55 Plus of Rochester, #75: May – June 2022

WHEN SOCIAL SECURITY RUNS OUT: WHAT IT WILL LOOK IN 2035

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For some members of the 261 Fearless Club, it’s about letting everything go in pursuit of friendships formed through running, walking.

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A day trip with the grandkids, fly fishing, grown-up glamping, the top local amusement parks, and more!

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ARE YOU AN ENTREPRENEUR who has started your first business after 55 years of age? 55 Plus is developing a story about it and would like to hear from you!

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

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Fearless Women For some members of the 261 Fearless Club, it’s about letting everything go in pursuit of friendships formed through running, walking.

It’s paying off big time. P. 32

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• Diane Dowling, 76, transforms furniture from drab to dynamite

fun, safe and active summer! Fishing, glamping, day trips and more.

30 ALIENS

54 AGING

• UFO sightings in Upstate New York have nearly doubled

• Do you really need a geriatrician?

Let’s weigh the options.

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56 SPIRITS

• For 261 Fearless Club, friendships are formed through running and walking.

It’s been a great success

• Chris Uyehara is a master distiller, having just won a Discovery Channel whiskey competition

38 PROFILE

60 PETS

• Scott Regan: A gift that keeps on giving in Rochester’s music scene

• Mew Mew House in Williamson meets a need for retirement cat lovers

Photo courtesy of Corning Museum of Glass (red pyramid sculpture)

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Dining Out Financial Health Social Security Addyman’s Corner

• When Social Security runs out: What will the program look like in 2035?

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55 PLUS | contents

WHEN SOCIAL SECURITY RUNS OUT: WHAT IT WILL LOOK IN 2035

savvy senior

By Jim Miller

Home Modification Tips for ‘Aging in Place’

roc55.com Editor and Publisher Wagner Dotto

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Associate Editor

any older adults want to stay in their own home for as long as possible. But being able to do so will depend on how easy it is to maneuver your living space as you get older.

Here are some helpful resources you can turn to, to get an idea of the different types of features and improvements that will make your house safer and more convenient as you grow older.

In addition, they also offer videos and a HomeFit AR app (available for iPhone and iPad) that can scan a room and suggest improvements to help turn your house into a “lifelong home,” free from safety and mobility risks.

Visit AARP.org/HomeFit to order or download a free copy of this guide, or to watch their videos.

Home Evaluation

If you want some personalized help, you can get a professional inhome assessment with an occupational therapist.

An occupational therapist, or OT, can evaluate the challenges and shortcomings of your home for aging in place, recommend design and modification solutions, and introduce you to products and services to help you make improvements.

To find an OT in your area, check with your physician, health insurance provider or local hospital, or seek recommendations from family and friends. Many health insurance providers, including Medicare, will pay for a home assessment by an OT if prescribed by your doctor.

However, they will not cover the physical upgrades to the home.

Another option is to contact a builder who’s a certified aging-inplace specialist (CAPS). CAPS are home remodelers and design-build professionals that are knowledgeable about aging in place home modifications and can suggest ways to modify or remodel your home that will fit your needs and budget. CAPS are generally paid by the hour or receive a flat fee per visit or project.

To find a CAPS in your area visit the National Association of Home Builders website at NAHB.org/ capsdirectory where you can search by state and city.

A good first step in making your home more age-friendly is to do an assessment. Go through your house, room by room, looking for problem areas like potential tripping or slipping hazards, as well as areas that are hard to access and difficult to maintain.

To help with this, there are several organizations that have aging-in-place checklists that point out potential problems in each area of the home, along with modification and solutions.

For example, Rebuild Together has a two-page “Safe at Home Checklist” that’s created in partnership with the Administration on Aging and the American Occupational Therapy Association. Go to AOTA.org and search for “Rebuilding Together Safe at Home Checklist.”

You also need to get a copy of AARP’s “HomeFit Guide.” This excellent 36-page guide has more than 100 aging-in-place tips and suggestions that can be made to an existing house or apartment or incorporated into designs for a new residence.

It explains how a smartly designed or modified home can meet the varied and changing needs of its older residents. It also features easy-to-do, low-cost and no-cost fixes that lessen the risk of trip hazards and increase the safety of high-use areas like the bathroom, kitchen and stairway.

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55 PLUS – MAY / JUNE 2022

In-Home Assessments

Steve Yablonski

Writers & Contributors Deborah J. Sergeant, John Addyman Christopher Malone, Todd Etshman Cameron Huddleston, Ernst Lamothe, Melody Burri Bruce Frassinelli Mary Beth Roach Columnists Laurie Haelen Jim Miller, John Addyman Advertising Anne Westcott Linda Covington Office Manager Kate Honebein Layout & Design Joey Sweener Cover Photo Chuck Wainwright

55 PLUS – A Magazine for Active Adults in Rochester is published six times a year by Local News, Inc. at PO Box 525, Victor, NY 14564, which also publishes In Good Health — Rochester's Healthcare Newspaper.

Subscription: $21 a year; $35 for two years © 2022 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

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The Park brunch bowl ($12) was a hearty, healthy treat for breakfast.

The steel cut oats were served with banana slices, homemade granola, drizzled peanut butter and honey.

Dining Out RESTAURANT GUIDE

MAD DELICIOUS

I ordered the duchess Benedict and upgraded a standard English muffin for their homemade cheddar cheese biscuit ($14.50). The poached eggs sat on top of a Guinness-infused banger that rested on the soft, cheesy biscuit. tea almost daily. From Tuesdays Totally worth the 50-cent upcharge. through Friday, it’s at 1 p.m., and 3 Everything came together wonderfully. p.m. on Saturdays. Reservations are Even if your style of egg isn’t poached, it’s well worth a try. After cutting required.

I was seated immediately but down into the Benedict, the golden it’s probably wise to call ahead and yolk oozed out. It was a nice, rich reserve a spot. There is a fair amount flavor overall with the Hollandaise of space but not too many tables — sauce to boot.

This definitely attested to the maybe, maybe not due to the ongoing restaurants pride and joy. pandemic.

The duchess Benedict came with Kayleigh greeted with a smile and asked if I had dined at The Mad roasted red potatoes, which I didn’t Hatter before, and welcomed me. Her have doctored up due to the eggsconsistency and friendliness didn’t pectation of the sauce, a runny yolk, falter with every person who came in. and opportunity for an incredibly bad And the dining area filled up pretty food pun. The potatoes were roasted quickly around lunch. She was very well and had a pinch of salt. The salt helpful talking about the menu, the was so subtle but it went a long way.

The Park brunch bowl ($12) was specials and that they specialized in a hearty, healthy treat for breakfast. eggs Benedict.

Because of how it was presented, So how could I not?

The Mad Hatter Boasts Insane Flavor lice and her wonderland created by Lewis Carroll is often better imagined through the literature than seen on a screen.

But what about a menu?

Menus have words after all.

The Mad Hatter Restaurant & Bakery, located in Rochester at 176 S. Goodman St., has an imagination itself.

The menu did coax a visit out of me.

The first thing you see when you step into this former house renovated into a restaurant is the display of plentiful baked goods organized on the counter. Just like Alice, upon seeing Hatter’s spread at his mad-tea party, my jaw dropped to the ground. By the looks of things, my decision to give this place a try was validated.

The Mad Hatter also offers high 12

55 PLUS – MAY / JUNE 2022

By Christopher Malone

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP The grilled mushroom sandwich is served with roasted reds and

greens in between homemade focaccia bread. The ingredients couldn’t be any fresher and the bread was light, herby, and incredibly flavorful ($13); Duchess Benedict came with roasted red potatoes and homemade cheddar cheese biscuit ($14.50); Peachstuffed French toast: it’s hard to say no when it’s on a menu ($13.50).

I’d hate to see it confined to a togo container even though it would travel just fine that way. The steel cut oats were served with banana slices, homemade granola, drizzled peanut butter and honey. The warm brunch bowl was heavenly and just enough to kickstart any given day or while on the go, any time of year.

The Mad Hatter Restaurant & Bakery 176 S. Goodman St. Rochester, NY 14607 585-545-4985 | madhatterrestaurantandbakery.com facebook.com/TheMadHatterRestaurant instagram.com/madhatterrochester/ Mon.: Closed Tues. – Sat.: 8 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

After having peach-stuffed French incredibly flavorful. The side salad, toast from a diner in the Thousand albeit “side size” is comprised mostly Islands, it’s hard to say no when it’s of fresh greens. Which is simply on a menu. The price tag ($13.50) may satisfying to me. look intimidating but the serving size The lightly grilled brie and pear is huge — three slices of toast with panini stepped away from ciabatta cream cheese filling, peach slices, and and opted for sourdough. So, yes, it coated with brown sugar syrup. looked like a golden, crispy grilled It’s sweet but not as sweet as it cheese sandwich and tasted like one sounds. I’ve never had challah bread as well. However, pears and brie are a French toast either. The soft, braided stellar combination if you’ve had them Jewish bread was cut into thick slices together as part of charcuterie. It’s an and, as stated, triple-stacked. It’s adult grilled cheese for sure. the only breakfast item I had to take Being mindful of my pregnant leftovers for. It’s a lot for one person, wife, I was “that customer” asking a so definitely share with whomever question that needed research — is you’re out with. the brie pasteurized? And Kayleigh For takeaway, I opted for two pleasantly found out that it wasn’t. A sandwiches: the grilled Portobello huge thank you to her for going out mushroom sandwich with a side salad of the way during a busy lunch rush. ($13) and the brie and pear panini with Before tip, the bill came to $71. fresh fruit on the side ($13).

Breakfast alone would have been $40.

The grilled mushroom sandwich The Mad Hatter revealed itself to is served with roasted reds and greens be a great spot for a great homemade, in between homemade focaccia bread. comforting, and belly-filling meal.

The ingredients couldn’t be any fresher and the bread was light, herby, and MAY / JUNE 2022 – 55 PLUS

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financial health

By Laurie Haelen

Required Minimum Distribution Strategies for 2022 and Beyond

O

ver the course of many years, the retirement landscape has evolved to a point where most people will rely heavily on assets accumulated in tax-deferred investment vehicles, such as 401(k) s, 403(b)s and individual retirement accounts (IRAs). This is a result of most employers doing away with the traditional pension model, thereby requiring most people to fund a large majority of their retirement income on their own.

Although Social Security remains available for many retirees, in many cases it is not enough for people to fund their lifestyle needs. Saving in tax-deferred vehicles through an employer is the easiest way to save for retirement. However, when it comes time to draw income from these taxdeferred vehicles, not all strategies are created equal, and it is important to review your options carefully before embarking on withdrawals from your retirement nest egg.

One strategy that has been popular for many years is to utilize a Roth IRA for a portion of your retirement savings. Roth IRA withdrawals are tax free if you have held the account for at least five years. If you meet the income requirements and can fund a Roth IRA or invest in a Roth 401(k) via your employer-sponsored plan, this is a simple way to reduce future income taxes. If not, a Roth conversion may be an option for you.

A Roth conversion involves taking an existing IRA and converting all or a portion of the account into a Roth IRA account. This conversion comes with a tax impact, as the amount distributed from your regular IRA is subject to ordinary income tax in the year in which you do the conversion. A Roth conversion can be advantageous in the early years of your retirement, as required minimum distributions have not yet started, and your tax bracket may be lower. A tax professional can

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55 PLUS – MAY / JUNE 2022

help you understand if this strategy is beneficial for you.

A simpler option is to begin taking some withdrawals from your IRA earlier in retirement, yet not until after age 59½ to avoid the 10% penalty imposed prior to that age. Remember, the larger your IRA balance grows, the bigger your eventual required minimum distribution (RMD) will be.

Drawing some funds from your IRA earlier than age 72 will spread the tax impact over many years, while reducing the future RMDs. To mitigate taxes, diversify the income you take, drawing a portion from your taxable assets (non-IRA holdings, such as brokerage accounts) and the rest from your 401(k)/IRA. If you are already past the age of 70½, the options change, but there are still ways to reduce the taxable impact of retirement plan withdrawals. A relatively new one that is very effective is making a qualified charitable

distribution (QCD) from your IRA to a qualified charitable organization.

QCDs satisfy RMDs but are not taxable, and an individual, whether married or single, can donate up to $100,000 per year from his or her IRA. Keep in mind that the funds must be sent directly from your IRA custodian to a 501(c)(3) organization.

Donor advised funds are not eligible.

Although QCDs are not deductions, your RMD, if given to a qualified charity, no longer counts as taxable income. In other words, if you are charitably inclined, this is a great way to reduce your taxable income while satisfying your desire to give to your favorite causes.

A lesser-known strategy is called a qualified longevity annuity contract (QLAC). These are annuity contracts that can only be purchased with assets from a qualified retirement plan, such as a 401(k), 403(b) or an IRA. You can contribute the lesser of 25% of

a retirement account or $145,000 to a QLAC, and the advantage to this strategy is it enables you to defer the income from these funds until the age of 85.

Since they are annuity contracts, QLACS can provide an income stream later in retirement while reducing your RMDs in the earlier years of retirement.

If you do not anticipate needing all your RMD income, a QLAC may be an option for you. Before embarking on this strategy, it is important to understand the financial strength of the insurance company that you choose.

Another option to mitigate taxes is to continue working past the age of 72, assuming you are investing in the retirement plan of the company where you are employed, and the plan document allows for you to defer withdrawals. Since you can only do this with employer-sponsored plans, in some cases you can do a reverse rollover (if the plan allows this). This involves moving some assets from an IRA into the company-sponsored plan, thereby reducing the amount of IRA assets subject to an RMD. Your 401(k) will not be subject to RMDs due to the “still-working” exception.

Keep in mind that the plan must have good, low-cost investment options and that the source of the money contributed to the plan must be the same as the funds in the current plan, i.e., pre-tax contributions.

I have described just some of the available strategies to help mitigate taxes that are inherent in withdrawing income from tax-deferred assets. Each strategy has its own set of unique circumstances, and it is therefore very important to meet with a qualified financial planner or tax adviser to see which one may be advantageous for you.

The key, though, is to realize that there are many options and that they are likely to change, so staying abreast of the options available can help you avoid surprises as you navigate your retirement years.

Laurie Haelen, AIF (Accredited Investment Fiduciary), is senior vice president, manager of investment and financial planning solutions, CNB Wealth Management, Canandaigua National Bank & Trust Company. She can be reached at 585-419-0670, ext. 41970 or by email at lhaelen@cnbank.com.

