BOOM! December 2022

All Smiles: Rejuvenating the Perioral Region

As mask mandates loosen and ZOOM calls become more commonplace, more attention is being placed on the area that lies beneath the mask—the smile. So too the Holiday Season has officially begun, meaning that more close interactions with family, friends, and loved ones will be had. That said, this month’s article will focus on how to reverse the signs of aging around the mouth using a variety of non-surgical and surgical modalities befitting any budget or aesthetic. As they say, “nothing you wear is more important than your smile.”

Lines and Wrinkles: Injectables, microneedling, chemical peels

Over time, fine lines and wrinkles manifest around the mouth due to the constant use of the underlying lip muscles as well as other factors, namely sun and weather exposure. That said, a great way to correct these troublesome perioral wrinkles includes the use of small amounts of botulinum toxin (e.g., Botox) or precisely placed dermal fillers (e.g., Juvederm) to decrease muscle activity and to fill in fines lines. Additionally, one may consider a series of in-office chemical peels, microneedling sessions, or microdermabrasion (i.e., DiamondGlow) with the goal of improving skin texture and tone. Lastly, don’t forget the importance of a daily skincare, with key anti-aging ingredients to include antioxidants (Vitamin C/E), Retinol/ tretinoin (Vitamin A), and sunscreen (SPF 30 or greater). Remember that with any skincare, daily use is key!

Lip shape/volume: Filler, Botox Lip Flip, Surgical Lip Lift

A healthy lip displays appropriate volume, height, lip pout, and well-defined borders (i.e., cupid’s bow and philtral columns).

One of the best ways to recreate this youthful lip appearance is with dermal filler, a non-surgical in-office procedure associated with minimal discomfort, virtually no downtime, modest cost (average $750 per session), moderate durability (~12 months), and a high safety profile.

A “lip flip” represents using botulinum toxin to relax the superficial muscles around the mouth and thus promote more lip pout and vertical lip height. For most patients, anywhere from 8-10 units of Botox is recommended, with results lasting 3-5 months.

For those patients interested in a more durable alternative to filler and Botox, you may consider undergoing a surgical “lip lift” wherein a small amount of skin under your nose is removed to decrease the length of your upper lip skin. This quick, in-office procedure is performed under local anesthesia (numbing injections) and represents a great way to create a more youthful but natural appearance to the upper lip, oftentimes negating the need for future lip filler. Moreover, the surgical lip lift has minimal downtime (1 week), high safety profile, and long-lasting results.

and relaxing downward-pulling muscles converts the resting appearance of the face from a frown to a more neutral and approachable look. The change is subtle but effective.

“Gummy smile”: Botulinum toxin Excessive gingival show represents a relatively common smile characteristic and affects up to 10% of the population.

For those bothered by their “gummy smile,” a small amount of Botox targeted to the upper lip retractors can help soften this aspect of the smile. Normally, only 10 units are required for maximal effect.

How can I learn more?

If you are interested in learning more about mouth/smile rejuvenation, I suggest consulting with a surgeon experienced in facial rejuvenation procedures. This will ensure that you receive a comprehensive, nonbiased assessment and treatment plan.

As a fellowship-trained Facial Plastic Surgeon, I always encourage patients to understand the treatments available to them before deciding on their plan of action, as frequently, a combined modality (surgical and non-surgical) represents the best option.

Lastly, and as always, choose a surgeon whom you trust. There is nothing more important than the relationship you have with your doctor.

In Good Health,

Downturned

corner of the mouth: Injectables

Injectables such as Botox and filler can also be used to treat a downturned corner of the mouth. In short, adding support to the outer aspects of the mouth

Dr. Blake Raggio

Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon 128 Mitylene Park Ln. Montgomery, AL 36117 334-373-3611 www.ALplasticsurgery.com Dr.Raggio@alplasticsurgery.com

Dr. Blake Raggio, Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon

Merry Christmas!

The mission of BOOM! is to serve the folks of the River Region age 50 plus with information and ideas to inspire new experiences, better quality of life and new beginnings.

Publisher/Editor

Jim Watson

334.324.3472 cell/text jim@riverregionboom.com

Contributing Writers

Jeff Barganier

Karim Shamsi-Basha

Tracy Bhalla

Greg Budell

Patricia Corrigan

Cynthia Lim

Sarah Lyons

Elizabeth Roper Marcus

Dolly McLemore

Stan Popovich

Dr. Blake Raggio

Cathy Robbins

Nick Thomas

Cover Photography

Photography by DiAnna Paulk photographybydiannapaulk.com

Advertising

Jim Watson, 334.324.3472 jim@riverregionboom.com

Thanks for picking up your copy of the December BOOM! This month we officially celebrate the reason for the Holiday Season, the birth of Jesus Christ. For that reason, we have selected a very special woman to be our December Cover Profile, her name is Dolly McLemore. Dolly is the leader of Celebrate Recovery which meets weekly at Christ Church Anglican located at 8800 Vaughn Rd in Montgomery. Celebrate Recovery is a biblically balanced approach to help bring sustainable recovery and healing to our hurts. It guides us toward new healthy truths and life-giving habits as we repair our broken relationships. Not only does Dolly help people heal from their hurts and brokenness, but she has also been called to become a Vocational Deacon in the Anglican Communion. Her story in how she was called into the Anglican ministry as a deacon is interesting and inspirational, she proves once again you’re never too old to pursue new dreams or a calling from God! Her faith is her guide and we wanted to share her story during this Holiday Season as we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. We hope you’ll enjoy getting to know Dolly as much as we have, she has much to share.

Jim Watson, Publisher jim@riverregionboom.com

We have plenty more good reads to stimulate your thinking in some way. Our friend Greg Budell shares a most dramatic story from his early days that provided inspiration for years to come. Jeff Barganier is building a house with Cindy, sort of…it will be a wonderful surprise for the grandkids and much Holiday fun for years to come! Speaking of grandchildren, we’ve got a few tips on how to strengthen that unique bond with your Grands.

One of our writers recently came out of the closet, the age closet. That’s right she’s decided to tell people how old she is and learn to embrace it for the value it represents. Sounds like good therapy to me :) Another writer suggests that if you need a healthy boost, simply go and make new friends. I think we can all attest to the stimulating experience of getting to know new people, it does make us feel good, hope you’ll try it too.

We have loaded up this issue with many stories, a variety of interesting ways to look at the problems of aging and their solutions, I think you’ll enjoy this month’s reading experience with BOOM! and I Hope you’ll share.

As you know, our advertisers are an important part of what we do each month. We consider each of them a Marketing Partner and we encourage you to consider their services when you have a need, they can help fly you somewhere for vacation, entertain you and your family, buy your gold and silver, help you remodel your house, take care of Mama, get you a new passport, enhance your beauty, dress you in the latest fashion and help you with all your holiday needs. BOOM! advertisers would appreciate the opportunity to serve you, please consider their services for your family.

Thanks for taking a few moments of your valuable time and reading the December issue, and maybe sharing with friends and family, I appreciate each of you. Merry Christmas!

Age well my friends.

Jim 334.324.3472 cell/text jim@riverregionboom.com

Fostering the Important Bond with Your Grandchildren

By Sarah Lyons

Growing up I had a close relationship with my grandparents and have wonderful memories of our time together. My grandma loved to teach me about plants, to play card games, and to cook together. My grandpa took me camping, fishing, and was always sneaking us extra dessert. Grandparents and their grandchildren have a special bond. This will look different for each family but there are some ways you can strengthen the bond between you and your grandchildren.

Spend Time Together

Time spent together will help grandparents and grandchildren to bond naturally. This will look different for each family, but some ideas could include cooking together, running errands, attending the child’s sporting events or school activities, going to the park, playing board games, going to a movie, sitting and talking, or going out to dinner. Some grandparents find that having a set time assures they have time with their grandchildren. For example, every Saturday morning you go to breakfast or every Tuesday you babysit while the parents have a date night. If you do not live in the same city, try using a phone or video call at a set time each week. The nice thing about weekly calls is that it allows for follow-up on things the next week. If you are struggling with things to talk about with your grandchild, send their parents a quick text asking them for some ideas for talking points. Maybe they had a big math test, a soccer game, or a playdate with a friend. A little extra effort on the part of both the parent and grandparent can help strengthen the bond between grandkids and grandparents, even from a long distance.

Let the Parents Handle Discipline

A common source of conflict between parents and grandparents can be discipline of children. Grandparents may have different disciplinary styles

or feel different behaviors deserve reprimanding. In most situations, parents should be responsible for any discipline needed. This allows grandparents to enjoy the fun aspects of time with the grandkids. When bringing up the subject, be kind and patient and explain that you don’t want anything to come between you and the grandkids and affect the special relationship they have. If discipline must be handled by the grandparents, try to stay as close to the parents' disciplinary style as possible or delay punishment for when the parents return.

Spoil Them a Little Grandparents love to spoil their grandkids with treats, gifts, and love. Check in with the parents and make sure they are comfortable with any treats and gifts you may give. When everyone is on the same page, your child can feel loved, spoiled, and accepted by both their parents and grandparents. My kids know that when they spend the night with my parents, they will have donuts for breakfast the next morning. They can also count on any number of sweet treats while they are visiting. When their birthday comes around, they usually get spoiled by gifts from their grandparents as well. At home, sweet treats are limited, toys are purchased on occasion, and donuts for breakfast are not the norm. While I may be cringing at the sugar induced coma that my kids will be

in when they come back home, the kids feel a closeness to their grandparents for allowing them to have a few extra treats. They feel like they share a secret, that really isn’t a secret at all, with their grandparents and it goes a long way to strengthening their bond. That, to me, is worth allowing a few extra treats from their grandparents on occasion. When presented this way, most parents and grandparents can come to a compromise everyone is happy with.

Set limits

All of these things can help build the grandparent-grandchild bond but if the parents are not comfortable with what is going on, it will end up creating anger, resentment, and possibly damaging the relationship between the grandchildren and their grandparents in the long run. Set limits that everyone understands and can live with. For example, it is okay for grandparents to break the rules and let the kids have ice cream for dinner but it is not okay for them to ride in the car without a car seat. Make sure that the child, the parent, and the grandparents know what the family’s unbreakable rules are so that everyone is on the same page.

Grandparents are important because they have life experience and love to share them with their grandchildren. They have the opportunity to share their love and time without the pressures parents face in raising children. Kids who have grandparents in their lives can count themselves lucky, foster and build this relationship as much as possible. Your grandkids will cherish the memories for their lifetime, and so will you.

Sarah Lyons is a mom of six children, including triplets. She was blessed to have four living grandparents in her life until she was in her forties and appreciates the role her parents and in-laws play in the lives of her children.

Electric Flyswatters Make Stunning Gifts

Back in 2020, a bizarre news story described a man in France who, while in pursuit of an annoying fly, apparently ignited leaking gas with a spark from an electric flyswatter and demolished part of his home in the resulting explosion.

My mother also detested the flying nuisances, especially when they inevitably circled our table just as the food arrived. While she wielded the traditional plastic flyswatter with laser-like precision, she was not opposed to emptying half a can of fly spray in the dining room killing both an elusive fly and our tastebuds under a suffocating cloud of aerosolized insecticide.

The commercial flyswatter originated in 1900 when an Illinois man patented a consumer version, while the high-tech electric swatter is generally credited to a Taiwanese inventor in the mid-1990s. As discoveries go, the printing press, electric light bulb, and wheel are often cited among humanity’s best. Perhaps. But you can’t take down a single house bug with any of them.

Despite my mother’s aversion to fancy gadgets, when electric swatters became popular in the late 90s, I bought several and presented her with one for Christmas. A simple device delivering up to 3,000 volts, a low current makes them harmless to humans although they can deliver a

surprising jolt. Shaped like a mini tennis racket, you simply push a button on the handle just before making contact with the aerial invader resulting in a loud and satisfying ‘zap!’ as it plummets earthward on its dying scorched descent.

Mom toyed with her new device a few times that Christmas, but after accidentally zapping another family member, the shock was too much – for both of them – so we encouraged her to resume her traditional insect massacring methods. Although contemporary models include a safety mesh preventing human contact with the wiring, I continue to brandish my original electronic bug slayer with delight and still consider it one of the most ingenious household inventions.

However, I rarely use mine for flies which only make sporadic appearances around mealtime. Apparently, they have no taste

for my cooking. But I have found the electric swatter quite useful on larger airborne pests such as wasps, immobilizing them to make removal quite efficient. They are also effective on cockroaches, notoriously difficult to catch as they speed skate across a surface to elude capture.

Of course, if you’re fast enough, you can always impede a roach’s progress with a regular flyswatter or other heavy weapon in hand, but they tend to ‘explode’ when whacked, discharging a mass of insect entrails that can turn even the most robust stomach. But after one touch from the nifty zapper, the stunned roaches can be easily scooped up for disposal.

While bugs may be less common in December, that hasn’t prevented me from giving more as Christmas gifts over the years. With the exception of my mother, most recipients have safely added them to their bug-fighting arsenal throughout the year.

We lost Mom some time ago, but she would have surely applauded that Frenchman’s dedication to fly eradication (while scolding his failure to recognize gas seepage). I’m convinced if there were flies in heaven when she arrived, it’s a no-fly zone now.

Nick Thomas teaches at Auburn University at Montgomery in Alabama, and has written features, columns, and interviews for many newspapers and magazines. See www.getnickt.org

Original artwork by Shannon Parish (www.shannonparish.com)

Bacon Brussels Sprouts with Hot Honey

These bacon Brussels sprouts are easy to make and tossed with an irresistible drizzle of hot honey. It’s savory, it’s smoky, it’s sweet, it’s spicy…it’s the side dish destined to steal the show at your next dinner.

