55 Plus of Rochester, #71: September – October 2021

FINANCIAL, LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF REMARRYING LATER IN LIFE

n FRENCH CUISINE A French chef’s journey from Marseilles to Rochester P.12

n CELEBRATION Former D&C columnist Carol Ritter talks about turning 80 P.16

n CORVETTES Rochester Corvette Club: 62 years, 700 members and counting!

P.22

55 PLUS

Issue 71 • September/October 2021 For Active Adults in the Rochester Area

roc55.com

Leaf Peeping Close to Home

THE KEEPER OF KEYS Ethan Fogg, president of the Canandaigua Chamber of Commerce, has a unique passion: Collecting keys, locks and related material — he has amassed a collection of more than 26,000 items so far.

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REAL ESTATE: IS IT A GOOD INVESTMENT?

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55 PLUS | contents

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FINANCIAL, LEGAL IMPLICATIONS OF REMARRYING LATER IN LIFE

55

n FRENCH CUISINE A French chef’s journey from Marseilles to Rochester P.12

n CELEBRATION Former D&C columnist Carol Ritter is talks about turning 80

PLUS

P.16

n CORVETTES Rochester Corvette Club: 62 years and counting!

Issue 71 • September/October 2021 For Active Adults in the Rochester Area

P.22

roc55.com

September / October 2021 Story ideas?

Information about advertising?

Email editor@roc55.com or call 585-421-8109.

To subscribe to the magazine, look for the coupon on page 55.

Leaf Peeping Close to Home

THE KEEPER OF KEYS Ethan Fogg, president of the Canandaigua Chamber of Commerce, has a unique passion: Collecting keys, locks and related material — he has amassed a collection of more than 26,000 items so far.

P.30

REAL ESTATE: IS IT A GOOD INVESTMENT?

12

www.roc55.com

16

Savvy Senior 6 12 FOOD • A French chef’s journey from Financial Health 8 Marseilles to Rochester Dining Out 10 14 RETIREMENT • Choosing the best place to retire Cover 30 16 CELEBRATION Social Security 46 • Carol Ritter, a former newspaper

Addyman’s Corner 56

columnist, writes about turning 80

18 MAGIC

• Couple keeps the magic at Birdsong Fairy Trail at Mendon Ponds Park

LAST PAGE 22 CORVETTE CLUB Norman Palmiere, 62, has practiced law for more than 30 years and won prominent cases against large companies. He talks about his career.

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55 PLUS - September / October 2021

• Sixty-two years and counting

26 SEASON

55 PLUS 22 36 BUSINESS

• Stever’s Candies hits 75 years

38 INVESTING

• Is real estate a good investment?

40 FALL

• Foliage: leaf peeping close to home

42 TOUR

• Farm tours for grown-ups

44 DOWNSIZING • How to prepare for it

48 ECONOMICS

• Noticed the size of products is shrinking while prices remain the same?

• Winterizing: Tackling a few home projects now can save you money later

52 HEALTH

28 ART

54 SHARING

• Artist Kathryn Bevier keeps Mill Art Center and Gallery strong

40

• Should you trust ED drugs sold online?

• Share family history with your grandchildren

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savvy senior

By Jim Miller

What to Ponder Before Remarrying Later in Life

G

etting remarried later in life can actually bring about a host of financial and legal issues that are much more complicated than they are for younger couples just starting out. Here are some common problem areas you need to think about, and some tips that can help you solve them.

• Estate plan: Getting remarried can have a big effect on your estate plan.

Even if your will leaves everything to your kids, in most states spouses are automatically entitled to a share of your estate — usually one-third to onehalf. If you don’t want to leave a third or more of your assets to your new partner, get a prenuptial agreement where you both agree not to take anything from the other’s estate. If you do want to leave something to your spouse and ensure your heirs receive their inheritance, a trust is the best option.

• Medical and long-term care: As a married couple, you and your husband will be responsible for each other’s medical and long-term care bills. This is one of the main reasons many older couples choose to live together instead of marrying.

Staying unmarried lets you and your partner qualify individually for public benefits, such as Medicaid (which pays nursing home costs), without draining the other one’s resources.

But, if you remarry and can afford it, consider getting a long-term care insurance policy to protect your assets.

See AALTCI.org to help you find one.

• Home: If you’re planning on living in your house or vice versa, you also need to think about what will happen to the house when the owner dies. If, for example, you both decide to live in your home, but you want your kids to inherit the place after you die, 6

55 PLUS - September / October 2021

putting the house in both names is not an option. But you may also not want your heirs to evict your spouse once you die. One solution is for you to give your surviving spouse a life estate, which gives him or her the right to live in your property during his lifetime.

Then once the spouse dies, the house will pass to your heirs.

• Social Security: Getting remarried can also affect your Social Security benefits if you’re divorced, widowed or are receiving SSI. For instance, getting remarried makes you ineligible for divorced spouse’s benefits. And getting remarried before age 60 (50 if you’re disabled) will cause widows and widowers to lose their right to survivor’s benefits from their former spouse. For more information, see SSA.gov.

• Pension benefits: Be aware that if you’re receiving a survivor’s annuity from a public employees pension, getting remarried may cause you to lose it. In addition, widows and widowers of military personnel killed in the line of duty may lose their benefits if they remarry before age 57, and survivors of federal civil servants that receive a pension will forfeit it if they remarry before 55.

• Alimony: If you are receiving alimony from an ex-spouse, it will almost certainly end if you remarry and might even be cut off if you live together.

• College aid: If you have any children in college receiving financial aid, getting married and adding a new spouse’s income to the family could affect what he or she gets.

To get help with these issues, consider hiring an estate planner who can draw up a plan to protect both you and your partner’s interests.

55PLUS roc55.com Editor and Publisher Wagner Dotto

Writers & Contributors Deborah J. Sergeant, Todd Etshman, Carol Ritter Wright, Lynette M. Loomis, Melody Burri, Mike Costanza, Ernst Lamothe Jr., Bruce Frassinelli Columnists Jim Terwilliger, Jim Miller John Addyman Advertising Anne Westcott Linda Covington Office Manager Nancy Nitz Layout & Design Joey Sweener Cover Photo Melody Burri

55 PLUS –A Magazine for Active Adults in Rochester is published six times a year by Local News, Inc. at 185 E. Seneca St. PO Box 276, Oswego, NY 13126.

Subscription: $21 a year; $35 for two years © 2021 by 55 PLUS – A Magazine for Active Adults in Rochester.

No material may be reproduced in whole or in part from this publication without the express written permission of the publisher.

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

Had a Stroke.

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Musician Todd Hobin KNOW THE SIGNS • CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY

Central New York music legend Todd Hobin knew nothing about stroke — but he does now. That’s why he’s raising awareness about stroke risk factors and its signs and symptoms.

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TIME TO CALL 911

financial health

By Jim Terwilliger

More on Health Savings Accounts

I

n the July-August issue of 55 PLUS, we reviewed the many valuable characteristics of health savings accounts (HSAs), particularly their income tax benefits.

These benefits are three-fold: income tax deduction for contributions, tax-free growth via a menu of available investment options, and tax-free distributions, provided these distributions are used for qualified outof-pocket health care costs including most health insurance premiums.

Given the advantages provided by such accounts, it generally makes sense to maximize annual contributions during one’s working years.

Not widely known, folks who receive Social Security are automatically enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B if age 65 or older even if they are covered by an employer health insurance plan.

If you are in this situation, no HSA contributions are allowed.

In this case, folks can choose to opt out of Part B if insured by an employer plan that covers 20 or more employees but cannot opt out of Part A. When applying for Social Security, Medicare coverage will be made retroactive for six months or back to age 65 if shorter.

There can be no HSA contributions for any month in which you are enrolled in any part of Medicare.

On the surface, determining eligibility to make contributions seems simple enough. It is simple for folks who are single. The complication arises for married couples when one or both are still working.

We’ll examine some common scenarios couples face and detail what is allowed and not allowed. If you and your spouse fall into any of these situations, play close attention!

• Scenario 1. John, age 67, and Susan, a homemaker age 65, are both covered by John’s employer plan, which is a high-deductible health insurance plan (HDHP) with family 8

55 PLUS - September / October 2021

coverage. Neither spouse has started Social Security. John contributes to his HSA annually. The maximum family contribution to the HSA for 2021 is $7,200 plus another $1,000 catchup contribution for each spouse (available to folks age 55 or older) for a total of $9,200.

Let’s say John stays employed but enrolls in Medicare and leaves the employer plan. Because he is the employee, when his coverage ends so does Susan’s. She will also need to enroll in Medicare to maintain health care coverage for herself. The HSA contributions must stop, but both spouses can keep their HSAs to use for future medical expenses for themselves or each other.

• Scenario 2. Same situation. In this case, John stays with the employer high-deductible health insurance plan, but Susan elects to start receiving her Social Security benefits and opts out of Medicare Part B. While Susan continues to be covered by John’s employer insurance plan, she is now automatically enrolled in Medicare Part A, even though she does not want or need this coverage.

Since they are both enrolled in the employer ’s high-deductible family plan, John can make the full family contribution of $7,200 plus John’s catchup contribution of $1,000. There can be no catchup contributions made for Susan after she begins Medicare coverage.

• Scenario 3. Same situation. Again, John stays with the employer’s highdeductible health insurance plan, but Susan decides to leave that plan starting in 2021 and elects to enroll entirely in Medicare. Now Jack’s HSA/HDHP becomes an individual plan. He can make the full individual contribution of $3,600 plus his $1,000 catchup.

Medicare and/or HSA/HDHP? Folks age 65 or older who still work for

a “20+” employer have some choices.

They can: • Defer Medicare until the employer coverage stops (usually at retirement). No HSA contributions are allowed if receiving Social Security.

• Enroll in Medicare and keep the employer coverage, essentially having extra insurance. The employer plan pays first, Medicare pays second. No HSA contributions are allowed.

• D ro p t h e e m p l o y e r p l a n entirely and enroll in Medicare with supplemental coverage. If a spouse is also covered by the employer plan, alternative insurance for the spouse needs to be arranged before dropping the employer plan.

If this were a pure math problem, all you would have to do is compare the benefits and costs of each option and choose the one with the best benefit to cost ratio. The math itself can become rather involved, however, especially if your income is high enough to trigger higher Medicare premiums.

The hard part is factoring in anticipated health care needs. HSA/ HDHPs are ideal for people who are healthy and can stay that way. HSA contributions from the employee and employer (if offered) can continue to add to the pot. But once one starts taking expensive drugs or needs hospitalizations or costly procedures, Medicare might be the better choice.

Given the many rules and options associated with HSAs and Medicare, be sure to seek guidance from your financial planner and licensed health insurance professional.

James Terwilliger, CFP®, is senior vice president, senior planning adviser with CNB Wealth Management, Canandaigua National Bank & Trust Company. He can be reached at 585-419-0670 ext. 50630 or by email at jterwilliger@cnbank.com.

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The poke tuna wonton nachos ($16) at KiX on main. The serving was much larger than anticipated.

Dining Out RESTAURANT GUIDE

10

55 PLUS - September / October 2021

By Christopher Malone

The cauliflower wings ($12): The combination of truffle and buffalo wing sauce is incredibly balanced.

Nothing fishy about the seafood fra diavolo ($24). It’s a hearty seafood dish served with rotini pasta, onions and peppers.

KiX-ing Out the Flavor

Satisfy your foodie desires at KiX on Main

T

o begin, here’s some major kudos for KiX on Main owners Kimberly Vakiener and Executive Chef Alexander Bacon, the “Ki” and “X” respectively (according to the restaurant’s website).

After learning these two names and some Internet searches, these familiar faces made themselves known as soon as I stepped into the door of 170 S. Main St. in Canandaigua.

So, it wasn’t the food that made the first impression.

These two are crushing hospitality.

Vakiener kept striking up conversations with patrons, including me, and made sure I was being taken care of. Bacon was doing the same, walking to tables and making sure the food and service was more than sufficient.

To see the owners in the heart of dining hours is wonderful, especially for a new restaurant that opened in March.

Although KiX wasn’t my first choice for this month’s review—the first destination was closed for the evening—this restaurant caught my eye. It seemed so great that I pulled an illegal U-turn in order to park. I wanted to trust gut instinct. And my gut was starving.

The speakeasy-looking eatery boasted a lengthy tap list, and I opted for the Canandaigua Lakeshore

Lager ($6) by the local Three Huskies Brewing. Instead of a malty amber lager, a golden beer filled my pint glass. After some Google research, I deducted that I was drinking the same brewery’s Canandaigua Premium Lager, a helles lager, because of the crisp sweetness. Regardless, it was enjoyable and refreshing.

The cauliflower wings ($12) made it out to the table first. Between truffle buffalo-style and honey barbecue, I opted for the former.

A couple handfuls of bright, redorange breaded cauliflower florets were served with a cup of ranch or blue cheese.

