55 Plus of Rochester, #54: November – December 2018 by 55 Plus: For Active Adults in Rochester

Charities: Is the Agency You’re Donating to Legitimate?

55 PLUS

Issue 54 • November/December 2018 For Active Adults in the Rochester Area

KINDNESS

Nancy Jurs

‘Bread Man’ of Brockport gives away nearly 100,000 loaves of bread

SHOPPING

Tips to get ahead on Black Friday, Cyber Monday and beyond

Rochester sculptor still going full steam at age 77

n Williamson resident reaches national prominence in track and field n How two longtime friends got together to start a business in Fairport

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CONTENTS 55 PLUS

Charities: Is the Agency You’re Donating to Legitimate?

55 PLUS

Issue 54 • November/December 2018 For Active Adults in the Rochester Area

KINDNESS

‘Bread Man’ of Brockport gives away nearly 100,000 loaves of bread

Nancy Jurs

SHOPPING

Tips to get ahead on Black Friday, Cyber Monday and beyond

Rochester sculptor still going full steam at age 77

n Williamson resident reaches national prominence in track and field n How two longtime friends got together to start a business in Fairport

free please share

12 Savvy Senior 6 Financial Health 8 Dining Out 10 Addyman’s Corner 44 Long-term Care 46

55 PLUS Q&A Rochester resident Peter Swift loves bike ridding. At age 87, he still still rides about 62 miles on a regular basis. Page 48 4

55 PLUS

November / December 2018

55 PLUS - November / December 2018

16 12 KINDNESS

roc55.com

29 26 CHARITIES

• A former Gates Chili educator has given away close to 100,000 loaves of bread in his crusade to share kindness

• How can you know that the organization you’re donating to is legitimate?

16 ADVENTURE

29 SPORTS

• Rochester couple forsakes snow for travel, warmer climes

• Williamson resident reaches national prominence in track and field

18 RETIREMENT

32 SECOND ACT

• What’s your ‘magic number’ for a comfortable retirement life? $1 million? $2 million?

• How two longtime friends got together to start a business in Fairport

20 MUSIC

• Potter, sculptor and artist Nancy Jurs expresses herself through the arts

• Tommy and the Tremors brings early rock ‘n roll to parties, events

22 SHOPPING • Tips to get ahead on Black Friday, Cyber Monday and beyond

34 COVER

40 WRITING • Retired health inspector working on second book

42 HOBBIES • Meet a serious Hot Wheels collector

November / December 2018 - 55 PLUS

savvy senior By Jim Miller

Financial Aid for Family Caregivers

aring for an elder parent can be challenging in many ways, but it can be especially difficult financially if you have to miss work or quit your job to provide care. Fortunately, there are a number of government programs, tax breaks and other tips that may be able to help you monetarily while you care for your mother. Here are some options to explore. State assistance: Most states have programs that help low-income seniors pay for in-home care services, including paying family members for care. These programs — which go by various names like “cash and counseling” or “consumer-directed” — vary greatly depending on where you live and, in some states, on whether your mom is on Medicaid. To find out what’s available in your state, contact your local Medicaid office. Veterans benefits: Veterans who need assistance with daily living activities can enroll in the Veteran-Directed Care program. This program, available through VA Medical Centers in 40 states, as well as in Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, provides as much as $2,000 a month, which can be used to pay family members for home care. Visit the “Home and Community Based Services” section at VA.gov/ geriatrics for information. Also available to wartime veterans and their surviving spouses is a benefit called Aid and Attendance, which helps pay for in-home care, as well as assisted living and nursing home care. This benefit can also be used to pay family caregivers. To be eligible, your mother must need assistance with daily living activities like bathing, dressing or going to the bathroom. And her annual income must be under $14,133 as a surviving spouse or $21,962 for a single veteran, after medical expenses. Her assets must also be less than $80,000 excluding her home and car. To learn more go to Vets.gov/pension.

55 PLUS - November / December 2018

Tax breaks: If you pay at least half of your mom’s yearly expenses, and her gross income is below $4,050 (in 2017) not counting her Social Security or disability, you can claim her as a dependent on your taxes and get a $500 tax credit. For more information, go to IRS.gov/help/ita and click on “Whom May I Claim as a Dependent?” If you can’t claim her as a dependent, you may still be able to get a tax break if you’re paying more than half her living expenses including medical and long-term care costs, and they exceed 7.5 percent of your adjusted gross income. You can include your own medical expenses in calculating the total. See IRS publication 502, Medical and Dental Expenses (IRS. gov/pub/irs-pdf/p502.pdf) for details. Long-term care insurance: If your mother has long-term care insurance, check whether it covers in-home care. Some policies permit family members to be paid, although they may exclude people who live in the same household. Paid caregiver leave: A small but growing number of companies offer paid caregiving leave as a way to recruit and retain their workforce. Additionally, some states provide caregiver benefits or paid leave to take care of ailing family members. Check with your employer to see what, if any, benefits are available to you. Family funds: If your mother has some savings or other assets, discuss the possibility of her paying you for the care you provide. If she agrees, consult with an elder law attorney about drafting a short-written contract that details the terms of the work and payment arrangements, so everyone involved knows what to expect. You should also check BenefitsCheckup.org, a free, confidential Web tool that can help you search for financial assistance programs that your mom or you may be eligible for.

55PLUS roc55.com

Editor and Publisher Wagner Dotto

Associate Editor Lou Sorendo

Writers & Contributing Writers Deborah J. Sergeant Christine Green, John Addyman Mike Costanza, Ernst Lamothe Jr. Colleen Farrell, Kimberly Blaker

Columnists

Jim Terwilliger, Susan Suben Jim Miller, Bruce Frassinelli

Advertising

Anne Westcott, Linda Covington

Office Assistant Kimberley Tyler

Layout and Design Dylon Clew-Thomas

Cover Photo

Chuck Wainwright

55 PLUS –A Magazine for Active Adults in the Rochester Area is published six times a year by Local News, Inc., which also publishes In Good Health–Rochester—Genesee Valley’s Healthcare Newspaper.

Mailing Address PO Box 525 Victor, NY 14564 © 2018 by 55 PLUS – A Magazine for Active Adults in the Rochester Area. No material may be reproduced in whole or in part from this publication without the express written permission of the publisher. Third class postage paid at Syracuse, NY. Permit Number: 3071

How to Reach Us P.O. Box 525 Victor, NY 14564 Voice: 585-421-8109 Fax: 585-421-8129 Editor@roc55.com

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financial health By Jim Terwilliger

Managing Retirement Plans During, Following a Divorce

ivorce is tough enough. Dealing with retirement plans during and following a divorce adds an extra degree of complexity. If not managed correctly, missteps can cause a heap of trouble for both the divorcing couple and family members. Here we are talking about qualified employer retirement plans, such as 401(k), profit-sharing and defined benefit plans as well as ESOPs, and individual retirement plans, such as traditional and Roth IRAs. Although both types of plans share many similarities, when it comes to divorce, one must be mindful of some key differences.

During the Divorce Process When dividing assets, retirement plans become part of the mix. For many couples, other than, say, a residence, retirement plans often are the next largest asset. For qualified employer retirement plans, the court can allocate a portion or all of a plan to the former spouse as part of the divorce settlement. This is done under what is called a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO). As one option, the former spouse can elect to take a distribution from the plan. Such a distribution is taxable to the former spouse but is not subject to the 10 percent early-withdrawal penalty if under age 59-1/2. Alter-

natively, a former spouse can elect to roll the QDRO money over to his/ her own IRA or employer plan. Subsequent distributions from the former spouse’s IRA or employer plan are no longer protected from the early-withdrawal-penalty waiver if taken early. Splitting or awarding individual IRAs during a divorce is handled in a similar fashion, although the QDRO approach is not applicable. Here the option is to transfer all or part of an IRA to a former spouse’s IRA provided that such a transfer is awarded under a divorce decree or legal separation agreement. Once the funds arrive in the former spouse’s IRA, all the normal rules apply. Distributions, when ultimately taken, are taxable to the former spouse and the 10 percent early-withdrawal penalty is in place, where applicable. For either type of plan, it is critical to monitor “basis” — the after-tax portion of any transfer/rollover from an employer plan or traditional IRA. If basis is other than zero, there are a couple of watch-outs: • Both the giving spouse and receiving spouse need to document basis in any affected IRAs by filing Form 8606 with their income tax returns in the year that a transfer/rollover takes place. The same is true when distributions are made in subsequent years. Form 8606 is the official IRS form for calculating the taxable portion of any distribution. • When splitting assets in the divorce process, it is to both spouses’ benefit to understand which assets are pre-tax and which are after-tax. For example, trading a $200K traditional IRA with zero basis for a $200K residence is not an even exchange.

Following the Divorce Process Once everything is transferred and the dust settles, all is not smooth 8

55 PLUS - November / December 2018

sailing. We must now contend with beneficiary designations for both spouses. Retirement plans are among a number of non-probate assets that transfer on death to named beneficiaries. The will does not control the disposition of such assets. Guess how many forget to change their designations and end up with a former spouse listed as primary beneficiary? What happens at death? What about children, or children from a previous marriage, who might be listed as contingent beneficiaries? For IRAs (as well as life insurance and deferred annuities), state statues rule. Fortunately, in New York state, such beneficiary designations for former spouses are revoked. A former spouse is treated as being deceased. Contingent beneficiaries, if listed, are then next in line. If none are listed, the plans are payable to the estate. Occasionally, the divorce settlement requires that the former spouse be the beneficiary. In this case, the IRA owner would file a new beneficiary designation form following the divorce, listing the former spouse. The new beneficiary designation date would signify the IRA’s owner intent to name the former spouse vs. being an oversight. For qualified employer plans, the rules are different. These plans are covered by federal statutes under ERISA. States cannot overrule federal statutes. Here the default is that whoever is listed as beneficiary is indeed the beneficiary, former spouse or not. An interesting twist is that employer plans can, in fact, supersede the federal default. Many, but not all, plans revoke beneficiary designations for former spouses. If divorced, check your plan for details. Better yet, update your designations. Having and relying on a good attorney and financial planner to guide you through and beyond the divorce process is essential. Do not try to do any of this on your own.

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DiningOut By Christopher Malone

Restaurant

Guide

Chicken phyllo at Olives Greek Taverna.

