Lancaster County Edition
January 2015
Vol. 21 No. 1
Penning a ‘New Normal’ Volunteer EMT, Former Deputy Coroner Heals by Writing Memoir By Chelsea Peifer Whenever Janice Ballenger’s name was listed on the schedule as deputy coroner, the 911 dispatchers joked that they knew they were in for a demanding day. “My initial years as deputy coroner were filled with a lot of horrific calls,” said Ballenger. “Scenes that I can never erase from my mind.” Ballenger, 62, had been working at a bank for 23 years when she read a headline stating a need for volunteers for emergency situations—no experience necessary. The Ephrata native began volunteering as a vehicle rescue technician before becoming an emergency medical technician and then serving as Lancaster County’s first female deputy coroner from 2004 to 2008. “It was quite the struggle to balance working full time, volunteering as an EMT, and doing deputy coroner calls 24 hours a week,” Ballenger said. “The amount of time that is required to be a volunteer is unbelievable.” Ballenger volunteered for nearly 20 years. While beginning in her 40s was a “late start,” she said that just proves that it is never too late to follow your dreams. Volunteers are the world’s greatest unsung heroes, and many people have no idea how much money is saved thanks to volunteer efforts, said Ballenger. “If I could say something to those aspiring to enter any of these fields, it please see NEW NORMAL page 16 Janice Ballenger, volunteer EMT and former deputy coroner, with a New Holland Ambulance vehicle. The ambulance association was on the scene with Ballenger during the aftermath of the shooting at the West Nickel Mines School in October 2006.
Inside:
Costars Remember Elvis the Actor page 6
Veterans’ Expo & Job Fair Highlights page 12
Dear Readers, Notice anything different on this issue’s front cover? It’s been 20 years since the first issue of 50plus Senior News hit newsstands, and some traces of a rich, green hue signal the arrival of our “emerald anniversary”! A lot has changed for us in two decades. 50plus Senior News has expanded to encompass six counties in Central Pennsylvania. Its contents now “come to life” at six annual 50plus EXPOs. This publication that began as a humble yet passionate local effort to bring news and entertainment to Central Pennsylvania’s seniors has gone on to garner dozens of national awards. The designs of our logo, pages, and cover have evolved over the years, but our commitment to serving the mind, heart, and spirit of the 50-plus community has stayed the same. Keep an eye out in the coming months for some special retrospective features as we peek back at our beginnings in 1995—while still focusing on 2015 and the exciting future ahead.
– The criminal trial of O.J. Simpson began in California. On Oct. 3, the Los Angeles jury found him not guilty of the murders of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman. A civil court would award a wrongful-death judgment against Simpson in 1997.
April 19
– A car bomb detonated outside the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Okla., killing 168 people. Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols were later convicted of the antigovernment plot to avenge the Branch Davidian standoff in Waco, Texas, exactly two years prior.
Oct. 16 – The Million Man March, a political demonstration to promote African-American unity and family values, drew hundreds of thousands of African-American men to Washington, D.C. Louis Farrakhan organized the event; speakers included Jesse Jackson, Maya Angelou, and Rosa Parks.
Happy New Year,
Donna Anderson, President On-Line Publishers, Inc.
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Cemeteries Woodward Hill Cemetery 501 S. Queen St., Lancaster (717) 872-1750 Coins & Currency Steinmetz Coins & Currency, Inc. 350 Centerville Road, Lancaster (717) 299-1211 Dental Services Advanced Denture Center 39 E. Main St., Ephrata (717) 721-3004 Dental Health Associates 951 Rohrerstown Road, Lancaster (717) 394-9231 Lancaster Denture Center 951 Rohrerstown Road, Lancaster (717) 394-3773 Smoketown Family Dentistry 2433 C Old Philadelphia Pike, Smoketown (717) 291-6035 Emergency Numbers Central PA Poison Center (800) 521-6110 Office of Aging (717) 299-7979 or (800) 801-3070 Employment Lancaster County Office of Aging (717) 299-7979 Entertainment Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre 510 Centerville Road, Lancaster (717) 898-1900 Financial Services Internal Revenue Service (717) 291-1994 Funeral Directors Richard H. Heisey Funeral Home 216 S. Broad St., Lititz (717) 626-2464
Gastroenterology Regional Gastroenterology Associates of Lancaster (RGAL) 2104 Harrisburg Pike, Lancaster 694 Good Drive, Suite 23, Lancaster 4140 Oregon Pike, Ephrata (717) 544-3400 Health & Medical Services
Pennsylvania Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (800) 233-3008 V/TTY Hobbies CoolTrains 106 W. Main St., Landisville (717) 898-7119 Home Care Services
Alzheimer’s Association (717) 651-5020
Connections at Home VIA Willow Valley (717) 299-5673
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Senior Helpers 1060 S. State St., Suite E, Ephrata (717) 738-0588
American Diabetes Association (888) DIABETES American Heart Association (717) 393-0725 American Lung Association (717) 397-5203 or (800) LungUSA
Visiting Angels Living Assistance Services Hanover: (717) 630-0067 Lancaster: (717) 393-3450 York: (717) 751-2488 Housing Eastwood Village Homes, LLC 102 Summers Drive, Lancaster (717) 397-3138
American Red Cross (717) 299-5561 Arthritis Foundation (717) 397-6271 Building You, LLC 804 New Holland Ave., Lancaster (888) 769-3992 Consumer Information (888) 878-3256 CONTACT Helpline (717) 652-4400
Marietta Senior Apartments 601 E. Market St., Marietta (717) 735-9590 Insurance Medicare (800) 633-4227
Real Estate Prudential Homesale Services Group Rocky Welkowitz (717) 393-0100 Retirement Communities Colonial Lodge Community 2015 N. Reading Road, Denver (717) 336-5501 Senior Move Management TLC Ladies (717) 228-8764 Transition Solutions for Seniors Rocky Welkowitz (717) 615-6507 Spirituality Wells Contemplative Solutions 255 Butler Ave., Suite 301-B, Lancaster (717) 208-3633 Travel Passport Information (877) 487-2778 Veterans Services Lebanon VA Medical Center 1700 S. Lincoln Ave., Lebanon (717) 228-6000 or (800) 409-8771 Volunteer Opportunities
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Disease and Health Risk (888) 232-3228 Domestic Violence (800) 799-7233 Flu or Influenza (888) 232-3228 Interventional Vein & Vascular Institute 6 N. Penryn Road, Manheim (844) 438-4884
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Health Depot Wellness & Pharmacy Granite Run Square, Lancaster Pharmacy: (717) 509-4844 Store: (717) 509-4434
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Wiley’s Pharmacy Locations in Lancaster, Millersville, Quarryville, and Strasburg (717) 898-8804
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Healthcare Consultants Patient Advocates Lancaster (717) 884-8011 Hearing Services Hearing and Ear Care Center, LLC 806 W. Main St., Mount Joy (717) 653-6300
Physicians — OB/GYN May•Grant Obstetrics & Gynecology Women & Babies Hospital with other locations in Brownstown, Columbia, Elizabethtown, Willow Street, and Intercourse (717) 397-8177
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January 2015
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Salute to a Veteran
In an Air Force Plane, He Brought the Gas to You … 30,000 Gallons at a Time
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January 2015