To be honest, I didn’t try the sauce because (a) I dislike blue cheese and (b) these wings were delicious enough to not have a dressing distract from the flavor. The combination of truffle and buffalo wing sauce is incredibly balanced. They were coated and lightly fried to a firm crispiness. What’s supposed to be a shareable item may turn into a cutthroat competition to see who gets the most.

The poke tuna wonton nachos ($16) was a much larger serving than anticipated. This easily sharable starter is a heaping pile of deliciousness. Atop homemade, crispy wontons were generous chunks of fresh ahi tuna, cilantro salsa, pickled red onions,

unagi sauce and sriracha aioli, and wasabi peas.

I chuckled aloud to myself because of the tasty gratification of the rare tuna. The peas added extra crunch and flavor punches with each bite. I took some home to enjoy the following day but it doesn’t keep — the wontons get soggy from the ingredients.

Sitting in a bath of spicy light red sauce are chunks of haddock, jumbo shrimp, clams, mussels and sausage.

This is the seafood fra diavolo ($24).

Aside from the ingredients, there’s nothing fishy about it. It’s a hearty seafood dish served with rotini pasta, onions and peppers. This mediumspicy entrée — mind you my tolerance for spiciness is high — is something you won’t want to share. Don’t eat it all in one sitting; not only is this filling but the flavor settles in.

Can’t choose marinara or alfredo sauce? Get the red and white chicken parmesan ($21). Two large, flattened, and panko-breaded chicken breasts sit atop a bed of rotini with both notable sauces. If this doesn’t sound right or unappetizing because these flavors should never be combined—don’t knock it until you try it.

Perhaps it’s because these sauces are fresh, KiX-made. The alfredo is rich and thick. The red sauce is chunky and memorable. There’s a crispy piece of cheese-topped chicken for each and it’s okay (and inevitable) when the sauces touch.

The heavy but delicious dinner came to just under $85 before tip.

There’s a lot to enjoy about KiX, from food to atmosphere. For a new restaurant during such a strange time in history, it has a solid operation and more credit goes to the owners and friendly staff. Cheers to the many, many years to come!

KiX on Main 170 S. Main St., Canandaigua, N.Y. 14424 (585) 905-3056 | kixonmain.com facebook.com/KiXONMAIN instagram.com/Kixonmain/ Sun.–Mon.: Closed Tues.–Sat.: 11 a.m.–9 p.m.

Bar open until 11 p.m.

September / October 2021 - 55 PLUS

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55+ food A French Chef’s Journey from Marseilles to Rochester …and a few points in between

12

55 PLUS - September / October 2021

By Todd Etshman

W

here can you find dishes and desserts prepared by a renowned award-winning French-born chef?

In Spencerport, at Mangia Mangia. That’s where head chef Gerard Jamgotchian heads up a team of eight cooks working to make your dining experience a measurable and delectable one.

You can even pick which meal of the day you like best since Mangia Mangia makes all three. Just don’t skip dessert because it’s one of Jamgotchian’s specialties.

Since cakes are a staple of American desserts, he makes plenty of them: cheese cake, rum cake, carrot cake along with baklava, crème brulee, fruit tarts, chocolate mousse, tiramisu and French custards.

He started making pastries at a friend’s family business as a teenager in Marseilles long before he attained the title of master chef.

“Growing up in Marseilles, my grandmother would spend an entire day cooking everything from traditional Armenian farm to classical French cuisine,” he recalled. His love and fascination with her cooking helped him decide what to do in life.

Lower fat and fewer calories isn’t something the French would necessarily want or understand but for calorie-counting Rochestarians, Jamgotchian is making dairy-free pastries, lighter sauces and lighter fare, too.

A lighter cost than Chicago, New York City and Boston is something diners want to be served here as well.

Jamgotchian arises happily at 5:30 a.m. to get to his “playground” at Mangia Mangia from his home in Irondequoit.

He’s used to cooking specialty dishes for the likes of Mitt Romney, James Taylor, Yo-Yo Ma, Natalie Cole and the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra, but doesn’t mind serving and educating lesser known patrons here. Full service event catering is available as well and thriving.

Jamgotchian, 63, said he was attracted by the America he saw

portrayed in Hollywood movies along with the freedom, wide open spaces and business opportunities.

His love of cooking and pastry made him abandon early plans to be a rock ‘n’ roll star, an optician or a jeweler with his family’s business.

At the age of 22, he arrived in the U.S. at a far easier time to immigrate but without the ability to speak English.

Since he had some contacts here, Rochester was his first stop in the early 1980s, but since the Flower City isn’t often portrayed in cinema, California was his ultimate destination.

“I came here on a tourist visa then got my green card,” he explained. “It was easier to do back then.” He offered to work at a bakery in Bushnell’s Basin for free but soon achieved paid employee status due to his pastrymaking acumen.

One thing he couldn’t bear to part with in France was the 1956 Citroen he restored as a kid from nuts to bolts. The Citroen has a place in French history.

Prime Minister Charles de Gaulle used one as did the French resistance in World War II.

“It was one of the last to come out of the factory in 1956 before they stopped making them,” he said. It cost him $1,500 to have it shipped to Port Elizabeth, New Jersey. The shipment cost was nothing compared to the difficulties he had getting it out of customs, he said.

The classic car also gave Jamgotchian the means to get to sunny alluring California.

“Back then, I didn’t realize how big the country is. I’m glad I did it because I couldn’t do it now,” he said.

He still has the classic white Citroen to drive on days off and even took the writer and his wife out for a thrilling spin along the lake for this story.

After California, the chef’s cooking trail led to a dozen or so years in Florida, including St. Augustine and Tampa Bay, where he became one of the most notable and sought-after chefs in a city with a large French Canadian population. He opened his own thriving restaurant in Tampa, but had to sell it in 2016.

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Jamgotchian’s numerous awards and certifications include the titles of certified executive chef and certified pastry chef from the American Culinary Federation in St. Augustine.

He’s had television cooking shows and taught cooking through the years at places like Tops Cooking School and other schools whenever possible so others can share his love of cooking and pastries.

Even for a veteran chef, there is always something new in the culinary field. “The basics of cooking are always going to stay the same but it’s also evolving and there is always something new to learn,” he explained.

Fame and recognition are of no great importance for the chef these days. “I’ve done pretty much everything I set out to do,” he said.

It remains his desire to serve you a delicious meal and dessert prepared as only Chef Jamgotchian knows how.

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September / October 2021 - 55 PLUS

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55 PLUS - September / October 2021

How to Pick the Best Place to Retire

By Jim Miller

I

f you’re interested in relocating when you retire, like millions of other baby boomers, there are a wide variety of books and online resources that can help you find and research a new location that meet your wants, needs and budget. Here are several to help you get started.

Where to Retire?

If you’re at the beginning of your search, a good starting point is to take the “Find Your Best Place” retirement quiz at Sperling’s Best Places (BestPlaces.net/fybp). This free quiz asks 10 questions on your preferences such as climate, recreation, community size and more, and suggests possible destinations that match your answers. MarketWatch also has a new matchmaking tool called, “Where’s the best place for me to retire?” at MarketWatch.com/

graphics/best-place-to-retire/.

Media resources like U.S. News & World Report, Kiplinger’s, Forbes and Money Magazine also publish “best places to retire” lists on their websites each year. And be sure you check out Milken’s “Best Cities for Successful Aging” (SuccessfulAging.

MilkenInstitute.org), which ranks 381 U.S. metropolitan areas based on factors that are important to older adults.

You should also consider getting a copy of “America’s 100 Best Places to Retire” (the sixth edition book; $25 at Amazon.com) that looks at a range of destinations, and groups some in categories like best college towns, mountain towns, undiscovered towns and main street towns.

Once you find a few areas that interest you, your next step is research them. Here are some important areas you need to investigate.

• Cost of living: Can you afford to live comfortably in the location where you want to retire? Numbeo. com and BestPlaces.net offers tools to compare the cost of living from your current location to where you would like to move. They compare housing costs, food, utilities, transportation and more.

• Taxes: Some states are more tax friendly than others. If you’re planning to move to another state, Kiplinger’s has a tax guide for retirees at Kiplinger. com/links/retireetaxmap that lets you find and compare taxes state-by-state.

It covers income taxes, sales tax, taxes on retirement income, Social Security benefits taxes, property taxes, and inheritance and estate taxes.

• Crime rate: To evaluate how safe a community or area is, websites like AreaVibes.com provide crime data for certain localities.

• Climate: To research the climate in the areas you’re interested in moving, Sperling’s Best Places is again a great resource that offers a climate/ weather compare tool BestPlaces.net/ climate.

• Healthcare: Does the area you want to relocate have easy access to good healthcare? To locate and research doctors and hospitals in a new area, use Medicare’s compare tool at Medicare.gov/care-compare. Also see Healthgrades.com, which provides detailed information on U.S. hospitals and doctors.

• Transportation: If you plan to travel much, or expect frequent visits from your kids or grandkids, convenient access to an airport or train station is a nice advantage. You should also investigate alternative transportation options, since most retirees give up driving in their eighties.

To do this visitRidesInSight.org, a free website that provides information about senior transportation options in local communities throughout the U.S. Once you have narrowed your choices down to two or three, spend a couple weeks in each location at different times of the year so you can get a feel for the seasonal weather changes, and so you can carefully weigh the pros and cons of living there. You may find that you like the area more as a vacation spot than as a year-round residence. It’s also a good idea to rent for a year before buying a home or making a commitment to a retirement community.

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September 18 & 19 Saturday, Sept. 18: 1–5pm Sunday, Sept. 19: 9am—12pm Flower arrangements will be available for $7 and can be made to order.

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55+ celebration

Carol Ritter Wright is a retired Democrat and Chronicle columnist and reporter. She lives in Perinton and Seneca Falls with her husband, Bill Wright.

Anticipating 80

By Carol Ritter Wright

I

n September, I’m going to have a party — a big one, for a big event.

I will turn 80. Holy cow, 80!

Is that possible? Apparently Anna itRothstein is.

So there will be cake, of course, and

champagne and possibly balloons — but no black ones. This is a celebration, not a wake.

There are days when I really feel my age; but most of the time, I don’t. Oh, I’m no kid, and I know

that. Aching joints and muscles that forecast weather changes have been plaguing me for more than half my life. But most of my vital organs seem to be behaving reasonably well. I’m fully vaccinated and stay current with necessary medical tests and screenings.

The mirror tells me daily that I’m an old lady; but never smoking anything or lying out in the sun has kept the visible damage to a minimum.

I’ve always been a low-maintenance woman. With luck, that won’t have to change.

When I recall 80 as I perceived it as a youngster, it was oooooold. So old.

People I knew who were in their 80s all seemed to be bent over, white-haired, slow-moving, frail, ancient.

But if 60 is the new 40 or something like that, 80 might be the new 60, or at least 70. I have plenty of contemporaries now who appear to be full of life and energy, happy to be able to do whatever appeals to them, eat and drink and socialize and travel and learn new things and keep up with their kids and grandkids.

As I approach that big number, I think of it as just another step on the road to my goal: 100. Yep, I want a three-digit birthday; and I intend to get there or die trying.

People in my lineage have set a good example. My mom was 89, my dad 90, and each of them had a parent that lived more than nine decades.

Mom, the eldest of 14, had four siblings that made it to 96. So my goal isn’t terribly far-fetched.

Celebrating birthdays is a given in my family. We all know the saying,

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“Consider the alternative,” and I am sadly aware of that: my beloved daughter died of cancer at 53, my stepdaughter succumbed to cancer at 43. Too young! Both of those lovely women deserved to be able to continue their thriving careers and watch their children launch themselves into adulthood.

So yes, I will be 80 — and glad to acknowledge reaching that milestone.

Now please do me a favor and don’t deny me the pleasure of identifying myself as an old woman. Old is not a four-letter word.

When I was working as a journalist, I chose to never use the word “elderly” for anyone younger than 80. Soon, I’ll qualify to use it for myself. Maybe I will, maybe not. We’ll see.

Call me elderly, call me old, but don’t you dare call me “cute.” To someone my age, that really is a fourletter word. Nobody old should be described as cute. We were all cute when we were little kids, a very long time ago; but now we are not cute. We deserve to maintain our dignity. Leave it alone!

Approaching 80, I am happy with the circumstances in which I find myself. I have a solid marriage to a good man. My children and grandchildren are healthy. The adults among them are independent, educated, responsible members of society, behaving with generosity and courage in a troubled world.

I can look back upon my own career with pride, knowing that I worked very hard for 43 years and retired on good terms with my

employer and colleagues. With free time now, I can do whatever seems like fun at the moment.

Now, I can just enjoy every minute of every day. No more high heels, ever.

No clothing of any kind that I can’t get on or off by myself. Nothing in a color, design or fabric that I don’t like.

I have garments I’ve worn for more than 30 years and will keep wearing until they fall apart. If you don’t like that, don’t look.

When the weather is nice enough, I can spend hours outside yanking weeds in my gardens, building block patios and walkways and rock gardens, planting flowers and succulents and perennials and trees, pruning vines and shrubbery, relocating chunks of sod to bare spots in the lawn, gathering firewood and kindling, picking berries, making compost, clearing away brush.

