50plus LIFE Lebanon County June 2017

Complimentary

Lebanon County Edition | June 2017 • Vol. 12 No. 6

Get ‘Caught’

by Bluebirds page 4

traveltizers: dutch for a day page 6

Special focus: leisure attractions page 10

There’s no bu$ine$$ ... like your bu$ine$$! $100 OFF

sponsor/exhibitor REGISTRATION UNTIL 6/30/17!

E Oct. 7, 2017 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Lebanon Expo Center

80 Rocherty Road, Lebanon Please join us as a sponsor or exhibitor for the fifth annual women’s expo this fall. Women of all ages have enjoyed these annual events, finding helpful information for all the hats they wear in their everyday lives, including:

Health & Wellness • Finance • Home Technology • Beauty • Nutrition Spa Treatments

and more!

Face-to-face in a comfortable environment.

Sponsor and Exhibitor Reservations Now Being Accepted

717.285.1350

FREE advance guest registration online. ($5 at the door.)

aGreatWayToSpendMyDay.com 2

June 2017

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Farmers Market Program Returning for 2017 The Lebanon County Area Agency on Aging will again be the distributing agency for the Farmers Market Nutrition Program checks in 2017.

The purpose of the FMNP, administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, is to provide to seniors resources in the form of fresh, nutritious, unprepared fruits and vegetables from farmers markets and to expand the awareness and use of farmers markets and increase sales at such markets.

Questions may be directed to Lebanon County Area Agency on Aging (717) 273-9262.

Program highlights for 2017 are as follows: Eligibility – Eligible individuals must be Lebanon County residents and must be 60 years of age or older during 2017. Household income guidelines are: one person, $22,311; two people, $30,044; three people, $37,777; four people, $45,510; five people, $53,243; and six people, $60,976.

When picking up checks, individuals must show proof of residence and age. Proof of income need not be shown; it is a “selfdeclaration.”

Proxy Forms – If an eligible senior is unable to pick up their own checks, they may have an authorized person, a “proxy,” pick up checks for them, provided the senior completes and signs the official proxy form.

Note: The proxy signing the proxy form must be the same person picking up the checks and signing the check register for the senior.

Completed proxy forms, limited to four per person, must be brought to the distribution site by the proxy in order to receive checks for the eligible senior. Blank proxy forms will be available at all distribution sites in advance.

Benefits – Eligible individuals receive four $5 checks for a total

benefit of $20 one time during the program year.

Timeframes – The first day to use 2017 FMNP checks is June 1; the last day is Nov. 30.

Eligible Food – FMNP checks may only be used to purchase produce grown in Pennsylvania. FMNP checks may not be used at grocery stores.

The 2017 distribution schedule is as follows. Please note: Distribution times vary at each location.

Tuesday, June 6 – Maple Street Community Center, 710 Maple St., First Floor Auditorium, Lebanon, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Thursday, June 8 – Maple Street Community Center, 710 Maple St., First Floor Auditorium, Lebanon, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Friday, June 9 – The Willows Apartments, 609 N. 12th St., Lebanon, 10 a.m. to noon Monday, June 12 – Stevens Towers Apartments, 10th and Willow streets, Lebanon, 10 a.m. to noon

Tuesday, June 13 – Northern Lebanon Center, 335 N. Lancaster St., Jonestown, 10 a.m. to noon Wednesday, June 14 – Palmyra Senior Center, 101 S. Railroad St., Palmyra, 10 a.m. to noon

Wednesday, June 14 – Palmview Apartments, 255 W. North Ave., Palmyra, 1-2 p.m.

Thursday, June 15 – Poplar Terrace Apartments, 605 S. Eighth St,, Lebanon, 10 a.m. to noon Monday, June 19 – Townehouse Apartments, 1111 Reinoehl St., Lebanon, 10 a.m. to noon www.50plusLifePA.com

Tuesday, June 20 –Willow Terrace Apartments, Eighth and Willow streets, Lebanon, 10 a.m. to noon Wednesday, June 21 – Market House Place Apartments, Sixth and Willow streets, Lebanon, 10 a.m. to noon

Thursday, June 22 – Annville

Senior Center, 200 S. White Oak St., Annville, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Wednesday, June 28 – Washington Arms Apartments, 300 Chestnut St., Lebanon, 10 a.m. to noon Thursday, June 29 – Myerstown Senior Center, 59 N. Ramona Road,

Myerstown, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Thursday, June 29 – Tulpehocken Terrace Apartments, 101 W. Richland Ave., Myerstown, 1:30-2:30 p.m.

Lebanon County Area Agency on Aging cannot guarantee checks to eligible seniors at each distribution

site. Checks are handed out on a firstcome, first-served basis.

Eligible seniors are welcome to attend any distribution sites to receive checks. If an eligible senior resides in one high-rise, for example, he/she may go to any other high-rise or any senior center to receive checks.

Cleaner Air Equals Longer Life Take a deep breath. Lots of them.

You’ll be breathing longer these days, thanks to improved air quality.

Researchers at Brigham Young University and the Harvard School

of Public Health, writing in the New England Journal of Medicine, say that since the introduction of the Clean Air Act in 1978, Americans’ life expectancy has

increased by 2.72 years.

Although changes in smoking habits and better socioeconomic living conditions are major factors in our increased longevity, the scientists note

that as much as five weeks of our lengthened lifespans are due to better air because of cuts in auto emissions, steel mills, diesel engines, and coalfired power plants.

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

CONTACT Helpline (717) 652-4400

PennDOT (800) 932-4600

Kidney Foundation (717) 652-8123

Pennsylvania Crime Stoppers (800) 472-8477

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (717) 652-6520

Recycling (800) 346-4242

Lebanon County Area Agency on Aging Meals on Wheels (717) 273-9262

Lupus Foundation (888) 215-8787 Hearing Services

Social Security Information (800) 772-1213

Lebanon County Christian Ministries (717) 272-4400 Salvation Army (717) 273-2655 Funeral & Cremation Services Cremation Society of Pennsylvania Serving Lebanon County (800) 720-8221 Health & Medical Services Alzheimer’s Association (717) 651-5020

Melnick, Moffitt & Mesaros ENT Associates 927 Russell Drive, Lebanon (717) 274-9775 Pennsylvania Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (800) 233-3008 V/TTY Hospitals Medical Society of Lebanon County (717) 270-7500

American Diabetes Association (717) 657-4310

WellSpan Good Samaritan Hospital 252 S. Fourth St., Lebanon (717) 270-7500 Hotlines Energy Assistance (800) 692-7462

American Heart Association/ American Stroke Association (717) 207-4265

Environmental Protection Agency Emergency Hotline (800) 541-2050

American Lung Association (717) 541-5864

IRS Income Tax Assistance (800) 829-1040

Arthritis Foundation (717) 274-0754

Medicaid (800) 692-7462

Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services (717) 787-7500

Medicare (800) 382-1274

American Cancer Society (717) 231-4582

www.50plusLifePA.com

Office of Aging Lebanon County Area Agency on Aging (717) 273-9262 Pharmacies CVS/pharmacy www.cvs.com Senior Centers Annville Senior Community Center (717) 867-1796

United Way of Lebanon County 2-1-1 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (800) 827-1000 Housing Assistance Housing Assistance & Resources Program (HARP) (717) 273-9328

Maple Street Senior Community Center (717) 273-1048 Myerstown Senior Community Center (717) 866-6786 Northern Lebanon County Senior Community Center (717) 865-0944 Palmyra Senior Community Center (717) 838-8237

Lebanon County Housing & Redevelopment Authorities (717) 274-1401 Lebanon HOPES (717) 274-7528, ext. 3201 Independent Living Communities Country Acres Manufactured Home Park 1600 Kercher Ave., Myerstown (717) 866-5496 Insurance Medicare Hotline (800) 638-6833 Legal Services Pennsylvania Bar Association (717) 238-6715

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

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Not an all-inclusive list of advertisers in your area.