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retirement When Social Security Runs Out What will the program look like in 2035?

at least half of the income for 50% of elderly married couples and 70% of elderly single people, according to the Social Security Administration.

IS IT LIKELY THAT BENEFITS WILL BE CUT?

By Cameron Huddleston

T

he future of Social Security remains uncertain, forcing people to ask questions like, “Will Social Security run out?”

According to the 2020 annual report from the board of trustees of the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund, Social Security’s income is expected to exceed its expenses this year. The report projects that reserves will be fully depleted by 2035 and annual taxes are expected to cover only about three-quarters of the benefits each year after that.

See what else awaits Social Security in the near future and find out what the program will look like in 2035 — you might want to learn how to stretch your money now.

——— Part of the problem can be attributed to longer life expectancies, a smaller working-age population and an increase in the number of retirees.

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55 PLUS – MAY / JUNE 2022

By 2035, the number of Americans 65 and older will increase to more than 78 million from about 56 million today. As a result, more people will be taking money out of the Social Security system — but there will be fewer people paying into it.

That doesn’t mean the program will run out of money entirely, though.

Payroll taxes are expected to cover about 76% of scheduled benefits. But, if the 21% funding gap isn’t filled, retirees could get lower Social Security payments or workers might need to pay more into the system. If no changes are made, this is what Social Security could look like in the future, according to experts.

If you plan to rely on the program in 2035, keep in mind there’s a chance you could receive less in Social Security benefits than you might have expected.

If no changes are made to deal with the trust fund shortfall, benefits will have to be reduced by 23%, according to the 2020 annual report from the trust funds’ board of trustees.

For many retired adults, that kind of cut in benefits would represent a big financial hit. Social Security provides

Some experts doubt that a big slash in Social Security benefits is forthcoming.

“The ramifications of that event would be beyond traumatic for everyone in the country,” said Joseph E. Roseman Jr., a Social Security expert and retirement planner at Retirement Capital Planners. “You’ve got a national disaster on your hands.”

That’s why he thinks Congress will step in before 2035 to prevent such a deep cut in benefits. Mary Beth Franklin, a Social Security expert and contributing editor for Investment News, agrees that a big cut in benefits is unlikely.

“As pensions are disappearing, people are relying more on Social Security,” she said. Because of the program’s popularity, politicians won’t want to tinker with benefits for existing retirees and will likely have to find other solutions to the trust fund shortfall.

Even though Social Security isn’t expected to run out of money for 15 years, several options for changes have already been floated to deal with the budget shortfall. These options include: 1. Raising the payroll tax rate 2. Increasing the wages subject to Social Security taxes 3. Raising the full retirement age 4. Reducing the annual cost-of-living adjustments 5. Cutting benefits

➊ THE SOCIAL SECURITY PAYROLL TAX RATE COULD RISE

If benefits aren’t cut, tax revenue for the program will likely have to

increase. One way to do that is to increase the payroll tax rate. Social Security is funded through a 6.2% payroll tax that workers pay, plus another 6.2% that employers pay (selfemployed people have to pay the full 12.4%).

What Would Happen: If the trust fund reserves become depleted, the payroll tax would need to increase by 3.14 percentage points to increase revenues enough to sustain the program, according to the 2020 annual report from the board of trustees. If nothing is done until 2035, the increase would need to be 4.13%.

However, Roseman doesn’t expect Congress to raise the payroll tax to boost trust fund reserves. “There’s probably the least appetite for that than anything you can look at,” he said. “It’s a tax increase.”

What Social Security Would Look Like in 2035 With This Change: An increase in the payroll tax rate could take different forms. Currently, the total payroll tax is allocated equally between the employee and the employer. The projected tax increase of 3.14% could be allocated equally among employers and employees or allocated more to the employer to hide the tax hike from taxpayers.

A legislative proposal called the Social Security 2100 Act from Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.) favors an equal split. It would raise the Social Security tax rate to 7.4% for both the employer and the employee. The bill has gained some support but so far has stalled in Congress, Politico reported.

➋ MORE WAGES COULD BE TAXED

Another option to increase tax revenue to fund Social Security is to raise the amount of earnings subject to taxation. Only the amount of wages up to the Social Security contribution and benefit base are subject to Social Security taxes.

What Would Happen: To help the trust fund remain solvent, the taxable wage limit would have to be even higher — or lifted entirely — so that all income would be subject to the payroll tax, Franklin said. This change would affect high-income people whose earnings above $144,000 currently escape taxation for Social Security.

What Social Security Would Look Like in 2035 With This Change Raising the taxable wage limit would only affect people whose

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17

wages exceed the current contribution and benefit base. For example, if you make $80,000 per year, you pay Social Security taxes on all of your income, so whether the limit is $130,000, $300,000 or removed entirely, it doesn’t affect your payroll taxes.

However, if you made $250,000 as a W-2 employee in 2020, you only paid Social Security taxes on the first $137,700, for a total of $8,537.40. If the limit went up to $300,000, you would pay Social Security taxes on all of your $250,000 income, for a total of $15,500.

The total earning subject to Social Security tax in 2022 is $144,000.

➌ THE FULL RETIREMENT AGE COULD INCREASE

Because tax hikes aren’t popular, Congress will more likely raise the full retirement age for Social Security benefits, Roseman said. That means younger generations will have to work longer before they can start collecting benefits.

Currently, the age at which you can collect full retirement benefits ranges from 65 if you were born in 1937 or earlier, to 67 if you were born in 1960 or later.

What Would Happen: Both Roseman and Franklin said there are proposals to raise the full retirement age gradually to 69 — that would keep more money in the trust funds. At the same time, it might eliminate a popular strategy that retirees use to maximize Social Security income. Currently, if you delay collecting retirement benefits past your full retirement age, your benefit increases each year you wait until age 70, Roseman said.

What Social Security Would Look Like in 2035 With This Change: As life expectancy increases, raising the retirement age might seem like a reasonable response because people have longer to work. However, raising the retirement age essentially cuts benefits because it delays the payments of benefits that people are expecting.

In addition, the overall longevity increases haven’t applied to many low-income workers, who have shorter life expectancies than wealthy people.

People with low incomes would likely be the hardest hit by increasing the retirement age.

➍ THE SOCIAL SECURITY COLA COULD BE REDUCED

Retirees receiving Social Security

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The Social Security funding shortfall could be solved by cutting benefits by 19% for all Social Security beneficiaries — including those who are currently receiving benefits, according to the 2020 annual report from the board of trustees. benefits typically see their checks increase slightly most years to keep pace with inflation. These cost-ofliving adjustments — or COLAs — are based on the consumer price index.

After no cost-of-living adjustment in 2015, the last few years saw a 0.3% bump for 2016, a 2% increase in 2017, a 2.8% boost for 2018, another 2.8% increase for 2019 and a 1.6% increase for 2020.

What Would Happen: To keep the Social Security trust funds solvent, there could be changes to cost-of-living adjustments, Roseman said. Most likely, the formula wouldn’t change for people born before 1960. But, people born after 1960 might see a reduced COLA, he said.

If that happens, benefit checks will not keep pace with inflation. People who rely heavily on Social Security might have to find ways to reduce spending to make ends meet.

What Social Security Would Look Like in 2035 With This Change: As the past few years have shown, inflation adjustments to Social Security benefits can be small or nonexistent. Low costof-living adjustments could make it very hard for people living on fixed incomes to pay their expenses in places where housing and rent costs are rising each year. Plus, seniors spend more than younger people on healthcare costs, which tend to rise faster than the cost of inflation.

➎ BENEFITS COULD BE CUT

According to the 2020 annual report from the board of trustees, the funding shortfall could be solved by cutting benefits by 19% for all Social Security beneficiaries — including those who are currently receiving benefits — or cutting benefits by 23% for future Social Security beneficiaries.

If nothing is done until 2035, however, all benefits would need to be reduced by 25%.

What Would Happen: Should the

Social Security reserves run out in 2035, benefit cuts could take various forms.

The simplest cut would be an equal one across the board. Another option would be to cut benefits differently based on income. For example, the top 25% or top 50% of earners might see their benefits reduced, whereas benefits for lower-income Social Security recipients would remain intact.

Similarly, Social Security could become a means-tested benefit, determined in part by the recipient’s income or other assets. Currently, if you paid into the Social Security system, you’ll receive benefits regardless of your income or assets.

What Social Security Would Look Like in 2035 With This Change: As of 2020, the average retirement benefit is $1,503 per month. If benefits were cut by 20% across the board, the average benefit would drop by about $301 each month, or $3,612 per year. If benefits were to drop by 23%, the monthly decline would be $346, or $4,152 per year.

IS THIS AN EASY PROBLEM TO SOLVE?

As Roseman sees it, the Social Security shortfall problem is easy to solve — but it’s not easy to get Congress to make the necessary changes.

“Nobody wants to compromise,” he said.

Nonetheless, Roseman doesn’t expect Social Security to run out of money. He tells his clients to count on it as a source of retirement income, but it shouldn’t be their only source of retirement income. “I would never advise anybody to live on Social Security alone,” he said.

This article was originally published in March 2022 on GObankingrates.com.

We have reproduced the article with permission. —The Editor

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Local Experts: Don’t Rely So Much On Social Security Benefits

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant In a mere 13 years from now — in 2035 — Social Security’s reserves will be fully depleted and tax revenue will cover only 75% of the benefit after that point, according to the Federal Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund and Federal Disability Insurance Trust Fund.

For 35% of retirees, Social Security provides 90% or more of their monthly income, according to a Vanguard study. For 29%, Social Security covers between 50% and 90% of their income. Only 36% of retirees depend upon Social Security for less than half of their income.

“The truth of the matter is that if no change is made, factually speaking the reserve will run out by 2034 if there are no alterations to the current system,” said Phillip Provenzano, insurance agent and financial adviser with The Financial Guys Insurance Agency in Rochester. “With that being said, experts agree that it will more than likely not occur.

For quite some Phil Provenzano time lawmakers and experts have attempted to propose various proposals, all falling short to combat the problem.”

Provenzano thinks that Congress has “more than enough time” to develop solutions for the issue, which may include raising taxes, raising the ages of eligibility or a combination of both. Provenzano does not envision Congress allowing half the purchasing power evaporate for an entire generation.

“I would suggest Social Security is the epitome of too big to fail so it must be fixed and it will be,” Provenzano said.

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He believes that increased longevity has helped endanger Social Security. When the program was created, most people did not live as long in retirement as they do now.

Improved healthcare, better access to food and less physically taxing employment all mean that workers live longer and collect Social Security longer than they used to.

Provenzano also said that as fewer companies have been offering pensions, more people are relying on Social Security, which compounds the problem. The rise of the gig economy, freelancers, consultants and other 1099-based work may also mean that fewer people are paying into Social Security as they should. Workers using these tactics to dishonestly reduce their tax liability may experience the unpleasant surprise of receiving far lower Social Security checks than they had anticipated.

Jeff Feldman, certified financial planner with Rochester Financial Services in Pittsford, thinks that Social Security will not disappear entirely.

“When it comes to government obligations, there is no limit as to how much money the federal government has to pay out,” he said. “The analogy

to the printing press is very legitimate. We were able to print about $6 trillion in stimulus payments and that was not for any obligations.

Going forward, I don’t see why the Jeff Feldman government won’t resort to the same type of financing to pay for Social Security obligations. The government has a way of coming up with money when they need it.”

Although this strategy has the potential to promote inflation, it would cover the bases of providing the Social Security payments.

Feldman encourages workers to not heavily rely upon Social Security.

“The only way to plan is to try to save money outside of Social Security,” Feldman said. “It’s not always something that people are able to do but if you are concerned with the Social Security system, you have to try to take matters into your own hands and save in your 401k, IRA and savings accounts in case Social Security benefits are reduced.”

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investing The Four Types of Retirees Lead financial planner with ESL Investment Services discusses the emotional side of money and retirement

By Ernst Lamothe Jr.

M

any experts prepare you for retirement by estimating retirement income and advising on when to take Social Security, but far fewer retirees prepare for the emotional sides of money.

“People don’t think about the emotional side of money. They don’t realize they have internal and sometimes ingrained beliefs,” said Barb Clemons, lead financial planner with ESL Investment Services in

Rochester. “Some of those beliefs could actually be hindering their full enjoyment in life.”

She has found many retirees are afraid of judgment when working with a financial professional on both ends of the spectrum: embarrassment that they haven’t saved enough or concern that they’ve over-saved and missed opportunities. And others are just trapped with mindsets ingrained in their family upbringing.

“Let’s just say you grew up with your parents telling you that all rich people are snobbish. That could cause you to have the mentality of never wanting to be rich because why would you want to be snobbish,” said Clemons.

“You still think that you don’t want to be wealthy because you don’t want to obtain that personality trait.”

She breaks down people into four different categories.

1 — Oversaver

Barb Clemons is lead financial planner with ESL Investment Services in Rochester.

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It’s a similar concept to those who feel like if they lose five pounds then they will be OK. And once they lose five pounds, they say they need to lose another five pounds.

The chronic saver has the mentality that they believe in the idea that it’s a waste to spend money. It’s something she calls financial anorexia.

“You can get so focused on saving money that you don’t ever enjoy life and spend the money. You start thinking when I make $100,000 in a job or when I save $100,000 then I will be OK. Then you reach that goal and you have the same mentality for when you reach $200,000 and 300,000 so

you’re never satisfied. If you can afford to spend money, it is not a waste,” said Clemons.

2 — Overspender There are both positive and negative attributes to this personality type. Clemons believes there are spectrums and often spending gets a bad rap.

“If you have the resources and it doesn’t hurt your budget then it’s OK to spend. Society applauds you for saving, but there’s often a negative connotation to spending,” she said.

“I have a client who can afford to buy a new BMW every five years and it wouldn’t hurt his finances, but he was so focused on not spending money that he almost avoided spending anything. He even had a pager for a long time because he didn’t want to spend any money. Slowly, we worked together and he began to understand the balance of spending money and still needing to save. He even has a regular cell phone now and a Tesla.”

She knows people who have trouble in that area because obviously all spending is not good spending.

“I knew a woman who had tons of credit card debt that her husband didn’t know. People forget that spending can be an addiction,” she said. “She was just ashamed but didn’t know what to do. So he put together a plan for her to start understanding how to be financially responsible.”

3 — Overgiver Typically this is a parent who’s taking care of a child who no longer is a child. They believe they have to be their safety net so they’re always helping.

“You have to watch this because there are also two sides to this as well.