Robert D. Wilcox ete Billis was born in Greece. His home was the island of Chios, one of those picturesque Greek islands that today draw millions of tourists to share their beauty. In 1970, however, his dad found the U.S. a lot more attractive, and he, with his wife and three children, left for Lancaster, Pa. Why Lancaster? “Because that’s where my dad’s sister and friends of our family were living,” Billis says. Lancaster quickly became home to Billis, and he was soon speaking English without an accent. After Sgt. Billis on leave in 1992 at graduation from McCaskey High home in Lancaster. School in 1982, he entered Millersville University, graduating in 1986. He then “wanted to do something for his country and to see the world,” as he puts it. So he enlisted in the Air Force. He had basic training in Texas at Lackland Air Force Base. While there, an Air Force master sergeant he knew suggested that he take inflight refueling as a career field. Normally, you had to complete a more basic assignment for three or Sgt. Peter Billis in the pilot’s more years after basic training before compartment of a KC-135 Stratotanker. requesting assignment to in-flight refueling, but a special Air Force program briefly opened the program transfer the fuel in flight that our up, and Billis took it. bombers and fighters needed in After air crew training at order to extend their range for long Sheppard AFB in Texas, and then flights or, for the fighters, to extend land- and water-survival training at Fairchild AFB in Washington, he was the loiter time on station. The fuel was transferred through a assigned to advanced training as an boom at the tail section of the KCin-flight fueling specialist at Castle 135, with the receiving plane only AFB in California. Upon graduation, he was qualified feet from the tail of the tanker. The pilot of the KC-135 and the to fly in KC-135 Stratotankers as receiving airplane had to carefully they refueled aircraft in flight. He maintain exactly the same speed and was home-based at Grissom AFB in position throughout the refueling. Indiana while flying missions in The boom operator of the KC135 many parts of the world. lay on his belly while he peered out a The KC-135 was the Air Force’s small window and carefully first jet-powered refueling tanker. It was needed in order to keep up with maneuvered the boom through a small port near the nose of the the speed of the Air Force’s new jet airplane following behind and below fighters and bombers. him. At that time, the success of the Holding more than 30,000 gallons of aviation fuel, it was able to mission was literally in his hands.
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Did it take a lot of skill to do his job? “Not according to the Air Force after all the training they gave us,” Billis says with a grin. “But lives depended on our ability to do it right. Both bombers and interceptors routinely flew missions that required in-flight refueling. And that happened around the world.” Did Billis ever have a time when things didn’t go well? “Well,” he reflects, “there was one time when our F-16s were scrambled to meet Russian bombers off Iceland that were trying to penetrate restricted airspace. It was nighttime, and we were at 30,000 feet when I needed to refuel an F-16 whose light on the receiving port had failed, and I had to find the port in the dark. “It was touch and go, but fortunately, I was able to handle that, and the F-16 pilot was saved from a stark experience, since the F16s, because of the foulest weather at Iceland, had to fly on to England to land after the mission.” Often they were called upon to refuel the AWACS aircraft we used in order to conduct missions in Iran and Afghanistan. And they were sometimes tasked to fuel aircraft being flown in efforts to control drug trafficking. In October 1993, Billis, by then a sergeant, was discharged and came home to Lancaster. He became a distributor of Pepperidge Farm products, and then in 2002 established his own eBay business, selling collectibles, mostly stamps and coins. Asked what he thinks about his years in the Air Force, he says, “They were wonderful years. I met some of the finest people in this world. In fact, one of my greatest regrets is that I didn’t stay in until retirement. “It’s not that I’m not happy now … but for me, the Air Force was a wonderful and very special place to be.” Colonel Wilcox flew a B-17 bomber in Europe in World War II.
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Art and Antiques by Dr. Lori
Moving Yourself or Moving Mom & Dad ... You Can Count on Rocky!
Jewelry Storage Tips
Dedicated to Making Older Adult Transitions Easier, More Economical, and Lower in Stress We Can:
Lori Verderame
D
id you get a piece of jewelry this holiday season? Jewelry is a very popular type of collectible. In addition to sprucing up an outfit, jewelry pieces, precious metals, and gemstones hold their value well in the antiques and vintage marketplace. So, storing these valuables is important. Gold and silver pieces can get scratched when stored next to each other or next to other pieces in a jewelry box. These precious metals can damage fragile jewelry items, like pearls and shells, too.
Store gold pieces by themselves or in a felt- or velvet-lined box when possible. Gold necklaces ideally should be stored hanging up by their clasp to prevent damage. Gold bracelets should be stored flat when possible. Bangles need their own storage boxes to prevent dents and damage too. Always store pearls separately in a padded case or jewelry compartment. This will prevent damage to the soft, cultured pearl’s luster surface. And, pearls should be restrung as soon as you notice that the individual knots are getting stretched out or loose. please see TIPS page 8
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January 2015
5
Tinseltown Talks
Costars Remember Elvis the Actor Nick Thomas or many, the title “King of Rock ’n’ Roll” is reserved for one man: Elvis Presley. Had he lived, the King would have celebrated his 80th birthday on Jan. 8, 2015. Unlike most departed singers who are remembered largely for their music, Presley lives on through a phenomenal number of appearances in scripted motion pictures—31 in all—beginning with Love Me Tender in 1956 and ending 13 years later with Change of Habit in 1969. His movies provide a unique glimpse into another dimension of one of the 20th century’s greatest entertainers. Although his films were often dismissed due to weak and predictable scripts, critics generally regarded Presley as a surprisingly good actor. But what did costars think about working with Presley? In 1966, 10-year-old Donna
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Donna Butterworth and Elvis in Paradise, Hawaiian Style
Marlyn Mason and Elvis in The Trouble with Girls
Butterworth costarred in Paradise, Hawaiian Style, the second Presley film set in Hawaii. “My mom and dad took me to see Blue Hawaii when I was just a little girl, and I fell in love with him right then and there,” said Butterworth. “I used to listen
to his records, and I couldn’t get enough Elvis.” Butterworth recalls filming her first scene on the cliffs of Makapuu, on Oahu. “I had to run up into Elvis’s arms and call out, ‘Uncle Rick, Uncle Rick.’ But I
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had only met him a few minutes before that. So when the director called ‘action,’ I ran up and got in his arms and his face was about 4 inches from my face. “After all the anticipation of meeting Elvis Presley and working with him, I just froze. I couldn’t believe I was so close to this beautiful man! All the crew cracked up because they knew I was so enamored. In fact, Elvis laughed the hardest—he just loved to laugh.” Unlike Butterworth, 7-year-old Susan Olsen wasn’t a Presley fan when she briefly appeared in the talent-contest audition scene in Presley’s second-to-last film, The Trouble with Girls (1969). “I couldn’t understand all the hype over him, and I didn’t even think he was good-looking!” said Olsen, who went on to play youngest daughter Cindy on the popular ’60s TV show The Brady Bunch. That changed after their first brief encounter.
