs. Francesca McNichol is one of the latter. McNichol has been using her greenery prowess to grow a new crop of gardeners. As a member of a local garden club, McNichol has helped organize and run several successful gardening initiatives that have brought the knowledge of growing living things to adults and children alike, including a community garden and a junior gardening class for inner-city youth. McNichol’s introduction to gardening came naturally, starting with her childhood home on Long Island, N.Y. “My mother loved roses. When I was younger, she had a beautiful rose garden,” McNichol said. In addition to the rose garden, there was a rock garden and other beautiful, growing plants that McNichol’s mother cultivated around their home. When she was 19 years old, McNichol’s older brother purchased a farm in upstate New York. He and his wife became avid gardeners caring for the property, and McNichol spent most of her summers sharing in their labors. please see GARDEN page 12 McNichol in the wooden gazebo positioned in the center of the 127-bed community garden she helped to organize.
Inside:
Second Opinions: When to Get One page 2
Traveltizers: All-Important China page 8
Savvy Senior
Second Opinions: Why Many Seniors Don’t, but Should, Get One Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior, Are second medical opinions worth the trouble or risk of offending your doctor? And does Medicare cover them? – Nervous Nelly
the first, it can give you reassurance. Who Pays In most cases, Medicare pays for second opinions under Part B and will even pay for a third opinion if the first two differ. Most Medicare Advantage plans also cover second opinions, but some plans will require a referral first from your primary physician. If you have private insurance, you’ll need to check with your insurance provider.
Dear Nelly, Yes! A second opinion is good medicine and your right as a patient. Besides, good doctors welcome second opinions and will even offer referrals to help you get one. If they don’t, you probably ought to find another doctor. Here’s what you should know.
When to Ask
Second Opinions There’s a mountain of evidence that shows that second opinions save lives, prevent mistakes, and cut costs. Yet most older patients choose not to get them because they’re either afraid of offending their doctor, don’t want to hassle with it,
The key times you should seek a second opinion are when: or fear their insurance won’t cover it. But getting a second opinion from a different doctor may offer you a fresh perspective, new information, and
additional options for treating your condition so you can make a more informed decision. Or, if the second doctor agrees with
• Your doctor suggests surgery. You should always question elective procedures, especially if a less invasive alternative is available.
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• You’re diagnosed with a life-threatening disease such as cancer or heart disease. • You’re not getting any better. • Your regular doctor can’t diagnose your problem. • You’re having trouble talking with your current doctor. • You’re having multiple medical problems. Where to Look When you opt for a second opinion, you can ask your first doctor for a referral or, if that makes you uncomfortable, seek one on your own. Whatever route you choose, it’s best to go with a doctor that has extensive
experience in treating your condition and one that’s affiliated with a different practice or hospital than your original doctor. Hospitals and practices can be set in their ways when it comes to treatments and are likely to offer similar advice. Physicians from research and teaching hospitals are smart choices, especially for rare or complicated conditions, because of their ongoing research and expertise in specific areas of medicine. To locate and research potential doctors, the American Medical Association (www.ama-assn.org) and the American Osteopathic Association (www.osteopathic.org) offer free doctorfinding services that list virtually every licensed physician in the U.S.
Another good resource is Health Grades (www.healthgrades.com), which provides detailed reports on doctors for a small fee. Also see Vitals.com, a free service that lets you search for top-rated doctors based on their training, expertise, consumer ratings, and recommendations from other doctors. Online Advice If you’re having a hard time finding or getting to another doctor for a second opinion, consider the Internet. Yes, Webbased second opinions are now available from top medical centers that allow you to consult with medical experts regardless of where they’re located. The cost for this online advice ranges
between $500 and $1,000 and is usually not covered by insurance or Medicare. Savvy Tips: Before you get a second opinion, you’ll need to have your doctor’s office send your medical records ahead to the second doctor (you may have to pick them up and deliver them yourself ), and be sure he or she knows about your original diagnosis and the course of treatment recommended by your first doctor. If they disagree, you may want to seek that third opinion, or go back to your original doctor for further consultation. Jim Miller is a regular contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior Book. www.savvysenior.org.
Resource Directory This Resource Directory recognizes advertisers who have made an extended commitment to your health and well-being.