Ingredients:

6 ounces uncooked bacon, sliced into 1-inch pieces

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound Brussels sprouts, halved lengthwise (with ends trimmed off)

fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

3 tablespoons hot honey, homemade or storebought

Instructions:

1. Fry the bacon. Cook the bacon in a large sauté pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until crispy. Remove pan from heat and use a slotted spoon to strain and transfer the bacon to a clean plate. Leave 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease in the pan, and discard any extra grease.

2. Sauté the Brussels sprouts. Add the olive oil to the pan and return it to medium heat. Add the Brussels, trying to place as many flat-side-down in the pan as possible. Season with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté for about 5-7 minutes, tossing the Brussels sprouts occasionally (once every minute or so) so that they can lightly brown and caramelize, until they are cooked and tender

3. Finish. Remove pan from heat. Add in the crispy bacon and drizzle the hot honey evenly over the mixture. Toss briefly to combine.

4. Season. Taste and season with additional salt, pepper or hot honey if needed.

5. Serve. Serve warm and enjoy!

Source: www.gimmesomeoven.com/bacon-brussels-sproutswith-hot-honey

Montgomery's Eric Rivera wins Alabama Chef of the Year

A statewide industry group has named Executive Chef Eric Rivera of Vintage Hospitality Group in Montgomery its Chef of the Year for 2022. Rivera is the head chef behind Montgomery concepts including downtown's new Ravello Ristorante, Cloverdale's Vintage Year, Vintage Cafe, and Red Bluff Bar on the riverfront. Ravello hosted more than 12,000 reservations in its first few months, and a new rooftop bar, Bar Attico, opened this week above the restaurant.

The award was presented this week by the Alabama Restaurant and Hospitality Association, which represents more than 1,200 members. In naming Rivera its top chef, AHRA also noted his community involvement and donations to nonprofits across the area.

"Rivera’s vision, entrepreneurial drive, and leadership capacity were essential to bringing Vintage Hospitality Group’s newest endeavor, Ravello Ristorante, to fruition despite the persistent and monumental obstacles posed by the pandemic," AHRA stated.

Last year, the association named Vintage Hospitality Group proprietor Jud Blount its Restauranteur of the Year. This year Blount was a finalist for ARHA's Humanitarian Award.

Poppy Sunday AT SAINT JOHN’S

On a bright, cold Sunday, November 13, 2022, St. John’s Episcopal Church in downtown Montgomery offered a beautiful liturgy of healing, hope and remembrance. Participants were surrounded by hundreds of hand-crafted ceramic poppies from the Julianne Hansen Fine Art and Pottery’s (Prattville) “Alabama Poppy Project.” The participants also displayed paper poppy pins, many of which came from the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 96 of Montgomery.

Known as “Remembrance Sunday” in England, St. John’s is one of the few churches in the United States that has a liturgy specifically directed to Veteran’s Day. St. John’s Rector, the Reverend Doctor Duncan Johnston, was ordained in the Church of England and spent his early career in England. St. John’s Associate Rector, the Reverend Doctor Deonna Neal, is an Air Force Academy graduate and studied at Oxford University. Both have a deep appreciation for the gravity and hope of Remembrance Sunday. Duncan Johnston stated that St. John’s Remembrance Sunday service is a “wonderful reminder of not just those who have died to make us free, but also to pray for where there is war now.”

St. John’s has always been a welcoming place for members of the military as well as their family and friends. Among the participants in Poppy Sunday were Priscilla Cromellin Ball, Priscilla Crommelin McMullen and John Tyler McMullen, the daughter, granddaughter, and great grandson of the deceased Naval Captain Quentin Crommelin. Captain Crommelin was one of the five famous Crommelin brothers all of whom served as naval aviators in World War II. Two of the brothers died in combat. Events like Poppy Sunday remind us what was, and is, at stake in the defense of the freedoms we hold dear.

Photo Credit: All photos courtesy of EMILY WISE PHOTOGRAPHY

L-R: Dr. Arthur Mazyck; Rod Frazer and Will Hill Tankersley

St. John's Labyrinth Garden

St. John’s Rector, the Reverend Doctor Duncan Johnston

L-R: St. John’s Associate Rector, Reverend Deonna Neal and St. John’s Rector, Reverend Duncan Johnston

John Tyler McMullen

Participants in Poppy Sunday were John Tyler McMullen, Priscilla Crommelin McMullen and Priscilla Cromellin Ball

The Montgomery County Archives (MCA), a division of the Montgomery County Probate Court, has begun a new project to collect funeral programs. Funeral programs represent important historical records for several reasons. First, they record the life of the person who passed away. Funeral programs document the humanity of the deceased and serve as a monument to the departed. Second, funeral programs serve as testimony that the community collectively mourned the death and celebrated the life of the person that passed away. Third, funeral programs constitute uniquely rare records. Each funeral program created stands as an individual record never to be recreated. For that reason, funeral programs are especially important to collect and preserve. Lastly, funeral programs serve as extremely helpful records to those conducting research, especially African American genealogy and family research.

If your institution has funeral programs, please consider donating them to the MCA. The MCA is a modern archive with over 7,000 square feet of secure archival storage space. The MCA not only intends to preserve the physical copies of the funeral programs it receives, it also plans to digitize the programs and make them available online. Please consider donating programs in your possession and help preserve this important part of Montgomery County history. If you have questions about the project, or the MCA, please contact Montgomery County archivist Dallas Hanbury at (334) 832-7173 or by email at dallashanbury@ mc-ala.org.

Boundless, Gallery Transformations at MMFA

On view now through February 26, 2023, BOUNDLESS demonstrates how artists and their works of art can expand our world and evoke a sense of joy—becoming a needed balm for the continued challenges we all experience.

Created specifically for the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, BOUNDLESS features six gallery transforming installations by artists from around the country. The works break free from the constraints of traditional frames and pedestals by spanning across walls into the rooms themselves, projecting into the galleries, or hanging from the ceilings. Each artist combines everyday objects and traditional materials, drawing not on paper but in the space itself. These installations playfully engage us while exploring concepts like memory, identity, consumerism, and notions of home.

Director Angie Dodson says, “We urge you to accept these artists’ invitations to explore and celebrate boundlessness, the unbridled nature of imagination. In doing so, a memory of a past experience might return to you; perhaps your sense of wonder from childhood will be stirred; you may be able to solve a long-stuck problem. Encounters with creativity and creatives can do that for us... when we let them.” To learn more visit www.mmfa.org

Boundless Gallery Transformations

Artist: Ashley V Blalock

Artist: Jamele Wright Sr

Artist: Dave Eppley

Artist: Lillian Blades

YMCA of Greater Montgomery Holds 11th Annual Golf Classic Benefitting the Historic Cleveland Avenue YMCA

In its 11th year, the YMCA of Greater Montgomery’s annual Golf Classic brought together some of central Alabama’s strongest community leaders and supporters to raise over $82,000 to benefit the Historic Cleveland Ave YMCA. Hundreds gathered at the Wynlakes Golf and Country Club on October 24th for the annual Golf Classic to strengthen the foundations of our community. Because of generous supporters who gave to the YMCA golf tournament, we can continue to serve over 500,000 meals a year to children year-round at our YMCAs and our mobile feeding unit called the Brown Bag Bus, as well as scholarship children and families in our community. These scholarships provide access to YMCA memberships, afterschool care (so that parents can continue to work), youth sports, and summer camps. In addition, scholarships provide year-round swimming lessons at the Historic

access

is prevalent. “It was another

Cleveland Ave indoor pool, preventing drownings in a community where

to water

incredibly successful tournament,” said Gary A. Cobbs, President/CEO of the YMCA of Greater Montgomery. “With you, it’s 100 percent about raising money for the great work we do in our community, and everybody had a great time in the process.”

YMCA of Greater Montgomery Board Chair General Edward Crowell and YMCA of Greater Montgomery President and CEO Gary Cobbs

Fantasy In Lights @ Callaway Gardens

Celebrate 30 years of family tradition with a new spectacular scene on the lake, 10 million twinkling lights and 2,500 acres of Christmas cheer! A beloved Christmas tradition shines even brighter! This season, experience the NEW Celebration Lake, a floating spectacular featuring 30 dancing trees honoring 30 years of Fantasy In Lights! Surround your family with Christmas cheer when you walk, drive and celebrate the bigger and brighter Fantasy In Lights, one of National Geographic’s Top 10 Light Displays in the World! This holiday season, we invite you to one of the best family activities near Atlanta. Step out of your car and into the All-New Callaway Christmas Village! Wander through an immersive Winter Wonderland where you’ll explore a forest of twinkling lights and larger-than-life Christmas scenes featuring towering nutcrackers and gigantic snowflakes! Next, stroll through a forest of perfectly decorated trees on Christmas Tree Lane and stop for seasonal snacks and character meet-and-greets at the Christmas Market! The fun continues with our classic drive-through experience, now featuring an enchanting Tunnel of Lights! Journey through the beloved seven-mile Fantasy In Lights Enchanted Forest, where festive music fills the air and the mesmerizing Magical Field of Lights returns to delight your family for another year. Make the most out of your magical night of lights with an overnight stay in a cozy Cottage, Villa or The Lodge & Spa. Capture the spirit of the season with a visit to Fantasy in Lights at Callaway Resort & Gardens today. Learn more at www.callawaygardens.com

By

Sister Schubert’s Dinner Rolls A Southern Baking Tradition

All it took was a worn-out and wooden kitchen stool.

When Patricia “Sister” Schubert was a child, she climbed onto a rickety stool and helped her grandmother, whom she called Grammy, make bread rolls. She learned from an early age that food not only fills your hungry stomach but has the power to bring families together. Since 1989, folks from all walks of life have come together over Sister Schubert’s rolls, a staple at many Southern dining tables.

Sister—she got that nickname because in childhood, her older sister had trouble pronouncing her name—sat in a comfortable chair at her beautiful antebellum home in Andalusia, Alabama, to tell the story of her famous rolls. A charming woman with a gentle demeanor and endearing eyes, she carries herself with the poise of someone who’s not in a hurry, another Southern attribute she embodies. Her smile is genuine, and her humility is magnetic.

“I grew up baking and cooking and loved every bit of it. Later, I studied interior decorating and worked with my father, but my love for cooking never waned,” Sister said. “In the spring of 1989, my church in Troy held a food fair, and I made Grammy’s rolls. The next year, we made many more and froze them after baking. When they thawed, they tasted like they were just made. That was when Sister Schubert Rolls were born.”

Sister sold her rolls at church. Then, she

converted half of her father’s warehouse into a bakery, outfitted with machines. A year later, the bakery was making 1.5 million rolls a day. After another expansion, it was producing 5 million rolls a day.

Early in her baking journey, she met George Barnes, a food broker who sells suppliers’ products to grocery stores. They fell in love and got married in 1996.

After years of success, in 2001, they sold the Sister Schubert’s brand to Ohio-based food company Lancaster Colony but stayed on to run the business. Currently, Sister Schubert’s produces 9 million rolls per day. Sister is the

founder and vice president of research, as well as the brand spokesperson for her famous rolls.

“I adore traveling, visiting grocery stores, and meeting my customers. I hear wonderful stories from people about the first roll they had and how much they loved it. They tell me how their families come together around my rolls. Some people get tears in their eyes telling me how my rolls bring them family memories,” Sister said, her voice shaking. “It feels gratifying, and it brings me so much happiness to know my products make people happy. That’s the deeper purpose for my rolls.”

Sister reflected on that last sentence with a nostalgic gaze. Her rolls may be delicious and easy to prepare, but they carry a more significant meaning, a purpose.

“I had no idea that my rolls would become what they are today. I was just making rolls. Now I see beyond the product. I see people come together and create stories and lasting memories.”

Sister and George never forgot their humble beginnings. They established one of their three bakeries in Luverne—

(Karim Shamsi-Basha for American Essence)

(Karim Shamsi-Basha for American Essence)

up the road from where they live in Andalusia. The town has struggled after the loss of textile work. At one point, Sister and George Barnes were the largest employers in the area.

At her immaculately clean bakery in Luverne, Sister hugged workers and chatted with them. She grabbed a dough sample out of the assembly line to examine its elasticity. “These feel great, Tabatha. Good job, my friend,” Sister said.

With their success, Sister Schubert and George Barnes started the Barnes Family Foundation. After seeing many young orphaned children in need of adoption, especially in Ukraine, the Barneses established a scholarship via the foundation to help college students study abroad and broaden their knowledge of the world. The Barneses are also involved at their church to help the poor and the elderly. Together, they have given millions of dollars to nonprofits and other causes.

Sister’s work with orphanages in Ukraine led her to adopt a child from that country. “I was visiting an orphanage when my eyes locked into the eyes of this little boy. I knew right there that I was going to adopt him.” Little Alexander had clubbed feet, and Sister was warned not to expect much of a life for him due to his disability. Now, he is active in different sports and makes the entire family happy, including Sister’s four biological children.

With the mischievous smile of a child, Sister spoke of her future goals in life. “I will continue baking bread. I will be kind, and I will try to help others. Ultimately, I will live every day like it’s my last.”

Now, Sister uses a wooden stool to teach her grandkids how to bake. It’s wooden, but not as rickety as the one she climbed onto in her Grammy’s kitchen.

The legend and legacy continue.

This article first appeared in American Essence Source: www.theepochtimes.com

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LIVING MEMORIES

okra, what a great surprise. How amazing it was to me, just like having the grocery in your backyard!

When I used to think of gardens and plants many different thoughts came to mind. Often, I enjoyed the visual beauty of a lovely landscape at someone's home and how it enhanced the surroundings to make the outdoor space something special.