The overgiver personality trait is bad when you feel remorse or resentment after giving. Then it doesn’t become genuine. If you’re someone who enjoys giving to your church, charity or somebody else, and it doesn’t impact your finances and makes you feel good, then it’s no longer a negative trait,” said Clemons.

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4 — Blinders This is a person who doesn’t like to think about money at all.

“They pay their bills on time, but they don’t always know how much they are investing or how much they have in their savings account,” said Clemons. “This personality trait can be someone who has a lot of money or someone who doesn’t. It’s just something in their past that they have been taught you don’t talk about money.”

Overall, she wants everyone to think of essential questions. Clemons said you should ponder what was the message about money that you learned growing up. It may have come from a place of lacking; growing up working about whether you could afford things. It may have come from a place of abundance where you never had to worry about money at all. Then there is the path where it comes from a place of insecurity where you felt you had to keep up appearances at all costs because image is everything.

Clemons sees the first step is selfreflection.

“You need to think, what do you have? What do you owe? How do I feel about what I have?” she said. “Consulting with a professional can help and there are many good books available on the topics of money, emotions, and the tie between them. Also, talk to your partner.

Partners often have different money personalities. Open conversation is a great place to start. It’s good to save, it’s good to spend, it’s good to give, it’s good to not be obsessed so finding the balance between all of these is the key.”

In addition, she said consult with a financial adviser to discuss your financial situation and options on how to move forward.

“It can take time, reflection and advice of professionals to change behaviors and beliefs around money,” she added.

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THIS PAGE: Diane Dowling at her home studio in Fairport. She has become something of a local legend among artisans.

OPPOSITE PAGE: Some of the materials she uses routinely in her work.

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passion Diane Dowling: Furniture Painter, Masterpiece Maker She transforms items from drab to dynamite with the wave of her paintbrush

By Melody Burri

E

All photos, this story: Melody Burri

qual parts magician, creative designer, storyteller and artist, Diane Dowling has become something of a local legend among artisans.

The 76-year-old Fairport re s i d e n t ’ s re p u t a t i o n i s w e l l earned: she’s breathed new life into upwards of a thousand furniture pieces, transforming them from drab to dynamite with the wave of her paintbrush.

She’s added her fanciful, whimsical, folk art-influenced, MacKenzie-Childs-inspired touch to transform ho-hum furniture into masterpieces. Among them are rocking chairs, tables, buffets, sideboards, benches, dining room and bedroom sets, mirrors, chandeliers, pianos, children’s furniture, mailboxes, desks,

curio cabinets, four poster beds, sleds and sleighs, centerpieces and clocks.

Stone, iron, wood — over the last two decades she’s reimagined and painted it.

“I retired 21 years ago from the Department of Social Services and it wasn’t long before I started painting furniture pieces to repurpose or upgrade them for our new home in Pittsford,” she said. “Soon after that, I began painting for friends, family and charities, which has now become a 20-year adventure and a retirement full of meeting new friends who have all been such an inspiration to me.”

Ironically, Dowling hasn’t had an art lesson in her life, but paints collages, canvases, furniture and centerpieces driven by her own sense of style. She’s never had a business and never advertised, but works her magic for people who call her and ask

— “friends or family or charities who find me through word of mouth,” she said. “It’s just something that’s fun for me to do — it doesn’t have to go to anybody.”

She never knows in advance how something might evolve. “I love finding a neat piece and then getting these visions. I have it in the house for a few days and all of a sudden I think, ‘OK, I know what I’m going to do,’” she said.

Dowling’s spacious basement studio is packed with inspiring textiles and materials, hundreds of brushes and a seemingly endless array of paint cans and jars in a rainbow of colors.

Her “befores” are often castoffs from friends, family, department stores or even found curbside. And each piece, large or small, lives in Dowling’s studio for about two weeks, to allow her time to “think about it, change colors, change sheens, change whatever.”

“I’m just having fun and people seem to like it so I keep doing it,” Dowling said. “There’s not a piece in my house that hasn’t been painted and many have been reinvented two or three times.”

Best of all, the work is stress-free, even when the project is for a specific recipient, because “everything can be changed or fixed,” she said. “If it doesn’t work out, don’t worry — it’s just the undercoat. You can cover anything up.”

“It’s so easy because I’ve been doing it for so long,” she added. “I’ve just learned how to paint. They love it and I love it.”

Favorite Projects “I think one of my more gratifying pieces was for my cousin who lived in Buffalo,” Dowling said. “She had MAY / JUNE 2022 – 55 PLUS

27

a gorgeous ornate secretary desk and wanted it to be painted with a lot of detail. She sent it by moving van, which was fun to see. She and I were so excited to see how it turned out.”

“My most challenging piece was recent,” she explained. “I did a very ornate bookcase, which I found in Canandaigua at a barn sale. The owner said the piece was hit by a truck and broken into many pieces. She and her husband put the pieces back together, and I had the pleasure of painting it.”

A king-sized headboard featured a lot of detail and a MacKenzie-Childsinspired check.

She was also asked to paint a 10-piece bedroom set in off white tones which “came out gorgeous,” she said.

A particularly poignant project was for a woman whose father was moving into a nursing home. The family had lived on a farm with a huge barn and inside the barn he’d hung rows of chairs.

Dowling was charged with painting some of the chairs for loved ones to have as keepsakes.

“How can you not fall in love with these people and their stories?” she said.

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Through the years, Dowling has painted to benefit charities like the Breast Cancer Coalition, Katie’s Closet, Daystar, the Boys and Girls Club, Autism Up, the Al Sigl Center and Bivona. She also participates in holiday country club events with proceeds going to local charities.

Some of Dowling’s work — like a sleigh and a four poster bed — can be seen in local boutiques as display fixtures or even for sale.

“In the past few years, I have enjoyed finding interesting furniture pieces and taking them to an amazing consignment shop called Panache at the Twelve Corners in Brighton,” Dowling said. “And I have also done pieces for a beautiful furniture gift shop called Diane Prince Furniture and Gifts in Fairport. Both of these places are so beautiful to visit.”

What’s Next?

When she’s not painting, Dowling is currently writing a book that will showcase her body of work and tell some of the touching stories behind the pieces.

“I just turned 76,” she explained.

TOP: Diane Dowling’s creative studio inspires

every painting project she takes on.

OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: A fanciful bench

in Dowling’s entryway sparks conversation and provides a place to rest; an eye-catching bedroom bench is painted and enhanced with decorative trim; a sideboard in the living room is now living its third life; the display shelf had been significantly damaged and reassembled when Dowling lifted her paintbrush and applied TLC. The table, though not originally a match, plays a lovely supporting role.

“I want to write a book. I’ve got to get those pictures into a book. It’ll include some of my creative adventures, some stories about these wonderful people I’ve met, and pictures to show some of my paintings.”

It will also include some tips she’s learned that will hopefully inspire others to try their hands at furniture painting.

“I want people to be inspired to paint,” she said. “The joy of painting furniture is for everyone. It is amazing the results they will see and enjoy if they just try it and have fun with it.” ❖

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aliens

UFO Sightings in Upstate New York Nearly Doubles Rochester had the most reports in 2020 with 10, followed by Buffalo with eight, Utica, six, and Kingston, three

By Bruce Frassinelli

A

s one observer put it, either aliens were extra curious about what was happening on earth in 2020 or perhaps we were cooped up too long during the COVID-19 pandemic.

W h a t e v e r t h e re a s o n , U F O sightings in Upstate New York nearly doubled in 2020 compared to 2019.

Make no mistake about it, UFO interest among those interested in this phenomenon is at a fever pitch, both in the United States and abroad, propelled by a government report that came out in mid-2020. UFOlogy, as it is often called, is big business and rakes in millions from fascinated followers some of whom claim to have had unexplained experiences that could have involved alien intervention.

I had two such experiences in my life. Do I believe in UFOs? Even now, I am conflicted and ambivalent in trying to provide an answer. My experiences were not definitive; they could be explained by other factors, but then again… More about this later.

As far as sightings go, Rochester had the most reports in 2020 with

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10, followed by Buffalo with eight, Utica, six, and Kingston, three.

Among those with two sightings were: Albany, Cicero, Gouverneur, Ithaca, Malone, New Hartford, Seneca Falls and Skaneateles. Among locations with one reported sighting were Binghamton, Brewerton, Brockport, Canandaigua, Chittenango, Clay, Dolgeville, Elmira, Fulton, Glens Falls, Hamilton, Herkimer, Le Roy, Liverpool, Marcy, North Tonawanda, Norwich, Pennellville, Rome, Syracuse, Troy, Vestal, Watertown, Watkins Glen and Woodstock.

Perhaps the best known paranormal location in our region is Historic Thompson Park in Watertown, which contains a zoo, pavilions, tennis courts, trails and a paranormal vortex that reportedly transports visitors to another time and space only to return them confused and disoriented.

According to hauntedhistoryrail. com, eyewitnesses have reported seeing the vortex move throughout the park during the past century. Mysterious disappearances and reappearances have been reported since the park opened in 1905, according to NNY Living.

While this sounds like a fun urban legend, the city of Watertown has recently acknowledged the strange tales, although you won’t see references to it on the city’s website or its promotional brochures.

Here’s an oddity for you: I am sure that many of you have heard of the infamous Area 51 in Nevada, which is a hush-hush U.S. Air Force Base. The top secret nature of the base has made it the subject of conspiracy theories concerning UFO stories. Well, the codename for Area 51 is “Watertown.”

It seems that the head of the CIA when the name was given was Allen Dulles, a Watertown native.

One guidebook gives this advice to those planning to visit Thompson Park: “Just be sure to say your goodbyes in case you get blinked into another dimension.”

At Mexico Point in Oswego County, Casey’s Cottage attracts those interested in the supernatural and other phenomena. According to promotional material, after the death of the cottage’s owner, Dr. William Casey in 1978, visitors started reporting hearing faint organ music or cries for help. They also reported instances of furniture being moved, candles dropping from shelves and missing keys showing up in bizarre places. There also have been reports of a young girl standing near a tree on the property under which she was buried.

Several visitors reported a UFO hovering over the property several years ago for several minutes, but an investigation never confirmed the report.

M e a n w h i l e , t h e i n t e re s t i n g Pentagon report about the distinct possibility of UFOs seems to have been overlooked to a large degree among the flurry of reports about the COVID-19 pandemic, but to those of us who remain fascinated with UFO sightings it was a major revelation, especially since the government has often pooh-pooed the existence of UFOs. The Pentagon officially released three short videos showing unidentified aerial phenomena that had previously been released by a private company.

The videos showed what appeared to be UFOs rapidly moving while being recorded by infrared cameras. Two of the videos feature military pilots reacting incredulously at how fast these objects were moving. The U.S.

PREVIOUS PAGE Screenshot from a video

posted by the Pentagon on YouTube.

This and other videos were released in March 2021, showing what appears to be UFOs rapidly moving as recorded by infrared cameras.

Navy released the videos officially in March after previously acknowledging them on September 2020.

The Navy said it was releasing them “to clear up any misconceptions by the public on whether the footage that has been circulating was real, or whether there is more to the videos,’’ according to Pentagon spokesperson Sue Gough.

“As I got close to it, it rapidly accelerated to the south, and disappeared in less than two seconds,’’ retired U.S. Navy pilot David Fravor told CNN. “This was extremely abrupt, like a ping pong ball, bouncing off a wall. It would hit and go the other way.’’

President Joe Biden has ducked the question about whether he believes in UFOs. When asked at a news conference about comments by former President Barack Obama, who made reference to the Pentagon report on these unidentified flying phenomena, Biden suggested to the reporter who asked the question that he query Obama.

Like many Americans, former President Donald Trump is skeptical of UFOs. After seeing the videos, Trump said, “I wonder if it’s real. That’s a hell of a video.” Trump said people say they see UFOs all the time. “Do I believe it? Not particularly,” he said.

The government has been studying UFOs for decades. One high profile program initiated through the efforts of former U.S. Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada was scrapped in 2012 after five years after the Pentagon said they had higher priorities for funding.

A former Pentagon official, who led the government program to research UFOs, said he believes there is evidence of alien life reaching Earth.”My personal belief is that there is very compelling evidence that we may not be alone,’’ Luis Elizondo told CNN. I have had two unexplained UFO experiences in my lifetime. The earlier one was in my hometown, Summit Hill, Pennsylvania, when I was 14 years old. I remember waking up during the night and seemingly being compelled to walk about six blocks from my home to a coal bank across from the catholic church I attended.

I was telepathically instructed to board a cylindrical craft which had landed there. My next recollection was my mother’s voice waking me up several hours later. I was in my bed.

My mother was angry. She wanted to know why I tracked coal soot through the house. She looked at the bottoms of my feet and found her proof. Where were you without shoes? She demanded to know. I could provide no answers.

I didn’t tell her about my experience because I wasn’t sure I believed it. Was I sleepwalking? I had never walked in my sleep before this nor since. Was this a dream? If so, why were my feet so dirty?

I didn’t even tell my best friends,

because I thought they would laugh at me and figure that I made up the whole thing. After all, they knew the impact the motion picture “War of the Worlds” had on me. We had seen it just a few weeks earlier in 1953. It was the scariest movie I had ever seen to that point and it left me so shaken that I sneaked into my parents’ bedroom after I had seen it and curled up and went to sleep at the foot of their bed.

The second experience was about 20 years later. I had fallen asleep on our living room floor in our home near Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, one evening after playing indoor football with my three young sons.

Suddenly, I was jolted awake.

Still trying to get my bearings after coming out of my deep sleep, I felt this compulsion to go outside. I put on my coat. “Where are you going at this hour?” my wife asked. “I don’t exactly know,” I replied.

When I stepped into our front yard, I was compelled to look up into the star-filled night sky. I saw this cylindrical object seemingly hovering above me just above rooftops on our street. “What the heck?” I muttered.

I stared at it for about five minutes.

Then, it moved straight up, made a right-angle turn and was gone in an instant. The following day, I learned of numerous other reports of sightings throughout the Poconos.

I wrote a first-person account of my experience for the Easton, Pennsylvania, newspaper for which I worked at the time, and the episode was recounted in the book, “UFO Exist!” by Paris Flammonde of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania.

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cover

Members of 261 Fearless Club GNY-Rochester met April 6 at the Pittsford Community Center for a new round of run. About a dozen women meet every Wednesday. “What we do is promote socialization and empowerment of women through running,” says Lori Fox, 63, the club’s coach (dark hair, center). Photo by Chuck Wainwright 32

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“Oh! Okay.” said Spampinato.

