Butler County Senior News
August 2017 Volume 11, Number 11
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Chuck LeClaire/Butler County Senior News
Phil Coyne being honored by Pirates president Frank Coonelly on his 99th birthday.
Seniors show their love of the game by ushering for the Pittsburgh Pirates By Gina Mazza For Butler County Senior News
on game after game, year after year, decade after decade.
Take me out to the ball game . . . and show me to my seat. This article profiles five older adults who step up to the plate every baseball season to show their love for the Pittsburgh Pirates and their patrons by faithfully working as ushers. No fare weather fans, here! These seniors can be counted
Phil Coyne: Section 26/27 (near third base) At the young age of 99, Phil Coyne says that he “gets more hugs and kisses now” than he ever has in his life. He’s not only old enough to remember when Babe Ruth hit his last home run at
Forbes Field—he was actually one of the kids who ran after the ball that day. Phil grew up just a few blocks from Forbes Field in Oakland and used to play ball with his siblings (he’s the oldest of eight) and friends in the Schenley Oval. Continued on page 3
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Publisher’s Corner Owner/Publisher: Lynn Webster Editor: Gina Mazza Art Director: Shantessa Burnfield Sales Executive: Wallace Webster
ON SITE SURGICAL CENTER
Batter up! In this issue, we take you out to the ball game with our cover story on older adults who serves as ushers at the Pirates games. If you go to a game, be sure to look for them in their sections at PNC Park!
Lynn Webster
Photographer: Chuck LeClaire
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View the most recent issues of • Butler County Senior News • Pittsburgh Senior News • Beaver County Senior News •Butler County Senior Resource Guide • Allegheny County Senior Resource Guide •Beaver County Senior Resource Guide
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Seniors show their love of the game by ushering for the Pittsburgh Pirates Continued from page 1 “Every Saturday was kid’s day at Forbes Field, which meant we could get in for free,” he recalls. “I started ushering when I turned 18. I just kept it up and I’ve kept on living! “Back in those days, you had to take a streetcar to get to the field and there was no parking,” he continues. “At Forbes Field, you could see the players and talk to them. Their families sat right behind home plate, not in the boxes like they do now. Most of the players took streetcars back and forth to work. Some of them married girls from Oakland. We were a close family and a close neighborhood. Today, you only see the players on the field because now they can just get in their cars and drive off. But PNC Park is nice and open, and a lot less congested. It’s easy to get to the park, and there’s plenty of parking and the T, which is a blessing.”
base. On Memorial Day of this year, a film crew from CBS in New York traveled to Pittsburgh to film Phil working at one of the games. “Since that Sunday morning show aired nationally, people are now coming from all over just to take my picture. I’m not sure why they’d want that but I’m more than happy to do it.” Tony Grieco: Section 16/17 (behind home plate)
The most senior member of the Pirates usher brigade, Phil still gets to and from the city on his own. He takes a bus to downtown from Craig Street, hops off at Wood Street then takes the T to PNC Park.
“When I retired in 1980, I started working all the games. I went over with them to Three Rivers then PNC Park.” That means that Phil has seen a whole lot of plays—and players—over the years. When asked about his favorites, his answer is not surprising: “The biggest Pirates story of all is Mazeroski’s game-winning home run in game seven of the 1960 World Series against the New York Yankees.” While Phil says he has “no favorite players because I root for the whole team, he adds: “I enjoyed watching Ralph Kiner back in the late ‘40s and early ‘50s. He was quite a home run hitter. If he was going up to bat in the 8th or 9th inning, nobody—I mean nobody—left until he batted.” Kiner also played for the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Indians in his career, then became an announcer for the New York Mets.
Chuck LeClaire/Butler County Senior News
Tony Greico works in section 17. Over his years a Pirates usher, Tony Greico, 80, of Hampton Township has done more than watch players steal home. He also stole the heart of a pretty young lady whom he met at Three Rivers Stadium. “Joann was working for the Pirates at the time, calling employees to find out if they were coming to work, including the ushers,” he explains. “I was friendly and nice to her. She had a radio and knew where I was working in the ball park, so she would come down and socialize. She knew I worked at Kaufmann’s Department Store. So one day she came in the store and I sold her a pair of shoes.” (Tony talks about his career, below.) “Now we are happily married and she goes to almost every game.”
What keeps Phil coming back after an incredible 81 years of ushering games? “It’s the people,” he smiles.
Tony has one of the best spots in the house: behind home plate, also known as the “celebrity section.” Which celebrity has stayed most in his memory? “The nicest and greatest person I’ve ever met down there is a man named Arnie Palmer,” he says slowly and with emphasis. “He would sit in my section and when they would flash him on the big screen, everyone would come down and line up for his autograph. Everyone loved him.