Color and variety were always so pleasing to the eye and could be enjoyed every day just driving in the city or in my own neighborhood. Growing up, our neighbors had a beautiful backyard garden that attracted many visitors in the spring and summer. To my childish eyes I imagined it was like the Garden of Eden. It was so calm and beautiful that it seemed to hold a wonderful peace. I imagined heaven must be like this, so green and cool and perfect.

As J grew older J came to enjoy the wonders of another type of a garden. One full of color also but with the bonus of fruits, berries and vegetables. Who knew how gorgeous the blossoms were on a squash or

Now when I think of gardens, the very best memories are the ones I have of my mother and her garden. It was not flashy or spectacular as some others, but definitely full of happiness. I often remember her so peacefully puttering around and tending the plants. If you were close enough, you could hear her humming a favorite hymn and you could just tell it was a favorite time of day.

My Mother is gone now and there are many memories

I will always have. Her great delight in her grandchildren, the wonderful aromas of her kitchen, the faithfulness she showed to her friends and family. Examples she taught by the way she lived and so much more. She also left us living memories in her garden.

I have the garden of her last home

and all I have to do is walk out the door and I can feel her around me by the sweet fragrances of the daffodils she planted. Soon I'll enjoy the iris and daylilies that will begin to bud. Now it is my turn to tend the plants and sometimes as I'm weeding, I find myself humming a hymn.

Her garden is a gift that continues to give. The plants are thriving and multiplying and now I share them with siblings for their gardens. I'm sure they will think of her with every

season and be thankful for the gift of a living memory.

Cathy Robbins, a Master Gardener in the Capital City Master Gardener Association since 2014, lives in Montgomery. For more information on becoming a master gardener, visit our web site, www. capcitymqa.org or email capcitymga@gmail.com

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Planning for the New Year & Resolutions!

Thanksgiving is over, and December is rushing past, with days filled with shopping and wrapping gifts, cooking and baking, and travelling to share the holidays with family and friends. Suddenly, a new year will be upon us, and we will be facing the annual ritual of making those pesky New Year’s Resolutions. Most people think of these resolutions in three categories: learning new things by keeping our minds active, getting some exercise to make our bodies healthier, and maybe even learning a new skill to develop a new hobby. Membership in AUM OLLI is a convenient – and fun – way to fulfill resolutions in all three of these categories. The 2023 Winter Term Schedule has study/ discussion classes, active classes, and hands-on classes for learning new skills.

The study courses provide a variety of subjects to appeal to many different interests: UFOs, Alabama traditions (including Sacred Harp Singing and Alabama pottery), America as a land

of hope, the lessons of WWII, the art exhibitions at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, and book discussion groups. The Brain Bowl also provides a way for the members of the class to test their knowledge.

Getting healthier is an aim of the active classes. Once a week, members can put on work-out clothes to take a hike or line dance for an hour and a half or learn moves in Tai Chi for Pain Management.

The hands-on classes also appeal to differing interests. Back on the AUM OLLI schedule for Winter Term are painting with watercolors and zentangle. Making jewelry with beads is a popular course for several OLLI members. All of these courses in artistic skills can give participants the incentive to take up new hobbies.

In addition to the courses, there are Bonus Opportunities and Field Trips available to OLLI members. During the

Winter Term, Field Trips include a tour of the AUM Wellness Center (AUM OLLI members are eligible for a discount on membership), an evening of women’s and men’s basketball games plus supper (January 14, 2023, before the Winter Term begins officially), and a wine and food tasting at Peppertree Steaks and Wines.

AU OLLI Shares is also making some courses available to AUM OLLI members via ZOOM. The schedule and detailed descriptions of these courses in addition to details about the AUM OLLI schedule are in the online catalog found at www.aum.edu/olli. Registration opened December 1, 2022.

Take action to make your New Year’s Resolutions and keep them by becoming a member of AUM OLLI. Make that your first resolution!

Homes Should Say Merry Christmas

Sometimes, the best stories are not far from home. Last Christmas, Cindy was watching a show on the Magnolia Network about a family that had renovated a school house for their home. The mother of that family made a replica of it out of card board boxes and decorated it for Christmas as if it were a ginger bread house, albeit, one that could be displayed for years to come. Cindy thought this was such an attractive idea that she had to try making her own. She pondered the thought for most of the year. But this fall, she took out a photo of the house she wanted to create and set about finding the right materials, including boxes of just the right proportions.

The parts she knew she couldn’t make with any degree of authenticity— shutters, columns, Santa, reindeer—she purchased from Hobby Lobby and other stores that sell items that go in dollhouses. The tiny shutters she found were the only ones available. So, they drove the proportion and scale of the whole project. Other materials included project board for the roof, paper,

cardboard, and spray foam insulation which doubled as “snow” and adhesive. While she started out using Gorilla Glue, she soon discovered that spray foam and hot glue dispensed from a glue gun were superior for quickly “cementing” the home together. The Gorilla Glue, on the other hand, took forever to dry while she waited and strained to hold pieces in place.

The house she decided to create is actually our daughter’s beautiful home. Cindy plans to present the prototype to her family as a Christmas surprise right about the time this feature goes to press. The replication of this old Southern home is reminiscent of its history. It was once disassembled at its original location in Savannah, Georgia then transported to and reassembled at its present site in North Georgia.

Cindy thought that creating the model would be a fabulous way to surprise the grandchildren with something they would be able to enjoy and cherish for many years to come. Cindy says her own mother, Betty Etheredge, “always worked so hard every year to make Christmas really, really special. She went overboard creating fun moments for me. In turn, I’ve enjoyed doing the same for my family; and, especially, having grandchildren makes it all the more fun.”

Cindy placed wax paper over the inside of the windows to create the illusion of “old wavy glass” one would find in a historic home of its period. To light up the interior she cut holes in the back of the model and placed battery-operated

Finished!

Delivery Day

The Actual Home

candles inside to make the home look warm and occupied. For hint of a decorated Christmas tree inside the home, she used tiny multi-colored lights; and a flickering candle to imitate a cozy fire in the fireplace. She avoided expensive realistic columns used in miniature models; and, instead, used simple dowels purchased at Hobby Lobby. But she did order small decorative porch railings for use in between the columns. When she realized that the windows were too short and the columns to tall, she found another box to serve as a porch, giving the home its true-to-form conventional foundation. She cut holes in the porch box and recessed the columns into hot glue, making them stable rather than wobbly.

Cindy says the hardest part of the project was creating the roof and dormer windows. For a roof, she scored and bent project board but had to figure the proper angles for rafters to hold it up. Thus, the house looks like it’s being supported by the columns but really isn’t. “It has real rafters like a real house.” She admits

it was all “tedious trial and error.” She calculated the angles and lengths of the dormers until satisfied with them, then struggled to properly glue them in place. The boxes are spray-painted white because the house was white. However, she cautions, because cardboard is extremely difficult to cover, one must first spray them with Kilz Primer to avoid splotches bleeding through. “In the end, it all worked out great,” she says, claiming the project took two weeks to complete.

We placed the little Christmas house in the front window of Cindy’s design shop and the reaction of neighborhood children was priceless. “As I was sitting in my chair, and people didn’t realize

I was here, I got to see parents and children happily discover the model.

The kids bradded their little faces against the window, just loving it, as parents pointed out Santa’s stocking cap disappearing down the chimney. Then I brought my mother over to see it. She froze! Her hands flew to her face. Over and over, she said, ‘oh, oh, oh,’ and then burst into tears. So, I pray I’ll get the same response from the grands. I’m hoping they’ll place it in the great room by the fireplace for all to enjoy over the holidays.”

The model is decorated with garlands, red ribbons and pine cones, reflecting the home’s original decorations for the family’s first Christmas in it. “I placed Santa and reindeer on the roof because my parents put them on our roof when I was a little girl,” Cindy explains.

We hope this feature will say Merry Christmas to all you cherished moms who made your homes special down through the years during this blessed season. After all, you knew that a home should say Merry Christmas!

Getting Started

Jeff S. Barganier is a novelist, travel writer and manager of Cindy Barganier Interiors LLC (www.cindybarganier.com). He travels far and wide upon the slightest excuse for something interesting to write about. Contact: Jeffbarganier@knology.net. Instagram: @jeffbarganier. You may print out Jeff’s features at www.jeffbarganier.com and take them with you when you travel!

Rafters

Forming the Roof

Santa's Hat Almost There

Front Door

This & tHAT i

Grandkid & Family friendly, Food & Drink, Games, Shopping, Animals, Holiday Events, Senior Citizens, Suitable for All Ages, and Free to attend! Whether you’re a young child or simply a child at heart – there will be activities for everyone at this great night out in historic downtown Opelika on Friday, December 9., 6-9 pm. Festivities include: Children's train, Pony rides, Large and small animal petting zoo, Wagon rides, Trolley rides, Photo booth, Hot chocolate, Face painting, Gingerbread house contest, Make your own Reindeer Food, Make a Life Bead Bracelet, Story book reading by the Opelika Theatre Company, Fire truck, Late night shopping and dining. Be transported back in time and take a wagon ride through the Victorian Front Porch Christmas Tour. Leave straight from Christmas in a Railroad Town and be delivered back once you’re done. Enclosed trolley rides also available at the Museum of East Alabama.

Christmas in a Railroad Town

Cloverdale Playhouse Presents dot

The holidays are always a wild family affair at the Shealy house. But this year, Dotty and her three grown children gather with more than exchanging presents on their minds. As Dotty struggles to hold on to her memory, her children must fight to balance care for their mother and care for themselves. This twisted and hilarious new play grapples unflinchingly with aging parents, midlife crises, and the heart of a West Philly neighborhood. For tickets or information about upcoming auditions and classes, call (334) 262-1530 OR email info@cloverdaleplayhouse.org. Visit www.cloverdaleplayhouse.org

Caregiver of the Month Spotlight: Checoboa Thomas

Checoboa has been with Home Care Assistance since 2021. She is reliable, dedicated, empathetic, and compassionate. Whenever we have a need for a caregiver, she is always there to answer the call. One of her best qualities is that of being detail oriented and determined to make a difference in her client’s life. “Like an angel, you’re the hands of kindness and care. You offer support and compassion in difficult times. You are steady and encouraging, and your comfort will never be forgotten.”-Teri Harrison We appreciate your hard work and dedication, thank you for a Job Well Done!! For more information visit www.homecareassistancemontgomery.com

BOOMERS,

This & tHAT i

Help a Hurting Family this Holiday Season

The holiday season is upon us, and for the thousands of people in the River Region who struggle to make ends meet every day, this is a time of fear and anxiety rather than CHEER. For more than 40 years, HandsOn River Region has partnered with individuals, agencies and businesses to assist disadvantaged families through the Christmas Clearinghouse. HandsOn encourages clubs, organizations, individuals, churches and businesses to "adopt" families who have registered for help. "Adoption" means providing gifts and much-needed items for members of the family. Another important way the community can help is by donating directly to Christmas Clearinghouse to provide gifts for families who have not been "adopted" so that they too can experience the JOY of the season. Click www.handsonriverregion. org/cch to learn more about the Clearinghouse and how you can provide HOPE to a hurting family this season.

Take the Grands to Visit Santa @EastChase

Ho! Ho! Ho! Santa is home for the holidays! Santa returns to The Shoppes at EastChase this season through December 24! Santa’s Whimsical Wonderland is located near the fountain and appointments are encouraged, although walk up appointments are welcome! Appointments can be made online in advance by scanning the QR code below. All appointments require a $25 reservation fee that can be used towards your photo package. Families that require special assistance or accommodations can email Lisa Smith with Studio Panache at hello@ studiopanache.net. December 1 - December 20 Friday: 11 am – 7 pm, Saturdays: 11 am -7 pm, Sundays: 1 – 6 PM. *Open daily the week leading up to Christmas Eve. December 19 – December 24, 11 am – 7 pm daily, Christmas Eve 11 am to 4 pm. Book your appointment with QR code.

'Tis the season to show you care! Please join us Friday, December 9th from 5am to 7pm at Renfroe's Market on Eastchase Parkway for WSFA-TV 12's Day of Giving. We'll be collecting food, money and toys to benefit Christmas Clearinghouse, Montgomery Area Food Bank and Montgomery Toys for Tots. Drive up to Renfroe's Market, and one of our volunteers will safely assist you. Help us share the spirit of the season December 9th for 12's Day of Giving!

Joyce Caddell Holiday Pops Concert

UPCOMING SENIOR TRIP: Christmas in Nashville

Come join us as we head to the winter wonderland of Nashville! Parks and Recreation Department is planning a senior trip on December 14-16, 2022, to the Gaylord Opryland Resort, an Oak Ridge Boys Dinner Show, admission to "ICE" (a walkthrough ice sculpture display), admission to Cheekwood, a Nashville City Tour, flat bottom boat ride, transportation, and more! For more information, please call the Gillespie Senior Center at 334-5950840. Cost: $600 per person for the traditional view, $700 per person for an Atrium view. (Price based on double occupancy.)