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 Central PA Poison Center (800) 521-6110 Office of Aging (610) 344-6350/(800) 692-1100 Eye Care Services Chester County Eye Care Associates (484) 723-2055 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 Arthritis Foundation (215) 665-9200 Center for Disease Control Prevention (888) 232-3228
Housing
Pharmacies
Eastwood Village Homes, LLC (717) 397-3138 Housing Assistance Community Impact Legal Services (610) 380-7111 Housing Authority of Chester County (610) 436-9200 Housing Authority of Phoenixville (610) 933-8801 Legal Services Lawyer Referral Service (610) 429-1500
Domestic Violence (800) 799-7233
Legal Aid of Southeastern PA (610) 436-4510
National Osteoporosis Foundation (800) 223-9994 PACE (800) 225-7223
Nutrition Meals on Wheels Chester County Inc. (610) 430-8500 Pennsylvania Hunger Action Center (800) 366-3997 Office of Aging Chester County Department of Aging Services (610) 344-6350
Senior Healthlink (610) 431-1852 Social Security Administration (800) 772-1213 Southeastern PA Medical Institute (610) 446-0662
Physicians Gateway Medical Associates (610) 423-8181 Senior Centers Coatesville (610) 383-6900 Downingtown (610) 269-3939 Great Valley (610) 647-1311
Coatesville VA Medical Center (610) 383-7711
Gateway Medical Associates (610) 594-7590
CVS/pharmacy www.cvs.com
Orthotics & Prosthetics
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
Ability Prosthetics and Orthotics, Inc. (610) 873-6733
Not an all-inclusive list of advertisers in your area.
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Salute to a Veteran
The Bomb Dump on Saipan Blew Up in His Face
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August 2012
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Robert D. Wilcox hen Huie Petty grew up manual he took from a dead approach no closer than 1,000 yards in Illinois, he was part of Japanese soldier, learning from a from shore. From there, most of the a family of eight boys. Japanese lady who translated it for Marines waded ashore through Two of the boys died early. The him many years after the war that it waist-deep water over piercing, other six all served in combat was the Japanese Field Service razor-sharp coral. Others boarded overseas during World War II … Code—Senjinkun—issued to small, rubber boats and paddled a two in the Army, two in the Navy, Japanese soldiers. It specifically mile to the shore. and two in the Marines. forbade retreat or surrender. Many Marines were lost in the Petty says, “I always wanted to be Petty says, “The Japanese weren’t effort to man those boats in the a Marine.” Of course, he didn’t the only danger on Guadalcanal, choppy water. Petty was one of six know much about what a real however. Almost the entire division Marines on one such boat, and it Marine did. But, one day, he was contracted malaria, and we were all took them a full six hours to reach about to find out. the beach just as night fell. When World War II They entered by a lagoon broke out, he promptly other Marines had cleared went to Chicago and earlier. Japanese had gone out to enlisted in the Marine vessels that had been destroyed Corps. After boot camp in by the coral reefs. There, they San Diego, he was assigned fired at the backs of the landing to the 2nd Marine Division troops, and, because it was now and shipped off to New dark, lead was firing everywhere. Zealand. Why New The Japanese commander Zealand? had told his troops, “It would “Because,” he says, “the take 1 million men 100 years” Japanese owned the rest of to conquer Tarawa. It took the the Pacific. Even Australia Marines three days, although had been bombed.” Corporal Huie Petty, after discharge from the Marine incurring nearly 3,000 So the job of the casualties. Of the 4,700 Corps at Quantico after World War II. Marines was to help take Japanese defenders, only 17 back the Pacific, a vast and survived. highly problematic job. returned to New Zealand to The division was sent to Hawaii After more training, the 2nd recuperate.” The whole division had to recuperate for seven months; then Division left for Guadalcanal to it? “Well,” he says, “I never knew they were sent to invade Saipan. It reinforce the 1st Marine Division and anyone who didn’t have it.” was supposed to be easy. There were the Army troops who had driven the When they were fit again, it was no atolls, so the Higgins boats were Japanese from the airfield that they on to Tarawa, a tiny atoll whose able to approach the beach and drop then named Henderson Field. main island was 2 miles long but the ramps from which the troops Guadalcanal was of immense only 800 yards wide at the widest streamed. Eight thousand Marines strategic importance, since the part. It was important because it had were landed from more than 300 Japanese who occupied it could to be taken in order to launch the LVTs during the first two hours after attack supply routes between the invasion of the heavily defended dawn on June 15, 1944. U.S., Australia, and New Zealand. Marianas Islands, which stood in the The battle was fierce during the The 1st Marines had suffered large way of our setting up forward air next three weeks until it ended with losses in the invasion, and, by the bases capable of supporting a final suicidal banzai charge by time Petty and his division arrived, operations