That love and admiration goes both ways. In fact, Phil has become somewhat of a local celebrity with his very own fan
Continued on page 4
August 2017 • Butler County Senior News
Phil’s lifetime run as an usher has gotten interrupted by only one thing: World War II. Prior to being drafted, he began working full-time in 1940 at Westinghouse Air Break Company in Wilmerding, ushering only on weekends. In May 1941, he went into the US Army and served as a machinist in Italy until 1945. Once home, he resumed work at both Westinghouse and with the Pirates.
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Seniors show their love of the game by ushering for the Pittsburgh Pirates Continued from page 3 “So one day I said to him, ‘Mr. Palmer, if you want me to stop them from hounding you so you can enjoy the game, I will.’ He said, ‘No, no, let them come.’ He even carried his own black marker in his pocket for autographs. He was such a joy to be around. He was a true gentleman’s gentleman.” Like Phil, Tony started ushering at Forbes Field at the age of 18 (encouraged by his older brother) and also cites Maz’s homerun as his all-time favorite play of the game. “Another ball player that I highly respected was Roberto Clemente,” he says. “He was so colorful and fun to watch. I was there when he had his 3,000th hit.” Tony enjoyed a 55-year career at Kaufmann’s Department Store, starting in the warehouse on Forbes Avenue right out of high school—then a stock clerk in the downtown store, then selling women’s shoes—and eventually promoted all the way up to assistant buyer then buyer. All the while, he ushered at Three Rivers Stadium and PNC Park, working the games around his schedule. “After I retired in 2001, I started working every game at Three Rivers, including many double headers. I enjoy baseball and being on the field. I also usher at the Steelers games, and at music concerts at Heinz Field. My aim in life then is my aim now: I love people. I enjoy making them comfortable and happy. I talk with them, joke with them. I meet so many wonderful people and it keeps me out of trouble.”
When Shirley Lewis’ late husband, William, retired from his career as a financial analyst at Westinghouse after 35 years and applied for a job as a Pirates usher, she said to him: “Well, if you can do it, I can do it.” “We were both retired,” says Shirley, 83, of Whitehall. “I had a secretarial service and had sold my business, and it just made sense. So we both became ushers at Three Rivers Stadium. That was 26 years ago, and now I’m at PNC Park.” (William passed away three years ago.) “I guess you could say we’re a baseball family. William played baseball for Pitt and had coached high school baseball for about two years at Baldwin High School. We had two girls and a boy and we took them to Pirates games. My son played Little League growing up and high school ball.” Their love of the game extends down to her eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, as well. “All the grandsons played Little League and my youngest grandson played baseball at Chatham College. McCutchen is Shirley’s current favorite player and says that the good memories of working the games are too many to count. “I’ve met so many nice people. They’re great fans and I enjoy talking with each and every one of them. It’s been so much fun.” Donna Mangold: Section 20/21 (behind the dugout)
Shirley Lewis: Section 8/9 (near first base)
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Chuck LeClaire/Butler County Senior News
Shirley Lewis wipes every seat before a fan sits down.
Chuck LeClaire/Butler County Senior News
Donna Mangold tosses a ball in the dugout.
Donna Mangold, 68, of Bloomfield-Friendship comes from a family of Pirates ushers. “My father, two uncles and a cousin were ushers at Forbes Field and Three Rivers Stadium,” she shares. “Growing up, I played Little League softball and later women’s softball.” Her parents took her to her first Pirates game when she was 12 years old. “I’ve always enjoyed baseball. It’s still my favorite sport, although I’m a Steelers and Pens fans, of course. I went to many Pirates games while growing up. Hall of Famer Stan Musial [from Donora, PA] of the St. Louis Cardinals was my first autograph.”
care for one another and know that we’ve got each other’s backs. It’s a nice organization to work for and I like that we get training every year to see what’s new at the park.” Keeping it all in the family, Donna and her husband, Darrell Lewis, are full-season ticket holders and have taken their four daughters to games over the years. “One of our daughters is a real baseball fan. She goes to about 10 games a year. Of course, she sits in my section.” Joe O’Toole: PSIEU President
So one day, she asked her father why there were no female ushers at Three Rivers Stadium. “A few days later, he brought me an application and I signed up. That was July 1983.” Donna made the move to PNC Park when it opened in 2001. To her, there is no comparison between the two stadiums. “It’s like night and day. PNC Park is just a beautiful facility. The view from home plate to the outfield is magical, especially at dusk, with the city skyline; and the visibility is fantastic. There really is not a bad seat in the park, and it’s much more comfortable.”