“When we were leaving, I walked up to the woman and said to her, ‘So do I just show up and say ‘Hey?’” “‘Yes. That’s it,” she replied. ‘Just come.’”

“When I got home, I told my husband. He thought it was a scam. He wanted to come with me,” Spampinato said. “I went. And I loved the group, loved the coaches. It was a meet-andgreet. I met people. I guess I’m a people person.

It was 6 p.m. in December and it was dark, so they geared me up with a reflector vest, got me something for my shoes because it was icy out and I liked it and I continued.”

Spampinato, 76, from Henrietta is fit and has had a regular exercise regimen for decades. But there was something special about this 261 Fearless Club.

“What we do is promote socialization and empowerment of women through running,” said Lori Fox, 63, the coach of 261 Fearless Club GNY-Rochester.

She said, “When you have a mixed group, men and women, it can be intimidating for some women when they’re just starting out as runners.

Even though runners are the most amazing people and tend to be competitive only amongst themselves, women have a tendency to profile other women — ‘she’s faster’ or ‘she’s thinner and I can’t do that.’

“261 Fearless just becomes a really safe space for women for an hour a week to just let everything go, let home go, let work go, let kids go, and to meet other women and form friendships.

“The first thing we let women know who are thinking about joining us is that it’s noncompetitive. We don’t focus on races. We’re not training you for races. We’re not focusing on time.

We’re not focusing on medals. We really want to focus on good form in running.

“A lot of the education I received on training to be a master coach was how to train women differently from men. Our anatomy is different, how we’re built is different, the way women’s hips are built – for endurance, not for speed. Our training focuses on taking the strengths women have by reason of their biology and going with that, but really focusing on the noncompetitive aspect.”

Fox said that the group celebrates members who achieve benchmarks, like running in a first 5K or first marathon, “but there’s never any pressure.”

A speech and language pathologist with the

Fearless Women For Lori Fox and 261 Fearless Club, it's all about letting everything go in pursuit of friendships through running and walking.

It's paying off big-time.

By John Addyman

he best way to get someone to join your group is to ask them.

Personally.

Marilyn Spampinato is living proof.

“I didn’t intend to join the group,” she explained. “I was sitting in Panera’s in 2018, right after Christmas, with my two friends, enjoying a little holiday thing, and one of them was talking about how she did this Thanksgiving run.

“A lady walked past us and her ears perked up at the words ‘running’ or ‘turkey trot’ or whatever and all of a sudden she does a walkback. She said, ‘Excuse me for interrupting your conversation, but we have a running and exercise group, called 261 Fearless and we are out of Pittsford. If you ladies would like to join us, we meet Wednesdays at the rec center at 6 p.m.’

MAY / JUNE 2022 – 55 PLUS

33

WHY IS IT CALLED THE 261 FEARLESS CLUB? In 1967, Kathrine Switzer, a 19-year-old journalism student, ran the Boston Marathon. She was the first female to do that in an event that was up to that point male-only. She finished despite the effort race official Jock Semple made to tear off her numbers bib.

Semple, you see, didn’t want any darn women in his marathon.

Nobody in his circle felt that a woman could finish the marathon and they certainly didn’t belong on the course.

When Semple realized what Switzer was doing, he made a run at her. But Switzer was running with three men, one of whom was a football All-American. Semple’s attempt failed due to a cross-body block from Switzer’s boyfriend.

She finished the race and photos of Semple’s attack on her were everywhere. In that one moment, the sport of running blasted open for women. Switzer received mail from women who wrote “261” on their bodies when they ran — Switzer’s Boston Marathon bib number. She would go on to win the New York Marathon in 1974 and create an international running circuit, and succeed in getting women’s marathon registered as an event for the 1984 Olympics.

261 Fearless was launched in 2015 and is a worldwide phenomenon. Switzer and club CEO Edith Zuschmann have visited Rochester and spoken to club members.

If you’re interested in 261 Fearless Club GNY-Rochester, you can access a lot of information on the club’s Facebook page (261 Fearless Club GNY – Rochester) or at www.261fearless.org.

The first two sessions you attend are free. If you join, there’s a $26.10 yearly fee.

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East Irondequoit Schools, Fox guides the club’s activities.

“We always start our meetings with some kind of icebreaker,” she said. “It can be a silly game. We also want to work the brain. As you get older, word-finding, memory, that quickness to process slows down.

So, we do some of those fun kinds of processing — name games, what’s your favorite such-and-such? Fill in the blank. When you’re laughing and having fun, your defenses come down and you’re more willing to be open and accept. A woman new to our club will never run by herself. The coach will always be with the new runner or one of our other women will do it.”

“The socialization is fantastic,” said Janet McCarten, 54, of Penfield. “Lori and the other coaches will do really fun silly active things – jump roping, freeze tag, we’re grown women playing simple games but it’s fun, gets you up and moving and warmed up before you go running. The socialization is really a big part of it – we’re very supportive of one another.”

Annette Grape, 60, of Greece said 261 Fearless has an approachable camaraderie that she sensed right away.

“It’s a common thing with running, period,” she explained. “You talk when you run. You talk about your day, where you want to go on vacation, about everything that’s hurting you today, you talk about motivation or lack thereof — anything you’re thinking about — any topic. About your childhood. Nothing’s off limits.”

A professor in the master’s degree of social work program at the College of Brockport, Grape offered a thought about the togetherness of 261 Fearless.

“You sort of have this common goal — we warm up for 30 minutes then we run for 30 minutes. It’s kind of keeping ourselves motivated, giving each other tips on staying active, staying healthy, the gear we wear,” she said.

“It’s not often you have a women’sonly group. It’s something nice to just be women supporting other women.

We get a lot of messages about what we’re supposed to be or whatever from outside. But this is uplifting.

Dragging myself out of bed on a Sunday morning to be here at 8 a.m. when I have a half-hour drive, yeah.

261 Fearless just becomes a really safe space for women for an hour a week to just let everything go, let home go, let work go, let kids go, and to meet other women and form friendships.

It is uplifting,” she added.

McCarten, who is a research coordinator at the Department of Veterans’ Affairs, said she was a little hesitant at first when someone asked her to join.

“I was a little worried there would be pressure on you to run so many miles, or your time or pace — but it’s not — we do go running but if you want to walk that week, or you’re not up to running, there are people who walk — you do this at your own pace,” she said. “It’s a no-pressure situation.

It’s just a fun evening where you are doing some exercising. What a positive experience it is. I feel good about it.”

Fox said although the club will accept women 18 years old, the sweet spot is those who have hit their mid50s.

“These are people who are typically empty nesters,” she explained. “And who are at a time in their lives when work is winding down, especially for woman, it’s a time when they can focus on themselves.”

As an example, she points to the directions a flight attendant gives passengers before take-off: If the air

Participants of 261 Fearless Club GNY-Rochester pose for a cover shoot, April 6. Bottom row, from left: Lori Fox and Stacy Leyland; middle row, from left: Janet McCarten and Marilyn Spampinato; top row, from left: Cheryl Budinski and Beth Zogby.

Photo by Chuck Wainwright

LEFT An autumn run is enjoyed by

members of the 261 Fearless Club. The women in the club stress camaraderie, proper running form, exercise and empowering each other.

TOP members of the club exercising.

bags drop from the ceiling, put yours on first before trying to help others.

“We need women to put on the oxygen mask and take care of themselves. This can be a scary prospect, starting out and it’s very interesting to see that when they first come to one of our meetings, they kind of hang back and kind of measure and size it up before they will jump right in. It takes some of them out of their comfort zone. I tell my kids in school — if you’re uncomfortable, you have to power through to learn something new. It’s going to be hard at first, but once you get over the hill, you’ve done it — great! Keep going,” she said.

“I want women my age to know that there is more for you — you don’t have to have a sedentary life. Your age shouldn’t dictate your activity level.

There is a place for them with us. Even if you are walking, you are welcome here,” she added. ❖ 36

55 PLUS – MAY / JUNE 2022

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37

profile Scott Regan: A Gift that Keeps On Giving in Rochester’s Music Scene

By John Addyman

A

welder ’s helper. A park groundskeeper. A recreation d i r e c t o r. A g r a p h i c s artist. A teacher aide. A househusband…

Then one day, Scott Regan heard about another job that might be opening up.

“It was when WXXI was doing its partnership with the University of Rochester. WXXI got permission to use the radio station, WRUR-FM. The university really didn’t want to be responsible for it. They were starting to have dead air,” Regan explained. “They were searching for a format. What they came up with was AAA, adults album alternative, geared more toward adults than teens.

They wanted an Americana thing.

Somebody decided that Johnny Cash should have a place to be played on the radio even though the country people wouldn’t play him anymore.”

“I told them, ‘I can do a show like that,’ and they said, ‘Well, why don’t you come and do a show like that.’

I came in one morning to the UofR, they basically said, ‘Here’s how you turn it on and here’s how you do the volume, and go ahead,’ And that was it. I started playing songs. That’s how it started,” he explained.

That was 2004.

Since then Regan, 69, has ruled a pivotal piece of Rochester adult music real estate. In the WRUR “different music” ecosystem, he is one of the navigators showing where music has been, where it is going, and where it’s spinning people on their ears — all in his weekday 9 a.m.-to-noon air slot, and 1 Saturday mornings at 10.

He comes to the job uniquely armed: He’s a veteran songwriter whose work has been used by 38

55 PLUS – MAY / JUNE 2022

several Rochester-area groups. He’s a performer himself, with one solo album but a participant in several other CDs with different groups, and he’s an on-stage regular. He’s a musicologist who brings satchels full of CDs from home — compilations of music. He has more satchels in storage at WXXI. And he has the station’s digital library to access.

Regan puts CDs together by date, by event (“Christmas,” “Election,” “St. Patrick’s,” “Clothesline” and “Valentine’s Day” among many, many others) and by artist. In a given program, he has access to thousands and thousands of titles.

And from his air chair, Regan guides listeners into spending a moment with a new sound or new voice, then mentions where that local performer or touring band will be entertaining in the area.

He tempts and teases and pleases with music you haven’t heard in 40 years — like Jerry Lee Lewis’s “Breathless,” followed by something you’d never hear in the next 40 years if he hadn’t played it, like Brazilian cellist Dom Le Nena’s haunting “Deux de Rever.”

The deejay directs listeners to local venues: Abilene, Café Veritas, Billsboro Winery, Lovin’ Cup, Sticky Lips, Corn Hill Arts Festival, Fanatics Pub, The American Hotel, The Little Café and Theatre, and more outside the area.

Listening to Regan, you get a sense of how the music scene is shifting as he reports about artists coming and going, debuting and returning. Some of those artists — especially those who appear at Abilene — stop in while Regan is on air and discuss what’s happening with their music.

When WXXI chose Regan, they

wanted someone who would play music college students would like, but their parents would enjoy as well. He’s given the station so much more. Watch him select music in the studio and you see someone pressing for variety and interesting sound.

“I think my audience is composed of curious listeners,” he said. “I think they have a certain bar set for their tastes. It’s not an intellectual bar, it’s a variety bar, they like the Monkees and Regina Specter and Eilen Jewell and the Avett Brothers — a wide range of music.”

Born in Boston, raised in Camillus near Syracuse, he started college at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy because he loved math and science.

So he thought.

“RPI was a great school. I was a soccer player,” Regan said. “I was captain of the freshman team. Then I played jayvee hockey at RPI, too. I liked math and science. But one day I said to myself, ‘If I’m successful here, I’ll be doing this for the rest of my life’ and I just couldn’t see that. I decided I was not going back.”

LEFT Scott Regan at the radio studio of WRUR-FM (88.5 FM) in Rochester. He is on the air weekdays 9 a.m. to noon and on Saturdays at 10 a.m. Deciding what music to play next from a very large supply of choices, Scott Regan is absorbed in picking the tunes that compliment what he’s innately chosen as the theme for the broadcast day.

ABOVE Scott Regan performing at the Corn Hill Gazebo.

Back to the Syracuse area he went.

He was a welder ’s helper and the day he helped his boss with a math problem, he decided he needed to return to college, this time to Oswego State, where he got degrees in art and English.

In Oswego he met a lifelong friend, Chuck Cuminale, known to most folks as Color-Blind James. Like Regan, Color-Blind was a songwriter.

The two have worked together, as groundskeepers in Saratoga, and onstage.

Regan followed a damsel to Washington state.

“I started playing coffee houses in Spokane every Saturday night, which was a real experience. You showed up and played for tips. You had to engage the audience, which is something I had never really done. Especially solo. I had played with Color-Blind, as a duo, and other people played with us. But playing solo, you’re there by yourself and you’re really exposed and it feels really naked. You start to figure out how to interact with the audience and write songs that engage the audience.

They never told me I couldn’t do it.

I was there every Saturday night for months. I never got to see the first year of Saturday Night Live because I was playing there,” he said.

Returning to Oswego, he reconnected with Color-Blind James and the duo played at the Low-Life Café, a mecca for the Oswego music scene.

“That was great. During the day I was a recreation supervisor for the town of Manlius Parks and Recreation.

I met my future wife, Sue Rogers, there in park and rec — she did puppet shows. They had a bus that went around the town and did puppet shows and had books, the PupMobile.

We started working on puppet shows together and wrote a whole summer’s series of shows where she did the puppet show and I did the music for it.

“I was also playing in a jug band at that time, the Water Street Boys, playing guitar and writing most of the songs. Color-Blind was in the band for about a year. We split the songs, either he wrote them or I wrote them, then he left the band and went electric.

“The Boys went to New Orleans and played Mardi Gras for a couple of

years. I had always had this impression of Mardi Gras being colorful and bright and shiny. I came away thinking there was this dark gloomy side of it.

It was so mysterious. There’s a whole different vibe when you’re there and you’re doing it. We were really part of the culture of the Mardi Gras. We played in the street every day. We made a lot of money playing the street.

We got invited to private parties to play. We played a wedding while we were down there. Mardi Gras was a great time. Some of my friends are still living there.”

Regan moved to Rochester and Regan followed, getting a job in the graphic arts department at RIT, which he loved. They got married and when she was pregnant with the first of their two sons, Regan decided to be the househusband and he got back into writing songs, and got inserted into the Rochester music scene.

Watkins & the Rapiers “It started in 1996,” he said. “We were a collective of songwriters, that’s how we got started, with four or MAY / JUNE 2022 – 55 PLUS

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Scott Regan has recorded six CDs with his group Watkins & the Rapiers.

five songwriters in the band. We got together once every two weeks at my brother Kerry’s house. Then one of the guys said, ‘Hey, I got us a job!’”

