Marin's Older Adult Community Connection Since 1954
Whistlestop
E PRESS
OCTOBER 2012
Whistlestop.org
Films Can Enrich Lives of Marin’s Older Adults
By JOHN BOWMAN
O
lder adults in Marin County are looking for something more in films than what is usually offered in mass-market movies at the multiplexes. That is the opinion of Mark Fishkin, founding executive director of the Mill Valley Film Festival. Whistlestop Express interviewed Fishkin as he was busy preparing for the 35th annual festival. Whistlestop Express: What does the Film Festival have to offer older adults? Fishkin: “We have a sophisticated, active older adult community,” Fishkin said. “They are looking for more in-depth films and content — for films that enrich their lives. We have filmmakers present at many of the films during the festival, engaging the audiences in conversation, making for a more complete, satisfying experience. Marin County is aging — fortunately for us, many of the characteristics of our festival films feature universal stories that are emblematic of the seniors in the county. “We have a membership price as well as a senior price, which is competitive. This year we are also scheduling earlier shows on Columbus Day and the second Friday of the festival,” Fishkin added. Whistlestop Express: What inspired you to start the MVFF? Fishkin: “In 1977, I had just moved to Marin County. I was cognizant of the prolific artistic
CFI Board Member Focuses on Youth page 2
Mark Fishkin, Film Festival visionary community in residence, and was appalled that many filmmakers were not having their work screened in any meaningful context. The town of Mill Valley is beautiful and oozes charm; I was reflecting on all of this, having just returned from the budding Telluride Film Festival. “The local film community at the time was coming into its own. George Lucas was here, as well as Michael Ritchie, Larry Jordan, and many others. John Korty had an office in Mill Valley. Carroll Ballard was using George Lucas’ estate to edit The Black Stallion. There were the small local filmmakers as well, like James Broughton, who we honored at the first Mill Valley continued on page 6
Fine Art with Your iPhone page 5
October is Fall Prevention Month page 12
Table of
CONTENTS 3 4 5 7/8/9 10 11 12 12 13 14 15
Grandkids Photo From Rocky's Pantry Rocky Packard iPhonography Whistlestop Classes Activities Calendar The Bird's Side of Marin Richard Pavek Multicultural News Vicky Voicehowsky & Sandra Jimenez Fall Prevention Month Board Column Terry Scussel Grand Mom Audrey Mettel Fixmer Word Search Puzzle
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Marin Senior Coordinating Council, Inc. 930 Tamalpais Avenue San Rafael, CA 94901 Chief Executive Officer, Joe O’Hehir Board of Directors President, Dennis Thompson Vice President, Terry Scussel Treasurer, Michael Rice Secretary, Michael Hingson Karen Arnold • Liza Cozad • Eleanor Delaney Venessa Dixon • Jane Lott • Debbie Mills Lori Peterson • Bill Saul • Lenice Smith • Bob Sonnenberg Whistlestop Express is a publication of the Marin Senior Coordinating Council, Inc. A 501 (c) 3 not-for-profit organization. The Mission of Whistlestop: Whistlestop believes that we share a responsibility to ensure that all Marin residents have an opportunity to age with dignity, grace and independence. Whistlestop Contact Information Main Number 415-456-9062 Whistlestop Fax 415-456-2858 www.whistlestop.org Information & Referral Office 415-459-6700 • resource@whistlestop.org Whistlestop Express Editorial, Art Direction & Sales John & Val Bowman Editors 916-751-9189 • john.bowman58@gmail.com Missy Reynolds Art Director mreynolds@pacificsun.com Advertising Linda Black • 415-485-6700, Ext. 306 Whistlestop Express is printed on recycled paper To be added to, or taken off, the email list for Whistlestop Express, please call 415-456-9062. Or send an email, with your request, your name and address to INFO@whistlestop.org. Subscriptions mailed to your home are $10/year.