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January 2015
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“I remember that a bunch of the kids’ mothers suddenly started screaming. Elvis had come out of his dressing room, and they crowded around him for autographs. So I thought, ‘What the heck! I’ll get one too.’ “So I went up to him—and I’m not making this up—when he looked at me, I thought, ‘Oh, I get it! I see why they like him so much.’ He had this special aura about him. I was just dumbstruck; I couldn’t say anything. He signed the photo, handed it to me, and said, ‘Here ya go, darling.’” Presley’s leading lady in The Trouble with Girls came away with more than just an autograph. Marlyn Mason snagged an on-screen kiss. “It was a comedy kiss,” said Mason, indicating that the only fireworks were the real ones in the movie scene. “He was great fun to work with, because I could throw anything at him and he’d just throw it right back.” She also recalls a private moment when Presley shared thoughts about his acting. “The saddest thing Elvis said to me was, ‘I’d like to make one good film because I know people in this town laugh at me.’ I’ll never forget that,” she said. “But he was always down to earth and comfortable with himself. Some of that
dialogue was everyone was so corny, but having a good he managed time,” said to bring a Hutchins, realness to it. who first And I think worked in that’s just Spinout how he was (1966). in real life. The He was a following year natural he costarred comedian, with Presley and his in Clambake, Wilda Taylor as Little Egypt with Elvis in Roustabout timing was which just featured a lot impeccable. I of ad-libbing just found him to and fooling be a very genuine around on the set. person.” “It was more Despite his or less a de facto fame, Will stag party because Hutchins says Elvis was getting Presley didn’t play married soon after the celebrity, the filming was although he was finished,” recalled usually Hutchins. “Elvis accompanied on and his buddies most of his films would set off Will Hutchins and Elvis in Clambake by pals—the sofirecrackers. It was called Memphis pretty wild, but a Mafia. lot of fun. For the director’s birthday, “On the set, Elvis was like a host—a they had a cake and pushed it right in his Southern gentleman—making sure face!”
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Wilda Taylor appeared in three Elvis Presley films but strutted into Presley movie history as exotic dancer Little Egypt in Roustabout (1964). “We rehearsed for about two weeks,” said Taylor. “Elvis was in and out of the rehearsal hall every so often between his other busy filming days for the other scenes. He knew his material and music well, and I grew to admire him a great deal. “It’s amazing, through the years, how many people know about me and Little Egypt from that film. Oddly enough, I really didn’t know much about Elvis before we worked together, but I found him to be a lovely, darling person, and I was just pleased to be a small part of his life.” With each passing decade since his death in 1977 at age 42, the Elvis Presley legend and legacy continue to grow. When viewed in the context of the often zany ’60s TV and film period, it is gratifying that there exists such an extensive film library of the most celebrated entertainer in history. Thomas’ features and columns have appeared in more than 400 magazines and newspapers, and he is the author of Raised by the Stars, published by McFarland. He can be reached at his blog: http://getnickt.blogspot.com
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50plus SeniorNews •
January 2015
7
Calendar of Events
Lancaster County
Support Groups
Free and open to the public
Jan. 7, 7 to 8:15 p.m. Alzheimer’s Caregivers Support Group Willow Lakes Outpatient Center 212 Willow Valley Lakes Drive, Willow Street (717) 464-9365
Jan. 26, 2 to 3 p.m. Parkinson’s Support Group Garden Spot Village Concord Room 433 S. Kinzer Ave., New Holland (717) 355-6259 jshaffer@gardenspotvillage.org
Jan. 12, 10 to 11 a.m. Alzheimer’s Caregivers Support Group Garden Spot Village Concord Room 433 S. Kinzer Ave., New Holland (717) 355-6076 jmorton@gardenspotvillage.org Jan. 15, noon Brain Tumor Support Group Lancaster General Health Campus Wellness Center 2100 Harrisburg Pike, Lancaster (717) 626-2894
Jan. 28, 6 to 8 p.m. Epilepsy Foundation of Eastern Pennsylvania Support Group Lancaster General Hospital – Stager Room 5 555 N. Duke St., Lancaster (800) 887-7165, ext. 104
Community Programs Jan. 5, 6 p.m. Red Rose Singles Meeting Hoss’s Steak & Sea House 100 W. Airport Road, Lititz (717) 406-6098
If you have an event you would like to include, please email information to mjoyce@onlinepub.com for consideration.
Library Programs Lititz Public Library, 651 Kissel Hill Road, Lititz, (717) 626-2255 Jan. 15, 7 p.m. – Lititz Garden Club: All About Orchids Jan. 16, 10 a.m. – Literary Travelers Book Discussion: Please Look After Mom by Kyun-Sook Shin Jan. 17, 1:30 p.m. – Lititz Historical Foundation Program
What’s Happening? Give Us the Scoop! Please send us your press releases so we can let our readers know about free events occurring in Lancaster County! Email preferred to: mjoyce@onlinepub.com Let
TIPS
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help you get the word out! (717) 285-1350
from page 5
You will lose the pearls if the string breaks—I guarantee it. For gemstones set in rings, use ring holders that separate set stones and their settings from one another. This will prevent scrapes and scratches and retain a stone’s clarity, too. Watches should not be stopped January 2015
when stored. Let the watch run so you do not damage the battery or movement. Store watches flat, and use a soft cloth to cover the dial and protect the crystal face when storing them. When it comes to fine jewelry, protecting your investment goes hand in hand with proper storage.
50plus SeniorNews •
Cocalico Senior Association – (717) 336-7489 Jan. 8, 11 a.m. – Lunch Outing Jan. 22, 10 a.m. – Medicare Program Jan. 27, 6 p.m. – Senior Social Columbia Senior Center – (717) 684-4850 Jan. 5, 10:15 a.m. – Musical Memories Jan. 21, 10:15 a.m. – Senior Driving … What to Know Jan. 27, 10:15 a.m. – Songs of Yesteryear Elizabethtown Area Senior Center – (717) 367-7984 Jan. 7, 1:30 p.m. – Bingo for Bucks Jan. 8, 10:30 a.m. – Hearing and Ear Care Jan. 21, 10 a.m. – Medication Take-Back Lancaster House North Happy Hearts Club Senior Center – (717) 299-1278 Tuesdays, 1 p.m. – Varied Activities Thursdays, noon – Pinochle
Free and open to the public Jan. 16, 6 to 9 p.m. Music Fridays Downtown Lancaster (717) 341-0028
Senior Center Activities
Celebrity Ph.D. antiques appraiser, author, and award-winning TV personality, Dr. Lori hosts antiques appraisal events worldwide. Dr. Lori is the star appraiser on Discovery channel’s TV show Auction Kings. Visit www.DrLoriV.com, www.Facebook.com/DoctorLori, Lori Verderame at Google+, or call (888) 431-1010.
