Lebanon County Edition
January 2015
Vol. 10 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. She began volunteering as a vehicle rescue technician before becoming an emergency medical technician and then serving as her 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 15 Janice Ballenger, volunteer EMT and former deputy coroner. The local ambulance association was on the scene with Ballenger during the aftermath of the shooting at the West Nickel Mines School in October 2006.
Inside:
How to Fight Age Discrimination page 6
Costars Remember Elvis the Actor page 10
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.
Jan. 24
– 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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Resource Directory This Resource Directory recognizes advertisers who have made an extended commitment to your health and well-being. Emergency Numbers Poison Control Center (800) 222-1222 Food Resources Food Stamps (800) 692-7462 Lebanon County Area Agency on Aging Meals on Wheels (717) 273-9262 Lebanon County Christian Ministries (717) 272-4400 Salvation Army (717) 273-2655 Health & Medical Services Alzheimer’s Association (717) 651-5020 American Cancer Society (717) 231-4582 American Diabetes Association (717) 657-4310 American Heart Association/ American Stroke Association (717) 207-4265
Hearing Services Hearing & Ear Care Center 200 Schneider Drive, Suite 1, Lebanon (717) 274-3851 Melnick, Moffitt, and Mesaros 927 Russell Drive, Lebanon (717) 274-9775 Pennsylvania Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (800) 233-3008 V/TTY Hospitals Good Samaritan Hospital 252 S. Fourth St., Lebanon (717) 270-7500
Office of Aging Lebanon County Area Agency on Aging (717) 273-9262
Environmental Protection Agency Emergency Hotline (800) 541-2050
Pharmacies CVS/pharmacy www.cvs.com
Arthritis Foundation (717) 274-0754
Medicare (800) 382-1274
Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services (717) 787-7500
PA Crime Stoppers (800) 472-8477
CONTACT Helpline (717) 652-4400
PennDOT (800) 932-4600
Interventional Vein & Vascular Institute (844) 438-4884
Recycling (800) 346-4242
Kidney Foundation (717) 652-8123
Social Security Information (800) 772-1213
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (717) 652-6520
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (800) 827-1000
Lupus Foundation (888) 215-8787
Housing Assistance Housing Assistance & Resources Program (HARP) (717) 273-9328
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Palmyra Senior Community Center (717) 838-8237 Senior Center of Lebanon Valley (717) 274-3451
Insurance Medicare Hotline (800) 638-6833
Hotlines Energy Assistance (800) 692-7462
Medicaid (800) 692-7462
Northern Lebanon County Senior Community Center (717) 865-0944
Independent Living Communities Country Acres Manufactured Home Park, LP 1600 Kercher Ave., Myerstown (717) 866-5496
Medical Society of Lebanon County (717) 270-7500
American Lung Association (717) 541-5864
Myerstown Senior Community Center (717) 866-6786
Lebanon HOPES (717) 274-7528, ext. 3201
Legal Services Pennsylvania Bar Association (717) 238-6715
IRS Income Tax Assistance (800) 829-1040
Maple Street Senior Community Center (717) 273-1048
Lebanon County Housing & Redevelopment Authorities (717) 274-1401
Veterans Services Governor’s Veterans Outreach (717) 234-1681 Lebanon VA Medical Center 1700 S. Lincoln Ave., Lebanon (717) 228-6000 or (800) 409-8771 Volunteer Opportunities RSVP of Capital Region, Inc. (717) 847-1539 RSVP Lancaster County (717) 847-1539
Retirement Communities StoneRidge Retirement Living 440 E. Lincoln Ave., Myerstown (717) 866-3204
RSVP Lebanon County (717) 454-8956 RSVP York County (443) 619-3842
Senior Centers Annville Senior Community Center (717) 867-1796
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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 Central Pennsylvania. Why here? “Because that’s where my dad’s sister and friends of our family were living,” Billis says. The area quickly became home to Billis, and he was soon speaking English without an accent. After Sgt. Billis on leave in 1992. graduation from McCaskey High 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 F-16s, 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 Central Pennsylvania. 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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Deal Me In By Mark Pilarski
Did This Player Deserve to Be Tossed from 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 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. www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
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 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 “one-armed 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
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Savvy Senior
How to Fight Age Discrimination Jim Miller 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 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. 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: • You were fired because your boss wanted to keep younger workers who are paid less. • 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-thejob 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-age-discrimination 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
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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 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 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
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New Cancer Center to Open in County
Have you photographed a smile that just begs to be shared? Send us your favorite smile—your children, grandchildren, friends, even your “smiling” pet!—and it could be 50plus Senior News’ next Smile of the Month!