June 2017

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Cover Story

Get ‘Caught’ by Bluebirds 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 E-mail 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 Lauren McNallen Janys Ruth

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Account Executive Ranee Shaub Miller Account Representatives Matthew Chesson Tia Stauffer Events Manager Kimberly Shaffer Marketing Coordinator Mariah Hammacher

CIRCULATION

Project Coordinator Melanie Crisamore

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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June 2017

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By Megan Joyce When I met Dean Rust at his home to take a tour of his nearby bluebird boxes, he stepped outside and indicated the borrowed golf cart we would be riding on.

I could see him immediately take notice of my lightweight sweater. He expressed concern I would be chilly during our breezy ride.

But the unusually warm latewinter weather made it a pleasant excursion through a scenic golf course’s seventh fairway, which adjoins Rust’s backyard and hosts the 43 bluebird boxes he dutifully attends for two hours each Monday morning during spring and summer.

His quiet observation and genuine concern for my well-being perfectly mirror the detailed care and devotion he applies to the area’s bluebird population.

As president of the Bluebird Society of Pennsylvania, an affiliate of the North American Bluebird Society with active members in all 67 counties, Rust chairs the organization’s quarterly board meetings, pens a president’s message for each newsletter, and presides over the state BSP conference each spring.

BSP’s mission is to protect, enjoy, and propagate the eastern bluebird, whose population plunged more than 90 percent between 1920 and 1970, likely due to pesticides, changes in farming practices, and lack of nesting cavities.

Since 1978, however, bluebirds have made an impressive recovery with help from citizen-science conservation efforts throughout the U.S. and Canada, Rust said.

“This problem was answered by encouraging people to build nest boxes for bluebirds from coast to coast. And it was successful!” he said.

BSP’s 1,071 members conduct research relating to bluebirds and other cavity-nesting birds, including their food sources and

Photo credit: Dave Maslowski

A male bluebird feeding his young in a nest box.

Photo credit: Michael L. Smith

Bluebirds roosting in a log over winter.

Photo credit: Amy Spencer

Male and female bluebird on a box.

habitats. Members also build, maintain, and monitor bluebird boxes and trails.

“Today in Central Pennsylvania, we have an evergrowing bluebird population,” Rust said. “People are starting to see bluebirds in their yards and farms like the good ol’ times of the 1920s.”

Rust’s favorite BSP “job” is serving as the point person for the President’s Hotline Forum on BSP’s website (www.thebsp.org), where people from all over the country can email him bluebirdrelated questions.

“This has allowed me to connect with bluebird lovers all

over the U.S. … People have even joined our organization from other states via the President’s Hotline Forum,” Rust said. “It seems like I am involved 365 days a year in some way as BSP president.”

After retiring from his general dentistry practice of 33 years, Rust joined his local BSP chapter in 2005 and became its county coordinator shortly thereafter.

He describes himself as having been “caught” by the charm of bluebirds.

“I think it is their beauty; soft, warbling song; and their calm demeanor,” he said. “They are also hardworking, dedicated parents when attending to their young.”

Surprisingly social creatures that seem to enjoy the presence of people, bluebirds lay an average of four or five eggs per clutch.

After the final egg is laid, the female incubates the clutch 12-14 days until the eggs hatch, usually within hours of each other.

When monitoring his 16 bluebird trails, Rust checks that the nesting boxes remain intact, clean, and free of predators— snakes can wriggle their way up bluebird-box poles and coil inside, as Rust can attest, having been startled by such an unexpected occupant on at least one occasion.

Rust also closely watches the progress of every nest, doing whatever he can to ensure the success of each feathered family.

“I never tire of seeing a neat, cup-shaped nest of white pine needles or grasses and five newly laid bluebird eggs shining back at me,” Rust said.

After the eggs hatch, both parents feed the young and keep the nest clean for another 17-18 days until the babies fledge and can leave the nest. Then, the parents continue to care for the young for another three weeks, teaching them how to forage for insects.

Rust likes to recount the story of one particularly dedicated pair of bluebird parents from please see BLUEBIRDS page 14

www.50plusLifePA.com

It Was 50 Years Ago Today

‘I Got Rhythm’ Randal Hill

www.50plusLifePA.com

unfamiliar to most Happenings fans.

When Bob Miranda was asked who wrote the song and he would answer that it was George Gershwin, the response was sometimes, “Oh, is he in the group?”

Randal C. Hill is a rock ’n’ roll historian who lives at the Oregon coast. He may be reached at wryterhill@msn.com.

Please join us for these FREE events!

Always free parking!

14th Annual

June 8, 2017 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Church Farm School 1001 East Lincoln Highway Exton

CHESTER COUNTY

21st Annual

Sept. 21, 2017 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Spooky Nook Sports 2913 Spooky Nook Road Manheim

LANCASTER COUNTY

15th Annual

Sept. 28, 2017 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

York Expo Center Memorial Hall East 334 Carlisle Avenue, York

YORK COUNTY

Oct. 19, 2017

18th Annual

George and Ira Gershwin’s iconic They became the Four Graduates “I Got Rhythm” came from the 1930 and for a couple of years sang in musical Girl Crazy, which saw Ethel Catskills resorts (“for peanuts”) to Merman make her Broadway debut gain exposure and experience. and Ginger Rogers become a star.

Miranda later became a $25-a-week Three versions of the song soon ran up songwriter in the music-publishing the hit record charts. office of the Tokens, former singers Fast-forward to 1967. The popular who had hit No. 1 with “The Lion music world is often defined by Sleeps Tonight” years earlier. psychedelic experimentation, drugs, When the Tokens started a record long hair, and funky outfits. label called B.T. Puppy, they cast Enter a about for talent. vocal group of Miranda brought four clean-cut, in his other three short-haired, Graduates and suit-wearing auditioned.

New Jersey “They loved guys, looking us!” he said later. more Wall The Four Street than Graduates Woodstock. morphed into the They say more modernthey want to sounding record older Happenings and Photo taken by Kenneth Dwain Harrelson. songs—some Bob Miranda of The Happenings, 2008. were soon on from as far their way to AM“I Got Rhythm” back as the radio stardom.

The Happenings 1920s and For the group, June 1967 1930s—in choosing to the hope of record the jazz achieving success alongside the Doors, standard “I Got Rhythm” probably Jimi Hendrix, and Jefferson Airplane. struck many in the music business Hmm. Well, good luck, guys. as being odd at best or, at worst, just For the Happenings, this offbeat plain crazy. approach landed them on Billboard ’s But the New Jersey crew firmly Hot 100 nine times from 1966 to believed they were on the right track.

