NEWS AND POSSIBILITIES FOR SENIORS
A Publication of
February 2021 • Free IN THIS ISSUE
BLACK WOMEN’S CIVIL WAR DIARIES Diary of is av Emilie D P4
PCA MEAL PROGRAMS NOURISH OLDER ADULTS
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Next Month: Technology
The Food Issue Serving up recipes, food history and tales from some of Philly’s oldest restaurants
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February 2021
WHAT IS PCA? Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA) is a nonprofit agency dedicated to serving Philadelphia seniors. In addition to bringing you Milestones newspaper, PCA offers: • Care in the home • Home-delivered meals • Home repairs and modifications • Protective services • Senior centers • Caregiver support • Employment and volunteer programs • Legal services • Transportation
HONORING BLACK HISTORY MONTH:
Progress never stops • Ombudsman services • Health education • Information and referral For more information, call the PCA Helpline at 215-765-9040 or visit pcaCares.org. Call 24/7 to report suspected elder abuse.
Published by Philadelphia Corporation for Aging
Najja Orr, President and CEO Board of Directors Katherine E. Galluzzi, D.O., F.A.C.O.F.P., Chair Judee M. Bavaria, Vice Chair Satya B. Verma, O.D., Secretary Glenn D. Bryan, Treasurer Louis A. Bove, Esq. Nora Dowd Eisenhower, Esq. Lynn Fields Harris Angela Foreshaw-Rouse Fran Miller Victor M. Negrón, Jr Lenore Wasserman Scola Eloise N. Young Jacqueline S. Zinn, Ph.D. Emeritus: Arthur E. Helfand, D.P.M.
PCA Helpline: 215-765-9040 Outside Philadelphia toll-free: 888-215-765-9041 (TDD) pcaCares.org
Milestones is published monthly and distributed at more than 1,100 locations throughout Philadelphia, Lower Bucks and Eastern Montgomery counties. Check us out online: pcaCares.org/Milestones Editor: Alicia M. Colombo 215-765-9000, ext. 5081 PCA, 642 N. Broad St. Philadelphia, PA 19130 Email: MilestonesNews@pcaCares.org Advertising: Teresa Heavens 215-765-9000, ext. 5053 Email: Teresa.Heavens@pcaCares.org Subscriptions & Distributions: 215-765-9000, ext. 5081 Email: MilestonesNews@pcaCares.org Home delivery: $12/year
The views expressed in Milestones are not necessarily those of Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA). Milestones will not knowingly accept or publish fraudulent or misleading advertising. Milestones reserves the right to edit, revise or reject ads. Milestones assumes no responsibility for errors, misprints, omissions or misinformation; for failure to publish an ad; or for any damages of any kind. Neither the publisher nor any other party is rendering expert advice in this publication. No part of this newspaper may be reproduced without the permission of PCA. ©2021 Philadelphia Corporation for Aging. All rights reserved.
In place of the Editor’s Letter this month, we present a special message from PCA President and CEO Najja R. Orr During this month, we honor the legacy of many important Black individuals in our nation’s history. I feel the need to address the importance of this month in the frame of national events that have transpired over the past year. While 2020 brought with it many challenges, it also gave birth to a powerful movement that swept through cities across our nation where people, once again, united to combat social injustices. By its definition alone, progress never stops. As a society, we continue to elevate the voices in our community that have been disenfranchised and not afforded equal access to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Institutional and societal injustices have existed in communities of color for far too long. In January, we saw the state of Georgia elect its first Black representative to the Senate, Rev. Raphael Warnock. I am honored to share a common thread with both Rev. Warnock and the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., as I, too, am an alum of Morehouse College. Even prior to my time of walking through the hallowed halls of Morehouse College, and sitting in the sacred Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel at Morehouse College, I felt a calling to give back and support my community.
Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA) is honored to take up the torch passed down from Dr. King to all of us. Advocacy is inherent in everything we do as an organization. As a human services nonprofit, we want to not only deliver services that improve quality of life but also uplift the voices and advocate for the needs of those we serve. As part of our constant commitment to diversity and inclusion, PCA’s recently-implemented Four-Year Area Plan includes goals of promoting efficient and innovative best practices to ensure service access for Philadelphia’s diverse aging population, and demonstrating continued efforts of inclusion and person-centered practices through services and programs as well as outreach and education. While advocacy is an Older Americans Act mandate for all Area Agencies on Aging, it is important that we raise our voices louder now to help stamp out discrimination and inequality. In closing, I leave you with two of my favorite quotes from Dr. King: “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere” and “our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” PCA will never remain silent and will continue to combat injustices throughout 2021 and beyond.
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February 2021
Honoring African American history By Alicia M. Colombo Black History Month was first proposed by black educators and the Black United Students at Ohio’s Kent State University in February 1969, and the first Black History Month celebration took place at the university a year later, from Jan. 2 to Feb. 28, 1970. Six years later, President Gerald Ford first officially recognized Black History Month, during the celebration of the United States Bicentennial by urging Americans to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accom-
plishments of Black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” Black History Month has since been celebrated annually in educational institutions, arts/cultural centers and African American communities across the U.S., as well as in Canada, Ireland, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. The observance began as a way of remembering important people and events in the history of the African diaspora. The importance of studying and remembering Black history has just as much significance in 2021 as it did in 1969. The tragic,
senseless deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and other African Americans led to outrage and garnered much-needed public attention and support for the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020. The new year has already seen many positive historic moments for African Americans. On Jan. 20, Kamala Harris became the first Black woman Vice President of the United States and Raphael Warnock became the first Black senator in Georgia. The first National Youth Poet Laureate Amanda Gorman recited “The Hill We Climb” at the presidential inau-
guration. Far too many barriers have been in place for far too long for a country founded in 1776. Let this serve as a strong reminder that African American history is still being written, every day, and it needs to be studied and honored by all Americans, every month – not just in February. We have many more hills to climb in our quest for racial equality.
