Complimentary | Lebanon County Edition
January 2020 • Vol. 15 No. 1
Are you ha Medica ppy with you r re cove rage? Do you person want to talk t to h oal healthc elp maximize ive are exp y erience our GGooto topp ? aaggee 112 ttoossee wwee ccaan 1 hahtat nd doo ffoorr eeww yyoouu ..
Read It, Love It, Pass It On page 4
Silver Anniversary: 50plus Life Turns 25 page 2
Gambling Problems in Older Adults page 22
Silver Celebration
25 Years of 50 plus LIFE and On-Line Publishers It is with great excitement and gratitude that we at On-Line Publishers, Inc. celebrate our 25th anniversary in 2020. When President and CEO Donna Anderson began OnLine Publishers and its flagship publication, then called Senior News, from her home in 1995, it would have been impossible to predict the trajectory the fledgling company would take over the course of 2.5 decades. From 1995-2005, Senior News’ coverage would expand to embrace six central Pennsylvania counties. Now called 50plus LIFE, the newsprint magazine’s current six-county coverage umbrella includes Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, and York counties. OLP’s line of niche publications eventually grew to include BusinessWoman, a professional women’s magazine; b magazine, a full-gloss, lifestyle baby boomer publication produced from 2008-16; 50plus Living, an annual guide of residences and care options; and beyond50, a county-specific directory of information about
local products, services, and support, as well as other annual specialty inserts. In 1997, OLP branched out into events; the first 50plus EXPO (then called Celebrate Seniority Expo) brought businesses and the community together for face-toface interaction. There are now six 50plus EXPOs, four Women’s Expos, and five Veterans’ Expo & Job Fairs each year. The years have brought growth and transformation to our business, but our core mission remains unchanged: to spread needed information and foster community connectivity while uplifting the mind, heart, and spirit of the people we serve. We were honored to receive these proclamations from the Office of the Governor and the Senate of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania commemorating On-Line Publishers’ 25 years. And special thanks to you, the central Pennsylvania community, for making our silver anniversary possible!
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www.50plusLifePA.com
At Your Fingertips Helpful numbers, hotlines, and local businesses and organizations eager to serve you—all just a phone call away. 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
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (717) 652-6520
Medicaid (800) 692-7462
Lupus Foundation (888) 215-8787
Medicare (800) 382-1274
Hearing Services Pennsylvania Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (800) 233-3008 V/TTY
PennDOT (800) 932-4600
Home Care Services Homeland at Home Serving all of Lebanon County (717) 221-7892
Recycling (800) 346-4242
Home Improvement West Shore Home 5024 Simpson Ferry Road, Mechanicsburg (717) 937-1148 Hospice Services Homeland at Home Serving all of Lebanon County (717) 221-7890
American Heart Association/ American Stroke Association (717) 207-4265
Hospitals Medical Society of Lebanon County (717) 270-7500
American Lung Association (717) 541-5864
WellSpan Good Samaritan Hospital 252 S. Fourth St., Lebanon (717) 270-7500
Arthritis Foundation (717) 274-0754 Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services (717) 787-7500
Hotlines Energy Assistance (800) 692-7462 Environmental Protection Agency Emergency Hotline (800) 541-2050
CONTACT Helpline (717) 652-4400 Kidney Foundation (717) 652-8123
IRS Income Tax Assistance (800) 829-1040
Office of Aging Lebanon County Area Agency on Aging (717) 273-9262 Pharmacies CVS/pharmacy www.cvs.com
Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers (800) 472-8477
real estate Heart & Home Properties (717) 276-9951
Social Security Information (800) 772-1213
Senior Centers Annville Senior Community Center (717) 867-1796
United Way of Lebanon County 2-1-1
Maple Street Senior Community Center (717) 273-1048
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (800) 827-1000
Myerstown Senior Community Center (717) 866-6786
Housing Assistance Housing Assistance & Resources Program (HARP) (717) 273-9328
Northern Lebanon County Senior Community Center (717) 865-0944
Lebanon County Housing & Redevelopment Authorities (717) 274-1401 Lebanon HOPES (717) 274-7528, ext. 3201 Insurance Medicare Hotline (800) 638-6833 Legal Services Pennsylvania Bar Association (717) 238-6715
Palmyra Senior Community Center (717) 838-8237 Senior Center of Lebanon Valley (717) 274-3451 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 the Capital Region (717) 454-8647
Not an all-inclusive list of advertisers in your area.
Check out our online Resource Directory!
Are You Reading? Join the 2020 One Book, One Community campaign by reading Heartland by Sarah Smarsh.
Convenient print edition plus extensive online, searchable directory. Discover support and services available to meet challenges you may encounter as a senior, as someone who is caring for an older loved one, or as a person with a disability.
www.ResourceDirectoryPA.com www.50plusLifePA.com
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40 libraries in Cumberland, Dauphin, Perry, York, and surrounding counties and their community partners present the regional reading campaign. Read the book in January and attend free library programs and discussions throughout February and early spring!
Photo credit: Michael Lionstar
Visit www.oboc.org or your library to learn more
Serving the mind, heart, and spirit of the 50plus community for 25 years.
January 2020
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Cover Story
Read It, Love It, Pass It On Corporate Office
3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512 Phone 717.285.1350 • Fax 717.285.1360 Chester County: 610.675.6240 Cumberland County/Dauphin County: 717.770.0140 Berks County/Lancaster County/ Lebanon County/York County: 717.285.1350 Email address: info@onlinepub.com Website address: www.onlinepub.com
PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHER Donna K. Anderson
EDITORIAL
Vice President and Managing Editor Christianne Rupp Editor, 50plus Publications Megan Joyce
ART DEPARTMENT Project Coordinator Renee McWilliams Production Artists Connie Molitor Lauren Phillips
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Senior Marketing Consultants Joshua Binkley Jennifer Schmalhofer Angie Willis Marketing Consultant Cassidy Galeone Events Manager Kimberly Shaffer
ADMINISTRATION Business Manager Elizabeth Duvall
Member of
Awards
50plus LIFE is published by On-Line Publishers, Inc. and is distributed monthly among senior centers, retirement communities, banks, grocers, libraries and other outlets serving the senior community. On-Line Publishers, Inc. will not knowingly accept or publish advertising which may be fraudulent or misleading in nature. Views expressed in opinion stories, contributions, articles and letters are not necessarily the views of the publisher. The appearance of advertisements for products or services does not constitute an endorsement of the particular product or service. The publisher will not be responsible for mistakes in advertisements unless notified within five days of publication. On-Line Publishers, Inc. reserves the right to revise or reject any and all advertising. No part of this publication may be reproduced or reprinted without permission of On-Line Publishers, Inc. We will not knowingly publish any advertisement or information not in compliance with the Federal Fair Housing Act, Pennsylvania State laws or other local laws.