Architectural rendering of the Sechler Family Cancer Center.
The Good Samaritan Hospital recently broke ground for a new center that will deliver integrated cancer care—a comprehensive mix of clinical and other support services—that will enable patients to receive services in their hometown with fewer visits. With construction underway, Good Samaritan plans to open the Sechler Family Cancer Center to patients
before the end of 2015. The 22,000-square-foot, singlestory center will provide chemotherapy, infusion therapy, and the latest radiation treatment in one location. The facility will also house physician offices, laboratory services, a pharmacy, a social worker, nutrition services, and a spiritual center.
You can submit your photos (with captions) either digitally to mjoyce@onlinepub.com or by mail to:
50plus Senior News Smile of the Month 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512 Digital photos must be at least 4x6'' with a resolution of 300 dpi. No professional photos, please. Please include a SASE if you would like to have your photo returned.
If you have local news you’d like considered for Around Town, please email mjoyce@onlinepub.com
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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:
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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.
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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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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
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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.
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)
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
Photos © Irv Green unless otherwise noted; story by Andrea Gross (www.andreagross.com).
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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
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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“I remember that a bunch of the kids’ everyone was having a good time,” said mothers suddenly started screaming. Hutchins, who first worked in Spinout Elvis had come out of his dressing room, (1966). and they crowded around him for The following year he costarred with autographs. So I thought, ‘What the Presley in Clambake, which featured a lot heck! I’ll get one too.’ of ad-libbing and fooling around on the “So I went up to him—and I’m not set. making this up—when he looked at me, “It was more or less a de facto stag I thought, ‘Oh, I get it! I see why they party because Elvis was getting married like him so much.’ He had this special soon after the filming was finished,” aura about recalled him. I was Hutchins. just “Elvis and his dumbstruck; buddies I couldn’t say would set off anything. He firecrackers. signed the It was pretty photo, wild, but a handed it to lot of fun. me, and said, For the ‘Here ya go, director’s darling.’” birthday, Presley’s they had a leading lady cake and Wilda Taylor as Little Egypt with Elvis in Roustabout in The pushed it Trouble with right in his Girls came face!” away with Wilda more than Taylor just an appeared in autograph. three Elvis Marlyn Presley films Mason but strutted snagged an into Presley on-screen movie history kiss. as exotic “It was a dancer Little comedy kiss,” Egypt in Will Hutchins and Elvis in Clambake said Mason, Roustabout indicating (1964). that the only fireworks were the real ones “We rehearsed for about two weeks,” in the movie scene. said Taylor. “Elvis was in and out of the “He was great fun to work with, rehearsal hall every so often between his because I could throw anything at him other busy filming days for the other and he’d just throw it right back.” scenes. He knew his material and music She also recalls a private moment well, and I grew to admire him a great when Presley shared thoughts about his deal. acting. “It’s amazing, through the years, how “The saddest thing Elvis said to me many people know about me and Little was, ‘I’d like to make one good film Egypt from that film. Oddly enough, I because I know people in this town really didn’t know much about Elvis laugh at me.’ I’ll never forget that,” she before we worked together, but I found said. him to be a lovely, darling person, and I “But he was always down to earth and was just pleased to be a small part of his comfortable with himself. Some of that life.” dialogue was so corny, but he managed With each passing decade since his to bring a realness to it. And I think death in 1977 at age 42, the Elvis Presley that’s just how he was in real life. He was legend and legacy continue to grow. a natural comedian, and his timing was When viewed in the context of the often just impeccable. I just found him to be a zany ’60s TV and film period, it is very genuine person.” gratifying that there exists such an Despite his fame, Will Hutchins says extensive film library of the most Presley didn’t play the celebrity, although celebrated entertainer in history. he was usually accompanied on most of Thomas’ features and columns have appeared his films by pals—the so-called Memphis in more than 400 magazines and newspapers, Mafia. and he is the author of Raised by the Stars, “On the set, Elvis was like a host—a published by McFarland. He can be reached Southern gentleman—making sure at his blog: http://getnickt.blogspot.com www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
Who Has the Best Bites in Central PA? Help 50plus Senior News celebrate the local eateries that deserve national fame!
