55 Plus of Rochester, #69: May – June 2021 by 55 Plus: For Active Adults in Rochester

Encore Careers: What Three Local Retirees Decided to Do

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PLUS Issue 69 • May / June 2021 For Active Adults in the Rochester Area

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Renaissance Man Award-winning producer/director/ videographer/journalist and broadcast meteorologist Richard J. McCollough adds a new hat: An organic farmer and grower of blackberries. P. 26

n HORSES ON PARADE Remember all those horse statues placed throughout Rochester? Some are still around — 20 years after their debut.

n LEARNING TO PLAY It’s not too late to learn how to play a musical instrument. Several local groups are eager to help you.

7 Trails You Absolutely Should Try This Season

health care right at home. The Physician House Calls program provides a convenient way for you to get high-quality care in the comfort of your own home. For over 10 years, our medical team has provided one-on-one medical assessments, medication review, and care coordination. We’ll work with you to develop a comprehensive care plan that will give you and your family peace of mind. Available to individuals 65 years and older.

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CONTENTS

May / June 2021 To subscribe to 55 PLUS, please visit www.roc55.com

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CITY Savvy Senior 6 12 • Horses on Parade: After 20 years, Financial Health 8 remaining horse statues are still loved Dining Out 10 16 MILESTONE • Turning the Dirt for Frederick Long-term Care 46 Douglass

Addyman’s Corner 48 18 VOLUNTEERING • Want to volunteer?

20 MUSIC

• Picking up an instrument later in life

LAST PAGE David Roll, 72, a professor at Roberts Wesleyan College wraps up a distinguished 40-year teaching tenure at Roberts Wesleyan College. 4

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24 HIKING

• Seven trails you need to try now

26 COVER

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34 42 34 HOBBY

• Cheryl Yelle Preserving the Best of Morgan Horses

36 JOBS

• If you’re 55 or older and looking for work, good luck. Local experts offer tips to improve your chances

38 CAREERS

• Find out what three Rochester area retirees decided to do after retirement

40 SECOND ACT

• Meet the jukebox repair man

42 FOOD

• Richard McCollough: Weatherman now devoted to growing blackberries

• Lisa and her husband Barry Fisher have owned Swan Market in Rochester for more than 20 years.

32 FROGS

45 ARTS

• Woman shares her passion for frogs

• The positive art of Lorraine Staunch

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Age 64: Around 8% of women and about 7% of men claim benefits at 64. Social Security payments are reduced by 13.3% for those with a FRA of 66, and 20% for people whose FRA is 67.

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Age 65: This use to be FRA for people born before 1938, but it’s still

enrollment age for Medicare. Around 12% of workers begin their retirement benefits at 65. By starting at this age, you’ll see you monthly payments reduced by 6.7% if your FRA is 66, and by 13.3% if it’s 67. Age 66: This is FRA for people born between 1943 and 1954. If you fit into this age group, you’re eligible to claim unreduced Social Security benefits. Nearly 29% of men and 22% of women sign up for benefits at 66. But if your FRA is 67, you’ll get a 6.7% pay cut if you sign up here. Age 67: People born in 1960 or later will be able to claim unreduced Social Security payments starting at age 67. Baby boomers born before 1955 will get an 8% increase if they wait to claim their benefits at 67. Less than 4% of men and 3% of women start their benefits at this age. Age 68: Only about 2% of workers start claiming their retirement benefits at 68. Those with a FRA of 66 will get 16% more if they claim Social Security payments at age 68, while those with a FRA of 67 will get 8% increase. Age 69: Less than 2% of workers start claiming their retirement benefits at this age. Those with a FRA of 66 will get a 24% boost in their benefit by waiting to 69. While those with a FRA of 67 will increase their benefits by 16%. Age 70 and older: Waiting to age 70 offers the biggest possible payout. Nearly 9% of women and 6% of men held out until this age. Those with a FRA of 66 can increase their benefits by 32%, while those with a FRA of 67 will get a 24% increase. After age 70, there’s no additional increase for further delaying your payments.

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financial health By Jim Terwilliger

The American Rescue Plan: What You Need to Know

he American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 was signed into law on March 11. It aims to help about 158 million households get back onto their feet after a year-long struggle with the coronavirus pandemic. The legislation contains many provisions assisting individuals, small businesses, state and local governments, and schools. While most of its provisions for individuals relate to tax-year 2021, its tentacles reach into four tax years — 2019 through 2022. A few of the key benefits for individuals include: $1,400 Per-Person Relief Payments Taxpayers with adjusted gross income (AGI) up to $75K single and $150K married filing jointly are eligible. Taxpayers with AGIs of $80K and $160K or higher, respectively, are not. This cliff-like phaseout range is much tighter compared to the two previous relief packages. As before, these payments are considered refundable tax credits and are tax-free. Additionally, $1,400 payments are earmarked for each qualified dependent including children under age 19 (under age 24 if a full-time student) and dependent parents. Such payments are paid directly to the primary taxpayers, not to dependents. AGI from the most recently filed federal tax return is used to determine eligibility. If a 2020 return is filed and is more favorable than 2019, the 2020 AGI is used. The 2020 filing window is open until the additional payment determination date (earlier of Sept. 1 or three months following the filing deadline, which at the time of this writing was delayed to May 17). Beyond that, there is one additional opportunity — claiming the credit on the 2021 tax return based on 2021 AGI. Any amounts correctly paid based on a taxpayer’s AGI on file with the IRS at the time of payment

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can be kept by the taxpayer. There is no clawback if later AGIs are not as favorable. However, if the 2020 AGI is the most favorable, that return must be filed by the additional payment determination date to maximize the credit. Enhanced Child Tax Credit Normally, the child tax credit for dependent children age 16 or younger is $2,000, subject to a phaseout starting at $200K AGI for single taxpayers and $400K for married filing jointly. For 2021 only, the credit is enhanced to $3,000 for dependent children aged 6 to 17 and $3,600 for those younger than 6. Single filers with 2021 AGIs up to $75K and married couples up to $150K receive the full credit for 2021. Those making above these levels receive a reduced portion of the enhanced credit. At even higher AGIs, families not eligible for the $3,000 or $3,600 credit, but who have AGIs at or below $200K and $400K, respectively, still get the standard $2,000 credit with a phaseout above those thresholds. The IRS will pay half of the credit in advance by sending monthly payments to qualifying taxpayers from July through December with eligibility based on 2019 or 2020 tax returns. The other half will be available on 2021 tax returns. If desired, taxpayers may opt out of the July-to-December payments and receive the full credit next year. If 2021 AGI is more favorable to the taxpayer, any additional credit can be claimed at that time. If less favorable, some credit overpayment may need to be repaid at tax time, depending on 2021 AGI. Federal Unemployment Benefits. The American Rescue Plan Act excludes from federal taxation the first $10,200 per person of 2020 unemployment benefits. This relief applies only to tax returns with 2020 AGIs less than $150K including all

unemployment income. As of this writing, the IRS is urging taxpayers who earlier filed their 2020 returns not to file amendments to claim the exclusion. The IRS plans to automatically issue refunds. Additionally, the special weekly federal supplement of $300 for unemployment benefits offered through state plans is extended to Sept. 6. Student Loan Debt While the act does not include student loan cancellation, it does make any loan forgiveness federally tax-free through Dec. 31, 2025. Loan forgiveness generally is a taxable event. It is possible Congress may enact some sort of blanket student debt forgiveness program in the future. More-Affordable Health Insurance For folks who lost their employer-paid health insurance involuntarily due to layoffs or reduced work hours, the federal government will pay their entire COBRA premiums from April through September of 2021. Alternatively, the act provides enhanced subsidies through 2022 to purchase coverage in the state-run health insurance exchange. In addition, regardless of income, those who collect unemployment insurance at any time in 2021 will qualify for the free silver plan for the full year. Given its complexity, the act offers several planning opportunities to maximize its benefits for you and your family. If you are not currently working with a non-commissioned financial planner, now is the time to engage with one. James Terwilliger, CFP®, is senior vice president, senior planning adviser, CNB Wealth Management, Canandaigua National Bank & Trust Company. He can be reached at 585419-0670 ext. 50630 or by email at jterwilliger@cnbank.com.