Regan argued, “We’re not a band. I knew what a band was. We didn’t have a drum, bass player or instrumentalists. One guy played the accordion and he was really good. But we were all songwriters.”

“So we said, ‘Sure, we’ll take the job,’ which was at the Rose & Crown on Monroe. It was run by this guy from England, Will Taggert. He needed a band because his other band backed out. So my friend got us that job,” he continued. “We didn’t have a name for the band so Taggert used a name for the band he was in, in England, when he was a kid — Watkins & the Rapiers.

We weren’t a band and we really didn’t expect to be doing a second gig. So we didn’t worry that we didn’t name ourselves or that he had chosen a name for us.

“Then after we played, he asked us, ‘Do you want to come back next week?’ We said OK, so we came back — we played every week for two years as Watkins & the Rapiers. We’re still Watkins & the Rapiers.

“In the late ‘90s, Kerry would write all these weird Christmas songs and it became a whole set of Christmas songs, then a whole night of Christmas songs. Then we had enough for two or three nights of Christmas songs.

It just kept getting bigger and bigger.

We were playing every Monday in December for years at the Little Café.

We did our Christmas shows and the cafe started getting really crowded. So, five or six years ago we got to do it in the big Theatre 1 at the Little which holds 300 people and we pretty much sold out. We’ve been doing Christmas shows there every year, which is pretty astounding.”

Regan had recorded a solo CD, “Autumn Moon,” but Watkins & the Rapiers produced six CDs as the group solidified into Scott and Kerry Regan, Tom Whitmore, Marty York, Steve Piper and Rich McRae. The group’s two Christmas CDs — all with original music — are very popular.

There continues to be more performing for Regan, as he joined old friends Connie Deming and Steve Piper to form The Spring Chickens in 2017.

“Rochester has had singersongwriter nights for 15 years, where you’d have three or four people on stage who take turns singing their songs.” Regan explained. “Connie and Steve and I started picking up on this trio thing and we developed into a little band. We had played together on stage together since 2012. But we made no album; I wish we did.”

One more skill When Regan visits a venue to hear a performance, he often has a sketchbook with him. That arts degree from Oswego wasn’t for nothing.

He does ink drawings evocative of performers in their moment.

“I was a member of the BIC Pen School of Art,” he said about his hobby. “Until I started to realize BIC pen images fade. I’ve always liked sketching from life. It’s something you can do wherever you are. I like drawing people, so I often will sketch when I go out to see music, which is interesting when you’re trying to sketch a musician. If you’re trying to sketch someone in the audience, they’ll see what you’re working on and they become self-conscious, which results in a game of eye contact. But with a musician, everyone is looking at them anyway, and they’re concentrating on something else. They’re not conscious of you — it’s easy to drop into their world.”

He has assembled sketch books like his satchels of CDs, a diary of his life in drawings and notes captured over the years — many drawings combined with important notes, like his favorite recipe for pumpkin bread.

Regan and friend, Jeff Spevak, a Haiku poet and arts reporter for WXXI, published a book of sketches and poetry, “Jazz Lines.”

On his radio programming, Regan is always complimentary and sensitive to performers’ skills and on the “Open Tunings with Scott Regan” Facebook page, you get a bio and often a video of a performer who is appearing locally.

He also helps challenge new listeners and songwriters and artists.

A few years ago, Sarah Hendershot hosted a contest, “If All Rochester Wrote the Same Song,” where a title for a song was decided, and songwriters took a crack at it — the prize: a concert where you got to sing your version.

Regan’s entry for the contest was titled “Don’t Go Drinking on an Empty Heart” and ended up on his CD, and it’s clever.

The pandemic ended that contest, but singer Sarah DeValliere is bringing it back this year. She’s already been into the WXXI studio to interview with Regan.

“We have a really strong music scene here,” Regan said. “Some of our Rochester people are getting a lot of traction nationally — Michaela Davis is touring, Danielle Pounder got a nice write-up in “Rolling Stone.” We have a strong community of songwriters and musicians, a lot of jazz musicians thanks to Eastman.”

And, sharing all that six days a week on the air is Scott Regan.

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Senior Mortgage Advisor | NMLS #65302 Office: 585-512-1093 sharlene.nally@fairwaymc.com 3246 Monroe Avenue, Suite 250, Pittsford, NY 14618 *This advertisement does not constitute tax advice. Please consult a tax advisor regarding your specific situation. **There are some circumstances that will cause the loan to mature and the balance to become due and payable. Borrower is still responsible for paying property taxes and insurance and maintaining the home. Credit subject to age, property and some limited debt qualifications. Program rates, fees, terms and conditions are not available in all states and subject to change.

Copyright©2022 Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation (“Fairway”) NMLS#2289.

4750 S. Biltmore Lane, Madison, WI 53718, 1-866-912-4800. All rights reserved. Fairway is not affiliated with any government agencies. These materials are not from HUD or FHA and were not approved by HUD or a government agency. Reverse mortgage borrowers are required to obtain an eligibility certificate by receiving counseling sessions with a HUD-approved agency. The youngest borrower must be at least 62 years old. Monthly reverse mortgage advances may affect eligibility for some other programs. This is not an offer to enter into an agreement. Not all customers will qualify. Information, rates and programs are subject to change without notice. All products are subject to credit and property approval. Other restrictions and limitations may apply.

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A Spiritual Experience Webster fly fishing guide wants others to feel his passion

By Todd Etshman

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re you ready to try your luck fly casting for trout on area waterways this year?

Want to get in on our now famous king salmon fishing?

You’re in the right place since we have some blue-ribbon trout streams in the Rochester area as well as extremely popular king salmon runs.

If you’re new to the fly fishing sport and need to learn everything from how to cast, where to go, what flies to use or what the water conditions are, Webster-based guide Scott Feltrinelli is looking forward to teaching a new generation of fly fishers.

He’s also available for more experienced anglers who want to up their game and learn from someone who considers every nuance of the sport and treats every aspect of it with reverence and consideration.

Who can benefit Those with a catch, kill and conquer approach to the sport Feltrinelli loves might want to look elsewhere.

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guides are just out for the money, nothing else, 90% of them don’t put in the extra effort. I realized how much I love the sport and wanted to teach somebody else,” he said.

He wants others to feel the passion he feels for the fishing experience that’s made a therapeutic difference in his life and to learn how important conservation is to keep the fish and their environment healthy.

“You can take it as far as you want.

There are so many ways to get into this sport,” he said.

The former pharmaceutical salesman, 58, grew up in Syracuse and lived on Long Island and Northern New Jersey before choosing to live in Webster for its fishing opportunities, relatively rural location, trees and fruit orchards.

Guys and gals who are anxious and have a lot of stress can find the trout stream environment therapeutic.

“It became therapy for my anxiety. I’m a hands-on type personality. I need to

walk and move,” Feltrinelli explained.

“The rhythmic modality of the process is soothing.”

Through an organization called Bold Face Fly Fishing, he provides volunteer mentorship to active military members and first responders to help them overcome post-traumatic stress disorder.

Conservation issues Feltrinelli is more than a guide, he works with the New York State D e p a r t m e n t o f E n v i ro n m e n t a l Conservation on issues that affect local waterways, including water release, stocking and conservation issues, of which there are many.

There’s a finite amount of fish and space, he said, and there aren’t enough ecological conservation officers to cover the area. Rules are not adequately enforced from fish limits to personal safety.

A world class fishery needs to be

OPPOSITE PAGE A fisherman spey casting for Steelhead on a Lake Erie tributary.

Photo courtesy of Scott Feltrinelli.

THIS PAGE Webster-based guide Scott

Feltrinelli with a king salmon from Salmon River in Pulaski NY 2021. Photo courtesy of Scott Feltrinelli.

His guidance and services

protected. That includes spending more on conservation efforts than we do in New York today.

Viewers can see the value of conservation officers on reality television shows such as North Woods Law and Lone Star Law about the work of conservation officers in states that do a good job like New Hampshire and Texas.

He’d like our conservation officers to do more teaching and education not just enforcement.

In general, he said the younger generation is more conservationoriented and does a better job of catchand-release. Those who keep too many fish are part of the problem.

“There’s a different angler today than your dad’s or grandfather ’s generation. The old put in and take out approach isn’t as common as people become more educated and want to extend the survival rate of fish,” Feltrinelli said.

Another issue is the release of Erie

Canal water that affects the depth and turbidity of creeks such as Irondequoit, 18 Mile, Sandy, Oak Orchard and others. The lower the turbidity level, the better the fishing.

“You can’t just pump too much water willy-nilly. It gets too high and muddy. We need to get it right,” he said.

He helps the DEC make stocking decisions, too. Along with his longtime fishing friend and fellow fishing author, John Sander, Feltrinelli works to help the DEC do the best job it can to make our fishing area the best it can be.

Sander writes the popular Sander’s Fishing Guides including a Western New York edition. Feltrinelli is also a writer for On the Fly Magazine and DEC publications.

There’s more to simply booking a fishing guide date with Feltrinelli. He wants to know about a client ahead of time. That includes their skill level and interest.

“A lot of people have high expectations. I try to match your need with what I can provide,” he explained.

It helps determine where to take a client for the optimal experience.

For a newcomer for example, fly casting somewhere with low-level overhanging trees is not the best place to be. Feltrinelli knows all the best spots in the area and can pick the right one.

“I get people, newbies, who’ve never bought a rod. I’ll educate them completely, everything from soup to nuts, from concept to delivery,” he said.

He makes sure clients come prepared with the right equipment.

Women can be assured that Feltrinelli has them in mind as well.

“Ladies can find the sport intimidating on a couple levels.

One way to help with that is to go with a guide and find spots you’re comfortable and familiar with,” he said.

As Sander says in his fishing guide, “It could be argued that the love of fishing is one of the single greatest common denominators among men and women.”

Photography is a big part of fishing with Feltrinelli. He’s spent decades perfecting fish photography skills and it shows in the iridescent colors of the fish.

The “fish whisperer” will look for a shallow oxygenated place to photograph a fish before he catches it. “I like how water distorts imagery.

Each fish has its own color and character,” he explained.

The warmer weather means more fishermen on area waterways, but Feltrinelli said not to eschew the colder months since fish use the same waterways all year long.

No matter where or when you go, Feltrinelli said: “The best thing I can give someone is this experience.”

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summer

Woman sitting outside luxury tent on glamping trip in Glacier National Park.

Via Getty Images

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ou’ve done the kiddie camping as a child and with your own children. Maybe you have even taken the grandchildren.

It’s hot, the cot is hard, the camper or tent is small and the food is so-so and smoky.

Why not upgrade to grown-up camping to enjoy the outdoors in luxury? Known as “glamping,” a portmanteau of “glamorous” and “camping,” glamping removes all the headaches of camping and offers comfort and style.

• Posh Primitive (www.facebook. com/poshprimitive, 518-744-6808) in Chestertown offers the right mix of rugged and cozy for an Adirondacks adventure. Enjoy a queen-sized bed, stocked woodstove for chilly evenings and farm-to-table meals. The camp provides canvas and timber tents or cabins and a bathhouse.

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GLAMPING TIPS ➜ Verify if the site includes linens before booking. ➜ Before bringing your dog, ask if pets are permitted. Some facilities that allow pets charge a fee. ➜ The bathroom and bathing facilities vary among sites. Most provide only shared showering facilities. ➜ Some owners remain onsite for guests; others don’t.

➜ Ask about what food is available. Some provide meals, some provide kitchens and others recommend restaurants in the area or a combination of these approaches. ➜ Plan what you will do before booking. Some remote sites provide a back-to-nature experience. Others are near points of interests and cultural offerings.

For more glamping sites, peruse https://glampinghub.com. Rentals through VRBO and AirBnB also offer unique properties.

• Firelight Camps (https:// firelightcamps.com, 607-229-1644) in Ithaca fully furnishes safari-style tents with hardwood floors, king or double

queen beds, private screened porches, and seating. Some tents offer electricity and fans and heaters. Guests also receive a locally sourced continental

breakfast and access to a bathhouse with hot showers and flushing toilets, use of the sauna, steam room and tranquility room at La Tourelle Resort on the same property.

• Camp Orenda (https:// camporenda.com) in Johnsburg provides furnished “canvas cabins” with wood burning stoves, electricity and outdoor showers and communal bathhouse. Three meals are provided.

Children younger than 12 are not permitted for regular booking, but only for retreats. So, expect a tranquil retreat at Camp Orenda.

• Harmony Hill Retreat Center (www.harmonyhillretreat.com) in East Meredith includes treehouse yurts set up with king-sized beds, wifi, bathroom with a hot shower and kitchen. Yurts include a five-foot domed skylight and deck and charcoal grill and picnic table. Guests can also order from the nearby Stone & Thistle Farm, which delivers farm-to-table dinners.

• Outlier Inn (www.outlierinn. com) offers several types of accommodations, but their geodome is unique. Picture a giant playground jungle gym as the structure with a canvas cover and generously sized windows. The dome includes wooden floors, bed, seating, electricity, kitchen and grill. The Outlier keeps farm animals and is primarily used as an artist space and retreat center.

• Loomis Lair (https://loomislair. com) in Waterville offers a private camping experience with 80 acres of forest and fields laced with hiking trails. The 16-foot yurt includes heat, shower, bathroom, queen bed, twin futon bed, seating, and kitchenette. A few farm animals live on the property, including goats and geese.

• Gatherwild (www.gatherwild. com) in Germantown offers accommodation including tents, yurts, tiny house, and guesthouse spread across 15 acres of former apple orchard. The property features ducks, goats and free-range chickens. The lodgings offer coolers and use solar and battery-operated lighting as no electricity is available and private camp-style composting toilets and outdoor showers. Firewood and ice are available for purchase from the camp.

A shared, outdoor kitchen is available for campers’ use and cruiser bikes to borrow for going to the local market.