As Donna looks back on her decades of ushering, she concludes that the Pirates have had their ups and downs. “The seasons have run the gamut from good teams, not so good teams, good teams, not so good teams, and trying to work our way into the top of the division.” She mentions Andrew McCutchen and Iván Nova as being at the top of their game now but one of her favorites over the years is Andy Van Slyke. “I was a real fan of Andy’s when he was playing,” she recalls. “He was quite a character. He wasn’t the most sociable to the fans but if he was working with a charitable organization or other public event, he was fabulous. I also respected him because he would tell things like they were. And I do like McCutchen. He’s a class act.” Never one to sit on the bench, Donna has also volunteered for the Pittsburgh Gold Club, which helped the team sell tickets, and in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, “I got to participate in special events and got to interact with the players.” All in all, Donna loves working for the Pirates organization. “Everybody who works at the ball park—not matter what capacity you are, from ticket seller to security or selling hot dogs—everybody is just so good to one another. We all really
Chuck LeClaire/Butler County Senior News
Joe O’Toole on the top level of PNC Park. Joe O’Toole, 77, of Bon Air is another lifelong Pirates devotee. At the age of 13, he started working in the clubhouse then shortly after became a bat boy for about four years at Forbes Field, making $4.50 per game. “I wasn’t old enough for a work permit—you had to be 14—so I used my older brother’s name for a while,” he grins. “By 1960, I had gotten on the [ushers] list.” The first game he worked was the 1959 All Star Game. Joe worked with Giant Eagle for nine years then went onto sales positions for Canada Dry and 7-Up. “I ushered when I could around my full-time work,” he says. Joe retired in 2009 as a manager for the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue. Growing up in south Oakland, Joe’s father ushered the games. Now Joe is president of Pittsburgh Stadium Independent Employees Union (PSIEU), which represents all game day employees who work as ushers, ticket takers and ticket sellers at PNC Park and Heinz Field. He has served in this position since 1998, and previously was secretary/ treasurer.
August 2017 • Butler County Senior News
Donna feels blessed to be ushering in the section right behind the Pirates dugout. She’s got a few celebrity stories to tell, as well. “Michael Keaton [of Batman movie fame] and David Conrad [of the TV series Ghost Whisperer] have both sat in my section; but a big part of the last few years working in that section has been to help the kids get baseballs after the players throw them up into the stands. That was before they put the net up.”
Continued on page 6
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Seniors show their love of the game by ushering for the Pittsburgh Pirates Continued from page 5
Joe ushered at Three Rivers Stadium from when it opened until it closed. “At Three Rivers, we worked for the management team that owned the ball park,” he explains. “When the Pirates and the Steelers got their own stadiums, no one had their arms open to bring in the union. That was considered a management failure; but we ended up getting into both parks. The Pirates accepted us right away; the Steelers took a little while but we got in.”
with Mays: “In 1955, a photographer came to me and asked me to do the cover shoot, but in the end, they decided to go with a photo of Willie by himself. I should have been there with him,” Joe shakes his head. “That would have been a moment of pride for me.” Joe and his wife, Diane, have three daughters and one son, and they went to a lot of games over the years as a family. Even though Joe was ushering at some of the most infamous games in Pittsburgh sports history, he actually missed seeing a few of the most important plays.
Currently, there are approximately 450 people in the union, including 150 ushers at PNC Park and 150 at Heinz Field. Of the total ushers, Joe estimates that 60 to 70 percent are ages 55 and older. “Your senior workers show up every day. They are the most reliable employees and do a consistently terrific job.”
“In 1960, when Maz hit his home run, I was called into work at Giant Eagle in Hazelwood. I’d gone across the street to get a cup of coffee and heard the play on the radio. So I missed seeing that, but it gets worse than that! When Franco caught the Immaculate Reception, I was working at Three Rivers but couldn’t see that part of the field because of the line of sight.
Over the years, Joe has accumulated a number of favorite players. “Willie Mays was a super guy.” He tells the story of how he almost ended up on the cover of Look Magazine
“So how about that? All those games I worked at, and I was right there—but when Franco caught it and ran in for a touchdown, I never saw it.” BCSN
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Upcoming web conference Post-Polio Care: Past, Present and Future The Pennsylvania Polio Survivors Network will be presenting an interactive web conference titled Post-Polio Care: Present and Future from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. August 26 at the Cranberry Library, 2525 Rochester Rd., Cranberry Twp., Butler County. Doctor William DeMayo and Daniel Wilson Ph.D will be discussing the history of Polio and the current status of healthcare for Post Polio patients. For more information and to register, contact papolionetwork@gmail.com or call (724) 283-5814. Registration deadline is August 18. BCSN
Keenagers offer monthly meetings and travel opportunites Keenagers meets on the fourth Wednesday of each month (except for November and December when adjustments are made for the holidays). Meetings are held at noon for a luncheon, the program begins at 1 p.m. Meals are provided for all meetings except for the June picnic. Rolls, butter and drinks (decaf coffee) are always provided. Bring your own table setting for lunch. A $5 donation is requested per person. Meetings are held at Portersville Presbyterian Church, 1297 Perry Hwy., Portersville. For information on meals and programs call, Joan Courtney at (724) 865-2845; for travel information call Peg Stickel at (724) 368-3225. To reach the church, call (724) 368-8050. BCSN
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August 2017 • Butler County Senior News
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Senior Express
Pennsylvania property tax/rent rebate program deadline extended The deadline to apply for a rebate on property taxes or rent paid in 2016 is December 31, 2017. Rebates will be processed and distributed up to one month after the application has been filed.