Call us Today! (585) 586-5250 Mention you saw this ad in the 55 Plus Magazine. We will be happy to send out information for your review or answer any questions you might have. We are here for You. White Haven Memorial Park has been helping families pre-plan their burial property for over 90 years. With over 80 plus acres of undeveloped property, White Haven will continue to provide burial property for many years to come. Why White Haven Memorial Park? © First Cemetery in the World to be Certified by the International Audubon Society © Creators of the ideology of Nature Trails for cremation burials © Certified by the Green Burial Council © Over 80 undeveloped acreage for future burial areas © Two Chapels on-site with a large outside gazebo available for Memorial Services © Not-for-Profit Organization, All Welcome. If you would like additional information sent to you through the mail, please fill out this coupon and return it to: White Haven Memorial Park 210 Marsh Road Pittsford, NY 14534

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May / June 2021 - 55 PLUS

DiningOut By Christopher Malone

Restaurant

Guide

Native Eatery’s porter-braised pork shank ($24): The hunky pork sat in the middle of the plate, surrounded by veggies and whipped potatoes. Frizzle-fried onions decorated the pork like medals on a military hero.

Think Local. Eat Local. Be Native. Native Eatery and Bar serves up local American fare

asual upscale dining — hearing those words almost sounds like an oxymoron. Native Eatery and Bar on 180 S. Clinton Ave. in Rochester boasts this on their website, on social media, and Google. It’s not the only restaurant to make such claims either. However, come to find out, it truly defines the description. While entering Center City from the east, after passing under that large and confident “Welcome to Rochester” sign, Native is right there and part of the welcoming committee. The brick exterior of 3 City Center is a perfect façade to house the industrial interior of the eatery. Both the inside of the restaurant and patio are incredibly

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spacious, which allows appropriate dining for this strange time. A couple beverages were enjoyed. The first was one of the house craft cocktails, the Smoke on the Water ($11). The fire water libation lived up to its name and components: mezcal, plum gin, luxardo barrel-aged peychauds (bitters), and orange bitters. Its presentation was as straightforward as it was delightful. I may have muttered or sang, “A fire in the sky,” after taking the first sip audibly enough to be heard by those within an earshot. The second was Three Heads Brewing’s dark lager ($7). The Rochester brewery’s Dunkel-style lager is as warm as its color. The medium-bodied brew is incredibly

flavorful and the toasty characteristics paired well with all the pork consumed at this meal. Speaking of pig, the pork tacos ($13) and lettuce wraps ($15) were the two appetizers of the evening. The latter (and lighter of the two) came out first. Four giant, durable leaves of Boston lettuce sat on the plate. Strategically placed in the center of each was a pile of shredded chicken, pico de gallo, candied nuts, and chipotle aioli. For those not wanting to enjoy tacos, this is a vibrantly flavorful — healthier perhaps? — alternative. The pork tacos, surprisingly, are less expensive than the lettuce wraps. Three generous tacos make up this shareable dish. These tacos are heavy.

They’re so stuffed that they need two tortillas to hold the cola-braised pork, slaw, pickled jalapeño slices and sour cream. The pork wasn’t dry. The slaw boasted a slightly mild kick and teamed up with the hot pepper for a sweet heat. When moving to the entrees, I have to admit this is the first time I’ve wanted to order and eat every single one of the options on an entrée list. Sometimes I’ll say, “I’ll take one of each,” to whimsically joke about how all the dishes sound delicious and still not discredit the restaurant. This time, it was said with 100% seriousness. In a perfect world, all of Native’s entrees would have been served to me that evening. The second item on the list, the seared salmon risotto ($24), was ordered with a distinct vocal timbre, like an announcement of victory. The pile of risotto was tinted blood-red from the beets. On top of the rice pile sat a generous, hearty fillet of salmon. Sauteed kale sat proudly atop the fish like the cherry of a sundae. On the side sat a couple slices of pickled candy cane beets and salmon skin cracklin. Yes, the skin of that salmon fillet stood proudly upright in the risotto, just like a flag. Combined with the garlic and pieces of shallots, this entrée was outstanding. The porter-braised pork shank ($24) was next on the list. The hunky pork sat in the middle of the plate, surrounded by veggies and whipped

potatoes. Frizzlefried onions decorated the pork like medals on a military hero. This pork was dignified. Paired with the dark lager mentioned earlier — delicious. The two beer styles, the smokiness of the porter and nutty lager, proved to be a Lettuce wraps. wonderful team. Although the meat did fall right off the bone, it was teetering toward the overcooked side. When combining a bite of the pork with the veggies and the potatoes, everything felt right with the world. Before tip, the bill came to $101 and change. It was a perfect amount of food, high quality meals, and the very friendly staff didn’t have to roll me out. Plus, a doggie bag of leftovers made it back to the house. Kudos to Native for allowing a clean, safe environment. For those wanting to support a local business but eat at home, delivery and takeaway are possible (similar to most places). For those wanting to eat in, please call ahead and reserve a spot.

Native Eatery & Bar Address 180 S. Clinton Ave. Rochester. NY 14604 Phone 518-351-6121 Websites/Social nativerochester.com facebook.com/NativeRochester instagram.com/nativerochester/ Current Hours Sun. - Mon.: Closed Tues. – Thurs.: 11 a.m. – 9 p.m. Fri.: 11 a.m. – Midnight Sat.: 5 p.m. - Midnight

Pork tacos at Native Eatery.

Seared salmon risotto.

55+ city

Horses on Parade

“Genny” who adorns — what else? — the Genesee Brewery, raises high a pint of Genny Light to greet the afternoon. Howie Jacobson, who was part of the team that resurrected Genesee through the Horses on Parade campaign in 2001, stands with Genny, which was designed by artist Anne Aderman. The theme of the community event fit happily with Genesee bringing back 12 Horse Ale.

After 20 years, remaining horses are still loved By John Addyman

f you could do something that would benefit 114 charities, bring artists and businesspeople together in a project, draw tens of thousands of people into the area, create new dollars for the tourist and scrapbooking industries, add 100 jobs to your business and have just about everyone talking it up … would you hesitate one second to do it? Howie Jacobson didn’t. A self-described “energizer,” he had been presented with a problem and had to go huge or go home. He needed something to let everyone know there were some new beer-makers in the Roc. “I was part of the group that bought the old Genesee Brewery,” he said. “We changed the name to High Falls Brewery. In my role as

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chief marketing officer and the new energizer of the brands, I was looking for something big.” Something that caught his eye had been done in Chicago, where city artists had decorated and sprinkled life-sized fiberglass cows everywhere. “It was amazing that the entire city — the entire Chicago area — was so excited about having this community art event with these cows,” the 72-yearold Brighton resident said. “People would take their families around and take pictures. So, I thought, that could be a cool idea to do here, to get people excited about what we were doing about Genesee beer, because the brands had really decreased in sales. It was going to have to be bigger than just doing price discounts. “We were still making Genesee

beer. The reason we changed the brewery name to High Falls was that we wanted to have a different image to attract contract packaging, to attract other brands to sell in addition to Genesee.” Jacobson had previously been enticed by Marvin Sands to join C a n a n d a i g u a Wi n e C o . ( n o w Constellation Brands) and had brought Sands’ philosophy to High Falls. “I learned the importance of giving back to your community in a really meaningful way — not just about giving money, but about listening, making people empowered to do something good in their community.” But how to make a splash in the community, renew interest in a historic brand and turn a company around, while directly benefitting that

‘Tens of thousands of people were visiting the horses. They were calling our office. They were sending us notes about what a great time they had.’ community … how could Jacobson crack that egg? Statues of cows weren’t going to do it. But how about horses? Happily, Genesee had a muchloved brew, 12 Horse Ale. Unhappily, the year before High Falls took over, Genesee had discontinued making 12 Horse. Yikes! “I thought, this was a major part of the brewery, 12 Horse, so let’s do it — we’re going to do horses. We started to relaunch 12 Horse with different packaging but the same great taste people loved. We had the icon, the horse.” Next, the “Horses on Parade” launch kick-started, and High Falls became a lightning rod for a community fresh off the shock of 9/11 in 2001. The bright colors, cooperative effort of 160 artists and swarms of sponsors came together to create 150 gorgeous horses that popped up everywhere. Businesses, organizations and individuals sponsored painting of the horses, paying $5,000 to do it — and not owning the horse without another $2,500 investment when the horse was done. The sponsor got to place the horse on a site, do the design, and be in the commemorative book. Each artist was paid $1,500 and got a huge discount on supplies. “We were able to really energize our community,” Jacobson said. “Tens of thousands of people were visiting the horses. They were calling our office. They were sending us notes about what a great time they had: ‘We took my grandparents.’ ‘We took our family on an outing.’ ‘We took pictures.’ ‘We have scrapbooks.’ Thousands of people in Rochester were participating. You couldn’t move anywhere without seeing horses. The airport had five. Veterans groups painted horses. Hillel

Howie Jacobson, with the horse at the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester, honoring warrior women and designed by artist Hollis Biggs Garver.