Olives Greek Taverna One big, fat Greek-filled belly: Pittsford restaurant turning 20

he plaza of Northfield Common in Pittsford is a unique little nook which locals can call convenient and travelers can thoroughly enjoy and easily remember. Not only does it feature Olives Greek Taverna, at 50 State St., but a variety of other shops like a letterpress company, a Pilates studio, clothing stores and a tailor, a woodshop, and a coffee and cupcake spot, among other eateries. This Pittsford plaza is as easily walkable as one of those towns that 10

55 PLUS - November / December 2018

drifters pass through in westerns, but, of course, not located in a desolate area. Instead, this is a historic area and features a waterway that was once part of the Erie Canal. Olives Greek Taverna along with the neighboring Label 7 Napa-inspired restaurant get prime spots of the scenic view. Olives is celebrating its 20th year in business. Not to get ahead in this text, but the Greek restaurant feels like it has more years invested into the area than the reality of the Mourgides family opening its doors in 1998. It

goes to show how some hospitality and Old-World quality and atmosphere donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have monetary value. The cash-only restaurant (an ATM is available on premises) features two rooms with several tables dedicated to patron seating. There is a spacious patio with vibrant green umbrellas to complement the color scheme. The dĂŠcor is faux Mediterranean in a very homelike presentation. Plastic table covers drape over the tables, all of which were in great condition, and the silverware was spotless. We kicked off the meal with the

village platter ($12.99). The easily sharable starter featured four generous-sized pieces lightly breaded, crispy-coated eggplant; dolmades (grape leaves filled with rice and topped with feta); skordalia (potato spread), hummus and pita bread. The eggplant was perfectly cooked. The breaded coating didn’t compromise the eggplant, which wasn’t mushy inside the crispy shell. The grape leaves may be an acquired taste for some, but I enjoy them. The oil, rice and feta were wonderful ingredients for the finger food. Honestly, of all the familiar dishes I’ve had, these bite-sized delights were the best I’ve had. As for the spreads, the skordalia proved to be a flavorful and lighter cousin of garlic mashed potatoes. This paired well with pita bread but better with the eggplant, a suggestion by our server. The hummus was dynamic. The balance of garlic, tahini and lemon were very well balanced. Again, our informative waitress schooled us about the restaurant and ownership: she noted this hummus is a family recipe and that the owner sometimes makes it a little chunkier. After devouring most of the food on the platter, there was a little hummus leftover — we wanted to be conservative for some unknown reason — and we were provided with more pieces of pita. Next, the spicy feta gyro ($6.70) arrived at the table, halved. Since my partner and I were sharing most of this evening’s dishes, Olives’ staff took it upon themselves to physically split our food items. It was a thoughtful gesture and a welcomed surprise. The gyro meat was flavorful, far from dry. Although I expected more, the spicy feta spread had enough heat. The curious-minded and spice -sensitive consumers don’t have to fret. We split the chicken phyllo special ($15.99), which was the poultry version of the standard kreatopita dish found on the menu. The phyllo firmly hugged the shredded chicken, artichoke hearts, pine nuts, pesto and goat cheese. The phyllo was cooked well, showing singe marks, and the inside ingredients were very hot. The crispy dough coat flaked when the knife cut into it, but it didn’t shatter to the point where pieces of the phyllo flew everywhere.

Platter starter: hummus, skadalia, dolmades, eggplant and pita.

Spicy feta gyro is stuffed with flavorful gyro meat and veggies.

Olives’ coconut bread pudding is coconut and apricot, topped with a dollop of whipped cream. The artichoke hearts weren’t overcooked and the chicken wasn’t dry. The pesto didn’t overpower the rest of the flavor of the dish. The kreatopita was very filling as well. With our approach to the evening out, opting for another entrée would have proved to be too much food. Instead, we compensated. After briefly debating dessert, the coconut bread pudding ($3.99) sounded too good to pass up. There was a good balance of sweet and savory, and the sweetness definitely pulled from the bits of apricots. Yes, apricots. The medley of prominent and shredded coconut with the fruit added up to be a great team. Before tip and without hard beverages, the bill fell just under $43. Olives Greek Taverna kept the hot, Mediterranean food coming as it set a bar for service. Plus there must be a lot of regulars. Our server looked at us at the end of the meal, and said that we didn’t look familiar. We shared a good laugh about the comment. Although our night out was on

a Monday, it’s easy to imagine the place getting packed, especially in an area where there is a close proximity to the highway and there are several colleges. Reservations are accepted, if patrons want to play it safe. Be sure to bring an empty stomach.

Olives Greek Taverna Address 50 State St., Shoen Place, Pittsford, NY 14534 Phone 585-381-3990 Website/Social www.olivespittsford.com www.facebook.com/ olivesgreektaverna Hours Monday – Thursday: 11 a.m. – 8 p.m. Friday & Saturday: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. Sunday: Closed November / December 2018 - 55 PLUS

55+

kindness

Hands on: Chet Fery in his kitchen in Brockport. He estimates he has baked nearly 100,000 loafs of bread to date â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and given them away. Photo by Christine Green.

55 PLUS - November / December 2018

Meet ‘The ‘Bread Man’

A former Gates Chili educator has given away close to 100,000 loaves of bread in his crusade to share kindness

By Christine Green

het Fery, 68, has baked close to 100,000 loaves of bread. He doesn’t own a restaurant or bakery like you might think, though. In fact, he bakes all that bread — every day — in just two ovens in his kitchen in suburban Brockport. What does he do with all that bread? He gives it away.

Gateway to kindness Before being labeled “The Bread Man,” Fery was an educator for 33 years. Before he retired from the Gates Chili school district in 2006 he worked as a teacher, counselor and school administrator. Retirement meant that he had more time to bake, which also meant that the number of people who got a free loaf from him rose, too. He now gives it away all over the area including the Brockport Farmer’s Market and the Rochester Public Market. But why make and give away all that bread? For Fery, it isn’t about the bread at all. It is about sharing kindness in the community. “Bread and kindness have a way of bringing people together,” he said. Jill Leicht-Zulkosky of Conesus is the former owner of Jill’s Antiques on Main Street in Brockport. Her position behind the counter gave her a special vantage point to watch as Fery shared his bread. “Over the years I received many loaves of bread from Chet and I watched him surprise customers in my store and around the village with bread,” said Leicht-Zulkosky.

Bread Time Stories Fery is also a speaker who travels the area demonstrating his bread making and discussing how kindness can change lives. Fery finds that his demonstrations (as well as the scent of fresh baked bread) capture the audiences’ attention in a special way. Bread and baking often spark fond memories and can motivate a person to actively listen. “Most people have a bread story of their own,” said Fery. “Or they at least have a taste, touch, and smell memory of something baked. When I can get them to reflect on taste, touch and smell as an indelible memory, their mouth starts to water and then I have them.” Fery often gives talks in schools, teaching students from preschool through high school about kindness.

In these venues he sometimes has students help out by mixing ingredients and kneading dough. This is when often tough, no-nonsense students begin to soften to the lesson and absorb the message. A tactile connection to the stories Fery tells helps many people relax. “I get their hands in dough and something releases,” he said. Lori S. Skelton is the principal at the Hillside Family of Agencies Andrews-Trahey Campus School. She was impressed with Fery’s easy way with students when he spoke at several assemblies for her school: “Chet was amazing! He talked and told stories, all the while making bread. He asked students questions. The students traditionally have a challenging time meeting new people and building relationships, but Chet’s unassuming and open demeanor helped the students accept him and participate, sharing stories of their own and sharing some of their struggles. They were calm and comfortable in his presence.” His wife, Marina Fery, has witnessed the positive impact of her husband’s “Bread Time Stories” talks first hand. “You don’t know who you reach or if they listen,” she told 55 Plus and then recounted a story about two middle schools students that approached Fery after a presentation to thank him. Teachers were blown away because these young ladies almost never spoke in school at all. After a presentation at a middle school in Tonawanda, near Buffalo,

November / December 2018 - 55 PLUS

Fery challenged the students to perform five acts of kindness every day for five days. The talk was especially impactful because it fell just one week after the shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland Fla. By the end of the five day challenge the entire school body had performed over 800 acts of kindness. Fery said this directly demonstrated how “you can control and make the environment you want by what you say and what you do.” Fery also makes sure local college students can enjoy his bread. Once a month he visits the Newman Center at the College of Brockport and passes out loaves to students in attendance. Mary Anne Geonie attends mass at Newman and loves seeing the students’ faces when they get a loaf of bread. She first met Fery in 1973 when they were both working for BOCES 2 and noted that he has always had a special place in his heart for students. “He was always having them work on their inner selves and become better people,” she said. Fery also assists with staff development at various workplaces.

At the time of this interview Skelton had booked Fery for an October trip back to the Andrews-Trahey Campus School to speak to over 300 people for Superintendent’s Conference Day. “Our staff interact with and influence the lives of young people with varying degrees of trauma in their lives every day. The work can be draining as they experience significant amounts of vicarious trauma themselves. We feel that Chet will provide them with practical ways to care for their own minds, bodies, and souls and will leave them feeling at peace and soothed so that they can face another challenging day. Our staff are dedicated and truly care about the students we work with, but that deep sense of caring and obligation can really wear them down. Chet has a way of opening people up and sharing peace and contentment. He is a genuine and unique soul. We are grateful for his work with us!” Fery said that reminding people to show kindness not only to others but to themselves is extremely important. “If you don’t do that you run the risk of other people caring for you

less,” he remarked.

Kindness Coaching An occasionally achy left wrist reminds Fery that making another 100,000 loaves of bread may not be in the books these next five years. As a certified life coach he is in the process of redefining himself as a “Kindness Coach.” Many of those who have heard his Bread Time Stories presentations or who have received a loaf of his bread want to learn more ways to integrate kindness into their lives. Fery works with clients either online or in person in order to help them make positive changes. He is also working on his book aptly titled “Bread Time Stories and More.” Fery is sure to continue to make an impact in the community whether it is through passing out free bread, speaking to students, or coaching individuals in the work of kindness. Jill Leicht-Zulkosky sums it up best: “He is literally trying to make the world a better place, one loaf at a time. And it really does brighten people’s day.”

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Social Security

Q&A Q: How are my retirement benefits calculated? A: Your Social Security benefits are based on earnings averaged over your lifetime. Your actual earnings are first adjusted or “indexed” to account for changes in average wages since the year the earnings were received. Then we calculate your average monthly indexed earnings during the 35 years in which you earned the most. We apply a formula to these earnings and arrive at your basic benefit. This is the amount you would receive at your full retirement age. You may be able to estimate your benefit by using our Retirement Estimator which offers estimates based on your Social Security earnings. You can find the Retirement Estimator at www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator. Q: I’m retired and the only income I have is a monthly withdrawal from an Individual Retirement Account (IRA). Are the IRA withdrawals considered “earnings?” Could they reduce my monthly Social Security benefits? A: No. We count only the wages you earn from a job or your net profit if you’re self-employed. Non-work income such as pensions, annuities, investment income, interest, capital gains and other government benefits are not counted and will not affect your Social Security benefits. For more information, visit our website at www. socialsecurity.gov or call us toll-free at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). Q: I currently receive Social Security disability benefits. I now have a second serious disability. Can my monthly benefit amount be increased? A: No. Your Social Security disability benefit amount is based on the amount of your lifetime earnings before your disability began and not the number of disabling conditions or illnesses you may have. For more information, go to www. socialsecurity.gov/disability.

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55+

adventure

Jack and Niki Armstrong.