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Whistlestop Express
OCTOBER 2012
Whistlestop PERSPECTIVE
by JOHN BOWMA N
Film Festival Volunteers Become a ‘Unified Family’
J
ennifer MacCready of Mill Valley, a Whistlestop donor, sees her involvement with the Mill Valley Film Festival and its parent organization, the California Film Institute, as being part of a “unified family.” She has volunteered in several positions for 20 years – from usher to ticket taker – and for the past six years has been on the CFI Board. “Working as an usher was as much fun as being on the Board,” she said. “It’s working with all of the other people involved that brings me so much happiness.” She has contributed to Whistlestop because she values the myriad services it provides the community. “I really believe in Whistlestop. I especially like Whistlestop Express because it documents the lives of older adults and shows how so many people are active and vibrant. I send the Birds page to friends of mine who are homebound because I know they will appreciate it and they love the photos. And while I have not been in need of their services up to now, I love seeing the buses going about and knowing they are available. Also, many of my friends now have iPhones and iPads after taking computer classes at Whistlestop.” Jennifer was never an actor, but was a model as a young woman and has a passion for film, particularly foreign and independent films. She marvels at what has happened with the Mill Valley Film Festival over the past 35 years. “It’s all due to Mark Fishkin – his vision, his
dream and his creativity,” she said. “It’s remarkable what he has achieved here.” Her strongest interest Jennifer MacCready currently is with Glenn Close and with the Cali- Robin Williams. fornia Film Institute’s educational program, where young people – many of them from the Canal area – tell their poignant stories in three-minute shorts. They are shown before major film showings by CFI throughout the year. She noted that the festival audience is aging, and she believes it’s essential to involve younger people so that the volunteer and financial support for the festival is sustained for generations to come. Jennifer presented the Board with the idea to show young people’s film shorts at major film showings throughout the year, but she credits John Morrison and John McCloud with coming up with the original idea for CFI Education. They also teach the young filmmakers how to make these films. For the young people, the experience is often cathartic because theirs are stories of sorrow, separation and hope. Jennifer was on the committee that is overseeing the remodeling of a room next door to the theater that will be used for parties, receptions and other festivalrelated activities. The room was dedicated to Fishkin at an opening reception on Sept. 19. ✦
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In-Home Senior Care See the koala? This is the first of our Marin grandkids photos.
Do You Have a Photo of Your Grandkids to Share?
S
an Rafael’s Ethel Seiderman’s grandsons, Ethan, 12, left, and Noah, 9, make friends with a Koala at Skenes Creek, near Apollo Bay in the State of Victoria, Australia. Whistlestop Express invites you to send in a photo of your grandchildren for consideration. We would like to receive photos of Marin County residents’ grandkids doing something unusual. If it is in an interesting or exotic place, all the better. Please send us your digital photograph as a jpeg to: John Bowman, co-editor, at john.bowman58@ gmail.com. We will consider your photo for publication. Please be sure to tell us where and when the photo was taken. âœŚ
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From Rocky's PANTRY b y R O C K Y PA C K A R D
Thai Cucumber Salad
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Arts, Crafts Abound at Whistlestop
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Whistlestop Express
OCTOBER 2012
Women in Vicky Voicehowsky’s arts and crafts class proudly display their handiwork. From left are Michelle Gantos, Irma Wessels, Francis Lara and Mercedes Cari.
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Whistlestop Express
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OCTOBER 2012
continued from page 1 Film Festival in 1978. We have a lways had a deep relationship with our local filmmakers. It was such an exciting time. There was a huge void to be filled, and so I, and a group of dedicated volunteers, leaped over the chasm to create what is the Mill Valley Film Festival.