Howie Jacobson, who “energized” the idea of Horses on Parade in Rochester in 2001, stands with “Journey” at the Mid-Town Athletic Club. Artist Judith Olson Gregory created the design. Jacobson was chief marketing officer of the new High Falls Brewery, which birthed the project eventually leading to donations of $1.4 million to 114 charities. May / June 2021 - 55 PLUS

School eighth graders and elementary schools were painting horses. And we found sponsors for them.” Limo services and tour buses added horse tours and booked business. “There were scrapbook clubs that started up, people were sharing their pictures. Wegmans had more enlargements made at their photo centers than ever in the history of their photocenters. It was bigger than selling beer. It was getting that hometown feeling that we have a great business here, which we hoped would lead people to buy our product.” All the horses that weren’t bought by their sponsors were finally auctioned off. “The auction was a big gamble,” he said. “It was a big event and we had 115 horses. We sold them for $4,000 to $20,000 — people wanted a certain horse and they had a place to put it, it was going to inspire something in their business, so they bid high. Also, what gave all of us such a good feeling was that people believed in what we were doing and believed that this was a real

“Chubby,” painted by artist Vincent Massaro, is a replica of the mascot horse of Firehouse No. 6 on University Avenue, which is now home to Craft Company No. 6. Chubby is joined by a faithful volunteer. community project.” A book about the horses sold 20,000 copies. WXXI made a documentary about the project. “We raised $1.4 million altogether — for 114 charities,” said Jacobson. Golisano’s Children’s Hospital. Camp Good Days and Special Times, Hillside

Work Scholarship Connection, Wilson Commencement Park and Arts Council of Rochester were the lead charities to benefit, and every dollar promised got there. High Falls increased beer production and new business also flowed, with 100 new workers hired at a place that had been on the precipice of closing. That was 20 years ago. Today, about 40 horses are still outside, sprinkled around the area. “Many people kept their horses up five to six years outside, because they were so excited that people still stopped by to see them,” Jacobson said. “Over a lot of years, people put them in their back yards, in their homes, there are still many in lobbies of businesses.” Some horses have been bought and shipped out — a farmer in New Paltz has six of them. To Jacobson, each fiberglass horse that remains is a testament to a time when Rochester felt different, felt better, felt on the upswing. “We really did energize the community,” he said.

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55+ milestone Turning the Dirt for

Frederick Douglass Reverend hopes to bring more notice to Douglass, who lived in Rochester for 25 years By John Addyman

he Rev. Julius Jackson Jr. cares a lot about Frederick Douglass. He thinks you should, too. For the last two decades, Jackson, 55, has been “turning the dirt” to bring more local notice to Douglass, a self-made man who championed individual rights for all — the only African American to attend the suffragette movement’s first Seneca Falls convention, for instance — on a lifelong voyage that changed the fate of millions of Americans. Douglass lived here for 25 years. And from here, he built a career as an author, lecturer, diplomat, world traveler, abolitionist, civil rights pioneer and journalist — all this from an escaped slave who literally taught himself to read. Douglass is buried here in Rochester, alongside his first wife of 44 years, Anna Murray Douglass, and his second wife of 11 years, Helen Pitts Douglass, and his youngest daughter, Annie. There is a monument to him in Highland Park and 13 replica statues throughout Rochester. And now, through Reverend Jackson’s efforts, the Rochester Airport has been renamed to the Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport. 16

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Rev. Julius Jackson Jr. and a sign of the renamed Rochester airport, now known as Frederick Douglass — Greater Rochester International Airport. But Jackson isn’t done yet. “Frederick Douglass — I have known of him all my life. He was one of the few Black people who were celebrated in the world,” he said. “In Rochester, there wasn’t a lot of stuff about Frederick Douglass. I don’t think I actually realized Frederick Douglass had been here in Rochester until 20 years ago. I never visited the gravesite until after 2000, I’m sure. His statue was buried in the weeds at Highland Park — it wasn’t visible from the street and nobody knew it was there. You could ski down the hills of Highland Park and no one knew that was actually Frederick Douglass.” A Xerox systems analyst and new RIT graduate in 2000, Jackson found his life turning a new direction. “I joined Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and I was immediately put to work to raise funds for the Martin Luther King Memorial in Washington,” Jackson said.” It was my fraternity that started that project back in 1968. We had a long haul to get that done. They didn’t break ground on that until 2006, when I was invited as a VIP guest for the ground-breaking of the memorial in Washington. “Famous people like Tommy

Hilfiger, Russell Simons, Bill Clinton, George Bush, Barack Obama, John Lewis — they were all there. The speaker who touched me the most was Ambassador Andrew Young, a confidant of Dr. King, a civil rights foot soldier. He took the stage and he said, ‘Today we turn the dirt for Martin Luther King; I charge you to go back to your towns and turn the dirt in your towns.’ “I interpreted that to mean go back and do something to uplift whatever it was that was hiding in your town,” Jackson said. “For me, that was Frederick Douglass.” Jackson was also turning some dirt in his own life. He left Xerox to work as an outcomes manager for Action for a Better Community and was a career development specialist for Wilson Commencement Park and the associate director of the Minority AIDS Initiative for AIDS Care. And then the big shovelful. “My calling to the ministry was a sneak attack or divine stealth move. Being a son of a pastor preacher and the grandson of pastor preachers on both my paternal and maternal sides, I had little to no desire to pursue ministry. After Xerox I entered the workforce

at community action agencies. My concern and love for the community was greatly enhanced through work and socialization at those agencies. “While at AIDS Care, I came in to contact with folks in ministry who did not fit the paradigm of what I grew up thinking ministers were. In tandem with this, I would regularly be asked to speak at various events. With many meetings being held at Colgate Rochester Divinity School, I became very familiar with the staff of the school who would regularly ask if I would consider taking classes there. I guess God decided to place a curiosity in my heart. “I decided to pursue taking of a class at or two at Colgate while working. Within a matter of weeks, I became a full-time student at Colgate in 2010. Somewhere between 2012 and graduation in 2013, the call became undeniable. I was hired as the fulltime resident pastor at East Aurora Christian Church. I didn’t pursue the call; the call pursued me,” he said. Today he’s the pastor at Trinity Emmanuel Presbyterian Church in Rochester. His quest after the 2006 trip to Washington was to get the airport renamed after Douglass, but he had to raise awareness first. “I ended up doing something I thought was a simple thing. We had the statue of Frederick Douglass, the monument, in Highland Park. You couldn’t see it during the day let alone at night, so let’s light up the thing. I led a couple of demonstrations. We invited the community, specifically kids, to come out with flashlights at night to shine a light on Douglass to demonstrate he needed to be illuminated. I wasn’t the originator of lighting things up at night. I used the example of RIT lighting up high falls. I actually contacted RIT to see what they would do. “At the end of the Frederick Douglass demonstrations for a couple of years, there was funding available for lighting the statue, but there was a concern that lighting would invite vandals. Fast forward a couple of years and Andrew Williams, a local historian/archivist in town, called me up to do a light-up again. The 200-year anniversary of Douglass’ birth was coming up. The reenergizing team started to replicate things I’d already done. They started lighting things up

Rev. Julius D. Jackson Jr. stands in front of the Frederick Douglass Plaza at South Avenue and Robinson Drive in Highland Park.