Diaries of Black women in the Civil War By Constance Garcia-Barrio Films and books abound about the U.S. Civil War, yet, few sources present the lives of Black women during those years, except for mentioning Harriet Tubman’s work as a Union spy. However, Philadelphia holds a treasured place in Emilie Davis’ book “Civil War, the Diaries of a Free Black Woman in Philadelphia, 1863-1865.” The diaries spotlight the life of a local Black woman in those turbulent days. Davis was a lively young woman when the Civil War began, who wrote short entries in three pocket-sized diaries, each no bigger than a cellphone. Judith Giesberg, 54, a professor of history at Villanova University, edited, transcribed and annotated the diaries. “Emilie Davis’ … diary entries allow readers to experience the … painful uncertainties of the Civil War as events unfolded, such as the Union’s emancipation policy (and) 1863 Confederate invasion of south-central Pennsylvania,” Giesberg said. Giesberg’s edition preserves Davis’ original spelling and lack of punctuation. “To day has bin a memorable day and i thank
forms, prices soared. The conflict sometimes changed life’s r, the ree a W l daily rhythms. “… i v i C ies of a F r n a i i Today is set apart as D Woman k c a l a national fast day,” B delphia, Phila 865 Davis wrote April 1863-1 30, 1863. “Both Presidents Lincoln and (Jefferson) Davis proclaimed several ‘National Fast Days’ during the war to pray for clemency and forgiveness iStock from God for the God i have been sperd to see it,” written sins of war,” Giesberg said. on January 1, 1863. Davis, who missed few A battle seemed to loom on Philadelbig events, joined other African Americans phia’s doorstep in June 1863, when Genin crowded Black churches to cheer on the eral Lee, desperate to take the fight out of stroke of midnight, when the Emancipa- war-weary Virginia, invaded Pennsylvania. tion Proclamation became official. “… Refugees are comin from all the towns A seamstress skilled enough to make this side of Harrisburg the greates excitewedding gowns, Davis noted the war’s ef- ment Prevails. I am all most sick worrin fects on cloth prices. “… I went out shop- about father (who lived in Harrisburg),” ping … muslins (a kind of cotton) are Davis wrote on June 29-30, just before the frightfully Dear …,” she wrote February Battle of Gettysburg. “Emilie was right to 19, 1863. Due to the South’s disrupted cot- worry about her father because rebel solton production and the cloth’s use in uni- diers kidnapped hundreds of free Blacks
and sold them into slavery,” Giesberg said. In 1863, Pennsylvania began recruiting Black soldiers, known as United States Colored Troops. Many of them trained at Camp William Penn, 13 miles north of the city in Chelten Hills, now Cheltenham. “… This morning Jenie and I went up Chestnut St. to see the colored soldiers they went away to day,” Davis reported on February 10, 1864. Philadelphians rejoiced when Richmond fell on April 2, 1865. “… The city is wild with excitement,” Emilie wrote April 4, 1865. “… Flags are flying everywhere.” Just 11 days later, news of Lincoln’s assassination crushed many Philadelphians. “The city is in deep mourning,” Davis wrote. People mobbed Broad Street and stood on rooftops April 23, 1865, to watch Lincoln’s funeral cortege inch down Broad Street, then turn east to Independence Hall, where the body would lie in state. Davis tried to glimpse Lincoln that day, but was crowded out. She succeeded the next day. “… I got to see him after waiting tow (two) hours and a half it was certainly a sight worth seeing …”
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February 2021
PCA meal programs help nourish older adults
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By Shannon Reyes Food resources remain essential as older adults continue to struggle with the COVID-19 pandemic’s economic effects. Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA) continues to do its part to help feed older Philadelphians. Since March 2020, PCA has served more than 1.7 million meals to older adults through home- and community-based meal programs. After closing to participants in March 2020, older adult community centers transitioned from serving hot meals on-site every weekday to distributing Grab & Go meals for older adults to eat at home. This past fall, senior centers began offering a host of virtual programs over the internet and telephone, as well as through the mail. “You go (to the center to) pick up your meals and, if you’re lucky, maybe, you’ll see some of your old friends,” says Sally Guariglia, a member of South Philadelphia Older Adult Center. “It really helps because you can get some good food.” Adults 60 or older, who are not enrolled in a PCA care-at-home program, may contact an older adult community center to explore Grab & Go meal options, which include frozen or shelf-stable meals and cold meals that do need to be heated. Older adults who qualify to receive Grab & Go meals may receive a supply of meals for a spouse who is younger than 60. Throughout the pandemic, PCA’s Meal Distribution Center (MDC) has also continued to provide home-delivered meals to homebound older adults who are enrolled in care-at-home programs. Each week, the MDC delivers pre-packaged meals to the doorsteps of more than 4,300 older adults. “The meals are very good, and they are very good for you,” says home-delivered
Philadelphia Corporation for Aging (PCA) offers
Delicious meals delivered to your home
meals recipient Donna Mallory. For participants who qualify for meal choice, “you can make your choices on the menu to getwhatever you’d like.” PCA’s home-delivered meals meet onethird of the Recommended Dietary Allowance for older adults and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The home-delivered meals program serves both older adults and people with disabilities, who cannot afford balanced meals, are unable to cook or shop for food, and have no one to help prepare meals. More information about eligibility and enrollment for home-delivered meals can be provided through PCA’s Helpline at 215-765-9040. Information about Grab & Go meals can be found at pcaCares.org/grab-and-go, which also features an interactive map to help identify the nearest older adult community center. Shannon Reyes is the public relations specialist at Philadelphia Corporation for Aging.