1969.

For their remake, Bob Miranda The cocky quartet liked to take composed a brief introduction: “oldies” and add their own spin— “In this vast and troubled world, rich, tight vocal harmonies wrapped we sometimes lose our way / But I am around upbeat tempos, elaborate never lost; I feel this way because …” orchestration defining each punchedOnce the Happenings’ version up remake, and the strong, confident kicked into high gear moments later, tenor/falsetto of Bob Miranda out the listener was hopelessly hooked. front. Somehow, this worked. “‘I Got Rhythm’ was a natural for “We all came from Paterson, us,” Miranda explained. “There was so New Jersey,” Miranda explained on much space in the song for us to put ClassicBands.com. “We met one these unique vocal hooks … We just night at a dance in East Paterson. knew when we played it back that it We actually met in the men’s room, was a hit. It just sounded so natural, ’cause that’s where all the singers were. and everything seemed to be there.”

The echo. We sounded pretty darned And it was. good, so we decided to get together.”

The original tune was, of course,

9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

CUMBERLAND COUNTY

Carlisle Expo Center 100 K Street Carlisle

Exhibitors • Health Screenings • Seminars Demonstrations • Entertainment • Door Prizes

Limited Sponsorship Opportunities Available

(717) 285-1350 (717) 770-0140 (610) 675-6240

www.50plusExpoPA.com 50plus LIFE p

June 2017

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Traveltizers

Dutch for a Day

By Andrea Gross

The day is sunny, the weather a bit chilly but still pleasant. I shade my eyes and look up at a row of four-story brick buildings fronted by a small patch of green grass. The buildings themselves are rather plain; each floor appears to contain two apartments.

Here, in Amsterdam’s Rivierenbuurt neighborhood, a 30minute tram ride from downtown, I can see how ordinary people go about their daily lives, oblivious to the touristy hubbub of the central city.

It’s the sort of place I might live had I been born Dutch.

It’s also the place where 75 years ago this month — in June 1942 — an ordinary young girl celebrated her 13th birthday. Her favorite present was a small autograph book that her father had purchased at the corner bookstore.

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June 2017

The Riviernbuurt neighborhood, where Anne Frank and her family lived before going into hiding, is a middle-class neighborhood of small shops and wide streets.

Less than a month later this girl, whose name was Anne Frank, and her family were forced into hiding to escape the Nazi onslaught.

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A statue of Anne Frank stands in the small park near the apartment building where she lived as a child.

For Anne the ordinary pursuits of childhood came to an abrupt end.

No more playing marbles with her friends. No more jumping rope in the

summer and ice skating in the winter.

Cut off from schoolmates who would have filled her autograph book with best wishes and witty sayings, Anne used her birthday present as a diary, one that has been translated into 70 languages and sold more than 30 million copies.

A small child comes over and touches my hand. “You lost?” she asks in halting English.

“I’m looking for Anne Frank’s house,” I say.

She points to a window on third floor of one of the buildings. “That’s where Anna lived when she was little.”

The Franks’ apartment, where they lived from 1934, when they emigrated from Germany, until 1942, when they went into hiding, now serves as a retreat for aspiring writers. Although it’s been restored to look as it did when

www.50plusLifePA.com

the Franks lived there, it’s only open to the public on special occasions.

The child leads me to a bronze statue at the end of the park. It depicts a teenage girl gazing wistfully at the row of apartment buildings. It is the only official recognition of the fact that this is the neighborhood that nurtured Anne Frank.

“Anna is saying goodbye to her home,” says our new friend.

She also says goodbye, and my husband and I walk a few blocks to the Montessori school that Anne attended from 1934 to 1941. The building, which is still a functioning Montessori school, is painted in pastel colors overlaid with quotes from the diary of its most famous student.

Finally we stop at Boekhandel Jimmink, the corner bookstore where Anne’s father purchased his daughter’s birthday present. We ask if they have replicas of the famous diary. The clerk points to a small stack of books on a back table.

“We don’t get much call for these,” he says apologetically. “Not a lot of tourists come here, and among locals Harry Potter outsells Anne Frank.”

We continue our search for

Anne Frank liked to explore the streets that line the canals of central Amsterdam.

Anne Frank could glimpse the spires of Westerkerk Church from a window in the Secret Annex.

Anne’s childhood haunts in central Amsterdam, an area that today is filled with galleries and small shops. Anne loved to explore the narrow streets near her father’s offices, which were in stately homes along the Singel and Prinsengracht canals.

She also spent many happy hours at the nearby Bloemenmarkt, the only floating flower market in the world.

The Secret Annex, where the Franks spent two years hiding from the Nazis, is only a few blocks away. Unlike her old neighborhood, her hiding place is one of the most visited sites in the Netherlands. The line to get in stretches around the block.

A few months later, on a different trip in a different country, we attend a talk by a Holocaust survivor. Quite

Need more LIFE in your life?

by chance the speaker is Hannah Goslar, one of Anne’s closest friends, the one referred to in her diary as Lies (a Dutch contraction of the name Elisabeth).

Hannah was one of the last people Anne saw before she died in the concentration camp at Bergen-Belsen in March 1945, a few months before her 16th birthday.

“I grew up in the apartment downstairs from Anna Frank,” she begins. “Has anyone been to that part of Amsterdam?”

We raise our hands.

“I haven’t been back in years,” she says softly. “Tell me, what is it like today?”

We tell her that as we walked to the school that she and Anne attended, we saw a menorah in the window of a first-floor apartment.

She smiles. “You know,” she says, “in her diary Anna wrote that ‘despite everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.’ Perhaps she was right.”

For an expanded version of this article, go to www.traveltizers.com. Photos © Irv Green unless otherwise noted; story by Andrea Gross (www.andreagross.com).

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June 2017

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Assisted Living Residences/Personal Care Homes Bethany Village — MapleWood

325 Wesley Drive • Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 717-766-0279 • www.BethanyVillage.org Total AL and/or PC Beds: 100 Assisted Living Residence: Yes Personal Care Home: Yes Private: 100 Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: No Short-term Lease: Yes Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: No Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes Health Fee-for-Service Available: Yes

Alzheimer’s Care: Yes Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: Yes Comments: One-bedroom suites; secured memory support neighborhood; skilled nursing – The Oaks.

Colonial Lodge Community

2015 North Reading Road • Denver, PA 17519 717-336-5501 • www.coloniallodgepa.com Total AL and/or PC Beds: 70 Assisted Living Residence: No Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: Yes Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: Yes* Short-term Lease: No Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: No Part/Totally Refundable: No Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes

Health Fee-for-Service Available: No Alzheimer’s Care: No Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: No Comments: *SSI depends on availability. A veteran-approved “home for heroes” facility, all in a beautiful, rural setting.

Homeland Center

1901 North Fifth Street • Harrisburg, PA 17102 717-221-7727 • www.homelandcenter.org Total AL and/or PC Beds: 56 Assisted Living Residence: No Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: No Short-term Lease: No Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: No Part/Totally Refundable: No Outdoor Areas: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes Health Fee-for-Service Available: Yes

Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: Yes Comments: Providing exemplary care in a beautiful environment for more than 150 years. Our continuum includes a hospice program, therapy services, home care and home health services, and 24-hour medical staffing. All-private rooms with full baths and kitchenettes.