It’s all heavy work, real exercise, good for the body, good for the soul.

In unfriendly weather or when my joints give me too much grief, there’s plenty to do in the house. I have hundreds of books, subscriptions to several magazines and newspapers, crossword puzzles and my silly list of six-syllable words that I’ve encountered along the way. Of course, “octogenarian” is on that list. My husband (he turned 80 last year and we had a party just before the pandemic shutdown) and I can spend hours sitting together, lost in our reading.

The sewing machine gets a workout, too. And I love to do assemblage, making art from junk and found objects. It’s fun to create something unique from nothing of any

real value.

My husband and I both love car trips, auctions, flea markets, antiques malls, goofy roadside attractions, buy-one-get-one food bargains, casual meals on the front porch, that sort of thing.

Don’t try to get me going about “the good old days.” For me, they weren’t all that good. I prefer to live in the moment and look forward. If I do make it to 100, I hope that’s time enough for us on Earth to reverse at least some of the damage we humans have done to our planet; find Nessie and Sasquatch, if they truly exist; and make some real sense of all the UFO sightings that have happened down through the ages.

Life is good. So good! Having five senses that all pretty much work as they should is such a gift, and I appreciate it all so very much.

There’s no time to waste. The years go by so fast at this age. Wasn’t it Christmas just a couple of months ago? How can it be possible that my birthday is coming up so soon? How can it be possible that I’m going to be 80?

Well, it is. God willing, I will be around to celebrate it and the many more — at least 20, I hope — to come after this one.

Whenever your birthday happens, I hope it’s a good one. A great one. One you can truly enjoy. Go ahead and live it up. Oh, and save me a piece of cake, please — a corner one with plenty of frosting. I never skimp on frosting. Life is way too short for that.

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55+ magic The Fairy Godparents Installing a bit of magic into our lives

By Lynette M. Loomis

B

etsy and Chris Marshall have created a world of wonder and magic in Mendon Ponds Park through the creation of more than 50 fairy houses and doors.

Originally, some of the houses were in Tinker Park. They drew so much attention and so many visitors, the park couldn’t manage the traffic.

With 2,500 acres and the extremely popular Birdsong Fairy Trail, the fairies relocated to their permanent home in Mendon Ponds Park about two years ago.

While they have a contract with the county, they create the fairy homes as a gift to the community and receive no monetary compensation.

“Our pay is the comments we receive and the stories and memories that are shared between generations.

Nothing makes us happier than to bring some joy into the community,” said Betsy, 55.

This magic is the result of a team effort.

Chris, 58, is director of facilities and operations for Victor Central Schools and a talented woodworker.

Using natural materials, he integrates his creations into nature — a hole in a tree or on the top of a stump or rock. If a space is too small, Betsy might paint a fairy door into the opening. As a parent educator for the Rush-Henrietta School System, Betsy appreciates the need for a unique destination for families. That includes the trail being part of many camp programs for kids from urban and suburban areas.

As parents themselves, they w a t c h e d t h e i r o w n c h i l d re n ’ s fascination with magic and fairies.

They built a few houses for Tinker Park and then added a few more and a few more.

The move to Mendon Ponds Park was a natural fit for them as they are avid birdwatchers, wildlife photographers and hikers. People

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Betsy and Chris Marshall maintain the Birdsong Fairy Trail located at Mendon Ponds Park.

love to walk Birdsong Fairy Trail and feed the chickadees from their outstretched palm. If the birds are not “dining” at that time, there is still magic throughout the trail.

The fairy magic takes place in their Rush home.

“We work in the garage and when it’s too cold, we do what every person does — we move the projects to the

mudroom and then to the dining room table,” Betsy explained.

The houses often need repair or replacement. The two “fairy godparents” try to install and repair when traffic in the park is light, so they don’t spoil the magic for the children.

In their wagon of repair tools, they also add to the book boxes for children.

They use natural materials with the aid

The Magic of the Fairy Trail in Mendon Ponds Park People can see more than five fairy houses and doors at the Birdsong Fairy Trail are in Mendon Ponds Park. They are the work of Chris Marshall, the director of facilities and operations for Victor Central Schools and a talented woodworker, and his wife Betsy Marshall, a parent educator for the Rush-Henrietta School System. While they have a

contract with the county, they create the fairy homes as a gift to the community and receive no monetary compensation.

“Our pay is the comments we receive and the stories and memories that are shared between generations.

Nothing makes us happier than to bring some joy into the community,” said Betsy, 55.

September / October 2021 - 55 PLUS

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of nails and screws and acrylic paint.

“A glue gun just won’t work, and we stay away from anything that could be toxic to the animals,” Chris said.

Betsy has probably painted 1,000 rocks in this journey. Children are often eager to take home a souvenir, but parents and grandparents are encouraged to help the little ones create their own fairy rocks for their own yard. People are generally very respectful of the creations. Together this talented couple has created more than 150 houses and doors.

During the pandemic, Betsy and Chris installed several houses and doors well above the ground to make sure things could not be touched and spread germs. It adds a bit of intrigue because people try to find all 50 houses and doors. To do so, one must be part believer and part sleuth. It also helps to “go back the way you came” so that new things appear from the other direction.

To make sure the houses and doors are as durable and natural as possible, as well as not be a hazard to animals, birds and guests, the park asks that well-meaning admirers do

Banners at Birdsong Fairy Trail in Mendon Ponds Park.

not “contribute” to the village.

Chris and Betsy use pinecones, milkweed, bark and driftwood. They also source at garage sales and flea markets.

Betsy said horseshoes are particularly easy with which to work.

Inspiration comes from the trail itself

as well as the materials available.

They discovered that the squirrels eat antlers, so they have stayed away from using them in their designs.

“It is the trail itself that inspires the design—we have to understand and work within the natural constraints of the terrain, trees and rocks,” Chris said.

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One of Betsy’s favorites is shaped like a heart and another one has a bridge. On the side of the Little Free Library is a window that one can peek into to see how the fairies live, complete with tiny furniture.

Chris’ favorites include the Little Free Library with miniature door and a screech owl box that also includes a fairy door.

In addition to the houses in the park, Betsy and Chris have contributed elaborate fairy villages for the campus at the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme, Connecticut. The couple had vacationed there several times and spoke with the art director about incorporating some of their fairy houses into the display. Some of the installments take months to create due to the intricacy of design and the very tiny pieces to build and paint. It also can take days to install.

Children aged 2 to 7, the true believers, are especially intrigued by the fairy houses and doors, but people of all ages appreciate the magic, the imagination and the craftsmanship that Betsy and Chris put into their fairy world.

How to Get to Birdsong Fairy Trail Birdsong Fairy Trail is in Mendon Ponds Pond Park, 95 Douglas Road, Honeoye Falls.

The park is roughly 10 miles southeast of Rochester, located south of the Thruway in the towns of Pittsford and Mendon. It is bordered by Clover Street on the west and Pittsford-Mendon Center

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Sharon’s Sensory Garden and Wild Wings (care and housing for birds of prey that cannot be released back into the wild) is also part of the park.

For more information, go to www. monroecounty.gov/parks-mendonponds

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55+ corvette club

62 Years of Fast Cars and Fast Friends Boasting 700 members, the Rochester Corvette Club is an extremely social group

By John Addyman

B

ob Russell has aged like a fine wine.

His wife, Cheryl, wanted to note that accomplishment.

“You have a big birthday coming up,” she said to him three years ago.

“You’re going to be 80. You deserve something really special.”

Bob agreed.

“What would you like?” she asked.

“A Corvette,” he said.

In many ways, Bob’s request – and that fact that he’s now owned his 2006 Corvette for three years — is not unusual.

Not according to the Rochester Corvette Club.

Founded in 1959 by Gene LaDoux and the late Al Frederick, the 700-member Rochester Corvette Club is an extremely social group, a technically savvy organization and a motoring coterie ready to unleash all 22

55 PLUS - September / October 2021

those ponies under the hood for a trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains, a state park, Mount Washington in Maine, a veterans’ remembrance, a picnic, an expedition to the Corvette Museum in Tennessee, a town parade or an ice cream shop a couple of towns over.

Members want to drive their cars, talk to other Corvette owners and have a good time. Many in the RCC are retired and able to enjoy their cars even more.

“They’re at a point in their lives when they can afford one,” said Dave Kuchman, the club historian.

“Remember what it was like when you were in your 30s, raising a family?” said Fred Elliott, the club’s president.

“When you were younger, you had kids, an education you were paying for, a mortgage, and all kinds of family expenses,” Kuchman added. That was then. “Now these people are in their

50s or older, their kids are grown up, the mortgages are paid off and they can afford that Corvette.”

A Corvette?

Why a Corvette?

“I’d always wanted a Corvette,” Elliott said, standing next to his red 2015 Stingray, “ever since I was in high school. I’d never had the opportunity or the funds to get one. One day, after one of my friends had passed away, another friend and I got to talking.

‘What are we doing?’ We asked each other. Our friend died in his recliner in his living room. That’s not the way I want to go out. We both decided, we gotta do something different. I was driving by Turner’s Auto on Route 96 one day. I always stopped and looked at the Corvettes. This time I stopped and bought one. My buddy bought a Harley. We both said, ‘You can’t keep putting off the inevitable: If you want to, just do it.’”

Fred Elliott is the president of the Rochester Corvette Club, which was founded in 1959 and is one of the oldest in the country.

Photo Credit (above and pg. 24): Dave Norton

Members of the Rochester Corvette Club practice cleaning out their fuel injectors on the track in Bowling Green, K.Y. in August of 2019 at the end of a caravan from Rochester to the 25th Anniversary of the Corvette Museum.

Elliott’s Corvette, a 1985 model, was the first of three he’s owned.

Corvettes have been around since 1953. They have always been twoseaters, which limits the appeal for some people, increasing it for others.

At first, engines were anemic; that changed. They are now mighty. The styling is singular. The sound is earworthy. And, other guys and gals driving Corvettes wave at you on the road.

“I love to drive my `Vette,” Elliott said. “It makes me happy. The time we grew up in the 1950s and 1960s, Corvette, to me and a lot of guys our age, it was the epitome, something to aspire to car-wise. The coolest guys always had Corvettes. Not being cool, I wanted to have a Corvette. I’ve always felt that for what you spend on a Corvette you’re getting a hell of a lot of car, especially compared to some of the foreign cars that are in that same

class but cost twice as much and I don’t see where you’re getting that much more for your money, other than snob appeal.”

Buy your Corvette, join the Rochester club, and the first thing you learn is that a Corvette is not just a guy’s car.

Roseann Lucania, from Penfield, who notes her age is “plus 55,” drives a bright Sebring Orange 2020 Corvette— the latest model, with an engine in the middle of the car, not the front. It’s a car that has appreciated in value since she drove it off the lot, and it is her fourth Corvette.

“My husband started us with a 2001 Corvette,” she said. “It was his baby. After he passed, I drove it out of the garage, looked up at the sky and said, ‘Hey, honey! Look who’s driving your car!’ I hope he got a kick out of that.”

“I love that car,” she added. “I

drive it everywhere.”

Lucania’s advice to any other women who are looking to add a singular automotive spice to her life: get yourself a `Vette. “If that’s what you want to do, go ahead and do it. Life is short. Go and enjoy it. That’s what I would tell anyone,” she said. “People will pull up next to me and see this is a lady driving this Corvette. It makes me feel young. I feel like a kid when I’m driving. That’s what’s important – to feel good doing something you like.”

Jim and Elizabeth Hill of Rochester have a white 2013 Corvette. “These cars are unique,” he said. “They’re American; they’re born here and made here. You don’t see a lot of them on the road.”

Many Corvette owners take extreme care of their babies, some of which haven’t experienced raindrops in years. And snow—what’s that? One of the first surprises someone shopping September / October 2021 - 55 PLUS

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for a Corvette will experience is that the mileage is so low on most used cars. In this area, they’re only driven in nice weather. With decent care, an old Corvette can look awfully new.

Jim and Elizabeth put miles on their `Vette. “I decided I saw too many of my friends pass away that saved their cars, didn’t drive them, then they die,” Jim said. “I’m going to use mine.

This year I’m going to use it a lot more.

I got it; I might as well use it. It’s just a nice car, a fun car. It looks nice.”

As a former club president, Hill has found the value of this club. “It’s the greatest bunch of people I’ve been involved with, right here. We have no agendas: There’s no political agenda, no race agenda, no religion agenda.

One of the things I’ve always liked about this club is that if you had 60 of us here and you made 30 go somewhere else, they’d all sit down and start talking and having a good time,” he said.

“We have a great bunch of people—a mix—everything from lawyers all the way up to truck drivers.

East side, west side, new cars, old cars.

I was worried when I came to my first

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meeting with a ’99 Corvette and I stood up to introduce myself and tell people what I drove. I thought people would laugh and say, ‘We had that car four years ago.’ It wasn’t like that at all. It is a very welcoming group,” he added.

“You can participate in as many activities with the group as you want,” said Joyce Juzwiak.

She and her husband, Joe, from Rochester, have a 2008 silver `Vette.