Tasty, nutritious options for when you can’t prepare your own meals • Quality: home-style meals designed with fresh ingredients by a licensed dietitian • A personal touch: deliveries you can count on by our friendly, dedicated drivers • Affordability: low-cost or no-cost service, if you qualify • Expertise: nearly 50 years of experience caring for your neighbors • Reliability: the local resource trusted by thousands of older Philadelphians
Call the PCA Helpline: 215-765-9040
pcaCares.org
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February 2021
Historical Philly food By Dorothy Stanaitis Arriving in Philadelphia with just three pennies in his pocket, Benjamin Franklin, through thrift and hard work, was financially able to retire at 42. Following the advice he printed in “Poor Richard’s Almanac” of “A Penny Saved is a Penny Earned” and “Haste Makes Waste,” it stood to reason that one of his favorite foods was the uniquely Philadelphia delicacy of scrapple. Made to utilize the undesirable “scraps” from a pig that would often be wasted, scrapple also contains corn meal and a unique blend of herbs and spices. It is formed into a loaf, then sliced and fried. Just a few blocks from Franklin’s house, George Washington’s world-famous chef, Hercules, noted for his outstanding recipes, often served scrapple at George’s request. The popular breakfast “meat” seems to only be known in the mid-Atlantic region. It is usually served in diners and small local restaurants. Another thrifty Philadelphia dish came to us from Washington’s troops. During the winter at Valley Forge, food was scarce.
Crossword puzzle solution (See page 19 for clues.)
Local farmers sold their crops to the British, since the Continental currency was seriously devalued. However, the American soldiers were able to procure tripe, the part of a cow stomach that the British did not want. With it, they created pepper pot soup, which quickly became a staple dish.
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In 1807, while Americans enjoyed their pepper pot soup and scrapple, they could wash it down with a new beverage: soda pop. Dr. Philip Syng Physick, who has been called the father of American surgery, gave carbonated water as an elixir to his gastric patients. When they complained of the taste, he added cherry syrup and soda was invented. Then in 1876, Philadelphia pharmacist Charles Hires introduced his root beer by offering free samples during the Centennial International Exhibition, held in Philadelphia. Today, many people choose soda to go with their Philadelphia soft pretzel. In 1820, Daniel Kleiss began selling pretzels street by street, gaining them city-wide popularity, even though they had been available since the 1700s when German immigrants brought them to the Pennsylvania Dutch area. One hundred years later, in 1920, the Federal Pretzel Baking Company im-
ported a German machine that moved hand-twisted pretzels on a conveyor belt that soaked then baked them into sheets that were much easier to distribute to the street vendors. The famous three-hole shape was originally designed to represent the Christian Trinity or hands folded in prayer. If you want something more substantial than a pretzel, you could choose one of Philadelphia’s iconic sandwiches: the hoagie or the cheesesteak. The hoagie is the local equivalent of a sub, po’boy, grinder or zip. The iconic sandwich got its name from Italian American workers at Hog Island Shipyard during World War II, when it was called a Hog Island sandwich. The name was later shortened to “hoggie” and finally, hoagie. The more famous Philadelphia sandwich, the cheesesteak, was first made in
1930 by hot dog vendor Pat Olivieri. Tired of eating hot dogs for lunch, he put some thinly sliced beef on his grill. A passing cab driver sniffed the delicious aroma and stopped. Oliveri shared his sandwich with the cabbie, who liked it so much that he told all his friends. It quickly became a best seller. In 1966, Joey Vento opened Geno’s Steaks across from Pat’s Steaks at the corner of 9th and Passyunk in South Philadelphia, and the famous Philadelphia cheesesteak debate was born. When you order a cheesesteak, you have a few decisions to make. Which cheese? American and provolone are good choices, but many Philadelphians choose Cheese Whiz. “Wit” onions or not? There are no wrong choices. If you want a little something sweet after lunch, there a couple local favorites that will satisfy your cravings. Goldenberg’s Peanut Chews were first made during World War I as a high-energy, high-protein ration for U.S. soldiers. If you’re worried about the calories, Good and Plenty candy, first made in 1893, offers 33 pieces for just 130 calories. Of course, you can wash all of this good food down with a glass of cold water, pronounced by some in Philadelphia as “wooder.” Dorothy Stanaitis, a certified Philadelphia Tour Guide, writes about history and nostalgia.
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Milestones 8
February 2021
The burning of Pennsylvania Hall By Constance Garcia-Barrio
Courtesy of Free Library of Philadelphia
On the morning of May 14, 1838, a small group of Black women from South Philadelphia made their way north to Pennsylvania Hall. The Anti-Slavery Convention of American Women would soon start in the stately new building on Sixth Street between Mulberry and Sassafras. The women felt excited and wary about the convention, only the second of its kind in U.S. history. Conflicts over race, gender and anti-slavery activism had stewed in Philadelphia for years. In December 1833, men formed the American Anti-Slavery Society, which barred women. Mere days later, a handful of Black and white women launched the Philadelphia Female Anti-Slavery So-
Built by the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society to serve as a meeting place for abolitionists, Pennsylvania Hall was burned to the ground by “anti-black” rioters four days after it opened.