Whistlestop Express: What is the greatest challenge to keeping the festival going? Fishkin: “There has been a proliferation of film festivals in the past decade. Where there were once just a few, now there are hundreds of festivals and this can make it more difficult for programming. We are sandwiched between two giants, Sundance and Toronto, but what we offer is uniquely different. The important thing is to make yourself distinctive, and to identify the traits that make you stand out from the others. We have always distinguished ourselves as a filmmakers’ festival, making visiting filmmakers feel at home and supporting their work, as well as supporting our loyal constituency. “We are so fortunate to live in a community that supports what we do on a year-round basis. The largest capital campaign for the arts in Marin County history was mounted to restore the Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center, our year-round cinematheque in downtown San Rafael, to the showcase that it is today. We show diverse programming year round, not just during the 11 days of the festival. This sets us apart from other festivals.â€? âœŚ The Mill Valley Film Festival runs from October 4 to 14, and you can find more information at mvff.com
Keep Learning at WHISTLESTOP For a complete list of classes, visit whistlestop.org
ADVANCED ENGLISH CONVERSATION Wednesdays • 1-2pm Fee: Free | Registration: Vicky Voicehowsky, 457-0586 This class is for non-native English speakers who desire to improve their language skills. The class will focus on advanced levels of listening and conversation skills, English slang and humor, as well as common idioms. NEW! BEADING CLASS Third Wednesday of every month, starting October 17 •1:30-2:45pm Fee: $5 per class (includes materials) due prior to class | Maximum space available: 10-12 people Registration required: 457-0586 Maria Barsesat, local bead artist,, will show you how to make beautiful, simple and easy jewelry items for yourself or as gifts. FRIDAY FLICKS (Movies are subject to change.) Fridays • 1:30pm e. Fee: $5 | Location: in the Lounge. Oct. 5: Bernie (2011, comedy) Oct. 12: The Three Stooges (2012, comedy) Oct. 19: Casa de mi Padre (2012, comedy in Spanish and English) Oct. 26: Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark (2012, horror for Halloween))
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Keep Learning at WHISTLESTOP For a complete list of classes, visit whistlestop.org
DROP-IN COMPUTER LAB Mondays • 10am-Noon & Wednesdays • 10am-Noon Need help using a computer? We have volunteer computer tutors available to work with you one-on-one, if needed. COMPUTER/PICTURE CLASS Beginning: 1st Friday • 2-4pm Adv. 2nd Friday • 2-4pm Fee: $15 | Instructor: Gene Dyer Registration required: 459-6700 Call for more information and class descriptions. BEGINNING COMPUTERS FOR ADULTS LEVEL II Thursdays, Oct. 25 - Dec. 6 • 10am-Noon Instructor: Ed Essick Fee: $50/6 weeks; Bring a friend, they pay $25 Pre-registration required: 459-6700 This is a hands-on course for those with basic computer skills who want to gain more experience in using a Windows-based computer. This class builds upon the skills learned in Beginning Computers for Adults Level. FREE BLOOD PRESSURE CLINIC & MEDICATION CHECKS Tuesday, Oct. 9 & 23 11:30am-1pm Facilitators: Student Nurses from Dominican University Drop-in Bring all of your medications and supplements to find out how and when to take them, how to store them, side effects and interactions with other drugs. Don’t miss this opportunity to prevent health problems by keeping your blood pressure and meds in check!
Marin County Commission on Aging Thursday, October 11 • 10:00-12:30 pm Where:Dance Palace–Church Auditorium, West Marin Topic: Nutrition Services in West Marin Speakers: Panel of West Marin Senior Services, Revolution Foods and Marin Food Bank 8
Whistlestop Express
OCTOBER 2012
GOING PLACES Marin YMCA and Whistlestop would like to invite you to join Adventures in Culture. Living in the San Francisco Bay Area, there are many points of interest to visit. The Y plans older adult trips to different locations such as museums, attractions, gardens, and much more. To register for a trip or hike, please contact Lisa O’Brien, MARIN YMCA, 492-9622. RING MOUNTAIN, EAST OF CORTE MADERA Wednesday, Oct. 10 • Departs 9:30am, returns 3pm Fee: $5. This 600-foot high peak is home to the Tiburon Mariposa Lily, unique to this site. Hopefully, some will be in bloom for us. We start near the top, so there is a climb of 100 feet, then we roam the highlands, taking in the great views and petroglyphs, before descending by the Lily area, one-way, down. Bring a lunch. RUSH CREEK Wednesday, Oct. 31 | Fee: $5 A nice, flat walk by some wetlands in Novato that usually contain a variety of water birds (bring binoculars). We will go about 1-1/2 miles, then do a 1-mile loop