across the mid-Pacific to 3,000 Japanese. Almost the entire remaining resistance was from the Philippines and into Japan. garrison of at least 30,000 Japanese Japanese stragglers who, although Tarawa proved a horrible place to died, while, of the 71,000 of our virtually starving and existing by fight. Taking it produced one of the troops who landed, 2,949 were eating roots, still fought tenaciously, fiercest and bloodiest battles in killed and 10,464 were wounded. preferring to die rather than Marine Corps history. Anticipating And it was there that Petty’s war surrender. an invasion, the Japanese had ended. Exploding ammo from a All told, 1,592 American troops worked intensely for nearly a year to bomb dump caused head injuries died on Guadalcanal, and 4,183 fortify the island, building 500 and burst both his ear drums. With were wounded. The Japanese lost pillboxes, many of which were blood streaming down his face, he 14,800 in battle and 9,000 from reinforced with cement. was evacuated to a hospital in disease. Because of coral atolls that ringed Hawaii … and then to the Marine Petty has today the pocket the island, the Higgins boats could Detachment at the Naval Academy
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in Annapolis, where he was an outpatient. He was selected to attend Officer Candidate School at Quantico, but partway through, the atomic bombs dropped on Japan brought the war to an end, and his training was terminated. Petty left the Marines as a corporal and entered the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy. After a few years as a pharmacist, he became a medical representative of Sterling Drug for 25
years before retiring in 1977. He lives today with his collection of war memorabilia. On the table sits his well-worn cap with the legend, “Once a Marine, always a Marine.” When asked if that’s true, he looks at you sharply, and then with a thin smile says, “You better believe it.” Colonel Wilcox flew a B-17 bomber in Europe in World War II.
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Saralee Perel y husband, Bob, has gone so far as to name our car. He calls it Old Yeller. Whenever I suggest it’s time to retire it, he lovingly pets the steering wheel and asks, “You mean destroy Old Yeller?” We have a 1970-something yellowish Chevy Blazer. I can see the street whizzing by through the holes in the floorboard. I hear little clinking sounds whenever we drive, and if I look out the rear view, I see tiny pieces of Old Yeller leaving a wake behind us. I really hate this car. “It’s time,” I gently said to Bob last month, as we pulled in our driveway and the door handle came off in my hand. “Great!” he said and jumped out of the car. “I’ll start the gas grill.” I brushed clumps of foam rubber (the insides of the seat) off my pants. We went in the house. “You know what I mean,” I said. “A woodworking show’s on,” he said, and picked up the remote. “Sweetheart.” I took the remote. “Old Yeller’s had a really good life.” “He just needs a tune-up, that’s all.” He picked up the keys. “It put itself into park while we were driving 30 miles per hour.” “He stalled,” he said, fondling the keys. “It stopped, Bob. My forehead’s still bleeding.” He stood and looked out the front
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door. “I can’t,” he whispered. “It’ll be humane, honey.” “No it won’t,” he said. “No ceremony, no remorse. Nothing. Just a push of a lever and Old Yeller’s squashed like a pancake and dumped in somebody’s scrap heap.” Late that night, I heard him get out of bed and head to the kitchen. I put on my robe and tiptoed in. He was pouring himself a shot of whiskey from a bottle we’ve had over 10 years. He drank it in one gulp. After he finished his coughing fit, I held his hand. He said, “If anybody’s going to put Old Yeller to sleep, it will have to be me.” I knew then: I had to go against his wishes and take Old Yeller myself. The next day, I drove the Chevy away and got back to the house around noon. “It was quick, Bob. Painless.” “Old Yeller …” he moaned. Then he went back to the whiskey bottle, picked it up, changed his mind, and put it down. He opened the freezer and found a bag of mini Milky Ways and began stuffing five in his mouth at a time. “Honey. Don’t do this to yourself.” I tried to take the bag away but he grabbed it and ran out of the room, but not before snatching the peanut butter and Ritz crackers. It took two weeks to get Bob back on
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August 2012
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CCRC Continuing Care Retirement Communities CCRCs (Continuing Care Retirement Communities) have so much to offer the vibrant, active, semi- or retired individuals of today. These communities present a variety of residential living options in addition to comprehensive medical and nursing services. Residents move between independent living, personal care or assisted living, and nursing care based on changing needs. CCRCs can range from all-inclusive monthly rates to pay-as-you-go or fee-for-service. These communities may also offer scheduled activities, programs, swimming pools, banks, chapels, fitness centers, walking paths, computer rooms, and more. More important, these communities strive to provide the best in care, which includes a professional staff.