ciety (PFASS). The women not only took a break from their kitchens and sewing rooms to have a say in the nation’s toughest political issue but also did so as an in-
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terracial group, a rare thing in the 1830s. These smart, courageous women assumed a leading role in PFASS: Quaker matron Lucretia Mott, wife of wool merchant James Mott, and Charlotte Forten, wife of Black sailmaker James Forten. All the women risked their safety with their radical stance, but the Black women perhaps more so. Competition for jobs fueled anti-Black feelings. In 1834, a white mob destroyed the homes of many Blacks. Undaunted, PFASS pushed its projects. It provided money to support a school for Black girls and collected clothes for fugitives on the Underground Railroad. Due to many Philadelphians’ pro-slavery sentiments, anti-slavery groups were unable to find places to hold events. That roadblock led abolitionists to pay $40,000 to build Pennsylvania Hall, where they could discuss ending slavery. It was one of the most commodious and splendid buildings in the city at the time. The convention began the same day Pennsylvania Hall was dedicated. It drew an interracial gathering of 203 delegates from northern towns and cities to discuss the hot issue of women seizing a role in abolition. Philadelphia’s mayor tried to cool things down by asking that only
white women attend the event. Convention leaders turned him down. By the second day, rumors flew around the city that the convention was promoting “amalgamation,” as race mixing was then called. This rumor infuriated some Philadelphians, especially white men. Meanwhile, convention speakers stressed abolitionists’ political clout. “The abolitionists are already in some states sufficiently numerous to control the elections,” one speaker said. The convention also passed a resolution that delegates would “neither vote for, nor support the election of any man to any legislative office … who is opposed to the immediate abolition of slavery.” As the convention forged ahead, threats against it grew. Ruffians started shouting and smashing windows. Several Black people were brutally assaulted. A raucous crowd of white men and boys surrounded Pennsylvania Hall. That night, the mob swelled to thousands. Men broke into Pennsylvania Hall, opened the gas jets and lit fires. When flames roared through the building, the mob blocked the fire trucks. The roof fell in and Pennsylvania Hall burned to a shell. Some delegates, undeterred, met the next day in a schoolhouse belonging to a PFASS member. The mob did not destroy PFASS. The group remained intact until 1870, when it disbanded after Congress passed the 14th and 15th amendments, which recognized African Americans as citizens and gave Black men the right to vote. But Philadelphia had lost Pennsylvania Hall, once one of its most beautiful buildings. Native Philadelphian Constance Garcia-Barrio writes about many topics, including black history. Reprinted from February 2018 Milestones
February 2021
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The strong roots of Black history Each year, the month of February is an exceptional time for all communities to learn, study and celebrate Black history. School systems, television networks and organizations will recognize the month by building Black history into their programming during February. But all of us can do more to celebrate Black history through our actions. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) challenges its supporters to celebrate Black history a different way each day. Here are some ideas.
Arts & culture • Read a book by a Black author • Explore Black music • Support a Black creative (artist, poet, local musician, etc.) • Decorate your home with Black art • Watch a Black film marathon • Learn the lyrics to “Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing” • Write a Black children’s Book • Cook a traditional African meal
Education • Visit a Black history or civil rights museum (either in person or online)
Personal Care Companion Care Light Housekeeping
• Read a biography of an influential Black figure • Study the African diaspora • Learn about an unsung hero of Black history • Read Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech • Support and follow Black media and Black press, especially locally
Community • Spend time with a Black elder in your community • Attend or host a Black culture event in your community • Trace your family history • Call out racism and prejudice in your community
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Action • Support a Black-owned business • Donate to an organization that supports Black/civil rights or to a historically Black college or university • Join or volunteer for a Black organization • Engage in healthy conversations about Black history on social media and in social settings • Contribute an essay or blog to a Black media outlet
See page 18 for Black History Month special events in Philadelphia.
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February 2021
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HISTORY
FEB. 1-22
FEB. 9
FEB. 12
FEB. 18
Black History Month Poetry Slam Contest
Legendary Bassist Victor Wooten
Valentine’s Day Spelling Competition
Take Back Your Health
Older adults may submit original works inspired by Black history to Star Harbor Senior Community Center. The winner will receive a prize and the poem will be featured in an upcoming newsletter. Information: 215-727-0100.
Five-time Grammy winner and legendary jazz-fusion musician discusses his new novel, “The Music Lesson: A Spiritual Growth Through Music.” Host: Free Library of Philadelphia. 7:30 p.m. Register: bit.ly/ Victor-Wooten
Test your spelling ability with words related to love and relationships. Host: St. Edmonds Senior Community Center. 1 p.m. Zoom.us (Meeting ID: 9547901024 • Passcode: 3XUAZM)
FEB. 2
Reaching Out Bi-monthly support group for caregivers and older adults who are coping with chronic health issues. Host: Journey’s Way. 10:30 a.m. to noon. (Also Feb. 16) Join: bit.ly/3osHMXP
Discussion hosted by Philadelphia Senior Center – Avenue of the Arts. 11 a.m. Zoom.us (Meeting ID: 825 1754 2021 • Dial-in: 1-929205-6099)
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FEB. 24
Black History Sing-Along Led by Fran Bolton and the Philadelphia Senior Center Choir. 1:30 p.m. Zoom.us (Meeting ID: 859 2219 7189 • Dial-in: 1 929-205 6099)
BLACK LIVES MATTER FEB. 19
FEB. 12
Black Lives Matter
Chinese New Year
Discuss the history and present-day aspects of the movement. Host: Edmonds Senior Community Center. Zoom.us (Meeting ID: 9547901024 • Passcode: 3XUAZM)
FEB. 14 FEB. 5
The Rhythm of Words
Valentine’s Day
FEB. 22
Mindfulness Meditation Calming session of breathing techniques to ground your body and mind. 10 a.m. Join: Facebook.com/FumoFamilyLibrary
Celebrate Black History Month with readings of works by Black poets. Host: FEB. 4 St. Edmonds Senior Community Center. @ Home 11:30 a.m. Night Zoom.usSkies (Meeting ID: Join Chief Astronomer Derrick Pitts for an online exploration of 9547901024 • Passcode: 3XUAZM) the cosmos. 7:45 p.m. Join: Facebook.com/TheFranklinInstitute
FEB. 23
Black History Month Concert
FEB. 15
President’s Day
Bass baritone Ronald Campbell with pianist Everett P. Williams. Host: Philadelphia Senior Center – Avenue of the Arts. 1 p.m. Zoom.us (Meeting ID: 813 6307 3617 • Dial-in: 301-715-8592)
FEB. 24
FEB. 25
Handbag Seek & Find
Lit Lovers Book Club
Race to find specific items in your handbag or home. Host: St. Edmonds Senior Community Center. 1 p.m. Zoom.us (Meeting ID: 9547901024 • Passcode: 3XUAZM)
This month’s selection: “Forgotten Seamstress” by Liz Trenow. Host: Journey’s Way. 1 p.m. Info: 215-487-1750.