Join the Montgomery Symphony Orchestra for an evening of holiday music on Friday, December 16th, at the Montgomery Performing Arts Center at 7:30 pm. Bring the whole family out for this revered holiday tradition and kick off your holiday season in fun, festive, and family-friendly fashion! For tickets, please call the MPAC box office at 334-481-5100 or visit www.mpaconline.org. More Information on Website: www.montgomerysymphony.org

Grief Recovery Support Group

A Grief Recovery Support Group -- Your Journey from Mourning to Joy -- will meet every Tuesday from 5:30-7:30 PM. All meetings will be in room 3105. Video based curriculum followed by discussion concerning the stages of grief, the storms that come with it, and ways of dealing with loss. This is a free group. Sorry, childcare is not available during this time. www.frazer.church

Capital City Master Gardeners Association Lunch & Learn @ Montgomery Cultural Arts Center

Capital City Master Gardener Association presents Lunch & Learn, the 1st Wednesday of Every Month from 12-1 pm. They will meet at Montgomery Cultural Arts Center (Armory Learning Arts Building), 1018 Madison Ave., Montgomery 36104. Mark your calendars, December 7, “Holiday Decorating in the South” Anne Carr and Linda Cater, Master Gardeners, will present a program on “Holiday Decorating in the South”. Watch as these ladies take ordinary items from the back yard and create lovely seasonal decorations for inside and outside your home. Come early for a good seat. January 4, “Introduction to the Montgomery Botanical Gardens ” Cathy Maddox, Capital City Master Gardener, come early for a good seat. BRING A SACK LUNCH, FREE PROGRAM, WATER PROVIDED, For information, please contact the Montgomery County Extension Office 334.270.4133. Also visit www.capcitymga.org

American Village Annual Colonial Christmas Lunch & Tour

December 5-6-7-8-9, 10:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. or noon to 2:30 p.m. Pre-reservations are required. Call (205) 665-3535 extension 1031 to make a reservation. Tickets are $40 per person.

Visitors gather in the Colonial Chapel, where they see a light-hearted performance that tells the tale of what was happening in the lives of George and Martha Washington leading up to the time that they met one another.

It is May 1758, and Martha has very recently become engaged to Colonel George Washington. Eager to get wedding preparations underway, she and her sister, Anna Maria visit a milliner in Williamsburg named Jane Hunter. Martha decides what her wedding dress will look like, and has her measurements taken, while the ladies discuss how George and Martha met, and express their happiness for the future. It is July 1758, and George Washington is back in command of his Virginia Regiment at Ft. Cumberland. He has a military campaign to undertake before his wedding to Martha can take place. He expresses his frustrations with the military to his good friend and fellow officer, Robert Stewart, and is soon joined by James Craik who bears good news. The three men discuss George’s engagement, how he and Martha met, as well as his hopes and ideas for the future.

It is the end of December 1758, and wedding preparations are underway. Martha’s dear friend, Elizabeth Chamberlayne, has been charged with several wedding tasks, and she is soon joined by George’s sister, Betty Lewis, who has come to “help.” This humorous scene depicts a bit of a power struggle between the two ladies, but also enlightens visitors as to the nature of the 12 Days of Christmas. Visitors will have the opportunity to eat, drink, and be merry at lunch time as they are greeted by the newly married George and Martha Washington, who will be accompanied by family and friends. The celebrations will begin as the characters dance for the audience, richly dressed in formal attire. American Village staff have studied historical accounts of the wedding clothes worn by George and Martha, and have re-created custom interpretations of these garments specifically for this event.

Inspire your grandchildren...or maybe yourself! Curtain up! Ignite your imagination and explore the fundamentals of acting through theatre games, creative movement, improvisation and performing. ASF Acting Academy classes help strengthen your skills in voice, movement, group collaboration and communication. Meet new friends and gain self-confidence. Classes are open to all levels of experience. Don’t just watch theatre –experience it! These six-week classes begin Feb. 13. Tuition is $200. Register before January 6, to save $25. Acting Academy makes a wonderful gift! Make someone’s holiday with an ASF Gift Certificate. Visit www.asf.net

ASF 2023 Spring Acting Academy for Youth and Adults

Christmas Lights Festival, Dec 2-25, 5:30pm-9pm nightly. See the Montgomery Zoo transformed into a Winter Wonderland displaying thousands of sparkling and twinkling lights and festive decorations at Christmas Lights Festival. Take a leisurely stroll or enjoy a brisk train ride. Visit Santa and the Christmas Tree Village at the Mann Museum, enjoy the live entertainment at the Overlook Cafe, and no winter's night would be complete without some warming hot chocolate and fresh baked cookies from the Overlook Cafe. Make plans to swing by the Zoo and Museum Gift Shops for last minute gift purchases, souvenirs, and to participate in the Zoo Animal Angel Tree, helping conservation efforts at the Zoo and around the world. Happy Holidays everyone!

Event details: December 2 - 25, 5:30pm - 9pm nightly, day/night combo admission available. Lights Festival opens at 6pm. Admission: $10 for everyone 3 years old and older. Montgomery Zoo members: FREE.

A Main Street Christmas, Downtown Prattville

This is the perfect play to get you and your family into the Christmas spirit! In this whimsical take on A Christmas Carol, you will find elements that you would find in a Dr. Seuss story such as the rhyming of words and play on words, all delivered by the wonderful Dr. Seuss-style characters in traditional Christmas songs and dances! The run time for this production will be 90 minutes total, in 45-minute intervals before and after the intermission. Be sure to purchase your tickets soon, as the shows are filling up fast!

You can buy tickets at www. cc.prattvilleal.gov, or call the Cultural Arts office at 334.595.0850

The City of Prattville joins the Prattville Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Merchants for the annual "A Main Street Christmas!" Join us Tuesday, December 13th, in Historic Downtown to shop local small businesses for Christmas gifts, visit with Santa, go on a carriage ride, and more. Tuesday, December 13, 5 - 7:30 pm

ASF-SEASON 51 PRODUCTIONS & TICKETS @ www.asf.net

It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play: Dec. 1 – 31, 2022

This beloved American holiday classic comes to captivating life as a live 1940s radio broadcast. With the help of an ensemble that brings a few dozen characters to the stage, the story of idealistic George Bailey unfolds as he considers the impact of his life one fateful Christmas Eve.

Jubilee: Jan. 5 – 29, 2023 “A known showman” with a “gift for stirring theatricality,” playwright and director Tazewell Thompson brings an innovative and heart-stirring score to life with this inspirational a cappella tribute inspired by real life. The world-renowned Fisk Jubilee Singers shattered racial barriers in the U.S. and abroad, entertaining kings and queens.

The Tempest: Feb. 23 – March 19, 2023 Shakespeare’s final play is a story of adventure, magic, music, and forgiveness. Prospero has been exiled on an island with his daughter for more than a decade when he conjures a storm that crashes his enemies on the island in a violent shipwreck. Greta Lambert stars as Prospero.

Million Dollar Quartet: April 13 – May 7, 2023 On December 4, 1956, a twist of fate brought together Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Elvis Presley at Sun Records in Memphis, TN. Million Dollar Quartet is a celebration of the contagious spirit, freewheeling excitement, and thrilling sounds of the once-in-a-lifetime event where four of music’s best talents came together. This is a rocking night of classic music!

Clyde’s: May 11 – May 21, 2023 Creating the perfect sandwich is the shared quest of the formerly incarcerated kitchen staff of Clyde’s, a truck stop cafe. Even as the shop’s mischievous owner tries to keep them under her thumb, the staffers are given purpose and permission to dream — finding that “sometimes a hero is more than a sandwich.”

Cabaret: July 6 – Aug. 6, 2023 One of the most famous American musicals of all time — from the creators of Chicago — Cabaret takes us to 1929 Berlin during the twilight of the Jazz Age as the Nazis are ascending to power. This groundbreaking musical focuses on the nightlife at the seedy Kit Kat Klub and revolves around American writer Clifford Bradshaw and the English cabaret performer Sally Bowles.

HAMILTON is the story of America then, told by America now. Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B and Broadway, HAMILTON has taken the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton and created a revolutionary moment in theatre—a musical that has had a profound impact on culture, politics, and education. With book, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, direction by Thomas Kail, choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler, and musical supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire, HAMILTON is based on Ron Chernow’s acclaimed biography. It has won Tony®, Grammy®, and Olivier Awards, the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and an unprecedented special citation from the Kennedy Center Honors. For tickets visit www.bjcc.org

Subscriptions

Hamilton at BJCC Concert Hall, January 24 - February 4, 2023

By Patricia Corrigan

Looking for a Healthy Boost? Make New Friends

How ‘solo agers’ and others can expand their social circles

Your longtime pals know all your best stories, what you'll order when you eat together at the place you always go and how you feel about your relatives, current events and exercise classes on Zoom. Make new friends, and whole new worlds open — and that's good for you.

"We've all just gone through an unwanted national experiment on social isolation, and there's no better time than the present for increasing your social circle," said Dr. Eric Lenze, a geriatric psychiatrist and psychiatry professor at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

His research, funded by the National Institutes of Health, explores the effects of stress and social isolation on older adults and the benefits of social activities for increasing resilience.

"Older adults who report a higher level of social support have better emotional health, physical health and brain health, plus they have better cognitive functioning over time," Lenze said. "Initially, many older adults proved quite resilient at sheltering in place. But as it went along, it started to take a toll on mental and physical health."

That may be especially true for "solo agers." Some 27% of adults 60 and older in the U.S. live alone, and it's particularly important for these individuals to stay connected.

To ramp up social interactions, Lenze recommends all older adults get vaccinated against COVID-19 right away and then follow these steps: • Write down any social networks you gave up during the pandemic and start reconnecting.

• Consider what you do online, including scheduling grocery deliveries, and go back to doing some of the activities in person.

• Think about all things you wished you could have done during the pandemic and start filling your schedule.

That last recommendation is known in psychology as "pleasant-events scheduling," and Lenze said it is one of the most effective treatments for depression.

"Fill up your calendar, even with things you never did before," he said. "There's nothing about aging that suggests you can't try new things."

More 'Intentionality' Is Required

Increasing your social interactions requires a deliberative effort, and Margit

Novack, of Philadelphia, and the author of "Squint: Revisioning the Second Half of Life," understands that.

In response to our question on the Next Avenue Community Facebook page, she wrote, "Developing friends as an older woman requires more intentionality. When I was raising kids or at work, friendships developed naturally. Now, if I want deeper relationships than acquaintances, I need to create space/ opportunity for that to happen."

Conventional wisdom suggests that we'll find new friends by joining a book club or knitting group — or starting one. Others choose to volunteer at a food bank, work on a political campaign or sign up for docent training at a museum or zoo.

"You get a two-fer if you join an exercise or yoga class or a meditation group because you get the physical and mental benefits of the activity plus the socialization," Lenze said. "Going to a dance class is a three-fer, because that's also cognitively stimulating."

When you move to a new city or town, opportunities immediately arise for making new friends. When Ginny Burch Reed moved from New Hampshire to Vermont, she found lots of opportunities to volunteer for local organizations. "For a person who isn't particularly 'social,'" she said, "I seem to be involved in quite a few activities and have met a lot of terrific folks."

Jana L Hill relocated from Washington, D.C. to Belize, where she quickly found like-minded people. Every Saturday, Hill and a half dozen other individuals walk the pups living in animal shelters.

The Value of Younger Friends

Charlotte Japp, a 2020 Next Avenue Influencer in Aging, makes a case for welcoming younger people into your inner circle. Japp is the founder of

CIRKEL, a platform that connects workers ages 20 through 70+.

"More and more, we are siloed by age, and there are career and social consequences to that," Japp said. "We all go through very nuanced abstract experiences and it's good to talk to someone who has a different perspective. Life is so enriched by diversity, in every sense."

Kim Coryat, 65, agrees. "Several of my best friends are younger than my daughter, and socializing with them keeps me up on pop culture, current fashion and music," she said.

One of her best friends is 30 years her junior, and Coryat, who lives in Conway, Ark., takes vacations with a 75-year-old friend and the woman's 55-year-old daughter. Coryat retired early in 2020 from her job as an archivist at the William J. Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock, Ark.

"I trained for that job with people thirty years younger than I was, and I didn't feel generational barriers," Coryat said. "Maybe that's because I went to college late, too. I didn't start until I was forty, after I retired from the military."

Coryat noted that she easily blended in with a younger crowd then because she didn't look her age. "Also, I was open to learning new things, going out to clubs and singing karaoke," she said. "I even joined a boot camp exercise program, where I learned as a woman of a certain age that jumping up and down was not my strong suit."

Find 'New Horizons' Hart Edmonds, a Presbyterian pastor who lives in Hillsborough, N.C., also responded to our query on the Next Avenue Community Facebook page. "I give thanks for several younger adults as friends as I enter retirement," he

wrote. "As a minister, I've been privileged to work with and learn from younger people who I find yearning for mentors and friendship with older adults. Too often our culture segments people by age and stage of life."

Anne Crowley also appreciates her younger friends, "for the energy they have and for reminding me it's important to have hope and keep working to make this world a better place."

Crowley, based in Washington, D.C., added that she has expanded her circle by starting a group for women "in or approaching midlife who want to make these years the best of their lives" and "by seeing a lot of live music and being friendly to people I meet at shows."

Steve Trickler of Scottsbluff, Neb., is in his 60s, and he's noticed many people his age are starting to slow down. "Maintaining ties with my younger friends allows me to stay more active," he wrote. "Plus, they are more adventuresome, more willing to try new things, go places. They are more in tune with literature and music — all of which excites me and keeps me enthused. Staying young at heart is about challenging yourself and finding new horizons to excite you and energize you."

Making new friends may help you do just that.

