Dauphin County Edition
August 2012
Vol. 14 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 16 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 4
She Served in the British and Israeli Armies page 10
Book Review
Raw Nerves
A Legacy of Service Funerals • Cremation • Pre-Planning
By Saralee Perel
Ask about our: Cremation with Memorial Service Package - $2,485 Sunset Funeral Package - $3,885 Traditional Funeral Package - $4,485 Cremation with Traditional Funeral Package - $4,485 Dale A. Auer, Supervisor 4100 Jonestown Road • Harrisburg, PA 17109
(717) 545-4001
A great place to call home — or the care needed to remain at home. Will they think of you?
Call about Early Bird Savings! Must reserve by Aug. 24, 2012
ape Cod psychiatrist Dr. Sophie Green is a hypochondriac and a compulsive eater who comically quells her conflicts with leftovers. Now, Sophie has a problem of her own: One of her patients wants her dead. There’s Elizabeth, whose abusive husband blames Sophie for his wife’s independence. There’s Gracie, who is involved with a menacingly brilliant psychiatrist, and there’s Charlie, a man with obsessive-compulsive disorder who thinks he’s in love with Sophie. This is not your classic whodunit. For more information, visit her
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website, www.saraleeperel.com. Raw Nerves is available via Amazon.com. About the Author Saralee Perel is an award-winning, nationally syndicated columnist. She is a regular contributor to Chicken Soup for the Soul and has been published in many of the nation’s leading magazines and newspapers, including 50plus Senior News. Although Saralee, a psychotherapist, claims that the central character, a neurotic psychiatrist, is not autobiographically inspired, readers who know her insist she is lying.
• Active adult and residential living • Independent and retirement living communities • Assisted living residences and personal care homes
Calling All Authors If you have written and published a book and would like 50plus Senior News to feature a Book Review, please submit a synopsis of the book (350 words or fewer) and a short autobiography (80 words or fewer). A copy of the book is required for review. Discretion is advised.
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Please, Join Us! Cumberland County
omen’s Expo
The premier women’s expo in the Capital area will feature exhibitors, demonstrations, shopping, and information that encompasses many aspects of a woman’s life, including: Beauty Home Health & Wellness Shopping Fashion Finance Technology Nutrition
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August 2012
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and more! November 3, 2012 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Carlisle Expo Center 100 K Street, Carlisle, PA
Register today and get in free! ($5 at the door)
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NurseNews
Visual Examples Prove Persuasive Gloria May, M.S., R.N., CHES
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ack is my friend Jenny’s companion. He’s a big bear kind of guy, handsome, but with dangerously high blood pressure, and he carries an extra 40 pounds. If it weren’t so potentially threatening to his life and independence, it would be amusing the way he dismisses his hypertension. He’ll say it’s “white coat syndrome,” meaning it reflects the anxiety of seeing a doctor but which, away from the doctor’s office, is “just fine.” Or he’ll excuse it away as the
Jenny told me that Jack saw a new doctor in the practice who, without muss or fuss or many words, brought out a graph that showed the direct and positive correlation between rising high blood pressure and the increased risk of strokes, heart attacks, and kidney failure. Then the doctor
consequence of the salty meal he had had the night before his appointment. Until last week’s checkup, Jack had brushed off both his doctor’s and Jenny’s clearly stated concerns and he’d not been at all interested in diet modifications or medication.