By Brittany Buzzelli Community Liaison/APPRISE Coordinator Butler County Area Agency on Aging For Butler County Senior News
A
pplication forms for the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program have been extended for eligible residents to begin claiming on property taxes or rent paid in 2016. The rebate program benefits eligible Pennsylvanians ages 65 and older, widows and widowers ages 50 and older, and disabled persons over the age of 18. The income limit for the program is $35,000 annually for homeowners and up to $15,000 annually for renters, with half of Social Security income excluded. The maximum standard rebate is $650, but supplemental rebates for qualifying homeowners can boost rebates to $975.
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Each resident who prepared and filed a paper application last year and did not utilize computer software to do so should have received a 2016 application form by February 28. Renters who prepared claims last year using computer software rather than the PA-1000 booklet received letters by mail reminding the resident to apply for a 2016 rebate, and providing them with two copies of the PA-1000 Rent Certificate and Rent Rebate application. Applications are also available at revenue.state.pa.us or by calling (888) 222-9190. Older adults must reapply for rebates every year because rebates are based on annual income and property taxes or rent paid each year. August 2017 • Butler County Senior News
More than $297 million in property tax and rent rebates have been sent to more than 587,000 homeowners and renters across the state for taxes and rent paid in 2015. The department wants all eligible Pennsylvanians to apply for and receive rebates through this program, but cautions that fraudulent or falsified rebate claims will result in a denial of rebate. It costs nothing to apply for a rebate. Application forms and assistance are available at no cost from the Department of Revenue district officers, state legislators’ offices, and locally through the Butler County Area Agency on Aging. The Butler County Area Agency on Aging will be providing application assistance at the Area Agency on Aging office, located 111 Sunnyview Circle in Butler. It is recommended that interested applicants make an appointment ahead of time by calling the Butler County Area Agency on Aging at (724) 282-3008.
The Property Tax/Rent Rebate program is supported by the Pennsylvania Lottery and revenue from slots gaming. Since the program’s 1971 inception, older adults and adults with disabilities have received $5.4 billion in property tax and rent rebates. BCSN Applying for Property Tax/Rent Rebate is easy. Call (888) 222-9190 or visit revenue.state.pa.us. Pick up an application at your local legislator’s office or the Butler County Area Agency on Aging, located at 111 Sunnyview Circle, Suite 101, Butler, PA 16001.
Property Tax/Rent Rebate Income Eligibility: Homeowners:
Income
Maximum Standard Rebate
$0 to $8,000 $650 $8,001 to $15,000 $500 $15,001 to $18,000 $300 $18,001 to $35,000 $250 Renters:
$0 to $8,000
$650
$8,001 to $15,000 $500
Required Documentation: All eligible and county residency. Documentation of
consumers must show income is not necessar
Butler County Area Agency on Aging
Senior Express
Homebound Consumers: Consumers unable to come to commun Proxy to the site with required documentation (Identification and co Proxy forms are available at the Area Agency on Aging, by calling ( email request to aaainfo@co.butler.pa.us
B u t l e r C o u nt y Fa r m e rs M a r ke t Vo u c h e r D i s t r i b u ti o n S i t e s a n d S c h e d u l e 2 0 1 7
Long Term Care Facilities: Seniors residing in long term care faci
Butler County Area Agency on Aging Homes, Personal Care, Dom-Care or facilities where meals are pre 111 Sunnyview Circle, Building III, Butler 16001 for vouchers
Distribution at the Area Agency on Aging Lost or Stolen Vouchers: Vouchers Ongoing through Friday, September 29 are like cash. Please keep the Monday—Friday from 10:00AM—3:00PM or stolen vouchers cannot be replaced.
Age Requirement: 60 years or older by 12/31/2017 Residency Requirement: Butler County Resident Income Guidelines: One-person household $22,311 Two-person household $30,044 Income: You should add up income from all sources, i.e. wages, social security, pension, VA benefits, interest, withdrawals from annuities, etc. Required Documentation: All eligible and county residency. Documentation of
consumers must show documentation of age income is not necessary.