“In Rochester, there wasn’t a lot of stuff about Frederick Douglass. I don’t think I actually realized Frederick Douglass had been here until 20 years ago.” at night. They had statues — replicas of the monument, put up all over town. And then, the light went on for them — ‘Oh! You did this before.’ That’s when we sort of came together. “More funding came into the county. Local legislator (now Assemblyman) Harry Bronson, stuck with me all through this — he never left the project. After the Douglass celebrations of 2018, the county said to me, ‘We’re going to expand on your thoughts even more: we’re not just going to light up the monument, we’re going to move it — to a more prominent location, to the corner of

Robinson Drive and South Avenue.’ It was moved in 2019,” he said. That statue, sculpted by Sidney Edwards in 1899, had originally sat in the Rochester Train Station at Central Avenue and St. Paul Street. It was moved to the Highland Park Bowl in 1941. It is reportedly the first statue in the country to honor an African American citizen. At the ribbon-cutting for the new monument spot in 2019, Rev. Jackson let everyone know he wasn’t done yet. “I stated once again my dream to have the airport renamed. Richard Blazer started a petition drive and got 5,000 signatures on it, for the county to get a hold of renaming the airport. “The rest of is history. That pushed it over the edge to get it done,” he said. I n a c e re m o n y o n F e b . 1 4 , the airport got a new sign — The Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport. The date would have meant something to Douglass. “Born in slavery, he didn’t know his actual birthday,” Jackson explained. “His mother called him her ‘little valentine,’ so he took Feb. 14 as his chosen birthday.” Shifting in his chair in the airport’s arrival lounge, Jackson dropped the hint that he and Frederick Douglass aren’t done. “I want to build on all of this,” he gestured at the expanse of the airport. “Maybe we can do something like a presidential museum, something in the airport that’s easily accessible from the outside as well, an institutional piece that can grow and grow,” he said. “Things to inspire — something bigger. The hope is to have an education piece at the airport. We are in talks right now. Some people want to put up another statue in here. That’s fine and dandy. There is also a move for an official celebration — a full dedication, not only at the airport but at the monument and maybe the gravesite as well.” Money is an issue, plus Jackson needs more people to get excited about Frederick Douglass. Jackson believes there are tourism possibilities — one more great reason to visit in the area. “We need to get more people on the bus with us, once they see the value,” he said, drawing the final link to Frederick Douglass, who faced daunting challenges a hundred times in his life: “He kept coming back.” May / June 2021 - 55 PLUS

By the 55+ volunteering Numbers Want to Volunteer? 11 % By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Working one year past 65 reduces risk of mortality by 11%.

50%

of US adults over 50 have less than $100,000 saved for retirement

7.5 years

Older adults who have positive perceptions of aging live on average 7.5 years longer.

52 %

of Americans who reach age 65 will someday need a high level of help with everyday activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating.

8 risk factors

that can reduce the risk of dementia if addressed: hearing loss, hypertension, obesity, smoking, depression, physical inactivity, social isolation, and diabetes. Source: Center for the Future of Aging / Milken Institute. 18

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olunteering provides incredible benefits to older adults, including physical, emotional and cognitive benefits, according to Ann Cunningham, executive director at Oasis Rochester. “It also provides social and emotional support and opportunities for engagement in the community.” In addition to offering opportunities for lifelong learning and health, Oasis Rochester also provides volunteer opportunities, including in its office, which is almost entirely operated by volunteers. “Almost 65% of our courses are taught by volunteer instructors,” Cunningham said. “They are often retired teachers and professors who want to continue teaching subjects they love to participants who love to learn.” If you are not sure where to start, reach out to area organizations like Oasis or AmeriCorps Seniors, the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) at Lifespan. Manager Deb Palumbos said that the organization has many of opportunities available for retiree volunteers. “Lifespan is hosting pop-up vaccine clinics and we need support in several needs,” Palumbos said as an example of current opportunities. “Right now, I don’t know when the congregant meal sites will open again. We have volunteers delivering food to people who no longer can attend. They’ve been doing this for the past year. We always need more people to help. The volunteers who are doing it are stretched. They’re stepping up to do everything.” She would also like to have more volunteers available to drive older adults to medical appointments, COVID-19 vaccination sites, grocery shopping and to social events. These volunteers must have a safe vehicle and a clean driving record. For volunteers who cannot

participate in driving programs, RSVP’s Silver Line New York program matches volunteers with call receivers. “It’s a way to create social engagement for seniors who might not have friends or family around,” Palumbos said. “It’s a nice way to get the attention on them for one phone call a week.” The Generation 2 program places older adults in schools to spend 30 minutes a week with one elementaryaged child. Though on pause since the beginning of the pandemic, the child-directed program helps children who may lack grandparents feel more comfortable in social settings as they read, draw or enjoy other activities with a “foster grandparent” at school. Palumbos anticipates Generation 2 opening in the fall again. RSVP’s health and wellness programs enlist volunteers as peer leaders and coaches. Volunteers receive training to lead workshops of older adults on a variety of health and wellness topics, such as fall prevention, tai chi for arthritis and Aging Mastery. AmeriCorps can also help anyone who wants to volunteer to find opportunities with other nonprofit organizations, “or they can serve through us and support the agency or program that best meets their interests,” Palumbos said. She recommends every retiree take a year to volunteer through the organization. “It’s mobilizing people to serve their communities and is so rewarding,” she added. “You can see when volunteers see things that spark their interest. Their faces light up and you can see their enthusiasm. There might not be an opportunity to serve right away, but we have the ability to create opportunities based on induvial skills and passions.” In addition to Oasis and RSVP opportunities, ask at your house of worship, your grandchildren’s school or visit www.cityofrochester. gov/categories/topics/ volunteerandgivingopportunities.

Had a Stroke. Back on Stage.

Musician Todd Hobin KNOW THE SIGNS • CALL 911 IMMEDIATELY

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

FACE DROOPING

A. S.

ARM WEAKNESS

SPEECH DIFFICULTY

TIME TO CALL 911

Fact: Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the U.S. Important to know: Stroke can happen to both men and women — at any age. Good news: Stroke is preventable by managing medical risk factors and healthy lifestyle choices. What to do: Time lost is brain lost. So it’s vital to know the signs of a stroke — F.A.S.T. Four words to live by: Call 911 and say, “Take me to Crouse.“ When it comes to stroke, every moment matters. As one of just 10 hospitals in New York State tohave earned Comprehensive Stroke Center status, and with the region’s newest ER and hybrid ORs, Crouse offers the most advanced technology for rapid stroke diagnosis and treatment

Read Todd’s story and learn more: crouse.org/toddhobin. May / June 2021 - 55 PLUS

55+ music Picking Up an Instrument Later in Life It’s not too late for you to learn how to play By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Petar Kodzas, associate dean and director of Eastman Community Music School in Rochester. The school instructs 400 students who are aged 50 and older through one-on-one lessons and through group sessions in the New Horizons ensemble and the beginner ensembles.

ver wished you had learned a musical instrument? It is not too late. Learning to play later in life is pretty common, according to Brigid Harrigan, director of Rochester Academy of Music & Arts. “Sometimes we have grandparents come in with their grandkids and they say, ‘I wish I could have done that’ and I say, ‘You

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can. It’s never too late,’” she said. About 80% of her students have never played an instrument. The school’s 500 students include a 92-year-old who began studying piano three years ago, quite contrary to the idea that to learn an instrument, one must start very young or with a specific career goal in mind. Learning to play can offer benefits other than a profession.