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By Bart A. Stump Read it. Love it. Pass many, many books and it on. A premise that can our neighbors down the change a child’s world. street did not,” Rengert These simple words says. are found on a sticker Rengert had heard of attached to each book a group in the Midwest stored in a brightly that was providing free decorated cardboard box children’s books to located in a neighborhood impoverished caregivers, laundromat. This and an idea was spawned. inspiring message is the With the luxury of time guiding principle of the that retirement brings, Laundromat Library Rengert teamed up with A child enjoys LLL-supplied books inside a League. longtime friend Iacobucci laundromat in Mount Vernon, N.Y. Established in 2014, to create a plan. the LLL is the brainchild of co-founders Arlene “In the early summer of 2014, Karen and I were Rengert and Karen Iacobucci, both of southeastern chatting and reinforced the idea … We settled on Pennsylvania. It has one primary mission: making laundromats as logical distribution sites because children’s books available to children in homes that caregivers who have no laundry appliances at home have few or none. probably also lack children’s books and/or the time A decorated “library box” containing 60 books and budget to take children to libraries.” — ranging from board books for toddlers, picture They shared the idea with friends, neighbors, and books for beginning readers, chapter books for anyone else who would listen — and the LLL came independent readers, and full-length books for teens to fruition. in both fiction and nonfiction topics — is placed in There are currently more than 200 LLL sites a laundromat once the owner has given permission. scattered across 26 states, most of which are in Signs on the box encourage children and southeast Pennsylvania. The books come from a caregivers to read a book there, take it home, and variety of sources, including libraries, schools, book pass it on to someone else. Books don’t need to be sale leftovers, youth groups, and private donations. returned, just utilized. Once or twice a month, a Over 100,000 books have been donated so far. volunteer steward refreshes the contents of the box, Hundreds of additional books in Spanish or with straightens the area, and removes anything that multicultural themes or images have been purchased doesn’t belong. to enrich the libraries. Financial support comes While volunteers are the backbone of the LLL, from donors, businesses, restaurant fundraisers, Rengert is its heart and soul. Raised in suburban youth organizations, and grants. Illinois, she grew up in a town with a welcoming In 2016 the LLL incorporated as a 501(c)3 library and parents that read to her every evening. nonprofit so that monetary donations are tax Earning higher-education degrees in geography deductible. The basic operating budget covers and demography, she would go on to chair the storage rental, insurance, materials needs, and Department of Geography and Planning at West website maintenance but does not include purchase Chester University. While raising five children with of books or postage to mail them to distant sites. her spouse, George, their home was full of books. There is no paid staff, and a local school provides “Reading to children was probably my favorite no-cost space for sorting and assembly of books and thing to do,” Rengert says. for dropping off book donations. The school is also Her favorite childhood book? where the decorated, filled boxes and replacement “The Little Engine that Could. The ‘I think I sets of books await pickup by volunteers who deliver can, I think I can’ is still something I quietly say to to local sites. myself when confronted with a problem.” Over 500 volunteers ranging in age from 8-80 The problem became apparent early on. collect and organize the books, recruit and steward “My years in West Philadelphia as a young laundromats, or donate funds or their professional mother probably were when I became personally skills, such as graphic arts, accounting, translation, exposed to the greater advantages in reading and and the like. education that some children have. We had friends In September of each year there is a potluck social of all income levels and races, and yet our house had held to celebrate the LLL’s anniversary, where all www.50plusLifePA.com
participants within driving distance are invited. Twice-monthly updates are sent out with news and needs. When asked what she considers the LLL’s greatest success to be, Rengert answers, “Growing itself.” Rengert shares the story of a thirdgrade teacher at a backyard barbecue who related a story to gathered friends. The teacher had assigned students to bring to class something from home that they really loved and to explain why they loved it. One child brought in a book with the LLL book sticker on the front. “This is my book,” he said. “It’s my only book, and that’s why I love it.” As a result of hearing this story, a gentleman who had not previously heard of the LLL acquired a $500 grant for the organization. Rengert listed multiple examples of individuals and groups that have helped grow the LLL. This continuing growth is what keeps Rengert motivated. “Before I die, I want to have children’s books in at least one
Volunteers assemble collections of children’s books into boxes for placements in laundromats.
Laundromat Library League volunteers maintain a book-collection box at a local senior center.
Members of the Crow Peak Valley Rangers 4H Club in Whitewood, S.D., some of the LLL’s newest and youngest participants.
laundromat in all 50 states,” she says. The growth and success of the program is getting noticed. In 2015 the LLL received a literacy award from the Keystone State Literacy Association. Additionally, last March, the LLL was invited to send representation to the LaundryCares Foundation’s Literacy Summit. Here, laundromat owners partnered with the Clinton Foundation’s Too Small to Fail initiative and Libraries Without Borders to enhance early literacy efforts in local communities across the country. The LLL (www. laundromatlibraryleague.org) is always looking for volunteers and donations. They can be reached at laundromatlibrary@gmail.com or by calling (610) 696-2282. On the cover: Arlene Rengert, co-founder of the Laundromat Library League, with LLL books available inside the Family Laundromat in West Chester, Pa.
People are talking about us... “A solid publication that is full of personality and useful information.”
“Columnists bring a wide set of interests and viewpoints.”
“The emphasis on variety seems to be a smart way to satisfy a diverse audience.”
On-line Publishers and 50plus LIFE just won 6 awards from the North American Mature Publishers Association! 50plus LIFE:
50plus Living:
• First Place: General Excellence
• OLP’s annual guide to residence and care options for the 50+ community won first place in its division in the Annual Senior Resource Guide or Directory – Design category.
• First Place: Best Overall Design • First Place: Front Cover Photo • First Place: Profile – “On Wings and Waves, His Life’s Path Led to Pa.” by Jason Tabor
Resource Directory for Caregivers, Aging, and the Disabled: • Produced in seven distinct county editions annually, the Resource Directory won second place in its division in the Annual Senior Resource Guide or Directory – Design category.
On-Line Publishers, Inc. • 3912 Abel Drive • Columbia, PA 17512 • 717-285-1350 www.50plusLifePA.com
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Serving the mind, heart, and spirit of the 50plus community for 25 years.
January 2020
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Grief Relief
Tips for Facing the New Year While Grieving Victor M. Parachin
Grieving is taxing on mind, body, and spirit. While it can be tough to face each new day, the challenge can feel enormous when January emerges and a whole new year is stretching out before us. Rather than allowing Jan. 1 to be a depressing date, consider these positive tips for facing the new year while still grieving.
“Tired minds don’t plan well. Sleep first, plan later.” – Walter Reisch, director and screenwriter
1. Give yourself the physical rest you need. Grief is exhausting, so slow down your life and bring some relaxation into it, such taking time to read a book, view a movie, visit with a friend, and generally spend more time resting in your bed or on a sofa or armchair.