The CCRC Communities listed are sponsoring this message.
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August 2012
Bethany Village 325 Wesley Drive Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 Stephanie Lightfoot Director of Sales & Marketing (717) 766-0279 www.bethanyvillage.org
The Middletown Home 999 West Harrisburg Pike Middletown, PA 17057 Jennifer Binecz Director of Residential Services (717) 944-3351 www.middletownhome.org
Calvary Fellowship Homes 502 Elizabeth Drive Lancaster, PA 17601 Marlene Morris Marketing Director (717) 393-0711 www.calvaryhomes.org
Normandie Ridge Senior Living Community 1700 Normandie Drive York, PA 17408 Joyce Singer Director of Marketing (717) 718-0937 www.normandieridge.org
Ephrata Manor 99 Bethany Road Ephrata, PA 17522 Admissions Department (717) 738-4940 www.ucc-homes.org Garden Spot Village 433 South Kinzer Avenue New Holland, PA 17557 Scott Miller Director of Marketing (717) 355-6000 www.gardenspotvillage.org Homeland Center 1901 North Fifth Street Harrisburg, PA 17102-1598 Barry S. Ramper II, N.H.A. President/CEO (717) 221-7902 www.homelandcenter.org Homestead Village Enhanced Senior Living 1800 Marietta Avenue P.O. Box 3227 Lancaster, PA 17604-3227 Susan L. Doyle Director of Marketing (717) 397-4831 ext. 158 www.homesteadvillage.org
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Willow Valley Retirement Communities 600 Willow Valley Square Lancaster, PA 17604 Kristin Hambleton Sales Manager (717) 464-6800 (800) 770-5445 www.willowvalleyretirement.com Woodcrest Villa Mennonite Home Communities 2001 Harrisburg Pike Lancaster, PA 17601 Connie Buckwalter Director of Marketing (717) 390-4126 www.woodcrestvilla.org Woodland Heights Retirement Community 2499 Zerbe Road Narvon, PA 17555 Lynne A. Bickta Director of Marketing and Sales (717) 445-8741 www.retireatwoodlandheights.com
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Volunteer Spotlight
Angela Atwater
Ted Kircher
Angela Atwater, Ted Kircher, and Ann Paton were honored as Tel Hai Retirement Community’s spotlight volunteers for the second quarter of 2012. Honey Brook resident Angela Atwater has committed three days each week for the past five years in service to local seniors on campus. Atwater escorts residents to and from rehabilitation, makes “friendly visits” to persons in the healthcare center, assists dining services staff at mealtime, or joins activities staff by participating in recreational activities with residents. Ted Kircher, a Tel Hai cottage resident, served on the technology committee, studied energy usage, and supported the adoption of recycling efforts on campus. Kircher was also a
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Ann Paton
proponent of additional volunteer training. His success procuring IBM grants has led to the addition of personal computers, Robo Pong equipment, and an iPad. Leading the Great Decisions Discussion Group offers yet another way to keep peers engaged and “up to speed” in this age of rapid change. Ann Paton is a Delaware County native who has called Tel Hai home for 2.5 years. A retired educator and administrator, Paton greets folks at the reception desk, plays bridge with residents in personal care, and supports the marketing department. She is also a Peer to Peer volunteer who hosts, tours, and shares with guests the benefits of Tel Hai life, and her organizational skills have enabled her to chair multiple large events on campus.