around a pond, eating our picnic lunches at an overlook, then return the way we came. V VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Contact Debbie at 456-9062 or C p programs@whistlestop.org • Board/Card Game Leaders • Chiropractor • French Social Group Leader • Russian Social Group Leader • Bi-lingual Computer Teacher • Jackson Café Volunteers needed to serve food in the Jackson Cafe at least one day a week from 11am to 2:15pm. • Center Service volunteer needed to answer phones and do various office duties. Computer experience a plus, but not required. Volunteer is needed from 11am to 1pm, with some flexibility. • Whistlestop would like to start a sewing group We need a volunteer to coordinate the group, participants, sewing machines and supplies. Volunteer Drivers for Meals on Wheels Program Contact Raphael Krantz at 454-0969 • Tax Preparer volunteers needed to help older adults and low- income families with their Federal and State Income Tax returns. To assist requires use of a Computer-based Tax Wise Software
(provided by IRS). Volunteers will complete a training course in January and become IRS certified to prepare taxes. Tax season is February to April, 2013. IN-KIND DONATIONS NEEDED Mah Jongg sets, books, yarn, sewing supplies, movies on DVD and exercise mats. If you have items to donate, please call Debbie at 456-9062. ZUMBA GOLD Thursdays & Fridays • 11am-Noon Fee: $6/class | Instructor: Angela Jakab-Miller Zumba is a great way to stay fit and active. Fun, motivating combination of Latin-inspired music and dance steps guaranteed to get you moving. Zumba movements are easy-to-follow and for all activity levels. Bring water and a small towel. WEAVING YOUR HERITAGE Tuesdays, Oct. 9, 16 & 23 • 10:30-1:30pm Pre-registration required: 456-9062 (Maximum 10 people per class) Join us for an exciting new program offered at the Cedars Textile Art Center. Bring your lunch to enjoy in the garden. Create beautiful textiles. Transportation will be available from Whistlestop to The Cedars Textile Art Center. Materials included.
SENIORS RESOURCE FORUM PRESENTS: UPDATE ON YOUR MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG PLAN Friday, Oct. 12 • 2-4pm Fee: Free | Suzanne Schneider, CEBS, CLTC To register: 456-9062/Questions: 459-0413 Should you change your Medicare plan during 2013? Schneider Insurance Services has over 25 years as an insurance broker, providing valuable assistance in helping seniors understand their Medicare options. Our team will be there with expert Suzanne Schneider giving you the inside scoop on Part D. Learn how to figure out if you should change your plan;
why some plans are more or less expensive; should you have deductibles or not; does the plan you are interested in cover your medications? What happens if you didn’t sign up when you were first eligible to enroll? No sales pitches. This is clear information from a non-profit organization. Seniors Resource Forum will be present with six professional, expert volunteers available for free, private, 20-minute consultations after the presentation in the following areas: Estate Planning/Medi-Cal and VA Benefits Planning • Family Legal Issues • Seniors Mental Health • Home Care Options • Affordable Housing. Light refreshments will be served. MANICURES WITH CHRISTY HAYES Tuesdays • Noon-3pm Call 456-9062 to make an appointment. Christy owned and operated two salons in Marin County for 20 years. Now she’s volunteering at Whistlestop once a week to provide this delightful service to us free of charge! Weight Lifting for Older Adults Taking Care of Yourself is the Right Thing to Do Friday, Oct. 26 • 1:30-2:30pm Pre-registration: 456-9062 Walter Shine has the expertise you need to succeed erience. with over 20 years experience. aining, He excels in strength training, eloping with emphasis on developing g and the core, body sculpting weight management. He assists in the recovery of all health challenges.
Transportation Numbers Marin Access Call Center: 454-0902 Get Qualified to Ride: 456-9062, x106 eligibility@whistlestop.org Cancel a Ride: 457-4630 STAR Volunteer Driving: 454-0969 whistlestop.org 9
Whistlestop Weekly ACTIVITIES This Month at Whistlestop TIME
CLASS
MONDAYS
9–2 PM 9:30–10:30 AM 10–11 AM 10–NOON 11–12:30 PM 11–NOON 2–4 PM
WEDNESDAYS
TUESDAYS
4–5:30 PM
9:15–10:15 AM 10:45–11:45 AM Noon–3 PM 1–3 PM 2–3:30 PM 2:30–3:30 PM
9–10:15 AM 9–2 PM 10–11:30 AM 10–2 PM 10:30–11:45 AM 10:30–NOON 1–2 PM 2–4 PM
THURSDAYS
9:15–10:15 AM 10–NOON 11–NOON 2–3:30 PM 2–4 PM 2:30–3:30 PM 3–4 PM
FRIDAYS
3–4 PM
11–NOON 1:30–3:30 PM 1:30–3:30 PM 1:30–3:30 PM 2–4 PM
INFO
COST
Relax Chair Massage Open Exercise Lamas Qi Gong Open Language AM Monday 457-0586 Learn Computer Lab Open Language German Social Group Open Exercise Movement & Music-9/1 456-9062 Language English as a 456-9062 Second Language Language Citizenship Class 454-0998