FEB. 26
Chair Yoga Accessible yoga for all ages. 10 a.m. Join: Facebook.com/FumoFamilyLibrary
Milestones 12
February 2021
Long-time employees love this historic Philly restaurant By Jay Nachman Cassie Gaffney can’t wait to put her apron back on and get back to work. Currently sidelined by the pandemic, Gaffney has been working at McGillin’s Olde Ale House since 1975. Looking for a part-time job when her son and daughter started school, she landed at McGillin’s, the Center City restaurant whose roots date back to before the Civil War. After all these years, Gaffney, 73, says, “I love it. It’s my home away from home, and
they’re like my extended family – the owners and all the people I work with. I enjoy serving people and giving them what they want. I want to make sure they’re satisfied.” Gaffney, of South Philadelphia, started off as a sandwich maker before becoming a server and occasional bartender. Prior to the pandemic, she worked three lunchtime shifts a week. Adding to the enjoyment of work
is her granddaughter Shira, who is also a server at McGillin’s. “It is great how we bonded, and it is a special bond that we wouldn’t have without working together,” Gaffney says. “It keeps me youthful working with all the young people. If this (pandemic) clears up and I can go back to work, I’ll be right there. I’ll put that apron on.” When Gaffney puts on that apron, she’ll be working alongside bartender John Doyle who started one year before her, in 1974. Like Gaffney, Doyle, 76, of Roxborough, was looking to pick up some extra money after his wife unexpectedly had twin daughters. Doyle had other jobs over the years – working in a machine shop, as a driver, and as a handyman. But one job remained constant when those jobs ended, serving drinks behind the bar at McGillin’s. “I just enjoy the job so much, so I stayed with it. That’s what it comes down to,” he says. “If it was the money, I’d have left a long time ago. It’s something to do, get me out the house. I like the job. I like the people I work with. The customers, they’re what makes the job. They’re some good people. I made a lot of friends. Baseball players. Judges. Policemen. Politicians. People from out of state.” As expected from a long-time bartender, Doyle has seen it all through the years at McGillin’s, from engagements and marriages to arguments that he helped break up before they became altercations. A few years ago, one patron was enjoying drinks with friends at McGillin’s on a Saturday afternoon. He spent about $100, and tipped Doyle $500 (which he split with that day’s co-bartender). The patron said, ‘You know John, you
gave us great service. It was only for 45 minutes or so, but you were good to us and we appreciate that.’” Ivy Jackson, who works in the kitchen at McGillin’s, has been cooking at McGillin’s for 30 years. “They put me down in the kitchen, and I was doing prep and everything. I’ve been there ever since,” says Jackson, 60, of North Philadelphia. “I got to be a line cook and eventually ran the kitchen by myself at one point.” These days Jackson’s specialty are salads. “People loved my salads. They said I made them so pretty,” Jackson says. “I enjoyed doing them for people. When people say, ‘I want Ivy to make my salad’ I love that. I love to make my presentation beautiful and please people at the same time.” Joining her in the kitchen is her 21-yearold son, Qadir. He’s been a dishwasher there since he was 17. Work is a family affair for McGillin’s, which is the oldest continuously operating tavern in Philadelphia. The owners, Mary Ellen and Chris Mullins Sr., purchased the restaurant from Mary Ellen’s father and uncle in 1993. They now run it with their son, Christopher Mullins Jr. The restaurant has been in the same family for 60 of its 158 years, outlasting another longstanding, family-owned, Philadelphia business: Strawbridge & Clothier. “The owners are great. I’ve been blessed,” Jackson says. “They’ve been great to me and my whole family.” A sentiment that is shared by all of McGillin’s veteran employees, and likely by the thousands of customers who have been dined and drank at this famous ale house. Jay Nachman is a freelance writer in Philadelphia who tells stories for a variety of clients.