Ciao, Rochester! Rochester couple forsakes snow for travel, warmer climes By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

fter retiring in 2009 from his position as a customer service representative for Xpedx, a distribution subsidiary of International Paper Company, Jack Armstrong knew just what he wanted to do: escape Rochester winters and tour the nation in a recreational vehicle for a few months. “What better way to see this beautiful country?” he said of his decision. Then 62, he had to convince his wife, Niki, that it was a good idea to spend the five colder months of the year in Florida and a few weeks of the summer in the Adirondacks and other destinations along the way. “My wife was a little unsure in

55 PLUS - November / December 2018

the beginning, never even having camped as a child growing up, but quickly took to the idea and really liked the total comfort of some of the RVs we have had,” Armstrong said. One of the advantages is the “home-away-from-home” comfort RVs offer. Travelers don’t have to wonder about the quality of their accommodations while on the road. The Armstrongs can also bring along their two indoor cats who are “very good travelers and companions,” Armstrong said. The couple enjoys not having to worry about catching flights or meeting hotel check-out times as they travel. They can take their time as leisurely as they wish, normally about 200 to

250 on traveling days and spending at least two nights at each stop. Usually, they ask the RV park manager about the best mom-andpop restaurants that the locals like, along with a landmark that they always take their visiting friends and families to see. “We have found some wonderful off-the-beaten-track places with those two questions,” Armstrong said. In the past decade, the couple has logged hundreds of miles and visited scores of campgrounds, restaurants and points of interest. They have chronicled their journey on their website, www.snowbirdrvtrails.com, which provides recommendations, routes and RV tips. Armstrong said that visitors to his site are a mix of long-time RVers and newbies considering the lifestyle. “We try to pass along both in our blog and our website the things we have learned from good mentors we have had in the past,” Armstrong said. Some of the readers eventually go full-time RVing after selling their homes and most of their possessions.

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“That worries us because it’s not for everyone even though it sounds like heaven,” Armstrong said. He advises renting an RV and testing it out before selling the home to ensure it’s really the way they want to go. Armstrong said that some people don’t realize the work, planning and money that goes go into RV living. Though there’s no hotel costs, travelers still need a source of income sufficient to pay for fuel, campsite fees and routine maintenance, plus some savings for emergencies that pop up occasionally. “You should plan your first steps carefully and sensibly and then work your plan,” Armstrong said. “If you are buying a used RV, take someone who knows RVs with you or hire a mobile RV tech to look it over. It will pay in the long run. There are many hidden things that can go wrong with an RV.” He said that the largest challenge is also the most fun: heading into the unknown. For that reason, the couple always advises RV travelers to purchase a membership in an emergency roadside assistance plan and a copy of Trucker’s Road Atlas, which highlights routes for trucks and notes low overpasses. “If a trucker can do the route, any

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RV can as well” Armstrong said. “It’s all about peace of mind and having fun.” The Armstrongs did sell their Rochester home and move South. They maintain a condo in Clearwater, Fla. They used to take extensive, several-month trips in a 32-foot fifth wheel that boasted three slide-out expansions; however, two years ago, when Niki experienced knee replacement that involved complications, they sold the truck and big rig. “But it gets into your blood,” Armstrong said. “We lasted about a year missing the road and our travels and started looking.” Last December, they purchased a 2018 Roadtrek, a 19-foot van that they describe as a well-outfitted camper.”The self-contained vehicle allows the couple to go off the grid and camp wherever they would like. It has its own generator, TV and DVD player with surround sound, refrigerator, air conditioning, standard toilet and indoor and outside showers. It’s a much smaller version of their previous RV, but it’s better for Niki to maneuver in. Though the couple now takes shorter RV trips a few weeks here and a few weeks there they can’t recommend the RV life enough.

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retirement

$1M? $2M? What’s your ‘magic number’ for a comfortable retirement life? By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

emember when $1 million represented the “magic number” for a dream retirement? Those days are long gone. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics estimates that people age 55 to 64 need more than $56,000 per year minimum for household expenses, including health care. For someone who will live 25 more years (80 to 89), that’s $1.4 million. If one lives frugally in retirement, less would work, right? “No,” says Diana Apostolova, financial consultant with AXA Advisors in Rochester. “Inflation is one of the biggest enemies in any retirement plan, especially for a retirement that lasts several decades,” she said. “Your living expenses could increase multiple times over your 20- to 30-plus years of retirement. Certain expenses such as medical expenses could grow much higher than the inflation rate. The reality is, it’s not about if you have enough to retire today, but it’s about would you have enough down the road?” She added that generally speaking, many people need between 60 to 85 percent of their pre-retirement income in the year that they retire; however, that income needs to be adjusted for inflation. Apostalova also said that many retirees forget about taxes — one of the biggest mistakes this population makes in their financial planning, she said. Joe Votava, a CPA, tax lawyer and finan-

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cial adviser, is CEO of Seneca Financial Advisors, LLC in Rochester. He helps clients figure out their budget and plans for their future lifestyle and then adds 3.5 percent for inflation. “Seven percent inflation usually doesn’t last all that long,” he said. “We look at today’s expenses and say, ‘That will grow.’” He said that for many people, long-term health insurance and health care represent some of the common areas for which people grossly underestimate their future expenses. For the healthcare segment of the budget, he figures 6 percent inflation. “Someone who has a pretty good income and they’re moving towards retirement often says, ‘I am not worried about it because Medicare is great,’” Votava said. “The issue here is the government is constantly tweaking the law for means testing. If someone has a higher level of income they lose benefits. Medicare B premiums

is a prime example. As your income is higher year by year, even in retirement, you pay a much higher premium for Medicare than someone who doesn’t have a lot of income.” He predicts that trend to continue, along with lower Social Security income for retirees. Scott Klatt, certified financial planner and partner with NorthLanding Financial Partners, LLC in Rochester, has worked in the industry 34 years. He said that he has heard a lot of rules of thumb for retirement savings. “We use sophisticated software that does the calculations,” Klatt said. “We bring clients through the process.” Many factors affect how much money clients will need to save; however Klatt said that the biggest misconception of clients is that they can begin thinking about their financial future at the point of retirement. “Earlier is better” rings true as a motto for investing for retirement. Klatt discusses risk tolerance with clients. In fact, his

firm offers a questionnaire to help clients identify their risk tolerance. Part of the equation is that clients closer to retirement generally can tolerate lower risk. Klatt tends to divide a client’s investments in lower-risk short-term investments and higher-risk longterm investments based upon their time until retirement and risk tolerance. “Many advisers don’t do their homework in understanding risk tolerance of their clients,” Klatt said. Bryce Carey, also a partner and certified financial planner with NorthLanding, believes that the “magic number” is relative to what clients want to do when they retire. Anyone who wants to travel or engage in hobbies that require significant expense needs more money. Carey encourages clients to begin by determining their goals for retirement, looking at their budget and then trying to quantify expected expenses during retirement. For example, if a client should have his house paid off by retirement, then the monthly mortgage payment would no longer remain in his budget. “We make sure the client is earning a greater rate of returns that what they’re drawing from the portfolio,” Carey said. “Social Security helps offset that, but pensions aren’t as common as they used to be. It’s on the individual family’s shoulders to save for the majority of their retirement expenses.” Carey echoed Klatt, that a diversified portfolio can help ensure that clients don’t rely too much upon the stock market so that if the market is down, they can still access money. “Everyone’s situation is unique,” Carey said. “Our stocks are long-term investments and bonds are short-term investments.” He said that when he first became a financial adviser, most people relied upon pensions and Social Security. He estimated that now, only 30 percent of people who are working have a pension awaiting them at retirement, a factor that has contributed to the growth of financial planners. “Once people hear our process and how we think about retirement planning, the light bulb goes off,” Carey said. “But many keep working and hope for the best. They pay us to be specific about their goals.”

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55+

music Tommy and the Tremors performs at a wedding at the Wegman Lodge in Seneca Park. The band set up outside, with a lawn in front of them.

Ready to Rock ‘n Roll Tommy and the Tremors brings early rock ‘n roll to parties, events in Rochester region

ou want to shake? Feel a need to rattle? Might like to roll? You want to party like it’s 1959…again? Then Tommy and the Tremors has something for you. “We love early rock ‘n roll,” said Tom Petronio, 55, the leader of a Rochester-based band, Tommy and The Tremors. “Chuck Berry is our main man.

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By John Addyman We love Bo Diddley, Buddy Holly, Eddie Cochran, the Kinks, the Stones, the early Beatles. Not a lot of bands play the music of that era anymore. We do, because we love it.” Petronio and the Tremors — bass guitar player “Memphis” Jim Emmi, 59; lead guitar Larry Byron, 59; and drummer Bob Voellinger, 69 — have been building their creds for about four years. They play the feel-good, rhythm-rich rock ‘n roll from the first

decade of the music, when things were simple and straightforward. Emmi lays a driving, thrumming base underneath Petronio’s guitar and vocals, with Brown sailing through rapid riffs and Voellinger producing the beat that swirls the poodle skirts and shimmies those tight black slacks. The group puts a charge in their music — “We tremorize it,” says Petronio. Good party tunes. You recognize the song, but feel the slight dif-

ferences the Tremors put into it. “It’s still mostly three-chord rock ‘n roll songs,” Petronio said. “That’s all you need to have a good time and get in the groove and have fun with the music.” Petronio is the marketing manager for St. Ann’s Community, moving to a position there after 19 years as communications director for the Rochester School District. Emmi works in accounting and payroll at The Northfield, affiliated with Fairport Baptist Home. Voellinger is a retiree truck driver who still drives a truck. And Byron is a medical technologist in immunology at Strong Memorial. “He has half a dozen advanced science degrees,” said Petronio. They all have early roots in rock ‘n roll. Petronio played in a band at Bishop Kearney High School, which is also where his marketing career got started. “The band was with four of my friends in the late ‘70s,” he said. “We called ourselves ‘Penn Central.’ Our claim to fame back in those days was that we wrote a letter to the Shah of Iran, whom we heard in our social studies class had a lot of money. So we hit him up for a loan for a PA system and doggone it if we didn’t get a reply from the Iranian Embassy and a letter from the Shah and $1,000. It was just unbelievable. We had our five minutes of fame.” At St. John Fisher, Petronio got another band going, ‘No Canadian Coins Accepted.’ Okay, it was the ‘70s. That broke up at graduation, but by then, Petronio and Memphis Jim were friends doing a blues show on station WGMC 90.0. “Our love for blues and early rock ‘n roll was a real bond to us, and we eventually, later in life, said, ‘Let’s get a band together and play some of that stuff.’ We placed an ad for a drummer, and through tremendous fortuitousness, hooked up with Bob Voellinger, an outstanding drummer with an encyclopedic knowledge of early rock ‘n roll,” said Petronio. “He and I were immediately on the same wavelength about early 60s artists, songs, albums, obscurities…a match made in heaven. “I knew Larry Byron from a guitar jam group we both used to attend and asked him if he’d want to play lead guitar and he agreed. That’s where

Drummer Bob Voellinger, 69

Memphis Jim Emmi.