Patricia Corrigan is a professional journalist, with decades of experience as a reporter and columnist at a metropolitan daily newspaper, and a book author. She now enjoys a lively freelance career, writing for numerous print and on-line publications. Read more from Patricia at latetothehaight. blogspot.com

Source: www.nextavenue.org

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BOOM! starts conversations and shares stories. Share your business with BOOM! readers. For more information call/text 334.324.3472 or visit www.riverregionboom.com

Dolly McLemore...Called

This month’s cover profile is Dolly McLemore and she leads a program at her church called Celebrate Recovery, which is a biblically balanced approach to help bring sustainable recovery and healing to our hurts. It guides us toward new healthy truths and life-giving habits as we repair our broken relationships. Not only does Dolly help people heal from their hurts and brokenness, she has been called to become a Vocational Deacon in the Anglican Communion. Her story in how she was called into the Anglican ministry as a deacon is interesting and inspirational, she proves once again you’re never too old to pursue new dreams or a calling from God! Her faith is her guide and we wanted to share her story during this holiday season as we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. We hope you’ll enjoy getting to know Dolly as much as we have, she has much to share.

BOOM!: Please give us a brief biography, i.e., where you’re from, education, what brought you to the Montgomery area, did you raise your family here, schools, married, family, etc.?

Dolly: I am the only child of Jake and Ruth Widner. My father was in the Air Force for 30 years. We lived in San Francisco, England, New Mexico, France, and Germany before my parents retired in Montgomery in 1970. My father’s parents, XM, and Carrie Vivian Widner had moved to Montgomery from

Oklahoma, so my parents decided to make Montgomery their final home. I attended Sidney Lanier my Junior and Senior years of high school. I attended the University of South Alabama in Mobile, married Jack McLemore (from Montgomery) and taught 9th grade Social Studies at McGill-Toolen High School. Several years later we welcomed Andrea Catherine and Andrew Jackson. We moved to Jackson, Mississippi to help plant a church and start a jewelry

business. Our third child, Carrie Alice was born in Jackson, and we lived there for 20 years before a three-year stint in New York City.

Carrie had an opportunity to pursue her love of acting so we helped her follow her dreams. Her most notable role was as a lead in Whit Stillman’s sweet movie, Damsels in Distress. Carrie is married to Streeter Wiatt, and they have four children, son Jackson married Nicole Persky and they have 3 girls, Andrea married Darryl McCaul. Jack and I have

Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” Hebrews 12:1-2

Photo Credit: J. McLemore Photography

Dolly Welcomes Everyone to Christ Church Anglican

Dolly and Jack, 40th Wedding Anniversary Party

Dolly and Jack Sharing a Big Family Hug

been so very blessed to have such a wonderful and growing family. We are deeply proud of who our children have become.

BOOM!: You have a master’s degree in Counseling and have dedicated your life to helping adults and children with character and treatment issues. Please share with our readers the how and why you decided to pursue a career in counseling? What have been some of the biggest challenges in your field of work? How would you describe the reward in helping people with these types of issues?

Dolly: As a teacher, I found myself often in the role of counselor. I also became very interested in what the Mississippi schools were teaching our children about sex-education. I was invited to become a member of the Mississippi Department of Education’s Healthy Kid’s Means a Healthy Mississippi Task Force. The Task Force was instructed to review appropriate sex-education curricula and write a curriculum grades K5 – 12 for adoption in Mississippi. I was elected the Chair of the Curriculum Committee. The result was a balanced, science-based curriculum that promoted abstinence as the healthiest and most reliable method of birth-control while acknowledging the truth about the benefits and risks of other birth-control methods. My involvement on this Task Force opened the door for me to become the director of Family Counseling and Resource which was developed to offer abstinence/ character education in several inner-city middle schools and high schools.

I wrote for and received a federal grant award to teach a program called Teen Aid. For the next three years, my staff

worked within health classes to educate students and encourage them to take control of their reproductive destiny. Included in this program were lessons on substance abuse, dating, healthy relationships with

peers and parents, setting and achieving goals, and other character related issues.

One of the benefits of the federal grant I received to teach abstinence/character education was an earmark for continuing education. I enrolled in Mississippi College, received a scholarship,

and earned a master’s degree in Counseling/ Psychology. I eventually took a position as the first Director of the Rankin County School District’s developing Parent Center. The Parent Center was a district-wide effort to provide resources and workshops to parents on a wide range of topics. I incorporated family counseling into the offerings of the Parent Center and additionally worked with families referred by the county juvenile court.

During my stay in New York City, I returned to my interest of educating and motivating students to strategically chart their lives through abstinence/character education. We developed a curriculum called Healthy Respect and piloted it with federal funds in schools in Westchester, the Bronx and Brooklyn. Healthy Respect is still active today.

My family moved to Montgomery, to be near my husband’s parents and I went to work at Chemical Addiction Program (CAP) as an Adult Family Educator and Therapist. I eventually became the Adolescent Program Coordinator, and the Interim Executive Director, and Board Member. We later sold CAP to Alethia house. During my time at CAP, I became a Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Therapist. I found the work fascinating and challenging and had the good

Dolly and Jack Surrounded by their Seven Grands, from left to right bottom row Charlotte Wiatt, Streeter Wiatt, Jack McLemore Wiatt, Jack, Nate Wiatt, Dolly, Annabelle McLemore, Top - Raegan McLemore, Lorelai McLemore (Photo Credit: J. McLemore Photography)

During her year of recovery, Dolly renovated one of her bedrooms into a playroom/bedroom for the grandchildren.

fortune to work with some truly amazing people. One young therapist I supervised has gone onto be the director of substance abuse programs for Carastar.

My interest in treatment and recovery issues led me to say YES to a request by my pastor, Father Andrew Rowell, who asked me to start a Celebrate Recovery program at Christchurch Anglican here in Montgomery.

BOOM!: As a woman of faith, would you share your Christian Journey, and the guidance God has provided?

Dolly: I grew up in the Episcopal Church, but because my military family moved so much I did not experience consistent church attendance or participation in church-related Youth Groups. My parents were certainly Christian believers, but we did not have times of family prayer or discussions about our faith. Even though I was christened as a baby and later confirmed in the Episcopal Church, I cannot say I truly understood Christianity or personally knew Christ. I struggled with fear and anger when my father was deployed to Vietnam. I was a Junior in high school at the time he went to war, and we had just moved to Montgomery. I left my friends and activities – girl’s basketball, softball and cheerleading in Germany and knew no one in Montgomery except a few cousins. During my father’s absence I rebelled against my mother and started hanging out with kids who were drinking and doing drugs. I thought I had found the “cool” crowd, but instead I found myself getting high, neglecting school, and arguing with my mother. She got serious about taking me to church and asked everyone she knew to pray for me.

In my Senior year of high school, my boyfriend went off to the University of South Alabama and met a student on campus who asked him if he wanted to know Jesus? In October of 1971, he became a Christian, and the week after that, was immersed in Christian fellowship before he came home to tell me about Jesus. Not knowing really how to explain Jesus, he gave me a little book

called The Holy Spirit and You by an Episcopal priest named Dennis Bennet. I read the first chapter which described the idea that Jesus died on the Cross for my sins and that if I put my faith in Jesus, he would make me a new person; I could live by the power of the Holy Spirit and get to know Jesus more and more. The words by Bennet resonated with me and I thought, could this really be true?

My boyfriend came to see me the next day and I told him I too believed Jesus was the Son of God. We flushed the drugs I had down the toilet and immediately joined with other young Christians that day for fellowship. My journey as a Jesus Freak had begun. My boyfriend, who proved to be a genuine Christian, later became my husband. I am forever grateful to Jack for demonstrating daily what it means to be a mature, godly man, husband, and father. Our children adore him and respect his gentleness. He has stood by my side through good times and bad and has been faithful to our marriage in every way. I am truly blessed! We have been married 48 years. We have three children and 7 grandchildren, and we have been Christ-followers and drug-free for 51 years. Thank you, Jack, for leading me to Jesus!

BOOM!: You are a member of Christ Church Anglican, located at 8800 Vaughn Road in Montgomery, and you were asked to start up and lead a program called Celebrate Recovery, would you share what this program is and its benefits? How would someone participate in Celebrate Recovery?

Deep in my heart I knew that what I was reading was true…and I had a choice to make. I knew I had to respond to this truth about God, I could not wait. As 2 Cor. 6:2 says, “Today is the day of salvation.” I prayed for God to forgive me of my sins, and I told God I believed in Jesus. It was not an eloquent prayer, but I felt something earth-shattering had just happened. I felt like the character, Jane Studdock, in C. S. Lewis’s novel, That Hideous Strength. My world was “unmade.” Anything, absolutely anything, could happen, because my world was unmade; I understood by faith that God really existed, Jesus was his Son who died on a cross for the sins of the world, and I was now a Christian.

Dolly: Celebrate Recovery is for anyone over 18 years old who wants support to be free of their hurts, hang-ups, or habits. Celebrate Recovery currently meets every Friday night at 6:00 p.m. for supper, followed by everyone meeting together which includes worship, a testimony or lesson, and small gender-specific process groups. We offer a monthly Chip Ceremony to celebrate and reward progress made to maintain sobriety or the commitment to ‘doing better’ in each person’s chosen area of change. We have Communion the last Friday of each month. Last Spring, we offered Pastor Rick Warren’s Celebrate Recovery related program Life’s Healing Choices, and we plan to offer a Step Study beginning in January 2023. The only Fridays we do not meet are the major holidays of Good Friday, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s, otherwise we host Celebrate Recovery at Christchurch, 8800 Vaughn Road next to Southern Homes and Gardens. Everyone

Daughter Andrea's Wedding

is very welcome. Stop in and check us out. We have nursery for young children.

I must admit that I agreed to form a Celebrate Recovery program at Christchurch for the benefit of our church and the community. However, I believe that I have been the greatest beneficiary of the power of the Holy Spirit working through the encouragement of Celebrate Recovery to deal with my own hurts, hang-ups, and habits. Working through the Steps, and 8 Principles, based on the Beatitudes, has been truly freeing, and has watered by faith in ways I had not expected. Celebrate Recovery is not just for people with addiction issues. We all have many life issues that contribute to our unhappiness or the unhappiness of others. But the Good News is, through the love and mercy of Christ we can identify and confess those destructive hurts, hang-ups and habits that trip us up. Celebrate Recovery is a safe place to work on our own issues in a caring, non-judgmental environment. Call me at 334-301-3490 or email me at dollenemclemore0@gmail.com for more information.

Celebrate Recovery teaches the principals which incorporate the 12 Steps and the Beatitudes or Sermon on the mount. Check out https:// celebraterecovery.com to learn more about how Celebrate Recovery got started, how it operates, and its scope.

BOOM!: Dolly you are in the process of becoming a Vocational Deacon, a member of the diaconate which is an order of the ministry in the Anglican Church, would you please share your journey in becoming a Vocational Deacon? What will be your major responsibility in the church? What does it feel like to be on this unique journey as a sixty something? As a woman?

Dolly: I met several years ago with my pastor, Father Andrew Rowell, the Rector of Christchurch Anglican. I had talked with my husband, Jack, about my frustration with retirement. I wanted to fill my days with something more than lunching and television. Actually, I was bored. I had gone back to school

at Liberty University and received a Certificate in Pastoral Counseling. But what would I do with it? We agreed

the most sensible thing to do was to seek Father Andrew’s guidance about how I could be useful to the church. To my amazement, Father Andrew made the following suggestions: 1. Start a Celebrate Recovery at Christchurch, 2.

celebrated our first anniversary hosting Celebrate Recovery in September of 2022.

While taking classes at Trinity, I started teaching the Women’s Sunday School, and due to the wonderful training at Trinity I am able to write a coherent Bible Study. The other activities I am involved in at Christchurch include leading the Anglican’s For Life Chapter, serving as a lay reader/chalice bearer, as a lay Eucharistic Minister, prayer team member, and greeter.

Develop the Women’s Sunday School class, 3. Consider becoming a Deacon in the Anglican church – which would require me to take some seminary classes. He recommended the Certificate of Diaconal Studies at Trinity School for Ministry on-line program. 4. Work with another clergy member to organize the small groups at Christchurch.

After much prayer and discussion, Jack and I decided to say YES to all 4 suggestions. I enrolled in Trinity School for Ministry (Trinity) and am pleased to say I graduated last May. I started Celebrate Recovery with the help of many members of Christchurch, especially Father Alan Reid. We just

It took me just over two years to finish my studies at Trinity which I believe have helped me to better understand the call to the Diaconate. In the Anglican and Catholic churches, a Deacon is an ordained member of the three offices of the clergy – Deacons, Priests, and Bishops. I’m currently pursuing ordination to what Anglicans call the "Vocational Diaconate.” In the Anglican tradition, men and women can be called to commit themselves to serving the world the way that Stephen and his brethren do in Acts 6 and the way that Phoebe is commended by Paul for so doing in Romans 16. Vocational Deacons do not become Priests, but rather stay in this role of service for their earthly lives. I’m thrilled that God has called me to be a Deacon in His church and am in constant prayer as I continue through the process. I am what we call “Postulant for Holy Orders,” which means I have been approved by my local church, Christchurch, but still have a variety of tests and further interviews as my Bishop and I continue to discern this call.

A custom of Christchurch Montgomery is for Postulants to begin wearing the clerical collar with a black stripe down the middle to indicate that ordination has not yet taken place. Once ordained, the black strip is removed, and office is Deacon is recognized. Many people have asked me what a Deacon does? A Deacon is called to be a bridge between the church and the world. A Deacon relays the concerns of the world to the Bishop and the local church she serves so they can be effective in helping to meet

With Daughter Carrie McLemore (Wiatt) at her Montgomery Premiere of Damsels in Distress

those needs. What a specific Deacon does depends on his own unique gifts and calling. Most Deacons though teach and serve others in some way.