“This is a social club where you’re meeting other people—singles, families, women only—people you can have fun with. It’s an opportunity to meet other groups,” she said.

People join for the social stuff, for the road trips, for the rallies and cruises, for trips to restaurants and wineries and picnics, for learning about care and maintenance, for trips to races or driving on racetracks, and for long seasonal rides.

“It’s a good club,” said Elliott, “with good people. Our social events are great. The people who organize our activities are very enthusiastic.

We’ve gotten together to do Christmas caroling, euchre parties…we’re always looking for new ideas and people to

step forward and say, ‘I’ve got a great idea.’”

One of the draws of the Rochester Corvette Club is the association with VanBortel Corvette in Macedon, a superstore for `Vettes. Owner Kitty VanBortel supports club membership by offering a free state inspection for your Corvette, a free oil change, 15% discounts on parts and labor, and special dedicated technicians to work on your car.

When you’re ready to buy your next used `Vette, VanBortel will take $500 off the sticker and will sell you a new one at the MSRP sticker price (2021s are selling for huge mark-ups nationwide, if you can find one).

The benefits Kitty VanBortel showers on members are one thing, but the service she provides is the stuff of local legend.

Joe Juzwiak tells the story about the club’s trip to Mount Washington, where another member’s windshieldwiping system died. “It rained every day,” Cheryl Russell added.

“The nearest Chevy dealer didn’t have any openings. Those poor people couldn’t go anywhere with the weather

the way it was. They were stranded.

They didn’t have a car they could drive,” Juzwiak related.

Desperate, the club called VanBortels from Maine. Shortly thereafter, “Kitty dispatched one of her mechanics who drove 10 hours in a loaner with the parts to fix the car. I was astounded. What kind of dealer sends a mechanic and a loaner for a 10-hour drive?” Juzwiak said.

Kuchman and Elliott also pointed out that the club likes to give back to the community, sponsoring at least one charity each year and often responsive to requests for Corvettes at charity and civic events.

Bob and Cheryl Russell let their grandson drive their Corvette to the senior prom (but he used another car after the prom).

Elliott said there’s a little boy on his street: “He’s got to be 4 or 5. Every time my car goes by, he waves. I gotta stop one of these days and talk to his dad and say, ‘Hey, if it’s all right with you, I’ll take him for a ride around the neighborhood…he’s a future Corvette owner.”

Corvette drivers all and members of the Rochester Corvette Club: from left, front row, are Joyce Juzwiak and Cheryl Russell, and back row, Tony Caraglio, Joe Juzwiak and Bob Russell.

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55+ seasons Winterize Now Tackling a few home projects now can save you money later

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

W

inter may still feel a long time off but some home maintenance tasks are easier and less expensive to do now. Why put it off and struggle to do these in the cold? Plus, the demand for supplies and technicians spikes once cold weather hits.

In addition to removing or covering window air conditioners, look for other places where you can lose energy from your home.

“Make sure windows are latching,” said Jeff Flaherty, owner of Wise Home Energy in Rochester. “A lot of people open and close windows for fresh air.

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55 PLUS - September / October 2021

The latching mechanism helps engage all the seals around the window. If you latch the windows, it keeps the energy in.”

Feel for cracks around windows and doors, as well as around the hatch

or door leading to the attic.

“If there’s dust around the seams, that means air is flowing through it,” Flaherty said. “It’s an energy loss area.”

Consider replacing any old windows or doors with energy efficient

models. The US Department of Energy estimates that energy loss through windows accounts for 25% to 30% of all residential heating and cooling energy use. You could also replace calk, weather stripping and/or seal windows with clear film to reduce drafts. Use film around unused doors as well.

Consider upgrading your home’s insulation. According to www.homestratosphere.com, “wall insulation can reduce a home’s heat loss by 67%, while attic insulation can lead to a 40% decrease in heating and cooling costs.”

Energy Saver (www.energy.gov/ energysaver/insulation) offers tips for finding the right kind of insulation and where your home needs the most insulation.

“Look at having an energy assessment,” Flaherty said. “They’re typically low or no cost in New York.

They can identify some simple things specific to your home and bigger things to prioritize for a longer-term plan.”

Your furnace’s efficiency also matters. Flaherty encourages every homeowner to service their heating

equipment annually. Change the filter and have a technician look it over for any other service it could require. Have a professional clean and examine your chimney, too.

Outside your home, check the ground for areas that collect standing water.

“As water pools around the home, we want it to flow away from the home,” Flaherty said. “It’s considered a mold, health and safety issue for when drainage can cause problems in spring.”

Consider changing the grading around your house so rain flows away from the foundation; ensuring gutters and downspouts work properly and improving drainage to your yard so water has someplace to go.

Your landscaping needs other attention before winter. To avoid costly damage, remove any branches that could fall on your house in a storm.

When it is time to mow your lawn the last time, “mow it down to two inches,” said David Teel, owner of Weed Man-Rochester, LLC in Macedon. “Apply slow-release granular fertilizer in fall.”

Instead of bagging the grass

clippings as you mow, let the mower mulch the grass and fallen leaves and distribute them as free fertilizer all over the lawn.

Avoid pruning trees and shrubs in the fall, as that can push vegetation to try to grow just as it should be winding down. If you have immature trees and shrubs, consider tying some of their branches together to help prevent breakage.

Remove any weeds and annual plants from the flower beds and garden to reduce the risk of plant diseases and so that these areas will be ready to go once the weather warms up. If your perennial flowers have proliferated and you notice bunching, you should separate them so each retains sufficient roots. That will give your flowers more even distribution throughout the flowerbed. Spread mulch or compost over your flowerbeds.

If you are through with watering outside vegetation, disconnect and drain water hoses and store them inside. Turn off the indoor water valve to outside faucets, the main valve to the sprinkler system and the automatic controller. Cover the outdoor faucets with hose bib covers.

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55+ art Behind the Mill Art Center and Gallery Artist Kathryn Bevier keeps Honeoye Falls art center strong

By Lynette M Loomis

N

estled in a historic stone building in Honeoye Falls is the Mill Art Center and Gallery and its director, Kathryn Bevier.

At age 64, she said she has been practicing art for more than 30 years.

In a class of 12, she graduated from Lyme Academy College of Fine Arts in Connecticut and was trained in a classical approach, which served as a good foundation for her. Now her artistic interests are more experimental.

“For me painting is a bit like cooking. You see several things in the fridge and I think about what I can make with these,” she said. “I love encaustic paint which is made from beeswax and tree sap along with pigment.”

In addition to directing the Mill, she is a paint maker for Enkaustikos, where developing custom paint colors is her focus.

“It’s a matter of understanding what can be mixed together to gain the desired color. That is an art in and of itself,” she said.

Encaustic paint is often used to give texture to a work of art.

Bevier teaches classes at the Mill Art Center as well as directs art programs, classes and exhibitions for its members and the community.

The Mill Art Center and Gallery is a member and patron supported nonprofit art studio and gallery with four to six exhibits each year. Mediums 28

55 PLUS - September / October 2021

Kathryn Bevier is an artist who directs the Mill Art Center and Gallery in Honeoye Falls. She also develops colors for encaustic paint and uses it in her own painting of still life and landscapes.

for the exhibits could be colored pencil, acrylic, watercolor, pastels, drawings of nature or abstract.

Gelliplate printmaking is a relatively new process and just one of the exciting classes being offered at the center. Classes are available for age 6 and older and the “older” goes into the 80s.

One of the director’s responsibilities is to decide what exhibits will be presented from outside groups as well as local artists.

At the end of September, The Pastel Society of Western New York will have an exhibit. In mid-November and through the holidays, the annual Members’ Exhibition will fill the walls of the gallery.

Visitors are welcome to attend and are encouraged to donate to keep this community resource financially whole.

“I have always loved to create things but along the way I have realized I also like to share my passion by teaching,” said Bevier. She has taught in Ireland as well as in the greater Rochester area. “It is exciting to see something take form and shape on canvas or paper as someone expresses their own view of the world through art.”

When she is not developing formulas for encaustic paints, Bevier enjoys creating her own works on panels. They can be as large as 40 by 60 inches or as small as 8 by 8 inches.

Sometimes she experiments on a small scale and if she loves the creation, she produces a larger image.

“Of course, they are not identical in looks. It is iterative. With each iteration, my goal is to build upon what touched me in the smaller version, be it a color scheme, the subject matter or a feeling,” she explained.

Another form of self-expression for this artist-director is gardening.

“With a garden, it changes from season to season and year to year. You move things around, you experiment. It is all a form of communicating oneself to the outside world or enjoying your own private thoughts through gardening,” said Bevier.

The Mill Art Center and Gallery is located at 61 N. Main St., Honeoye Falls, on the second floor. The gallery is typically open Thursday and Friday, all other times are best by appointment.

Classes are held throughout the year. For more information, contact Bevier at millartcenter@gmail.com.

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55+ cover

Ethan Fogg: Key Lover, Story Collector Keys can unlock memories as well as locks

By Melody Burri 30

55 PLUS - September / October 2021

E

ven as a young child, Ethan Fogg knew that simple household keys held a certain kind of magic.

That’s why at age 7 he became the self-appointed night watchman in his family home.

“I would go through in the evening and lock up all the antique furniture, take out all the keys and put them ‘someplace safe,’” said Fogg. “My parents would get up in the morning and couldn’t get dressed.”

It didn’t take long for George and Joan Fogg to decide that giving their youngest son his own private set of keys would serve everyone well.

They also believed that collecting was a great way for children to learn discernment and responsibility.

They were right.

Nearly five decades later, Fogg’s insatiable pursuit of small, shiny metal objects has blossomed into a carefully curated 26,000-piece collection of antique locks, keys and vintage hardware that evolves and multiplies almost daily.

Lighted jeweler ’s cases, glass wall units, general store-style wooden bins and vintage retail key racks line the 20 foot by 20 foot “basement key museum” inside Fogg’s Seneca County home. Each displays a section of his mind-blowing body of brass, iron and steel keys, padlocks, door locks, metal and porcelain door knobs, original automotive ignition and door lock hardware and railroad keys, locks and latches.

For the lucky few who’ve been inside the key museum over the years, the response is unanimous: Fogg’s collection is a jaw-dropper.

“People are amazed by the sheer volume,” said the life-long Finger Lakes resident. “And the sparkle.

It’s a lot of shapes and finishes, like a jewelry store.”

Pieces are grouped by material, style, purpose and country of origin.

Railroad artifacts, vintage hotel keys from around the world, keys from an area psychiatric center, public school and a New Jersey bank occupy sideby-side wooden bins.

“It allows me to maintain the integrity of an original family of keys,” he said. “The complexity, contrast and story are so rich within any given box.”

‘Keys are talismans.

They get us in touch with other places and other things.’

Story and sentiment Fogg’s love for the design and function of each artifact is eclipsed only by his passion for learning its unique story.

“Keys are talismans,” he said.

“They get us in touch with other places and other things. Some keys may have tags on them — something as literal as a hotel key, or a little handwritten tag that says ‘Mabel’s cottage,’ or a key ring from so-and-so’s Esso gas station.”

Often there are clues that help place a key in time or location, Fogg said.

“There was a period in the early to late 1950s when a lot of advertising keys were in circulation,” he said.

“A lot of the gas stations like Mobil, Exxon and Esso would sell keys with their logo in their service stations so you could show your affinity for their brand. Those have become highly collectable and are often in full color or enameled.”

Car keys might also have a tag or a key case with the name of the dealership.

“I always enjoy the ones whose phone numbers are truncated, like ‘Edison-4-2461,’ or even better, ‘dial 3143,’” said Fogg. “They just really remind you of a time when life was simpler.”

Beyond the storytelling element of key collecting, there’s also a strong sentimental dimension.

“I continue to be surprised, as a collector and an observer, at the number of people who have sentimental caches of keys,” said Fogg.

They claim “they don’t keep anything,” but there’s so often a small stash of keys tucked away, because “that one went to my first car, that one went to my mother’s bureau, that one went to my father’s desk and that one always hung on the hook by the door in the kitchen,” he added.

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Odd, rare and wonderful Fogg’s private collection of cut keys and blanks, locks, door knobs, mechanisms, printed memorabilia and vintage packaging offers an eyeful, to be sure.

But are any of his pieces rare? Are they priceless?

Fogg prefers to call his finds “odd and wonderful.”

“I have a key to one of the earliest county jails in the Finger Lakes that came to me from a retired sheriff literally almost 50 years ago,” said Fogg with pride. “It was probably my first or second year of collecting — I don’t think I was even 10 years old.

It’s a handsome key and I have every reason to believe between the aesthetic and the provenance, it’s [authentic].”

Years later, in a little antique shop that was going out of business, Fogg discovered and purchased another county jail lock and key with what he called “appropriate wear and paper ID tag.”

“To think of the number of lives that have been involved on both sides of that lock…,” he said.

And Fogg won’t likely ever own

an Astin Martin or a string of Rolls Royces from the 1950s. He won’t own a slew of cornerstone historic residential and commercial structures. But, he owns their keys.