L to R, standing: Drs. M.Ward, R.Ward, J. DeStafeno, J. Boyd; sitting: Drs. B. Saran, B. Stark, R. Liss
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Do you know a 50+ volunteer who gives selflessly to others? Tell us what makes him or her so special and we will consider them for 50plus Senior News’ Volunteer Spotlight! Submissions should be 200 words or fewer and photos are encouraged. Email preferred to mjoyce@onlinepub.com or mail nominations to 50plus Senior News, Volunteer Spotlight, 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512.
CHEVY
What about
Financial Insurance?
from page 5
track. And that happened yesterday. He was still in bed at 11 o’clock when I called him to come into the living room. He was a wreck. Unshaven. Dirty. I wiped the chocolate off his lip. “There’s something for you outside.” “I need marshmallow fluff,” he said. I took his hand and led him out the front door. In the driveway was a car covered by a big brown tarp that I theatrically removed. There, all shiny and bright yellow, was the Blazer. New mirrors, chrome, paint, engine, transmission, and sparkling hub caps. Painted in script on the side was, of www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
course, Old Yeller. Bob was overwhelmed, to say the least. He opened the door and saw the beautiful upholstered seats. Although he was too moved to say anything, I got the biggest hug in history. And though Bob refers to this as one of the best days of his life, I know it couldn’t have been half as good as it was for me. Saralee Perel is an award-winning, nationally syndicated columnist. Her new book is Cracked Nuts & Sentimental Journeys: Stories From a Life Out of Balance. To find out more, visit www.saraleeperel.com or email sperel@saraleeperel.com.
Experts are agreeing that gold and silver have another 10 years to grow.
CALL (877)219-0763 NOW FOR YOUR FREE EDUCATIONAL GUIDE TODAY! 50plus SeniorNews
August 2012
7
Travel Appetizers: Stories that Whet the Appetite for Travel
Traveltizers
All-Important China By Andrea Gross Students welcome American visitors to their classroom.
’m reading the newspaper when I realize that there are almost as many articles about Beijing as there are about Washington, DC. That’s when it hits me. If one of the main purposes—and pleasures—of travel is education, then I have to go to China. I need to learn more about the country whose actions will affect the way I live and, more importantly, the way my children will live. A friend recommends China Spree, a company that offers 12-day tours to Beijing and Shanghai that include air from San Francisco; all meals, admissions, and transportation within China; guide service; and, as I soon find out, very nice hotels. I do the math. Why, I can visit China for not a lot more than I’d have to pay for an all-inclusive two-week vacation in California. I take a deep breath and sign on the dotted line. In Beijing our guide leads our small
I
The Forbidden City was home to 24 emperors during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The Great Wall was built to protect China from nomadic tribes to its north.
group to the must-sees: Tiananmen Square, where Mao proclaimed the birth of the People’s Republic of China in 1949; the Forbidden City, which was home to 24 emperors; and, of course, the Great Wall, which was designed to protect the country against foreign invaders. To learn about more current endeavors, we visit a jade factory, a silk factory, a tea plantation, and an herbal medicine museum. But my favorite moments occur when we mingle with ordinary folks, like the 76-year-old woman who hosts us for lunch. She shows us her home, which is in a hutong, one of Beijing’s fastdisappearing old neighborhoods. The next day we visit a park where we see seniors doing tai chi, dancing, fencing, and matchmaking. Their children, explains our guide, work such long hours that they don’t have time to search for a spouse. Therefore, the parents must help. They make big signs proclaiming their child’s attributes and
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network with other parents. If the seniors spot a potential match, they arrange a date for their children. It’s a low-tech eHarmony. My husband and I deliberately chose an itinerary that included two free days for personal exploration. In Beijing we go to the Art District, where world-class galleries occupy Communist-era factory buildings. One heart-stopping exhibition focuses on prostitution; another has a disturbing display of soldiers toting machine guns camouflaged by flowers. There’s no thought suppression here. In Shanghai, the energy is palpable. We walk along the riverfront, through a shopping thoroughfare, and over to a public park that has carnival-style rides. After visiting a market, we go to an acrobatic show. Our days are packed. During our free day, we explore two contrasting neighborhoods: a workingclass area filled with small, slightly grubby shops and the French Concession, which has upscale boutiques and trendy restaurants. Our guides are remarkably forthcoming. They criticize their government but at the same time make clear that they admire it. They say that a U.S.-style democracy could never work in China because there are too many people.