dropped a zinger. “Jack,” he said, “I can safely predict you’ll have one of these ‘events’ within five years if we don’t get this hypertension and weight under control.” Now, Jack’s a man with an engineering background, so visual representations are what he’s comfortable with, what he understands. Jenny said he studied the graph for a moment, and then to everyone’s surprise, said, “OK. What do I please see VISUAL page 8
Resource Directory This Resource Directory recognizes advertisers who have made an extended commitment to your health and well-being. Emergency Central PA Poison Center (800) 521-6110 Dauphin County Office of Aging (717) 255-2790 Floor Coverings Gipe Floor & Wall Covering (717) 545-6103 Funeral Services Zimmerman Auer Funeral Home (717) 545-4001 Health & Medical Services Alzheimer’s Association (717) 651-5020 American Diabetes Association (800) 342-2383 Arthritis Foundation – Central PA Chapter (717) 763-0900 CONTACT Helpline (717) 652-4400 The National Kidney Foundation (717) 757-0604 (800) 697-7007 PACE (800) 225-7223
Social Security Information (800) 772-1213
Property Tax/Rent Rebate (888) 728-2937
Tri-County Association for the Blind (717) 238-2531
Insurance Apprise Insurance Counseling (800) 783-7067
Healthcare Information PA Healthcare Cost Containment Council (717) 232-6787 Home Care Services CareMinders Home Care (717) 454-0159 Safe Haven Quality Care (717) 238-1111 Visiting Angels (717) 652-8899 Home Improvement Dreammaker Bath & Kitchen (717) 367-9753 Hospice Services Homeland Hospice (717) 221-7890 Housing/Apartments B’Nai B’rith Apartments (717) 232-7516 Housing Assistance Dauphin County Housing Authority (717) 939-9301
Medical Equipment & Supplies GSH Home Med Care (717) 272-2057 Orthotics & Prosthetics Ability Prosthetics and Orthotics, Inc. (717) 458-8429
The Salvation Army Edgemont Temple Corps (717) 238-8678 Toll-Free Numbers American Lung Association (800) LUNG-USA Bureau of Consumer Protection (800) 441-2555 Meals on Wheels (800) 621-6325 National Council on Aging (800) 424-9046
CVS/pharmacy www.cvs.com Rehabilitation Spring Creek Rehabilitation & Health Care Center (717) 565-7000 Retirement Communities Homeland Center (717) 221-7902
Social Security Office (800) 772-1213 Veterans Affairs (717) 626-1171 (800) 827-1000 Transportation CAT Share-A-Ride (717) 232-6100
The Middletown Home (717) 941-3351
Veterans Services
Services Dauphin County Area Agency on Aging (717) 255-2790
Lebanon VA Medical Center (717) 228-6000 (800) 409-8771
Not an all-inclusive list of advertisers in your area.
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Savvy Senior
Second Opinions: Why Many Seniors Don’t, but Should, Get One
Corporate Office: 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512 Phone 717.285.1350 • Fax 717.285.1360 Chester County: 610.675.6240
Jim Miller
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
PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER Donna K. Anderson
EDITORIAL MANAGING EDITOR Christianne Rupp EDITOR, 50PLUS PUBLICATIONS Megan Joyce
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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.
August 2012
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 The key times you should seek a second opinion are when: • Your doctor suggests surgery. You should always question elective procedures, especially if a less invasive alternative is available. • You’re diagnosed with a lifethreatening disease such as cancer or heart disease. • You’re not getting any better.
Second Opinions
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
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Dear Savvy Senior, Are second medical opinions worth the trouble or risk of offending your doctor? And does Medicare cover them? – Nervous Nelly
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, 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 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.
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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 doctor-finding 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 toprated doctors based on their training, expertise, consumer ratings, and recommendations from other doctors. Online Advice
• 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
If you’re having a hard time finding or getting to another doctor for a second opinion, consider the Internet. Yes, Web-based 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.
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Older But Not Wiser
There Goes Granny Sy Rosen anda and I went to the county fair, which was kind of odd for us. We’re not big fair people, although I was looking forward to the pig races. Wanda has been on a kick to try new things, to live life to the fullest. I tried to convince her that lying on the couch and watching the new fall TV season is an exciting adventure, but for some reason, she just wouldn’t buy it. The fair was kind of fun but a little dangerous. Everywhere I looked there was food—hotdogs, corndogs, sausage dogs, beef ribs, pork ribs … Just by breathing, I was filling my body with secondhand cholesterol. And the rides were a little scary. You see, I’m afraid of heights. Well, actually, that’s not true. I’m afraid of falling from heights. Wanda, on the other hand, was fearless, especially when we came to this 60-foot giant slide where you had to
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climb to the top, put a blanket under your butt, and then hurtle down to the bottom. Wanda insisted that we both try it, so we trudged up to the top. Being a manly man, or at least pretending to be, I said I’d go first. I pushed off and the wind was in my face— it was exciting and thrilling and the best 4 feet of my life. That’s when I somehow managed to stop myself and crawl off. Slightly humiliated, I told Wanda I’d wait for her at the bottom and I began my walk of shame downward. When I reached the bottom, I waved up to Wanda and she began her fastpaced decent. She was really flying and had a look of total exhilaration on her
face. I was smiling just watching her, when I heard a young couple talking next to me. The guy, referring to Wanda, said, “There goes Granny!” The thing is, I’m not exactly sure why I took it as such an insult. Our daughter got married about 6 months ago and we definitely want grandchildren. But it was the way he said it—it was mocking, condescending, and patronizing, like Wanda didn’t belong on that slide. He was definitely making fun of her. Luckily, she didn’t hear him. I was mad, but I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. I wanted to handle the whole situation maturely, and I think I did that by not directly confronting
him. Since the guy was overweight, I simply mumbled under my breath, “The pig races are starting in 10 minutes. You better scurry on down there if you want to participate.” The chubby guy thought he heard something but wasn’t quite sure, so he said, “Huh?” I very forcefully said “huh” back. I then took Wanda’s arm and we went on our way. When we passed tubby, I may have made a snorting sound, but it was done very tastefully and maturely. The rest of the day was a lot of fun. Wanda went on several different rollercoasters and I watched her while eating several different sausage dogs. As we were leaving the fair, Wanda said, “I went on a lot of rides today.” “Yes, you did,” I replied. “Not bad for an old lady!” she exclaimed. And when Wanda said it, it was OK.