Lancaster Neighborhood Senior Center – (717) 299-3943 Jan. 9, 9:30 a.m. – How to Use the iPad Training Starts Jan. 14, 9:30 a.m. – Haircuts and Manicures Jan. 22, 9:30 a.m. – Chorus Practice Lancaster Rec. Senior Center – (717) 392-2115, ext. 147 Mondays, 1:30 p.m. – Pickleball Jan. 14, 10:30 a.m. – Craft with Preschoolers Jan. 22, 10:15 a.m. – Music by Marty’s One-Man Band Lititz Senior Center – (717) 626-2800 Fridays, 9 a.m. – Tai Chi Jan. 8, 10:15 a.m. – Music and Dancing Jan. 29, 10:15 a.m. – History of Reading and Columbia Railroad Luis Munoz Marin Senior Center – (717) 295-7989 Jan. 6, 10 a.m. – Three Kings Celebration with Music Jan. 13, 10 a.m. – The New School of Lancaster Spanish Students Visit Millersville Senior Center – (717) 871-9600 Mondays and Fridays, 10 a.m. – Healthy Steps in Motion Exercise Jan. 14, 10 a.m. – Music for a Wintry Day Jan. 21, 10 a.m. – Brain Teasers Next Gen Senior Center – (717) 786-4770 Mondays and Fridays, 9:30 a.m. – Exercise Wednesdays, 9:30 a.m. – Bible Study Jan. 6, 10:30 a.m. – Penn State Nutrition Program Rodney Park Happy Hearts Club Senior Center – (717) 393-7786 Tuesdays, noon – Pinochle Wednesdays, 1 p.m. – Varied Activities Thursdays, noon – Bingo Please call or visit the centers’ websites for additional activities. www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
The Beauty in Nature
Their First Name is Snow Clyde McMillan-Gamber now geese, snowy owls, and snow buntings are bird species that nest on the ground of the treeless Arctic tundra and often winter in open habitats in the Lower 48, including farmland in Lancaster County, which must remind them of the tundra. They are a bit of the Arctic come south for the winter. But Snow geese winter in harvested cornfields. only snow geese come this far spectacular and inspiring. Their south every winter. These species are mostly white, which deafening masses in flight block the background from view, as does a blizzard. camouflages them in snow. Snow geese In Lancaster County, snow geese are winter in noisy hordes that blanket most likely seen at Middle Creek harvested cornfields and winter rye fields, Wildlife Management Area from midwhere they feed on waste corn kernels February to the middle of March, and the green shoots of rye. depending on the weather. But by midThey rest on larger, human-made March they begin their migration north impoundments between feeding forays. to their breeding territories on the And their clamorous takeoffs and tundra. landings on fields and water are
S
A snowy owl in flight.
A few snowy owls winter in Lancaster County, as in much of the Lower 48, after lemming populations crash on the tundra about every five years. Most of the owls here are young of the year come south, looking for any prey animals they can handle. And they are thrilling to birdwatchers and others because they are rare here and are magnificent creatures from a distant wilderness.
Flocks of white and brown snow buntings by the score fly low to the ground in local farmland while uttering buzzy notes. They are a little larger than sparrows and the colors of fields partly covered with snow. Some individual snow buntings may be in groups of horned larks in the fields. Snow buntings eat weed and grass seeds and grain in fields through winter. But by April they are going north to their tundra nesting grounds. This winter, or succeeding ones, try to get out to see these tundra birds in local fields and impoundments. They are thrilling to experience because we don’t see them every day, and they came from wilderness. Clyde McMillan-Gamber is a retired Lancaster County Parks naturalist.
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January 2015
9
Traveltizers
Travel Appetizers: Stories that Whet the Appetite for Travel
A Quest for the Ests: Visiting the Extremes of the United States It worked. Today, the scenic drive—a two-lane ribbon that winds between towering evergreens, open meadows, and lovely alpine lakes—is one of Colorado’s top attractions. (www.mountevans.com)
By Andrea Gross ’m a sucker for superlatives. My personal bucket list demands that I visit as many “ests” as possible, places that hold the record for being the highest, hottest, or in some way the very best of their category. I thought compiling the list would be simple, especially after I limited it to the United States, but of course it wasn’t. I ran into myriad problems of measurement and definition. Eventually I came up with my own criteria, based as much on practicality and desirability as on quantifiable data. Here, my recommendations for the Best of the Ests:
I
Highest I have no intention of actually climbing the tallest peak, which rules out Alaska’s Mt. McKinley (20,237 feet), yet I want to do more than peer toward the heavens. Thus I head for Colorado’s Mount
Photo courtesy of National Park Service
A boardwalk at Badwater Basin leads from a parking lot to the salt flats that mark the lowest point in the United States.
Photo courtesy of National Park Service
The salt flats of Death Valley are not hospitable to plants or animals.
People who take a short hike from the highest paved parking lot in the U.S. to the summit of Mt. Evans can brag that they’ve climbed one of Colorado’s famous Fourteeners (mountains that rise more than 14,000 feet above sea level).
Evans. At 14,265 feet, Mount Evans is a pigmy among giants, but—and this is important—it’s home to the highest paved road. This means I can drive almost all the way to the country’s highest parking lot,
walk a mere quarter mile to the summit, and voila, I’ll be standing atop the highest reasonably accessible peak in the U.S. The highway was built between 1917 and 1927 as a means of drawing tourists.