Mention 55 PLUS when making reservation BY 7/15/22 and RECEIVE $5 OFF one day excursions & $20 OFF multi-day excursions

MOTOR COACH EXCURSIONS DEPARTING GREATER ROCHESTER

ONE DAY EXCURSIONS

Mailboat Cruise on Skaneateles Lake - Multiple Dates, Shaw Festival "Damn Yankees" - Aug. 10, NASCAR at Watkins Glen - Aug. 21, Explore the Thousand Islands - Sept. 7, Cortland Country Music Park - Multiple Dates, Oktoberfest at Hofbrauhaus - Oct. 25

MULTI-DAY EXCURSIONS

Yankees Baseball - Multiple Dates, The Gilded Age Cottages of Newport - Aug. 15 - 18, Outer Banks of North Carolina - Sept. 11 - 17, Sleepy Hollow - Oct. 16 - 20, "DAVID" at Sight and Sound Lancaster, PA - Multiple Dates, Blue Christmas at Graceland - Dec. 4 - 9

WORLD EXCURSIONS

Hawaiian Adventure - Jan. 12 - 21, 2023, Iceland’s Magical Northern Lights - Feb. 26 Mar. 4, 2023, Greece Island Hopper - May 11 - 21, 2023

VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR A FULL LIST OF EXCURSIONS FROM CASINO TO WORLD TRAVEL WWW.SCENICEXCURSIONS.NET

(585) 438 -3063

2926 LAKEVILLE ROAD AVON, NY 14414

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Here are a few choice stops en route from Rochester to Allenwood, Pennsylvania

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

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ooking for a weekend trip to take with the grandchildren?

From tots through teens, you will find plenty to enjoy on this Pennsylvania trip that includes animals, sports, history and art — all within a three-hour drive of Rochester.

———

CORNING MUSEUM OF GLASS Corning, New York

The first stop on the way to ➜ Pennsylvania is the Corning Museum of Glass. In addition to viewing countless pieces of historic and modern glass art and functional pieces of glass, visitors can also create glass items. View the programming page (https://whatson.cmog.org/eventsprograms/kids-family-programs) to see what’s coming up and the Make Your Own page (https://visit.cmog. org/make-your-own-glass) to reserve a spot for creating a project. Although same-day tickets are available, advanced tickets are advisable to ensure your grandchildren can make the project they want. All items made in the workshop except for sandblasted

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projects must stay overnight to cool and are available the next day after noon or may be shipped for an extra fee. The museum’s displays include informative videos and live demonstrations on glass creation. Plan to spend a while in the gift shop, which includes not only hundreds of glass gifts but also an impressive array of educational gifts and games, artisan jewelry and books. In the home store, you can find open stock Corelleware, Pfalzgraf and other brands to expand your collections or replace broken items. home.cmog.org.

PENNSYLVANIA WELCOME CENTER Tioga, Pennsylvania

If you need a rest stop to ➜ stretch your legs, pull into the Pennsylvania Welcome Center at 15

PA Route 287 in Tioga for panoramic views of the Tioga Reservoir along with the typical high-end rest stop amenities.

CLYDE PEELING’S REPTILAND

Allenwood, Pennsylvania

Photos courtesy of Corning Museum of Glass.

Once you’re there, visit the Clyde ➜ Peeling’s Reptiland, an accredited zoo in Allenwood, Pennsylvania. As its name denotes, Reptiland focuses on reptiles, but also includes amphibians and birds. The menagerie includes alligators, geckos, snakes, tortoises, turtles, lizards and more, totaling 40 species among the 6,500 square-foot indoor exhibit gallery and outdoor habitats. Each includes a plaque with information about the animal on display. Don’t miss Parakeet Landing, a room where guests can interact with and feed 100 friendly, colorful budgies. (Offering a provided feeding stick helps facilitate the encounters.)

While older children will appreciate the science and nature exhibits, the younger ones will especially enjoy the self-tour, animatronic dinosaur displays outdoors. The zoo also features scheduled animal presentations and encounters, both indoors and outside.

Take time to visit the gift shop, as it brims with fun and educational toys and games hard to find elsewhere, along with exotic, artisan goods from abroad. www.reptiland.com.

WORLD OF LITTLE LEAGUE PETER J. MCGOVERN MUSEUM (PLUS LODGING) Williamsport, Pennsylvania

Consider staying at the Genetti ➜ Hotel in Williamsport, which features both indoor and outdoor

pools, whirlpool suites, fitness center and a free hot breakfast. The charming décor, historic location and upgraded appointments make the Genetti stand out. The rooms include standard double queen, one bedroom and twobedroom suites. www.genettihotel.com.

leaving Pennsylvania, ➜ Before stop at the World of Little League

Peter J. McGovern Museum and Official Store in South Williamsport any baseball fan would enjoy exploring the Hall of Excellence, taking a guided tour of interactives and immersive displays of Little League history, and viewing artifacts from the 2021 World Series Event. Don’t miss the exhibit showing artifacts from Olympic gold and silver medalist Cat Osterman during her time as a Little Leaguer.

Baseball enthusiasts will love the gift shop’s numerous offerings of memorabilia and baseball-themed collectibles. www.littleleague.org/worldof-little-league.

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THE AREA’S TOP AMUSEMENT PARKS

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

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hether you’re entertaining your grandkids or you’re a kid at heart, the area offers several amusement parks for cooling off, thrilling rides and fun times this summer.

Darien Lake (www.sixflags.com/ darienlake, starting at $34.99), between Buffalo and Rochester, operates both a waterpark and a theme park for one all-day admission. You can also watch live shows and concerts on the grounds, rent paddle boats and play

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carnival and arcade games. To do it all, you really need a full day or two.

The park’s special packages provide discounts on lodging if you want to make it a long weekend by staying in the park’s hotel, cabins or campsites, all within walking distance of the park.

Check the concert schedule to see who is performing at the amphitheater on the grounds.

Seabreeze Amusement Park (https:// seabreeze.com, starting at $23.99) in Rochester is smaller than Darien Lake,

TOP Darien Lake, between Buffalo and Rochester, is one of the options for people to take their grandkids to this summer: the venue offers a waterpark and a theme park for one all-day admission.

but includes a similar mix of theme park rides for smaller children through adults, plus a water park. Take a ride on the Jack Rabbit, a 100-plus-year-old, classic wooden coaster. The Jack Rabbit is the oldest continuously operating roller coaster in the nation and the oldest to feature under-friction wheels.

In 2020, Tripadvisor listed Seabreeze as #15 on its list of Best of the Best for Amusement Parks.

R o s e l a n d W a t e r p a r k ( w w w. roselandwaterpark.com, admission

TBA) in Canandaigua focuses on water attractions. The park provides big-kid draws, like the Wake Park and flumestyle water slides, and for younger ones, Splash Factory, along with tube rides. The perfect combination makes it a hit for taking children of all ages.

Don’t miss the lazy river ride for the whole group. Roseland also offers boat rentals, beach volleyball, and a water balloon warzone.

Clubhouse Fun Centers in Henrietta (www.clubhousefuncenter.com/ henrietta) and Greece (https://www. clubhousefuncenter.com/greece) do not have a waterpark or large rides.

However, for affordable, pay-as-yougo pricing, these facilities are hard to beat. The centers offer a large arcade room, miniature golf, and—depending on location—go-karts and bumper cars (Henrietta) or batting cages and Wow! Ball Factory play area (Greece). Wow! Ball Factory allows children to shoot each other with 9,000 foam balls, along with other play features. Since part of each facility is indoors, Clubhouse is a nice choice for very warm days where you will want a break to cool off or if intermittent rain is in the forecast. Most children could spend better than half a day at the Clubhouse.

To enjoy your amusement park day: • Peruse the website before you go.

You want to know the park’s policies about clothing, footwear, parking, admission and rain dates.

• Consider a spectator pass. Some parks offer these if you are there just for the grandchildren and will not participate in riding. These are usually substantially discounted.

• Buy a season-long pass if you plan to visit often. This costs much less than individual admission tickets.

• Look for coupons, deals and discounts online. Some offer packages for groups, and senior or military discounts.

• Plan for comfort. Bring along sunscreen, a hat and wear shoes meant for walking. The theme parks provide rental lockers, so you do not have to carry your gear—and the stuffed animals you win for the grandkids—all day long.

Bring a picnic, but you’ll likely have to eat it in the parking lot, as most facilities do not allow outside food.

Check the site’s policy.

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pegasusseniorliving.com/evergreen-place 90 West Avenue, Brockport, NY 14420 MAY / JUNE 2022 – 55 PLUS

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Hit the Links and Try Golf Lessons

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They help you avoid injury and have more fun

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

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olf lessons are not just for people who enjoy golf. In fact, they may prove more helpful for those who do not like it.

“We’re here to help people play better golf and have more fun,” said Brad Kelley, golf coach with GOLFTEC Rochester in Rochester. “Playing bad golf is not much fun. We help them understand the cause and effect of a poor shot and what’s causing it.”

He uses video cameras so he can help clients see where they are going wrong. For example, many golfers struggle controlling the “low point” of their swing.

After about five lessons, most clients begin to see marked improvement. Kelley has one longtime client who has been with him nine years.

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“If tour players have coaches, we can learn what we’re doing better ourselves,” Kelley added.

In his 28 years of experience, John Rose, PGA golf professional at Big Oak Driving Range & Golf in East Rochester, said many people begin at golf by hitting a bucket of balls at a driving range. When they fail to see improvement, they often become discouraged and quit.

“Investing in a few lessons is as beneficial as hitting 20 buckets of balls,” he quipped.

In addition to one-on-one lessons, he offers golf clinics to keep the cost more affordable.

For mid-level golfers, individual lessons are more advisable, as typically these golfers have specific problems that require correcting. After giving 1,000 more lessons every year, he said he is to the point in his career where

he can figure out within five minutes where clients need help.

It is vital to learn the right technique so that golfers can practice using the correct methods, according to Judd Noto, Judd Noto head PGA golf professional at Canandaigua Country Club in Canandaigua.

“Even if you take a lesson every year or couple of months, it gives you something to work for,” Noto said.

“It’s practicing with a purpose.”

Learning the right technique may also help prevent injury. But overall, “it’s important for the enjoyment of the student if they’re working on the right things,” he added. “Practicing proper techniques will be the recipe for better results.”

For Chris DeVincentis, head PGA Golf professional at Eagle Vale Golf Club in Fairport, learning about clients’ sports and activity background can help him better understand their physical skills and how those would relate to golf.

“I’m going to be teaching them how to play golf, not just teaching golf,” he said.

He is a big believer in laying a foundation with the basics of golf such as the right grip, posture and swing.

For example, the wrong posture can result in a loss of speed. At first, this can be challenging for clients to accept.

“A number of people are coordinated enough to do things with a bad posture and grip, but when they come to see me, I’ll tell them to change it and it will feel awful,” DeVincentis said. “They’ll think I’m crazy because they didn’t start right to begin with.

It will be harder to get out of the bad habit than if they paid a little to get a few lessons and learn the foundation.

You build on that foundation like building a house.”

Golf lessons in the Rochester area cost about $100 to $125 per hour, according to a survey of several local websites.

Carolyn Stiffler

NYS Associate RE Broker, ABR, AHWD, ePro, GREEN, MRP, PSA, SFR, SRES

Diversified To Meet Your Needs

Bringing Homes & Families Together Since 1989 SENIOR Real Estate Specialist (SRES) Reverse Mortgage ~ Reverse Purchase for SENIORS GREEN Certified Investing in Real Estate and Starting with a Plan First Time Home Buyers Divorce Sensitive and Non-Partial Domestic Partners/Buying, Selling or Downsizing Pricing Strategy Advisor Military Relocation Professional ( MRP) Off Center Diamond Circle Pendant

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MAY / JUNE 2022 – 55 PLUS

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Watching the grandkids?

Here’s 8 tips to better connect with them.

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

A

re you providing summertime daycare of your grandchildren for your adult children? Even if you have done so in past years, try these tips for upping your grandparenting game.

1. CONVERSE

Counterintuitively, many young people want to know about life for your generation when you were young. But how you go about it is important. Rather than a sermon of “back in my day,” bring up a few reminiscences that relate to your grandchildren’s interests, advised David Steitz, Ph.D. and psychology 52

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professor with Nazareth College who leads the gerontology program.

“Talk about your experiences when their parents were kids and what they remember growing up,” Steitz said. “It’s so different even when we were growing up.”

What did you do for fun with friends? What did an ice cream cone cost? What games were popular? What clothing was in style?

Ask about their thoughts on days gone by and truly listen to what they say is popular in their circles.

“A lot of kids don’t really know their grandkids very well,” Steitz said. “It’s breaking down a barrier, understanding there can be apprehension.”

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Provide something to do while chatting, such as creating with Legos or playing a board game. Old-school activities like these are surprisingly entertaining for youth accustomed to screens.

“Kids now are scheduled all the time,” Steitz said. “There is never just an opportunity to just sit and have a conversation and get to know one another. They need to learn how to have a conversation, make eye contact with someone and engage. We live in a time where people want to just get their viewpoints out there and they barely listen. Why not take the time to slow down a little and just talk?

That can happen around a bunch of different activities.”

2. MAKE SOMETHING

Many young people have little idea how to make anything. Break out the crochet hook and yarn, paint and brushes or wood and sandpaper.

But try to not rely only on craft kits.

While it is important to learn to follow directions, kits skip much of the creative process.

Never Miss an Issue!

LASER SKIN TIGHTENING

‘

IN CHARGE OF YOUR SAVVY SENIOR: DO JIM TERWILLIGER: BEWARE L, LEGAL IMPLICATIONS DESTINY: 19 FINANCIA I NEED TO FILE INCOME SELF-EMPLOYMEN OF REMARRYING LATER TAXES THIS YEAR? OF THE UPCOMING ‘TAX TORPEDO’ T IDEAS IN LIFE 90 AND LOOKING FOR FINANCIAL RESOLUTIONS A NEW MAN P. 18 TO MAKE IN 2022 P. 14

CAN YOU PASS A CIVICS TEST? P. 24

ESSAY: REFUSING TO LET THE ‘OLD LADY’ IN P. 22

55 55

n FRENCH CUISINE

A French chef’s journey from Marseilles to Rochester

Santa is Coming

P.12

What it takes to play the Jolly Old Elf

n CELEBRATION

P.46

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

P.16

PLUS

PLUS

n CORVETTES Issue 74 • March / April

Rochester Corvette Club: 62 years and counting!

P.22

2022

For Active Adults in the Rochester Area

Issue 73 – January /

roc55.com

Issue 72 – November

/ December 2021

For Active Adults in the Rochester Area

February 2022

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

roc55.com

roc55.com

For Active Adults in the Rochester Area

roc55.com

THE WEATHERMAN

Kevin Williams has been as busy as ever, nearly five years after he left his job on local TV… and it’s still all about the weather.

“It’s in my DNA.” P. 28

STRESS RELIEF on a leash

LESLIE C. YOUN the voiGBLOOD

Rochester author Leslie

Leaf Peeping Close to Home

ce inside

C. Youngblood draws THE LEGACY OF on her own past to breathe P. 14 life into twoFLAVOR, highly acclaimed HOWShe children books.