Add some excitement to your calendar Saturday, August 4 • 10 a.m. to noon Beach Bingo Treasure Hunt with prizes & refreshments Tuesday, August 7 • 6:30 p.m. Let’s Talk Seniors: Health Care in the Home Saturday, August 11 • 10 a.m. to noon Cool as a Cucumber “Spa” Day: Enjoy a spa experience & refreshments
Harrisburg’s Oldies Channel!
Friday, August 17 • 2 p.m. VA Seminar presentation by Catie Scheib from Veteran’s Financial. Refreshments available. Saturday, August 18 • 10 a.m. to noon Celebrating the United States Air Force. Exhibit by local Air Force recruiting office. Refreshments will be served. Saturday, August 18 • 10 a.m. Let’s Talk Seniors: Fall Prevention Seminar
• Breakfast with Ben Barber and News with Dennis Edwards • John Tesh with Music and Intelligence for Your Workday • Bruce Collier & The Drive Home
Find us at AM 960 or at whylradio.com
WE PLAY OVER 1500 GREAT SONGS! www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Tuesday, August 21 • 6:30 p.m. Let’s Talk Seniors: Understanding Independent Living vs. Other Senior Living Presentation by Kathleen Wall, Geriatric Care Manager & Lic. Social Worker Friday, August 24 • 3 to 4 p.m. Taste of Holiday Chef Cooking Demonstration with Chef Jesse preparing his favorite dish. Saturday, August 25 • 3 to 4 p.m. Taste of Holiday Chef Cooking Demonstration with Chef Charles preparing his favorite dish.
4500 Oakhurst Blvd. • Harrisburg, PA 17110 717-540-1895 50plus SeniorNews e
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Such Is Life
Are you 62+ or Older?
Visit Our Website At:
COME LOOK US OVER Look at all we have to offer... Meal Programs, Beauty Shop, Grocery Store and More... Give us a call and check out our fabulous facilities
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September 8, 2012 City Island, Harrisburg Registration at 8:30 a.m. • Walk at 10:30 a.m.
September 15, 2012 Morgan Cousler Park, York Registration at 9:30 a.m. • Walk at 11 a.m.
September 22, 2012 Long’s Park, Lancaster Registration at 8 a.m. • Walk at 10:30 a.m. Registration brochures, team packets, and sponsorship packets available. Please call (717) 651-5020 or email tiffani.chambers@alz.org • Easy online registration at http://www.alz.org/walk • Volunteer opportunities available. • Teams and individuals welcome.
Chapter Sponsors Tiffani Chambers, Constituent Relations Manager Alzheimer’s Association (717) 651-5020 tiffani.chambers@alz.org Alzheimer’s Association 3544 N. Progress Avenue, Suite 205 • Harrisburg, PA 17110
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A Chevy to Remember 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 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
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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 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 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.