Lowest Choosing the lowest spot is easy. Since I quickly rule out deep-sea diving and descending into a mine, I’m left with Death Valley, Calif., which is the lowest point of dry land that was formed by nature as opposed to by man-and-shovel. The valley’s precise lowest point (282 feet below sea level) is near Badwater Basin, which sits amidst nearly 200 square miles of salt flats. A boardwalk lets visitors walk part way into the basin, but most folks step down onto the actual flats. The landscape is bizarre but beautiful, a pattern of interlocking shapes created by the valley’s unique combination of extreme heat, minimal rainfall, and low elevation. (www.nps.gov/deva/index.htm)
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January 2015
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Driest Here I run into trouble. Calexico, a small town on the California-Mexico border, has the lowest annual rainfall, but Death Valley has the most consecutive days with no rainfall. In the end I opt for neither. In my mind, “dry” suggests a place where I can mount a camel and ride endless miles across towering sand dunes. Calexico is dune-less, and while Death Valley has dunes, they aren’t record-setters. For that I have to go to Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado, which, although devoid of camels, has 750-foot-tall sand piles, the highest in North America. Later I learn that the dunes aren’t really dry. In fact, it’s the moist layer of sand right under the surface that holds the upper dry sand in place. But that’s OK. At this point in my Quest-Est, I’m more concerned with imagery than scientific accuracy. (www.nps.gov/grsa/index.htm) Wettest As for the wettest place, I must choose between the soggiest land or the drippiest sky. Since I don’t have a pair of wet boots but own several umbrellas, I decide on Hawaii’s Mount Waleleale. Then I learn that the mountain’s average rainfall exceeds 38 feet a year—a
www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
makes Forks a double superlative— winner of both the wettest and the weirdest categories. (www.forkswa.com)
Great Sand Dunes National Park has the tallest dunes in North America.
Photo courtesy of Forks Chamber of Commerce
Forks, Wash., is the gateway to the rainforests of Olympic National Park.
Photo courtesy of Mount Washington Observatory
Scientists at the Mount Washington Observatory work in a place that’s reputed to have the worst weather in the world.
fact that greatly dampens my enthusiasm (pardon the pun)—so I restrict my search to the contiguous United States and end up on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula. While the Aberdeen Reservoir is the rainiest place, with 130.6 inches a year, Forks is the rainiest town, with 120
inches a year. More important, it’s given this accolade not only by the National Climatic Data Center, but also by Stephenie Meyer, who used it as a setting for her Twilight book series. Why, I may even spot a vampire along the shore or amidst the trees, and this
Coldest Once I exclude non-contiguous Alaska, Rogers Pass, Mont., holds the record for a one-day temperature low (minus 70 F), but the peak of New Hampshire’s Mount Washington wins the title for all-time year-around cold (annual average temperature of 27 F). In addition, with wind gusts that sometimes reach more than 230 mph, it’s also considered the windiest place in the United States. Therefore, with masochistic determination I head to the summit. The road is steep, narrow, and bordered with deadly drop-offs. But am I glad I went? Absolutely. The view on top is spectacular and, what’s more, at the Weather Discovery Center in nearby North Conway I learn that Mount Washington holds bragging rights to the best Est of all: Home of the World’s Worst Weather. It’s a perfect way to end my search. The title of “worst” makes Mount Washington the “best.” (www.mountwashington.org) Photos © Irv Green unless otherwise noted; story by Andrea Gross (www.andreagross.com).
50plus SeniorNews •
January 2015
11
Connects Community and Hundreds of Local Vets By Molly Carl State Representative Angel Cruz, with help from the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, named 2014 as the Year of the Veteran—and OLP EvENtS, with the help of Lancaster County, hosted the area’s first Veterans’ Expo & Job Fair Nov. 14 at the Eden Resort, Lancaster. The Veterans’ Expo was open to all active military and veterans, men and women from all branches of service, and their families with a mission of ensuring all eligible individuals are aware of the benefits they have earned from their service to our nation. “In 1960, when I came home from Vietnam in my uniform, people spit at us as we got off the plane,� said Gene Conylman of Ephrata, Air Force. “Veterans need to be honored and respected better than that. Anything for the veterans is beneficial.� There were a total of 33 Expo vendors and 65 Job Fair exhibitors present at the sold-out event, which began with an opening ceremony. After a welcome from Donna Anderson, president of On-Line Publishers, the Red Rose Veterans Honor Guard performed the Presenting of the Colors, honoring all branches of military service. Peggy Keller, 2011 Pa StatE SENiOr idOL winner, sang the national anthem, and Anderson led the attendees in the Pledge of Allegiance before Lt. Gen. Dennis Benchoff took the stage as the keynote speaker. Benchoff addressed the importance of helping veterans secure employment and the role the day’s event played in making that happen. He also commented on veterans’ benefits—both the fact that they are available and how they are earned. Tom La Nasa closed the opening ceremony with a performance of Johnny Cash’s “Ragged Old Flag.�
Along with the Expo & Job Fair exhibitors, there were also a number of seminars and presentations for visitors to attend. Audrey M. Bergstresser from the Department of Pennsylvania Veterans of Foreign Wars hosted “You and Your VA Benefitsâ€?; Beth A. Lovell of Employment Issues! presented “Resume Writing to Improve and Shorten Your Job Searchâ€? and “Winning the Interviewâ€?; and Jack Marino, SCORE counselor, gave a presentation called “So You Want to Start a Business?â€? With more than 500 visitors in attendance, the response to the first Lancaster County Veterans’ Expo & Job Fair was positive. “There are a lot of veterans out there who don’t even have jobs, so I think it’s nice that this event is here for them,â€? said Terry Schaffer of New Holland, Marines. The event also brought out organizations looking to recruit other veterans to provide them with the resources they deserve and to give them the support network they may need at home. “We’re an organization that honors veterans in Lancaster County and Indiantown Gap National Cemetery,â€? said Clyde R. Snyder, Army, of the Vet 21 Salute Honor Guard. “We’re looking for new members to join our current 43 and improve our ranks,â€? A special thank-you to our sponsors! Snyder said. “We wore our uniforms out today hoping to catch somebody’s eye and Principal Sponsors: Program Sponsor: Visitor Bag Sponsor: maybe gain a new member or two ‌ We’ve USAA Susquehanna Bank only been at this 15 months, and we’ve already honored 1,500 veterans.â€? Snyder also said he would love to see this event next year because it “helps these men Media Sponsors: Liberty Sponsors: Marketing Sponsor: and women find whatever it is that brought Blue Ridge Communications Fulton Financial Corporation Pennsylvania Veterans them out today.â€? of Foreign Wars ESPN Radio 92.7 The SYGMA Network Keep an eye out for the return of the Wells Fargo Veterans’ Expo & Job Fair in 2015 and Worley & Obetz, Inc. visit www.veteransexpo.com for more details.
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January 2015
50plus SeniorNews •
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The Way I See It
Morning Woes
does Your Marketing reach active, affluent Boomers & Seniors?