Shanghai’s Nanjing Road attracts a humongous number of shoppers, especially during weekends and holidays.
Beijing’s streets are a mix of old and new.
Shanghai’s waterfront is the face of modern China.
They speak to us about China’s onechild policy, religion, education, medical care, the lack of a social safety net, and, most of all, how hard they have to work in order to survive. “We work much harder than people in
America,” says Chang.* We’re amazed at their misconceptions. Chang owns a condominium, can afford to fly his family from his village on the Yangtze to Shanghai for a holiday, and has a car that he bought new two years
ago. His daughter has a new iPad as well as an iPod. I tell him that this is more than many people his age in the United States can afford, and yes, they work as many or more hours than he does. Another guide dreams of living on Wisteria Lane, the home of ABC’s Desperate Housewives, and we realize how television shapes Chinese views of the United States as well as our views of China. This, says my husband, is why it’s important for people to travel, to see things for themselves. We’re aware that we saw only two cities, and we spoke with only a handful of people. We didn’t visit the countryside, which, despite China’s rapid urbanization, is still home to the majority of the population. We didn’t visit the factory towns that are churning out goods that are flooding the world’s markets. That will have to wait until next time. But in the meantime, we treasure the glimpse we got of a country that is, and will continue to be, a major player on the world’s stage. Photos © Irv Green; story by Andrea Gross (www.andreagross.com).
*Name has been changed
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GARDEN
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She has very fond memories of those summers, including times picking blackberries that would later be used to make baked goods. It is from her experiences on her brother’s farm that McNichol believes her interest in flower gardening comes. After their marriage, McNichol and her husband, Bill, lived in an apartment, which limited McNichol’s ability to garden. Eventually, they moved into a house on the south shore of Long Island, where McNichol was able to put in an expansive garden that included flowers, vegetables, and grapes. “People would come by and remark that I had a beautiful garden,” said McNichol. When the company that Bill had worked for in New York went bankrupt, the couple relocated to Pennsylvania, where McNichol became involved with the local garden club—and she was no ordinary member. McNichol has held almost every position available at the club, from secretary to vice president. “You name it, I did it,” McNichol said.
After her success with that garden project, McNichol was asked to act as chairman for the garden club’s Junior Gardening Committee. McNichol agreed, on the condition that she could establish a garden at a community nonprofit YWCA Junior Gardeners showing the fruits organization so she could work (or veggies) of their labor at the with inner-city youth. Ribbon Cutting Day ceremony in June 2012. McNichol worked with the Flowers and vegetable plants coexist happily at staff at the nonprofit the Penn-Cumberland Garden Club’s community organization to apply for garden at the Ames True Temper site. funding for the garden. After receiving a private family donation, they were able to put in a number of garden plots, surrounded by The garden is a split rail fence with rabbit proofing. outfitted with hoses McNichol and her class of 30 students, that are connected to ranging from kindergarteners to sixth the water lines of the corporate office graders, tend the plots. building, which help In addition to gardening, McNichol’s the gardeners enjoy students are exposed to a world of prolific yields from information about the environment and their plots. how it works. Their projects have included building birdhouses and maintaining a worm farm and compost What makes McNichol such a of the group’s largest initiatives. pile to help fertilize the garden plots. valuable asset to the garden club is her In the winter of 2010, an area Thanks to some shelving donated by ability to organize and champion many company that has produced gardening Home Depot, the class was able to begin tools since the 1700s, asked for help with growing plants indoors over the winter of a community garden project. The 2011 and has since moved them outside. company had $100,000 and a 1.7-acre “They made wonderful arrangements plot of empty land next to its temporary out of greens and flowers that they headquarters. brought home during Christmastime,” The CEO of the company at the time McNichol said. had envisioned using the money and the The students also received information land to establish a community garden about nutrition from Giant Foods’ that the garden club would then manage nutritionist. They even had a class and maintain. dedicated to sampling fruits and Our Doctors of Audiology The garden contains 127 raised beds vegetables, many of them unique and are devoted to improving and is outfitted with hoses, connected to new to the children. The students were the lives of our patients the water lines of the corporate office asked to close their eyes and eat a piece of by providing compassionate care building, and a gardening shed filled the fruit or vegetable, focusing on the and comprehensive solutions with all the tools a gardener could texture and taste. They then wrote poems for each person’s unique type possibly need. about the experience. and degree of hearing loss. Community gardeners, therefore, The class has also been enjoying the need only bring their seeds and a fruits of their labor. willingness to work to have a successful “The children have already been eating Dispensing all types and models of hearing aids plot. what they have been growing,” McNichol A set of rules and regulations was said. Financing plan available established and gardeners signed up for a She is very proud of her class and all Price match guarantee specified plot. In addition, she helped that they have learned, including the organize bimonthly gardening talks, basic principles of permaculture (a 30-day trial period on all hearing aids inviting local gardening experts to give method of sustainable living that can be 2-year warranty including follow-up appointments lectures and hold discussions for the applied to countless aspects of human community garden members. life). Call for an appointment! “It turned out to be an incredible McNichol receives the loving support success,” McNichol said. “We had no of her husband, Bill, and son, Tim. Tim 610.363.2532 idea we would be able to fill [all the is a professional beach volleyball player plots] up. We opened up May 1, and by who has inherited his mother’s love of Four office locations in Exton,West Chester, May 31, there was not a plot left in the flowers. McNichol is certain that when Coatesville, and Kennett Square. garden. As of now, we have a three-year he settles down and marries, he will have www.entacc.com waiting list.” a beautiful garden of his own.
Super Summer Hearing Aid Sale!
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August 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 Aug. 3, 9 a.m. – Coatesville Farmers Market Tour with Jenn Aug. 9, 1 p.m. – Make-n-Take Candle Holders Aug. 23, 1 p.m. – Easy, Healthy Cooking
Aug. 3, 9 to 10 p.m. – Owl Hike, Springton Manor Farm Aug. 4, 9 to 10:30 a.m. – Kestrels at Wolf ’s Hollow, Wolf ’s Hollow County Park Aug. 11, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. – 84th Annual Old Fiddlers’ Picnic, Hibernia 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 Aug. 1, 6 p.m. Memory Loss and Dementia Support Group Sunrise Assisted Living of Paoli 324 W. Lancaster Ave., Malvern (610) 251-9994
Aug. 7, 2 p.m. Grief Support Group Phoenixville Senior Center 153 Church St., Phoenixville (610) 327-7216 Aug. 8, noon Family Caregiver Support Group Sarah Care 425 Technology Drive, Suite 200 Malvern (610) 251-0801
Community Programs Aug. 4 and 18, 5 to 10 p.m. Bingo Nights Marine Corps League Detachment 430 Chestnut St., Downingtown (610) 431-2234 Aug. 6, 6:30 p.m. Exton PC Club – Safe Online Banking Chester County Library Struble Room 450 Exton Square Parkway, Exton (484) 876-1221 www.extonpc.org Aug. 7, 11:30 a.m. West Chester University Retirees Luncheon Old Country Buffet 1090 E. Lancaster Ave., Downingtown (610) 269-1503
Aug. 13 and 27, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Caregiver Support Group Adult Care of Chester County 201 Sharp Lane, Exton (610) 363-8044 Aug. 21, 6 p.m. Family Caregiver Support Group Sunrise of Westtown 501 Skiles Blvd., West Chester (610) 399-4464
Free and open to the public Aug. 14, 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 Aug. 15 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
Aug. 15, 6 to 8 p.m. Medicare 101 Presentation by APPRISE Program Kennett Area Senior Center 427 S. Walnut St., Kennett Square (610) 444-4819
Downingtown Senior Center – (610) 269-3939 983 E. Lancaster Ave., Downingtown – http://home.ccil.org/~dasc 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 Aug. 7, 10 to 11 a.m. – Long-Term Care Seminar Aug. 12 and 26, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. – Latin Dancing and Lessons Aug. 15, 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. – Kennett Symphony Percussion Ensemble 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
If you have an event you would like to include, please email information to mjoyce@onlinepub.com for consideration.
Just a snippet of what you may be missing … please call or visit their website for more information.