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
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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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
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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Social Security News
If Facebook Can’t Help, Maybe Social Security Can By Doris Brookens People who use social networking websites know that it can be exciting to reconnect with long-lost friends and relatives over the Internet. Such surprise connections can be fun and conjure up memories of times forgotten. But what if you have a more serious situation and you need to locate a particular person? Perhaps Social Security can help. Social Security is in the business of paying benefits, not reconnecting people. But, in some cases, we will do what we can to help. We will attempt to forward a letter to a missing person under circumstances involving a matter of great importance, such as a death or serious illness in the missing person’s immediate family or a sizeable amount of money that is due the missing person. Also, the circumstances must concern a matter about which the missing person
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is unaware and would undoubtedly want to be informed. In less dire cases, such as when a son, daughter, brother, or sister want to establish contact, we will write to the missing person, rather than forwarding a letter. Because this service is not related in any way to a Social Security program, its use must be limited so that it does not interfere with our regular program activities. There is no charge for forwarding letters that have a humanitarian purpose. However, we must charge a $25 fee to
cover our costs when the letter is to inform the missing person of money or property due. This fee is not refundable. The fee should be paid by a check made payable to the Social Security Administration. We must read each letter we forward to ensure that it contains nothing that could prove embarrassing to the missing person if read by a third party. Letters should be in plain, unstamped, unsealed envelopes showing only the missing person’s name. Nothing of value should be enclosed. To try to locate an address in our records, we’ll need the missing person’s
Social Security number or identifying information such as date and place of birth, father’s name, and the mother’s full birth name. Unless a missing person is receiving benefits under a program Social Security administers, we would not have a home address for them. Usually, we forward a letter in care of the employer who most recently reported earnings for the person. Requests for letter forwarding should be sent to:
scan) were 2.5 times more likely to take their medication as directed. And by the way, those who needed to lose weight were more than three times more likely to do so than those who were merely only told to. The underlying concern for these docs at the meeting was that between 50 and 80 percent of patients who have been prescribed cholesterol-reducing medication fail to take it. And as far as losing weight and embracing a diet lower
in saturated fat, just look around. What do you think? There is an abundance of evidence that indicates that visual communication is more effective than verbal, but the most effective style combines the two. In other words, we understand more if we see it; we understand the most if we can both see it and hear about it. Is this the future of patient education? Don’t be surprised if your next doctor’s appointment includes a PowerPoint
presentation. After all, it does make sense. Instead of trying to decipher all the medical language, why not show pictures, charts, graphs, images— whatever it takes to drive the point home and help motivate patients to make necessary changes?
Learn more about this service at www.socialsecurity.gov/foia/html/ltrfwdin g.htm. Doris Brookens is the Social Security office manager in Harrisburg.
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need to do?” Is that all it took, for heaven’s sake? A graph? Or was it the one-sentence forecast? Or the combination? If you think this is merely an isolated incident of one man’s finally getting the picture, maybe. But also, maybe not. At a recent conference of heart doctors in Chicago, two studies were presented that showed similar phenomena: Patients who were shown detailed pictures of their hearts and arteries (done by a heart CT
One Book , One Community 2012 Book Announcement Please join 70 libraries and their community partners in celebrating the 2012 One Book, One Community book announcement and reception.
Wednesday, August 22 at 4 p.m. at the
Manheim Township Public Library 595 Granite Run Drive Lancaster, Pa. 17601
RSVP by August 17, 2012 online at www.mtpl.info. 8
Social Security Administration Letter Forwarding P.O. Box 33022 Baltimore, MD 21290-3022
August 2012
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Gloria May is a registered nurse with a master’s degree in adult health education and a Certified Health Education Specialist designation.
Time is a Priceless Gift 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.
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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
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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 please see CHINA page 14
Sept. 19, 2012 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. York Expo Center Memorial Hall–East • 334 Carlisle Avenue, York
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9
Beyond the Battlefield
She Served in the British, Israeli Armies and Palestinian Underground Alvin S. Goodman sther Boldes, 86, of suburban Harrisburg, was a member of the British Army during World War II, the Palestinian underground prior to 1948, and the Israeli Defense Force after the establishment of the State of Israel. A native of Frankfurt, Germany, Boldes attended a large, accredited Jewish school. In 1936, Boldes’ older sister immigrated to Palestine. Two years later, her father lost his job with a Jewish scrap metal company that was taken over by the Germans. Unable to find another job in Germany, he, along with his wife and daughter, made plans to move to Prague, Czechoslovakia, where the rest of his family was living. Before they could leave, German SA came to take her father to a concentration camp. Boldes’ mother told them they were not German but Czech and showed them their Czech passports.
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The police believed her story and did not arrest him. Once in Prague, Boldes’ father, along with other Jewish transplants, had to be retrained. An accountant in Germany, he was trained to repair shoes. His plans were to go to Palestine to join his eldest daughter. Boldes’ cousin encouraged her to join a Jewish youth group to help pass the time. She couldn’t go to
school because she could not speak Czech. As the Nazi regime spread throughout Europe, including Czechoslovakia, Boldes’ parents decided to get to Palestine right away. When Boldes’ visa was approved before her parents’, they took her to the German Occupation Office in Prague to get her passport stamped. “All Jews had a big J stamped on the outside of it.”
Esther Boldes in the Israeli Army.
Boldes, left, on a train bound from Cairo to Tel Aviv on leave.