“They’re touchstones to the cars and buildings and the experiences and times in history that would otherwise be out of reach,” he said. “They existed then, they served a purpose then, and although their purpose is different now, no one can take that away.

“That’s why I prefer cut keys over uncut keys and why I like patina and wear, and why I respect a fistful of keys that have been on one ring together for a long period,” he said. “I am loath to break them apart — it’s like breaking up a family. They belong together.”

Symbolism and ceremony “What I’m always thinking about when I find these wonderful keys is that someone may have spent a year’s earnings or a heck of a lot more than that on a beautiful home or expensive automobile. But those things are worthless without the keys,” said Fogg.

“Whereas I can buy a key to that

1963 Lincoln with suicide doors and a convertible top for just a dollar or two, if I search long and hard,” he added.

“The car is likely long gone, but a little bit of it can live on in a carefully managed collection for generations to come. It can help get our modern generation of collectors in touch with how things used to be.”

The aesthetics are especially fascinating, to see how design elements changed over time and how certain products were infused with gender and heritage.

“Lincoln and Cadillac were always fiercely competitive about who had the most elevated product. Their keys are like jewelry,” said Fogg. “And they sold jewelry for your keys: key rings with expensive fobs or nice leather cases.”

There’s also a ceremonial element and implied privilege to possessing a key, Fogg said. When one buys a car or house, often the last step is getting the key.

Likewise, building managers and custodial staff, before modern technology, were easily identified by their oversized ring filled with keys.

They were in charge of their building.

And in a prison setting, though people exist on both sides of a locked door, it’s the privileged or powerful ones on the outside who hold the keys.

Treasures online As a member of several online groups of collectors, Fogg often swaps stories and information about what he’s discovered with fellow enthusiasts.

In June, he made the key connection of a lifetime and gained a respected friend.

He was the first to read a post from someone looking to downsize their collection.

“I’m getting rid of about 6,000 keys or so and I don’t want to sell them for scrap. Anyone interested?” the post read.

“My first thought was, ‘thank you for saving them from being scrapped,’” said Fogg. “Once they’re melted, you can’t get them back. The people who worked in those factories that made them, the people who carried them, the stories that follow them are gone and they can’t be retrieved.”

Two days later he was in his car,

driving “10 hours round trip to buy five sweater boxes filled with roughly 6,000 keys for what some people would spend on an expensive dinner for two,” he said.

“I spent almost four hours in his museum, seeing his collection and admiring items that make me feel very humble,” said Fogg. “He has been collecting for 20 years longer than I have and has beautiful, meaningful examples of things I’ve only seen in magazines and online.”

The experience was nothing short of transformative.

“He was exceedingly generous and helpful,” Fogg said. “My collection is so much richer for the experience and it will continue to be meaningfully influenced by his insights.”

Competitive sport After about two hours in his new friend’s museum, Fogg learned he was probably the fourth person who had been there.

“It’s a fairly competitive sport,” said Fogg. “When you think about it, there’s not that many out there to be had, and if you know what you’re September / October 2021 - 55 PLUS

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looking for odds are others are looking for it, too.”

“The more you see, the more you realize you haven’t seen anything yet,” he said. “There are little idiosyncratic elements, there are things that were done around wartime when metals were in short supply, there were designs that failed. To have examples of those short-lived, ill-fated things is an honor.

“I now have hundreds of brass keys, because I’ve been watching for them. Scrappers love brass, but so do key collectors. And these keys worked hard — they deserve to have a quality retirement.”

Fogg said curating a collection of anything “changes your world view on all sorts of dimensions.”

“It teaches you to care about and for things,” he said. “The act of collection gets you in touch with a degree of detail that normal life does not.”

a story. That’s the key to the cottage when we were kids, that’s the key to my first dorm room in college.”

Never remove tags from the keys, and don’t clean them, he said. That removes their provenance.

And above all, don’t throw them away. When they’re no longer wanted, get them to a place where they can be repurposed, where they can find a new

home, because there are people who are always watching for more stories.

“Think of keys as used books,” said Fogg. “I’m looking for keys because I want to be in touch with others’ stories and I want to spend a little time in that ‘63 Lincoln, I want to ride with you in that Studebaker. I want to visit your parents’ cottage.”

A word to non-collectors People who have drawers or old boxes full of unwanted keys have a number of options.

“First, send them to me,” Fogg said with a smile.

If there’s a profit motive at hand, sell them on Facebook Marketplace, he said. Or if profit is not as important, take them to charities that operate a retail arm like Habitat for Humanity or Salvation Army because “people like me shop in those places,” he said.

“Rather than just pitching them in the garbage, which just makes the mountain taller, offer them to your kids,” he said. “There may be some sentimental memories of ‘that hotel key from where we used to vacation at the Cape,’ or ‘the first car I ever drove.’ That talisman dimension is often bigger than we think it is.”

It should be no surprise that Fogg owns many of the keys that represent his childhood — the keys to the home he grew up in, to most of the cars that were in his family through the years.

“It’s part of the genealogy of my family — it’s part of how this collector views the passage of time,” he said.

Rest assured, starting a collection of keys doesn’t mean one has to become a collector.

“If you get to 10 and think ‘wow, those would be cute in a frame,’ you can be done,” said Fogg. “They tell 34

55 PLUS - September / October 2021

Ethan Fogg at the office of Canandaigua Chamber of Commerce. He serves as the organization’s president and CEO.

Ethan Fogg; Strong Community Ties Among other things, he serves as president and CEO of Canandaigua Chamber of Commerce

A

lifelong New Yorker, Ethan Fogg currently serves as president and CEO of the Canandaigua Chamber of Commerce, and formerly as director of community relations and foundation at Clifton Springs Hospital and Clinic and regional director of sales and marketing at Community Media Group.

The Waterloo resident has e a r n e d a m a s t e r ’ s d e g re e i n public administration from SUNY Brockport, a bachelor’s in industrial and labor relations from Cornell University, and associate degrees from Paul Smith’s College and

Finger Lakes Community College, where his volunteer efforts earned him FLCC’s Alumni Association Exceptional Service Award.

Fogg serves or has served in various capacities on numerous community boards, including The Chamber Alliance of New York State, Finger Lakes Tourism Alliance, Chair the Finger Lakes Community College Foundation, United Way Community Investment Committee, Leadership Ontario, Canandaigua Development Corporation, Rotary Club of Canandaigua.

To contact him., send an email to ethansfogg@gmail.com.

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55+ business

Kevin Stever and his wife Leslie are president and VP of Stever’s Candies.

A Sweet Tooth for Business Stever’s Candies going strong after 75 years

By Mike Costanza

Y

ou might say that Kevin Stever has found his sweet spot.

“I still enjoy making the candy, and the business is a lot of fun,” said the 63-year-old president of Stever’s Candies, Inc. Candy lovers from around the area have long headed to Stever ’s Candies to sample its delicious wares.

Located in a three-story building on Rochester ’s Park Avenue, the company offers hundreds of delights, including soft, succulent caramels, dark chocolate-dipped strawberries, fresh fudge and a host of other unique goodies. The company employs as many as 14 part- and full-time workers depending upon the season and makes all its products at its combination factory and showroom.

Stever’s has been a family affair right from the beginning. After serving 36

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in World War II, Douglas Stever, Kevin’s late father, apprenticed with a veteran candy maker in Norristown, Pennsylvania. Upon finishing his time there, he moved to the Rochester area with his late wife, Hilda, to open the first Stever’s Candies shop and factory.

“They opened a business on [South] Goodman Street together, a very small store, in 1946,” Kevin said.

Sugar was still rationed back then, so the couple couldn’t make chocolate.

“They made a lot of peanut brittle,” Kevin said. “They made some hard candy, cream wafers and things like that.”

Stever’s Candies eventually came to occupy sites in Henrietta and Park Avenue. Kevin remembers working in its suburban shop as a young boy.

“I would fill in in the store and help with packaging and sort things or

bag jellybeans,” he said. “I was pretty adept at that by about 7 or 8 years old.”

Kevin’s older sister worked right alongside him.

“I’m a Stever,” Keane Dziduch said. “I grew up in the business.”

The Henrietta store closed in 1970, but Kevin Stever continued working part-time for his family’s business.

After graduating from St. John Fisher College in 1979, he became a fulltime employee and started learning the secrets of candy making from his father.

“I learned how to make batches of candy,” Kevin said. “He really showed me how to do all of the formulations and the processes in the kitchen.”

While learning the business, Kevin met the woman who would become his wife. The future Leslie Stever was working in the display department

of a local Sears department store and moonlighting as a cake decorator.

Seeking additional work, she headed to Stever’s Candies.

“I came in here to see if they would be interested…in buying any of the gingerbread houses or sugar eggs or that kind of thing, that I made,” Leslie said.

The company ended up buying some of her products. In 1980, Leslie left Sears to work for Stever’s Candies full-time.

“I always was interested in the more artistic things with food, so it was a good fit,” Leslie said. “I really liked it right away.”

She and Kevin began dating in 1982. Two years later, they married.

After Douglas Stever died in 1984, the couple took over the running of Stever’s Candies—Kevin became the company’s president and Leslie its vice president. Hilda Stever continued working in the business, doing everything from running the store to the bookkeeping until she stopped in 2007.

“She was, like, 85 years old,” Kevin said.

By then, Dziduch was doing the firm’s books while holding a full-time job in banking. Hilda died at the age of 92.

Stever ’s Candies continued producing its tasty creations. While the coronavirus pandemic hit other businesses hard, the candy maker came through the 2020 lockdown fairly well.

“We just closed for a week to calm things down in March of 2020. Then we reopened,” Kevin said. “We were deemed an essential business.”

The firm only offered curbside service for a time and then reopened to limited foot traffic.

Up to 10 people can visit Stever’s Candies’ showroom now, though they are encouraged to socially distance.

Those who step inside can enjoy some of Leslie’s work.

“I still do a lot of the decorating work (and) the display work,” she said.

Leslie also does Stever’s Candies’ payroll, hires new employees, helps make and package the firm’s candies and shoulders other jobs, as well.

After working in banking for many years, running a now-defunct sign company with her late husband, Frank, and doing Stever’s Candies’

books on the side, Dziduch became a full-time employee of her family’s firm. The 69-year-old mother and grandmother now works on the books one day a week and spends the rest of her time packaging its wares.

“It’s great just being able to help,” Dziduch said.

On a sunny Friday, the Johnsons drove from their Greece home to the showroom of Stever’s Candies to pick up an order of specially made suckers.

“I have a baby shower coming up, and we’re going to use Stever’s candies

as our favors,” Denise Johnson said.

“We like to support the business and the chocolate is fabulous.”

In addition, the candy maker is willing to make candies in a variety of shapes.

“They’ll make any designer style that you’d like that’s suitable to the occasion,” said Denise’s husband, Timothy. “It’s a nice treat to hand out.”

The couple chose animal-themed favors for the shower.

“We’re going to get bears,” Denise said.

Stever’s Candies offers hundreds of delights, including soft, succulent caramels, dark chocolate-dipped strawberries, fresh fudge and a host of other unique goodies September / October 2021 - 55 PLUS

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55+ investing Real Estate: A Good Investment?

Make sure you do your homework before investing

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

H

istorically, real estate has been thought of as a solid investment. It normally appreciates in value over time and offers investors reliable monthly income. Or, in the case of property flipping, a quick payout.

But is this still true?

“The real estate market has gone up significantly over the last year or so and it is very hard to predict if this trend will continue,” said Diana Apostolova, investment consultant with Rochester Investments. “This means that not only buying a property now will be expensive but the financing as well. And just like the stock market can go up and down, so can the real estate market.”

She advises clients to keep their portfolio diversified across different economic sectors.

As with any investment, Apostolova thinks that evaluating real estate begins with looking at returns.

“When we look at returns, we are interested in net returns; that is the return after taxes and expenses,” she said.

Investing in a residential or commercial rental property may bring in reliable monthly income. However, if keeping rent at a reasonable level for the market means that the investor cannot make appropriate repairs needed, that property may not be a good investment. Investors who can perform repair work themselves or develop other affordable means of maintaining properties can help mitigate their overhead.

Potential landlords must also consider that this investment is more active investing.

“If you’re comfortable doing that, it could be rewarding investment,” said Jeff Feldman, Ph.D., certified financial planner with Rochester Financial Services in Pittsford. “The

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55 PLUS - September / October 2021

rewards can be more than with passive investing. It also doesn’t depend upon the stock market. This offers an alternative.”

If it’s an investment to flip the property, the current seller’s market could offer a good deal for an investor able to renovate a run-down property.

But the investor should make sure that the property and the cost of upgrades will not exceed the local market.

The cost of lumber and other renovation materials spiked, which may make the cost of an upgrade much higher than anticipated. The investor should carefully scrutinize

the property before purchase to ensure that its repairs are within budget. As with a tenant building investment, the investor’s ability to complete the work can save significant money on the cost of repairs.

Feldman said that it is important to know the potential for price appreciation in the Rochester market.