In response to your question about pursuing the Diaconate as a woman, I know that some churches do not permit women to be ordained clergy. I understand that their thinking is based on the fact that none of the 12 Apostles were women, though it is clear that many women followed Jesus and were considered his disciples. This issue will probably be debated for many years to come. I think it is important to acknowledge that a ‘call’ to ministry is not the same thing as a ‘right’ to ministry. So far, my gender has not been a barrier to answering the call to the Diaconate. As for my age, I take great comfort that many of the heroes of the Bible were of an advanced age when God called them to do his will, most notably, Moses. Exodus 7:7 records that “Moses was eighty years old and Aaron eighty-three when they spoke to Pharaoh.”

BOOM!: The challenge of learning to be a Deacon probably requires a great support system from family and friends, how has your husband Jack responded to your calling to be a Deacon? How have your children/grandchildren responded?

Dolly: My husband could not be more supportive of my call to the Diaconate. We discuss what I learned in each of my classes at Trinity and Jack even read many of my textbooks. He has fully supported forming a Celebrate Recovery (CR) at Christchurch and is over the CR supper and runs the kitchen. He has participated in all the CR training and will soon lead the Men’s Step Study in January 2023. Jack has reviewed all the documentation and materials I had to write for the Diaconate application, and he wrote a letter to the diocese on my behalf. He traveled with me recently to Tallahassee Florida for my meeting with the Diocesan Ordination Committee and though he was only required to meet with the panel of four priests for an hour, he enjoyed it so much he stayed for the full three-hour interview.

My children have also been very supportive and have said that I am already doing the works of a Deacon and believe it is a natural fit for me. My grandchildren are too young now to understand the significance of it, but they think that Celebrate Recovery is “cool.”

and be simply Grand-momma and Granddaddy. One of our daughters, who was a teenager at the time, became embarrassed by the childish names given to her grandparents, we decided to spare our grandchildren any future embarrassment, though I think special grandparents’ names are charming and help to create a precious bond with the grandchildren.

BOOM!: What are some of your favorite travel experiences? Favorite vacation spot? Any travel dreams planned?

BOOM!: With a busy life, how do you like to spend time with family and friends? Describe your experience as a grandmother? What do your grandkids call you and Jack?

Dolly: I am blessed to have friends from college that are still my dearest friends. Even though we are scattered all over the United States, we keep in touch, and it feels like when we are together, we have never been apart. I am also very blessed to have dear local friends through my church and we see each other often. Jack and I belong to a Covenant Group at Christchurch. We meet for dinner and Bible Study every other week. Our group has around 15 members and we rotate our homes and the food we each bring. This group is like my family and I deeply value each of their friendships. I have also made friendships over the years with many dear people I have known from either church or business.

Being a grandparent is a joy and delight. To see your child, have a child is like getting a glimpse into eternity. We are blessed with seven grandchildren and look forward to being a part of all their joys and sorrows. As to what our grandchildren call us, we decided to forgo any cutesy names

Dolly: My favorite travel experiences were the years I spent growing up in England, France, and Germany. I don’t have a favorite vacation spot, but I did really enjoy it when Jack and I went to St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands for our 25th anniversary. No travel dreams planned now, but I would love to go on one of Father Andrew’s trips to Israel and Uganda.

BOOM!: One of your passions is the ProLife Movement, saving babies. How have you been able to express this passion, organizations, etc.? What's the impact of overturning of Roe v Wade?

Dolly: I have been engaged in the pro-life movement for many years. I started as a volunteer counselor in a crisis-pregnancy center in Jackson, Mississippi. I then briefly served as a director of a crisis-pregnancy center in Manhattan, New York. When I moved back to Montgomery, I was a member of the Board of Directors at First Choice Women’s Medical Center and a volunteer counselor. I am currently on the Board of Directors of Life on Wheels. Life on Wheels is an organization that through the use of a mobile ultra-sound unit serves women, saves babies, and shares Jesus. At Christchurch I am the leader of our local chapter of Anglican’s for Life.

One impact of the recent Dobbs decision is that Life on Wheels and the local crisis-pregnancy centers are busier than ever. Women are still experiencing crisis pregnancies and will continue to need the support of the local front-line ministries. I always thought that if Roe

Jack, Dolly, Carrie, Jackson, Andrea (our children)

vs Wade were overturned the prolife community’s job would be over. But the reality is just the opposite. Women in Alabama have access to the abortion pill by mail, which when taken without medical supervision, could pose certain health risks. A small battle has been won in Alabama, but the war against life continues in the rest of the country. Now is not the time to become complacent.

BOOM!: How do you like to relax and wind down from a full day of activity?

Dolly: I have a new puppy, a Cavalier King Charles Poodle mix, named Mycroft (after Sherlock Holmes’s older brother). He loves to play, so we play, go on walks, and get to the Bark Park as often as possible. I like to read and watch BBC on Amazon Prime, especially the period shows. I enjoy going out to eat with friends, and being with family, especially the grandchildren.

BOOM!: What is it about living in the Montgomery/River Region area that you like? What do we need more of?

Dolly: I think for a town of its size, Montgomery is doing a lot of things right, but I am quite concerned for the public school system. Our children deserve to graduate high school knowing their education will equip them to be able to fairly compete for entrance into

college or the workforce. Montgomery Public Schools have done a good job reducing the high-school drop-out rates. However, according to the September 20, 2022, Montgomery Advertiser.com article, Jemma Stephenson reported that just 22% of Montgomery county students were proficient in science, 32% were proficient in language arts, and only 9% were proficient in math. The implications

Dolly: As I have aged, my priorities have certainly changed. I have learned to be more thankful and grateful for what I have, and who I am, which includes all my many mistakes and failings. God has used all those things to deepen my trust in his mercy, grace, and help. My heart’s prayer is for my children, and grandchildren that they will love and serve the Lord Jesus, and for the Kingdom of God to come in their lives, and that his will is done on earth as it is in heaven.

of this failure are predictable and tragic, and Montgomery must rally to radically change how these schools operate. I don’t have any easy or quick solutions, but as an educator, I feel it is imperative that for Montgomery to thrive and grow, we must do something soon to change the educational status quo.

BOOM!: As you’ve aged, how have your priorities changed? How would you describe what it means to “age well”?

This may sound too philosophical, but I believe ageing well depends on a person’s worldview. A mature believer in Christ has an assurance that they are loved by God, their life has meaning, and they have the hope of eternal life with Christ. This hope is not founded in worldly success or achievement which can lead to pride and arrogance, or by a lack of success which can lead to anger, regret, shame, and despair. Rather, the mature believer seeks to finish his race in obedience to what has God has called him to do and be. Some people mellow with age, but others grow bitter. I prefer to mellow. The unknown writer of the Book of Hebrews in the New Testament perfectly sums up ‘aging well’, “Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus,

Dolly's Cavalier King Charles Poodle mix, named Mycroft

the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”

Hebrews 12:1-2 (NIV). St. Paul said in his second letter to Timothy 4:7, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (NIV)

BOOM!: Give us three words that describe you?

Dolly: Doer, Learner, Helper.

BOOM!: Do you have any hobbies or other activities that grab your attention?

Dolly: I like gardening though I am not very knowledgeable about it or good at it. I have also done a lot of embroidery. I like decorating my home, though my style may be a bit quirky for some.

BOOM!: In 2018, you were diagnosed with Advanced Heart Failure, would you share what that experience was like and how it impacts your life today?

Dolly: In October 2017, I noticed I was having a lot of congestion and breathing problems. Over 5 months, 3 different doctors diagnosed me with pneumonia, or bronchitis or asthma, or allergies. Finally, I saw a doctor who sent me for an x-ray which revealed my heart was very swollen. An echocardiogram showed that only 10-15 percent of my blood was being pumped out of my heart. I was put on the A list for a heart transplant and was told I had Advanced Heart Failure. To go from thinking I had bronchitis, to learning I needed a new heart was a shock to say the least.

Apparently, I had caught some kind of

virus that attacked the electrical system in my heart. My doctors felt my best chance to live was to have a heart transplant, but first they wanted to implant a Left Ventricular Assist Device which is a mechanical pump that is implanted in the chest. The LVAD would keep me alive while I waited for a new heart. I decided I would go and be with the Lord rather than attempt that surgery. Perhaps if I had been much younger, I would have had the surgery. I begged the doctors for another solution. They agreed to try a pacemaker/ defibulator before committing to a heart transplant. My prognosis was not good.

I was living with the knowledge my life would probably not last much longer.

At times I felt paralyzed emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. Thanks to my family and friends, consistent, regular prayers were sent to God on my behalf for over a year.

For reasons only known to himself, God heard their prayers. My heart has now been pumping blood normally for the last 4 years. I only have to see my Cardiologist once a year.

I believe God told me through all this, that he was not through with me yet, and I still had time to serve and praise him.

During my year of recovery, I renovated

one or our bedrooms into a playroom/ bedroom for the grandchildren. It was great fun pulling out some of my old childhood toys and the toys of my own children. The theme of the playroom is based on the bedtime stories Jack used to tell our children. The fictional stories tell of the adventures our children had as they traveled around the world in a hot-air balloon. Our oldest daughter used one of the stories for a class project; our son did a painting of the hot-air balloon, and a family story-telling tradition was born. I used that theme by using many of the paintings my mother had done and created global vignettes within the playroom. It was a wonderful exercise in creativity which kept my mind off myself and my health problems.

BOOM!: What are your thoughts on retirement?

Dolly: For most people, retirement is a luxury they cannot afford, especially in the current economy. For some, retirement can create an identity crisis, especially for us A type personalities. We have to be ‘doing’ something meaningful, which if properly channeled can bless others through productive volunteerism. My dear friend, Myra, has channeled her free time into a new project. She has become a writer and started a blog called Tranquil Living, and is now a speaker at various Christian women’s conferences. Check out Myra’s Blog at https:// tranquiliving.com Retirement can be a time of exploration, a time of trying new things. But it can also be a time of

Jack, Dolly, Fr. Alan Reid at Celebrate Recovery

Robyn Blessing, Dolly, and Dr. Matt Phillips, Life on Wheels

great loneliness. Get off the couch, get involved in something, keep moving, meet new people! We need lots of volunteers at Celebrate Recovery, and so do many other organizations. Share your time, you never know, you may be the answer to someone’s prayers.

Would you like to be Santa this year for some very worthy non-profit organizations? Or volunteer? Here is a list of some of my favorite charities.

Celebrate Recovery @ Christchurch Anglican, 8800 Vaughn Road Montgomery AL 36117. Be sure to designate your gift to Celebrate Recovery, www. christchurchanglican.net/giving /. For more information about CR or how to get involved: dollenemclemore0@gmail.com

Life on Wheels, P. O. Box 240218 Montgomery, AL 36124, www.lifeonwheelsalabama.com/ways-togive

First Choice Women’s Medical Center 380 Mendel Pkwy E, Montgomery, AL 36117, https://engage.suran.com/ supportfirstchoicewmc.com/s/give/new-gift

Oxford House (Self-help for Sobriety Without Relapse) 217 N. Panama St. Montgomery, AL 36107. For more information: Joshhuggins46@gmail.com

We want to thank Dolly for sharing her life's story with us this month. If you’re inspired by Dolly’s story and would like to take some action and get involved, please review the info above and make a difference, in your life and the life of others. We hope you’ll share Dolly’s story with friends and family, they’ll enjoy the reading experience. Thanks to DiAnna Paulk and her creative photography skills, you're the best! If you have questions, comments, or suggestions about our cover profiles, including nominating someone, please text them to Jim Watson at 334.324.3472 or email them to jim@riverregionboom.com

THE LIFE ALTERING CRASH OF FLIGHT 553

"A true story from the Greg files"

In 1972, WMAQ was an NBC owned and operated radio station. It was part of NBC Chicago, grandly housed in the 19th and 20th floors of Chicago’s massive Merchandise Mart on the north bank of the Chicago River.

At 19, I was working as a talk show producer. I lined up topics, guests and answered the phones for Joel Sebastian for his 10AM-2PM show-all for the princely wage of $2 per hour. While the job required me to start at 9 for pre-show prep, the Finance Ministers of the National Broadcasting Company determined I only be paid for the 4 hours Joel was on the air. I did a damn good job for $8 per day. After the show, I would often enjoy (seriously) lunch at the legendary NBC commissary for half a buck. I managed all this while attending the University of Illinois full-time.

At that point I had no desire to be on the air. I wanted a career in radio management, designing formats and studying audiences.

Working with Joel was fun. We had some crazy big-name guests. They were easy to book because we were, well- NBC! I could drop a ton of names here but I’ll never forget arriving to my small office before the show one morning. I saw a tall, well-dressed man standing there- his

back to the door. “Can I help you, sir?”, I asked politely.

“Yes”, he said turning around. “I’m dropping my new album off for the program manager. Will you see he gets it?”.

Imagine, Andy Griffith in my office asking a simple favor!

On Friday, December 8, 1972, Joel’s show had concluded. Shortly after 2PM, I was walking down the hall when the overhead speaker (carrying WMAQ’s Clark Weber show) was interrupted for news bulletin. Everyone in the hall paused to listen. A commercial plane had crashed approaching Midway Airport! Huge news! My jaw hit the floor when the first report said it had come down on 70th Place- a mile from my house and the very street where my girlfriend and her family lived.

We had a large news staff. I could hear the assignment chief trying to bark out a strategy for coverage.

For obvious personal reasons I wanted to see where this Boeing 737 had come down, hitting “multiple houses”. I went to our GM, a great radio guy named Lee Davis, and said I knew how to get to the crash area from a back route.

“Great!” he said. “Here is the hotline number. Call when you get there. If no one is on the scene you can go on the air with Clark!”