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In July 1939, Boldes’ parents brought her to the train station, where she met other children bound for Palestine. The train took them to Genoa, Italy, where, after staying in a youth hostel, they boarded The Jerusalem, the last legitimate ship to transport youth from Prague to Palestine. Boldes’ parents never made it to the Holy Land. She and her sister received a postcard from the Red Cross informing them that their mother had died of cancer in a Prague hospital. They do not know what happened to their father, who was last known to have been in a ghetto in Poland. All other members of their mother’s family died in concentration camps. Boldes joined her sister in Herzliya, Palestine. Since she had learned Hebrew and English at her school in Germany, Boldes was able to converse with the locals. The youth in the village
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introduced her to the “underground,” a group formed to defend themselves against the Arabs, although she added there were Arab neighbors who were very nice and generous. The new settlements were always being attacked by Arabs, and the only guns they had were British World War I issue, all others having been confiscated by the British. Everyone was required to do night patrol. The unmarried youth of the country, both native-born “sabras” and immigrants, joined the underground. They later formed the elite Palmach Force of the Israeli Defense Force (IDF). They learned how to send signals by Morse code and semaphore flags and how to identify night noises they heard while on patrol. After graduating from school, Boldes volunteered with the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS), the female branch of the British Army out of Palestine. “I was 17 at the time and lied about my age,” she said. Her main job was driving all types of trucks, from pickups and jeeps to 3-ton British trucks. “Those large British trucks were hard to maneuver, especially in the narrow streets of Cairo,” she said, adding that she ended up in the sand twice during
early training. British Army in In addition to 1946 and the being a driver, she British paid for was trained in her schooling to vehicle become a maintenance and pediatric nurse, repairs. Her routes after which she covered Alexandria worked in a and Cairo, Egypt, hospital and a to Haifa, refugee camp for Palestine, which babies and Boldes drove big rigs like this one in the took two to three children from British Army during WWII. days. Cypress in 1947 “At first, Egypt and 1948. sympathized with Everyone was the Axis countries getting ready for war and Egyptian villagers after the UN harassed us. Some approved the Egyptians would establishment of chase our slowIsrael in 1948, and moving trucks and Boldes took a first steal equipment and aid course, where she supplies from them.” met her future After two months husband, Heinz, she was transferred to who was the Camp Mena Four, instructor. When not far from a hotel Israel was attacked where President by its Arab neighbors Photo by Al Goodman Roosevelt and Prime in May 1948, she Esther Boldes today. Minister Churchill knew she might be met. drafted into the In 1944, she was stationed in Haifa, Israeli Army. Palestine. She was discharged from the They were married that year, and
Boldes enlisted in the army rather than be drafted since she preferred driving trucks to being assigned to a medical unit. She drove a pickup truck that supplied the front lines and, after her marriage, drove a staff car for a captain in charge of civil defense in Chadera. When she got pregnant, Boldes was assigned to desk duty until she was discharged in 1949. Her husband was a major in the Israeli Army in charge of a specialized medical unit that could build a field hospital in 20 minutes. He traveled the entire country training people in first aid. The Boldeses came to the U.S. in July 1957, first to Philadelphia, where a cousin lived, and then to Harrisburg in 1964. After retirement, they enjoyed traveling throughout the U.S. and other countries. Heinz Boldes died in 1999. They have a daughter, Naava; a son, Eitan; three grandchildren; and six greatgrandchildren. In 2010, Boldes wrote to the U.K. War Office in London and Queen Elizabeth inquiring about medals earned for her service in the British Army. She received two medals from the United Kingdom: a World War II Victory Medal and a Distinguished Service Medal. “I was surprised when I got them,” she said.
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The Middletown Home
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THERE’S NO NEWS LIKE Beijing’s streets are a mix of old and new. Shanghai’s waterfront is the face of modern China.
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parents must help. They make big signs proclaiming their child’s attributes and 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. 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).
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Solutions for all puzzles can be found on page 16 WORD SEARCH
Across 1. Rushed 6. Church seat 9. Paddington Bear’s homeland 13. Convex molding 14. Popular activity at Heavenly in CA 15. Harold & _____ Go to White Castle 16. Army aid 17. Precedes senator 18. Circular gasket 19. Drum sound 21. Willy Wonka’s heir 23. Longest division of geological time 24. Pinocchio dreamed of becoming this type of boy 25. He floated like a butterfly? Down 1. Read-only storage 2. Affirm 3. Musical finale 4. Like last eight in college basketball 5. Dolittle’s title 6. Attention grabber 7. Increase 8. Make face in pain 9. Make like a cat 10. Astrid Lindgren’s ____ of Lonneberga 11. Raja’s wife 12. Strong desire 15. Eucalyptus-loving marsupials 20. Beside, archaic
28. 30. 35. 37. 39. 40. 41. 43. 44. 46. 47. 48. 50. 52.