“That’s probably the biggest unknown,” he said. “You can look at its cost and cashflow, but the unknown is if it will appreciate. The most recent history, prices are going up for most real estate. If you assume that will continue, there is potential for large

gains. But you have to understand that you are taking a risk. Those large gains may subside and go negative.

If you’re investing for the long-term, that’s OK. If part of the equation for your investment is you’re factoring in price appreciation for your property, that won’t always be the case.”

He thinks that landlords should receive 8% to 9% returns in rent based on the value of the property, minus taxes, property insurance and repairs. Those receiving less are not getting enough because of their sweat equity. Most property owners should set aside about 1% to 2% of the value of the property value annually for maintenance.

Despite taking care to analyzing the finances, “things can go wrong with real estate, like flooding, needing a new roof, electrical work you didn’t know about,” Feldman said. “You have quite a bit of extra risk and you need to be compensated for that.”

He advises that anyone investing in rental real estate should seek multiple occupant properties, rather than single occupant properties, so they can reduce their risk. Multiple units can receive closer to a 15% return.

But he cautioned that some multiple occupant properties may be in a distressed area, so it pays to scrutinize the location.

“You’re not going to have to deal with crime or non-payment of rent or things like that,” Feldman said.

He believes that the worst is over regarding non-payment of rent because of the pandemic. That serves as yet another example of unforeseen events that caused many landlords to lose money.

The pandemic also affected commercial real estate.

“We’re coming out of a pandemic, so a lot of businesses closed and won’t be returning,” Feldman said. “There could be some really good bargains you could take advantage of. But, there are also some sellers trying to unload unprofitable properties. The rewards might be higher, but the risks might be higher.”

Businesses that flourished during the pandemic may need to rent larger facilities, which creates an opportunity for commercial landlords. However, new businesses started in the wake of the pandemic may not have as solid of financial footing, so landlords should screen applicants carefully.

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September / October 2021 - 55 PLUS

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55+ fall Fall Foliage: Leaf Peeping Close to Home There is plenty to see and do in the region

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

W

hile many people laud the New England states for their fall foliage color, Western New York and the Finger Lakes boast numerous tours, trips and drives that offer plenty of leaf peeping opportunities—along with the homegrown attractions that make this region unique.

Consider taking a wine trail tour to experience both gorgeous color and the best vino the region offers without getting behind the wheel.

• Ride the Colonial Belle (www.colonialbelle.com) in Pittsford to view the leaves from the Erie Canal. The tour’s 16-mile tour winds through canal towns and offers food onboard.

• Quality Transportation Services (https://qualitytran.com) in Victor and Geneva, books local wine trail tours in luxury vehicles. In addition to enjoying the ride from site to site, the wineries’ tasting rooms and outdoor spaces provide with picturesque vistas.

• Train rides through the Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum (www.rgvrrm.org) also offer a way to experience the foliage without driving.

Bring along the grandchildren to pick out their own pumpkins during the October train rides.

• Harriet Hollister Spencer State Recreation Area south of Honeoye Lake in Stillwater (https://parks.ny.gov/ parks/164/details.aspx) offers more than 22 miles of trails. However, simply viewing the foliage from Overlook Road offers an eyeful.

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55 PLUS - September / October 2021

Colonial Belle, based in Pittsford, navigating part of the Erie Canal.

• Ontario County Park’s Jump Off Trail offers incredible views among the park’s 400 acres of open spaces and forest. The site is ADA-accessible.

The foliage views on County Road 33/West Hollow Road are worth the drive alone.

• The 518-mile Great Lakes Seaway Trail National Scenic Byway starts in the north with views of Alexandria Bay down to the state border. Or drive the Amish Trail that spans Cattaraugus to Cherry Creek on Route 353.

Drive Route 14 South, starting in Geneva. Glimpse Seneca Lake among the trees as you head towards Watkins Glen. The park offers stunning views of foliage, numerous waterfalls and Glen Creek.

• On Route 21 South, skirt Canandaigua Lake as you drive towards Naples. Its Grimes Glen Park offers a mile-long walk to view its two waterfalls.

• In and around Rochester, visit Mount Hope Cemetery (which includes the resting places of Nathaniel R o c h e s t e r, S u s a n B . A n t h o n y,

and Frederick Douglass), Mendon Ponds Park (part of the National Registry of Natural Landmarks), Highland Park, Webster Arboretum at Kent Park (bring along the grandchildren to enjoy the playground) and Durand Eastman Park.

• Experience Letchworth State Park (https://parks.ny.gov/parks/79/ details.aspx), often called the “Grand Canyon of the East.” View foliage along its 66 miles of hiking trails accented by granite walls and sparkling waterfalls.

Consider packing a picnic lunch and making a day of your leaf peeping adventure. Or plan to visit any of the many locally owned eateries along the way. Bring along cash to patronize a farm stand or farm market. Visit the small shops that sell items you cannot find anywhere else. Or stop in a museum to explore.

For any of the guided/hosted tours, reservations are recommended.

Ask about any COVID-19 requirements or precautions.

The Middle Falls at Letchworth State Park in New York September / October 2021 - 55 PLUS

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55+ tour

Alpacas graze at Lazy Acres Farms in Macedon.

Farm Tours for Grown-Ups There are several grown-up fall getaways nearby

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

O

f course, it is fun to take the grandchildren to an agritourism farm for pumpkin picking, face painting, candied apples and corn mazes. But if you want a more grownup fall getaway, area farms have you covered.

In Macedon, Long Acre Farms the charming gift shop—chockablock with produce, fudge, jams and jellies, cider, country gifts and cheese—certainly attracts adults. But Long Acre’s own JD Wine Cellars, adjacent to the farm, offers wine tasting and sales in a rustically elegant setting. But the kid in you still may want to wander through the corn maze. The farm also sells wood-fired pizza and other foods. https://longacrefarms.com; 315-986-4202 Lazy Acre Alpacas in Bloomfield 42

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is 180 acres and home to a herd of 75 fluffy, friendly alpacas and the Alpaca Country Gift Shop. Take the official tour to learn more about these camelids and shop for super soft alpaca fiber sweaters, socks, scarves, yarn and other unique finds. www.lazyacrealpacas.com; 585-455-1203 Another fun gift shop is at The Apple Shed in Newark. In addition to serving light lunches, the Apple Shed sells—of course—apples, pumpkins, fall décor, country gifts, housewares, fudge, fresh doughnuts, and cider.

Taste The Apple Shed’s own hard cider or fruit wine at its The Old Goat Cidery on the grounds. www.theappleshed.com; 315-331-6294 Most farms that welcome the public offer only amusement park-style

food for youngsters. But Penfield’s Wickham Farms offers smoked barbecue at the café. Just follow your nose. Stop by for lunch as you pick up your fall décor, apples, cider, fresh doughnuts and other fall goodies. https://wickhamfarms.com; 585-210-9871 Muranda Cheese in Waterloo crafts more than a dozen farmstead cheeses and also sells perfect pairings with wine from its renovated barn-turnedcheese tasting room, right next to the dairy barn. Muranda ages all its aged cheeses on the farm in its own cheese cave. The gift shop features other Finger Lakes-made items. Muranda hosts local performers for live music events. Visit Muranda’s Facebook page to view its list of performers. www.murandacheese.com; 315-246-1457

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Assisted, Memory Care, & Enhanced Long Acre’s own JD Wine Cellars, adjacent to the farm in Bloomfield, offers wine tasting and sales in a rustically elegant setting.

Thorpe Vineyard in Wolcott offers not only wine tasting but its rural location is ideal for its Starry Starry Night stargazing events led by astronomer and winemaker Fumie Thorpe. If your visit is during the day, plan to attend a birdwatching event on the bucolic grounds near Lake Ontario. www.thorpevineyard.com; 315-594-2502

sample a variety of adult beverages in a lovely agricultural setting. The business is housed in a former sheep barn, offering old-world charm and its spacious, 8-acre grounds lend a rural ambiance. The food offerings are prepared by a culinary-trained chef, so bring your appetite. www.breweryardennes.com; 315-325-4858

Brewery Ardennes in Geneva is more farm-inspired than strictly a farm.

However, its hyper-local sourcing and agricultural influence makes it a good stop for those who want to

Keep in mind that these sites may require reservations for events and even visits. Contact them before visiting to ensure that you can comply with any COVID-19 requirements.

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90 West Avenue Brockport, NY 14420 September / October 2021 - 55 PLUS

43

55+ downsizing

Preparing to Downsize It’s never too early to start downsizing

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

I

f your children are grown and gone and your family home feels too big, you may feel it is time to downsize.

A smaller home costs less for taxes, utilities and maintenance. But you may face a sizable obstacle: what to do with a lifetime of accumulation.

Debra Kostiw, owner of No Place Like Home Senior Care in Henrietta, recommends tackling a downsizing project by “starting out with a little bit each week, like pick a room and do one at a time.”

She encourages thinking of possessions by priority. At the top are can’t-live-without pieces such as an heirloom. Those are keepers.

The next lower priority is good things that you will not have the room to keep such furniture that is too large and redundant items (do you really need five casserole dishes that are the same size?). The lowest priority is comprised of items you should phase

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out, from clothing that no longer fits to completely useless things such as old newspapers and magazines.

“Even in your 50s and 60s, you should start thinking about what’s coming,” Kostiw said. “If you were ever to end up in the hospital and you were told you couldn’t move home, it’s nice to have dwindled things down.

It’s much easier for that person who is making these arrangements. They won’t make a mistake.”

She advises to let family members know what is important to you lest any “helpful” family member disposes of something that seems worthless but feels precious to you. Kostiw has a piece of fuzzy, red yarn in her home that she would never part with because one of her daughters gave it to her as part of a school project. The yarn measured the youngster’s arm span to show “my hug is this big.”

To outsiders, the priceless memento

appears worthless.

Tamara Turcott, owner of An Eye For Detail Professional Organization, said that many people can easily shed old toiletries and prescriptions as part of early downsizing.

“There’s just no need to move with expired and no longer used items,” she said. “Getting them out now saves time later.”

Ask your pharmacist or doctor how to properly dispose of medication as some should not be flushed or placed in the trash.

Turcott also advises sorting through printed photos, “organizing them into categories and getting rid of doubles, blurry pictures, and multiple angles of the same picture.”

Scan good photos to pass along through online file sharing—no prints or thumb drives required.

Bobbie Goodridge, managing owner of Grandma’s Helpers, LLC, in Rochester, often helps older adults with downsizing once they are no longer physically capable of hauling forgotten boxes out of the attic and moving out large furniture they no longer need.

“It’s never too early to begin the downsizing process,” she said.

As you sort through an area, make sure that items are leaving your house and that you are not just shuffling them from room to room. Sort into categories of give to family, donate to charity, recycle or dispose.

Goodridge recommends starting with “catch-all” areas such as the attic, basement, closet, file cabinet and garage. Get rid of things that are broken, valueless, or that you have not used or looked at in more than a year.

Goodridge recommends setting a deadline for adult children to pick up items they have left at your house or to ship it if you must.

Keep just one or two objects to remember a person or phase of life and pass along the rest. For example, keep one baby dress, but not all. You could also take photos of items if it feels hard to let it go.

It may be difficult to know what items have value for resale. Everyday small objects from the 1950s through 1980s may be valuable and collectible.

However, mass produced “collectibles” like Hummel figurines are monetarily worthless.

If you feel uncertain, “get some professional opinion about whether

their things are collectible worth what people will pay and could be sold,” for it.”

Goodridge said.

She has advised clients The huge china hutch with TV cabinets to contact full of china may have a a local school workshop costly wedding gift, but department to see if they many people consider these want to take the solid wood white elephants now. to repurpose.

“Old sets of nice china Instead of expecting one are going for $20 for a set grandchild to take all the of 12,” Goodridge said. “I Debra Kostiw dishes and entire furniture cannot sell good china for any sets, consider giving each kind of money and it’s heartbreaking.” one a piece or two. Taking just one If they’re not dishwasher and plate to use as a platter or special microwave safe, these dishes do not occasion plate may be easier than appeal to many young people. Few taking a set for 20 or taking one dresser have room for large furniture like is easier than an entire bedroom set, bedroom sets, dining room tables and for example. entertainment centers, as they have Many large book collections can smaller homes, eat-in kitchens and be whittled down by breaking them wall-mounted TVs. up, too. Though your adult children Adult children already have what may not want more books, a surprising they need and adult grandchildren number of children and teens enjoy may want small, modern, portable the vintage vibe of printed books. household goods. But there are ways Libraries, charitable organizations and to still pass along a few items. nursing homes often accept printed Social media platforms like materials.

Pintrest have inspired a lot of people Bills, receipts, business letters, tax to repurpose household items. If returns: most households hold a lot you are willing to let your great- of paper. niece transform the headboard and Goodridge likes Paper Clarity footboard into a garden bench, you At a Glance: What to Keep, Where may have a new home for some things. and When to Shred (Laura J. Moore, Give without strings attached.