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Find out more at T-Mobile.com/Discount55 Save 50%: Plan benefits vary; competitor plans may include additional streaming services and international data. AT&T and Verizon provide special rate plans in Florida only. 2 Lines: Limited time offer; subject to change. Max 2 voice lines. Participating retail locations only. Credit approval, deposit, $10 SIM card, and, in stores & on customer service calls, $20 assisted or upgrade support charge may be required. Monthly Regulatory Programs (RPF) & Telco Recovery Fee (TRF) totaling $3.18 per voice line ($0.60 for RPF & $2.58 for TRF) applies; taxes/fees approx. 10-33% of bill. Not combinable with certain offers. Unlimited talk & text features for direct communications between 2 people; others may cost extra. Roaming: U.S. roaming and on-network data allotments differ: includes 200MB roaming. High-speed data is US only; in Canada/Mexico, unlimited at up to 128kbps; additional purchase required for data elsewhere. Calls from Simple Global countries, including over Wi-Fi, are $.25/min. (no charge for Wi-Fi calls to US, Mexico and Canada). Usage may be taxed in some countries. Not for extended international use; you must reside in the U.S. and primary usage must occur on our U.S. network. Video streams at up to 1.5Mbps. Optimization may affect speed of video downloads; does not apply to video uploads. Tethering at max 3G speeds. AutoPay Pricing: Without AutoPay, $5 more/line. May not be reflected on 1st bill. Coverage not available in some areas. Network Management: Service may be slowed, suspended, terminated, or restricted for misuse, abnormal use, interference with our network or ability to provide quality service to other users, or significant roaming. On-device usage is prioritized over tethering usage, which may result in higher speeds for data used on device. See T-Mobile. com/OpenInternet for details. See Terms and Conditions (including arbitration provision) at www.T-Mobile.com for additional information. T-Mobile, the T logo, Magenta and the magenta color are registered trademarks of Deutsche Telekom AG. Š 2021 T-Mobile USA, Inc.
Milestones 14
February 2021
Ralph’s Restaurant has nourished its owners for more than 100 years By Jay Nachman For more than 100 years Ralph’s Restaurant has been serving up Italian favorites in South Philadelphia’s Italian Market, a stint that will continue on, as declared by Elaine Dodaro, 82, who owns the restaurant with her sons, Jimmy and Eddie Rubino. “We stick with the old standards because customers would never have us do anything different,” said Dodaro. “Don’t try and get rid of something. They’ll call you on it.” On a recent winter’s day, Dodaro and Jimmy, 59, sat in her row home – next door to the family’s restaurant – and talked about Ralph’s, what has led to its longevity and what the restaurant means to their family. Supposedly retired, Dodaro is still at the restaurant every morning and always remains a phone call away. “There’s always a phone call for some reason,” she said. The restaurant was opened in 1900 by Dodaro’s grandfather, Francesco Dispigno. Dodaro’s father, Ralph, took over the business and now a fifth generation is involved in running the restaurant. That makes Ralph’s not only the oldest family-run Italian restaurant in the country, but the oldest Italian restaurant. “When I look back, my father was really, really committed, it had to rub off on me because I feel the same way,” Dodaro said. “I lived here as a child and as an adult, after marriage. My ears were always open.” That commitment has, in turn, been handed down to her sons and their children. “My grandfather made it very obvious (to my mother, while she was growing up) the sacrifices that have to be made for this restaurant,” Rubino said. “Then, my mother passed those values on to me and my brother. We understand that there’s something bigger than just us and our personalities. Occasionally, an argument had to be set aside because the show must go on. Eddie and I passed that on to our children, how important this restaurant is, and they get it, too.” Dodaro has done almost everything at Ralph’s from keeping the books to dishwashing to cleaning. But she has never cooked at the restaurant. “My grandfather had a weird policy back then that it just had to be men (cooking),” Rubino said. “Now, things are different. We always had chefs along the way, so I never really had to get involved.” At home, Dodaro enjoys sitting at her own kitchen
Ralph’s Restaurant Chicken Sorrento Ingredients: 8 boneless chicken breasts 3 cups flour 2 cups vegetable oil
table and enjoying the food that she’s made. But that doesn’t mean that she won’t run next door when she doesn’t feel like cooking to get something for herself and her husband, himself a longtime chef at Ralph’s. As for her favorites, whether from the restaurant or homemade, Dodaro said, “The truth of the matter is, I’m a real Italian. I love anything to do with macaroni or pasta. I don’t care what’s on top of it, but I’m a pasta person.” While the Italian classics are Ralph’s bread and butter, so to speak, the restaurant’s menu has seen other fare come and go and come again, depending on food trends. For example, 60 years ago, tripe, sweetbreads and organ meats were standard menu items. Then they fell out of favor. Once trendier restaurants began offering the food in recent years, so did Ralph’s and now the customers can’t get enough of it. Another way that Ralph’s has changed with the times is the way the restaurant advertises. For most of Dodaro’s years, print advertising was all it took to get the word out. Now, most advertising is online, and beyond the expertise of Dodaro, who is content with her vintage flip phone. The hours were long and the work hasn’t always been easy, but Dodaro said, “I always say there are people that wish they could be in my shoes. I am so lucky and proud of my family, you can’t imagine.” Jay Nachman is a freelance writer in Philadelphia who tells stories for a variety of clients.
½ lb. butter 3 tbsp. rue (see below) ½ cup sherry wine 24 thin slices mozzarella
Directions: Dredge chicken in flour. Sauté chicken in oil in a large frying pan, about 3 minutes per side. Drain oil from pan. Add butter, rue and wine to the pan (to make the sauce). Bring to a boil, then lower flame and simmer for 4 minutes, stirring constantly. In the pan, layer 3 pieces of mozzarella in each piece of chicken and put into the broiler until cheese is melted; about 1 minute. Plate chicken, then put the pan back on the stove to quickly bring to a boil and whip the sauce. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and serve. Rue: 16 ozs. chicken broth 6 rounded tbsp. flour 4 ozs. water
1 tsp. kitchen bouquet (for color)
Add flour and bouquet to mixing bowl filled with water while whisking. There mustn’t be any lumps. Bring the chicken broth to a boil and whisk in flour mixture. Allow to cool and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks, or freeze as needed.