I knew every network would be using the expected thoroughfares to reach the crash site, and that with every passing minute the story would become more “viral”. Those roads would gridlock from emergency vehicles and curiosity seekers. Breaking every rule in the book I managed to get my bronze ’72 Vega to within one block in twenty minutes while traffic flow elsewhere paralyzed. I grabbed my notebook, NBC I.D. and ran the last

block through slush. As I hit 70th place, a street I’d driven a thousand times, I was greeted by the surreal site of a United Airlines 737 tail section sitting in the street a hundred yards away. The rest of the jet was burning.

My I.D. got me past police. The jet took

Chicago's Merchandise Mart

Greg reported from the Tworzydlo house in the lower right corner

↘

out 5 houses. The first undamaged house was owned by my friends, the Tworzydlo family. They’d been home, shocked by what sounded like a bomb. They let me into their home. From their kitchen window, I watched fire rescue pull bodies and shockingly, treat survivors pulled from the fuselage which came to a rest where their next-door neighbor’s house had stood. The nose of the jet was stopped by a tree. The cockpit crew was dead, still in their seats.

I asked Mrs. Tworzydlo if I could use the phone. For the next 2 hours I gave the first and only on-scene reports from the crash on Clark Weber’s show. I was surprised to see FBI agents show up, engaging in animated conversation with firemen. I saw them removed a singed, black briefcase and other items before they departed. It was weird, within the entire weirdness of the event.

I found an eyewitness who heard the jet’s engines running at full speed before it fell to the ground. One scoop after another, while my news pals from NBC and the other networks were stuck in gridlocked traffic.

The following Monday Frank Barnako, WMAQ’s terrific news director, put a memo out praising me for giving WMAQ exclusive coverage. Lee Davis got me $100 from the NBC tightwads. No one in the WMAQ newsroom would talk to me

because my 19-year-old punk butt made them look like losers. Soreheads! I would meet many more SHs over the next 50 years. My only advantage that day was knowing the back route in!

One thing changed. The excitement of the event became the radio “bug” that bit me. December 8th means I’ve been scratching that itch for 50 years. 50 freakin’ years! If only someone had warned me how fast they’d pass.

some convinced the plane was sabotaged before leaving Washington DC. Why? Watergate figure E. Howard Hunt’s wife (killed) was on the flight. The singed briefcase was filled with $10,000 in onehundred-dollar bills. A CBS reporter and 6 oil executives (all killed) were also on the plane. 16 survived when the tail broke off while everything forward of that section skidded into a home exploding in flame. An accident investigating attorney named Sherman Skolnick pursued these connections to sabotage for years but was stonewalled by government agencies. I left WMAQ after the crash to launch an onair career with ABC-FM. Skolnick would be a guest on my new show. His fantastic story was entertaining but hard to believe because we had faith in the CIA, FBI and NTSB in those naïve days. If United 553 happened today with similar circumstances, Skolnick would be far more credible. Far more than the credibility earned by those agencies today.

It wasn’t my being in the right place at the right time. I was lucky enough to know the fastest route there.

EPILOGUE: United Airlines Flight 553 was helmed by a very experienced crew. When the pilot realized the plane was going down, he stalled it, and steered the jet away from a Catholic school complex- greatly reducing the potential death toll. 2 were killed in their homes. Conspiracy theories raged on the cause-

(If you have a comment on this column, email me at gregbudell@aol.com. It's still fun to hear from new people!)

Greg Budell lives in Montgomery with his wife, Roz, and dog, Brisco. He's been in radio since 1970, and has marked 17 years in the River Region. He hosts the Newstalk 93.1FM Morning Show with Rich Thomas and Jay Scott, 6-9 AM Monday - Friday. He returns weekday afternoons from 3-6 PM for Happy Hour with sidekick, Rosie Brock. Greg can be reached at gregbudell@aol.com

A surreal scene on 70th Place 12/8/72 Chicago

Once in a Lifetime Before It's Too Late

A colleague's dream trip, and his sudden death six months later, puts work life into perspective.

Bill sat at the front of my desk in his crisply pressed shirt and bow tie, holding his yellow legal pad and mechanical pencil.

"It's a regatta down to South America and back. My wife and I are sailing to Tierra del Fuego." His eyebrows lifted in expectation and a smiled formed on his freckled and ruddy face. "It will take six weeks, if all goes well," he said.

I gulped. Six weeks! Vacation days offered to management at the school district were generous but nobody ever took them at once. There was an unspoken ethos of working more than your allotted eight hours. It was a badge of honor to have unspent days at the end of the year.

I was a few weeks into my newly appointed position as a division head in the Los Angeles Unified School District. As a child of Chinese immigrants, I had always believed in hard work and achievement and felt that I had reached the pinnacle of my career. Anxious to please my superiors, I worried what they would say if I approved his request.

"I cleared it with my previous supervisor before she retired," Bill said.

I didn't want to burst his bubble. "I don't know. That's such a long time."

"I know, but this is something I have dreamed of for so long. It's a once in a lifetime trip."

Could I spare him for six weeks? Bill handled district assessments for students. He established testing schedules, selected items for the tests and negotiated contracts with vendors. He fielded calls from over 800 schools, addressed complaints from teachers about too much testing and answered questions from the Superintendent who wanted more

accountability. I was impressed with his competence as he responded to inquiries in his unruffled manner. It didn't matter if it was 4:45 in the afternoon or if I needed an answer in twenty minutes. "Not a problem," he would say, "Cheers!"

Why Wait for the Future?

Bill was older than me, in his late-50s, with a receding hairline and stout stature. I knew he lived on his boat in Marina del Rey and loved to sail. I always wondered how he kept his shirts wrinkle-free on his boat.

I looked away from his hopeful face and out the window. From the 21st floor, cars inched along the sprawl of freeways below. The sun was setting and the green hills to the east were cast in a pinkish glow.

I thought about my husband who was felled by a heart attack and brain injury just four years earlier. At age 47, he was now disabled and no longer able to work as an attorney. He couldn't pursue any of the dreams he once had.

"Work hard, play hard," had been his

By Cynthia Lim

motto. Each year, he had planned spring vacations with me and our two boys. "Why wait until we get old?" he always said.

"Let's live it up now." We hunted seashells off the coast of Georgia, camped in the Sierra Nevada and snorkeled off the coast of Belize. Life was so fleeting. I hadn't known it could be lost in a nanosecond. Who was I to deny Bill his trip to South America? Unlike teachers, we didn't need to hire substitutes when we were gone. Our work at the central office was not as important as what happened in classrooms every day.

I swiveled back in my chair to face Bill. "Of course, you can go. I would feel terrible if you missed this opportunity."

His face flushed pink against his curly red hair as he smiled. "Don't worry, I'll make sure everyone is briefed before I leave. Life is good!"

During his six-week absence, I added his responsibilities to mine. I immersed myself in learning about the assessments and answered questions from schools. I grew

"It's a regatta down to South America and back. My wife and I are sailing to Tierra del Fuego." | Credit: Getty

more confident in my new position. When my supervisor asked, "What were you thinking letting Bill leave for six weeks?" I shrugged and said, "It's a once in a lifetime deal."

Bill was cheerier than usual when he returned. He walked with a bounce in his step and attacked his duties with renewed vigor. "Thank you again for being so understanding," he told me repeatedly.

A Sudden Death

Six months later, Bill suffered a fatal heart attack. At his funeral, I spoke about his cheerfulness and how he always followed through, no matter how late the hour. The sorrow in his wife's eyes pierced me. There were speeches by those he had touched — his men's group, church group, sailing club and his 20-year-old son. Their tributes made me see that Bill wasn't just an assessment expert, he had many passions that he pursued with gusto.

I stayed in the division head position for nearly ten years, but the long hours and constant demands wore at me. I made sure to use my allotted vacation days each year and in 2017, I retired at age 60. I wanted to spend more time with my husband. I wanted to pursue a life-long dream to discover my roots in China. I wanted to explore printmaking and art journaling. Those interests absorbed me after the unexpected death of my husband a year into my retirement.

During the isolation that ensued with the pandemic, I reevaluated my priorities and thought of Bill when I read about the Great Resignation where 57 million Americans quit their jobs.

Although he had expressed his gratitude, I really had him to thank for teaching me what was important in my life. It wasn't the number of hours I worked or pleasing my supervisors. It was taking time to pursue creative outlets and to have a well-rounded life surrounded by my family and friends.

Cynthia Lim lives in Los Angeles and is the author of Wherever You Are: A Memoir of Love, Marriage, and Brain Injury. She is working on a book about her family’s immigration from China.

Source www.nextavenue.org

It’s beginning to smell a lot like Christmas

Our olfactory system is directly connected to our brain, which is why certain smells can evoke such strong emotions or memories of time, place, or even people. What reminds you of your grandmother for instance? The smell of cookies fresh from the oven? Or the lavender fragrance she always wore? Does just the smell of coffee percolating wake you up in the morning? Or the smell of freshly baked bread make your stomach rumble in anticipation? I think you get the idea.

The science from www.britannica. com/science/smell: “The pathway of olfactory conduction begins with the olfactory receptors—small, slender nerve cells embedded in large numbers (about 100 million in the rabbit) in the epithelium of the mucous membrane lining the upper part of the nasal cavity. Each olfactory receptor cell emits two processes (projections). One of these is a short peripheral dendrite, which reaches to the surface of the epithelium, where it ends in a knob carrying a number of fine radially placed filaments, the olfactory hairs. The other process is a long and extremely thin axon, the olfactory nerve fibre, which reaches the cranial cavity by passing through one of the openings in the bony roof of the nasal cavity and enters the olfactory bulb of the forebrain. Sensations of smell are experienced when certain chemical substances become dissolved in the thin layer of fluid covering the surface of the mucous membrane and thus come in contact with the olfactory hairs. In all probability it will be found that the receptor cells differ among themselves in their sensitivities

to various odorous substances.”

In a nutshell, whatever you sniff up your nose goes straight to your brain and causes an emotional reaction which is then embedded in your memory with that smell. This can be good or bad, but hopefully the smells associated with Christmas are good as that’s what I’d like to concentrate on today.

There are a few aromas that most people would agree remind them of Christmas – cinnamon, orange, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, frankincense being a popular few. Peppermint could also be included in that list with all the candy canes around!

Going along with the assumption that these smells will create a good feeling with most people then wouldn’t it be a good idea to recreate those aromas at home to induce that Christmas feeling? Pot Pourri is the classic version of this. Dried fruit, herbs and spices in an open bowl that lightly scent the air around them, you will get a waft of scent if you walk past it or of course if you actually smell it close up, but it’s also decorative at the same time. The scent is very light though, so if you want to intensify it you will need to add essential oils to the dried mixture itself OR consider another option.

Sometimes called a Scent Simmer; putting the herbs, spices, dried fruit, etc.,

in a saucepan of water and bringing to a gentle simmer on the stove will release the fragrances of everything in there into the air with the steam created. Try a cinnamon stick, a couple of whole cloves, a cardamom pod, some freshly grated nutmeg, a couple of drops of peppermint EO. You cannot help but smell it as you are breathing it in. Some people keep this scent simmer going for the whole week of Christmas! Keep topping up the water and add more herbs, spices, etc. as the fragrance fades over time. What a delightful way to fragrance a room! Just don’t forget about it.

Another option I just recently discovered is the herbal firestarter. In a paper cupcake holder, fill it 1/3 full of herbs and spices that you like the smell of – I used ginger, sage, thyme, bay leaves and cinnamon sticks. Cover it with some kind of melted wax; beeswax is preferable but any wax that will harden and is flammable. Insert a string wick and let the wax harden. When you are ready to light your fire, lay it as usual and then light the wick and put the firestarter in the center of your fire. Let it do it’s thing. As it burns it will not only get your fire going but it will fill the room with the fragrances you put in there.

email: nyrbhalla@gmail.com I web: us.nyrorganic.com/shop/tracybhalla I www. LogHouseAromatics.com

Tracy Bhalla, independent consultant with NYR Organics and founder of LogHouseAromatics.com; after 25 years of using homeopathic remedies, it was time to take charge and complete my Aromatherapy Certification, which I achieved April 2020 and since founded LogHouseAromatics.com as a source for useful essential oil and general natural health information and a place to purchase certain products. email: nyrbhalla@gmail.com I am here to answer any questions you may have.

RiverRegionBoom.com

MANE’s “Raise the Roof” Seafood Celebration More Fun Than EVER!

River Region citizens gathered to show support for the area’s premier therapeutic riding facility known as Montgomery Area Nontraditional Equestrians or “MANE.”

The 13th annual “Raise the Roof” Seafood Celebration took place on Thursday, October 20th. MANE uses equine-related activities to serve area children and adults including veterans, who have physical, cognitive, emotional, and developmental disabilities, as well as at-risk youth. A fabulous seafood buffet, freshly prepared in MANE’s Poarch Creek Arena, was provided by Wintzell’s Oyster House. Baptist Health, MAX Credit Union, Spire Energy and Alabama Power sponsored the event.

Clear skies and cool fall temperatures added to the autumn celebration in an extraordinary setting for all to enjoy. Huntingdon College students directed guests to park along MANE’s 3-acre sensory integration trail.

The large sensory integration trail (SIT) has carefully designed stations featuring activities that integrate the rider’s sensory input via sight, smell, hearing, and touch. The SIT provides opportunities to enhance gravitational security, balance, grasp/release, and proprioceptive input while participants engage in therapeutic horseback riding. For example, the giant tic-tac-toe game station was designed to challenge MANE riders’ cognitive ability to organize successful and appropriate responses to sensory input, while remaining mounted

on their horse. The double figureeight shaped trail of crushed limestone aggregate encompasses a beautiful memorial garden, the Rotary Club covered arena, and a zone filled with colorful flexible noodles suspended in air. On the way to the party, guests passed by MANE’s smaller, shaded sensory trail, which afford riders other interactive, learning experiences and was developed by Church of the Highlands volunteers. Students and faculty from Faulkner University recently refreshed sensory trail stations and

landscape.