Mennonite Home Communities

1520 Harrisburg Pike • Lancaster, PA 17601 717-393-1301 • www.mennonitehome.org Total AL and/or PC Beds: 150 Assisted Living Residence: No Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: Yes Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: Yes Short-term Lease: No Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: No Part/Totally Refundable: No Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes

Health Fee-for-Service Available: No Alzheimer’s Care: Yes Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: No Comments: Supportive, encouraging environment. Various room types and suites available. Secure memory care offered.

Pleasant View Retirement Community

544 North Penryn Road • Manheim, PA 17545 717-665-2445 • www.pleasantviewrc.org Total AL and/or PC Beds: 96 Assisted Living Residence: No Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: Yes Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: Yes* Short-term Lease: No Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: Yes Part/Totally Refundable: No Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes

Health Fee-for-Service Available: Yes Alzheimer’s Care: Yes Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: No Comments: *Three-year private pay spending. Maintain independence in an enriching and supportive environment; now offering respite stays.

Sacred Heart Villa

51 Seminary Avenue • Reading, PA 19605 610-929-5751 • www.sacredheartvillapa.org Total AL and/or PC Beds: 100 Assisted Living Residence: No Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: Yes Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: No Short-term Lease: Yes Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: Yes Part/Totally Refundable: Yes Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes

Health Fee-for-Service Available: No Alzheimer’s Care: No Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: No Comments: Located on 20 pristine acres. Offering amenities including homecooked meals; professional, licensed staff; and personalized care.

Homewood at Plum Creek

425 Westminster Avenue • Hanover, PA 17331 717-637-4166 • www.homewood.com Total AL and/or PC Beds: 92 Assisted Living Residence: No Personal Care Home: Yes Private: Yes Semi-private: No Private Pay: Yes SSI Accepted: No Short-term Lease: Yes Entrance Fee/Security Deposit: No Part/Totally Refundable: No Outdoor Areas/Fitness Center: Yes Medication Management: Yes On-call Medical Service: Yes

Health Fee-for-Service Available: Yes Alzheimer’s Care: Yes Respite Care: Yes Social Programs: Yes Housekeeping/Laundry Service: Yes Transportation (Scheduled): Yes Personal Car Permitted: Yes Pets Permitted: No Comments: Excellent care in a lovely environment. Call to schedule a visit.

If you would like to be featured on this important page, please contact your account representative or call (717) 285-1350.

This is not an all-inclusive list of agencies and providers. These advertisers are eager to provide additional information about their services.

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June 2017

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Deal Me In

By Mark Pilarski

Is Free Slot Play Rigged?

Dear Mark: When a casino gives free slot play, does the slot machine “know” you are playing with the casino’s free given “money”?

It seems that spins on the slot machine change when I put my money in the machine. Say, for instance, I get $5 free play. With 10 spins at 50 cents each, I don’t seem to win anything.

As soon I put my money in, the machine seems to change and starts to pay with some credits. – Gerry L. More and more casinos are rewarding slot players with free slot play, giving slots players a chance to win without having to drop a dime into a machine. Slot aficionados see it as getting something for nothing.

Then there are other casinos that offer something less called matching play, whereby you are rewarded with $10 in free play after playing through $10 of your money. Obviously, this offer is not as good a deal as a “something for nothing” promotion.

Your $5 free-play offering is a cash reward for your play. Sad to say, that compensation must be used within the casino. That, Gerry, is the drawback of free play: You can’t take the money and skedaddle.

In contrast, with cash-backs for your action, there is no requirement that you play your cash reimbursement. Like winnings, it is your money, not the “house’s,” and you can always pocket it to use as you please.

All things being equal, I would rather have cash in hand that I can spend as I wish. Moreover, with free play, most players do get something but end up with nothing because they tend to play back their free-play allowance before they cash out.

The biggest challenge any casino has is getting you to walk through the front door. Free slot play— something for nothing—is one such Pavlovian offering that triggers saliva www.50plusLifePA.com

amongst slot jockeys.

I have always been amazed at how just $10 in free slot play brings in the slot masses. Unfortunately, once forward-facing a slot machine, you can easily run through that $10 in but a few spins if you’re playing max coins and max lines.

Now the casino has you captured within their friendly confines for a total outlay of $10.

The up and up, Gerry, is that the random number generator doesn’t care one iota if you are playing the free play or with your hard-earned money. What might be happening is that you are the victim of your own selective memory along with a shortened gambling timeline.

Your assumption is that the machines hit less frequently when you are playing free play versus when you’re playing with your money.

Consequently, you tend to remember the times that you don’t hit on the free play and forget the times that you did.

I would suggest that you keep track of your play and not rely on discriminatory impressions.

So, in the future, as you play freeslot play promotions, humor me and keep track of the number of spins and the number of hits that you get from free play. Then, actively track the same number of spins with your money. As your gambling timeline extends, your returns should be relatively close.

Gambling Wisdom of the Month: “Gambling heats the mind like an oven.” – Henry Ward Beecher, Gamblers and Gambling (1896) Mark Pilarski is a recognized authority on casino gambling, having survived 18 years in the casino trenches. Pilarski is the creator of the bestselling, awardwinning audio book series on casino gambling, Hooked on Winning. www. markpilarski.com

You’re not jus t a business. n a t s u j t o n You’re . n o i t a z i n a g r o You’re a resource.

You provide valuable services to seniors, the disabled, caregivers, and their families.

Help them find you by being included in your county’s most comprehensive annual directory of resources.

• Your company’s information reaches those in the decision-making process • Anywhere, anytime, any device access

•N EW! Online Resource Directory—Added benefit to all packages for greater exposure • Supports local agencies and promotes efficient coordination of services • Print edition distributed at hundreds of 50plus LIFE consumer pick-up sites, OLP’s 16 annual expos, and community events •P roduced by a company that has been dedicated to the area’s 50+ community for more than 20 years

Sponsorships available for greatest exposure Individual full-color display ads and enhanced listings also available

Ad closing date: Sept. 15, 2017 Contact your account representative or call 717.285.1350 now to be included in this vital annual directory.

717.285.1350 • 717.770.0140 • 610.675.6240 info@onlinepub.com • www.onlinepub.com

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June 2017

9

Tips for a Fun, Safe Summer

2017 Se a s o n www.gretnatheatre.com

Johnny Appleseed July 1

This Summer

Alexander, Who’s Not, Not, Not, Not, Not Going to Move July 15 Cinderella Confidential July 22

717-964-3627 presents

June 22-25

Once, in the Time of Trolls August 5

June 29-July 2

This Garbage Isn’t Garbage August 23 & 26

Performances on Saturdays at 11:00AM

July 13-15, July 20-22

August 3-6

August 24-26

www.gretnatheatre.com 717-964-3627

Come check out these great performances!

Build Your Better World!

Join the Summer Reading Club at The Library.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

Summer is a time for playground fun, camping, boating, swimming, biking, and other outdoor activities.