Please join us for these FREE events! 21st Annual
April 22, 2020 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
LANCASTER COUNTY
Shady Maple Conference Center Smorgasbord Building 129 Toddy Drive, East Earl
21st Annual
May 6, 2020 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
DAUPHIN COUNTY
Hershey Lodge 325 University Drive Hershey
17th Annual
June 10, 2020 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
CHESTER COUNTY
Church Farm School 1001 East Lincoln Highway Exton
Exhibitors • Health Screenings • Seminars • Demonstrations • Entertainment • Door Prizes
Sponsor & Exhibitor Opportunities Available (717) 285-1350 (717) 770-0140 (610) 675-6240
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2. Give yourself the mental rest you need. Grief is a powerfully negative experience. Work to soften that by engaging yourself with positive thoughts, positive people, positive reading material. “Affirm the positive, visualize the positive, and expect the positive, and your life will change accordingly.” – Remez Sasson, selfimprovement author 3. Give yourself the emotional rest you need. Rather than go it alone, consider meeting with a grief support group where the members share your burden, provide inspiration, and generate encouragement that you, too, can and will overcome grief. “Ten minutes with a genuine friend is better than years spent with anyone less.” – Crystal Woods, author and public speaker 4. Give yourself the spiritual rest you need. If being part of a faith community has been important to you, remain connected. Worship, pray, study religious texts, consult with your spiritual leader. If you’re the type of person who feels more spiritual than religious, consider spiritual practices such as meditation, yoga, and spending ample time outdoors in nature. “You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher but your own soul.” – Swami Vivekananda, Hindu monk 5. Give yourself permission to make mistakes. No person grieves perfectly. Grief recovery is a work in progress. There will be some stumbles. Be OK with those. “I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You’re doing things you’ve never done before, and more importantly, you’re doing something.” – Neil Gaiman, author 6. Give yourself the choice to heal. While the majority of grievers get through bereavement successfully, there are some who remain “stuck” with their grief. please see New Year page 9
www.50plusLifePA.com
Balance: The Often-Ignored Element of Fitness By Kathleen Trotter Balance training is a crucial — and too often Repeat step one while rotating your head ignored — element of training. over and then away from the lifted knee. Repeat Too often we associate “working out” solely step one while closing your eyes for two to three with traditional gym exercises, such as cardio, seconds. squats, lunges, weight machines, and stretching Use unstable equipment — such as a Bosu … all (obviously) critical, but not at the expense balance trainer, resistance ball, or balance board of balance training. — within your regular routine. For example, Being able to bench press a certain weight or instead of doing push-ups on the floor, put your spend 30 minutes on the elliptical become fairly hands on either side of a Bosu, flat side up. Try to useless if you fall over putting away the weights or keep the Bosu stable as you do your push-up. getting on and off the elliptical. Train barefoot to strengthen your feet; think Start to think of balance training as a of your feet as the “foundation” to your balance “nonnegotiable” — the fourth “pillar” of “house.” fitness that is as important as strength training, cardiovascular training, and flexibility. Triangle balance toe lifts: Standing on your Why? Balance training is hugely functional, in right leg, engage your right butt cheek. Make sure large part because balance and proprioception are your knee is not caving in; keep the kneecap in intrinsically linked. line with your middle toes. Balance training improves the feedback loop Pay attention to your right foot. Weight should (proprioception) between your body and your be evenly distributed between the ball of the big brain. This loop allows your brain to know where toe, the ball of the little toe, and your heel. Keep your body is positioned in space, thus allowing your arch lifted. your brain to instruct the body to “turn on” Maintain this position as you lift your right specific muscles. toes up and spread them. Leave the ball of your By challenging and training your balance, you foot on the floor. When performing balance exercises, it is the also fine-tune your proprioception. Lower and repeat 15 times. Then switch sides. “righting” element of wobbling and catching This proprioceptive neurological feedback loop yourself that strengthens your balance. is vital for everything from athletic maneuvers, Heel-toe walks: Start standing. Place your to fall prevention, to improved posture, to injury right heel on the ground in front of you. Flex prevention and foot strength. through your toes so the next portion of your body to touch the floor is the Fall prevention is key, especially as we age. According to the CDC, each ball of your big toe. year over 300,000 older people — those 65 and older — are hospitalized for As you transition to balancing on your right toes, lift your left foot off of hip fractures. More than 95% of hip fractures are caused by falling. the floor. Don’t roll your foot in or out. Balance for a moment. A study published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology Canada Repeat by placing your left heel on the floor in front. Repeat 10 times. followed up with more than 500 hip-fracture patients a year after their fractures. Big-toe lifts: Lift your big toe up and down. Keep your other toes still. If Of community-dwelling hip-fracture patients more than 50 years of you need to, hold your toes down to teach your brain how to only lift the big age, 20% had died, 5% had had a second fracture, and 20% had been toe. institutionalized. The outcomes were even worse for those in long-term care. Final Note Ways to Improve Your Balance If you are feeling overwhelmed — “too busy” to work out, let alone adding For all outlined exercises, allow yourself to (appropriately) wobble outside balance training to your life — try keeping a “time journal.” Record how you your comfort zone. Don’t be afraid to let yourself get slightly unstable. If you spend your time for two weeks. Most of us fritter away time. were training your biceps, you would let your muscles get tired. As the famous business adage goes, “What gets measured, gets managed.” Embrace that you have to let yourself fall out of balance (slightly) to train You can’t possibly manage your time if you don’t know where your time goes. balance — it is the “righting” element of wobbling and then catching yourself With awareness brings choice. that helps your balance get stronger. If you want to get on top of your health, you have to get in control of your Incorporate a few balance drills into your workout warm-up or while you time. Too many of us let emergencies dictate how our time gets used or have brush your teeth or wait for the elevator. Warming up the loop between your no idea how we actually spend our minutes, hours, days, etc. brain and body will help you perform better during the rest of your workout Time is our most valuable resource — we can’t make more of it. and your day! Kathleen Trotter (MSc) is a fitness expert, nutrition and life coach, media Stand on your left leg and lift your right leg off the ground. Hold for five personality, and author of two books, including her most recent, Your Fittest Future seconds. Lower the foot but don’t touch down. Repeat three to 10 times, and Self. Connect with her on social media at FitByKathleenT or through her website, then switch legs. KathleenTrotter.com www.50plusLifePA.com
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Serving the mind, heart, and spirit of the 50plus community for 25 years.
January 2020
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CROSSWORD
Puzzle Page
Solutions for all puzzles can be found on page 22 SUDOKU
WORD SEARCH
Alaska
Across 1. Metal fastener 5. Part of an act 10. Old West casino game 14. Ancient Peruvian 15. Overhangs 16. Augury 17. Hoodwink 18. Met highlights 19. Barbecue fare 20. Type of service 23. The lowdown, to the police 24. Discharge 25. Brute 28. ’60s hairdo Down 1. Old 45 player 2. Any day now 3. Aberdeen native 4. 1948 Bob Hope comedy, with The 5. Rap session? 6. Solitaire unit 7. Iniquities 8. Approach 9. They, in Trieste 10. Relinquish 11. Nitrogen compound 12. Picture puzzle 13. Outbreak
30. Oil cartel inits. 31. Gambled 33. UN financial agency inits. 36. UK politician 40. Java canvas 41. Brilliant feats 42. High point 43. Rewards for waiting 44. Extremely popular 46. Embellish 49. Group of trees 51. Hunting bird 57. Others, to Ovid 58. Take as one’s own 21. Maid’s cloth 22. Rigoletto composer 25. Crash site? 26. Snake, for one 27. Actress Miles 28. French friends 29. Quagmire 31. Wildebeests 32. Concert prop 33. Eczema symptom 34. Exec’s note 35. Stew 37. Cake topper 38. Elephant grp.