$4/8min. $3/class Free Free Free Free Free
Exercise Whistlesizers Exercise Cardio Exercise Class Relax Manicurist Language Learn Spanish Language English Conversation Exercise Balance Class
$2 Free Free Free Free $10
Open Open Appt. Needed Open 454-0998 Sugg. Donation
$25
Exercise Tai Chi Qigong Relax Chair Massage Support Seniors' Circle Learn Computer Lab Support Corazón Latino Relax Mah Jongg Language Adv. English Conver. Language English as a Second Language Language Basic English for Spanish Speakers
Sugg. Donation Open Open Open Open Open 457-0586 456-9062
$10 or less $4/8min. Free Free Free Free Free Free
457-0586
Free
Exercise Whistlesizers Relax Knit!!! Exercise Zumba Language English Conversation Learn Rembrance Writing Exercise Balance Class Language Basic English for Spanish Speakers
Open 457-0586 Open 454-0998 Open Sugg. Donation 457-0586
$2 Free $2 $6 $5 $10 Free
Exercise Zumba-9/14 Relax Friday Flicks Support ACASA Language Practice Spanish Learn Arts & Crafts w/Vicky
Open 456-9062 Peer Counseling Open Oct. 5 & 19
$6 Free Free Free $3
Jackson Café Monday-Friday 11:00am-1:30pm Located in Whistlestop Active Aging Center
LUNCH MENU 60+ PRICES/ UNDER 60 PRICES
Main Entrée $4.50/$7.25 (+$1 for Seafood Entrées) Sandwiches $4.25/$6.25 Soup du Jour $1.75/$2.25 Hamburger w/Fries $4.25/$5.25 Salads $2.50/$4.00 OTHER ITEMS Tuna Salad Side $1.25 Fresh Fruit $1.50 Beverages $1.00 Desserts $2.00
For a complete list of all classes, visit whistlestop.org The Caboose, Computer Lab, Board Room and Jackson Café are all located at Whistlestop’s Active Aging Center – 930 Tamalpais Ave., San Rafael. 10
Whistlestop Express
OCTOBER 2012
b y R I C H A R D PAV E K PHOTOS © RICHARD PAVEK
The Bird's Side OF MARIN
Food Fight or Food Delivery? When I emailed this photo to my weekly bird list, I titled it Fresh Caught and Delivered. One viewer countered with: “Food Fight?” No, not in this case. When birds fight over food, they are aggressive and there is little question. Gulls are notorious for food fights, screeching, trying to pull the prey (which may be a donut or leftover chicken wing) from each other’s beaks or pouncing at the same time on a starfish while hurling threatening insults at each other. Crows are notorious foodrobbers, often waiting until another bird captures its dinner and then trying to steal it from the other bird’s beak. Why do it yourself when you can steal it, seems to be their motto.
Provider birds are another lot altogether, and it is quite evident in their gentle behavior and in the feeding birds’ responses; whether nesting mothers or young chicks, the begging sound in their calls is unmistakable. In this photo you can see the gratitude in the demeanor of the bird being fed. The bird being fed is a juvenile Elegant Tern. As to the feeder, it is hard to tell for sure because adult male and female Terns look alike, but most likely it is the father, since dads do most of the feeding in the Tern world – as in most of the bird world. Every weekend I email a special bird photo to Express readers. If you’d like something nice to look at amidst the junk in your Inbox, ask me at SHENmaker@MSN.com ✦ ‘Til next month, Richard whistlestop.org 11
MARIANNE YORK
Multicultural NEWS by VICKY VOICEHOWSKY and SANDRA JIMENEZ
Art is for the Soul
E
very culture has its art. Art is infectious and is meant to be shared. At Whistlestop, this happens every day in some form. Twice a month, the Multicultural Department holds a very popular Arts & Crafts class. From paper and fabric crafts to jewelry and decoupage techniques, an average of 15 older adults from more than 10 different cultures come together and share two hours of creativity. They diligently focus on the project at hand while music from all around the world plays in the background. Our Knitting group is also known as “El Club de las Arañas” (the Spiders Club). Although they are scheduled to meet weekly, these knitters come every day and knit in the lounge area of Whistlestop. Not only do they exchange their knitting and crochet techniques, but also their experience, strengths and hopes with each other. Paula Necochea, one of the regular knitters and mother of 10 grown children, says: “I knit because I just
October is Fall Prevention Month Shouldn’t it be Every Month? (Or every day?) By DINA GRIFFITH, Marin General Hospital
T
he risk of falling is always possible, so what can we do to minimize this common, but dangerous risk? We have all heard how important it is to stay active. Great classes are available through Whistlestop, the YMCA, 24 HR Fitness, the JCC, and other Community Centers. Additionally, magazines, online tips, videos, DVDs and TV can be great resources. Sit and Be Fit programs can be used to help you find what works for you. Maintaining balance, strength and flexibility is your best defense. Multiple medications — more than four — can be a source of increased risk. Talk to your doctor or favorite pharmacist about safely reducing what you take. Medications taken incorrectly can increase feelings of vertigo or lightheadedness. 12