Network of intersecting nerves Middle Eastern confection Like boys that lived in Neverland Lacking sensation “_____ the day” International Civil Aviation Organization Attempts Small ladies’ handbag Deep opening To strike a piece of stone sharply Deep-red variety of chalcedony Stay clear of Clobber Big Island flower necklace
53. 55. 57. 61. 64. 65. 67. 69. 70. 71. 72. 73. 74.
Of the highest quality 2000 lbs. Flying nanny Aunt Polly’s wayward nephew Fully informed Type of brew County across Golden Gate Bridge A pariah avoided by others To Kill a Mockingbird author “_____ and well” A cold ____ of weather “____’s the word” Having no cover
22. 24. 25. 26. 27. 29. 31. 32. 33. 34. 36. 38. 42. 45. 49.
Exclamation of suspicion What prompter does She followed the white rabbit Lakes in Scotland Asimov or Mizrahi, e.g. Syrian neighbor Plural of #70 Across ____ signs Light shade of blue Girl from the Swiss Alps Comedy Central’s ____.O Corduroy, e.g. Phlegms Strong point Who ___ the prize?
51. 54. 56. 57.
Robin Hood or Eragon, e.g. Bible song African antelope Toot and Puddle or Frog and Toad, e.g. ____ & Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship Bear with the biggest chair Pre-college school Appear Viking name Tear violently Romanian money Flanders of The Simpsons
58. 59. 60. 61. 62. 63. 66. 68.
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15
GARDEN
from page 1
16
YWCA Junior Gardeners showing the fruits (or veggies) of their labor at the Ribbon Cutting Day ceremony in June 2012.
Flowers and vegetable plants coexist happily at the Penn-Cumberland Garden Club’s community garden at the Ames True Temper site.
The garden is outfitted with hoses that are connected to the water lines of the corporate office building, which help the gardeners enjoy prolific yields from their plots.
May 31, there was not a plot left in the garden. As of now, we have a three-year waiting list.” 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 organization so she could work with inner-city youth. McNichol worked with the staff at the nonprofit organization to apply for funding for the garden. After receiving a private family donation, they were able to put in a number of garden plots, surrounded by a split rail fence with rabbit proofing. McNichol and her class of 30 students, ranging from kindergarteners to sixth graders, tend the plots. In addition to gardening, McNichol’s students are exposed to a world of information about the environment and how it works. Their projects have included building birdhouses and maintaining a worm farm and compost pile to help fertilize the garden plots. Thanks to some shelving donated by Home Depot, the class was able to begin growing plants indoors over the winter of 2011 and has since moved them outside. “They made wonderful arrangements out of greens and flowers that they brought home during Christmastime,” McNichol said. The students also received information about nutrition from Giant Foods’ nutritionist. They even had a class dedicated to sampling fruits and vegetables, many of them unique and new to the children. The students were asked to close their eyes and eat a piece of the fruit or vegetable, focusing on the texture and taste. They then wrote poems about the experience. The class has also been enjoying the fruits of their labor. “The children have already been eating what they have been growing,” McNichol said. She is very proud of her class and all that they have learned, including the basic principles of permaculture (a method of sustainable living that can be applied to countless aspects of human life). McNichol receives the loving support of her husband, Bill, and son, Tim. Tim is a professional beach volleyball player who has inherited his mother’s love of flowers. McNichol is certain that when he settles down and marries, he will have a beautiful garden of his own.