Homebound Consumers: Consumers unable to come to community sites may send a Proxy to the site with required documentation (Identification and completed Proxy Form). Proxy forms are available at the Area Agency on Aging, by calling (724) 282-3008, or by email request to aaainfo@co.butler.pa.us Long Term Care Facilities: Seniors residing in long term care facilities such as Nursing Homes, Personal Care, Dom-Care or facilities where meals are prepared, are not eligible for vouchers Lost or Stolen Vouchers: Vouchers are like cash. Please keep them in a safe place. Lost or stolen vouchers cannot be replaced.
August 2017 • Butler County Senior News
August 2017 • Butler County Senior News
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Butler County Area Agency on Aging
Senior Express
Senior Center events _ Butler Senior Center, 10 Austin Ave., (located in Tanglewood Senior Center), Lyndora, offers the following events: summer beach party August 2; Seniors for Safe Driving from noon to 4 p.m. August 8. Call (800) 559-4880 to register; leadership meeting at 11:30 a.m. and birthday party August 10; evening 500 bid card party from 4:30 to 8 p.m. August 15. Cost is $5 per person; blood pressure from 10 to 11 a.m. August 17; Steeler’s pre-season party at 10:30 a.m. August 18; dog days of August party at 10 a.m. August 25; and wellness breakfast at 9 a.m. August 30. The center is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call (724) 285-5392. _ Chicora Senior Center, lower level of Moose Hall, 117 West Slippery Rock St., offers the following events: bingo at 10 a.m. August 3; stroke support group at 10 a.m. August 8; bingo at 10 a.m. and birthday party celebration August 10; leadership meeting at 10 a.m. August 15; paint class from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. or from 12:15 to 2:15 p.m. August 16; Wheel of Fortune at 10:30 a.m., blood pressure at 10:30 a.m. and AAoA representative Steve Slagle from 11 a.m. to noon August 22; bingo from 9 to 10:30 a.m. August 17; bingo at 10 a.m. August 24; UPMC exercise program at 11 a.m. and bubble day August 29; and Labor Day party August 31. The center is open from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday. Call (724) 445-2551.
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_ Cranberry Senior Center, Municipal Building, Rochester Rd., offers the following events: kids day with games and light lunch at 10:30 a.m. August 2; health and fitness at 11 a.m. August 3; Moraine boat ride and lunch at 10 a.m. August 8. Cost is $10 for active and $15 for non-active; birthday celebration August 10; game night from 4 to 7 p.m. August 15; downsizing program at 11 a.m. August 17; mind matters at 10:30 a.m. August 18; leadership meeting at 10:30 a.m. August 24; and Labor Day celebration at 10 a.m. August 31. The center is open from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call (724) 772-6086. _ Evans City Senior Center, 426 East Main St., offers the following events: Kayaking at McDaniel’s Launching Moranie St. Park at 1 p.m. August 1; ice cream Sundaes at 12:30 p.m. and drum circle at 1 p.m. August 9; leadership meeting at 1 p.m. and birthday celebration August 10; resources for August 2017 • Butler County Senior News
depression at 12:35 p.m. August 23; and Labor Day party August 31. The center is open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Call (724) 538-9414. _ Mars Senior Center, Penn Mar Plaza, Gilkey Dr., offers the following activities: Klondike sale at 12:30 p.m. August 7; five wishes program at 1 p.m. and birthday party August 10; movie day at 1 p.m. August 15; blood pressure screening at 10:45 a.m. August 17; Hawaiian Day at noon August 18; leadership meeting at 1 p.m. August 24; and caption telephone program at 1 p.m. August 31. The center is open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call (724) 625-4466. _ Mount Chestnut Senior Center, Presbyterian Church, 727 Old Route 422, will offer the following events: blood pressure screening at 11:30 a.m. August 3; leadership council meeting at 12:45 p.m. August 7; birthday celebration August 10; and humming bird presentation at 12:30 p.m. August 31. The center is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays and Thursdays. Call (724) 282-6006. _ Slippery Rock Senior Center, Township Building, 155 Branchton Rd., will offer the following events: crafts at 10:30 a.m. August 8; blood pressure screening at 10:30 a.m. and birthday party at 12:30 p.m. August 10; leadership council meeting at 12:30 p.m. August 15; Steelers pre-season party at 10:30 a.m. August 17; and dog days of summer party at 10:30 a.m. August 31. The center is open from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday. Call (724) 794-6440. _ Southeast Senior Center, Winfield Township Firehall, Brose Rd., offers the following upcoming events: National Girlfriend Day at 10 a.m. August 1; ice cream sandwich day at 11:30 a.m. August 3; Silver Saints exercise at 10 a.m. and Watermelon Day at 11:30 August 8; birthday celebration August 10; Silver Saints exercise at 10 a.m. August 15; leadership council meeting at 10 a.m. and chair volleyball at 10:30 a.m. August 17; more herbs, less salt August 29; and eat outside and blood pressure screenings at 11:30 a.m. August 31. The center is open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. Call (724) 352-2036. _ West Sunbury Senior Center, West Sunbury Presbyterian Church, hours are from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Wednesday and Friday. Lunches are provided. Call (724) 637-2959. BCSN
Butler County Area Agency on Aging August Menu for senior centers
Senior Express The Butler County Area Agency on Aging
Serving you:
Tuesday, August 1: Teryaki chicken breast, rice, vegetables, applesauce. Wednesday, August 2: Salisbury steak, baked potato, coleslaw, fruit salad.