TO SPOT talks(AND about COMBAT) her writing, n DREAM COME TRUE FAKE new NEWS, projects, P. 20 her life and career.

P. 26 SPRING CLEANING TIPS AND Tim Schramm lives (and plays) TRICKS, P. 34 a renovated church in Palmyra in IMPLANTS CAN REPLACE P.18 LOST TEETH, P. 42

RocDog is a new organization in Rochester started by Susan and her husband Paul Anthony.

It trains canines to work as therapy dogs. With the couple is their dog, Joshua.

THE KEEPER OF KEY S P.30

n TATTOOS

Ethan Fogg, president of the Canandaigua Chamber has a unique passion: of Commerce, Collecting keys, locks and related material he has amassed a collection — of more n LATE-NIGHT DEEJAY than 26,000 items so far.

P.30

More boomers are going for their first‘ tattoo

P.52

Making it through the night Chuck McCoy on Legends with REAL Radio

P.24

ESTATE: IS IT A GOOD INVESTMENT?

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3. COOK OR BAKE TOGETHER

Spend time making food together, talking about family culinary traditions, both when their parents were small and in the larger sense of your ethnic heritage.

“It helps them learn about your background and why certain foods are prepared,” Steitz said. “They will know why parents make the foods they make.”

4. FIX SOMETHING

Home and auto repairs are also outside the skillset of many young people. In addition to getting a helping hand, having the grandchildren assist can give them valuable skills. But make sure they are involved, not just a “gofer” while you work.

5. VOLUNTEER

BETTER

“Look into volunteer opportunities because a lot of places are struggling with a volunteer shortage,” Steitz said.

This can not only benefit a worthy cause but also instill in the children a sense of civic duty and pleasure for helping others. Could they help you

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volunteer for a short-term project? The younger children are, the shorter their attention span.

6. GET OUTSIDE

Try a walk, bike ride or visit to a place such as the zoo or a historic site.

Take little ones to a playground to burn off energy and try a skate park for older kids. (Don’t forget the safety gear.) Pull out the sidewalk chalk and bubble wands.

“Create a space for them to ride their bikes and roller blades if you can,” suggested Shawn L. Ward, Ph.D., an associate professor of psychology at Le Moyne College. “Kids love playing a game to create an obstacle course.

Use what you have. With many games, creating it is just as fun as doing it. You can make it more complicated as they get older.”

7. PLAN FOR RAINY DAYS

Play a favorite old movie with popcorn and a pillow fort.

“That makes it special,” Ward said.

Visit a museum, go to the movies or visit the library.

“They have children’s hours,

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585.347.6100 reading hour, and toys,” Ward said. “It’s a space to socialize. Our public library system is a gift. It’s underutilized. It’s stimulating in a positive way. Some have lots of programming. Since it’s summertime and they’re away from school, think about the cognitive piece.

Give them goals, like how many books they can read.”

8. KEEP A SCHEDULE

While it may seem fun to make Grandma’s house the Land of No Rules, Ward said that if you will be regularly watching the children, sticking with a schedule will help them enjoy their time with you more.

“Children want some routine so they can predict and expect what will happen,” he said. “It allows them to build some anticipation. They love a schedule. If they’re dropped off at 8 and picked up at 4, what’s the routine in the meantime? It mimics what they’d expect at school.”

Sticking with the same time for snacks, lunch and, if appropriate, naps, will help their appetite and circadian rhythm stay in sync.

MAY / JUNE 2022 – 55 PLUS

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aging Do You Really Need a Geriatrician?

Pediatric patients “graduate” to adult primary care at age 18. Should people who turn 65 look for a geriatrician?

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

P

odiatrists specialize in foot issues, dermatologists in skin issues and cardiologists in heart issues.

But do you really need a doctor specializing in, well, oldness?

And if you do, when should you begin seeking the care of a geriatrician?

“Most geriatricians would say that a healthy person in their 70s or older with no medical conditions probably doesn’t need a geriatrician,” said Daniel King, a geriatrician with Highland Hospital.

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Many of these types of patients receive sufficient care from their longterm internist or general practitioner.

King explained that their continuity of care is well served by these providers.

But for people with more complex medical issues, a geriatrician’s care may help. This could include chronic diseases like advanced diabetes or health issues that significantly hamper many activities of daily living such as dementia and stroke recovery.

“These benefit the most from seeing a geriatrician,” King said. “I try to limit the people I see to those who are older than 80. If you’re younger

than 80, I accept those who have complex medical comorbidities. That makes them frailer.”

He views geriatricians as specialists in life transitions such as providing guidance in getting more help and improving mobility.

“It’s not a blanket statement that when you turn 75, you need a geriatrician,” he added. “More and more of what I do is a consultation.

You’d remain in the care of your internist or general practitioner and consult in areas of things like transition and memory.”

Because of the lack of geriatricians,

‘Geriatricians are trained to care for complicated medical issues as well as common geriatric syndromes. [They] coordinate care among many different care team members, like home nursing, physical and occupational therapy, dieticians, pharmacists and different medical specialists.’

Physician Sarah Howd is board certified in both internal medicine and geriatric medicine. She serves as the associate medical director of the Senior Living Practice of UR Medicine Geriatrics Group.

For Highland Hospital geriatrican Daniel King, healthy people in their 70s in general don’t need to see a geriatrician.

However, people with more complex medical issues — such as chronic diseases like advanced diabetes or health issues that significantly hamper many activities of daily living — a geriatrician’s care may help.

many primary care physicians are filling the role of a geriatrician for those just beginning to need this type of care, according to Sarah Howd, assistant professor of medicine and geriatrics at the University of Rochester. She is board-certified in both internal medicine and geriatric medicine, is a

certified medical director, and serves as the associate medical director of the Senior Living Practice of UR Medicine Geriatrics Group.

“The American Geriatrics Society cites that there are 54.1 million Americans older than 65 with only 6,800 certified geriatricians, and this gap continues to grow,” Howd said.

“Primary care providers can do a wonderful job with the complex medical needs of a geriatric patient, but they may lack the time to be able to do in-depth assessments for things like falls and memory complaints.

“They may also lack the resources to determine how much care a person needs to stay safe in their home as well as the ability to guide the patient and family to access these services. Geriatricians are trained to care for complicated medical issues as well as common geriatric syndromes like frailty, falls, poor nutrition, and cognitive decline. Geriatricians are also

trained to coordinate care among many different care team members, like home nursing, physical and occupational therapy, dieticians, pharmacists, and different medical specialists,” added Howd.

For many patients with complex care, a geriatrician in a primary care office will take over as the patient’s primary care provider.

Pediatric patients “graduate” to adult primary care at age 18. As to when this should happen, providers offer no concrete age. Although 65 is a round number and kicks off the Medicare years, “there is no set answer,” Howd said. “There are some 60-year-olds with significant health issues and some 90-year-olds who are very healthy and fit.”

Agreeing with King, Howd said that the medical complexity of a patient’s healthcare needs is typically a bigger determinant of whether a geriatrician provides care.

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Chris Uyehara is the co-owner with John Menapace of the Last Shot Distillery. He recently won a Discovery Channel competition for the best whiskey.

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55 PLUS – MAY / JUNE 2022

spirits A Master Distiller in Skaneateles Chris Uyehara is a chef, baker and college instructor. Since late last year he is also a master distiller, having won a Discovery Channel whiskey competition

By Mary Beth Roach

Q

uality is the first ingredient.

It’s a phrase that Chris Uyehara learned from his father, James Uyehara, a baker in Honolulu, and it’s been a phrase that he has adopted to all the various aspects of his culinary career, which has spanned more than four decades.

The 65-year-old Skaneateles resident is a chef, baker, college instructor, an award-winning ice carver and now a top distiller.

He was named as Discovery Channel’s “master distiller” on its “Moonshiners: Master Distiller” “World War of Whiskey” episode, which aired in November.

Uyehara is the co-owner and distiller at the Last Shot Distillery, with fellow Skaneateles resident John

Menapace.

He began the business in 2015, because, he said, he wanted to have something when he finally decides to retire from teaching culinary classes at the Falk College at Syracuse University.

The site at 4022 Mill Road, Skaneateles, also houses the Skaneateles Brewery.

“I wanted something for retirement, where I could step out of the university and retire and do this full-time for the rest of my life,” he said.

Describing it as a passion and a hobby for him, Uyehara said, the operation has “grown way bigger than a hobby.”

To be sure.

He distributes to various liquor

Chris Uyehara in what he calls his playhouse among casks of his whiskey.

stores in the Central New York area, as well as in New York City and Sussex County. Arsenal Wine and Liquor in Watertown also handles shipping product for Uyehara. He plans on expanding into an adjacent space, which would increase the footprint to 6,000 square feet. His master distiller distinction has also increased his business.

Uyehara said that this passion of his is part of his DNA. About three years ago, while on the phone with his sister, he learned that his grandmother, Yoshi, used to make moonshine in Hawaii.

A c c o rd i n g t o U y e h a r a , h i s grandfather, Taro, was one of the men brought from Okinawa to Hawaii as an indentured worker on the sugar plantations there. He would eventually marry Yoshi, also from Okinawa. Yoshi would join her husband and start their family. One evening, Taro and some of his fellow workers were relaxing with some of Yoshi’s shine. A plantation supervisor came by and asked what they were drinking. Taro offered him a drink, and he was so impressed, he inquired about getting some on a regular basis. Taro said that they could provide the moonshine, if the supervisor promised to leave Taro and his friends alone in the fields.

Years later, Uyehara’s father would come to own a bakery in Honolulu, with the family, including Yoshi, living behind the store. Chris Uyehara and his siblings would spend a MAY / JUNE 2022 – 55 PLUS

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TOP Uyehara stands beside a banner promoting the award-winning whiskey.

RIGHT “First

barreled whiskey in Onondaga County since Prohibition,” this barrel proudly proclaims on its top face.

Photos provided

lot of younger years in the bakery. It was here where Uyehara learned his culinary skills — baking from his dad, cooking from Yoshi.

Both were sticklers for quality, he said. He learned that being consistent in quality control was key. And when he became a chef, he said, “That’s what got me on the map.”

Over the years, Uyehara has worked at various restaurants, including Patisserie and Rosalie’s Cucina in Skaneateles and Savannah Dhu, a 3,900-acre retreat created by the late shopping mall developer Robert Congel. While working at the latter, he had been mentoring a new chef, whose father made apple brandy and Uyehara had the opportunity to check out his distillery.

From there, Uyehara started researching on Google, reading books and taking workshops with Cornell Cooperative Extension.

“When I started this, I wanted to go traditional, old-school — just a straight whiskey, straight moonshine, good vodka, a good bourbon,” he said.

When asked about how he develops his creations, Uyehara said, “I just targeted whiskeys that are known for top quality,” and researches it. Books would give a hint of as to the recipes, but the wheat strain is under lock and key, he said.

“But guess what I’ve been doing for 45 years? I’ve been working with yeast, fermentation, sourdoughs. That helped me with my flavor profile.

Every yeast would give me a different strain, would give a different flavor profile,” he said.

With that quest for quality rooted in Uyehara, he said he buys his grain a month at a time so it’s fresh. Once it gets ground, the flavor starts going downhill.

“I want mine fresh as possible,” he said.

In doing the Moonshiners’ World War of Whiskey, he did a Japanesestyle whiskey because of his heritage.

One of his competitors, Lorna Conrad, who is part Scottish, did a Scotch-style whiskey. Ironically, a book on Conrad’s company was the first one Uyehara bought when starting his research into the industry. And now he was competing against her.

When he was on the show, he put a photo of his grandparents at the plantation house in Hawaii on the still and said, “Grandma, I’m dedicating

this competition to you.” Once he was given the honor, he told the judges and the TV audience, “I think she’s dancing in heaven.”

He’s also planning to dedicate a new bottle of liquor in honor of his grandmother, called “Yoshi’s Pineapple Sugar Shine.” He’s got the label set, featuring a photo of Yoshi.

But he hasn’t perfected the recipe yet.

He said he’s made a batch, and while it was good, he wasn’t completely satisfied. So he’s waiting on new ingredients.

Again, that attention to detail and quality.

Moving to CNY But how did this Hawaiian native end up in Central New York?

He met his wife, Kelly, while she was studying and teaching in Honolulu. Eventually, in1990, the two would come to Central New York, which is where his wife is from.

While the cost of living is cheaper here than in Hawaii, Uyehara has joked that if he’d known how to get to the airport back then, he would have gone back home.

It appears that Uyehara has become somewhat acclimated to the cold over the years.

About 15 years ago, fellow chef, Stan Kolonko, who also owns an ice carving business, had suffered an injury and asked Uyehara to help him with some carvings over the summer.

Uyehara had always wanted to learn this craft, so he joined in. With his skill in chocolate sculptures and sugar work, Uyehara became especially proficient in the finishing touches on the ice carvings. It wasn’t long before he joined Kolonko at several competitions, traveling to Alaska and China, for example, and taking the gold in the 2013 World Championship in Alaska and the International Championship in Harbin, China.

While he’s got the Last Shop Distillery in place as part of his retirement plan, he doesn’t plan on leaving his teaching position at Falk College anytime soon. He’s been on the faculty there since 2006. His classes include an introduction to culinary, professional baking and fine pastries.

“I still enjoy teaching,” he said.

“It’s a life skill. To me, what’s so important is teaching these kids a life skill.”

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pets Meeting a Need for Cat Lovers Mew Mew House at Second-Guess Farm in Williamson is a cat retirement home and a special hospice

By John Addyman

S

ome people say that a cat makes you a better person.

It’s neither a servant nor a partner, but a friend. You tell your cat a lot. You ask it questions all day and don’t get many answers.

You hope your personality and your cat’s will intersect during the day and you’ll both enjoy the sharing time together. There’s nothing quite like loving a cat.

But one day, the relationship will end. Cats don’t live forever and neither do we.

Watching your cat fade or knowing you have to leave it behind because of what’s happening in your life, can be very hard—heart-breaking, distressing. As independent as these creatures are, we bond with them.

Penny Higgins knows that.

She has created Mew Mew House at Second-Guess Farm in Williamson.

It is a cat retirement home and a special hospice. She takes in cats who are dying, those who belong to someone who is dying and others that have been left behind when their owner dies and the family doesn’t know what to do with the cat, but doesn’t want to send it to a shelter to be put down.