Mike Clark
I
wake up between 2:30 and 4 o’clock almost every morning. A force inside my head flips a switch, lights go on, and rollers and gears begin to turn. It’s like the startup shift in a manufacturing plant. As the minutes slowly pass, the lights get brighter, the sounds inside become cacophonous, and all attempts to sleep are futile. Then the neuronal network within my normally sedate noggin fires away at full speed to conjure all kinds of worriment that I think should be immediately considered. Problems go back and forth as though going through a cerebral rolling mill, and each problem is forged into smaller, more detailed elements that demand more intense scrutiny with each pass. Concrete solutions to some problems are so elusive that I must store them in my subconscious until the next morning— or even the morning after that. And they will again appear between 2:30 and 4 a.m. to bedevil me. It is necessary, then, to try to solve these problems as soon as possible before they pile up on all the other woes waiting to steal my sleep. I am too often confounded, and the frustration exacerbates my troubles. My wife tends to stir knowingly when I’m in the “worry” mode. She usually says nothing until about 6 a.m. when I stumble downstairs, bleary-eyed and unsteady. I know that my tossing and turning keeps her from sleeping soundly, which makes me worry even more. She has to go to work in the morning. I, on the other hand, can take a nap during the day to recover from my sleeplessness, which can create some resentment. I find it odd that my wife doesn’t worry much about anything. And that often drives me crazy—I worry about why she doesn’t worry. Oh, she ponders over the same things that worry me; she www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
just does not let those thoughts devolve into a condition of hyperventilation like I do. What are some of the things I worry about? I’ll tell you. But, keep in mind that the following is far from a comprehensive list. There isn’t enough space in this column to elaborate on all of my vexations. For example, my roof is almost 20 years old. Each time there is a downpour that lasts more than several minutes, I roam around the house looking for leaks. So far, so good. But should I replace this roof soon? Will it hold up for a couple more years? I forget what the life was on the shingles I bought. Was it 20 years? Or maybe it was 25. If I could just find the original contract, maybe I could stop worrying. However, maybe I would worry more if I found the answer. I’m beginning to wonder how long a car with 161,000 miles on it will continue to start up and take me where I need to go. I have put more than a carload of money into repairs for the thing, believing that it is more desirable than four years (or more) of car payments. Whenever I hear an unusual noise under the hood, I worry. Should I just go ahead and strap myself with car payments? Our water heater started to leak several months ago. I installed it myself and it lasted much longer than it was supposed to. But this time around, I decided to have somebody else do the installation. I also installed a new garbage-disposal unit and a new dishwasher many years ago. I had the disposal replaced last year by a plumber. So, when will the dishwasher go on the fritz? I cross my fingers and continue to worry on that one. please see WOES page 15
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www.50plusExpopa.com 50plus SeniorNews •
January 2015
13
Who Has the Best Bites in Central PA?
Savvy Senior
How to Fight Age Discrimination Jim Miller
Help 50plus Senior News celebrate the local eateries that deserve national fame!
Where do you frequent for: Breakfast _________________________________________ Lunch ____________________________________________ Dinner____________________________________________ Ethnic Cuisine _____________________________________ Celebrating _______________________________________ Bakery ___________________________________________ Coffeehouse ______________________________________ Fast Food _________________________________________ Seafood __________________________________________ Steak_____________________________________________ Outdoor Dining____________________________________ Romantic Setting __________________________________ Smorgasbord/Buffet _______________________________
Dear Demoted, Age discrimination has become a much more frequent complaint in recent years as more and more people are working into their retirement years. But, you need to be aware that proving it is extremely difficult to do, especially since the 2009 Supreme Court decision that raised the bar for the type of legal proof that workers need to win agediscrimination lawsuits. With that said, here are the steps you’ll need to take to fight age discrimination if you think you’ve been treated unlawfully.
Caterer ___________________________________________
ADEA Protection The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) is your first defense against age discrimination. This is a federal law that says an employer cannot fire, refuse to hire, or treat you differently from other employees because of your age. Some examples of age discrimination include:
Please return your completed entry form by February 19, 2015 to:
• You were fired because your boss wanted to keep younger workers who are paid less.
50plus Senior News 3912 abel drive • Columbia, pa 17512 Your Name __________________________________________________ Address ____________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________ Phone ______________________________________________________ This information is strictly confidential.
14
Dear Savvy Senior, What constitutes age discrimination in the workplace, and where can I turn for help if I think I’ve got a case? – Demoted at 64
January 2015
50plus SeniorNews •
• You were turned down for a promotion, which went to someone younger hired from outside the company, because the boss says the company “needs new blood.” • When company layoffs are announced, most of the persons laid off were older, while younger workers with less seniority and less on-the-job experience were kept on.
• Before you were fired, your supervisor made age-related remarks about you. • You didn’t get hired because the employer wanted a younger-looking person to do the job. The ADEA protects all workers and job applicants age 40 and over who work for employers that have 20 or more employees—including federal, state, and local governments as well as employment agencies and labor unions. If your workplace has fewer than 20 employees, you may still be protected under your state’s anti-agediscrimination law. Contact your state labor department or your state’s fair employment practices agency for more information. Another protection for older workers is the federal Older Workers Benefit Protection Act. Under this law, an employer cannot reduce health or life insurance benefits for older employees, nor can it stop their pensions from accruing if they work past their normal retirement age. It also discourages businesses from targeting older workers when cutting staff and prohibits employers from forcing employees to take early retirement. What to Do If you think you are a victim of employment age discrimination, your first step is to file a charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) usually within 180 days from the date of the alleged violation. You can do this by mail or in person at your nearest EEOC office (see www.eeoc.gov/contact) or by calling (800) 669-4000. They will help you through the filing process and let you know if you should also file a charge with your state anti-discrimination agency. Once the charge is filed, the EEOC will investigate your complaint and find www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
either reasonable cause to believe that age discrimination has occurred or no cause and no basis for a claim. After the investigation, the EEOC will then send you their findings along with a “notice of right to sue,” which gives you permission to file a lawsuit in a court of law. If you decide to sue, you’ll need to hire a lawyer who specializes in employee discharge suits. Lawyers.com and FindLaw (www.findlaw.com) are two websites that can help you locate discrimination attorneys in your area. Another option you should consider
WOES
is mediation, which is a fair and efficient way to help you resolve your employment disputes and reach an agreement. The EEOC offers mediation at no cost if your current or former employer agrees to participate. At mediation, you show up with your evidence, your employer presents theirs, and the mediator makes a determination within a day or less. Jim Miller is a regular contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior Book. www.savvysenior.org
from page 13
When it finally goes out, I’ll have to pay someone else to install the new one. Can you say “expensive”? Two of my grandchildren moved to another state back in June. It was sudden, unexpected, and disheartening. I am still disheartened by it. I miss them terribly. I am always wondering if they are adjusting to their new digs. Are they happy? Are they making friends? Are they doing well in their new school? They call, and I am reassured that all is well. My wife takes them at their word. Still, I worry. And so it goes until the bright lights and noise inside my head subside, and I slowly go back to sleep for what remains
of the time left before the alarm goes off. My wife reminds me that in all of our years together, things have always worked out. Then I worry about a possible exception. For the new year ahead, I’m going to have to find ways to banish my morning woes. After all, my wife really needs her sleep. Happy New Year.