Lead guitar Larry Byron, 59.

Lead singer Tom Petronio.

we started what we have today.” Tommy and the Tremors plays house parties, weddings, the kinds of things that friends and acquaintances tap them for. “We’d love to do a toga party,” Petronio said. “We’d be more than willing.” He admitted that about half of their play dates in the year are done gratis. “We would not take unkindly to getting paid — we have a new PA system to pay for, and the Shah of Iran is out of commission. I can’t think of too many world leaders who might open their wallets to us.” The Tremors would like to play for more people, at bigger venues. They’re ready. And it’s more than a wish to just be heard, they’re ambassadors for the purest form of rock ‘n roll, something they translate to new generations with feeling.

You can easily listen to Tommy and the Tremors through a website, BandCamp.com. Just type in “Tommy and the Tremors” on the search window and you’re led to 10 songs on their digital album, “Tremorizin’!” Downloads are free. You can also check out their Facebook page for the newest information. When the music starts and people see the band is serious about having a good time and making tunes come alive, “people get up and dance, and that’s what we love,” said Petronio. “I think they’re kind of astounded to hear those old songs being given new life, in a revved-up energetic way that captures the spirit of the originals. We just love the music and try to put some spirit in it.” November / December 2018 - 55 PLUS

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shopping

Tips to Get Ahead on Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Beyond

Cashing in on super holiday savings By Kimberly Blaker

here may be no other aspect of the holiday season regarded with such strong and varied opinions than Black Friday. Lovers thrill over the freebies and super savings that lure them in. Haters berate it for getting in the way of the Thanksgiving holiday tradition, being a big gimmick, leading people to behave badly, and insist it’s a symbol of excessive American consumerism. Whether you’re a hater or an enthusiast, there are plenty of ways to cash in on holiday savings on Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and throughout the holiday season. So follow these tips for deep holiday savings. Subscribe to store email lists. Decide at least a couple weeks in advance which stores you want to shop at. Then visit each store’s website, and subscribe to their email list. Signing up early will ensure you receive all special emails for the season’s big Black Friday and Cyber Monday events as well as ongoing savings right on through Christmas eve. Buy discounted gift cards. Visit Raise.com, and order discounted gift cards for the stores you’ll shop at. Then use these cards to purchase sale and special buy items to increase your total savings. The caveat, be certain the gift cards are for stores you’ll definitely shop at. Otherwise, you’ll defeat your savings by being forced

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to use the cards on unnecessary purchases to recoup your investment. On the other hand, gift cards can also make great gifts. Start collecting Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals that show up in your newspaper, mailbox and email. Also visit your favorite stores online a few days in advance to find out what kind of deals they’ll be offering. Print out any coupons you find online or in your email. Then store them together in a safe place. Organize for the big day. Once you’ve collected all the deals, sort through, and match them up to your holiday shopping list. Compare deals, and determine when the sales or doorbusters begin and whether there’ll be limited quantities. Then strategize. If you can’t stand in line for hours for a limited quantity doorbuster, skip it altogether, and focus on the other deals that’ll be easier to fetch. Prepare a ‹second best’ list. You can’t be everywhere at once, so you’re sure to miss a deal or two. If you’ve prepared in advance for that possibility, you’ll know where to go and what to look for as an alternative. Watch for early bird freebies. Many stores offer free gifts to the first 25 or 100 people in their store. It’s true, there are some pretty nice prizes to fetch. But they’ll likely require hours of waiting in line starting well before the crack of dawn. Before succumbing to these lures, consider whether the savings you might lose out on else-

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where is worth it. Black Friday isn’t always the best or only day for hot bargains. So do your research. Stores tout their Black Friday deals to get consumers into a buying frenzy early in the season. Some even offer their super deals starting Thanksgiving evening and even reduce their prices on Wednesday. Realize also those Black Friday deals can often be found online on Cyber Monday. In fact, many of the hot deals, and even better deals stretch well into December. Shop late in the day. If you’re like many people, shopping on Black Friday isn’t even a consideration for no other reason than the chaos. But realize, on Black Friday the vast majority of shoppers start out at the crack of dawn or earlier. So by 5 p.m., malls and stores are dead. Early birds have already shopped ‘til they dropped. So Black Friday evening is a great time to get in your early shopping with plenty of great deals still going on. Shop online. This is another option if you don’t want to participate in the madhouse. Many stores offer the same deals online as they do in their stores. Not to mention, many online stores don’t even have store fronts. But keep in mind, supplies are often limited even online. By the time you reach checkout, an item in your basket may be sold out. If you’re shopping for multiple items from a single

Continued on Page 24

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Continued From Page 22 store, do multiple checkouts to ensure the items in your basket don’t disappear while you’re busy shopping. Arrange your finances in advance. If you plan on paying by credit card, plan well in advance so the credit will be available to you. Make credit card payments at least 2 weeks in advance to allow time for processing. Use your credit cards that offer cash back or reward points to increase your savings. If paying with a debit card, double check your balance before heading out to avoid unwelcome surprises. Carrying cash isn’t advisable as chaotic crowds increase the potential for pick pockets and purse snatchers. Leave the kids at home. The chaos of the holiday shopping season, especially Black Friday, poses risks to your children. There’s the slim but potential risk of trampling by crazed crowds on Black Friday and increased risk of losing your child among the mob. Add to this, shopping for long hours is stressful and exhausting for children. Not to mention, it will increase your own stress level and deplete your energy. Avoid carts. On Black Friday, carry shopping bags or totes unless you’re buying heavy items. Carts will slow you down through crowds unwilling to budge for you. Hold off on toy purchases. Black Friday doesn’t offer the best deals on toys. The first week of December usually offers much bigger savings on these items. Use social media for extra savings. Many retailers offer special coupons and discounts to people who like them on Facebook or other social media. Look for the social me-

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dia accounts of the stores you plan to shop at. Check on return policies. Most major retailers have liberal return policies. But not all do. So do your homework before making purchases. Also, be sure to ask for gift receipts to make exchanges and returns easy for gift recipients. . Avoid impulse buying. For many shoppers, their savings go down the drain as they grab unnecessary ‹great buys’ at the spur of the moment. So prepare yourself mentally before you head out. Get extra savings with instant store credit. This is a double- edged sword. You can save 10 to 25 precent by opening a store credit card at checkout. If you pay your charges off immediately and don’t use it for unnecessary purchases, it’s well worth the savings. Otherwise, the long-term cost of interest will exceed the savings you initially gained. Make sure a sale is really a sale. Some stores mark up merchandise before reducing it only to make it look like a great bargain. Furniture chains are especially known for this tactic. Many other stores do it as well on select merchandise. So do your homework. Don’t waste time trying to price match. On Black Friday and Cyber Monday, stores typically don’t honor price matching. Outside of these two days, it’s well worth your time to do so. Be prepared for long lines. Bring entertainment on your phone for waiting in long lines. Before heading out, add your email account, music, audio books, or video games to your phone. Better yet, spend your time waiting in line visiting online

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stores and watch for rotating deals. Also, download a Black Friday deals app such as Dealnews, Slickdeals, Shopkick, Flipp, or The Coupons App. Organize yourself for rebates. Print out rebate forms in advance so you don’t lose track of them. Also request duplicate receipts for rebate purchases, and store them in a safe place in your wallet or purse. If shopping online, download the Ebates app for automatic rebates when shopping on participating websites. Forego the extended warranties. With a few exceptions, extended warranties are a waste of money. Most electronics already come with a limited manufacturer’s warranty. Defects usually show up within the scope of the manufacturer’s warranty. The accidental damage that might be covered under a store’s extended warranty tends to occur rarely. Cell phones or small personal electronics people carry with them that are likely to get dropped, lost, or run through the washing machine tend to be the exception.

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55+ charity

Checking Out Charities How can you know that the organization you’re donating to is legitimate? By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

n 2017 Americans gave about $410.02 billion to charities, according to Giving USA 2018, the Annual Report on Philanthropy. The organization also reported that 9 percent of all donations are by bequest ($35.70 billion in 2017) and that gifts from individuals plus bequests accounts for almost 80 percent of charitable gifts, compared with 20 percent of financial gifts originating from companies. When you choose to give, how can you know that the organization is legitimate and significantly benefiting the cause you support? “A lot of retirees receive solicitations from charitable organizations,” said Diana Apostolova, financial consultant with AXA Advisors in Rochester. “Many marketing materials may or may not clearly explain the benefits of making charitable contributions to these organizations and what is the implication on the retiree’s personal benefits, both moral and financial.” 26

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She advises people to talk with a CPA before sending money. Otherwise, knowing what’s a legitimate organization versus a scam or even an organization that’s wasteful with money can be difficult, though with research, one can find good organizations. Joe Votava, CPA, tax lawyer and CEO of Seneca Financial Advisors, LLC in Rochester, said that checking with the Internal Revenue Service’s list of 501(c)(3) organizations (https://apps.irs.gov/app/eos) can determine if the contributions are deductible as well as lend more credibility to the organization. “Public charities have to file a public tax return,” Votava said. “Go on the internet and pull up their information. You have to do some research for yourself, but that information is out there because it’s public. We like transparent, public information from these organizations.” Votava added that communi-

ty-based foundations can help identify sound charitable organizations, as well as online tools. Bryce Carey, partner and certified financial planner with NorthLanding Financial Partners, LLC in Rochester, recommends Guidestar (www.guidestar.com) as a resource for screening charitable organizations. “It’s a fantastic resource,” Carey said. “You can put in any charity and it will give you all sorts of information.” Charities can highlight their transparency by quantifying their outcome and sharing their budgets. Givers can select the charities that meet their expectations. “Especially with very progressive charities, like Lollypop Farm, they post their own initiatives and goals on Guidestar so people can understand the objectives of the charity and they post past charitable works they’ve done” said Scott Klatt certified financial planner with NorthLanding Fi-

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nancial Partners, LLC in Rochester. Lollypop Farm, an animal shelter in Fairport, posts the number of animals saved, the placement rate with different types of animals, and metrics for the organization. Klatt said that by using Guidestar, they can provide givers with third-party analysis. “It gives organizations a platform to communicate their message,” Klatt added. Carey said that his firm uses this Guidestar in conjunction with Fidelity Charitable accounts (www.fidelitycharitable.org), which enables his clients to donate their charitable budget at once and disburse it among the charities they select whenever they would like over several years. Some clients gain significant tax advantages by using this method. “They can make charitable contributions at their leisure as any 501(c) (3) listed on Guidestar as often as they would like to,” Carey said. “It’s good for people who have charitable aspirations. This is a high-tech system, almost like online banking, where clients can learn more about organizations and donate directly to causes. They have committed themselves to being long-term donors.” While donating provides a financial lifeline for charities, becoming personally involved also brings additional benefit to the charity as well as helping donors feel more involved. “Rather than donate to many different organizations, the more they get involved with one, two or three, the more they understand how their donations are used and the more they can affect how the money is used,” Carey said. “We advise our clients to ‘go deep instead of wide.’”