59. As a result 60. Knee-slapper 61. Tyrant bird 62. Cattail, e.g. 63. Beach shades 64. Stun gun 65. Jurisdictions of bishops
39. Equestrian suppliers 43. Goodies 44. Beam 45. Bambi character 46. In pieces 47. Novelist Ephron 48. Heavenly hunter 49. Precipitates 50. Home on the range 52. Engrossed 53. Brainwave 54. Canadian tribe 55. Double curve 56. Silent assents
Your ad could be here on this popular page! Please call (717) 285-1350 for more information.
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New Year from page 6 The difference between the two comes down to choice: Give yourself the choice to adjust, adapt, and move your life forward. “You can’t go back. You don’t get a do-over. This happened to you. So now what? Do you choose to live in pain and grief, or do you choose to heal? Make the choice, every day, every hour, sometimes every minute.” – Amy Florian, author 7. Give yourself the gift of patience. It’s going to take time to heal because the death of a loved one is deeply painful. Pace yourself. Avoid pressuring yourself to “get over it.” And, don’t allow family and friends to rush you through grief, however well-meaning they may be. “Recovery and adjustment can take much longer than most people realize. We need to accept whatever form it takes, both in ourselves and in others.” – Julia Samuel, psychotherapist 8. Give yourself the freedom to express gratitude. A small dose of gratitude can offset a large volume of sadness. “Even in the toughest of times, there is something for which you can be thankful. What can you give thanks for today? Did support come from an unexpected place? Did someone say exactly what you needed to hear? Did a robin stop and sing on your windowsill? Blessings come in many forms. You may even wish to begin a gratitude journal in which you record how each day blessed you. Gratitude heals at a very deep level.” – Donna Miesbach, author
Please join us for these FREE events! 21st Annual
LANCASTER COUNTY
April 22, 2020 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Shady Maple Conference Center Smorgasbord Building 129 Toddy Drive, East Earl
21st Annual
Victor M. Parachin, M.Div., is a grief counselor, bereavement educator, and author of several books, including Healing Grief.
On-Line Publishers, Inc.
has earned 3 Mature Media Awards!
DAUPHIN COUNTY
May 6, 2020
2019
9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Hershey Lodge 325 University Drive Hershey
Winners
Exhibitors • Health Screenings • Seminars • Demonstrations Entertainment • Door Prizes
Bronze Award
Bronze Award
Merit Award
“A Path Well Carved” by Jason J. Tabor
“Doing the Heart’s Work” by Megan Joyce
Caregiver Solutions 2018
Thank you for supporting our award-winning publications! www.50plusLIFEPA.com www.50plusLifePA.com
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Sponsor & Exhibitor Opportunities Available
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(717) 285-1350 • (717) 770-0140 • (610) 675-6240
Serving the mind, heart, and spirit of the 50plus community for 25 years.
January 2020
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Telescope Technology Captures Glaucoma-Related Eye Structure Using methods originally trabecular meshwork to developed by astronomers to function poorly. view stars more clearly through It also makes it difficult to Earth’s atmosphere, optometry study why certain glaucoma researchers at Indiana treatments that target the University have taken the first trabecular meshwork — such undistorted microscopic images as laser therapies or invasive of a part of the eye involved in surgical procedures — fail glaucoma. while others succeed. The ability to clearly view More effective treatments this structure — known as for glaucoma are needed the trabecular meshwork — since the number of people could help improve treatment with the condition worldwide for glaucoma. The work is is expected to rise from reported in the journal of 76 million in 2020 to Translational Vision Science and over 111 million in 2040, Blind spots and loss of peripheral vision occur when glaucoma damages the fibers of the optic nerve. Technology. disproportionally affecting “Normally, clear fluid people in Asia and Africa. January is National circulates inside the eye to In the U.S., it’s estimated supply nutrition and keep it that over 3 million people Glaucoma Awareness Month ‘inflated’ to its normal shape,” currently have glaucoma, said Dr. Brett King, chief costing the economy over of advanced ocular care services and associate clinical $1.5 billion annually. professor at the IU School of Optometry, who coTo view the trabecular meshwork, IU researchers authored the study. modified an existing ophthalmic laser microscope with “Alterations of the trabecular meshwork, which allows a programmable mirror able to deform in real time to fluid to drain, elevate pressure in the eye, leading to correct for the eye’s imperfections. glaucoma. The problem is the meshwork can only be Astronomers designed the laser to correct for the same seen poorly with the normal instruments in your doctor’s atmospheric distortions that make stars appear to twinkle. office, due to its location where the iris inserts into the “Thanks to this research, the ocular drainage area of wall of the eye, as well as the near-total reflection that the eye can now be seen with much-improved clarity, occurs when looking through the cornea.” which will improve our understanding of how this The result of this low visibility is a lack of essential drainage area is being altered or damaged with understanding about why age appears to cause the age,” King said.
Reading Makes People Better, Study Suggests Do you read a lot? If so, chances are you’re more kind and empathetic than most people, according to a study reported on the Peace Quarters website. Researchers in Great Britain asked 123 people about their reading or television watching habits. Then they analyzed participants’ social skills, asking questions like, “How often do you consider other people’s points of view versus your own?” and “Do you go out of your way to actively help others?”
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The results showed that the book readers, usually considered introverted and antisocial, displayed more empathetic traits than people who primarily watch TV. The genre of books seemed to make a difference, with readers of romance and drama showing more empathy and skill at seeing things through another person’s eyes. Of course, it could be that empathetic people tend to read more, instead of reading creating more empathy. Either way, it’s good news for bookworms. www.50plusLifePA.com
Meet “purrty” girl Scarlett! This sweet beauty with a quiet disposition is a spayed adult female. Princess Scarlett so deserves her second chance at “furrever” love. Please consider adding Scarlett to your feline-loving family! You will be so glad that you did. For adoption process details, please visit www.lebanonhumane.org, call (717) 628-1369, or stop in the Humane Society of Lebanon County, 150 N. Ramona Road, Myerstown.
Vibra Health Plan offers Medicare Advantage plans starting at $0*and include a Member Advocate. A Member Advocate offers you: • Assistance with care navigation and resource referral • Personalized attention to get you to the right services at the right time • Information to make healthcare decisions that are right for you and your family • 7-day-a-week support Call now to reserve a seat at a seminar, or to learn more about how Vibra Health Plan is in your corner. 1-844-660-2961 (TTY 711) Vibra Health Plan is a PPO Plan with a Medicare contract. Enrollment in Vibra Health Plan depends on contract renewal. H9408_50PlusAd20_M
*Not available on all plans.
www.Providence-Place.com www.50plusLifePA.com
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Serving the mind, heart, and spirit of the 50plus community for 25 years.
January 2020
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Since 2000, 50plus LIFE (previously Senior News and 50plus Senior News) has won more than 130 awards for its editorial content and design. Here’s a look at an award-winning article from our archives.