Luminary Walk Will Aid Accessibility As part of Landis Homes’ recent 50 anniversary celebration culmination event, hundreds of celebrants stepped outside to view the 1,000 luminaries lining the walkway from the community’s Harvest View Apartments to the site of the planned Leaman Woods paved walking path. The walkway stretches nearly three-quarters of a mile. Each lit luminary represented a $50 gift, given in memory or in honor of a loved one. The $50,000 goal for the Leaman Woods Accessibility Project to create a paved walking path was far exceeded, with the total amount topping $70,500. th
In addition to a new paved path through the woods, additional benches, a gazebo, and two entrance arches are planned to be added to the Leaman Woods in 2015.
If you have local news you’d like considered for
Mike Clark writes a regular column for The Globe Leader newspaper in New Wilmington, Pa. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in organizational behavior/applied psychology from Albright College. Mike lives outside Columbia, Pa., and can be contacted at mikemac429@aol.com.
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NEW NORMAL
from page 1
would be that these ‘jobs’ are not as glamorous as portrayed on television,” Ballenger said. “They require a huge amount of commitment and an everlarger amount of caring and compassion. “They are not for the faint of heart, but you will make a difference—and that’s what it’s all about.” Her goal was to express empathy and caring on every call she responded to. “Even if it was a man with knee pain he’d had for three weeks and [he then] decides to dial 911 at 3 a.m.,” said
Ballenger. “In their opinion, when they dial 911, it is one of the worst days of their lives, and I respect that.” Performing CPR on calls for people she knew was very difficult. “I literally had to be pulled off of the one man by the doctor at the hospital as he announced time of death,” Ballenger said. “A little bit of you dies with the person.” Successful and unsuccessful suicides, as well as calls involving children, are always the most difficult, she said.
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But on Oct. 2, 2006, she responded it,’” Ballenger recalled. “They agreed and to a call in Bart Township that nothing were flawless in their work. I am forever could have prepared her for. indebted. Ballenger was one of the first “I was on scene from approximately responders to the shooting at the West 11 a.m. until midnight,” she said. “I still Nickel Mines School, where a man have no idea how I made it home.” entered the That night, schoolhouse Ballenger had to and lined up complete her 10 young reports from the Amish girls haunting tragedy before that she had shooting them barely begun to execution process. style. Five of “As I the girls died; downloaded the the gunman pictures, it all Ballenger gives talks in the community about her later took his seemed surreal,” experiences and about her memoir, Addicted to said Ballenger. own life. Life & Death: Memoirs of an EMT & Deputy Coroner. “I was one Before she of the few to could begin enter the school with the dead bodies processing any further, her phone began still inside,” Ballenger said. to ring nonstop. She asked the crew from New “CNN called to say they were on their Holland Ambulance to clean one of the way to my home. I said, ‘Absolutely girl’s faces because she did not want the not.’” child’s mother to see her face entirely Ballenger took two weeks off from covered in blood. everything. She visited the New Holland “They said they had been told not to Ambulance crew to thank them for touch her. I said, ‘I will take full everything that they did for the victims responsibility and will risk my job on and families.
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January 2015
50plus SeniorNews •
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“It was very emotional. I couldn’t thank them enough for cleaning her face,” Ballenger said. “And I didn’t get in trouble.” She met with counselors and visited with the Amish families who lost their children on that day. “I still keep in contact with them. I always leave their homes feeling a little better,” Ballenger said. Her mind kept revisiting the inside of the Amish school, and in an effort to find a “new normal,” Ballenger decided to move and sell nearly everything that she owned. “In hindsight, I wish I hadn’t done that,” Ballenger said. “But I was desperate to try to find a normal place in my mind.” She tried crafts and other endeavors to occupy her mind, but writing a memoir about her experiences was what finally gave her a greater sense of peace. Ballenger had been keeping journals of her experiences since she started volunteering. “As I began seeing some gruesome sights, I needed a way to vent my emotions. My brother, John, gave me a lined journal and when I would return home from a call, I recorded my emotions in the journal—which turned into many, many journals,” Ballenger explained.
She spent the next two years writing her first book, Addicted to Life & Death: Memoirs of an EMT & Deputy Coroner. She gives free talks in the community about her book and experiences and brings a guest speaker with her to discuss suicide and its effects on those left behind. She includes instructions on giving CPR in her talks. “Some people have said, ‘I guess you get used to seeing the things you see.’ No, you never get used to it. If you do, then it is time to get out of doing that work,” Ballenger said. “Others ask how I could do that work. I reply, ‘Everyone has their place on Earth. I am blessed that I was able to do that work for many, many years. Someone has to do it. But don’t ask me to be a dental hygienist—I could never do that work.” Ballenger is a still a certified EMT but does not run on calls. She works at a skilled nursing facility near Ephrata. Ballenger is available to speak about her experiences and can be reached at (717) 606-3494, janiceballenger@ yahoo.com, or at her Facebook page: www.facebook.com/AddictedToLifeDeath MemoirsOfAnEmtDeputyCoroner. Her book is available online or can be purchased directly through Ballenger; she will sign them as requested.
Humane League Pet of the Month
Midnight Midnight’s sleek, black fur and watchful, golden-green eyes give him a very distinguished look. But it’s his friendly, down-to-earth attitude that makes this 8-year-old kitty a wonderful companion. Not only does he love attention from humans, but he likes the company of other kitties too. When he’s not busy socializing, you’ll find Midnight making the most of a warm window seat or happily munching on his kibbles. He’s already neutered and litter-box trained. Midnight would love to be your loving companion morning, noon, and night. Come visit Midnight to find out if he’s the friend you’ve been searching for! Midnight ID No. 9718834 For more information, please contact the Humane League of Lancaster County at (717) 393-6551.
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Are You Reading? Join the 2015 One Book, One Community campaign by reading Orphan Train by Christina Baker Kline 85 libraries in Berks, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, and York counties and their community partners present the regional reading campaign.
Read the book during January and attend free library programs and discussions in February!
Visit www.oboc.org or your library to learn more
Thank you for reading our award-winning publications. On-Line Publishers, Inc. was recently honored with four national awards.