Puzzles shown on page 15
Puzzle Solutions
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. What makes McNichol such a valuable asset to the garden club is her ability to organize and champion many of the group’s largest initiatives. In the winter of 2010, an area company that has produced gardening tools since the 1700s, asked for help with a community garden project. The company had $100,000 and a 1.7-acre plot of empty land next to its temporary headquarters. The CEO of the company at the time had envisioned using the money and the land to establish a community garden that the garden club would then manage and maintain. The garden contains 127 raised beds and is outfitted with hoses, connected to the water lines of the corporate office building, and a gardening shed filled with all the tools a gardener could possibly need. Community gardeners, therefore, need only bring their seeds and a willingness to work to have a successful plot. A set of rules and regulations was established and gardeners signed up for a specified plot. In addition, she helped organize bimonthly gardening talks, inviting local gardening experts to give lectures and hold discussions for the community garden members. “It turned out to be an incredible success,” McNichol said. “We had no idea we would be able to fill [all the plots] up. We opened up May 1, and by
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Dauphin County
Calendar of Events Dauphin County Department of Parks and Recreation
Senior Center Activities
Aug. 8, 6 to 7:30 p.m. – Stress Relief Walk, Wildwood Park Aug. 11, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Volunteer Work Day, Wildwood Park Aug. 12, 10:30 a.m. to noon – Heat-Tolerant Plants, Wildwood Park
Bistline Senior Center – (717) 564-5633 Edgemont Senior Center – (717) 236-2221 Friendship Senior Center – (717) 657-1547
Dauphin County Library Programs
Heinz-Menaker Senior Center – (717) 238-7860
East Shore Area Library, 4501 Ethel St., Harrisburg, (717) 652-9380 Elizabethville Area Library, 80 N. Market St., Elizabethville, (717) 362-9825 Aug. 30, 6 to 8 p.m. – Friends of the Elizabethville Area Library Meeting
Highspire Area Senior Center – (717) 939-4580 Hoy/Latsha Senior Center – (717) 939-9833
Harrisburg Downtown Library, 101 Walnut St., Harrisburg, (717) 234-4976
Hummelstown Senior Center – (717) 566-6855
Johnson Memorial Library, 799 E. Center St., Millersburg, (717) 692-2658 Aug. 18, 10:30 a.m. – Discover Duct Tape
Jewish Community Center – (717) 236-9555
Kline Branch, 530 S. 29th St., Harrisburg, (717) 234-3934
Lick Towers Senior Center – (717) 233-0388
Madeline L. Olewine Memorial Library, 2410 N. Third St., Harrisburg, (717) 232-7286
Lykens Senior Center – (717) 453-7985
McCormick Riverfront Library, 101 Walnut St., Harrisburg, (717) 234-4976
Millersburg Senior Center – (717) 692-2657
Northern Dauphin Library, 683 Main St., Lykens, (717) 453-9315
Mohler Senior Center – (717) 533-2002 www.hersheyseniorcenter.com
William H. & Marion C. Alexander Family Library, 200 W. Second St., Hummelstown, (717) 566-0949 Aug. 4, 11:30 a.m. – Discover Duct Tape Aug. 7, 6:30 to 8 p.m. – Novel Thoughts Book Club
Rutherford House – (717) 564-5682 www.rutherfordhouse.org Wednesdays, 12:15 p.m. – Free Aerobics
Aug. 21, 1 p.m. – Novel Thoughts, Too!
Programs and Support Groups
Steelton Senior Center – (717) 939-0693
Free and open to the public. Sundays through August, 10:30 to 11:45 a.m. Free, Nondenominational Public Cruise Pride of the Susquehanna Riverboat 107 North St., Harrisburg (717) 234-6500 www.harrisburgriverboat.com Aug. 3, 4:30 to 10 p.m. Cultural Fest Corner of Market and Second streets, Harrisburg Aug. 18, 10 a.m. Teamster 776 Retirees Monthly Meeting Union Hall 2552 Jefferson St., Harrisburg (717) 233-8766
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Aug. 28, 6 p.m. Susquehanna Rovers Volksmarch Walking Club Gander Mountain 5005 Jonestown Road, Harrisburg (717) 991-5232
Just a snippet of what you may be missing … please call or visit their website for more information.
Aug. 28, 6 to 7:30 p.m. Parental Loss Support Group AseraCare Hospice 75 S. Houcks Road, Suite 101, Harrisburg (717) 541-4466
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The Search for Our Ancestry
The 1930 Census Angelo Coniglio
L
same as the husband (or late husband). Data,” containing four sub-columns: However, if the name of a mother-in-law “Home owned or rented,” filled in with or other in-law of the male head is given, an O or an R; “Value of home, if owned, that surname could also be the maiden or monthly rent, if rented,” filled in with name of the wife. a dollar amount; “Radio set,” filled in If the “Relation” with an R if the column shows family had a radio, stepson or Some of the questions left blank if they stepdaughter, that didn’t; and “Does on the 1930 census obviously indicates this family live on that the “head” had a farm?” were unique, and been previously The answers not responses to them can only tell something married. If the be valuable in finding stepchild’s surname about the financial is different than status of the family, further information that of the head, but if the property about the family. that’s a clue to the was owned, it may child’s natural also be possible to father’s name. A find land or person may be identified as a “boarder,” probate records that further elucidate the meaning the family augmented their family’s life or give names of relatives not income by renting space in the home. living with the family at the time of the Next is a column headed “Home census. As an aside to the “radio set” question: On the 1930 census page where my family appears, there were seven households. Only one (not my parents’) had a radio. The question was designed to measure the extent of the nation’s leap into new home-appliance technology. Car, and Life Insurance... According to the 1930 census, the total U.S. population at the time was 122,775,046, and only 12 million people, or less than 10 percent, had access to radios. Under “Personal Description,” in addition to “Sex” and “Color or race,” was the sub-column “Age at last birthday.” Take this into consideration when calculating a birth year. For example, the census was taken on April 12. My father’s age was given as 40, but his birth year was not necessarily “1930 minus 40 equals 1890.” He may not have yet reached his 41st birthday on April 12. Other information confirms this, as he was born on April 26, 1889.