About the Area Agency on Aging
Thursday, August 3: Baked sweet sausage, peppers, redskins, green beans, cookie.
The Butler County Area Agency on Aging (AAoA) is a community service agency for older adults and has operated in Butler County since 1984. The Area Agency on Aging administers programs and manages services for Butler County residents who are 60 years of age or older. Agency programs and services are designed to serve approximately 38,000 older consumers who call Butler County home.
Friday, August 4: Tuscan chicken, penne pasta, tossed salad, peaches. Monday, August 7: Kielbasa, sauerkraut, mashed potatoes, corn, brownie. Tuesday, August 8: Southwestern chicken wrap, vegetable barley soup, apricots. Wednesday, August 9: Spaghetti and meatballs, tossed salad, pears. Thursday, August 10, Birthday menu: Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, peas and carrots, cupcake. Friday, August 11: Breaded lemon pepper pollock, baked potato, sweet and sour coleslaw, fruit. Monday, August 14: Chicken marsala, orzo, carrots, pineapple delight. Tuesday, August 15: Cheeseburger, potato soup, fruit. Wednesday, August 16: Baked ham slice, mashed potatoes, beet salad, chocolate pudding. Thursday, August 17: Beef burrito, Spanish rice, corn and black bean salad, apricots. Friday, August 18: Barbecue chicken, baked potato, lima beans, fruit. Monday, August 21: Sausage scramble, breakfast potatoes, banana. Tuesday, August 22: Chicken salad sandwich, pasta Florentine soup, peaches. Wednesday, August 23: Glazed pork loin, mashed potatoes, braised cabbage, lemon creme cake. Thursday, August 24: Beef stroganoff, noodles, peas and carrots, fruit. Friday, August 25: Baked pollock, baked potato, pears. Monday, August 27: Pepper steak, mashed potatoes, vegetable medley, cookie. Tuesday, August 28: Chicken cobb salad, noodle soup, pineapple. Wednesday, August 29: Stuffed cabbage, mashed potatoes, corn, fruit crisp.
Butler County Commissioners Leslie Osche, Republican Kimberly Geyer, Republican Kevin Boozel, Democrat Area Agency on Aging Administrator: Beth A. Herold, RN, BSN, MBA How may we help you? • Community Services for Older Adults and their families • Home and Community Based Services • PDA Waiver Services Access to Services • Information and Referral • Assessment • Care Management
For more information, call or visit our office at Sunnyview Complex 111 Sunnyview Circle, Suite 101 Butler, PA 16001 Office Hours: Monday through Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Phone: (724) 282-3008 (888) 367-2434 Website: co.butler.pa.us/butler Email: aaainfo@co.butler.pa.us
Thursday, August 30: Sweet turkey sausage minestrone over noodles, green beans, fruit. BCSN August 2017 • Butler County Senior News
August 2017 • Butler County Senior News
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Entertainments and Events • Free production brewery tours are offered from noon to 4 p.m. every Saturday at North Country Production Facility, 111 Arrowhead Dr., Slippery Rock. Park by the back and enter by the Silos. Call (724) 794-2337 or visit northcountrybrewing.com. • Butler Intermediate High School, 551 Fairground Hill Rd., Butler, presents Gibbon’s Big Band Concert at 7:30 p.m. August 3. Cost is $5. Visit musiciansconcertband.com. • The Portersville Steam Show will take place August 3 to 6 at Portersville Steam Show Grounds, 1512 Perry Highway, Portersville. The event provides a large variety of activities for the whole family. A vintage village, saw mill, cider press, gas engines, oil field equipment, farm animals, train rides, steam engines, flea market, crafts, great food, kids’ pedal tractor pulling, tractors, large traction
engines, ice cream, tractor pulls, and a steam building are just some of the features. Call (724) 285-7038 or visit portersvillesteamshow.org. • The 19th annual Regatta at Lake Arthur will take place August 5 and 6 at Moraine State Park, 225 Pleasant Valley Rd., Portersville. Activities include live entertainment, food, crafts, games, children’s activities, community sailing and races, fireworks distplay and more. Call (724) 687-0707 or visit lakearthurregatta.org. • Join the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation with any make or model of street legal motorcycle for a fun ride, food and entertainment for the Western PA Ride for Kids August 6. Registration is from 8:30 to 10 a.m.; kickstands up at 10:30 a.m. rain or shine. The ride starts at Seneca Valley High School, 128 Seneca School Rd., Harmony. Visit curethekids.org/events/ride-for-kids.