Evelyn Ay – Where is She Now? October 2000 issue Mature Media Awards: Silver Award
By Meredith Westgate
It was September 1954 when 20-year-old Evelyn Ay, of Ephrata, became the pride of Lancaster County, and indeed, all of Pennsylvania. She was crowned Miss America in the Convention Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey. Ephrata may not have ever before or since seen such a grand celebration as the one that took place the day she returned to her hometown. Sixty thousand people lined the streets for a parade of flower-studded floats while area high school marching bands played triumphant tunes. Carlo M. Sardella, a Press staff writer, called Ay “the People’s Choice.” He wrote, “Riding on a wave of popularity that began with her first public appearance in the [Miss America] parade … Ay copped the Miss America title … before a cheering, whistling, full house.” Ay earned her place in the finals by winning the first-night trophy in the swimsuit competition and earning top points in talent with her dramatic reading of Leaves from My House, a poem about a house and life in the South Pacific. But, it was in the question-and-answer period that Ay clinched the title. “She came through with colors flying so high that there were expressions of amazement up and down press row,” Sardella wrote. As the last Miss America to be crowned before the pageant was televised, Ay represented the end of an era. With the title, Ay was awarded a $5,000 scholarship, a car, and some $40,000 in personal appearance fees during her reign. She traveled 390,000 miles across the U.S., England, France, and Germany, serving as “the headliner” at festivals and charity events. At the time of her crowning, Ay was a junior at the University of Pennsylvania. She had never participated in a beauty pageant. Approached by the Junior Chamber of Commerce in Ephrata, she was persuaded to compete in the local competition. Advancing to the Miss America pageant was “one big, giant step,” Ay said. Winning was “a serendipity” in her life. With no expectation of winning the pageant, Ay had become engaged on the Saturday before the Miss America pageant. Her fiancé, Carl Sempier, was in officer candidate school at Penn. A November wedding was planned. On the night of the pageant, Sempier and some friends gathered around a radio in Newport, Rhode Island. Ay earned a place in the top 10, the top five, and then the Miss America title. Sempier’s friends told him “he was history,” Ay said, laughing. “They said if I was decent, maybe I would return the ring.” Ay and Sempier postponed the wedding, seeing each other only four
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times that year. “I looked the world over, but didn’t find anyone better,” she said. They married a year later. From her home in Malvern, Pennsylvania (the Sempiers have resided in the Paoli area since 1962), Ay reflected on the Miss America pageant. The first pageant (1921) was organized by the merchants of Atlantic City to celebrate the most beautiful time of year, Ay said. The first contestants were daughters of summer residents. In 1945, the first scholarship was awarded. “It was this step that enabled the pageant to celebrate 80 years,” Ay said. Today, the Miss America pageant has the largest scholarship foundation exclusively for women in the world, awarding more than $30 million in scholarships annually. In the ’50s, Miss America represented “the Age of Innocence — Donna Reed, family, neighbors, friends,” Ay said. The contestants “were the show,” performing oratory, classical piano, ballet, tap — whatever was “available at their fingertips.” Ay observed, “Singing and dancing were only in the movies.” After her reign, Ay was offered exciting opportunities, but preferred a quieter life. “I enjoyed every minute of my year [as Miss America], but I wasn’t caught up in the glory,” Ay said. A life of “entertainment and exposure had neither the stability nor sincerity” she sought. A devoted supporter of the Miss America scholarship program, Ay attends the Miss America pageant each year. She has judged local, state, and national pageants, and served as Miss America pageant commentator in 1985 and 1987. She accepts numerous speaking invitations annually. She writes her own speeches and presents them from a “very, very personal perspective.” According to her Miss America biography, “Ay is best known as an enchanting and captivating speaker.” The Sempiers raised two daughters and six Great Dane dogs. Their daughters, who both live within 4 miles of their parents, are “beautiful and talented.” The couple enjoys their two young grandchildren. They love to travel and recently vacationed in Italy. Ay, who calls herself a “gray-haired lady,” notes that she is “identifiable as an older person.” Gray-haired or blond, Ay is surely as gracious and charming as she was the day she was crowned Miss America. She laments that life isn’t as carefree as it was then. Now, “young people race from work to daycare to the dry cleaner,” she said. In her speeches, she encourages people to slow down and enjoy life. www.50plusLifePA.com
Join us in celebrating our silver anniversary by taking a look back at life over the last 25 years … as well as a blast from one of our covers past!
2017
25 th
Top Headlines
Entertainment
• In June, President Trump announced the U.S. would pull out of the Paris Climate Agreement.
• In a mix-up for the Oscar for Best Picture, La La Land was announced before it was revealed that Moonlight actually won the award.
• The opioid epidemic received major news coverage in 2017. In August, President Trump declared the epidemic a national emergency. • Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria pummeled southeast Texas, Florida, and the Caribbean in late summer and early fall.
• The #MeToo movement against sexual harassment and sexual assault began in October with widespread abuse allegations against film producer Harvey Weinstein. • C elebrity passings included musicians Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Tom Petty, Gregg Allman, Chris Cornell, Chester Bennington, and Glen Campbell; actors Mary Tyler Moore, Bill Paxton, and Adam West; comedians Jerry Lewis, Don Rickles, and Dick Gregory; and Playboy founder Hugh Hefner.
• On Oct. 1, a gunman on the 32nd floor of a Las Vegas hotel opened fire on outdoor concertgoers, killing 59 people and injuring more than 500.
• According to the Nielsen ratings, the top five most-watched TV series of 2017 were NCIS, Young Sheldon, The Good Doctor, The Big Bang Theory, and, at No. 1, Sunday Night Football.
Sports • Tennis player Serena Williams defeated her sister, Venus, in the Australian Open final. It was her 23rd Grand Slam singles title, breaking a record set in 1968. • The New England Patriots came back from a 23-8 deficit to beat the Atlanta Falcons, 34-28. It was the largest comeback and first overtime game in Super Bowl history. • NFL players kneeling during the national anthem set off a national debate after President Trump criticized the players on Twitter. • Former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar was accused of sexual abuse by more than 150 women — including several Olympic athletes. He would be sentenced to 40-175 years in federal prison.
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January 2017
Science & Technology • NASA ran a livestream of the Cassini spacecraft’s final moments as it succumbed to Saturn’s dense atmosphere and heat. • Apple launched the iPhone X, which included facial-recognition technology as a security feature. • A total solar eclipse passed across the United States in late August; it was the first to cross the country since 1918. • A cyberattack on credit-reporting agency Equifax caused 145.5 million American consumers to have sensitive personal information stolen.
Join us next month to see what was happening in 2013!
Serving the mind, heart, and spirit of the 50plus community for 25 years.