Longer days mean more time outside and more physical activity, which translates to increased potential for injuries. Playground falls, lawnmower accidents, and campfire and fire-pit burns are some common childhood injuries that can happen during summer months.

These tips from Shriners Hospitals for Children can help your family enjoy a fun, injury-free summer.

Playground 101 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that emergency departments treat more than 200,000 children ages 14 and younger every year for playground-related injuries.

Before your grandkids head to the playground, keep these precautions in mind: • Choose parks and playgrounds that are appropriate for their age and offer shock-absorbing surfaces.

• Teach children that pushing and shoving on the playground can result in accidents and injuries.

• Remind kids to go down the slide one at a time and to wait until the slide is completely clear before taking their turn. Teach them to always sit

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June 2017

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Over the summer The Library offers FREE programs for the whole family – grandkids to grandparents.

Get educated, inspired and informed.

Check out one or more of these programs:

•American Giants of Science with Bright Star Theater

•Water Wonders with Judy Bower •Fact Checking in a Fast-Paced, Social Media-Driven Society

•Computer Classes

from Start to Finish

•Secret to Black Gold

(with Penn State Extension Master Gardeners)

To learn more about Summer Reading Club at The Library visit:

dcls.org/src2017 50plus ad.indd 1

5/12/2017 3:36:22 PM www.50plusLifePA.com

facing forward with their legs straight in front of them and to never slide down headfirst.

• Instruct children to never swim alone or go near water without an adult present.

• Remind children to swing sitting down. Encourage them to wait until the swing stops before getting off and to be careful when walking in front of moving swings.

• Give children your undivided attention when they are swimming or near any body of water.

Make a Safe Splash While playing poolside may be a blast, Safe Kids Worldwide reports that drowning is the leading cause of injury-related deaths for children ages 1-4 and the third-leading cause of injury-related deaths among those under 19.

Additionally, the University of Michigan Health System estimates that about 6,000 kids under the age of 14 are hospitalized because of diving injuries each year, with 1 in 5 sustaining a spinal cord injury.

Prevent accidents and injuries with these tips to ensure your family’s safety around water:

• Always jump in feet first to check the depth before diving into any body of water.

• Never dive in the shallow end of the pool or into above-ground pools.

Fun on the Water Boating, tubing, and other water sports can be great fun but can also be dangerous.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard, nearly 71 percent of all boating fatalities are drownings, 85 percent of which are a result of not wearing a life jacket.

Here is what you can do to enjoy the water safely: • Always have children wear a Coast Guard-approved, properly fitted life jacket while on a boat, around an open body of water, or when participating in water sports.

• Educate yourself. According to the U.S. Coast Guard, 86 percent of boating accident deaths involve boaters who have not completed a safety course.

• Always check water conditions and forecasts before going out on the water.

Fire Safety Simplified According to the CDC, more than 300 children ages 19 and under are treated in emergency rooms for fire- and burn-related injuries each day. please see SAFE SUMMER page 12

STORYTELLING AT ITS BEST! CHESTER COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Adrian Martinez Presents The Visionary World of Humphry Marshall 1750-1800

PLAIN & FANCY FARM THEATER ROUTE 340 y BIRD-IN-HAND, PA WWW.MAGICLANTERNTHEATER.COM

HALF OFF! www.50plusLifePA.com

Save $8.50 per adult. Must be purchased online at MagicLanternTheater.com with coupon code LIFE.

50plus LIFE p

Now open: original paintings & historical objects

June 2017

11

SAFE SUMMER from page 11

water or a fire extinguisher nearby whenever there is an open flame.

Use these tips to help keep children safe around fires, fireworks, grills, and other heat sources:

• Take your child to a doctor or hospital immediately if he or she is injured in a fire or by fireworks.

• Leave fireworks to the professionals.

• Teach kids to never play with matches, gasoline, lighter fluid, or lighters. Make a habit of placing these items out of the reach of young children.

To see more tips, find activity pages, and learn how to become a “Superhero of Summer Safety,” visit www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org/ safesummer.

• Do not leave children unattended near grills, campfires, fire pits, or bonfires. Always have a bucket of

(Family Features) Photo courtesy of Getty Images.

Save Some Bucks on Your Summer Vacation Planning your family’s summer vacation? Even if you’re not staying in luxury hotels and renting limousines, you may feel like you need a bank loan—or a bank robbery—to finance your trip.

Here are some smart ideas for saving money and still having a good time: Research your destination thoroughly. The internet, along with a good guidebook, can help you find inexpensive hotels and restaurants. You may also discover free or inexpensive attractions and find out whether museums, parks, and other attractions offer reduced admission on certain days.

Stay outside the city. You’re going to New York, but you don’t have to

12

June 2017

sleep there. Often you’ll find better hotel rates and cheaper restaurants a few miles outside city limits.

Go to the grocery store. Avoid the overpriced hotel gift shops for snacks and drinks. You should be able to find a local grocery store where you can buy cheaper (and healthier) supplies for your travels.

Drive efficiently.

Before an extended trip, check your engine. Oil, air filters, and other components can affect your vehicle’s performance. On the highway, keep your speed between 50 and 60 mph for the best fuel efficiency. Don’t use drive-through windows at fast-food restaurants; idling your car while waiting for your food wastes gas and pollutes the air.

50plus LIFE p

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Lebanon County

Calendar of Events

Community Programs/Support Groups Free and open to the public

Senior Center Activities

June 28, 6-7 p.m.

Alzheimer’s and Dementia Family Support Group Linden Village 100 Tuck Court, Lebanon (717) 274-7400

Annville Senior Activity Center – (717) 867-1796 200 S. White Oak St., Annville June 2, noon – Medicare Fraud Presentation June 15, 12:30 p.m. – Father’s Day Dogs at William Penn Lunch Room June 19, 12:30 p.m. – Pinochle Party

If you have an event you would like to include, please email information to mjoyce@onlinepub.com for consideration.

Library Programs Annville Free Library, 216 E. Main St., Annville, (717) 867-1802 Tuesdays, 6:15 p.m. – AFL Knitters June 6, 6:30 p.m. – Adult Coloring Club Lebanon Community Library, 125 N. Seventh St., (717) 273-7624 Matthews Public Library, 102 W. Main St., Fredericksburg, (717) 865-5523 Myerstown Community Library, 199 N. College St., Myerstown, (717) 866-2800 Palmyra Public Library, 325 S. Railroad St., (717) 838-1347 Richland Community Library, 111 E. Main St., Richland, (717) 866-4939

parks and recreation All events held at the Park at Governor Dick unless noted.

June 4, 1-4 p.m. – Music on the Porch June 14, 10:30 a.m. – Wednesday Wings & Things Walk June 25, 1:30 p.m. – Senior Walkabout

Volunteer Spotlight Educator Continues Environmental Passion Fred Folmer is RSVP’s Lebanon County Volunteer of the Month.

He is a 1964 graduate of Lebanon High School. He graduated from Penn State University in 1968 and earned a master’s in education from Millersville University in 1976.

Folmer taught ninth-grade Earth and space science classes for nearly 18 years. In 1986, following his father’s passing, he joined other family members in the management of Folmer Fruit and Produce for 24 years, until retiring in 2010.