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The Politics of Cars In this election year, pollsters and political strategists are looking at all kinds of data to determine trends and attitudes. A two-year study by the research group Strategic Vision, for example, looked at how your choice of car correlates with your political affiliation. The results: www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Top five cars driven by Republicans Ford Mustang Convertible Audi A8 Mercedes GL Ford Expedition Ford F-150
Top five cars driven by Democrats Honda Civic Hybrid Volvo C30 Nissan Leaf Acura TSX Wagon Ford Fiesta Sedan
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A-1 DONATE YOUR CAR! Breast Cancer Research Foundation! Most highly rated breast cancer charity in America! Tax Deductible/Fast Free Pick Up. 1-800-771-9551 www.carsforbreastcancer.org
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CARS/TRUCKS WANTED! Top $$$$$ PAID! Running or Not, All Years, Makes, Models. Free Towing! We're Local! 7 Days/Week. Call Toll Free: 1-888-416-2330
HELP WANTED
DONATE A CAR - HELP CHILDREN FIGHTING DIABETES. Fast, Free Towing. Call 7 days/week. Non-runners OK. Tax Deductible. Call Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation 1-800-578-0408
Mystery Shoppers Needed Earn up to $150 per day Undercover Shoppers Needed to Judge Retail & Dining Establishments Experience Not Required Call Now 888-380-3513
DONATE YOUR CAR to CANCER FUND of AMERICA to help SUPPORT CANCER PATIENTS. Tax Deductible. Next Day Towing. Receive Vacation Voucher. Call 7 Days 1-800-835-9372 DONATE YOUR CAR to CHILDREN'S CANCER FUND of AMERICA and help end CHILDHOOD CANCER. Tax Deductible. Next Day Towing. Receive Vacation Voucher. 7 Days 1-800-469-8593 CASH FOR CARS: All Cars/Trucks Wanted. Running or Not! Top Dollar Paid. We Come To You! Any Make/Model. Call For Instant Offer: 1-800-864-5960 WANTED JAPANESE MOTORCYCLE KAWASAKI 1967-1980 Z1-900, KZ900, KZ1000, ZIR, KZ1000MKII, W1-650, H1-500, H2-750, S1-250, S2-350, S3-400 Suzuki GS400, GT380, CB750 CASH PAID. FREE NATIONAL PICKUP. 1-800-772-1142, 1-310-721-0726 usa@classicrunners.com Miscellaneous Purchasing and preserving all sorts of military items. World War I, World War II, Civil War, etc. US, German, Japanese, etc. All items cared for to preserve their history. Buying uniforms, patches, metals, badges, helmets, daggers, swords, aviation items, paper items, photo albums, German and Japanese war souvenirs, flags, arm bands, and many other items. Not sure if I can use? Contact me, I will discuss. Call Don at 717-467-5286. **OLD GUITARS WANTED!** Fender, Gibson, Martin, Gretsch, Prairie State, Euphonon, Larson, D'Angelico, Stromberg, Rickenbacker, and Mosrite. Gibson Mandolins/Banjos. 1930's thru 1970's TOP CASH PAID! 1-800-401-0440
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Freedom Village Awards Scholarships
Address: ______________________________________________________ City:__________________________State: _____ Zip: _________________
Please specify edition: Chester Cumberland
Dauphin
Lancaster Lebanon York
Celebrate Those Strongly Tied Knots! Amy McGrory
Amanda Henderson
Briana Green
Rachel Kauffman
Laura Marie Martin
Shannon M. Kidd
Porsha E. Barbosa
Jacob Helliar
At a recent luncheon held in their honor, Freedom Village announced eight scholarship winners, who were awarded scholarship checks and framed certificates commemorating the event. The funds for the scholarship awards are taken from the Freedom Village Scholarship Fund, which are funds donated by residents and others for the purpose of awarding these annual scholarship(s) to worthy employees who apply. Awards are based on scholastics, outside activities, years of service, financial need, and
employment standing. The awards this year went to: Amy McGrory, hospitality department and skilled nursing facility; Amanda Henderson, dining services department; Briana Green, healthcare dining department; Rachel Kauffman, dining services department; Laura Marie Martin, activities department at The Gardens and Inn; Shannon M. Kidd, skilled nursing department; Porsha E. Barbosa, skilled nursing department; and Jacob Helliar, dining services department.
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