Gold Award Winter 2013 issue Bronze Award Spring 2013 issue
Merit Award “Life’s Second Draft” BY CHELSEA PEIFER
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January 2015
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Deal Me In By Mark Pilarski
Who Watches Them? ‘Them’ Being the Casino Dear Mark: I know that you have clearly stated multiple times in your column that casinos do not cheat. I am still leery of your belief. I guess my question is: Who monitors the casino to ensure their slot machines are on the up-and-up? – Jared J. Every state that offers land-based casinos has some form of a gaming regulatory agency that provides you, the casino patron, with protection from playing on a rigged machine. Let’s begin with the machine itself. Each new slot machine goes through roughly a six-month process to be approved before it hits the casino floor. A state’s gaming regulatory agency tests the machine to make sure that it operates randomly by scrutinizing how it selects the reel stops on a slot machine. The agency does a thorough inspection of the machine’s source code
for any possible problems and then peeks at the principles behind how the random generation occurs. Only then is the machine placed out in the field (casino) for more testing before final approval. After the proverbial two thumbs up, the manufacturer can then sell that configuration of that slot machine to the casino. Testing then continues once the machine is placed into operation. For starters, the machine will run selftests to make sure it hasn’t been tampered with; plus, it makes sure it runs within certain parameters—meaning it
doesn’t pay out too little or too much. These internal tests also look out for the casino’s best interest in that they make sure the slot machine isn’t susceptible to cheating. In most (if not all) states, machines are also subject to random spot checks in which someone from gaming verifies that a machine is identical to the approved configuration, it has not been tampered with, and the chips in the machine match the reference chips approved by the agency. Agents in the field show up unannounced and armed with a laptop
Job Opportunities LANCASTER COUNTY EMPLOYERS NEED YOU!! Age 55 or over? Unemployed? The 55+ Job Bank is one of three services offered by Employment Unit at the Office of Aging. Jobs are matched with those looking for work. Based on an evaluation of your skills and abilities, we can match you with a position needed by a local employer. Some employers are specifically looking for older workers because of the reliability and experience they bring to the workplace. There is a mix of full-time and part-time jobs covering all shifts, requiring varying levels of skill and experience, and offering a wide range of salaries. The other services available through the Office of Aging are the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) and the regularly scheduled Job Search Workshops.
For more job listings, call the Lancaster County Office of Aging
at (717) 299-7979 or visit
www.co.lancaster.pa.us/lanco_aging
Lancaster County Office of Aging 150 N. Queen Street, Suite 415 Lancaster, PA 18
January 2015
50plus SeniorNews •
computer that has a database of all the chip signatures. Each chip has a code number that contains all its attributes, including its return percentages. Agents will know on the spot if the chip is legit by inserting the chip into their specialized laptop; it reads the chip and all its contents to certify that it is an approved value chip. Any hanky panky (Tommy James and the Shondells, 1966), and we’re talking the possible loss of a gaming license. Besides, most casinos today are publicly traded companies not interested in exposing their gaming license to loss with any suspicion of monkey business going on. Furthermore, in some states, casinos can’t even access the logic boards in their machines. Only the gaming authority can either make the change or witness the swap. Some states do allow casinos to make
E.O.E.
cARe PROviDeRs – Pt Local organization needs caring persons to assist adults with developmental disabilities living in group homes by helping with hygiene, medications, cooking, cleaning, and using company van to transport guests to appointments. Need valid driver’s license/good record. SN120002.01 PicKuP DRiveRs – Pt Service provider desires courteous, friendly persons to operate a box truck/van to transport medical/ hazardous waste materials. May require pulling a trailer behind the vehicle. Need PA class C driver’s license, clean driving record, and ability to lift/carry up to 50 lbs. SN120035.02
vieW OuR JOb List We list other jobs on the Web at www.co.lancaster.pa.us/ lanco_aging. To learn more about applying for the 55+ Job Bank and these jobs, call the Employment Unit at (717) 299-7979. SN-GEN.03
DiRect sALes RePResentAtive – Ft Large media service provider is looking for someone with the special qualities of tenacity, good listening skills, a technical mindset, and the ability to structure/close a sale. Determine clients’ needs, explain products/services, and offer solutions. Commission plan/benefits. SN120049.04
— Volunteer Opportunities — Have you made any New Year’s resolutions? How about making a resolution that will enrich your life and the life of an older person in your community? The volunteer opportunities available at Lancaster County Office of Aging are diverse, offer flexibility, and require a minimal time commitment. As a volunteer, you can choose to provide a consumer with hands-on help with laundry, grocery shopping, or cleaning. You can also provide socialization as a Phone Pal or Friendly Visitor. There are also several specialized programs for volunteers through our agency. They include the Volunteer Ombudsman and APPRISE volunteer programs. Volunteers are also invited to participate in several special events during the year, such as distribution of donated chicken barbecue dinners and the Christmas holiday program. For more information about any of these opportunities and others, contact Bev Via, volunteer coordinator, at (717) 299-7979 or aging@co.lancaster.pa.us. Becoming an Office of Aging volunteer is one resolution you’ll enjoy keeping! www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
variations to slot machines under that state’s regulations. By variations, I mean either a paytable modification or a chip swap inside a machine to make it return more or less. As long as “approved� chips are used, and the payback is within the minimum limit set by each state’s law, it is legit. Another reason the slot machine is on the up-and-up is that every machine offered is mathematically in the casino’s favor. It is the way they make their moolah—by paying you less than the true odds on every machine on the casino floor. Why cheat? There isn’t any need to swindle you beyond what the state already allows them via the casino hold. They don’t call slot machines “onearmed bandits� for nothin’.
Please take into account, Jared, that my above answer is to some degree generalized. Each gaming jurisdiction may use a slightly different approach, but you can rest assured that who’s watching whom is watching out for you. Gambling Wisdom of the Month: “Slot machines are the cotton candy and the McDonald’s of the casino. Everyone knows that they’re bad for you, but few can resist their junk-food appeal.� – Andrew Brisman Mark Pilarski is a recognized authority on casino gambling, having survived 18 years in the casino trenches. Pilarski is the creator of the bestselling, award-winning audio book series on casino gambling, Hooked on Winning. www.markpilarski.com
Disk Damage: Watch Your Back A herniated spinal disk can cause severe pain. Spinal disks act as cushions between your vertebrae, and if they become damaged or slip out of place, they can irritate surrounding nerves. The result: weakness, numbness, and/or pain in arms, legs, or back. Watch for these risk factors to assess your vulnerability: Age. Spinal disks degenerate over time, becoming less flexible and more likely to tear as you grow older.
Weight. Extra weight puts more of a strain on your lower back. Lifting. If your job (or your personal life) requires you to do a lot of heavy lifting, be sure to pick objects up properly and safely to avoid injury. Genetics. The Mayo Clinic website points out that some people inherit a tendency to develop disks that herniate easily.
Is Cash Losing its Cachet? We may not be moving toward a cashless society, but for some people, paying with plastic is the preferred way to go. A survey from CreditCard.com found that 51 percent of adults under 30 will use a credit or debit card for purchases less than $5, while 77 percent of people 50 or older prefer to pay cash when buying something for $5 or less.
When you patronize our advertisers, please let them know you saw their ad in
Debit cards are more popular than credit cards among the younger generation by a 3-to-1 margin and hold a 2-to-1 lead among users of all ages. Americans held balances on credit cards in the amount of half a trillion dollars by the end of the first half of 2014, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
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