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Marina Rodriguez, Vicky Voicehowsky, and Paula Necochea enjoy making art together. love the peace that it brings me.” Another popular class is the jewelry workshop. Maria Barsesat, local bead artist of Beads of Marin in Mill Valley, came to show our participants how to make some modern and chic jewelry on their own. Whatever your artistic interests, we hope that you come to Whistlestop and check out what’s crafting, knitting, or beading. You can find many of these handmade items for sale in our Gift Shop case (just in time for the holidays). ✦ For more information on classes and dates, please call Vicky Voicehowsky at 457-0586.
If you have Orthostatic Hypotension, where moving from one position to another makes you light-headed, change each position slowly. Sit on the edge of the bed until you feel ready to get up. Give your body a chance to accommodate changes — pump your feet, march your legs a little, or squeeze your fists a few times to get your blood moving before you stand. Once up, do the same. In the bathroom use non-skid mats in the tub, switch to a tub bench and hand-held showerhead, install secure grab bars, and remove throw rugs as safety solutions. Plan for scheduled toilet breaks, even using a timer for reminders, could be helpful. Make sure you get plenty of liquids for the first part of the day, and none after dinner to reduce urgencies in the middle of the night. Dina Griffith will be at Whistlestop on October 17, from 12:30-1:30pm to talk about fall prevention. Sign-up 456-9062. ✦
Re-Purpose with Creativity By TERRY SCUSSEL
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fter many years as a corporate executive, it was time for me to re-purpose with creativity and advocacy. Both my lifelong passion for photography and my 25year advocacy for my daughter’s rights and resources as a person with disabilities were natural evolutions. Currently, I make a living as a management consultant with a focus on non-profit management, paratransit transportation, document management, and as a photographic artist. I also serve on several Marin County based non-profit boards supporting older adults and people with disabilities, including Whistlestop, Marin Ventures and Public Authority In-Home Supportive Services of Marin County. I am also the Board sponsor and have judged the Whistlestop Photography Contest since its inception four years ago. I have been a photographer my entire life, which was started when my dad gave me a Leica camera that he had bought the year of my and my twin sister’s birth in 1948. While the Leica is now safely secure in a vault, I have moved through many film cameras and many generations of Canon digital cameras. I have studied the work of the masters from the mid-20th century and worked with many of today’s professionals and advanced amateurs to hone my craft. Today, being a photographer is not only understanding composition, lighting, the camera, and photographic technicalities, but also requires building skills in post processing with the various software applications available. A good day in my creative world is getting
up early to catch the good light or catching the twilight, and finding an image to shoot from a different perspective. The image above (Eiffel Beacon) was shot on a stormy night. A small umbrella protected the camera while we waited for the light to be just right. (Canon 5D Mk II, f/4.5, 40mm, 0.8 sec ISO 200, No Flash, Tripod). The black and white photo (Palouse Cloud View) was shot in The Palouse (Eastern Washington State). I was completely taken by the visual of the clouds through the roof beams. The Palouse is so photogenic; it is absolutely never ending. We shot from dawn to dusk every day for a week. The photo shows well in color, however, the contrast of the black and white image shows the best. (Canon 5D Mk II, f/11, 80mm, 1/200 sec, ISO 400, No Flash, Tripod). To see more of my photography, visit www.scusselphotography.com. ✦ Scussel is vice president of the Whistlestop Board of Directors. His subjects include the San Francisco Bay Area, Pacific coastal areas, Western deserts and mountains, urban street photography, night photography, European locales and much more. whistlestop.org 13
Grand MOM by AUDREY METTEL FIXMER
Keep On Keeping On
“I
can’t do what I used to do.” How many times have we said or heard those words? It’s such a common refrain among people in their 60’s or older. Early on it may be spoken with a tinge of surprise, but often (God forbid) with a whine. How do we avoid that stage? We do something else. Or we do the same thing in a different way. We adapt. But we keep on doing something. It was when my husband was in a nursing home for three years that I decided to do everything I could to avoid that life of rocking chairs and walkers. I will live alone (with help), keep active in my church and women’s clubs (even if I must share rides), and keep on challenging my brain with bridge games and computers. God willing, I will “die with my boots on” as they said in the old Wild West. You know that line from the Bible, “Pride