ClutterClarity Press: 2008) as “a good “It’s cool the things they’re doing resource for what to do with old with old furniture. But you have to be paper and how long you should keep willing to let it go and not necessarily records,” she said. be of the mindset that ‘I spent $5,000 She advises clients to use the scan on this set and I don’t want to give it mode on their smartphone and rely on away,’” Goodridge said. “But it’s only online manuals for home appliances

rather than keeping them.

Boxes of old cards, children’s drawings and letters can become overwhelming. Goodridge advises clients to keep just a few special examples and photograph the rest.

Downsizing a clothing and shoe collection may challenge you.

Goodridge advises letting go of items that no longer fit or that have not been worn in more than a year. Items such as a wedding dress or other highly sentimental nature may be an exception, but limit the number you will keep. Some designer labels may fetch a good price on consignment or sold online.

If you have superfluous linens you cannot use (twin sheets when all your beds are queen), or faded towels stuffed in cupboards with your good towels, let the extras go.

“Lollipop Farm, or your local veterinarian loves donations of sheets, pillowcases, towels and washcloths,” Goodridge said. “They can use and will gladly take them off your hands.

Put things in the hands of people who can use them, rather than having them sit in a closet or a cabinet. There are people who can really use them.”

She suggested refugee organizations, as many of these accept clothing, household goods and furniture. She also suggests checking Community Wishbook (www.communitywishbook.com), which lists charitable organizations in the area and what items they would like to receive as donations.

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55+ Workers Wanted!

55+ social security

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ocial Security remains a topic that is difficult to understand and often misunderstood. That’s because various theories are thrown out on the best time to start collecting or why you should delay.

Then there are those who worry they must collect quickly because they are afraid that the funds will run out.

“Basically you are getting one chance to get this right,” said Kim L.Nugent, senior vice president and wealth manager at Sage Rutty & Co. in Rochester. “The Social Security Administration is not allowed to guide you or give you advice on when you can claim. They can just give you facts so when you are deciding about Social Security, it can be a daunting task on what to do.”

Age 62 is the earliest people can claim and your extra benefits stop at 70. There is a 75% decrease in funds between the ages 62 to 70 if you opted to take money out as soon as it is available.

“It can make a world of difference in your lifetime if you take out money too early,” said Nugent. “It is a huge decision to make.”

There are some scenarios where collecting Social Security early might be a viable option. Experts say if a person is suffering from a serious

medical problem that is expected to shorten her or his life, it might make sense to collect benefits sooner rather than later.

“If your health is suspect and you have been diagnosed with a Kim Nugent terminal disease, it makes sense to claim it as soon as you can,” Nugent said.

H o w e v e r, i t ’ s e s s e n t i a l t o understand that claiming early will affect your survivor’s benefits for your spouse. Another exception involves if you are married and your spouse’s earnings are lower than yours. In that case, the lower earning spouse could take their benefits but the higher earning spouse should delay so that their benefits grow.

“Social Security is an underrated and undervalued lifetime income. You can outlive it if you make the wrong decision,” said Nugent.

Nugent also cautions against those who are claiming early because they believe Social Security funds will go bankrupt before they are able to collect it. There are changes happening this year. For 2021, taxpayers will pay 6.2%

Social Security tax and a 1.45% tax for Medicare, better known together as the Federal Insurance Contribution Act, on the first $142,800 they own, up from $137,700 in 2020. There is no FICA tax owed any earnings above $142,800.

The increase is based on the national average wage index. President Joe Biden has proposed taxing incomes more than $400,000 for Social Security and Medicare as a way to bring in additional funds and shore up both systems.

“Social Security is not going to run out. There are several mechanisms that are being put into place,” Nugent said.

There are also little known facts about Social Security benefits such as you can claim a divorce spousal benefit as long as you were married for at least 10 years. You can receive divorced spouse benefits before your ex-spouse applies for Social Security.

Both you and your ex-spouse have to meet the outlined rules and have been divorced for at least two years. Spousal benefits may provide you up to 50% of your ex-spouse’s Social Security.

Your unmarried children younger than 18 or 19 if still in high school can receive benefits based on your work record if you’re collecting Social Security retirement or disability benefits. Grandchildren also are eligible for benefits on a grandparent’s record if they are dependents and receive no financial support from a parent.

There is also an escape clause if you decided to take benefits early at age 62 and now regret it. You have 12 months after starting benefits to withdraw your application if you repay all the funds you had received to that point. Also, you generally must be married for at least nine months to qualify for survivor benefits if your spouse dies.

Among the exceptions are if the spouse died in an accident or in the line of duty while in a uniformed service.

In addition, COVID-19 complicated matters because many local Social Security offices were closed, leaving individuals with few resources if they had questions.

“Most people don’t understand all the rules surrounding Social Security and it can be quite confusing,” added Nugent. “As advisers, our goal is to help people get what they are entitled to and leave no money behind.”

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47

55+ economics

The Shrinkflation Offensive Noticed the size or quantity of products is shrinking while prices remain the same? Call it ‘shrinkflation’

By Bruce Frassinelli

I

n a recent letter to the editor published in a local newspaper, an Onondaga County resident complained that the size or quantity of products is shrinking, but the prices stay the same, even increase.

She’s on to something, but this sleight-of-hand is not something new. In economics, we refer to this as “shrinkflation” — the process of items shrinking in size or quantity, or even sometimes a reduction in quality with less expensive contents, while prices

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remain the same or increase.

Consumer advocates see shrinkflation as a form of consumer fraud. They are critical of these policies because the changes are not announced, nor are they immediately obvious to consumers.

Smart marketers have learned that consumers are deterred more by price increases than by reduction in product.

Some marketing experts have lobbied for legislation to compel companies to make an announcement when they

reduce the contents of their products.

Companies argue, however, that stores are compelled to post a unit price, so it is up to the consumer to compare and be aware of these differences.

My favorite examples of shrinkflation are orange juice and ice cream, which, in the good old days, both came in 64-ounce (half-gallon) containers.

At first, the amount of orange juice decreased by 7.8% to 59 ounces.

Coca-Cola Coca-Cola is perhaps most well-known for their 8-ounce cans. They’ve been changed to a taller can that appears to be bigger but, in fact, now has only 7.5 fluid ounces!

Breyer’s Ice Cream The ice cream chain’s product went from 64, to 56, to 48 ounces—a 25% reduction in product—but the price remained the same and then increased!

Snyder’s A bag of Snyder’s pretzels has gone from about $2 a bag to $3.69.

Maxwell House The company’s instant coffee went from more than 30 ounces to 26.8 ounces.

While the price remained the same, there are now 30 fewer cups of coffee.

September / October 2021 - 55 PLUS

49

Now it’s down to 52 ounces with some brands, another 11.9% reduction.

Through this contraction, the price has remained the same. The other sneaky part of it is that the bottle or cardboard container looks the same.

The other day, I asked my daughterin-law whether she was aware that she is getting nearly 19% less orange juice than she did a few years ago. She was surprised and completely unaware of the change, but quickly added, “I was wondering why I seem to be buying more orange juice than I once did.”

Maybe you wondered the same thing.

My favorite ice cream, Breyers, along with many other top brands, went from 64 to 56 to 48 ounces — a 25% reduction in product — but the price remained the same for a while then increased and is now more than $4 a container.

The familiar packaging, however, looks basically the same, so, unless you are specifically comparing ounces you might not detect the difference.

I admit to being a pretzel addict.

This is another product which has undergone a major contraction. Not

that long ago, it was commonplace for a bag of pretzels to be 16 ounces that would sell in the neighborhood of $2 a bag. Some of the major brands, such as Snyder’s and Utz, still for the most part package one-pound bags, but their regular price is now $3.69.

Store brands and others, however, are now packaged in 13.5- or 11-ounce bags, but the customer is still charged the same price. So the manufacturer is fooling us into thinking that there has been no price increase in a long time.

This is true, but you are now paying the same price for less product.

A few years ago, Coca-Cola had an 8-ounce can which changed to a taller can that appeared to be bigger but, in fact, had 7.5 ounces. The difference doesn’t sound like much, but it works out to 6.25% less Coke.

Maxwell House instant coffee went from more than 30 ounces to 26.8 ounces. While the price remained the same, there are now 30 fewer cups of coffee. Remember the days when you would ask for a pound of ground coffee? Those bags are now 11 to 13 ounces.

Those 1,000 sheets of toilet paper

used to be the industry standard. No more, especially now that there is a confusing array of double-ply and other gimmickry that makes applesto-apples comparisons difficult.

Another ploy that toilet paper makers are using is shrinking the size of a sheet from 4.5 inches to 4 inches, an 11% difference. If you get the impression that the sheets are flimsier, meaning you use more of them, you are not imagining things.

Crest toothpaste went from 5.1 ounces to 4.6 ounces in the same-sized box. That’s a whopping reduction of 9.8%. In many instances such as this, the consumers have no idea that they have been taken in by clever marketing.

Canned tuna used to yield about 7 ounces per tin; now, it’s more like 5 ounces.

Pet food cans not only hold less product, but many of the cans, especially of some brands of cat food, are just a shadow of their former size.

I am sure some of you remember when a candy bar was 5 cents. Now, I have to spend $1 to get six two-bite, tiny Snickers bars. And don’t you just

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55 PLUS - September / October 2021

love the phraseology: “fun size?`” Some fun – paying more for less of the sweet stuff.

Let’s be honest, who is going to go through the hassle of actually checking and memorizing the net weight of products. You’re likely to be concerned with the price of the item. If the price stays the same, you’re happy.

Procter & Gamble, maker of Charmin and Crest, defends its packaging strategies, saying that product innovation comes at a price. It also says that pricing is the exclusive domain of the retailer, which I find disingenuous since the retailer obviously must make a profit.

As such, retailers will increase prices as they are increased for them by the manufacturers.

The whole “game” is underhanded, and we consumers turn out to be the losers.

Here are some suggestions to help you become more aware of shrinkflation: • Look for sale items and use coupons.

• Take advantage of rebates, and if your family is sizable enough, buy in bulk if you spot a good deal.

• When looking at products that you buy often, be price and weight conscious, and be aware of the cost per ounce or unit.

And here is some free advice to manufacturers of these products: Come clean with us consumers. Alert us to changes in the size of contents and explain why it is happening. This is an ethical business practice; what you’re doing now is definitely not.

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51

55+ health

Blue Pills in the Mail Should you trust ED drugs sold online?

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

B

eginning with Viagra in 1998, erectile dysfunction (ED) medication has offered men relief from impotence — all they have to do is to take the little blue pill.

Viagra (sildenafil) is an FDAapproved medication that requires a prescription. But the cost, along with the stigma of needing help to achieve erections, has caused men in recent years to seek ED medication online. “ T h e re a re b o t h re p u t a b l e and not-so-reputable places to get medications online,” said physician Pebble Kranz, assistant professor of clinical family medicine and obstetrics and gynecology, University of Rochester, and medical director of Rochester Center for Sexual Wellness.

“Medications that are purchased from sites without any medical evaluation at all can be really harmful, either because of unforeseen complications from the medicines or medicines formulated outside of careful pharmaceutical controls, sometimes with medications with dangerously high doses.”

Online pharmacies are nothing new. Many insurance companies have covered doctor’s prescriptions filled by online pharmacies for years. Some brick-and-mortar stores also provide online options. While Kranz views these as reputable means of obtaining medication, she expressed hesitation about some online sources which do not fill doctor’s prescriptions but simply offer a questionnaire for buyers to complete.

“There are drawbacks to getting medication for erectile functioning without a complete evaluation,” she said. “For one thing, important elements of medical history can be missed.”

One example is that during a visit regarding ED, she discovers important findings about their cardiovascular health. Online questionnaires may not catch dangerous contraindications for ED medication with other medication

or from other health issues. Selftreating with online ED drugs may also overlook “other medical problems that might have an impact on sexual functioning and satisfaction,” Kranz added.

She also expressed concern that people taking ED medication may not receive sufficient patient counseling.

For example, sildenafil should be taken on an empty stomach.

Online sources may not offer a significant value. Kranz said that with a GoodRx coupon, some ED medication may cost as little as $10 for a month’s supply.

“It’s worth it to get an evaluation that takes all these factors into account with an urologist or a sexual medicine specialist,” Kranz said.

Jeff Hetrick, co-owner of The Medicine Shoppe in Victor, operates a full-service pharmacy—not just ED medication. His patients must have a doctor’s prescription to receive any medication, whether online or at his store.

“People can order refills online but it’s still a regular pharmacy transaction

and speak with them,” Hetrick said.

“We do business all over New York state. We’re probably New York state’s largest ED distributor not counting chain stores.”

In addition to men seeking ED prescriptions online, men who seek non-prescription, non-FDA approved treatments for ED also concern Hetrick.

“There are non-prescription items advertised, but they’re not tested drug therapies,” Hetrick said. “They’re hopeful therapies. The FDA-approved is what you want to look for. Anything tested is approved by the FDA.” He cautioned that some entities selling ED treatments are from other countries lacking the same scrutiny and regulations as in the United States.

Even those shipping from a US address may source from countries without the same laws as the US. They also do not require a prescription.