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November / December 2018 - 55 PLUS

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12/13/17 9:39 A

55+ sports

‘Outstanding Field Event Official’ Williamson resident reaches national prominence in track and field — has officiated all over the country, including at Olympic trials in Oregon for three Olympiads By John Addyman

t was one of those Saturdays this May that didn’t feel like spring at all. Rainy. Cool. Breezy. Kathy McLymond had things organized early. She was positioned under a fold-up canopy that was tied down because of the wind, processing things calmly and precisely. She looked very comfortable, but she had several layers of clothes on, a practiced skill for someone who spends so much time outdoors. This little patch was a peaceful province, but she had her eye on things as an event referee. The finish

line was just 40 feet away, athletes milled about on the other side of the track from her. The trainer’s tent was nearby, but apart. Here was McLymond’s reign. Out there, on the other side of the railing that rimmed this track in Marion, Wayne County, was her realm — with a couple dozen officials and athletes from more than 20 teams, competing in their league championship. Problems would come to her for solution. Results and information would flow from her. Weeks before, she was positioned

Kathy McLymond of Williamson has traveled the country officiating track and field events.

at the starting line at another event, but this time was very active in getting kids lined up and organized at the line. She’s positive and purposeful and extremely nice, but few see her smile, because she’s focused on keeping the chaos of a track and field meet organized, and on time. McLymond, from Williamson, is a nationally recognized track official. Close to home, she works high school and college track and cross-country meets. Out of the area, she has been just about everywhere, and is a prime official for the Mid-America Conference Championships. She has officiated at Olympic trials in Oregon for three Olympiads (2008, 2012, 2016), the only official from the Rochester area to do so. At the USA Track & Field National Convention in Ohio this winter, she was presented the Horace Crow Award as the “Outstanding Field Event Official” in the country among the 4,500 other nationally certified November / December 2018 - 55 PLUS

Kathy McLymond was named the Outstanding Field Official by USA Track & Field at the Association’s annual meeting earlier this year. With her are, at left, Vin Lannana, who was then president of USATF, and Mike Armstrong, USATF National Officials chairman. McLymond said the award bowl will hold enough popcorn for a movie. USATF officials. The top honor was inevitable — she was a finalist in the last four years. McLymond, 68, is a grandmother, a business owner with her husband, a Webster high grad, and a 50-year homeowner along Lake Ontario. When she’s not traveling out of state, McLymond is the Wayne Finger Lakes Track & Field Officials executive director and assignor. Go to any local track meet in Wayne County and its surroundings and McLymond has scheduled the officials who guide the event. Her interest in track started by watching husband-to-be, Lynn, captain of the track team and a 100-yardsin-10-seconds-flat sprinter at Webster. High school sweethearts, they were married three years after graduation — 50 years ago this August. Two years later, son Troy was born, followed three years later by Andy. McLymond got interested in officiating in Andy’s last year on the Williamson track team and in 1991, asked some officials what it took to join them. “They had meetings starting in February, on how to go through each event,” she said. She went to the meetings, took the test, and was okayed to 30

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join the W-FL officials. That got her started at the high school track and cross-country level. She did her first college meet in 1996, at the University at Buffalo, which was hosting an NCAA Division I national meet, in June. “It was very cold,” she remembers. ‘That was a big surprise.” To get the experience she needed to go to the higher rungs of officiating, she made a lot of trips to Buffalo. Not long after that she was officiating in NCAA Division I, II and III meets and championships. She is one of the four referees (the official in charge) in the Mid-American Conference for track and field championships. With the USATF, she officiated at the Outdoor Junior Championships for rising Olympians-to-be, and was in Eugene, Ore., for the Olympic trials. Her high school schedule includes cross-country meets in the fall, indoor track in the winter, and outdoor track and field in the spring. Her USATF and NCAA meets have taken her to Hawaii, California, Oregon, Maine, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, Kansas, Nebraska, Texas, Arkansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Florida, Michigan,

North Carolina, Iowa and Canada. The USATF meets include professionals. She was the flight coordinator (official who calls people up for their attempts) in high jump when Chante Lowe broke the American record. She officiated at the International Associations of Athletics Federation’s (IAAF) Indoor World Championships with competitors from 144 countries and was the pole vault flight coordinator when Jenn Suhr from Rochester won, and then on the high jump crew as Vasthi Cunningham won the high jump. McLymond had a personal brush with Justin Gatlin, the only American sprinter to beat Usain Bolt in the 100 meters and the current world record holder. “He and I were at the Olympic trials in Eugene,” she explained. “Coming home, we got on the same plane in Eugene. He’s in first class, wearing a baseball cap. I’m in regular class. I walked past him to get to my seat and he said, ‘Thank you for officiating.’ “When I got off the plane in San Francisco, I said to him, ‘Gee, thanks a lot for thanking me.’ He is a very humble man. He told me, ‘If it weren’t for you officials, we couldn’t do what we do.’”

“I asked him what events he was in. He said he was in the 100 and 200. I asked him how he did.” “’I won,’ he told me. Then I realized who he was. He was such a humble person, he didn’t want to tell me how he did.” This June, the USATF Niagara Association hosted a National Youth Meet for 3,000 athletes from 8 to 18: McLymond, as the certification chairwoman, processed 100 applications from officials across the country and coordinated housing, meals and meet assignments for all. She is busy five days a week, year-round. What does she most enjoy? “Oh, the friendships I’ve made. It’s downright boring sitting around home [even though that home has a spectacular lakefront view]. About an hour of that is enough. I just want to stay active and be with people and socialize. I have terrific friends across the whole country I’ve met traveling around the US, working at track meets — they’re just terrific friends.” People say when you work with kids, you feel younger yourself. “It’s fun to see what these athletes

accomplish,” she said, “the enjoyment you see when they break their best time or went higher. Special Olympics are really, really special, and the disabled games at Brockport in the fall – that’s really fun to see those athletes enjoying what they do.” She has seen many of the top athletes in the country in their prime, pushing to do their best in tight competition. Universally, she believes one thing about them: ‘They’re all nice people. All the track athletes are really nice.” McLymond stresses that more track and field officials are needed to keep the sports vibrant, and she shared a surprise. Collegiate football and basketball officials are paid well. Most track officials get nothing unless they are senior referees coordinating a large event, then they get a small stipend and perhaps a room in a hotel as opposed to a dorm room at the college hosting the event. “You’ll never get rich doing this,” she said. “For the USATF, they are just starting to pay at national meets, but not much. Unless you’re the head official or referee at an event, you have to pay your own way to get there.

That limits how many events you do. “And that’s why you see older officials. They want to get younger officials, but the first thing they ask is, ‘How much does it pay?’ When they find out, they say, ‘No, I can’t afford it.’ You have to take time off from work, and these young people can’t afford to take time off from work. And then you don’t pay them. That’s where they’re having a problem getting officials.” When you look around, even at the local high school meets, you see the truth in what McLymond says. But the folks who are there obviously enjoy what they’re doing — and without them, those athletes couldn’t do what they love to do. How many more meets does she have left in her? “I’ll do this until I can’t anymore,” she said. “This keeps your mind active and your body physically going.” Watching her work with kids on the track, you see someone who is unassuming and forthright, pleasant but direct, professional and unflappable, and so nice it’s hard to disagree with her. No wonder she thinks all track athletes are nice people.

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second act

Tracy McGrody, left, and Eileen Maher are lifelong friends who just celebrated one year in business together at Purple Moon Cottage in Fairport.

A Nurse and a Chemist How two longtime friends with different professional paths got together to start a business in Fairport

ileen Maher and Tracy McGrody have shared a lot together over the years. The two grew up in Fairport as the daughters of two best friends. Eventually, they became best friends, too. Maher became a chemist; McGrody, a nurse. They married and raised families in Fairport. Along the way, they often discussed going into business together. But their kids were little and the time was not yet right. After a Fairport store they frequented — Possi-

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By Colleen M. Farrell bilities — closed, they took it as a sign that they should take a step toward their dream and go into business together. Both at 55, at an age when some might be reluctant to try a new career path, the two jumped in together. “Luckily, our husbands were encouraging and said, ‘Do it now or you’re never going to do it,’” Maher said. The next day, they drove around, looking for just the right place to open a store. They stumbled upon an old building on Whitney Road in Fair-

port. “It was in shambles but we thought, ‘It’s a good project and we think we can make something of it,’” Maher said. That was October 2016. They finally closed in March 2017 and proceeded to paint, scrub, tear down walls, and whatever else needed doing to transform the space. The building, dating to 1957, had been used for several purposes: a plumbing store showroom, as well as camping, convenience and aquarium stores. After a heavy facelift inside and

out, Purple Moon Cottage was born. The duo recently celebrated their first anniversary as business owners. “We just fly by the seat of our pants,” McGrody said. “We’re learning as we go.” The biggest challenge, they said, is getting word out about Purple Moon Cottage. The store owners pride themselves on carrying unique items, such as dishes, candles, signs, and other decor. There is also a section with handbags, jewelry, socks, scarves, and other accessories as well as greeting cards. They also offer consigned furniture including Ethan Allen and Stickley pieces. They try to carry products made in the United States, including pieces from local artists. “We specifically go out of our way to find things that the other gift stores are not carrying,” Maher said. “It’s a lot of fun to add to inventory and buy pretty things,” McGrody said.

‘Christmas every day’ Maher agreed, relaying how, on

their first buying trip, they spent the first three days touring floor-afterfloor of items in Atlanta with their jaws dropped. “We finally started buying stuff and we picked out the stuff that we love,” she said. “It’s like Christmas every day. And we only carry things in the store that we love because we told our accountant that life’s too short to look at ugly things.” They have many repeat customers who adore specific items or lines. When new inventory comes in, they call them. The biggest reward is helping customers find just the right item, whether it be for themselves or for a gift. “Everyone that comes in says, ‘Oh! How cute!’ And ‘It smells nice in here,’” Maher said. “It has to smell nice and we have to have candy. Those are the two things,” McGrody added with a chuckle. Going into business with a close friend could scare some, but McGrody said there’s no one else with whom she’d rather go on this journey. “It’s a lot of compromise,” she

said. “It’s like a marriage. It’s all about compromise, because we do have different ideas.” Still, maintaining their friendship is the most important thing to both of them. Their daughters, who have put in some hours at Purple Moon Cottage, have become friends, too. Maher and McGrody said they have been welcomed by fellow business owners in Fairport and have found it rewarding to serve the community they grew up in and still call home. They would encourage anyone else debating whether to pursue a dream to “just do it,” McGrody said. “I really wish we would have done it way before this, but we both had young families and careers, and we both said someday,” she said. “And someday finally came.” As for the name? They knew they wanted the word “cottage” in it because of the warmth it evokes. Originally, they were thinking of something like “Harvest Moon Cottage” but could not find an available domain name. Both women like the color purple, so Purple Moon Cottage was born.