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Art and Antiques by Dr. Lori
Jewelry Storage Tips Lori Verderame
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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
Volunteer Spotlight Priscilla Gonya Named Volunteer of the Month RSVP of the Capital board orientations, and on Region has announced every board committee Priscilla Gonya as its available by rotation. If the Lebanon County Red Cross does it, she has Volunteer of the Month probably been a part of it. for January. In addition to her Red A “compulsive Cross work, Gonya has volunteer,” Gonya, 87, volunteered for the has been volunteering in Literacy Council, Crisis Priscilla Gonya her community all of her Intervention, Women in life, beginning in grade Crisis, Panel for American school helping her neighbors. Women, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, An educator by profession, Gonya’s Lebanon Community Theatre, Youth family obligations precluded her from for Understanding exchange student pursuing a career as a teacher. program, RSVP partner VITA Nonetheless, in her 67 years of (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance), marriage to husband Joe, she has and with her church, St. Cecelia’s. raised five children and cared for Gonya may have slowed down a more than 40 exchange students, bit lately, but she still volunteers with while still finding time to be a VITA, Red Cross, and Youth for substitute teacher and a very active Understanding. If there is a Red volunteer for RSVP partner American Cross display table in Lebanon Red Cross. County, you will likely find Priscilla Gonya’s first involvement with the Gonya staffing it. Red Cross began in high school while Priscilla’s lifetime of service to our participating in a door-to-door community is an inspiration to us all fundraising drive. Her service to the and demonstrates that we all can and Red Cross began in 1975 (tutoring should give of ourselves in benefit to Vietnamese refugees in English) and others. continues to this day. To learn more about volunteer Over the years, Gonya has worn many hats at the Red Cross: volunteer opportunities, please contact Scott Brubaker, Lebanon RSVP development chairperson for its board of directors, coordinator, at lebanonrsvp@rsvpcapreg.org instructor for pet first aid, or (717) 454-8956. babysitting, volunteer orientations, 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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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. You
16th Annual
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 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. 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.
16th Annual
DAUPHIN COUNTY
LANCASTER COUNTY
April 2, 2015
May 14, 2015
9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Hershey Lodge 325 University Drive Hershey
12th Annual
CHESTER COUNTY
June 9, 2015 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Church Farm School 1001 East Lincoln Highway Exton
9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Millersville University Marauder Court 21 South George Street Millersville
Exhibitors • Health Screenings • Seminars • Demonstrations • Entertainment • Door Prizes Limited Sponsorship Opportunities Available
(717) 285-1350 • (717) 770-0140 • (610) 675-6240
www.50plusExpoPA.com www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
CROSSWORD
Solutions for all puzzles can be found on page 15
WORD SEARCH
Across
SUDOKU
1. 5. 9. 13. 14. 15. 16. 18. 19. 20. 21. 23.
Tritons Thwart Bear dipper Burn plant Figure out Gimme a Break star Carter Inexorable Cripple Boy Singer Guthrie Garments Remain
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Your ad could be here on this popular page! Please call (717) 285-1350 for more information.
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Social Security News
Social Security Announces 2015 COLA Happy New Year from Social Security! Put down the champagne and ring in the New Year with a COLA! And we don’t mean the soda. In 2015, nearly 64 million Americans who receive Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) will receive a 1.7 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) increase to their monthly benefit payments. The average monthly Social Security benefit for a retired worker in 2015 is $1,328 (up from $1,306 in 2014). The average monthly Social Security benefit
“
for a disabled maximum In 2015, nearly 64 million worker in 2015 amount of is $1,165 (up earnings subject Americans who receive from $1,146 in to the Social Social Security or 2014). Security payroll Supplemental Security For people tax will increase Income will receive a 1.7 who receive to $118,500 SSI, the (up from percent cost-of-living maximum $117,000 in adjustment increase to their federal 2014). monthly benefit payments. payment A worker will amount earn one credit increased to $733 (up from $721 in toward Social Security coverage after 2014). paying taxes on $1,220 in earnings in Other Social Security changes in 2015 2015 (up from $1,200 in 2014). As a are also worth noting. For example, the reminder, eligibility for retirement
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By John Johnston
benefits still requires 40 credits (usually about 10 years of work). Information about Medicare changes for 2015 is available at www.medicare.gov. The Social Security Act outlines how the COLA is calculated. To read more about the COLA, please visit www.socialsecurity.gov/cola. To learn more about other changes in 2015, read our fact sheet at www.socialsecurity.gov/news/press/factsheets/ colafacts2015.html. John Johnston is a Social Security public affairs specialist.