The first hospice cat was delivered in 2019, a victim of feline AIDS. Another was deaf and half-blind and needed a place to be.

“He was just not doing well. So I took him in,” Higgins said.

Then Skittles came.

“She had heart failure, was hyperthyroid and her family was moving to New Zealand. They knew there was no way they could keep Skittles; she would die in transit,” Higgins said. “They found out about me through friends, one of my colleagues at the UofR lived in the 19th Ward and interacted with the cat rescue group there.

“I was reluctant at first to take

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Peggy Higgins, who created a hospice-type facility for cats in Williamson, with two of her cats. The Mew House at Second-Guess Farm in Williamson is a cat retirement home and a special hospice. She currently houses 30 cats at her place.

in Skittles because I was scared how difficult she was going to be. She was a mini-Tortoise shell cat. She had ‘tortitude’ and was a very angry girl and she had to be given a pill twice a day. Most of the cats here I get them to a place where I just put a pill in their mouth, but Skittles, was like ‘Oh, no!’

So, I had to get a little pill-popper thing and coat the pills with gooey yummy stuff and she bit me more times than I care to count.

“Then, in the end, I could tell that she loved me and trusted me. She started to decline because of kidney failure and I had to let her go. That was probably the worst-case scenario

for me.”

Ask Higgins about losing Skittles and you’ll watch a tear trickle down her cheek. She is invested with every cat she decides to take in. People know if she accepts a cat, it will be loved.

Jeter and her brother, Peyton, came to Higgins when their owner died.

“The family was distressed. They felt, ‘Mom is gone, but we still have her cats. We don’t want to take the cats to a shelter because this is our last connection with Mom.’ Not only do I take hospice cats and older cats, I also take cats for families who are mourning the loss of someone else,” she explained.

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Peyton has since died. Jeter, softly emanating a humming purr, was sitting in Higgins’ lap as she talked.

Sid the cat was hit by a car and survived. He was shot and survived.

Now his kidneys have broken down.

“There’s not much you can do for him,” Higgins said.

Higgins said she had spent the previous Monday on her kitchen floor crying because the owner of two cats in her hospice had died.

“The woman had terminal cancer.

When I found out she had passed I immediately dragged the cats into the kitchen and hugged them for a while. I ugly cried,” she said. “When I have to take a cat to the vet and their time has come, I ugly cry. Some people when they cry, they’re beautiful about it. I just melt. My whole face is contorted.”

Arrangements for cats at Mew Mew House aren’t lush—it’s her home.

“People who send their animals to me, I have to tell them, ‘There are a lot of cats here. This isn’t going to be one-on-one all the time. But the cats are fed, they go to the vet when they need to and I’ve had enough experience to know when it’s time to let them go.”

“I think families are relieved that they don’t have to worry. They know I care. I’ve cried on live internet TV. I care as much about their cats as they do. They’re trying to do the right thing for the animal. For better or worse, they put their faith in me that I will do the right thing and I do the best I can, Higgins said. “I have some resources.

The best thing about doing this is that I have a great relationship with the Williamson Animal Hospital, they take me right away.”

“There are 30 cats living here now,” she added. “I’ve probably lost 20. My dream would be that I could survive from donations from the community and not have to ask a family in mourning for money. I ask people for $250 for intake because most of the time animals that come in often haven’t had vet work for a while, so I have to take them to the vet right away. Then I ask for $70 a month maintenance, if they can afford it. But I haven’t turned anyone down yet who hasn’t had the money.”

Multiple avenues Higgins is a former University of Rochester instructor who started geologists and paleontologists on their careers, spending years in the

Possum is Mew Mew House’s spokescat. He was found as a tiny kitten in the middle of a remote road at night during a rainstorm. Via PaleoPics, Penny Higgins.

classroom and the lab until her job disappeared.

With the evaporation of an academic life Higgins had known for well more than 20 years in research and teaching, she fell back on an old love, cats, and turned to meet some needs she had the heart and now the time for.

The divorce from her husband of 17 years is fairly recent. She has a special needs son who is doing well at Wayne Education Center. Completely on her own, she has struggled to monetize her varied interests and avocations but it hasn’t been smooth.

In the house in Williamson are at least 600 cameras. She and her husband were collectors and loved putting new film through old cameras. She has a side business there, PaleoPix, specializing in pet photography.

From the age of 4, Higgins has loved to draw animals and now uses her digital skills to create artwork of pets, another part of PaleoPix. She maintains contacts with her old research buddies and has a third business, Epic Isotopes, where she uses her skills in advanced technical instrumentation to support scientific research conclusions, such as at the Natural Trap Cave in northern Wyoming where she proved that yes indeed, cheetahs of many thousands of years ago had a taste for pronghorn antelope.

Higgins has developed and is trying to commercialize SHARE (Sustainable Holistic Arts and Recreation Events) as an online creative community.

“We want to have events where people can express their creativity

however they want—clapping their hands, drawing, photography, making music, sewing, cooking—no matter how good they are or how good they think they are, to facilitate a place where we’re all going to get together and be creative,” Higgins said.

She had a YouTube channel for earth science education, another for PaleoPix and Mew Mew House and every Wednesday at 1 p.m., you can connect with “Cat Chat with Penny” on YouTube. She offers practical expertise in caring for cats in ways that won’t have you coughing up furballs.

One of the rooms in her house has been converted to a small internet studio for her Cat Chat programs and teaching videos.

In another branch of her consulting, Epic Isotopes, Higgins delivers contract content for homeschooling including programs on paleontology.

She also writes and delivers speeches and has been published in scientific and opinion magazines.

Like many gifted, restless people, Higgins has all these gifts and interests.

But now outside of the stability of academia, she’s had to focus on making a living. The piece she won’t

give up is her caring for cats. She said that with 30 felines, she has reached equilibrium, with vacancies surfacing when one of her charges makes the trip across the rainbow bridge.

“I feel like this is mid-life crisis time for me. There are days when it’s crisis. Somehow, I’ll pay the mortgage.

I don’t know how this is going to go,” she said. “I have a few resources left.

I did make the conscious decision not to just jump back into academia, it was just a little too toxic for the person I am.

My mental health right now is better than it’s ever been; my financial health is a train wreck.”

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MAY / JUNE 2022 – 55 PLUS

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addyman's corner

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

Daddy’s Whiskers Get in the Way

Addyman: “My whiskers grow very slowly and they’re not straight. They have a mind of their own and they do not cover my face. Having said that, the whiskers are now long enough that they beg some attention.”

W

e sat down for a pleasant d i n n e r a t J e re m i a h ’ s Tavern in Rochester — my oldest daughter, Amy, her husband, Chad, and my wife, Gayle.

“What do you think of my beard?”

I asked Amy. I ran my fingers through it to show how lush it was becoming.

The motion was something I copied from the original “Miracle on 34th Street” movie, where Kris Kringle is asked if he sleeps with his whiskers under the covers or on top of them.

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“Always sleep with them out,” Kris replies. “Cold air makes them grow.” And he makes that motion to flourish his whiskers.

My daughter was eyeing — and judging — my beard.

Chad has a tightly trimmed fullface beard.

“Your beard is longer,” she said.

“There’s a lot more of it.”

“But still a ways to go,” I said.

“And I’m having problems with it.”

“Problems?” Amy asked.

I pulled on the beard so she could see how long it really was, then flipped it up over my nose. “I find I’m chewing my whiskers in the middle of the night.”

And at that moment, we had one of those moments in life you don’t forget.

Right there at the table, in the middle of the dinner hour in a busy restaurant, Amy started to sing. Softly, but quite clearly.

“We have a dear old Daddy, his hair is silver gray. He has a set of whiskers, they’re always in the way,” she sang.

“The cows eat them for hay. They hide the dirt on Daddy’s shirt; they’re always in the way…”

“What?” I asked.

Amy wasn’t done.

“We have a dear old Mommy, she likes his whiskers, too. She uses them for cleaning and stirring up the stew.

“Around the supper we make a merry group, until our Daddy’s whiskers get tangled in the soup.

“His whiskers are always in the way.

The cow eats them for hay. It tickles when he giggles, and they’re always in the way.”

Amy had a big smile on her face.

“It’s a camp song,” she explained.

“We used to sing that in Girl Scout camp. I can’t remember the rest of the lyrics.”

Turns out “Daddy’s Whiskers” is a folk tune that has a lot of lyrics. We went to a concert that night and Amy spent time looking up lyrics on her phone — she didn’t have any trouble finding them.

I admitted during dinner that I was planning to prune the verge on my face. I’ve never let a beard go this far and I’ve been surprised and annoyed at how irritating having whiskers go up your nose can be.

But wait a minute, my wife pointed out. There are benefits to this larger set of whiskers. I am a guy who likes to eat stuff with a lot of sauce, and a lot of that sauce ends up on my shirt. Once my beard got to be a certain length, my wife was doing less laundry and I was doing a lot of beard-washing.

When I graduated from college in the 1960s, I was clean-shaven. I was also 5-7 and weighed 140 pounds.

In the first school I taught biology in, I was often mistaken for one of the

students, so I decided to grow a beard — a true Fu Manchu with a mustache and hair going down the side of my face in two lines. Nobody took me for a kid after that.

But the Fu Manchu was a little too much for my next flock of students — seventh-graders, one of whom refused to come to school after just one day in my classroom. She must have seen some of those old Fu Manchu movies.

I met with the young lady and the guidance counselor the next morning and I told her if it would make her feel better, she could call me “Dr. Fu Manchu,” which she gladly did. And within two days, so did everyone else, including my principal. It’s in the yearbook.

When I hit 30, I decided I didn’t have enough wild stuff going on in my life, so I bought a motorcycle.

Almost immediately I found that the Fu Manchu mustache wasn’t helpful inside a full-face helmet. Many kinds of insects could fly straight up and join me inside the helmet, seeking to party and explore in my nose and eyes.

So I let my mustache broaden into a Sigmund Freud-like Van Dyke to catch the creatures before they caught me.

And that’s where I was pretty much up to the point where COVID-19 changed our lives. At that point I figured I could let my beard grow down to my knees if I wanted…we weren’t going anywhere or seeing anyone, so who cared?

But then an old problem surfaced.

My whiskers grow very slowly and they’re not straight. They have a mind of their own and they do not cover my face. Having said that, the whiskers are now long enough that they beg some attention.

Should I trim about three inches off the bottom? I told Amy I was thinking about that. “ Yo u s h o u l d b r a i d i t , ” s h e suggested, then adding an Albus Dumbledore-like idea, she said, “You could gather it and put a little chain or jewel in the middle.”

I took that advice seriously and checked out Dumbledore, whose little beard-ring is really effective and his whiskers are a foot longer than mine.

Perhaps that’s my new goal, to have a beard as long as Dumbledore’s.

I figure that’s something I could accomplish in 10 more years.

That’s plenty of time to add lyrics to that folk song.

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By Melody Burri

Robert Green, 69 Bristol town supervisor and retired Ontario County sheriff’s deputy talks about life, career and looking ahead

and Sailors Hospital for seven years, served as senior police instructor with the Office of Homeland Security, and served on the board of directors for the Partnership of Ontario County.

I’m a member of the Ontario County Historical Society, the Rochester Theater Organ Society and the New York Farm Bureau.

I was a long-haul and local truck driver in the northeast with KJ Transportation, which later became Leonard’s Express. I also accompanied a local youth group to the island of Haiti for aid and medical relief in 2000, and coordinated transportation needs for relief supplies to Turkey from Rochester to JFK in New York following the 1999 earthquake.

Q: Your roots run deep. Tell us about growing up in Bristol.

A: I’m a farm kid at heart, just making his way through this journey called life. I was born and raised on a small dairy farm in Bristol, one of three siblings. Some of life’s most valuable lessons came from being on that farm.

I’m married to Linda Wilcox Green and we have two children. Rob is retired from the United States Marine Corps and was combat wounded. Abbey has served for 14 years in the United States Navy.

Q: You’ve enjoyed a long, multifaceted career. What are some of the roles you’ve played?

A: Beside being a dad and husband and working on the family farm, I’m the Bristol town supervisor and I chair the Ontario County Public Safety Committee. I also spent 30 years with the Ontario County Sheriff’s Office, was chief paramedic at Soldiers 66

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when it was located on West Lake Road in Canandaigua. Oh, and watching our children take their first bike rides.

Q: Have you faced any unexpected challenges along the way?

A: Public service has challenges in and of itself. I think all leaders do find themselves caught in between diametrically opposing points of views on many subjects. Finding a middle ground becomes the challenge, especially when the word ‘compromise’ becomes a non-starter.

But you can’t please everyone, so be as fair as possible with all considerations and move forward.

Meet those moments with reason and logic knowing that you did the best as could be expected. And also know that sometimes you’re going to have to say ‘no.’

Q: What’s your secret for making the most of this chapter of your life?

A: Stay active! Take walks, visit friends, go to the gym, meet challenges, take some college courses, enjoy the sunrise, have a glass of red wine, split some firewood, listen to Chopin, Beethoven or Bach. And then listen to some bluegrass and country-western music! Also, keep up with technology, it keeps the mind sharp.

Q: What core value has served you well Q: You’ve also kept busy with a over the years and still stands the test number of hobbies. Tell us about of time? some of them.

A: Know that you will give the A: Music has become more and best you can. Believe in yourself and more of a passion. I enjoy playing those you trust. And remember that organ in our little church. I also life likes to throw us a curveball, so love old farm tractors, the Steam throw it right back.

Pageant, the Adirondack Mountains, As author and businessman volunteering with the Bristol Volunteer Harvey Mackay wrote: “Time is free, Fire Department, with Blue Star Dads but it’s priceless. You can’t own it, but and Bristol Fundays. you can use it. You can’t keep it, but you can spend it. Once you’ve lost it Q: What moments stand out and bring a you can never get it back.” smile to your face as you look back over So choose what is important now decades of service? and decide what the impacts will be.

A: Assisting an elderly widow We are granted just so many sunrises. in a downpour who had a flat tire. I changed it for her and she took the Q: What’s next for you? time to write a thank you note to thenA: The world needs more music, Sheriff Ed Guinan. more model trains, more red tractors Driving my assigned patrol car to and more red wine. So following that deliver groceries, a Christmas tree and train of thought, I want to learn to play toys to a single mother—the victim the accordion. And now that I own two of domestic violence — and her two red Farmall tractors, I need to own a small children.

John Deere. In general, I’m filling the Taking small farm animals to bucket list and then finding the means Camp Good Days and Special Times to empty it.

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