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55+

cover

“My Life Has Gotten So Busy That it Now Takes Up All of My Time” and its creator, Nancy Jurs. Photo courtesy of Memorial Art Gallery.

Molding a Life of Creativity Sculptor Nancy Jurs expresses herself through the arts By Mike Costanza 34

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little thing can take your life in a new direction. Back in 1958, a young woman was applying for admission to the Rochester Institute of Technology’s School for American Craftsmen when someone in the admissions office gave her a list of areas in which she could specialize. The teenager could only pick one. “There’s choices of ceramics, wood, metal or textiles,” says Nancy Jurs. “I said, ‘Oh, I don’t know — ceramics,’ because that’s the only thing I knew.” Jurs was accepted by SAC, (Now the School for American Crafts) graduated, and embarked on a long and fruitful career as a potter, sculptor and artist. Her ceramic works and other pieces have appeared in galleries around the country, gaining the praise of the art world. “Triad,” one of Jurs’ largest sculptures, greeted visitors at the Greater Rochester International Airport for years. “Emergence,” which consists of two works from Jurs’ “torso” series, stands sentinel at the entrance of Rochester’s Memorial Art Gallery (MAG). Her recent solo show at the MAG was well attended, and she’s looking forward to taking her works to other venues in the future. Looks like that young woman made the right choice that day at RIT. Jurs was born in Queens, but moved with her family to a Philadelphia suburb before she was a year old. Her parents divorced, and she found herself living in Spencerport with her late mother, Lois Adams, and her two siblings (Jurs is name from of her first husand). The desire to create ceramic works seems to run thr-ough Jurs’ family. Lulu Scott Backus, a relative from her distant past, founded the ceramics program at the Mechanics Institute, a Rochester institution that eventually became RIT. Closer to home, the late Eunice Pietro was a first cousin of Jurs’ mother. Pietro, an accomplished, well-known ceramicist and teacher, brought some of her handmade pottery — platters and the like — to Spencerport when she visited the area. Those visits gave Jurs the chance to see some of the beautiful objects that can be shaped out of clay. Upon graduating from high school, Jurs found herself, as she put

Clockwise from upper left: Nancy Jurs with a sculpture from her “armor” series, her work “You Can Never Take the Farm Out of the Girl,” and “Triad,” which once greeted travelers in a section of the Greater Rochester International Airport. November / December 2018 - 55 PLUS

“World Peace III,” shown at Jurs’s Memorial Art Gallery solo show. Photo provided.

Nancy Jurs’ Fast Facts n Seven is Jurs’ lucky number. n She uses found objects in her art works. Future pieces might feature the paint chips that Jurs is scraping up from her studio’s floor, or seashells. n Gin is Jurs’ drink of choice. n Both of her children are active in the arts. n Jurs is skilled with a needle and thread, and made her own clothes for years. 36

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it, “aimless.” “I was very much a tomboy when I grew up, and very athletic, and I had no dream of what I wanted to be,” the 77-year-old explains. All of her female classmates planned to marry, go to business school or get a job with the Eastman Kodak Company — that corporation was much bigger then. Jurs knew such life paths were not for her. Though the teenager had worked as a waitress all through high school — her family had little money — her mother didn’t intend for her to continue doing that. “She said ‘You should go to RIT, the School for American Craftsmen,’” Jurs says. “So, she dropped me off in the front there, and said, ‘Go in there.’” After passing the school’s entrance examination, Jurs enrolled in its ceramics program. There, she studied under such professors as Frans Wildenhain, the Bauhaus-trained German potter and sculptor.

“When you do pottery, everything had to be absolutely technically perfect,” Jurs explains. “The teacher would take a wire, if you tried to make a pot, and slice it in half to make sure the sides were even.” She was soon drawn to making raku, a type of Japanese pottery, using Western-style techniques. In a nutshell, a glazed pot, jar or other piece of artwork is heated in a kiln to at least 1,850 degrees Fahrenheit. It is then removed and covered with combustible material, such as wood chips. The piece’s surface reacts with that material, producing a variety of colors, shapes and textures. “I like the spontaneity,” Jurs says of that process. “I want to take the clay, and see what I’ve made.”

Right match Jurs married while at RIT, and then took a year off from her studies to have a son — Bryon Jurs. Upon

graduating in 1963, she began making a name for herself as a potter. By 1967, she was separated from her husband. That year, she encountered the late Wendell Castle. While she’d met Castle before, when he was teaching woodworking at SAC, this time was different. “He was divorced and I was separated,” Jurs explains. “We kind of looked at each other, and said, ‘hmmm.’” She seized the moment. “I told Wendell that I was doing raku, and I needed wood chips and stuff, so he invited me to his studio to gather up some wood chips,” Jurs says, with a twinkle in her eye. “I made that up.”

The two meshed, though there were differences. “He was very quiet and pensive, and I was all over the place,” Jurs says. “He was more of an indoor person; I was an outdoor person.” Eventually, the couple moved into an old mill in Scottsville that doubled as a residence and studio for the two. “There were 50,000 mice in there, because all the grain and the soybeans were still left upstairs,” Jurs says. They married in 1971. “I wanted to have a baby, and he said, ‘Well, we should get married,’ so I said ‘OK,’” Jurs explains. “On a Tuesday night, we called all our

Of koi and ‘docktails’

here’s a side to Nancy Jurs that some might not see. “When you see her gorgeous sculptures and vessels, that is one very significant manifestation of her creative spirit,” says longtime friend Sebby Wilson Jacobson. “But, when you get to know her as a friend, you see that her energy and creativity and passions manifest in a dizzying number of ways.” Jacobson first encountered Jurs back in the 1980s, while covering the arts for the Democrat and Chronicle. After she moved on from that beat, the two developed a friendship that has spanned over 30 years. The relationship has given Jacobson a close look at the view Jurs has of the world around her. “She’s very interested in community issues,” Jacobson explains. When Rochester officials began seriously looking at eliminating part of the Inner Loop, Jurs joined those who decried the project. Her 2014 letter to the Democrat and Chronicle’s editors suggested a creative way to retain the roadway, which was useful for traveling around the city. “In life, she likes to figure things out, and she likes to make things better,” Jacobson said. The city finished filling in that part of the Inner Loop in late 2017. Animal rights are also a particular interest of the sculptor, who has scattered her dog-like works around her Scottsville home and studios. When not following her muse or focusing upon her other interests, Jurs enjoys relaxing at the large pond at her place in Scottsville, which she has stocked with koi. “What we love to do is sit on the dock, have ‘docktails,’ feed the koi, swim in the pond,” Jacobson says. “Then, make a little dinner and tell stories.”

Jurs at her studio in Scottsville. Photo by Chuck Wainwright. November / December 2018 - 55 PLUS

friends, and said ‘Come over Saturday, we’re getting married, bring a dish.’” Alison Castle, their daughter, was born in 1973. The family eventually moved into a large home just a short distance away from their original residence, while retaining the mill as a studio. Castle became a celebrated woodworker and creator of beautiful furniture. “I was Wendell’s biggest fan, and pretty much his only critic,” Jurs says. “I would go into his studio, and I’d see him making something, and I would say, ‘Wendell, that looks really clunky, I don’t know about that one,’ and he would change it.” Down through the years, Jurs followed her own muse, expressing her-

self through the creation of beautiful pottery, striking ceramic sculptures, and art works from found objects. She also took care of Byron and Alison and the family home. Castle died in January of this year of leukemia. For Jurs, the loss is still very raw. “We had a great marriage for a long time,” Jurs says. “I still think, ‘Gee, it’s 12 o’clock, he’ll be home for lunch.’” Nowadays, Jurs spends a great deal of time and energy tending to her and her late husband’s affairs. “I have a huge amount of work ahead of me settling the estate,” she says. And, it is quite an estate. The family’s rambling two-story home is located on 16 rolling acres of land that

At home in Scottsville. Phot by Mike Costanza 38

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afford a view of the Genesee Valley. A huge collection of both artists’ works fills the place, and Mr. Darcy and Lizzie, Jurs’ beloved Shih Tzus, gambol about. Outside the house, sculptures — most of them by Jurs — vie for attention with the many flowering shrubs and other plants that surround the residence. “I planted hundreds of trees,” Jurs says. Though Jurs enthusiastically shows off her large house and many works, time has begun to make itself felt — Arthritis in her feet makes walking painful at times. While she’s busy taking care of her estate, she hasn’t turned away from her career. Jurs’ solo show at the MAG was popular, and she’s looking for other venues in which to display her works.

Sculptures on the Jur’s home yard. Photo by Mike Costanza

Don’t Call Nancy Jurs an ‘Artist’

f you’re an artist, God only knows what that is,” Nancy Jurs says. “I call myself a sculptor.” Jurs began her career throwing pots. She initially specialized in raku, a form of oriental pottery. After a time, she began using her gifts to create ceramic sculptures, mostly of clay. Later still, Jurs began using found objects, photographs and other materials in her work. “Nancy is a very bold and clever woman,” says Margot Muto, a friend of Jurs and head of exhibitions at the Memorial Art Gallery. “She really draws connections between ideas that can take on more serious connotations in social or political ways, but it’s always very personal to her.” That personal element manifests itself in a number of themes. “Emergence,” a pair of large ceramic figures from Jurs’ “torso” series that flank the MAG’s front doors, reflects the sculptor’s desire to empower women. “It was all about women emerging from the rock,” Jurs explains. “They’re taking form, their elbows and shoulders are starting to come out; they’re starting to emerge from rock forms as strong women.” Jurs began a new series after the 9/11 attacks in response to the way women are treated in some countries.

“I immediately stopped doing the torsos,” she says. “I turned them into armor, because even if they (women) do emerge, they’re going to need protection.” Jurs has also sculpted armor for little girls and animals — she’s an animal lover. Her other series include “wall pouches,” which consist of functional shelves in shapes that suggest female forms or butterflies, and “blouses.” The conflict-ridden state of the world has also drawn Jurs’ attention, prompting her to create her “world peace” series. Those works feature figures that are marching toward each other on a kind of chessboard. “There is the black row and the white row on either side,” Jurs explains. “As you moved forward in any kind of aggressive movement toward the other side you became the same color.” “Nancy Jurs: My Life Has Gotten So Busy That it Now Takes Up All of My Time,” her recent solo show at the MAG, included an installation from that series, but most of its offerings were of a different nature. One whimsical work, which filled an entire wall with mats of dryer lint, has a very long history. Back in 1968, Jurs acquired her

first clothes dryer. Upon opening the lint trap, she discovered a circular mat of the stuff her family’s clothes had shed. “I pulled it off like a sheet,” Jurs says. “I thought, ‘This is neat.’” Since then, Jurs has collected sheets of lint from every drier she’s had, some of which have had square traps. A number of years ago, she realized that she could use the pads to spell something out in Morse code, respectively signifying dots and dashes with the circular and square ones. “My Life Has Gotten So Busy That it Now Takes Up All of My Time,” one of Jurs’s works, spells out its name in Morse—along with a message. “Just my ironic statement — as if anybody else can say something different,” Jurs explains. That work filled one wall of Jurs’s MAG show, which drew over 7,200 people before it closed in September. Jonathan Binstock, gallery’s director, curated the exhibition. “The installation was true to Nancy: generous in spirit, personally revealing, fun, innovative and quite the story about how she sees herself and world around her,” says Binstock, who also counts Jurs as a friend. While showcasing Jurs’ talents, that show also helped her focus upon something besides her grief. Her husband of 50 years, the celebrated furniture maker and sculptor Wendell Castle, died in January of this year of leukemia. “I had reason to not pout all day long, or mope, or be depressed,” Jurs says. “I had stuff to keep me busy — and that was a blessing.” Though she admits the loss has left her in a “fog,” Jurs is looking for other venues in which to display her works. “I’ve been sending out photographs all over the country, because I’m hoping to get a gallery somewhere for another show,” she says. Jurs’s two children appear to have followed artistic paths, as well. Bryon Jurs, the sculptor’s son, heads the finishing department at Wendell Castle Inc., the Scottsville company his stepfather started. Author, editor and filmmaker Alison Castle is putting the finishing touches on a documentary film about her father.