Ralph’s Meatballs Ingredients: ½ loaf Italian bread (dampened in water) 1 ½ lbs. each ground beef and pork 2 large eggs 5 large garlic cloves, minced
½ cup pecorino Romano cheese, grated 1 tbsp. salt ¾ tbsp. black pepper ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped 4 cups vegetable oil
Directions: Squeeze excess water from bread and add all ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Use your hands to ensure everything is well mixed. Roll into meatballs, a bit larger than a golf ball. Typically, this will yield 12-15 meatballs. Heat the oil in a pan on a medium flame. When oil is hot, add 6 or 7 meatballs to the pan ensuring there is room between them to cook evenly. Cook for about three minutes, then rotate and do the same to the uncooked side. Place cooked meatballs on a brown paper bag to drain excess oil.
February 2021
Milestones 15
Free home internet access for kinship caregivers of Philadelphia schoolchildren PHLConnectED is a program created by the City of Philadelphia that provides free internet to caregivers of students in Philadelphia schools, grades K-12, who need reliable internet service to learn. Older adults who care for their grandchildren or other young relatives may be eligible. PHLConnectED offers two ways for free internet access to eligible caregivers: • In-home high-speed internet connection. • High-speed mobile hotspot for families who are experiencing homelessness, in-between homes, housing insecure or where in-home connection is not possible. To prepare families for the new year with internet access to participate in remote learning, eligibility has been expanded to include Philadelphia K-12 families who have home internet access and meet one of the following criteria: • Participate in a public benefit program with income qualifications; • Have a child at home who is designated as an English Learner; or • Have a child at home who receives special education services.
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The Aging Network and community organizations can help spread the word by using the City’s communications toolkit, which includes a flyer, sample social media messaging, images and outreach materials. For information, call 2-1-1 (press 1 for English or press 8 for Spanish and translation services) or go to phila.gov/programs/phlconnected.
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Milestones 16
February 2021
These boomers remain passionate about activism By Barbara Sherf Judy Wicks was once the owner of the popular West Philadelphia eatery, The White Dog Café. Today, at 73, Wicks is busy with a host of sustainability and environmental causes and even wrote a memoir, titled “Good Morning, Beautiful Business.” The book tells the story of her becoming an entrepreneur who would not only change her neighborhood, but would also change her world – by helping communities far and wide create local living economies that value people, nature and places more than money. In an interview from her Center City home, Wicks talked to a Milestones re-
porter about the impossibility of retiring from her activism. “I don’t feel it’s possible for seniors of my generation to retire from the work of activism,” said Wicks. “We are needed and excited to be able to be helpful.” Wicks is the founder and volunteer executive director of All Together Now PA, an organization that’s building a network of regional economies comprised of independent, locally owned farms and businesses. The goal is to build community wealth, reduce our carbon footprint, decrease reliance on global supply chains and prepare our communities for climate change by producing basic needs locally and sustainably. That’s a tall order, which keeps Wicks busy from early in the morn-
The PA Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) program’s mission is to help you protect against, detect, and report Medicare fraud. Health care fraud damages Medicare’s financial viability and has a direct impact on the health care YOU receive. Fraud can increase out-of-pocket costs and can impact your health by decreasing quality of care - you could receive unnecessary or harmful care or be denied necessary treatment or equipment. Scammers are now using the Covid-19 pandemic to defraud Medicare and Medicaid. They might contact you by phone, by email, or a knock on your door. The aim is always the same: to get personal information like your credit card information, or your Medicare ID number and use it to defraud Medicare. Scammers are exploiting the fear surrounding the pandemic to peddle fake Covid-19 tests and supplies, and unproven and potentially harmful cures or vaccines. Some are even impersonating contact tracers! So, what can you do? The following practices will go a long way to keeping yourself safe from these criminals: 1. Protect and treat your Medicare ID number and card like a credit card. 2. NEVER provide your Medicare or credit card number to anyone who contacts you through unsolicited calls, texts, or emails. 3. If you need a test or a treatment, call your personal doctor first. If you have questions about or suspect Medicare fraud, or would like to volunteer with the SMP program, please call toll-free: 1-800-356-3606 or visit www.carie.org. Help is always free and confidential.
ing to late into the night. “We as seniors can’t retire, there’s too much to do and everything is in jeopardy,” she said. “Our civilization is heading toward a cliff and it’s not something the next generation (alone should be expected) to take care of. We have to share the burden.“ Over in Flourtown, Montgomery County, Ellen Stevenson first became an activist when she was 16 and hasn’t looked back. “The key is that when you ask people to volunteer, you as a leader have to serve them to help them find out what they can do well and help them grow into the position,” said Stevens. “With activism you learn as you go and seniors (bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the table). There are so many organizations that have welcoming arms.” In Mt. Airy, Mary Kalyna, 66, has been involved in women’s rights, the struggle for racial equality, anti-war protests and Ukrainian issues her whole life. After the death of George Floyd, she and a friend stood outside of the Unitarian Society of Germantown with homemade signs in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. It was a daily vigil for several months until the group, whose oldest member is 88, started to meet every Thursday at 4 p.m. “Immediately drivers started honking and waving,” recalled Kalyna. “It’s clear we had touched a nerve and it really grew after that with mostly seniors standing outside, lining Lincoln Drive in front of the church.” Kalyna shared a funny story from a motorist who didn’t support their cause. “We rarely get harassment, but one day this guy drives by and yells out the window ‘get a job’ and we all started laughing,” she said. “I was the youngest one there
and we figured we had over 500 years of work experience under our belts. This is our job – to be our brother’s keeper and fight against injustice, and it’s a good job.” She admits standing near Lincoln Drive and waving signs isn’t for everyone, but you can do something if you want to contribute. “I guarantee you that you will feel better. You will feel an incredible boost in energy both physically and mentally,” said Kalyna. “I encourage people to find something they feel strongly about and figure out a way that’s safe for them and speaks to them.” Author and speaker Barbara Sherf captures the stories of businesses and individuals.