His main passions are environmental education and protection. Folmer served as an appointee to the Lebanon City Zoning Hearing Board.

Folmer has served as the secretary on the Environmental Advisory Council since 2007 and with the Swatara Watershed Association since 2011, where he is secretary of its board.

Through RSVP, Folmer volunteers at SWA in varying capacities: Bordner Cabin steward, park guardian, and riverkeeper. This permits him to stay involved in environmental education and protection.

Folmer’s hobbies include bicycling, canoeing, and traditional archery. He is married to Shirley Sando Folmer; they have two grown sons and three grandchildren.

For further information about RSVP’s volunteer opportunities in Lebanon County, contact Margie Groy at (717) 454-8647 or lancleb@rsvpcapreg.org.

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 LIFE’s Volunteer Spotlight! Submissions should be 200 words or fewer and photos are encouraged.

Email preferred to mjoyce@onlinepub.com or mail nominations to: 50plus LIFE, Volunteer Spotlight, 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512.

www.50plusLifePA.com

Maple Street Senior Community Center – (717) 273-1048 710 Maple St., Lebanon June 9, 10 a.m. – Everybody’s Birthday Party Picnic at Hebron Fire Company June 22, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Meet and Mingle Café: Games June 28, 11 a.m. – Luncheon at Stouch Tavern Myerstown Senior Community Center – (717) 866-6786 Myerstown Baptist Church, 59 Ramona Road, Myerstown June 14, 7:45 a.m. – Breakfast Club at Country Fare Restaurant June 20, 11 a.m. – Making Cards with Ethel June 27, 4 p.m. – Dinner at Esther’s and Mini Golf at Camp Swatara Northern Lebanon Senior Community Center – (717) 865-0944 335 N. Lancaster St., Jonestown – www.jonestownpa.org/senior.html Fridays, 10 a.m. – Healthy You June 8, 9:30 a.m. – Plants June 15, 8:30 a.m. – Breakfast Club at Cedar Grill Palmyra Senior Community Center – (717) 838-8237 101 S. Railroad St., Palmyra June 6, 10:15 a.m. – Blood Pressure Screening June 21, 10:30 a.m. – Hawaiian Luau and Entertainment June 29, 10:45 a.m. – Discussion on Fraud Schemes Prevention 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 Just a snippet of what you may be missing … please call or visit their website for more information.

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BLUEBIRDS from page 4

Aug. 29, 2017

Nov. 2, 2017

9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Radisson Hotel Harrisburg 1150 Camp Hill Bypass Camp Hill

FREE PARKING!

9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Spooky Nook Sports

2913 Spooky Nook Rd. Manheim

Please, join us!

This combined event is FREE for veterans of all ages, active military, and their families.

At the Expo

Veterans Benefits Community Services Products and Services Available Support/Assistance Programs Education/Training Services

At the Job Fair

Employers Job Counseling Workshops/Seminars Resume Writing Assistance Principal Sponsor: Sponsored by: Blue Ridge Communications • Disabled American Veterans Fulton Financial Corporation • The Guide • LCTV Pennsylvania American Legion • Pennsylvania National Guard Outreach Office Pennsylvania State Headquarters VFW • USAA WFYL • WHP580/BOB 94.9 • WHTM abc27

the summer of 2015, when the Ladies Professional Golf Association tournament descended upon his neighboring golf course, bringing with it tents, modular trailers, scaffolding, and staging areas—not to mention thousands of people and their attendant golf carts and noise.

Rust grew concerned the hubbub would disrupt or potentially cause harm to the nearly four dozen bluebird boxes he tends to along the golf course.

One July morning, he discovered a sports-news crew had moved one bluebird box he knew contained eggs.

He found it about 40 feet from its original location, stuck in the ground along with a rain gauge, all within 2 feet of a modular home. Furthermore, the box was tipped 15 degrees from vertical position.

“After a deep breath, I opened the box to find five bluebird newborn nestlings,” Rust said. “I saw the [mother] up on the corner of one of the modular homes, and she seemed quite relaxed with her new surroundings. I placed some yellow caution tape around the box and rain gauge and breathed a sigh of relief.”

But Rust prepared himself for the worst, wondering if the parent bluebirds would give up on the relocated nest. Two weeks later, however, he came back to five healthy, full-grown chicks inside; they fledged later that day.

“They are truly resilient songbirds.

The [tournament] changed the open environment that bluebirds enjoy, hunt for, and thrive on,” Rust noted. “This pair of bluebirds had to adjust to very cramped quarters for just over two

weeks to feed and care for their young family of five.”

Rust recently channeled his extensive bluebird expertise into a soft-cover book, The Beloved and Charismatic Bluebird, which he selfpublished with the help of his son, Shaun. The book is now in its second edition and is available on Amazon.com and in numerous bookstores, including Longwood Gardens’ garden shop and several local bird stores.

The biggest challenge of bluebird conservation, he said, is motivating those who erect bird boxes to maintain them—you can’t simply install the box and let nature take its course.

“They need to become proactive like a gardener is to their garden plot.

It takes lots of loving care to nurture plants from spring through summer to fall and then harvest a crop,” he said.

“The same is true with bluebirds. It is a hands-on hobby.”

It’s a hobby worth the time and effort, though, and it is easy to get started, Rust said.

“Getting involved with bluebirds is not only a rewarding endeavor from a conservation standpoint, but it can also be an excellent hobby to share with your children or grandchildren while enjoying nature and the great outdoors,” he said.

“My hope is that bluebirds will inspire a new hobby or develop an appreciation for a special creation that God has given us to enjoy while on the earth.”

For more information on the Bluebird Society of Pennsylvania, visit www.thebsp.org or call Rust at (717) 669-0167.

Like 50plus LIFE? Then “Like” 50plus LIFE!

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June 2017

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Is This Thing On?

Spring into Your Calendar!

Abby Stokes

I know that old habits die hard, but sometimes it’s worth the trouble to let the old be replaced by the new.

The calendar app on your smartphone and tablet is one of these worthwhile temptations.

I’m familiar with that big, old, leatherbound calendar that you’ve used forever—the one where you buy the fresh pages every year to insert.

Maybe all of your treasured addresses are in the same book.

I had one too. It was my bible, but I got so anxious about losing it that I would copy pages rather than take it with me on vacation.

Well, here’s the great benefit when using technology to keep track of your events, birthdays, and doctor appointments: The information won’t get lost, and you can carry it in your pocket or pocketbook.

When you enter contact information into your digital calendar—whether on your computer, tablet, or smartphone—all the events get synched across all your devices almost instantaneously. So, if you lose your phone (heaven forbid!), you can still access the calendar from your computer.

If using the app on your smartphone isn’t comfortable because of the phone’s small size, you can always access the calendar on your computer and do your inputting there with that nice, big keyboard.

May I suggest what I did to make the transition from paper to digital easier? Keep both the old-fashioned calendar, where you write in and scratch out what’s changed, and the new, digital one simultaneously until you get used to the new system and trust it. www.50plusLifePA.com

For me, that was a couple of months, and then I let the old system take a permanent vacation.

A Calendar by Any Other Name Is Still a Calendar

Depending on your device and your preference, you can set up your calendar to work with Apple’s iCloud, Google Calendar, or Microsoft’s Outlook. Truth be told, most devices are much friendlier now, so any of those choices should work on almost all devices.