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55+ writing Retired Health Inspector Working on Second Book Jay Diedreck worked for Monroe County Health Department for 30 years. He left, wrote and published a book. He’s now working on his second one By Christine Green

ifteen years ago Jay Diedreck, 67, built a 13-foot lighthouse in his backyard in Chili. At night the Fresnel lens shined bright, a beacon for anyone who was looking for guidance in the dark. He and his wife Alicia live in Spencerport now, but the lighthouse still stands at their old home. He’s almost as proud of it as he is of his latest book, Klem Watercrest the Lighthouse Keeper (Christian Faith Publishing, 2017). Before he became a published author, Diedreck worked for 30 years for the Monroe County Health Department as a health inspector. A storyteller by nature, he started writing when his son got married. Tasked with a traditional fatherof-the groom speech, he went above and beyond by actually writing a small book filled with “some precious moments and some silly moments” from his son’s childhood. But Diedreck knew that there was a bigger story in him. In 2015 he retired from his job with the county and by February 2017 he had almost completed The Lighthouse Keeper. The story came to him quickly and his typing fingers struggled to keep up with the story and his ideas “The storylines and the people just flooded into my mind. The scenes in front of me were zipping by

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so fast I could hardly get it down fast enough. It was truly so much fun to write, and sometimes my thoughts flew so fast that it took some fast fingers to get it all on the printed page.” The setting of the story is the fictional town of Port James on the coast of Maine. The central character, Klem, is the proud and gentle lighthouse keeper and a source of light and wisdom for the residents of Port James. Diedreck and his wife have a special fondness for Maine and have visited at least 14 times. “I guess I have saltwater in my veins,” he said about his love of the sea and coastal Maine. Sections of the book are delineated by charming illustrations drawn by Diedreck himself and include everything from rustic garden gates to watchful seagulls and tiny fish. The core of the story is one of community with a hint of adventure, but at the heart of it is a love story about Klem and his wife, Jane. “I think it reinforces the beauty of marriage and the relationship and how to nurture that and enjoy it,” said Diedreck. “The thought of writing a love story filled with caring friendships, triumphs, struggles and a splash of adventure was exciting for me.” The book is also an explora-

Jay Diedreck holding his newlypublished book. tion of faith and how Klem helps those around him find solace and joy within the church. Klem is always available to spiritually advise his friends who are struggling through tough times: “Hank, my friend, faith is a journey. Just like a person taking a lifelong nature walk. Sometimes, your faith is strong, like you have reached the top of the hill in your walk. And sometimes, it is weak, like when you are in a valley. I call this my faith journey and everyone faces this in their lives.” (page 34) Seth Oakman of Christian Faith Publishing told 55 Plus that the publishing house, “looks for books that share our core Christian values, and this book does just that. Jay has been very good to work with. He’s a gracious individual, and we are very proud of our work with him.” Responses to the book since its release in February have been overwhelmingly

positive, and the book has particularly resonated with Rochester area locals, the author said. Diedreck’s neighbor, Bruce Hinman of Spencerport, was excited to hear that his friend wrote a book and was eager to read it. He was very impressed with his writing skill and the storyline especially since this was Diedreck’s first effort at fiction. Hinman who is a frequent visitor to Cape Cod and the New York coast enjoyed the seaside setting and said that reading it was, “almost like reading a story in Yankee Magazine!” Art Reimherr of Chili also appreciated the setting but the characters are what really resonated with him. “The characters in his book are what I’d classify as typical New Englanders with the kind of virtues us older Americans value so highly: love of community and family, dedication to service for the well-being of others, and certainly love and respect for our mates.” Reimherr, like many others, is also very excited for Diedreck’s forthcoming book, Seaside Journeys of Faith. “You can be assured that when it comes out for sale I’ll be close to first in line to purchase it,” said Reimherr. Diedreck was excited to get his book out into the world, and it can now been found in seven public libraries in Monroe County. He has also been stealthily placing copies in “Little Free Libraries” around the area as well as presenting them to lighthouse gifts shops not only in Maine but in Rochester, including the Charlotte Lighthouse. Klem Watercrest the Lighthouse Keeper can also be purchased on the Amazon and Barnes and Nobles websites.

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November / December 2018 - 55 PLUS

55+

hobbies

Hot for Hot Wheels By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

ichard McKee of Geneva has two granddaughters, but his 500 Hot Wheels model cars aren’t for the youngsters’ playtime. He’s a serious Hot Wheels collector. It makes sense that the tiny, detailed cars would appeal to McKee — he has worked as a mechanic and tow truck driver. Double knee replacement made that kind of work difficult, so he now works part-time in the automotive industry as a detailer and at Hobart and William Smith Colleges serving food. He enjoys public speaking on Hot Wheels’ history at events such as Empire Farm Days in Seneca Falls, where he also sells some of his less valuable cars. At a three-day show like that, he sells around 600 of them. McKee has collected Hot Wheels for five years. “I just started buying vintage toys and started buying the newer ones in bulk because I like muscle cars,” McKee said. “Then I saw the vintage ones.” Over time, he began to recognize signs of better quality cars, such as the presence of original packaging, lack of nicks from play and handling, no attempts at restoration — nearly always a no-no in the antiques and vintage business — and the various indicators of rare cars. “I look for overall shininess and clean wheels,” McKee said. “If they’re worn out, they’ve been on the track a lot, that takes away from their value. The paint starts turning dark in spots, I think due to sunlight or maybe a

55 PLUS - November / December 2018

Richard McKee enjoys public speaking about Hot Wheels cars at events such as Empire Farm Days. Photo by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant. bad day with the paint. I’ve seen ones with tiny flakes coming off and it’s not necessarily damage.” McKee learned about Hot Wheels collecting through his experience in researching on eBay and he also picked up tips from the North Carolina Hot Wheels Association website

(www.nchwa.com). The first 10 years of Hot Wheels’ production are known as “Red Lines” because of the red lines on the tiny wheels. Newer cars have solid black wheels. “They wanted the cars to look authentic with the Red Lines,” he said.

The car’s red line mimicked the red lines on actual cars built in the 50s and 60s. Photo by Deborah Jeanne Sergeant.

sell at a profit. The most he has spent on a single car was $400, but that’s chump change compared to collectors who happily put down $3,000 or more for a single rare Hot Wheels car. “When I start to liquidate it, I’ll get all my money back and likely more,” McKee said. “I bid what I’d like to pay and I get outbid nine out of 10 times. That’s how aggressive

bidders are.” Although McKee’s first issue car set is 50 years old this year, he wants to keep them until the value increases more. “It started as a hobby and it’s turned into an obsession,” he said. “I’m not in danger of losing the house, but any extra money goes into cars.”

So How Did Hot Wheels Get Hot? “After that, they went to basic wheels, also called black walls.” For some models, unusual colors such as brown or pink make them worth more. McKee said that Hot Wheels liked to issue some cars in colors they felt would appeal more to girls. As with actual cars, prototypes that were never produced are also very valuable. McKee said a pink Volkswagen bus prototype sold for $150,000 and represents the most valuable Hot Wheels sold. McKee said he has spent about $20,000 on older Hot Wheels, cases and tracks. He also purchases newer cars he doesn’t intend to keep but to

Richard McKee explained that it all started when a Mattel executive, Elliot Handler, watched his child play with a toy car. The tiny car offered so much playtime pleasure, despite non-functional wheels. He thought that a model car that rolled smoothly and that looked like a real-life car could be a hit for the toy manufacturer. Handler wanted to develop a toy for boys to match the success of the doll his wife, Ruth, helped develop for girls, Barbie. When Handler saw the first prototype, he said, “Those are some hot wheels!”

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A brand was born. Mattel made 16 muscle cars in 1968, now called the “Sweet 16” by collectors. Matchbox cars cost half as much, but children loved the fact that the cars rolled and boasted details that looked like dad and mom’s car — or at least, the cars their parents wanted to drive. McKee said that if the model cars were full-sized, they would go about 300 mph. Hot wheels, indeed. Eventually, Mattel purchased Matchbox. More than 40 billion Hot Wheels representing 40,000 different models have been sold around the world.