February 2021
Milestones 13
Milestones 18
February 2021
Black History Month events
MEDICAL MARIJUANA SURVEY Participate in a 1-hour interview regarding your understanding of and attitude toward medical marijuana/cannabis and receive a $25 Visa gift card and PA state approved description of the medical marijuana program.
To register, call: 215-596-7636 Questions? Principal Investigator Dr. Andrew Peterson SUDl@usciences.edu
Mural Arts Philadelphia has an exciting lineup of arts and cultural events for Black History Month. Here are just a few of the activities that are coming up. For more information, go to MuralArts.org/events.
Feb. 9 & 23 @ 5:30-6:30 p.m. Philadelphia Fellowship for Black Artists: A Year in Review The 2020 Fellows discuss their art-making over the past year and for their creative futures.
Feb. 18 @ 5:30-6:30 p.m. Art of Activism: History Doesn’t Have to Repeat Itself History of art and activism within the Black community and empowering Black youth with art.
Feb. 24 @ 6-7 p.m.
cate and inspire you. For more information, go to https://libwww.freelibrary. org/calendar
Feb. 17 @ 7 p.m. Collectors’ Showcase: Philadelphians Collect Black Writers Five local collectors who have spent years preserving and celebrating the work of Black writers and artists share their amazing collections and how they are working to share Black history.
Feb. 18 @ 7:30 p.m. Long Time Coming: Reckoning with Race in America Author Michael Eric Dyson employs the lives and legacies of five Black contemporaries as catalysts for America’s long-needed voyage toward a racial reckoning and redemption.
Black History Month Virtual Tour
Feb. 25 @ 6 p.m.
View murals that represent iconic African American figures and civic heroes of the past and present. Tickets: $15
Black Writers, the Jazz Age and the Harlem Renaissance
The Free Library of Philadelphia’s Black History Month events will edu-
Civil War diaries • continued from page 4
The other side Davis wasn’t the only young Black woman to keep a journal of her experiences during the war. The memoir of Susie King Taylor, “Reminiscences of My Life in Camp with the 33rd Colored Troops, Late 1st South Carolina Volunteers,” complements Emilie Davis’ because King Taylor, freed when she escaped to Union lines, writes about the activities of Black women in the South. “Many people do not know what some … colored women did during the war,”
Take a “Tour Behind the Bookshelf” of letters and first editions of poet Langston Hughes and philosopher Alain LeRoy Locke.
Taylor wrote. “Hundreds of them assisted … Union soldiers by hiding them and helping them escape. Many (Black women) were punished for taking food to the prison stockades for … (Union) prisoners … These things should be kept in history before the people.” * * * For more information about Emilie Davis’ diaries, please see: DavisDiaries. villanova.edu. The diaries can be purchased at Amazon.com/Emilie-Daviss-Civil-War-Philadelphia/dp/0271063688 Native Philadelphian Constance Garcia-Barrio writes about many topics, including Black history.
February 2021
Health Brief
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Milestones 19
Crossword
Solution The solution can be found on page 6.
Musicale Across 1 5 9 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Show your heart some love February is nationally recognized as American Heart Month – a time to turn our attention to keeping free from heart disease, the No. 1 killer of Americans. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), cardiovascular disease (heart disease and stroke combined) kills about 2,300 people each day. American Heart Month is vital for awareness, but the AHA urges people to care for their heart health year-round. During February, show your heart some love by keeping a log of your blood pressure and cholesterol, healthy weight goals, and physical activity. Team up with your family and friends to reach your heart health goals together. Follow these tips to combat the risk of heart disease: Understand your risk. Some risk factors like age, genes, gender, and race or ethnicity cannot be changed, but others are acquired from your lifestyle. Learning and understanding the difference can help you prevent heart disease. If you smoke, quit! This can be the hardest step, but with a proper plan, identifying triggers and distraction techniques, quitting is possible. Look for online support or talk to your health care provider. Get the blood pumping. Regular exercise has many benefits beyond just physical health. Exercise reduces stress, releas-
es endorphins, improves sleep and much more. Customize your workouts by doing activities you enjoy like walking, cycling or swimming. Eat a balanced diet. Maintaining a healthy diet can benefit your overall health. Aim to eat more vegetables (frozen or fresh) and lean protein (grilled chicken, salmon, turkey breast, etc.) with each meal. Snacks count too, so grab an apple or some veggie sticks and hummus before opening a bag of potato chips. Take control of your health. Establishing a relationship with your physician is an important step to better manage your health. Discuss your family history of heart disease, your blood pressure and cholesterol numbers, plus any questions you have about new products or data you have researched. Once you’ve established a strong relationship with your doctor, follow the doctor’s orders – whether that is to lose weight, eat better or take medication. If you have concerns or experience side effects, it’s important to address these with your doctor. Your risk of heart disease can be reduced with healthy choices. Small adjustments that you work on every day can have a big payoff. Sources: Chestnut Hill Hospital – virtual wellness programs at CHWellnessEvents.com
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