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The Bookworm Sez
This Tender Land Terri Schlichenmeyer
“Tell me a story!” It was never enough when someone read a story to you when you were a child: A tale from the heart was always better. Every time the story was told, it was a little bit different, a little braver and a lot more exciting, and with This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger, you’re in for a good one. Every child at the Lincoln Indian Training School feared what Odie O’Banion called “the quiet room.” They feared it, because it was rarely quiet: Usually, someone was sobbing from the beatings, or worse, that they endured in that dirt-floor cell, or because of the rats there, or This Tender Land by because of the dark. William Kent Krueger; c. 2019, The first time he was tossed into Atria; 450 pages the room, Odie was 8 years old and his then-12-year-old brother, Albert, was inexplicably tossed in with him. It was 1932, and they’d been told that they were the only white boys at the Indian school in northern Minnesota because the county had nowhere else to put them after their parents died. Odie had only known a mother’s love for a few short years of his life; Mrs. Brickman, the owner of the school, didn’t love him, or any of the children there. Odie doubted that the “Black Witch” was capable of love. She was surely capable of cruelty, though, and part of that was in loaning children to work for nearby farmers. If the Black Witch meant to punish a boy, he was sent to the Bledsoe farm; if it was a good day, Odie, Albert, and their friend, Mose, would go to Mrs. Cora Frost’s farm, to help out there. As far as Odie was concerned, Cora Frost was an “angel.” A widow with a 5-year-old daughter, Cora made the boys feel like family, and for story-loving Odie, that was heaven. But when a tornado came through and took that family away, he knew that only one thing could happen next: It was time to escape … Which is exactly what you want in a novel: to be transported to another time and place, to escape. Happily, you’ll find plenty of that inside This Tender Land. You’ll also find a lot of “ish” in this novel: an Oliver-Twist-ish open with a Snape-ish character in charge. Adventure that’s quite Mark-Twain-ish and a sweet, puppyish love story. There’s history and culture that may be newish to the unversed, wrapped into a tale that alternates between sentimentalism and wincing. Placing this all solidly on a factual base, author William Kent Krueger then plops his readers down in a period when the Depression caused families to www.50plusLifePA.com
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disintegrate and roving bands of kids were not uncommon. And we wander here, too, through a timeline filled with murder, crime, faith, heartpounding chase scenes, and just a little magic. That could feel overdone and may be a little overwhelming for some readers, so give yourself room with this book. You’ll want that anyway — some room to enjoy, if you love stories. For you, This Tender Land is a good one told.
Photo Credit: Photography by Diane Krueger
This Tender Land author William Kent Krueger.
The Bookworm is Terri Schlichenmeyer. Terri has been reading since she was 3 years old, and she never goes anywhere without a book. She lives on a hill in Wisconsin with two dogs and 14,000 books.
Your guide to choosing the right living and care options for you or a loved one. Read it online, in print, and on mobile/tablet devices. onlinepub.com
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The Reel Deal
The Last Full Measure Randal Hill
In 1999, Todd Robinson, the director/screenwriter of The Last Full Measure, learned the story of William H. Pitsenbarger. Robinson had been researching a military movie and visiting training schools. “Nearly every place I went, the young trainees wanted to be sure that I knew the story of William Pitsenbarger,” Robinson explained to Air Force Magazine. Called “Pits” by his comrades, the 21-year-old medic, already a veteran of over 250 combat missions, was aboard one of two helicopters summoned to evacuate wounded soldiers after they were ambushed in a Vietnam jungle in April 1966. When the last helicopter was ready to lift off, the selfless Pits, already under heavy Viet Cong fire, volunteered to stay behind to tend to the wounded and hold off the advancing enemy. He was killed within 90 minutes. Robinson later heard the airman’s father, William F. “Frank” Pitsenbarger, speak about his son’s legacy at a New Mexico airbase. Images © Lionsgate or related entities. Used for publicity and promotional purposes. https://www.movieinsider.com/photos/552172 “The whole thing jelled for me at that moment,” said Robinson. “That’s when I knew there was a story to tell.” The narrative was compelling to Robinson, as was the aftermath tale, when wives of the surviving soldiers learned that Pits had been given an Air Force Cross — the second highest honor — for his ultimate sacrifice. It wasn’t good enough, they protested. Encouraged by their spouses, numerous veterans subsequently petitioned Congress to elevate Pits to the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest decoration. On Dec. 8, 2000, the medal was posthumously awarded to William H. Pitsenbarger, 34 years after his death. Robinson and producer Sidney Sherman pitched the movie idea to over 50 production companies, but nobody showed interest. Still, Robinson had such faith in Pits’s story that he went ahead and wrote a script anyway. He then embarked on over a decade of arm-twisting to line up funding.
Finally, by 2017, things had fallen into place. Jeremy Irvine would portray Pits, with Christopher Plummer as Pits’s father and Diane Ladd as Pits’s mother. The cast was rounded out with such acting icons as Samuel L. Jackson, William Hurt, Ed Harris, and (in his final role) Peter Fonda. The Last Full Measure story unfolds through the perspective of Scott Huffman (Sebastian Stan), a young Pentagon official assigned to investigate the unique and complicated case that sought the elevating of the prestigious award. Roadside Attractions executives Howard Cohen and Eric d’Arbeloff proclaim, “Everyone should know about William Pitsenbarger’s bravery and life, and it’s a privilege to bring this film to theaters, where it should be seen.” The movie opens nationwide on Jan. 17. Randal C. Hill enjoys getting sneak peeks of forthcoming movies from his home on the Oregon coast. He can be reached at wryterhill@msn.com.
Did you know? is available online for anytime/anywhere reading!
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Serving the mind, heart, and spirit of the 50plus community for 25 years.
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Lebanon County
Calendar of Events
Community Programs / Support Groups Free and open to the public Jan. 6 and 20, 7 p.m. From Fear to Serenity: Nar-Anon Family Group St. John’s United Church of Christ 120 W. Market St., Jonestown (717) 865-4453 Jan. 22, 6-7 p.m. Alzheimer’s and Dementia Family Support Group Linden Village 100 Tuck Court, Lebanon (717) 274-7400
Jan. 22, 6-7 p.m. Alzheimer’s and Dementia Family Support Group Linden Village 100 Tuck Court, Lebanon (717) 274-7400
Submit senior center events to mjoyce@onlinepub.com.
Library Programs Annville Free Library 216 E. Main St. Annville, (717) 867-1802 Jan. 7, 6:30 p.m. – Adult Coloring Club Lebanon Community Library 125 N. Seventh St. Lebanon, (717) 273-7624 Mondays in January, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Tech Help Matthews Public Library 102 W. Main St. Fredericksburg, (717) 865-5523 Jan. 7 and 14, 1:30 p.m. – Android Phones for Seniors, Parts One and Two
Myerstown Community Library 199 N. College St. Myerstown, (717) 866-2800 Jan. 16 and 23, 6 p.m. – Windows 10, Parts One and Two Palmyra Public Library 50 Landings Drive, Suite B Annville, (717) 838-1347 Jan. 20, 2 p.m. – Be a POWER User Richland Community Library 111 E. Main St. Richland, (717) 866-4939
Parks and Recreation All events held at Park at Governor Dick unless otherwise noted. Jan. 1, 10 a.m. – First Day Hike Jan. 5, 1-4 p.m. – Music by the Fireplace Jan. 12, 2 p.m. – Winter Lecture Series: Return on Environment – Lebanon County
The Strange Origins of Common Devices Some very common devices in our modern lives have surprising — even shocking — origins. The Cracked website shares a few: The treadmill. The exercise machine was originally designed by Sir William Cubitt in 1818 as a means to torture convicts. Prisoners would climb the equivalent of 11,000 feet per day as the “tread-wheel” pumped water and crushed grain. Piggy banks. The name has nothing to do with actual pigs. In the Middle Ages, jars used to save cash were made of an orange clay called “pygg” because metal was too expensive.