“For seniors particularly, playing an instrument is a great way to keep socializing,” Harrigan said. “There’re a lot of physical benefits. It increases memory. It calms the heart rate, eases anxiety and even enhances the part of the brain that affects hearing.” Unlike purely physical hobbies, most people can play an instrument all their lives. While some might ascribe to the

“For seniors particularly, playing an instrument is a great way to keep socializing. There’re a lot of physical benefits. It increases memory. It calms the heart rate, eases anxiety and even enhances the part of the brain that affects hearing.” — Brigid Harrigan, director of Rochester Academy of Music & Arts adage that “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” Petar Kodzas, associate dean and director of Eastman Community Music School in Rochester, would disagree. “It’s a matter of how people view life,” he said. “If you look at it as a learning process and believe you can learn and grow regardless of your age, of course you can learn new things. “In my mind, this is one of the easiest new things to try. It doesn’t take big resources. It involves no physical pain. Once you make the decision that now I have the time to try something I’ve never done before, with the right attitude anything is possible.” The school instructs 400 students who are aged 50 and older through one-on-one lessons and through group sessions in the New Horizons ensemble and the beginner ensembles. There are no downsides to trying a new instrument. Eastman student and Rochester resident Patrice Rustusia, now 71, began playing at age 60. Fellow retiree Susan Miller of Rochester roped her into watching her flute lesson — with a promise going out to lunch after. During her visit, Rustusia’s resistance melted. She became so enthusiastic about playing an instrument that she signed up for lessons and found a rental instrument before the promised lunch.

Learning to Play Cello During the Pandemic

ome experienced musicians w h o h ave p l aye d o t h e r instruments decided to add a new one later in life. One example is Eric Logan, 67. In 2020, he decided to learn the cello while the pandemic slowed down his profession as a vocalist. Logan also works with the city of Rochester IT project management office. A board member at Hochstein, Logan had played piano, organ and keyboard for years and played the upright bass while in college. While his singing and “rudimentary” playing fulfilled his need to make music, he had always wanted to play cello. “ The cello is a beautiful instrument,” Logan said. “Its range is my vocal range, so I’ve always found the cello the most compelling.” His advice to anyone interested in taking up an instrument is to just try to improve more than the day before and to not compare progress with other people. “Unless it’s a serious issue, don’t let physical weakness get in the way,” Logan said. “ That can be strengthened. There are aids, like a little rubber attachment that goes on the bow that helps me hold the bow better.” Logan feels grateful to have a good instructor, Kathy Kemp, principal cellist at the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. Logan isn’t the only one to fall for a stringed instrument. Katy Finsterwalder, 77, lives in Irondequoit. Playing the viola had been on her bucket list for years and she finally decided to begin taking lessons at Rochester Academy of Music & Arts. “It has such a mellow tone,” she said. She had taken piano lessons as a child for seven years and still played the piano her parents acquired for her in 1951. But that’s quite a bit

Eric Logan, 67, decided to learn to play cello during the pandemic. “The cello is a beautiful instrument,” he says.

different from the viola. “It requires a great deal of discipline,” she said. “You have to practice. Being a lover of music and listening to the mellow tone gives me a good deal of pleasure.” She encourages anyone who wants to learn an instrument—or anything else—to go for it. She does not take lessons so she can publicly perform, but for her own pleasure. “Curiosity keeps you very young,” she said. “I know it does for me. Do it if it’s something you want to do.” May / June 2021 - 55 PLUS

“Cellos have always just resonated with me,” Rustusia said. She liked how encouraging the instructor was, even though she had never played an instrument. Rustusia admitted that her confidence wavers at times; however, she advises those taking up an instrument to have patience with themselves and to enjoy playing for the sake of playing. “The cello is for me so I find that when I play the cello, it’s my time taking care of me,” she said. “It’s something I do for my pure pleasure. I have spent my whole life in service to other people; this is for me.” John Bucci, owner of The Music Store Inc. in Webster, said that personal satisfaction is a common reason many older adults take up an instrument. “They want to play a favorite style or a few certain songs,” he said. “Some want to be able to play the guitar around the campfire. It’s not something they are doing for other people.” Although returning to music after decades of hiatus is a common

theme among adult students at Mobile Music in Canandaigua, coowner Tim Chaapel said that many older adults start learning to play because they never had the time to do so before. The school provides 400 lessons a week. “Many are lawyers, doctors and professionals that take their instrument to work and on their lunch break, they pull out their instrument and find it a good break in the middle of the day,” Chaapel said. “Studies show it’s not only relaxing and helping people unwind but what it does for memory is good. You have to coordinate your mind and hands.” His wife, Denise, co-owns the business. She said that unlike some younger students, “older adults are extremely hard on themselves. They’re the first to beat themselves up if they didn’t practice. They’re paying for the lessons instead of paying for a child so there’s more accountability. They’re taking it seriously. They definitely want to be here and excel.”

Brigid Harrigan, director of Rochester Academy of Music & Arts. “It’s never too late” to learn to play an instrument, she says.

Join New Horizons! The joy of music-making, with ease and confidence

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55+ hiking

7 TRAILS

You Should Try This Spring

By Kyra Mancine

ooking for an adventure? Spring is the perfect season to savor spectacular views and get some exercise at the same time. Before you go, be sure to check the weather. A substantial rainfall can make for trickier conditions. As always, wear appropriate footwear (hiking or water shoes), leave no trace (carry in/carry out what you bring), and don’t forget water, a snack and your mask.

1. Sandy Bottom Park & Nature Trails, Honeoye

This hidden gem is located on Country Road 36 off Route 20A on the north end of Honeoye Lake. You’ll find a 1.5-mile loop boardwalk that winds though wetlands. You can also follow a grassland trail along an agricultural area. The lake view in the park is 24

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spectacular, and you can also relax under a pavilion, go fishing and even swimming.

2. Stoney Creek, Warsaw

To find this trail, head to Warsaw Village Park. You’ll see a sledding hill within the park. Climb that hill and then take a left onto the trail into the gorge. At the end of the trail, enter the creek bed and head right. Your reward at the end of this hike through Stony Creek is an 80-foot waterfall. The falls are less than a mile up the creek bed.

3. Great Gully, Springport

This creek walk leads to the tributary to Cayuga Lake. You’ll see two waterfalls with deep clear pools as well as smaller cascades along the way. The smaller 8-foot falls is a quick walk from the parking area. Head

further along the creek into the gorge and you’ll reach the 18-foot falls. These falls feature a cavern underneath. In the summer, you’ll find many people swimming here.

4. Keuka Lake Outlet Trail, Penn Yan

This partially paved, partially gravel trail offers seven miles of hiking. Located between Penn Yan and Dresden, it follows a railroad corridor that used to be a part of the canal that drained into Keuka Lake. This scenic hike includes a mill site, old lock sites and numerous waterfalls (Seneca Mills Falls, Cascade Mills Falls).

5. Conklin Gully, Naples

This spot is not as well-known as the nearby Grimes Glen, but just as beautiful. Located in the High Tor

Wildlife Management area on Parrish Road, there are two different hikes you can take. The challenging creek bed walk brings you into a gorge where you can see numerous falls. The trek can be tricky as you are maneuvering over slippery shale and rocks as well as fallen trees. To the right of the creek, you’ll see a steep trail you can take to the top for a stunning view of Canandaigua Lake. Be careful, as this sheer cliff top view features a substantial drop.

6. Reynolds Gully, Springwater

Looking for a short hike? This spot features a half mile out and back trail. This area is part of the HemlockCanadice State Forest. Be cautious, as the trail involves walking through a creek bed. There are waterfalls here, but you will only be able to see three (ranging from three to nine-feet high) out of the six, since the others are located on private property. Located at the south end of Hemlock Lake, park in the small parking area past Johnson Hill Road.

7. Wiscoy Falls, Wiscoy

This hidden gem destination — eight miles past Letchworth State Park — features two main falls, 15 and 25 feet high, as well as smaller cascades along the way. You can see the falls from a bridge on the roadway, but if you hike the creek, it will lead you closer. There is also an old mill and dam above the falls. There is a small parking area by the bridge that accommodates a few vehicles. The trail can be a bit tricky to maneuver in parts, so be sure to take it slow.

Keuka Lake Outlet Trail, Penn Yan. This partially paved, partially gravel trail offers seven miles of hiking.