A good way to make the decision is to think about who is the most likely person to be helpful should you have questions about how to use the calendar. Ask them which calendar program they use, and you might want to consider using that one too.

A great perk about using a calendar and having it be the same program as someone you share your life with is that you can share a calendar with them too.

Do you ever wonder what’s on the grandkids’ schedule? Wonder no more. Ask to be included in the family calendar. Everything can be color coded so you can identify which dates are your events and which are theirs.

Other Handy Calendar Features …

Not only can you share calendars, but you can also send invitations from your calendar or respond to a calendar invitation in an email. Once you RSVP via the email, the event will

automatically be entered into your calendar.

If an event is something that repeats, such as a birthday, you can instruct the calendar to repeat it every year indefinitely. Or if it’s something

You can even set up alerts so you’ll receive a reminder, at whatever time you desire, before an appointment.

So, now’s the time for you to put it in your calendar that you’re going to start using a digital calendar soon!

you’ll be doing for the next six weeks, on every Tuesday, you can customize that as well.

Abby Stokes, author of “Is This Thing On?” A Friendly Guide to Everything Digital for Newbies, Technophobes, and the Kicking & Screaming and its companion website, AskAbbyStokes. com, is the Johnny Appleseed of Technology, singlehandedly helping more than 300,000 people cross the digital divide.

Stories of ordinary men and women called to perform extraordinary military service.

From 1999–2016, writer and World War II veteran Col. Robert D. Wilcox preserved the firsthand wartime experiences of more than 200 veterans through Salute to a Veteran, his monthly column featured in 50plus LIFE. Now, for the first time, 50 of those stories— selected by Wilcox himself—are available to own in this soft-cover book.

Simply complete and mail this form with your payment to the address below to order Salute to Our Veterans.

On-Line Publishers • 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512 Name_ _______________________________________________________ Address_ ______________________________________________________ City_______________________________ State_ ____ Zip_ ______________ Phone_ _____________________ Email______________________________ Number of copies_ ______ (Please include $20.80 for each copy) Credit card #______________________________________ Exp. date________ Signature of cardholder_________________________________CVV #________

Or send a check made payable to On-Line Publishers, Inc. You can also order online at www.50plusLIFEpa.com!

50plus LIFE p

June 2017

15

On Life and Love after 50

In Mature Dating, Does an Age Difference Matter?

Tom Blake

Mature dating is a challenge. Toss in an age difference between partners, and the challenge is even greater.

Take the case of Ben and Janice, for example.

He emailed me, “I am an Arkansas guy in love with a California girl.

I am 77 and my lady, Janice, is 68.

We are both very concerned about our age difference; therefore, your articles provide us with much insight.

What do you think about the age difference?”

I asked Ben for more details.

He responded: “I was born in El Dorado, Arkansas. I left home for college, the University of Arkansas, at age 17. I was a ROTC cadet and was commissioned in the Air Force shortly after graduation. I am a retired Air Force colonel.

“I was a widower and living in Southern California, when one day I stopped at a Starbucks in Anaheim Hills.

I was sitting there with a cappuccino and Janice walked in, and that changed my life forever.

“She ordered a coffee and turned around, and I spoke to her. After an hour of conversation, I asked her to meet for dinner the next Saturday.

We had three dinner dates in May

We want to hear from you!

What is your preferred term to describe an aging adult?

?

Place your vote at 50plusLIFEpa.com through June 30, 2017!

Results will be published in a future issue of 50plus LIFE. Five voters will be chosen at random for a free one-year subscription!

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June 2017

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2016, before I left to visit my daughters in Virginia and Arkansas.

“I returned to California on the first of August, and we have been together ever since. Janice is the love of my life.

“We are talking and planning a life together. We have agreed that we will set the marriage date and place on July 15, my 78th birthday. We are living in California now but will be moving to my new home in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas, in the fall.

“Janice is still working and considering retirement this September/October when we marry.”

Tom’s response: My feeling is Ben, at 77, and Janice, at 68, should not worry about the age difference.

He most likely will pass away first—maybe not—but so what? Why not enjoy these years together? He has found the love of his life; they should enjoy the relationship every minute of every day.

An issue bigger than the age difference is the change of lifestyle, primarily for Janice. Will she be happy not working? Will she be happy living in Arkansas? Has Janice visited Arkansas yet?

Also, since they plan to marry, they both need to agree regarding all legal matters. I suggest both consult attorneys, so both sides are equally represented. The agreement must be in writing.

The biggest issue that can cause difficulty with couples is financial, especially if there are children and grandchildren in the mix.

The nine-year age difference, in this case, is a non-issue.

If two people love each other and have a wide age difference (even much, much wider than Ben and Janice), the relationship can still work nicely—if they honestly discuss and address the age-difference issues, particularly regarding children, financial issues, potential health problems, and legal issues.

Communication in all relationships is critical, and with these two, particularly so.

I asked my newsletter readers for their opinions about Ben and Janice.

Here is what four of them said: Marta, Montreal: “To each his own. Just don’t grow a ratty, gray ponytail and date an 18-year-old— then you look stupid!”

Terry Lee, financial advisor: “Regarding financials, lots and lots of problems (arise) with everybody when financials are not discussed and written down—and yes, for sure, each meet with his or her own financial person.”

Robin, police department administrator: “It has more to do with maturity level in each party. Age shouldn’t have much to do with the dating equation, unless you have one person underage, by law standards.”

Mary Lou, bar exam tutor: “It is very important to get independent legal advice, and get a prenup in writing. That will ease the minds of the children and make for a much less stressful life; plus, they will both be protected in the event things go south.”

Mature dating is difficult enough.

Forget the age difference and enjoy each other.

For dating information, previous articles, or to sign up for Tom’s complimentary, weekly e-newsletter, go to www. findingloveafter50.com.

www.50plusLifePA.com

Puzzle Page

CROSSWORD

Solutions for all puzzles can be found on page 18 SUDOKU

brainteasers

Popular Businesses of the ’50s and ’60s 1. Liggett & My _____ 2. Ralston Pu _____ 3. Austin He _____ 4. Sunbeam/O _____ 5. Helene Cu _____

Across 1. Heel 4. Gait between walk and canter 8. Swamp grass 12. Prison sentence 13. Overabundant 14. Enthusiastic applause 16. Bad to the bone 17. Bay rum, for one 19. Retainer 21. Repented 22. Directs 23. Gymnast’s goal

25. Small drum 27. Youngster 32. Wedge 36. Mantle 37. Revere 38. Getaway places 40. Provided with food 42. True heath 43. Pismires 45. Andy’s chum 46. Impertinent 47. Endures 49. Pigpen

50. Functional 55. Birthplace of St. Francis 60. Astral 61. Woeful 64. Gone with the Wind location 65. Waste pipe 66. Twofold 67. Flatboats 68. Boast 69. TV award 70. Thing, in law

23. Acme 24. Raises 26. Volcanic rock 27. Small rug 28. Notion 29. Average 30. Cookie 31. Scarlet and cerise 32. Sp. women (abbr.)