Nominees Needed for County Musicians Hall of Fame Do you know a Lebanon County musician to recommend for the Lebanon County Musicians Hall of Fame? Applications are currently being accepted by the Harmonia Music Association. Names of suggested nominees must be submitted on the application form
provided by the Harmonia Music Association and returned by Jan. 30. Access the application at www.pfmcmusic.org/clubHarmonia.html or by phone at (717) 279-7494. The nominee should be a native of Lebanon County and/or have been active
in Lebanon County music for at least 15 years. Applications will be kept on file for seven years and will be considered in succeeding years. Induction into the Musicians Hall of Fame for successful candidates will occur
at Harmonia’s Annual Banquet, held May 5 during the National Federation of Music Clubs’ celebration of National Music Week. Please send the completed form to W. Hoopes, 147 Hearthstone Lane, Lebanon, or email it to fiddlekat1932@comcast.net.
Calendar of Events
Lebanon County
Programs and Support Groups
Free and open to the public
Jan. 28, 6 to 7 p.m. Personal Care Family Support Group Linden Village 100 Tuck Court, Lebanon (717) 274-7400
Senior Center Activities
Annville Senior Community Center – (717) 867-1796 200 S. White Oak St., Annville Maple Street Community Center – (717) 273-1048 710 Maple St., Lebanon Myerstown Senior Community Center – (717) 866-6786 Myerstown Baptist Church, 59 Ramona Road, Myerstown
Lebanon County Library Programs Lebanon Community Library, 125 N. Seventh St., (717) 273-7624 Jan. 5, 5 to 8 p.m. – Meet the Author: Alison Beard, Quit or Die Trying Jan. 13, 6 to 8 p.m. – Poetry Workshop
Northern Lebanon Senior Community Center – (717) 865-0944 335 N. Lancaster St., Jonestown – www.jonestownpa.org/senior.html
Palmyra Public Library, 325 S. Railroad St., (717) 838-1347 Jan. 20, 7 p.m. – Public Board Meeting Jan. 26, 2 to 7 p.m. – Blood Drive
Privately Owned Centers
If you have an event you would like to include, please email information to mjoyce@onlinepub.com for consideration.
Palmyra Senior Community Center – (717) 838-8237 101 S. Railroad St., Palmyra Senior Center of Lebanon Valley, Inc. – (717) 274-3451 710 Maple St., Lebanon Washington Arms – (717) 274-4104 303 Chestnut St., Lebanon Please contact your local center for scheduled activities.
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NEW NORMAL
from page 1 touch her. I said, ‘I will take full “It was very emotional. I couldn’t responsibility and will risk my job on thank them enough for cleaning her it,’” Ballenger recalled. “They agreed face,” Ballenger said. “And I didn’t get and were flawless in their work. I am in trouble.” forever indebted. She met with counselors and visited “I was on scene from approximately with the Amish families who lost their 11 a.m. until midnight,” she said. “I children on that day. still have no “I still idea how I keep in made it contact with home.” them. I That always leave night, their homes Ballenger feeling a had to little better,” complete her Ballenger reports from said. the haunting Her mind tragedy that kept she had revisiting Ballenger gives talks in the community about her barely begun the inside of experiences and about her memoir, Addicted to Life & to process. the Amish Death: Memoirs of an EMT & Deputy Coroner. “As I school, and downloaded in an effort the pictures, to find a it all seemed “new surreal,” said normal,” Ballenger. Ballenger Before decided to she could move and begin sell nearly processing everything any further, that she her phone owned. began to “In ring hindsight, I Ballenger’s copies of the local newspaper coverage nonstop. of the Amish schoolhouse shooting. As one of the first wish I responders, Ballenger was a sought-after interview “CNN hadn’t done in the wake of the tragedy. called to say that,” they were on Ballenger their way to said. “But I my home. I said, ‘Absolutely not.’” was desperate to try to find a normal Ballenger took two weeks off from place in my mind.” everything. She visited the ambulance She tried crafts and other endeavors crew to thank them for everything that to occupy her mind, but writing a they did for the victims and families. 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.
Puzzles shown on page 13
Puzzle Solutions
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. But on Oct. 2, 2006, she responded to a call that nothing could have prepared her for. Ballenger was one of the first responders to the shooting at the West Nickel Mines School, where a man entered the schoolhouse and lined up 10 young Amish girls before shooting them execution style. Five of the girls died; the gunman later took his own life. “I was one of the few to enter the school with the dead bodies still inside,” Ballenger said. She asked the local ambulance crew to clean one of the girl’s faces because she did not want the child’s mother to see her face entirely covered in blood. “They said they had been told not to
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