Sandy Bottom Park & Nature Trails, Honeoye. This hidden gem is located on Country Road 36 off Route 20A on the north end of Honeoye Lake.

Keuka Lake Outlet Trail. This scenic hike includes a mill site, old lock sites and numerous waterfalls (Seneca Mills Falls, Cascade Mills Falls). May / June 2021 - 55 PLUS

55+ cover

Richard McCollough Busy, Restless Renaissance Man “I’m going to keep working and doing the things I love.”

By John Addyman ever stop looking at the sky. It’s a thought Richard McCollough shares with others in so many different

ways. He is a meteorologist who has worked for two of Rochester ’s TV stations and is the daily weather voice of one of the most popular FM stations, WDKX-FM 103.9, where he has been for the last 20 years. When you walk out the door in the morning and look up, he’s told you what to expect. He was a teacher who brought a very special skillset to kids learning about television production and documentaries. What he taught them was that, with hard work and perseverance, the sky had no limits for them. He is the producer of awardwinning film and television documentaries that show what local people of color have accomplished, the changes they’ve led, the lives they’ve changed. And for many who acknowledge the paths already laid for them by these pioneers, the sky is closer. He is a man who has found a new joy in life, spreading blackberry crops under the sky in Conesus, where he makes and markets organic tea and juice…and a very special vodka. A restless seeker of meaning and

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facts, he enjoyed taking breaks as a kid by reading a dictionary or the family’s cherished encyclopedia. He has raised the visibility of the African American experience in Rochester and recorded segments of it for future generations to reflect on and learn from. Driven by a restless nature that causes him to continually challenge himself with new projects and travel down new roads, McCollough, 63, said he’s retired. But he confesses that he is astonishingly busy. He got a start in life that would have limited many of us. “My parents died when we were kids,” he said. “My mother died when I was 8, of cancer. Three years later, my father died of cancer. There were five of us kids. We just followed what my parents instilled in us — the very important need to read, to stay in school, to stay out of trouble. “All those things my parents instilled in us. I will never forget. My parents were the two best role models in my life. My aunts, my father ’s sisters, took over and cared for us and nurtured us. They were in their 60s and 70s. And we took care of ourselves. We had a standard thing at the house: even though my mother passed away, we still went to school on time, and did our homework. My father was working hard. Even when my father

passed away, we followed the standard rule — we got up, did our chores, went to school, did our homework. We didn’t get away from that. We stayed with that model throughout our teens.” McCollough moved from Rochester to Conesus in April and set about adding a room — a library. “It’s a tribute to my parents,” he explained. “They taught us the importance of education. My mother and father bought us a set of “World Book Encyclopedias,” like in 1964, and I read every one of them — I loved reading them. I loved reading a dictionary, learning new words. The encyclopedias were like computers today; I still have that set.” He also has a serious collection of much older books, newspapers and political ephemera. And, another collection of models of warships of the 1800s.

Crisscrossing America

His career, which has crisscrossed America, started in eighth grade, when he attended a summer program at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. “NASA was very progressive about reaching out to African Americans,” he said. “I loved that experience. One week we found out our blood types. Another week we were in the television studio there, which I

Richard McCollough at his Weatherfield Farm in Conesus on March 19. Photo by Chuck Wainwright. May / June 2021 - 55 PLUS

loved. There was always something interesting to do. At the time, Goddard handled all the satellites. A group of us hung together — we were all science nuts. We loved science fiction. “I came up with a science project — I built a robot, an environmental robot, to land on mars and drill and take pictures. NASA interviewed each of us and came out and filmed my science project one day and they used that film in putting together a NASA film. That was a great experience.” He got his bachelors’ degree from the University of Maryland. “I concentrated on theatre and film,” he said. “I was kind of an introvert growing up. I thought it would be best for a broadcaster and journalist to be able to articulate and speak well. To get over the cold thing about being in front of people and cameras — theater was the best thing, to study theater. I studied directing, acting, stagecraft, lighting, writing. When you’re in your late teens, you also learn how to live and deal with people. It was a golden experience.” McCollough put together a resume tape after graduation. “I got a 400-foot reel of color film from a photographer at PBS. I asked my friends to come help out,” and together they produced a series of pieces that looked like movie trailers. He sent the tape to Maryland Public Television and got the job. “They saw what I could do,” he said. “I started at the very bottom, as a production assistant, pulling cables and moving sets around. I had to be on set at 4:30 a.m.” And here he started something that he still follows today — working more than one job. He’d finish at PBS at 11 a.m., go home to sleep, and then be at WJZ Channel 13 at 3 p.m., where he worked as a news editor until 11 p.m. Then home for more sleep. One of the young on-air personalities he worked with was an effervescent Oprah Winfrey. Maryland Public Television also got McCollough started on his meteorological career at the site of the first nationally broadcast weather program, before the Weather Channel. It was aviation weather, syndicated through PBS affiliates. “I worked on production. I was a cameraman and eventually one of the directors,” he said. Now with five years of experience under his belt, he was ready for more.

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McCollough with his camera in hand. He started shooting videos in his teen years. “My dream job was to work in Washington,” McCollough said. “I wanted to work in a newsroom. If I had been in a newsroom, editing, I would have stayed there. But I got to thinking, ‘You know, I’d like to see what else is out there. I want to see what Hollywood is like — the mecca of television and films.’ For two years I had been working two jobs, saving my money. I’m going to move to L.A. and see what I can do out there. If I don’t go, I have no one to blame by myself. I’m not going to be somewhere years from now, saying, ‘Why didn’t you do this?’ So, I took a big chance.” He had college friends in Los Angeles — Will Levine and Alfreda Harris — but the job market was a little tough. He landed a gig as a security officer. “I was looking for work, making calls. Finally, they called me at Group W Production Center for an interview for a production job. I was so happy — that was 1985. “I was doing what I was doing at Maryland Public Television — production assistant, videographer, with light and set design. Sometimes

I’d do camera or sound for interviews. We had a truck — a team of us would go out and do commercials. It was a facility that people rented. We did TV shows, commercials, basketball games and we covered theater.”

First African American weatherman on TV in Rochester

Cable TV called. The Financial News Network was hiring and he was hired as a studio supervisor, working with Sue Herrera, Ron Insana and Bill Griffith over five years. He went back to school for a course in broadcast journalism at UCLA. “In those years, after every show, I would practice doing the weather after-hours in front of a green screen. And I would also put together packages, stories — a lot of science stories — that’s how I got on the air. I kept lobbying to be put on the air as the weatherman. I had put together a two-part series on the Voyager space mission and it so happened that one night a guest didn’t show up for our Business Tonight show. I told Executive Producer Tom Haughton

In April 2020, McCollough bought a farm in Conesus, where he is raising organic blackberries for the tea, juice and flavored vodka. The minute he walks out to the fields, his stresses disappear, he says. that I had done a two-part series on the mission. He said, ‘By God, Richard, we can use that. You saved us!’ So, he put me on the air. We did a stand-up and I got on the air. All that work after hours, it was a sacrifice, but it paid off.” Now McCollough had creds as a producer, a weatherman and a network personality. His career was about to take off. Almost… In 1991, FNN went bankrupt. “I got married when I was out there, to Crystal, someone I knew in Baltimore. It was a bad time because FNN was going belly-up and my marriage ended. A really bad time. We didn’t know where we were going to go, what we were going to do,” he said. During his days at FNN, McCollough linked with agent Alfred Geller, who also represented Al Roker and Connie Chung. Providing some career nurturing and business advice, Geller linked McCollough to Channel 5 in Cincinnati as the morning and noontime weatherman and science reporter. Problem was, McCollough had no direct meteorological experience, just a lot of practice. At Channel 5, he faked it until he made it. “I loved Cincinnati,” McCollough said. “What a good city. It was my first full-time job as a meteorologist; I’d been practicing for several years. I knew I wanted to study meteorology; it was just very difficult to get away from