33. Wife of Zeus 34. Wife of Osiris 35. Soft shoes, for short 39. Devilfish 41. In a shrewd manner 44. Senate vote

48. Compass point 49. Title of respect 51. Church table 52. Honk 53. Pipits 54. Time periods 55. Append 56. Native of Novi Sad 57. Mast 58. Pelvic arch 59. Anthem 60. Close violently 62. Fruit drink 63. Depress, with “out”

Down

Groups with Big Hits in the ’50s

1. 1951 – “How High the Moon,” Les P _____ and Mary F _____ 2. 1954 – “Sh-Boom,” The Cr _____ Cu _____ 3. 1954 – “Three Coins in the Fountain,” The Four A _____ 4. 1958 – “Tom Dooley,” The K _____ Trio 5. 1959 – “A Teenager in Love,” D _____ and the B _____

Written by Alan Stillson. Please see http://stillsonworks.com

1. Bearcat 2. Burning 3. Burrow 4. Make a deal 5. Fissure 6. Frequently (poet.)

7. Golf peg 8. Catch one’s breath 9. Resound 10. Flair 11. Humorist Barry 12. Fewer 15. Cheers’ Danson 18. Raced 20. Creative activity

Your ad could be here on this popular page!

Please call (717) 285-1350 for more information.

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June 2017

17

Such is Life

Nobody Wins in an Argument Saralee Perel

Puzzle Solutions

My husband, Bob, was the first non-Jewish person to marry into my strict Orthodox Jewish family.

My parents never called him Bob. They called him Farmer. To them, every man who wasn’t Jewish was a cowhand.

I remember one Sunday brunch, when we visited them in their condo in Baltimore. While I was helping Mom serve lox, bagels, and tongue, Dad said to Bob, “So, Farmer, you know why they can’t keep Jewish people in jail?”

Bob, always polite (another word for “intimidated to death”), said, “I’m afraid I don’t know.”

My father, who laughed so loud at his own jokes we could barely hear the punchlines, said, “Because they eat lox.”

Bob didn’t understand. Dad, in hysterics, spelled out the word, “Locks.”

We laughed, not at the joke, but at my father’s wonderful nature.

When Bob looked warily at the tongue, I whispered, “You don’t have to eat it.”

Mother, who could hear a whisper from a coal miner at work, said, “Tongue is to our people the way bacon is to your people. You either love it or you’re wrong.”

She brought out cream cheese. In her screwball teaching mode, she said to Bob, “The kosher laws don’t allow meat and dairy at the same meal.

But while Moses was schlepping those bulky Ten Commandments around, God declared, ‘Who can eat bagels without a schmear of cream cheese? And lox? You have to ask? Fish goes with everything— except olive loaf. Nothing goes with that.’”

“Ma,” I teased, “what exactly did God say about tongue?”

June 2017

“He told Moses, ‘Tongue is a must-have!’” Then she added, “Shellfish isn’t kosher, but God decided that Maryland steamed crabs are exempt from any kosher laws.”

“Mo-ther! You’re making this stuff up.”

“Where were you when the disciples were having a nosh?”

And so, although my parents are both gone, my memories of them are filled with love and pain.

There were many problems.

Nationally syndicated, award-winning columnist Saralee Perel can be reached at sperel@saraleeperel.com or via her website: www.saraleeperel.com.

Brainteasers

Popular Businesses of the ’50s and ’60s

Puzzles shown on page 17

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Sam and Blanche Perel

Mom said Dad never “allowed” her to do what she wanted.

If only I had put my arms around her and told her she had the strength and courage to make her own decisions—but I didn’t.

My parents and I argued a lot. Once we didn’t speak for six months. I shamelessly refused to be big enough to take the first step.

I will never get those months back.

One day, I broke through my self-centeredness. It was on a Father’s Day. Dad was so touched to hear my voice that he just cried.

I said, “I love you, Tateleh (the Yiddish term of endearment for a father). I’m so very, very sorry that I took this long to call.” And then I said, “Will Mom come to the phone?”

I expected my mother to be distant. But she wasn’t. She said, “I’ve missed you, Saura Leah (my Hebrew name).”

We didn’t discuss what happened. We never did.

Maybe that was just as well.

“I’ve missed you too, Mamala. I’ve been feeling terrible since this whole thing.”

“So have I.” “I love you, Mamala.”

“Me too.”

That was the finest memory of all. That day when the three of us rose above the need to win. That day when nobody needed to be right. That day when we professed our eternal love.

And that day when we hugged each other tightly over a telephone line.

1. Liggett & Myers 2. Ralston Purina 3. Austin Healy 4. Sunbeam/Oster 5. Helene Curtis Groups with Big Hits in the ’50s 1. 1951 – Les Paul and Mary Ford 2. 1954 – The Crew Cuts 3. 1954 – The Four Aces 4. 1958 – The Kingston Trio 5. 1959 – Dion and the Belmonts

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Like Father, Like Child Father’s Day celebrates the special bond between fathers and their families.

Every dad is a celebrity in his child’s eyes, of course, but in some families fame and fatherhood go hand in hand.

Take a look at some of these well-known fathers and their successful children from the world of entertainment and sports: • K irk Douglas and Michael Douglas (acting)

• Lloyd Bridges, Beau Bridges, and Jeff Bridges (acting) • A rchie Manning, Peyton Manning, and Eli Manning (football)

Reach Active, Affluent Boomers & Seniors!

• Jon Voight and Angelina Jolie (acting) • Bob Dylan and Jakob Dylan (music) • Frank Sinatra and Nancy Sinatra (music) • Ken Griffey and Ken Griffey Jr. (baseball)

Father’s Day is June 18

• Henry Fonda, Peter Fonda, and Jane Fonda (acting)

• Tony Curtis and Jamie Lee Curtis (acting)

Reserve your space now for the 21st annual

M.H.P.

Double-wide lots available Call to visit: (717)

866-5496

opportunities Make a Volunteer for Seniors 55+ throughout Difference Lebanon County, with non-profits, agencies Volunteer schools, and community Today service organizations.

Contact for further information:

Margie Groy 717.454.8647

LancLeb@rsvpCapReg.org www.50plusLifePA.com

OFF

sponsor and exhibitor applications until 6/30/17

Sept. 21, 2017 FREE PARKING!

Family Park at Country Acres

100

$

9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Spooky Nook Sports 2913 Spooky Nook Road, Manheim Exhibitors • Health Screenings • Seminars Entertainment • Door Prizes

Why Participate?

It’s the premier event for baby boomers, caregivers, and seniors in Lancaster County • Face-to-face interaction with 3,000+ attendees • Strengthen brand recognition/launch new products

For sponsorship and exhibitor information:

(717) 285-1350 &

www.50plusExpoPA.com 50plus LIFE p

June 2017

19

3D Mammography Is Now Available at WellSpan Good Samaritan Hospital

In the fight against breast cancer, early detection is key.

3D mammography is clinically proven to provide more accurate breast cancer screenings, detects 41% more invasive breast cancers, detects cancer 15 months earlier and reduces false positives by up to 40%.

That means more peace of mind for you.

Talk to your physician about the benefits of 3D Mammography.

Learn more at WellSpan.org.

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June 2017

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