Guests

the front

Director Tiffany Atkinson, MANE Associate Director Abby Claybrook and MANE Volunteer Coordinator Jessica McWhorter alongside MANE Board Members Susie Wilson and Michelle Parkinson.

Party-goers proceeded through the indoor section of the complex, which houses offices, classrooms, and The Kiwanis Korral – an indoor resource room where parents and caregivers can watch riders in the adjacent covered area. The walls of the corridor leading to the stable area were lined with “introductory boards” designed by volunteers and featuring the many faces of MANE riders, volunteers, and staff.

Through the double doors and just beyond the Kiwanis Korral is The Kiwanis Care Korner. The “Korner” is the horse washing/ grooming area, tack room, and feed storage room designed to ensure the health and safety of MANE’s horses as well as to teach students about equine care. MANE 4H Horse Club members

Georgia Cauthen, Audrey McWhorter, Galyn von Gal, MacKenzie Nelson, Emma Sherwood and Maya Shaffer hosted a table to introduce guests to the MANE Horse Club and showed off their many awards, trophies, and blue ribbons from 4H competitions.

were greeted at

door to the facility by MANE’s

Guests can’t get enough of Wintzell’s Oyster House oysters!! Photo by Abby H. Claybrook

Rep. Barry Moore plays “horse shoes” with a rider on the Sensory Integration Trail the day before Raise the Roof!

Pat and Cyndi Crockett, Ken Furman,Montgomery Co. Farmer’s Federation, Ronald and Jennie Botterbosch, Richard and Kay Keeshan, The Sloan Family, Gabe and Brent Krause, Maggie Thompson, Brelinda Webster, Huck, Hamp & John Charles Howell, Joey and Carrie Cauthen, The Tatum Family, Jack and Kim Golson, Sue Bell Cobb, Bentt Spear, Double B Ranch- Julie Beasley, and Bill Gaston collectively sponsored all of MANE’s equine partners for the coming year. Community contributors to MANE and the MANE class scholarship program include Melissa Eubanks, Paul and Connie Winn, The Betzler Family, William Martin, and Coleen and Warren Walhaug.

After visiting with MANE’s horses, guests headed to the Poarch Creek Arena, where Wintzell’s Oyster House was preparing a fresh feast. The feast included an array of grilled and fresh oysters, fish, chicken, and shrimp. Wintzell’s Oyster House also served their famous sides such as coleslaw, cheese grits, and scrumptious bread pudding. At an icefilled food station, Wintzell’s well-trained culinary brigade shucked raw oysters, harvested from the Gulf earlier in the day.

Stivers Ford displayed one of their shiny black trucks in the arena, to help

sponsor the event and attract buyers. Toes tapped to country music favorites from the Trotline Band as guests dined, mingled, made new acquaintances, danced the night away, and truly raised the bar for barn parties everywhere.

MANE volunteers are the backbone of this program, working countless hours throughout the year and in preparation

challenges, become better acquainted with horses, or share their love of the equine world. MANE’s equine-related activities can produce improved mobility, balance, posture, coordination, language development, motivation, independence, self-discipline, concentration, and lifeskill competencies. These benefits are derived from the transfer of movement from horse to rider as well as from the opportunities for social interaction, education, recreation, and therapy.

of events. Volunteers of all ages and skills are needed to assist riders, help maintain the facility, and work with horses, either on a weekly basis for classes. Community leaders, retired citizens, and students donate many hours and immeasurable knowledge and encouragement to program participants each year. Often, volunteers are introduced to MANE by attending events such as Raise the Roof. Others volunteer at MANE to fulfill their desire to help individuals with

For more information about MANE, please visit MANE’s website at www.maneweb.org. To volunteer, please call 334-2130909 or email jessica@maneweb. org . For program information, please email abby@maneweb. org . Donations can be sent to: MANE, 3699 Wallahatchie Road, Pike Road, AL 36064. MANE holds a 501C3 corporation status and its instructors are certified through PATH Intl., a regulatory agency that assures stringent standards for quality therapeutic horseback riding through instructor certification, site accreditation and program monitoring.

Raise the Roof guests are treated to a “hay ride” from MANE’s Sensory Integration Trail to the party entrance. Photo by Abby H. Claybrook

By Elizabeth Roper Marcus

Proudly Proclaiming My Age

We all want to live long lives, so why should those who have reached older age be demeaned?

I force myself to be scrupulously honest in my writing — pushing beyond comfort, if need be — but for years I've avoided revealing my age to readers. I worry that false stereotypes about aging will keep them from identifying with me. Recently, though, I've been thinking of coming clean.

When I brought up this possibility with a group of older writers, they responded with a unanimous, "Don't do it!" I would, they warned, lose all readers younger than myself. Several described the hostile ageism they've encountered, and their arguments were persuasive.

The worst stories were told by a particularly active woman in her 80s. One incident took place in a restaurant. The waiter ignored my friend and asked the young woman she was with what her grandmother would like for dinner.

Another occurred on a group ski trip. For three days, my friend skied compatibly with a woman with similar downhill skills; later, when the woman learned my friend's age, she responded with visible

shock at the near 20-year difference between them and avoided my friend from then on.

Aging Stereotypes are Irrational and False — But Common

There's no denying that the mere mention of a numerical age can summon up a stream of negative clichés. Everyone over 50? 60? 70? — or whenever stereotypers think "old" begins — is feeble, forgetful and cranky, not to mention helpless and irrelevant. Some of these issues may afflict some of us in time, of course; the problem is the assumption that we are all afflicted with all of them as soon as we cross the magic start line of old age. It's absurd and enraging.

Even stereotypes that might seem

positive at first glance are actually often just patronizing. This first struck me at a Buena Vista Social Club concert, 20 years ago. The older Cuban musicians had recently been rediscovered and the band reassembled. The final thundering applause was in appreciation for their music — but also for their age-positive, latelife success story. As the audience rose to their feet, the woman next to me squealed,

"Oh, aren't they adorable!"

I was stunned by this weird expression of affection, which reduced masterful musicians at the height of their abilities to being childlike. True, people tend to lose height with age, but why in many minds do they also lose the personal stature of authority and status? True, older people with dementia can be infantile, but these musicians were clearly not impaired — just the opposite. And yet they aroused in my neighbor a feeling suited to puppies or babies.

What is Behind Aging Stereotypes?

If you stop to think about this for a minute, isn't it odd that people would demean a stage of life they hope to attain? Stereotypers make the aged "the other" when eventually it is exactly who they will become if they're lucky

Stereotypers make the aged "the other" when eventually it is exactly who they will become if they're lucky to live long enough. | Credit: Photo by Moe Magners

to live long enough. So, what is behind the infantilizing and disparaging of older adults?

I assume it's a fear of aging and death. Reducing older adults to small, weak folk keeps them, and their closer proximity to death, at a remove. Demeaning older adults is as bad for the belittlers as for the belittled. People don't become any less mortal by denying death. In fact, if they knew more about aging they'd learn there is less to fear.

They'd learn that the notion that aging is just a matter of loss upon loss is false. Not only can the weakening of the body be slowed or thwarted by exercise and healthy living, but the perspective gained from a lifetime of experience can bring a more positive outlook on life itself. With the right mindset, we can learn how to make the most of the years ahead.

AARP's recent survey among Americans confirmed earlier research showing that older adults are the happiest age group all over the world. With age, most learn to take the good with the bad. For many, death becomes less frightening.

Furthermore, one of the basic findings about later life is that whatever we expect to happen is most likely to happen. Research continues to substantiate the famous 2002 longevity study by Becca Levy, author of "Breaking the Age Code," which showed that people with the most positive beliefs about aging lived 7.5 years longer than those with the least positive beliefs. The more optimistic our expectations of the aging process, the more likely we are to experience less stress from aging, to make changes that will improve our health and to organize our time and finances so as to make our final years more deeply gratifying.

So, What Can We Do to Thwart Ageist Stereotypes?

If older adults are kept at arms' length, how can younger people get free of the false notions about aging that keep them fearful? Ideally, they should have more contact with older people, of course, but ideally, we elders should also push back.

My friend told off the waiter. I hope she reported him to the manager!

We should be proud to reach advanced age but wishing won't make it so. We have to insist on it and support that ideal for one another.

Showing up in places where we're not "expected" to be can help. After sitting down with some friends at a communal table in a super-hip pizzeria in Brooklyn, I said to my young neighbor on the right, "We must be thirty years older than everyone here," to which he shot back, "If you're eating here, you're not old!"

It will help if we make a point of asserting our individuality. I strongly believe that my age and that of my cohorts is not the most important thing about us. I picture the human lifespan like a train ride, with each station offering a new set of challenges and opportunities. But we are each whoever we are throughout the trip. We stay ourselves. We need to be seen as the individuals we are.

I've come to feel that hedging about my age is, well, dishonest, and that I've been capitulating to a prejudice I'd rather disprove. I'm lucky to be in good health and, in many ways, at a particularly satisfying and productive time in my life. And I want to write about the pleasant surprises I'm encountering as I age.

So I'm willing to pay the price. That said, each person's decision to tell or not to tell will depend on their circumstances and on their risk-to-gain calculus. "Coming out" is more costly for some than for others.

I don't know what will come from declaring my age. But I can say that the very act of stepping out of the age closet feels empowering and liberating. I am 77, fully enjoying what is unique about this chapter of my life and looking ahead with curiosity and equanimity.

Elizabeth Roper Marcus is the author of Don’t Say a Word!: A Daughter’s Two Cents, a humorous memoir about her parents’ madcap end-of-life, and essays in the NY Times, Boston Globe, and on Psychology Today. Find more on eLizWrites.com Source: www.nextavenue.org

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By Stan Popovich

7 Reasons Why You Should Get Help for Your Fears and Anxieties

Getting professional help for dealing with your persistent fears and anxieties is the single most important step in your recovery. Many people are reluctant to get the assistance they need for various reasons.

Making excuses for not getting treatment for your fear related issues will not help the situation. With this in mind, here are seven reasons why getting help for your mental health problems is so important.

1. You will get tips on handling your mental health issues: Getting professional help can lead to additional insights and suggestions to your stress and anxiety problems. A professional counselor can give you many ideas on how you can successfully manage your fears and anxieties. This is important in getting your life back on track.

2. Get access to different resources: Most counselors and psychologists know of ways to get rid of your fears. They can recommend certain treatments that will improve your situation. The only way you can get access to these treatments is if you talk to a counselor. Ask your primary care physician if he or she knows anyone that can be of assistance.

3. You can’t manage your anxieties all by yourself: Your fears, anxieties, and depression can be difficult to manage and more than likely you will need

some direction. Many people think that they can overcome their mental health problems on their own. This is a mistake. A person should seek assistance to start the recovery process.

4. You will improve: As you work with a professional, you will improve on your skill sets in managing your fears. You will be able to overcome your anxieties over time which will benefit you later on in your life. Knowing how to boost your mental health will get your life back on track and will make you much happier.

5. You will get better a lot faster: Getting some guidance from a counselor will save you a lot of suffering in the long run. You will get the answers you are looking for which will help reduce your fears and anxieties. You will get better a lot faster by talking to a therapist and you will feel much better about yourself which is

important when it comes to dealing with your mental health.

6. It is your life: Remember that you are the person who is suffering and not your friends and family. Don’t let the opinions of your peers prevent you from getting the relief that you deserve. Maintaining your anxieties should be your number one priority. Always do what is best for you and do not get into the habit of trying to please everybody else.

7. You will not be alone: You will have people in your corner who will be able to help improve your mental health issues. You won’t feel as alone when attempting to get rid of your fears. It is best to be with others who are supportive and who will understand your situation. This will help make things easier when it comes to your fears and anxieties.

BIOGRAPHY

Stan Popovich is the author of the popular managing fear book, “A Layman’s Guide to Managing Fear”. For more information about Stan’s book and to get some more free mental health advice, please visit Stan’s website at www.managingfear.com

Alabama River Region Ballet Presents The Nutcracker

Home of the River Region's favorite holiday tradition

Alabama River Region Ballet and its Founder and Artistic Director, Priscilla Crommelin Ball, are proud to announce the 7th Annual production of “The Nutcracker” at the historic Davis Theatre in downtown Montgomery. Performances will be Friday, December 2nd at 7:00pm, Saturday, December 3rd at 2:00pm and 7:00pm and Sunday, December 4th at 2:00pm.

“The Nutcracker” set to the music of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky and choreographed by Stevan Grebel will thrill the audience with the prodigious dancing of the Youth Ballet Company and students from the school. With spectacular backdrops, scenery and a growing Christmas tree, this ballet is a truly magical experience and a classic holiday favorite for the whole family!

Based on the original storybook written in 1816 by German author, E.T.A.Hoffmann, Act I of “The Nutcracker” opens with “The Party

Scene,” taking place on Christmas Eve in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Stahlbaum. Many guests are in attendance but none like the mysterious Drosselmeyer, who brings exciting and magical gifts for the children, the most magical gift being The Nutcracker doll for his niece, Clara. The Alabama River Region Ballet’s “The Nutcracker'' gets better every year and has become an annual tradition and holiday favorite for the whole family. This year will surely be the best yet!

A 10% discount is offered for military, seniors, and children 12 and under. Saturday night is designated as Military Appreciation Night where all members of the military and first hand responders and their families can attend for 50% off!

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online at www.alabamariverregionballet.com or by contacting the ARRB office at 334-356-5460. Free BOOM! Digital Subscriptions Sign Up Today! �� www.riverregionboom.com

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