work and actually study. front again. After being at Channel “I was thinking, 5 for a couple of years, what could I do with I looked into getting my talents for the rest of my degree — I started my life to help people,” at Miami University of he said. “I prayed on it. Ohio. I drove to class My pastor told me, pray every couple of days. on what you might want That’s how I learned to to do and it just came be a meteorologist.” to me — programming He left Cincinnati to for people who have go back to Washington, hearing difficulties. but finding a job wasn’t What do they have on easy. the air? We have dog Specialty vodka “Where do I go? shows, we have sporting produced by What do I do? My agent shows, everything in the Weatherfield Farm. was sending out resumes world, but we don’t have and tapes,” McCollough said. “Then anything for people with hearing loss. I got a call from Rob Elmore from What are they getting out of this cable WHEC, channel 10 in Rochester. They television world? had a chief meteorologist job open and “So, I came up with American they wanted to see me. They liked me, Abilities Television Network and I they liked my work. They liked what decided to put together programming I was doing. They liked my on-air to inform and educate people about presence and my forecasting and they how to prevent hearing loss, what offered me a job as chief meteorologist happens if you lose your hearing. I and I took it.” worked with NTID [National Technical Richard McCollough then became Institute for the Deaf] at RIT and the first African American weatherman they were wonderful to work with. in Rochester. He was there for nine I got a lot of input from doctors and years, a fixture. He also produced a specialists. I formed the network for public-affair program, “Rochester in people with hearing loss and it just Focus,” and became the face of the took off from there.” station for some of its promotions at The show is now viewable Sunday Darien Lake and Bristol Mountain, mornings on Channel 12, the CW. where McCollough went out to meet He left Channel 10 to eventually the communities face-to-face. join Channel 13 as a weekend And his restlessness came to the meteorologist working with Don May / June 2021 - 55 PLUS

Alhart, Ginny Ryan, Doug Emblidge and head meteorologist Glenn Johnson. “Glenn is such a wonderful guy,” McCollough said. “He created this atmosphere where it was like college. Mark McClean and Marty Snyder were good guys to work with. I could have worked there forever but I left to go down to South Carolina.” South Carolina? The money at WSPA-TV in Spartanburg was very good with terrific benefits. “My agent pitched the job to me. It was a very good station, a CBS affiliate. I helped them launch their high-definition broadcasting. That was fun,” he said. “I was also the first African American meteorologist in that market.” For the two years McCollough was in South Carolina, he was also doing the daily forecasts for WDKX-FM back in Rochester, and readying American Abilities Network, and doing a lot of documentary production. He came back to Rochester in 2009 to work for Art Piece, run by Kristin Rapp, a summer program that taught young people about entrepreneurship

using art to create entrepreneurial adventures. “We talked about kids coming up with a business plan. They brought me in because I had the experience of being a documentary producer, so I taught the kids about documentary producing, about camera work, about lighting,” he said. “Those documentaries are on YouTube, a lot of them about young people — their experiences, kids in trouble, kids exploring architecture in Rochester, music, art in the environment, renewable energy — the kids won a lot of awards. They met local architects. A lot of topics we explored. They learned about their subject and the craft of producing — camera work, writing, photography — I taught all that stuff to them.” McCollough’s documentary prowess was also becoming more evident. “Lulu and the Girls of Americus, Georgia 1963” was a watershed effort from him, winning five major awards including Accolade, Telly and Aegis honors. Lulu Westbrooks-Griffin and her friend, Gloria Breedlove, were 12

when they were arrested during a protest in the tiny town of Americus, Georgia. Lulu was incapacitated by a police truncheon blow to the head. She and 31 other girls ended up in an isolated Civil War-era single-room stockade in Leesburg, Georgia, for 45 mid-summer days with no working toilet, no change of clothes, no screens on the windows, and undercooked food once a day. It took Freedom Rider Danny Lyons’ pictures of the girls, an interested congressman and President John Kennedy to get the girls released. That film was produced two years into McCollough founding his company, Mirusmedia, which has specialized in vivid storytelling of local people and circumstance. His most recent award-winning efforts cover the accomplishments of three Rochester civil rights legends — Constance Mitchell (who championed better living and working conditions for people of color and was Monroe County’s first woman and African American legislator), David Anderson (who worked to illuminate the contributions of Frederick Douglass) and Walter Cooper (a Kodak chemist

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who was president of the Rochester NAACP and founded the local chapter of the Urban League, a state Regent, and a leader in education issues). McCollough is also preparing children’s books on all three. Mirusmedia also does the production for American Abilities and provides weather forecasting from McCollough, who has the American Meteorological Society Seal of Approval. The company has highlighted local people, programs and special circumstances, but has also ventured out to provide historic pieces like “Poplar Hill on His Lordship’s Kindness” in Prince George’s County, Maryland.

Semi-retired growing organic blackberries

In 2011, McCollough’s career took another extension and he began a fiveyear stint as a teacher in Rochester. “Again, I prayed on it,” he said. “I couldn’t find work. I tried at Channels 13 and 10 — but there’s very little turnover. So, what I’ll do is I’ll teach. Because I taught in the summer. I had started substituting while I was

working at Channel 13 because I wanted to do it. So many problems you hear about in the city schools, and because I’m a hands-on kind of guy. I don’t like that buffer between me and trying to help someone, young people, directly: I like to be out there in the field. In 2005, I started spending my off days from Channel 13 as a substitute teacher.” He picked up his master’s degree. “The most important thing I learned was critical thinking. That’s something I taught my kids; it’s something they [college] taught us to teach them. I didn’t want them to be little Richard McColloughs, I wanted my students to be independent thinkers. My thing was to get them to think critically about a topic — and how that topic affected them or their family or community,” he explained. Legacy is important to McCollough. The values his parents imbued him with are a legacy he carries and has passed on to another generation through the Richard J. McCollough Educational Fund he set up to help graduating students entering college. Today?

“I’m semi-retired,” he said with his fingers crossed behind his back. “I’m in a place that I really enjoy. I have a lot more freedom now. I do the weather every day on radio and online. I’m working on some documentaries right now. I’m always busy. I always have something to do. I like the idea of educating people, especially young people. I like the idea of staying busy and showing people that no one is going to give you anything — you have to work for it. If you want do something, you have to do it. You have to motivate yourself. “No one really gave me anything. I had to get out there and fight for it and be creative. I like the challenge of coming up with something new and some new way of educating people and enlightening them. There’s always something to do.” Soon, he’ll start tending his hundreds of organic blackberry plants. “I’m out there in the field, I want to do it — it’s good therapy for me. There’s no stress in going out and working in the field — I love doing that. Editing a documentary — I love that. I’m going to keep working and doing the things I love.”

May / June 2021 - 55 PLUS

55+ frogs

Photo by Stephen Ransom

A Frog House in Pittsford. It brings recreational events and workshops, practical educational seminars, scavenger hunts and fun activities for children — all revolving around frogs.

Margot Fass A Passion for Frogs Psychiatrist, artist, author and founder of A Frog House, devotes her time to educate people about frogs By Lynette M. Loomis

argot Fass, 80, is a pioneer for women in medicine, a gifted artist and founder of A Frog House, the center of her environmental activism. Always a lover of art, Fass painted whenever she could. Her gallery includes medical paintings, paintings of Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth, family portraits and prayer paintings, among others. Her many paintings of frogs may be seen regionally. As fulfilling as the art of motherhood was to her, she felt there was another purpose, or several, for her life. At age 37 and as the mother of three, she went to medical school, becoming a psychiatrist.

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She was told she was “too old.” She disagreed; she prevailed. “My husband, Martin, 87, has been incredibly supportive of my art, medical career and environmental activism. I am aware of how fortunate I am to have such a wonderful partner in life,” said Fass. Frogs were a common subject in her painting and as she studied them, she became aware that frogs have been around for more than 200 million years. Fate intervened when her daughter, Lindsay, moved to Pittsford on the canal to a property with an abandoned tiny library. A crew from Next Door cleared out a weedy bank on the tow path. Restoration of the outbuilding began, and new plantings from her city

Paintings by Margot Fass. It’s all about frogs at the Frog House. garden beautified the property. In 2018, A Frog House opened with information materials, frogabilia and frogaphlies. It’s expected to be open every Sunday, 1 p.m. to dusk, May to October. The motto is “honoring life, one frog at a time.” Within the magic of this little house, Fass educates visitors about amphibian survival and holds recreational events and workshops on and off the property. Events include practical educational seminars, scavenger hunts and fun activities for children. (see a froghouse.org/events). Fass’ passion for frogs and the environment inspired her to write and illustrate “Froggy Family’s First Frolic,” a whimsical illustrated children’s book. The story idea came from husband Martin. She loves to write in general and frogs give her no end of subjects to address. There are 22 posts on her website since A Frog House opened in October, ranging in topics from pesticide free gardening, attracting frogs, intersectional justice, being kind, growing up and more.