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“
ast time, I covered the 1940 U.S. census. I have, in an earlier column, also discussed the 1920 U.S. census. This month, I want to cover the intermediate one, the 1930 U.S. census. I’ll continue this discussion into next month, as well. The 1930 census had some basic information consistent with others that were taken since the first one in 1790. This included surname or family name, gender, and address. Some of the other questions were unique, and responses to them can be valuable in finding further information about the family. For example, there is a column headed “Relation – Relationship of this person to the head of the family.” This may be answered “head,” “wife,” “son,” or “daughter” but also may contain other descriptions. The surname of the wife is usually not shown, or it may be written in as the
The remaining two sub-columns under this category were “Marital condition” and “Age at first marriage.” The condition column was marked M for married, S for single, or W for widowed. The age at first marriage can be used with other information on the census to determine whether the person was married before or after immigration to the U.S. Under “Education,” the census asked whether the person had attended school or college since September 1929, and whether he or she was able to read and write. The “Place of Birth” columns are headed “Person,” “Father,” and “Mother,” with the description “Place of birth of each person enumerated and of his or her parents. If born in the United States, give State or Territory. If of foreign birth, give country in which birthplace is now situated. Distinguish Canada-French from Canada-English, and Irish Free State from Northern Island.” Usually, only the country or state is given; however, sometimes the name of a city or county is given. Don’t overlook the part about “country in which birthplace is now situated.” National boundaries in Europe were anything but fixed during this time, so, for example, a place may have been called Prussia when a person was born in 1890 but Germany in 1930. Next time, I’ll discuss the remainder of the 1930 census questions and explain how to interpret the information to uncover other information about ancestors. Angelo Coniglio encourages readers to contact him by writing to 438 Maynard Drive, Amherst, NY 14226; by email at Genealogytips@aol.com; or by visiting www.conigliofamily.com/ConiglioGenealogy Tips.htm. His new historical fiction novel, The Lady of the Wheel, is available through Amazon.com.
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Standing, from left, Marie Tennant, 2010 state winner; Inge Richard Kiebach, contestant; Peggy Pablon, contestant; Ilene Gentzler, state first runner up; Willie Breeze, contestant; Patti Kuhn, 2006 winner; and Barbara Ann de Leon, co-director and 2011 state winner. Seated, from left, Nannette Swanson, 2011 state winner; Kimberley Moore, Ms. Senior America 2010; Linda Bullock, 2012 state winner; Shirley Karinch, 2001 state winner; and Doris Ulrich, co-director and 2007 state winner.
Linda Bullock, 65, of Berks County was recently chosen Ms. Pennsylvania Senior America at the Elks Lodge in York. Bullock was chosen out of six contestants who competed for the title to compete in the national Ms. Senior America competition in Atlantic City at Harrah’s in October. The competition is open to women over the age of 60 who are U.S. citizens. Each contestant is expected to speak, sharing her philosophy of life; appear in an evening gown; and present her special talent for the audience.
Bullock volunteers her time to Alzheimer’s patients. Her duties for the next year in Pennsylvania will be to entertain and work with the Ms. Pennsylvania Senior America organization. Under the direction of two state directors, the Ms. Pennsylvania Senior America organization prepares programs for senior centers, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities in Pennsylvania. For further information, visit: www.mspennsylvaniasenioramerica.com or call Doris Ulrich, MSPA 2007 and co-director, at (717) 926-1322 or email dulrich@paonline.com.
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“In the red” In medieval times, the church, being the only center of literacy and learning in the West, maintained meticulous accounting records. Ink was rare and expensive. When monasteries and far-flung churches had little money and they could not afford ink, domesticated animals were bled to provide a substitute in the dipping wells. As a result, poor financial records were usually written “in the red.”
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