With BAYADA Home Health Care…
“It’s like having more family around.”
• The 69th annual Butler Farm Show is set to take place August 7 to 12 at the Butler Farm Show Grounds, 625 Evans City Rd., Butler. The fair showcases the county’s farming community with farming exhibits, tractor pulls, crafts, rides, food and demonstrations. Call (724) 482-4000 or visit butlerfarmshow.com. • The Old Stone House, 2865 William Flynn Highway, Slippery Rock, offers Historic Foodways Cooking class, Very Berry Desserts from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. August 12. Cost is $35. The course features delicious treats made with summer berries all made on the Stone House hearth. Call (724) 738-4964 or visit oldstonehousepa.org/foodways. • Harmony Museum’s annual Antique Gun Show is set to take place from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. August 12 at Harmony Museum Stewart Hall, 218 Mercer St., Harmony. There will be flintlock,
Live LIFE…At Home
– Mrs. Frances S., Client
BAYADA provides assistive care, such as help with bathing, grooming, and meal preparation, 24 hours, 7 days to keep adults and seniors safe at home.
August 2017 • Butler County Senior News
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Call 724-285-7100 www.bayada.com
Compassion. Excellence. Reliability.
Looking for Senior Resources? Visit our website at pittsburghseniornews.com View current and past issues of Butler County Senior News. Call (412) 760-5914 or visit www.pittsburghseniornews.com for more information.
– A Partnership in Caring – LIFE offers comprehensive medical care, adult day services and homecare to help older adults, age 55 and older, live at home. Services include all medical care, prescription coverage, physical therapy, transportation and more. Contact us for assistance in determining your eligibility for the program. You may qualify and not even realize it. 231 W. Diamond Street Butler, PA 16001
724-287-LIFE (5433) Call 711 for TTY Relay Services www.lutheranseniorlife.org/LIFE A Partnership of Lutheran SeniorLife and Butler Health System
Entertainments and Events and be invited to the celebration party with food, drink, and live music on September 23. Call (724) 371-0416 or visit alleghenyaquaticalliance.com for details.
• The Rodfathers of Butler will host the annual Sunnyview car cruise from noon to 4 p.m. August 19 at Sunnyview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, 107 Sunnyview Circle, Butler. There will be a DJ, dash plaques, 50/50, t-shirts, food, Crafters, Chinese auction, children’s events and displays. Call (724) 352-5043 or visit therodfathers.com.
• Come out to the Zelienople community yard sale from 7 a.m to noon August 19 at Zelienople Community Park, 402 East Beaver St., Zelienople. Call (724)452-0231 or visit myzeliepark.org.
• The 6th Annual Connoquenessing Creek Cleanup will take place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. August 19 and September 9. Meet at Live Out Baptist Church, 1718 PA-588, Fombell. This cleanup extends through Butler, Beaver, and Lawrence Counties. Many volunteers and items are needed. All volunteers will be provided with a t-shirt, lunch,
• The 15th annual Classic Car and Motorcycle Cruise will take place from 4 to 10 p.m. August 19 at Chicora Medical Center, 160 Medical Center Rd., Chicora. There will be dash plagues to first 150 cruisers, American Pie Band, food vendors, DJ Little Mo, live chainsaw carving, door prizes, 50/50, children’s activities, cruiser goodie bags and Zambelli fireworks. Call (724) 445-2000. • Join Moraine Preservation Fund Volunteers for a watercolor workshop, from 10 a.m. to noon Auugst 16 at
Moraine State Park North Shore, Owlet Gift Shop, Portersville. All skill levels welcome at this adult painting workshop. $5 donation per person, limit 12. Reservations required by calling (724) 368-9185. • The Cranberry Township Waterpark at North Boundary Park, 450 North Boundary Park Dr., Cranberry Township, will offer free admission for veterans or active military, with ID, August 27. $5 admission for dependents. Call (724) 779-4386. • Little Italy Days will take place from 5 to 9 p.m. September 1; noon to 9 p.m. September 2 and 3; and noon to 6 p.m. September 4, on Main Street, Butler. There will be food and craft vendors, Italian-themed acts, bocce, kids zone, Miss Italy Butler pageant, Italian Idol contest, grape stomping and more. Call (412) 310-7781 or visit butleritalianfestival.com. BCSN
August 2017 • Butler County Senior News
percussion and cartridge firearms and accouterments from 18th and 19th centuries, many for sale, with emphasis on those made in the region. Call (724) 452-7341 or visit harmonymuseum.org.