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goeth before the fall?” Those words take on a whole new meaning when we age. Knowing that our bones are brittle and a fall can cost us our independence, we learn to swallow that pride and use a cane when our balance might be a little off. Later on, we learn the wonderful security we can enjoy with a walker. And wheelchairs? Great invention! I will be boarding one in a few hours at the airport. Relieved that I don’t have to struggle with my carry-on bag, walking miles (it seems) down the long concourse to my gate. The airlines will have another one waiting for me at my destination in New Jersey, and my son will be there to pick me up at baggage. At 84, I can still travel alone. What a great world we live in! I have a friend my age, who, like me, has shrunk several inches and now walks with a cane. She holds her head high and steps confidently with an air of pride. One would think that cane was actually a royal scepter. She commands respect. It does seem that our attitude toward aging, a cheerful acceptance of not being able to “do what we did before,” is the clue to a happy old age. I will try to remember that when every bone is aching. ✦
Easy Ways to SUPPORT TO WHISTLESTOP 1. My Broker Donates can make sure your next property sale can boost the quality of life for Marin’s older adults. My Broker Donates connects you with the best-in-market realtors who will donate 15% of their referral fee to Whistlestop. You choose the agent. Buy or sell a home, generate a sizable donation. Go to www.mybrokerdonates.com for more information. 2. Good Search – simply go to GoodSearch.com and when you search the internet using their search engine, Whistlestop gets a donation! GoodSearch is a search engine which donates 50-percent of its revenue to the charities and schools designated by its users. It’s a simple and compelling concept. You use GoodSearch exactly as you would any other search engine. Because it’s powered by Yahoo!, you get proven search results. The money GoodSearch donates to your cause comes from its advertisers — the users and the organizations do not spend a dime!
Ann Brebner is Heart of Restored Rafael Theatre, Now the Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center
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ilmgoers who enjoy foreign and independent movies at the Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center probably would find it hard to imagine that back in the 1990s, mushrooms were coming out of the walls of the abandoned building. But Ann Brebner of San Rafael remembers. “I thought they looked very poisonous.” Ann is credited with reviving the old theater, which started showing movies in 1918 and partially burned in 1936. The theatre re-opened in 1937, but after an earthquake, an inspection revealed that the building did not conform to state earthquake-proof standards. It closed again. That’s when Ann, a life-long movie and live theater lover and patron, stepped up. She headed up a community group that started working on fundraising to restore the place to its art deco grandeur. She and the committee were successful, and the Rafael Theatre reopened in April 1999. The three-screen theatre is now named after Christopher B. Smith, who Ann says was “a major, major donor.” Ann, who is 89 years old, has the energy of a person half her age. She has been involved with theater all of her life, as an actor in the early years and later as a casting director, director and
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writer for both films and plays. Currently, she is president of the board of the theatre. She recently directed a play titled Our Good Country, and she says she would not know what to do with herself without the theater. She also Ann Brebner is a counselor in the HOPE program for older adults and is on the committee that remodeled a room next to the theatre that will be used for receptions, parties and other events. Her main passion today is focused on youth, however. She is very active in the California Film Institute’s education program. “Kids are taught by experts how to make films about their lives.” She said, “It is very therapeutic. They come to the theater and are there all day several times a week learning from people like Edward James Olmos on how to make films.” The short films are then shown before the regular-length movies at the theatre. ✦ Answers on page 7
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