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November / December 2018 - 55 PLUS SwingNBlues-585_final.indd 1

43 12/8/16 3:42

addyman’s corner By John Addyman

‘I’m Really Damn Old’

was sitting alone, wondering what had just happened. I had a birthday. My sister-in-law, Jean, and brother-in-law, Al, called me from Pennsylvania to sing Happy Birthday to me and Al reminded me, at the end, that I had a quickly declining number of years left before I hit 100. He said that to me with all the enthusiasm of someone who thinks I can really do that. I’m not so sure. A couple of years ago when I hit my birthday and sat alone at the end of the night thinking about things, I came to a realization and said to myself, “I’m damn old.” The next year, same situation, and I caught myself saying, “I’m really old.” But this year, I found myself saying, “I’m really damn old. “ I haven’t figured out what next year is going to be, but new parts of speech will be added, I’m sure. The birthday cards I got this year have also changed. In years prior, there was a bit of a hint of my advanced age. But this time around, nobody was hinting. Sitting around the dining room table, I got the idea that everyone was surprised I had the strength to open the cards and blow out my candles. One card I got showed two pictures of a very comfortable dog in a reclining chair. One was labeled “napping.” The other was labeled “resting my eyes.” They were both the same picture. What was different about my birthday cards 44

55 PLUS - November / December 2018

this year was that two mentioned boogers. I didn’t know there was a direct correlation between advanced age and boogers, so I went into the bathroom and looked at my nose very carefully: No boogers were evident. I looked on the floor, just to make sure I wasn’t leaving a trail of boogers wherever I went, but the floor was clean. Whew! So I went back in and re-read the cards. The first one told me that boogers are like years — the more you have, the harder it is to breathe. The second one confided that this particular birthday card was made of recycled boogers. You’d think that both of those cards would have come from my grandkids. No, they were from my youngest and oldest daughters, one of whom wrote a little post script at the bottom: “Dad, you’re old as dirt.” I am not making this up. My wife, too, gave me a card, asking what Mozart is doing on my birthday. “Decomposing,” that’s what. On that note, my grandson Jaden

made me a birthday card. Actually, it was a “Happy Birth Day” card, which rhymes with “Happy Earth Day,” which got me to thinking about decomposing again. I know I’m not decomposing. I might be unknowingly turning into boogers, but I’m not decomposing. I get up every morning and walk to the bathroom and say, “Ouch, my knee hurts” and “Ooch, my ribs ache,” and “What is that mark on my leg?” and “Why does that thing on the back of my hand itch?” and “Were my eyes that color yesterday?” I figure that decomposing probably doesn’t hurt, so because I hurt, therefore I am. Once upon a time I could have written that phrase in Latin, but I can’t do it anymore. Too many boogers in my brain. My other grandkids, Jeremy and Lucie, got me a card that said they didn’t know whether to get me Cadillac or a BMW or a Thunderbird or a Jaguar or a Corvette, so they settled on a “Lincoln,” and inside the card was a penny. That was cute. No mention of my advanced age. Not a whisper about decomposition. And no references to boogers. I’m glad I had another birthday. I’m glad I could share it with you. I got some great presents — longsleeved shirts, record sleeves for my record collection, floor mats for my car (it’s not a Lincoln), a car cover, and Jaden’s present was the most coordinated — on his Birth Day card was an Eagle, a Philadelphia Eagle. And his gift was an Eagles sweatshirt. What color was the Eagle logo on the shirt? Booger green.

PROVIDING END-OF-LIFE CARE IN A PEACEFUL, PRIVATE SETTING. The Leo Center for Caring is designed for people in need of hospice and palliative care. But we’ve also designed it with their families in mind. Our large patient rooms, kitchens and lounges provide plenty of space to gather, prepare meals, and share memories. There’s even a full guest bathroom for family members who want to remain close by. To schedule a visit, call Holly, our Admissions Nurse, at (585)697-6308.

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6/4/18 12:13 PM

long-term care By Susan Suben

Selecting the Best Medicare Plan Several factors go into choosing the plan that best suits each individual

edicare is a complicated subject. There are many moving parts, enrollment periods and coverage

gaps. With open enrollment that ends Dec. 7, it’s important to understand how Medicare pays for your health care. If you are turning 65, losing employer coverage or thinking of changing your Medicare Advantage plan, now is a good time to reacquaint yourself with Medicare features and benefits. What is Medicare? It is health insurance for people 65 or older, for people under the age of 65 with certain disabilities or for people of any age who have end stage renal disease. Medicare has four parts – A, B, C and D. Part A covers inpatient hospital care, skilled nursing homes and hospice. Part B covers doctor visits, outpatient care, durable medical equipment and many preventive services. Parts A and B are generally called original Medicare (OM). Part C is known as Medicare Advantage (MA). It includes all the benefits and services of OM but the plans are run by private Medicare-approved insurance companies. Many of these plans offer prescription drug coverage and extra benefits and services not offered by OM, such as dental and vision. There are deductibles, co-pays and co-insurance costs to consider with OM and MA. Part D helps cover the cost of prescription drugs (PDP) and is also offered by Medicare-approved companies. Individuals who have paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years are entitled to Part A. There is a premium for Part B that is determined by your income. When turning 65, you can apply for original Medicare or an Medicare 46

55 PLUS - November / December 2018

Advantage with or without prescription coverage. If you apply for OM, be aware that there are many coverage gaps. Parts A and B cover about 80 percent of Medicare-approved health costs. Consider supplementing your coverage with a Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policy, offered by Medicare-approved insurance companies. These plans allow you to see any doctor who accepts Medicare and helps with OM deductibles, co-pays and co-insurance. If you choose OM, you will have to purchase a separate PDP if you do not have that coverage. MA plans are generally either an HMO (health maintenance organization) or a PPO (preferred provider organization). With an HMO, you’ll use doctors in a network and you might need a referral to see a specialist. With a PPO, you can use doctors and hos-

pitals outside of the network but often for a higher co-pay. How do you decide which type of coverage to choose? • What monthly premium can you afford? • Can you see the doctors you want? • Will your prescription drugs be covered? • What will your out-of-pocket costs be? Speaking personally, if your health is good, you seldom go to the doctor, and take few prescription drugs, an MA plan might be more suitable for you. Some plans require no monthly premium and offer dental and vision allowances. If you have multiple health conditions, visit the doctor frequently, want access to any specialist you might need, take sever-

al prescription drugs, want few or no co-pays, can afford paying premiums for a Medigap policy and PDP, then OM should be considered. When can you sign up for Medicare and select or change your coverage? There are several enrollment periods. Initial enrollment period (IEP): If you are eligible for Medicare when you turn 65, you can sign up during a seven-month period that begins three months before the month you turn 65 and ends three months after you turn 65. You can sign up for both Parts A and B. In most cases, if you don’t sign up for Part B when you become eligible, you’ll have to pay a late penalty for as long as you have Part B. One example that would preclude you from having to pay a late penalty would be if you are still working after age 65 and have health insurance through your employer. You would not need Part B. You can sign up for a prescription drugs during this timeframe as well. It’s important to note that you must be signed up for parts A and B in order to enroll in an MA plan. The annual enrollment period is from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7 when anyone can change their health plans for a January 2019 start date. You can switch to Medicare Advantage from original Medicare, original Medicare to Medicare Advantage, or change your Medicare Advantage or prescription drugs. A special enrollment period is allowed for parts C and D if, for example, you lose your employer coverage or move to a new service area. Try not to feel overwhelmed. There are many resources to get the help you need. You can call 1-800-Medicare; visit Medicare.gov; review the most recent “Medicare & You” handbook; consult your state health insurance assistance program (SHIP) or speak with an agent specializing in Medicare products.

Susan Suben, a certified senior adviser, is president of Long Term Care Associates, Inc. and Elder Care Planning. She is a consultant for Canandaigua National Bank & Trust Company and can be reached at 800-422-2655 or by email at susansuben@31greenbush.com.

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November / December 2018 - 55 PLUS

q&a Peter Swift, 87 55+

By Ernst Lamothe Jr.

Rochester resident doesn’t let age stop him when it comes biking — he still hits the road on a regular basis Q: You started out as an avid runner. What makes running fun for you? A: I have lived a lot of places in my life. When I was responsible for marketing in Europe and other areas, sometimes I would be so busy from work that I could feel myself not being active enough. You travel all around the world and you eat some good food, but I was definitely losing some conditioning. That is when I decided to take up running. I remember breaking 40 minutes in a 10K and being so excited. It was so cathartic and such a stress reliever. Plus running is inexpensive because all you need is a pair of shoes. I got involved in the Greater Rochester Track Club. Running was something that I enjoyed doing all year long.

amazed at how it could have been so much worse. I have a computerized device that can track my speed when I am on a bike. I once hit 52 miles an hour and all of a sudden my bike was wobbling and I don’t think I have ever been that scared in my entire life.

Q: What do you enjoy about bike riding? A: When I started having sciatica back problems from running, then I decided to take up bike riding. It is a great cardiovascular fitness workout. Whether it is running or biking it just feels great to be outdoors. When I am in a car I feel so isolated. But when you bike you feel closer to the world. I enjoy riding with friends. I used to do 100 miles, but when I turned 82, I decided to dial it back and do 100 K instead, which is a little more than 62 miles. I have been an avid bike racer now for more than 20 years and participate annually in the American Diabetes Association Tour de Cure and the MS Society’s ROC the Ride.

Q: What other activities keep you busy? A: I like to play golf regularly. Last year, I was able to shoot by age which was a 86 at Shadow Lake. But whether I perform well or

Q: Have you ever had a scary moment while bike riding? A: I consider riding a bike more dangerous than anything I have done and I previously raced cars for some time. I have had a couple of crashes where I walked away and was 48

55 PLUS - November / December 2018

Q: What do you think about when you are riding? A: Riding is a little more complicated than running. In bike riding, you really have to pay attention to everything you are doing, while running you can just keep going ahead. I like chatting with people as I bike but I don’t like to take a lot of breaks. It is just rejuvenating to just relax and enjoy everything the outdoors has to offer.

not, I do like being outside and swinging the club. I also do some downhill skiing. I guess I am just a hyperactive person. Q: You are also part of an interesting program at St. John Fisher and Nazareth? A: Yes it is a gerontology program where students interact with seniors to get a meaningful learning experience. It is a unique program that I enjoy because you get to spend quality time with young people. When you are around people who are younger, they inspire you and you do the same for them. You end up talking about relationships, the past, the future and you get a chance to learn so much about each other. You debate ideas and it really makes an impact in both of your lives. Young people have such an interesting worldview and it’s important as we get older that we don’t isolate ourselves from people who are much younger than us.

HEALTHCARE GUIDE

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Published by 55 PLUS & In Good Health — Rochester’s Healthcare Newspaper.

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DON’T MISS THE INAUGURAL ISSUE Can a Debt Collector Take My Social Security Benefits? ‘My Cosmetic Eye Surgery Experience’ Square Dancing: Fun for Singles, Couples

Charities: Is the Agency You’re Donating to Legitimate?

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Issue 53 • September/October 2018 For Active Adults in the Rochester Area

Evangelist for Science

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Adam Frank, a University of Rochester astrophysics professor, preaches the virtues of exploring The Great Unknown

The incredible Bruce Rychwalski: At 69, he just ran his 300th marathon Bit by the Travel Bug: Meet Caroline Povero, 65, of Victor

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Taste of Italy Film aficionado Tony Mangione brings Italian films to Rochester community

Aging: What it Means to Age Gracefully Trail blazers: 60-somethings take on challenge of Appalachian Trail

‘Bread Man’ of Brockport gives away nearly 100,000 loaves of bread

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Tips to get ahead on Black Friday, Cyber Monday and beyond

Rochester sculptor still going full steam at age 77

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DR. VEGGIE

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How Ted Barnett, a medical doctor in Rochester, has become one of the strongest advocates for a plant-based diet. PS: He shares some of his favorite recipes

INSIDE: Book honors the ‘Holley Boys’ who lost their lives in Vietnam War. It also helps a community recover from the loss

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55 PLUS - November / December 2018

Holiday

n g i p F p a o i r h S at Chapel Oaks

Saturday, December 1 11 am to 2 pm St. Ann’s Community at Chapel Oaks 1550 Portland Ave., Irondequoit Find that special holiday gift while shopping from a variety of small, local businesses! Enjoy refreshments and the spirit of the season at Chapel Oaks, Rochester’s premier rental retirement community.

1550 Portland Avenue • Rochester, NY 14621 • 585-697-6606 StAnnsCommunity.com

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