“That’s very shady, as you have no clue if you’ll get real medication,” Hetrick said. “Most of it is from Europe or Asia. In many cases, they’re calling you. Typically, that’s a dead giveaway and that they have a heavy accent.

They’re not from the US.” The reason these sources can offer pills at such a low price is that they use unverified, substandard ingredients which may not even include the active ingredient.

“The internet can provide a lot of dangerous sources because people can be deceived,” said Dan Nguyen, pharmacist at A & J Pharmacy in Webster. “If you go to a brick-andmortar store, you can be sure it’s safe.”

His pharmacy offers an online portal which sells Cialis and Viagra generics for people interested in saving money and ensuring privacy.

Buyers should also be aware that some fraudsters spoof legitimate websites to bilk unsuspecting customers. Patients should avoid following links in advertisements and search for websites by entering the address directly.

Online ED suppliers that do not require a prescription may be in states with fewer regulations than New York, according to Dan Safee, pharmacist at Danwins Pharmacy in Webster.

“If there’s an internet pharmacy in Ohio and you’re in New York, New York has little ability to protect their citizens in a transaction like that,” Safee said. “There’s always a risk that your drug has not gone through a tracking/tracing pedigree.”

For all the prescriptions he provides, he obtains information from the manufacturer about its sourcing.

Of course, no business would stay in operation long if its products did not work at all, but a lower dose of sildenafil along with the placebo effect may be enough to produce so-so results. Safee also expressed concern about the lack of the doctor/ patient relationships with online drug purchases that lack a prescription.

While he feels concern about these lapses—and cautions buyers to beware—Safee also acknowledges that online pharmacies offer greater anonymity than purchasing medication in-person. That can become a drawback for people whose transaction goes bad.

If the company never sends a product or provides something that does not work, “the anonymity will work against you in getting your money back. People should be allowed to make their own risk assessments, but I want to make sure they’re aware of the risks,” he said.

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Share Family History with Your Grandchildren

There are many ways you can bring the past to life for youngsters

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

I

f your grandchildren suddenly have “important” things to do elsewhere when you share family stories, perhaps you could tweak how you talk about your history.

Not everyone is a gifted storyteller, and not all grandchildren see the value in learning about their background.

For some grandchildren, you need to find a more engaging way to tell your stories to help them better appreciate their roots.

William Keeler, librarian archivist

with the Rochester Historical Society, said that the details are what hook many grandchildren.

“Grandparents don’t think about their lives as being important, but the little details are very interesting,” he said.

Draw a correlation between the detail and some aspect of current day life that interests them. “When I was your age, my favorite toy was the hula hoop. Every kid in my school had one.”

Or, especially for older children, your

personal link to a big historical event.

“I remember the day when my dad — your great-grandfather — came home from World War II. When he carried me up bed, I wouldn’t let go of him.”

As they show interest, expand on the comment.

Hands-on activity can help. Help your grandchild try a hula hoop, for example.

Get out old cookbooks and whip up family favorites together. Share how you felt as a child helping your mother cook, including the physical sensations such as, feeling the squishy dough, licking the mixing spoon, smelling the cookies baking and tasting the final product. Reliving those memories with grandchildren can help them create their own memories.

Keeler encouraged bringing out memorabilia that children can see and handle, such as a military uniform, wedding dress, favorite teddy bear and other objects you had when younger.

Talk about how they are different from today’s items.

Watching an old cartoon or movie can help children understand how things have changed since you were small. After the show ends, talk about

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how you thought about it as a child or what was happening then that influenced the content of the show.

Keller also said that allowing grandchildren to explore storage boxes can lead to questions and shared stories, too.

Activities can help stir — and share — memories. Kathy Kanauer, town historian of Penfield, was a substitute teacher at several Wayne County schools. As a new grandma, she looks forward to telling her family history through photographs, a medium she enjoys sharing with her family all over the country.

“If you make an album with them, tell them who the person is and their position in the family and a couple stories, whatever you know about them,” Kanauer said. “That brings people to life.”

She also suggested creating a visual family tree with copies of photos so children can visualize their relatives.

“As they get older, share family letters or diaries, and any kind of written documentation,” Kanauer said. “We don’t write letters and keep diaries anymore.”

To f i n d m o r e p o i n t s o f

conversation, try visiting a museum that includes displays and artifacts from the last century. The objects may help spark memories to share with the grandchildren.

“We’re so fortunate to have so many museums and different kinds of museums in the area,” said Vicki Masters Profitt, director the Fairport Museum, which is owned and operated by the Perinton Historical Society. “Show the children things that you grew up with, like a rotary phone.

Kids are fascinated by that.”

Some libraries and museums offer local yearbooks. Find yours and show them your high school self, along with examples of the clothing and hairstyles of the era.

At home, drag out any clothing from your high school days you may have and help your grandchildren stage a fashion show, complete with the music of your teen years. Tell them about concerts you attended when you first heard that music, for example.

“Being able to see things from the past, they can connect to their own families and their own communities,” Masters Profitt said. “They get a richer sense of what life was like in the past.”

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September / October 2021 - 55 PLUS

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addyman’s corner

By John Addyman Email:john.addyman@yahoo.com

‘The Look’ of Corvettes

I

know you’re going to do it,” my wife said to me. “I can tell by the look on your face.”

“What look?” I ask.

“That look,” she said, pointing at me.

“Do you see a look on my face?”

I asked my grandson, Jaden, 13, who was standing in the kitchen with my wife and me.

“I don’t know what you guys are talking about,” he said, walking out the door.

My wife knew that Jaden and I were going to go out and drive some Corvettes. He was going to be my wingman for this exercise, this adventure.

This was three years ago, and I was thinking — just thinking — about a new car. My beloved Mazda Miata was in perfect shape and a great car, but I wanted something with a little more oomph. I promised my wife I would retire at the end of the year, and I had also promised myself that before I retired, I’d buy something I’d always wanted.

So Jaden and I were off to VanBortel Corvette in Macedon. I’d talked to the sales guy, Matt, after searching the inventory online, and he said he had two cars in my very modest price range — a 2005 `Vette and a 2006.

My first surprise was when we got there.

Three Corvettes were parked right in front. Matt and I shook hands and he handed me the keys to the first Corvette. “Take it for a ride,” he said.

“Have fun.”

Jaden and I climbed in and seconds later, I was doing something I’d never done in 60 years of driving — piloting a Corvette. The car was bright red, sounded wonderful and was very comfortable. We put about 15 miles on our test drive.

We got out of the red `Vette and

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John Addyman in his Corvette with his grandson, Jeremy Loblaw.

Matt was right there, handing us the key to the yellow ’06. Off we went again, Jaden telling me how this car was different, and it was. I liked the first car more.

As we got out of the yellow car after our run, I asked Matt about the third car that was parked right in front of the dealership. I’d noticed it didn’t have any license plates.

“That was just traded in,” Matt said.

I really liked the color and it had a translucent T-top.

“Can we drive it?” I asked. Five minutes later, Matt had put dealer plates on it and handed us the keys.

“I really like this one,” Jaden said. I did, too. We got back to the dealership and bought it. Matt said it would be inspected and ready to go in a couple of days.

When we got home a little later, my wife was waiting in the kitchen.

Jaden and I did our best to act like nothing had happened.

She was all over me: “What did you buy?” she asked.

“How do you know I bought

something?” I asked as innocently as I could muster in my aw-shucks way.

Jaden was looking at the ceiling.

Later, he told me that he didn’t know what “the look” was when my wife, whom my grandkids call “Gammy,” first mentioned it, but now he did.

I loved my 2005 Corvette coupe for two years. I marveled that even though it was 13 years old, it looked great and I got all kinds of compliments about it. People saw that car and thought I’d spent a lot of money on it, but I didn’t — the Miata cost much more. I loved washing the `Vette and waxing it and driving it and having people stop in their tracks to tell me what a pretty car it was. It was splendid. It had a throaty burble that was music to my ears. I started to understand the Corvette mystique.

But then I got itchy for a convertible.

The Miata was a convertible, but it was small and didn’t have much power. The 2005 `Vette was bigger and much more powerful, but it wasn’t a convertible.

Then VanBortel’s did it to me.

In the very early spring, the dealership scheduled a “Coffee and Corvettes” event and I got invited. I knew I was going to be tempted, so I took my wife with me — with our grandson, Jeremy, who was 12 at the time. I figured they could safely pull me out of the dealership if I found something that called to the 16-yearold inside me.

My ideal Corvette was a red 2012 convertible, with the “waterfall” bodywork that sort of melts from the outside of the car to the inside.

I swoon for that car. I had reviewed the inventory before we set out, so I was sure there were no 2012 red convertibles available…I was safe.

Jeremy enjoyed looking at the cars with me and learning about them.

He also went through half a dozen doughnuts.

My dear wife was patiently chaperoning us, glancing now and then for “the look.”

And then it happened.

Sitting in the back row on the left, serene in its own presence, was a 2010 red convertible. It was exactly what I wanted. It had a crowd of interested people circling it. I heard guys talk about how great it looked, how great the price was and about all the extra equipment it had. It was a Corvette Grand Sport and my heart was going pitter-patter.

I stood next to the car, looking at the inside, daydreaming myself driving it.

“Gammy,” Jeremy asked my wife quietly, “does Granddad know he’s drooling on the car?”

Oh my God, I was.

I pulled out a clean handkerchief and wiped the little drool pool I’d left on the door frame. “I guess I better buy it now,” I said to myself, hoping nobody else had seen what I’d just done. I walked off to find Matt and make sure no one else in the crowd bought the car. “I’ll take it,” I told him.

“Put a ‘SOLD’ sign on it. Now!” My wife was giving me “the look” when I got back to her at the car.

“Is this going home with us?” she asked.

“Not today,” I said, “but yes.”

She shook her head. “Well, it’s pretty. Is this going to hold you for a few years?”

“It should,” I said.

And she gave me “the look” one more time.

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September / October 2021 - 55 PLUS

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By Ernst Lamothe Jr.

Norman Palmiere, 62 Pittsford lawyer: Not afraid of new challenges Q: What made you want to become a lawyer?

A: My father had a successful law career for 45 years primarily managing criminal defense and civil suits. I saw him firsthand when I was a teenager watching what he was doing in trials.

I think it just entered my subconscious combined with my desire to help people, which made me gravitate to the law profession.

Q: What are some of the biggest changes in law you have seen over the years?

A: Technology changed everything.

Whether it is criminal law or plaintiff personal injury, we have the ability to access so much more. Even in our investigations, you have airbag modules that can record what happens in a crash. We went from typewriters, word processors and carbon paper to being able to look up cases and records on our mobile phones.

Information is literally at our fingertips.

Q: What are some of your notable cases?

A: I fought against national corporations like General Motors, Dupont Chemical Company and even locally against the County of Monroe, New York State and others. With the Dupont Chemical Company, t h e y were

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accused of dumping toxic chemicals in Wayne County that were damaging farmers’ crops and seedlings. Some of those deadly chemicals were killing the crops. We found evidence in the pond runoff and they settled. This case taught me how to step outside my comfort zone. With General Motors, they had faulty seat belts. After winning these cases, we built a fairly good practice and were able to help a lot of people.

Q: What keeps you practicing today?

A: I am still interested in the law.

The fact that it continues to evolve and there are so many important causes that you can fight for and help people. When I started, it was just my dad and I operating a small shop law firm. Now being part of a larger firm gives me the opportunity to do so much more. Working with Martin, Harding & Mazzotti started with a connection that we had years ago.

The company has more lawyers and paralegals that are attached to cases and it makes me want to hang around and grow together. I have no plans to retire anytime soon.

Q: What do you do with your spare time?

A: I have a vegetable garden that I love working on.

I enjoy

playing golf weekly and my son is joining us now. I love going to Rochester festivals.

Q: What advice would you give to people who are thinking about going into this profession?

A: I have truly enjoyed practicing law, but it is not for everyone. You have to understand that you go to work every day not to satisfy yourself but to help people. You can’t be selfish and sometimes that means putting your client’s needs above your own when it comes to your time. You may have to postpone a vacation to prepare for trial or deposition. Your level of preparation has to be excellent because you are defending another person. You have to be motivated and devoted. Not everyone is built that way. For me it was worthwhile work in every sense of the word.

Q: Why do you think being flexible to change is essential as you age?

A: Change is important over the years because change is inevitable. I am the kind of guy who thinks you can always polish a stone a little brighter.

You can make things a little better if you are ready for a challenge. There is always a new way to do something and it is exciting to reinvent yourself as you get older. You want more challenges in life. I think that is what keeps your mind healthy and what gives you satisfaction. There are people who are older who are in their second or third careers and they bring all the knowledge and experience they have from those careers. They were not afraid to make those changes in life and challenge themselves and neither am I.

Norman Palmiere, a Pittsford lawyer, has practiced law locally for more than 30 years and won prominent cases against large companies. His law firm — The Palmiere Law Firm — has been recently acquired by Martin, Harding & Mazzotti, LLP, a personal injury law firm based in the Capital Region to expand into the Rochester market.

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