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Crossword Puzzle answer on page 2
Heritage Elder Law & Estate Planning, LLC In our law practice, one of the most common questions is “Can I gift $14,000 to each of my children without a problem?” It is true that this gift would not result in any taxes, but the more important consideration is the impact of the gift on Nursing Home Medicaid.
©King Features
August 2017 • Butler County Senior News
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Jeffrey D. Banner, Owner Heritage Elder Law
While it is true that the Federal gift tax laws allow a person to give away $14,000 per year to anyone, Medicaid law does not. Medicaid has its own rules, and they do
not coordinate with tax law. The government’s left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing. If a person gives away $14,000, and becomes sick and needs Nursing Home Medicaid (Medical Assistance) within 5 years of the gift, the Medicaid rules will disqualify him for a length of time called a penalty period. The length of the penalty period depends on the amount of the gift. What this means is that if you give away your assets and then need the nursing home in the next 5 years, you may not be able to pay the nursing home. In Pennsylvania, this can even lead to adult children being sued by the nursing home under the Filial Support Law. This is risky business. If the cost of long-term care is a concern in your family, you should know that there are alternatives to outright gifting. It is possible to protect assets from long term care costs with a comprehensive estate plan. Estate planning is complicated and readers are urged to seek legal advice before taking action. To find out more, consider attending a FREE educational workshop presented by Heritage Elder Law & Estate Planning, LLC. Call (724) 841-0004 or visit our website at HeritageElderLaw.com for Workshop dates, times, locations or to RSVP.
State Capitals Name the correct state for each state capital for a chance to win $30 cash. 1. Montgomery ________________
8. Albany ________________
15. Santa Fe ________________
2. Harrisburg ________________
9. Madison ________________
16. Austin ________________
3. Lincoln ________________
10. Juneau ________________
17. Cheyenne ________________
4. Dover ________________
11. Hartford ________________
18. Phoenix ________________
5. Tallahassee ________________
12. Atlanta ________________
19. Jackson ________________
6. Pierre ________________
13. Topeka ________________
20. Sacremento ________________
7. Augusta ________________
14. Annapolis ________________
21. Honolulu ________________
To enter, mail your answers to Butler County Senior News Contest, P.O. Box 11126, Pittsburgh, PA 15237. One entry per person. Correct entries will be eligible for our drawing. One winner will be drawn. Entries must be received by the 15th of this month. Answers will be published in the next edition of Butlelr County Senior News.
Name________________________________________________ Address______________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ Phone____________________________Age________________
Congratulations to Muriel Merrill who won last month’s contest. The answers were: 1. Vanilla; 2 Rocky Road; 3. Toffee; 4. Coconut; 5. Pistachio; 6. Peanut Butter; 7. Banana; 8. Neapolitan; 9. Fudge; 10. Cherry; 11. Cookies and Cream; 12. Coffee; 13. Chocolate; 14. Strawberry; 15. Mint Chocolate Chip; 16. Rainbow Sherbet; 17. Cookie Dough; 18. Pecan; 19. Birthday Cake; 20. Caramel; 21. Cotton Candy.
awesome SENIOR LIVING?
at Chicora Medical Center
724.445.2000 724.353.1531 724.445.3000 Senior Living • Skilled Care • Memory Care • Rehab
www.QualityLifeServices.com
August 2017 • Butler County Senior News
LOOKING FOR
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With one of the broadest networks of care in the region, odds are we have the senior and health care services you’re looking for. • Home and Community Services • Hospice Services • Retirement Living • Personal Care, including Adult Day Services
• Rehabilitation Services • Outpatient Therapy • Skilled Nursing
134 Marwood Road • Cabot, PA • 16023 • 1-888-352-1571 • www.concordialm.org
Ambulance Service • Wheelchair Van Service
Care You Can Count On
• Our wheelchair van service, Butler Assist Coach, currently operates 14 vans providing transport to and from hospitals, doctor’s appointments, nursing homes, and private events (i.e. funerals, weddings, birthdays, etc.)
Serving the Community Since 1967
• Our Assist Coach is available to individuals: with or without their own wheelchairs; with stairs or other obstacles at their residence; and those needing extra assistance in and out of their wheelchairs. • BAS also provides emergency and non-emergency ambulance transports to sick and injured patients. • We operate 11 ambulances from 3 stations, serving the community 24 hours a day. • Reduced rates are available for members.
Butler Ambulance Service • 106 First Street Butler, PA 16001 • (724) 283-4385