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Matches. The first friction match was created by a 19th-century apothecary stirring a mixture of chemicals with a wooden stick. When he tried to scrape off a dried glob of the compound, it ignited. Escalators. One of the first escalators in the world was set up at Harrods in London. The experience was so overwhelming to riders that the store offered smelling salts and brandy to help them calm down. X-rays. William Roentgen took the first X-ray in 1895, not fully understanding what he’d discovered. The first X-ray he took of a human body was his wife’s hand. When she saw her bones, she said, “I have seen my death.”
Senior Center Activities Annville Senior Activity Center (717) 867-1796 200 S. White Oak St., Annville Jan. 2, 11 a.m. – Line Dancing for Seniors Jan. 13, 11:45 a.m. – Free Beginner’s Pinochle Class Jan. 31, 10:30 a.m. – Penny Bingo Maple Street Senior Community Center (717) 273-1048 710 Maple St., Lebanon Jan. 10, 1 p.m. – Sole Supporters Fitness Group Jan. 22, 12:30 p.m. – The Missing Apron Lunch Group at Snitz Creek Brewery Jan. 29, 11:30 a.m. – Winter Thaw Party Myerstown Senior Community Center (717) 866-6786 Myerstown Baptist Church 59 Ramona Road, Myerstown Jan. 7, 11 a.m. – Bocce Ball Game Jan. 14, noon – Snowman Luncheon at Cedar Grill Jan. 16, noon – Soup and Sandwich Special Meal Northern Lebanon Senior Community Center (717) 865-0944 335 N. Lancaster St., Jonestown Jan. 3, 10, 21, 28, 10:30 a.m. – Healthy You Jan. 24, 11:15 a.m. – Chinese New Year Jan. 31, 10:30 a.m. – Decorate for Valentine’s Day Palmyra Senior Community Center (717) 838-8237 101 S. Railroad St., Palmyra Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. – Band Together Exercise Class Jan. 8, 10 a.m. – New Knitting Club Planning Meeting Jan. 17, 10 a.m. – Bingo with Elementary School Students Privately Owned Centers Senior Center of Lebanon Valley, Inc. (717) 274-3451 710 Maple St., Lebanon Washington Arms – (717) 274-1401 303 Chestnut St., Lebanon
If you have an event you would like to include, please email information to mjoyce@onlinepub.com for consideration. www.50plusLifePA.com
Art & Antiques by Dr. Lori
Snowy-Season Collectibles Lori Verderame
It’s funny, but everyone seems to have a different calendar when it comes to decorating for the season. Some stores start decorating for the holidays in mid-October, while others wait until the chilly winds of early December arrive. Whether winter decorations brighten your home as early as Halloween or linger through Super Bowl Sunday, decking the halls is a tried-and-true seasonal favorite. With guests coming and going as we usher out the old and ring in the new year, the age-old question of when to deck and when to deinstall the holiday wreaths, ornaments, figurines, etc., is one of personal preference.
Jimmy Durante and Jackie Vernon. The rest of this snowman celebrity story is corncob-pipe history. Shakable Snow Globes Snow artistry has taken on many forms when it comes to winter collectibles, including the ever-popular snow globe. Snow globes, snow domes, or, as the Germans call them, schneekugeln, were first introduced in France during the early 1800s as a successor to the hand-blown glass paperweight. At the 1889 International Exposition in Paris, the snow globe got worldwide attention as a souvenir. This World’s Fair snow globe featured a model of the newly built Eiffel Byers Choice Ltd. Carolers Tower, designed by Gustave Eiffel, inside. Winter collectibles are popular and speak to Initially, snow globes consisted of a heavy, our image of the holidays. lead-glass dome placed over a ceramic tableau. Byers Choice Ltd. carolers, a Bucks County, The globes were filled with water and then Pennsylvania, mainstay and international sealed. The snow inside the globe was created favorite, are popular collectibles featuring with bone chips, porcelain pieces, or nonmoveable figurines on solid bases. The heads soluble soap flakes. Photo credit: Staff photographer at www.drloriv.com. of the singing carolers are hand-painted and More recently, the snow inside a typical Vintage snow globe with snowman. made of clay. snow globe is produced from tiny pieces of Each caroler is handmade by a skilled artisan white plastic and enhanced with distilled water at the Byers Choice Ltd. workshop in Chalfont, Pennsylvania, and visitors and glycerin to make the water denser and the snow appear to realistically can watch figures being produced on the shop floor during a self-guided move within the globe atmosphere. tour of Byers Choice Ltd. In the Victorian era, the British called the collectible tableaus Carolers are produced and marketed by theme — carolers by the sea, “snowstorms” as they gained popularity from circa 1890 to 1901. Charles Dickens characters, American patriots, etc. — relating to the Despite their European beginnings, snow globes were mass produced in Christmas holiday and are widely collected throughout the year. the U.S. thanks to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, native Joseph Garaja. The first mass-production patent for snow globes featured Garaja’s new base, which That Famous Snowman allowed the globe to be screwed into it like a light bulb. It is widely believed that collectible snowmen were first catapulted into In the 1940s, snow globes were produced as advertising paperweights, the public eye in the early 1950s, well into the postwar period in America. travel souvenirs, and vacation keepsakes. Today, many folks have taken snowman collecting to a new level. Today, snow globes are traded and collected worldwide; specialty annual Arguably, the most famous snowman of all time is Frosty the Snowman. snow globes, featuring products and characters from companies like Louis This snowman was actually first introduced as a song before becoming the Vuitton, Chanel, and Disney, are big gifts with collectors. Some range in pop culture icon that we all know and love. value from $500 to $5,000 at auction. The wintery-themed novelty song was produced by Steve Rollins and Jack Nelson and recorded by cowboy crooner Gene Autry in 1950. Trying to Whether your winter is filled with days building your own Frosty on the capture the success of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” a recording that front lawn or sipping hot cocoa by the fire, snowy-season collectibles are fine sold 2 million copies, Autry recorded the quintessential snowman’s theme additions to your home and will surely satisfy your need to decorate with a song. seasonal flair. Related cartoons and children’s books about Frosty the Snowman soon Dr. Lori Verderame is the award-winning Ph.D. antiques appraiser on followed. In 1954, UPA animation studios made Frosty the Snowman the History channel’s The Curse of Oak Island and weekdays on Doctor and the central character of a three-minute animated short film. Diva. Dr. Lori presents her Antiques Appraisal Comedy Show to audiences By 1969, the animation company of Rankin/Bass produced a half-hour nationwide. Visit www.drloriv.com/events or call (888) 431-1010. TV special featuring Frosty the Snowman and the unmistakable voices of www.50plusLifePA.com
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The Beauty in Nature
Crows and Geese at Shopping Malls Clyde McMillan-Gamber
Late in the afternoon one day this past Being adaptable enough to take November, noisy multitudes of American advantage of human-made habitats, for crows and Canada geese were on a shortseveral years thousands of wintering grass lawn behind a local shopping mall. crows and hundreds of wintering Canada The crows were gathering on that geese have roosted each winter night lawn prior to going to roost for the night, from early November to mid-March while the geese were nibbling the grass. among area shopping malls. At that same time, successive flocks In this instance, some of the geese are of loudly bugling Canada geese, in tight permanent residents of the nearby pond, strings and V’s, powered off a nearby while the crows raised young in forests in pond and landed into the wind among Canada. their fellows on the lawn, while loose But both species became accustomed sheets of crows poured low over the pond to traffic, lights, and people on their and lawn, heading west. wintering grounds and learned to benefit Meanwhile, other groups of honking from a little extra heat from the sungeese lifted off the short grass and flew heated blacktop parking lots, buildings, American crow out of sight. All those airborne crows vehicles, and lights. and geese were beautifully silhouetted Plus, those birds enjoy wind breaks before the striking sunset. from the buildings and safety from And together the birds created predators and people shooting at them. exciting, inspiring natural spectacles in Wintering American crows and a human-made habitat where people Canada geese consume corn kernels wouldn’t expect them to be. lying in harvested cornfields. But As time progressed, succeeding floods crows also ingest acorns off lawns, dead of crows from all directions became ever animals on roads, and edible garbage larger, noisier, and more dramatic as from garbage cans, dumpsters, and they flowed over the shopping center. landfills. Geese also eat short grass on Meanwhile, still other crows were lawns, as stated earlier, and aquatic perched on the buildings of that mall vegetation. and on its parking lots and trees. Wildlife is always exciting and Again, the crows and Canada geese inspiring to experience, including Canadian geese together were a wild sight in a built in human-made habitats. And great habitat as the sun set and darkness deepened. Wildlife in human-made numbers of certain species create wonderful pageantry. Beauties and intrigues habitats make those habitats part of the wild. in nature are where you find them.
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Participants Needed for Master Watershed Steward Program Penn State Extension and the Lebanon, Lancaster, and Dauphin County conservation districts are excited to launch the Master Watershed Steward Extension for the Lower Susquehanna. Similar to the Master Gardener program, the Master Watershed Steward program is a collaborative effort designed to train people in a formal way about the basics of water resource stewardship, creating an energized and educated group of citizens. Currently, the MWS program is in 18 counties across the state and has 302 volunteers. The program is recruiting 20-25 interested people for the class of 2020, which will be a joint program between Dauphin, Lancaster, and Lebanon counties. The class will consist of 40 hours of training on various topics, including water quality, stream health, groundwater, native plants, and recreational resources. Once this part of the training is complete, trainees perform 50 hours of volunteer service on selected projects such as: • Organizing and executing stream cleanups • Designing and installing demonstration rain gardens
Tests Confirm Cats’ Attachment to Humans Do you ever wonder whether your cat really likes you? Numerous studies have looked into the nature of attachments between dogs and people, but few have examined attachment in cats — probably because of the stereotype that cats aren’t social animals. Researchers decided to study the bond between cats and their owners with a simple experiment: Eighty humans brought their kittens into an unfamiliar room, played with them for two minutes, then left. After two minutes, they returned to play with the kittens again. The unfamiliar environment made many cats anxious, as www.50plusLifePA.com
demonstrated by loud meowing and other stressed-out behaviors. Some of the cats remained anxious when their humans returned, while others avoided them. But about two-thirds greeted their humans and relaxed, exhibiting playfulness and exploration of the environment. That’s about the same proportion that dogs and babies have displayed in similar tests of attachment. The researchers point out that we can’t really know whether our cats truly like us, but the results do suggest that they form a real bond with their humans, much like dogs.
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• Assisting in stream restorations • Organizing educational workshops addressing topics such as rain barrels, pollution prevention, invasive plant control, and storm-water management Applicants are welcome from people of all backgrounds. Those under 18 must be accompanied by a guardian or adult. The program will start Tuesday, March 3, 6-8:30 p.m., and will continue every Tuesday through May. There will be several Saturday field trips as well. Informational sessions will be held at these locations on the following dates: • Jan. 8, 7 p.m., Lebanon County Extension Office, 2120 Cornwall Road, Lebanon • Jan. 14, 7 p.m., Dauphin County Extension Office, 1451 Peters Mountain Road, Dauphin • Jan. 21, 7 p.m., Lancaster County Extension Office, 1383 Arcadia Road, Lancaster
Registration for these meetings can be found at: https://extension.psu.edu/ master-watershed-steward-information-meeting. If interested, please contact Casey Clauser at (717) 639-3589 or cmc7444@psu.edu.
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Savvy Senior
Jim Miller
How to Know When an Older Adult Has a Gambling Problem
Dear Savvy Senior, I’m worried that my 76-year-old husband has become addicted to gambling. He spends at least two days a week at an Indian casino about a half-hour’s drive from his house playing slot machines. What can I do? – Worried Wife Dear Worried, Problem gambling among older adults is unfortunately on the rise. Studies suggest that more than 4 million Americans age 65 and older could have a gambling problem. The reasons behind this growing problem are because seniors have time and money on their hands, and the influx of casinos that have cropped up around the country have made access to gambling much more convenient. Here’s what you should know, along with some tips and resources that can help your husband if he does indeed have a problem.
Get Help How can you know if your husband has a gambling problem? Gamblers Anonymous (www.gamblersanonymous.org) offers a 20-question online test that he can take to help determine if he has a problem. In the meantime, here are some questions you can ask to help evaluate his situation. • Is he preoccupied with gambling, constantly talking about it, or planning to gamble versus doing his normal activities? • Is he gambling more and more money to get the same level of excitement? • Is he using his retirement funds or other savings to gamble, or is he pawning or selling personal items to get money to gamble with? • Has he lost control to the point that he can’t set a limit of time and money to spend in the casino, and stick to it? • Does he become uncomfortable or angry or does he lie when you ask him about his gambling activities? If your husband answers yes to any of these questions, he may have a problem. To find help, contact the National Council on Problem Gambling (www. ncpgambling.org), a nonprofit organization that operates a 24-hour national hotline at (800) 522-4700. They can direct you to resources in your area, including counselors who have been trained through the National Certified Gambler Counseling Program. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit www.savvysenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior book.
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Problem Gambling For most older adults, gambling is simply a fun recreational activity, but for those who become addicted to it, it can be a devastating disease that can financially wipe them out. There are a number of reasons why seniors can be vulnerable to gambling problems. For starters, seniors are often catered to by casinos with free bus transportation, free drinks, discounted meals, special rewards, and other prizes as a way to entice them. In addition, many seniors use gambling as a way to distract or escape feelings of loneliness, depression, or even a chronic health condition. Some may have financial problems they are seeking to overcome. And some may have cognitive impairment that interferes with their ability to make sound decisions. Adding to the problem is that many seniors may not understand addiction, making them less likely to identify a gambling problem. Or they may be confused or embarrassed that they can’t control their urges to gamble and reluctant to seek help because they think that at their age, they should know better. And even if they recognize that they have a problem, they may not know that help is available or where to get it. You should also know that while there are many gambling options for people to get hooked on today, casino slot machines are far and away the most popular among seniors.
Slot machines are much more addictive then the old machines of yesteryear with spinning lemons, cherries, and melons. Many of today’s slot machines offer intense sensory stimulation with large video screens, music, and vibrating, ergonomic chairs.
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