Daughter Lindsay shares her property with A Frog House in return for her mom’s property enhancement and brings together social and political change makers and people who care about the environment. Fass’ son, Matthew, has built all of Fass’ websites, keeps her extensive digital portfolio online and maintains Fass’ current presence on afroghouse.org. Robert Corby, mayor of Pittsford, has worked closely with Fass on preservation. “One of Fass’ passions is the natural environment that supports us all. Out of concern for the accelerating decline of the natural world, she has studied the problem from both a world and local perspective,” Mayor Corby said. “Locally, A Frog House has sponsored a series of events including lectures, symposiums, walking tours, family educational events, and hands on workshops. A Frog House has also been a collaborative partner in the Pittsford town and village project to preserve the thirty acres of undeveloped land in the northwest corner of the village.”

Margot Fass has written about frogs. Photo of Stephen Ransom Words cannot do justice to the energy of this multi-talented woman, who said, “I think many people want to preserve the environment and falsely think that there is nothing one person can do. I strongly believe that if we can educate people in an ‘easyto-do’ style, and show them how fun it can be, they will try something. That one thing becomes two and

eventually doing the right thing for the environment, with beautiful ponds, walkways and natural plants, becomes a habit. One of the children who visited A Frog House told me, ‘When I grow up, I want to be a frog saver.’ That I might make some contribution to the future generations makes my heart swell.”

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55+ hobby

Cheryl Yelle of Mendon enjoys her time practicing with her horse Hillrose Taconic Major.

Cheryl Yelle Preserving the Best of Morgan Horses For Mendon horse breeder, there is the Morgan — everything else is just a horse, she says.

By Lynette M. Loomis

s you approach the Yelle horse farm in Mendon, you are struck by endless white fences and several horses calmly grazing. Behind this scene is Cheryl Yelle, who is devoted to preserving the Morgan horse, America’s first breed of horse. The Morgan is the only breed to have ever been developed from a (single) stallion, born in Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1789, and owned by Justin Morgan. The Morgan horse is the state animal of Vermont. The breed has also contributed to several other American breeds, including the Standardbred, the

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Saddlebred and the Quarter Horse. The Morgan was the one horse that could do everything and became the chosen horse for the early settlers, the wagon trains, the Pony Express and the US Calvary mounts, especially for the Civil War. Yelle, 63, wanted a pony from the time she was 5 years old. She took riding lessons as a young teenager on Morgan horses that are of similar lineages to the ones she now breeds. That was where her love of the breed began. Later in life and as the mother of four, she wanted to ride on the trails of nearby Mendon Park while

her children were in school. She took lessons and soon decided that she wanted to have her own horse. She concluded that, because of their versatility, intelligence, energy and trustworthy disposition, the Morgan was the right breed for her. In 1991, she bought her first horse, a beautiful 16-year-old Morgan mare named Hillrose, “Rosie.” Yelle researched Rosie’s heritage and the breed, in general. She talked with, and visited, many of the older breeders and learned that Rosie’s pedigree was unique. Not only was she a combination of old New York state Morgans, but Rosie didn’t have any of the more modern show lines of

the 1930s to present. Those Morgans are the ones that are now referred to as “foundation” or “traditional” and are listed as endangered by the Livestock Conservatory. As Rosie aged, Yelle realized she would not be able to find another horse like her and strived to find a suitable stallion. She decided to breed her to a stallion that had very old bloodlines that were behind Rosie six or seven generations. It took two years and a good veterinarian but in 1998, at 23 years old, Rosie gave birth to a foal, named Maggie. “That was the beginning. Maggie had so many admirers. I had the opportunity to sell her several times, as people began to realize that they could no longer find a Morgan like that anymore,” Yelle said. “We rode trail and we both learned to drive a carriage. She was third in the nation for High Point Morgan in carriage driving, at 5 years old. When Maggie was 11, she was bred to an older stallion that carried all the same lines as her mother, Rosie. The result of that breeding is Hillrose Taconic Major, Hillrose Morgan’s herd sire.” To pay for her horse hobby and not deplete the family’s finances, Yelle worked part-time to pay for all the horses’ expenses. She rented a farm for 15 years until she could buy a farm. She also had semen from her four stallions collected and frozen for future use. “Because of the endangered classification, the USDA will take and keep the semen, after I pass, in case it is needed to resurrect the breed,” Yelle said. She traveled to five states to look at potential mares and stallions that were the only ones left with any of these lines. She purchased three mares and immediately bred the older one, and kept the offspring to breed. “I am the only one that has these lines, and had I not started when I did, they would be gone,” Yelle said. “I set out to save one stallion’s lineage and combine three to four New York state lines that I was very fond of but ended up saving or strengthening three.” “I have been fortunate to get a son and a daughter from two of my stallions. I am now able to breed those daughters to my herd sire and other’s sons, to preserve these lines in some strength. “Unfortunately, with preservation as a goal, I could not sell many of my horses to qualify for the exemptions of a breeding farm, to help reduce the expense,” she said. “As I age, it is harder to do the work required to care for and train these beautiful horses. But, when you are on a mission, you do what needs to be done, with love.” Caring for the horses and the farm takes so much of Yelle’s time and energy she has had to forgo some of her other hobbies, including sewing and crocheting. Both she and her husband, David, have been members of the local Mendon Volunteer Fire Department and Auxiliary for 35 years and are now exempt members. “I also used to enjoy riding, carriage driving and occasionally showing my Morgans,” she said. Yelle agrees with other Morgan enthusiasts who say, “There is the Morgan. Everything else is just a horse.”

Cheryl Yelle was a winning Walnut Hill competitor with “Maggie,” whose name is Hillrose Twilight Image.

Grandson Gavin Yelle bonds with Ellie Moro at Hillrose Farm. May / June 2021 - 55 PLUS

55+ jobs

Out of Work?

Try These Tips Experts offer suggestions to improve your chances of employment By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

If you’re 55 or older and looking for work, good luck. Local experts offer tips to improve your chances Tips from Ginny Hronek, owner, Life Coach for Women, Rochester.

Tips from Brian Harding, president, TES Staffing, Rochester.

• “Use only relevant positions, talents and skills on the resume related to the job you’re looking for. • “They don’t look at more than one page of the resume. • “Don’t get too personal, not ‘I have two dogs’ and that kind of thing. • “Use positive adjectives such as ‘promoted to’ and ‘designated as’ and ‘recognized as’ and you want to include any relevant awards or certificates. • “If your industry disappeared, look for your transferable skills. • “An employment agency is your best bet because they are the ones that have the pool of jobs. • “In a virtual interview make sure the setting is appropriate. Put yourself in a room and shut the door. • “Employers are looking for a warm, personable approach and a sense of humor, an ability to be lighthearted and that you take your job seriously. • “Remember that it’s not about your needs, but the employer’s needs.”

• “Make yourself diverse. You need to be able to wear a lot of hats. That is how you create value. The day of doing one thing for an organization is done. Organizations are running lean and they need someone who can have a lot of balls in the air and are experts in a lot of areas. • “With a skills-based resume, you have to elaborate on each position you’ve had. You list out your skills with the company and the years you’ve been with them and explain what you’ve done for the organization and how many hats you’ve worn and the areas you’ve touched. • “Under ‘Education,’ leave off the year you graduated. That dates you. Maybe leave those early positions off and keep the last 15 years of experience on your resume. • “If there are companies with good reputations, I’d go to their job openings to see if there’s anything that’s a good fit for me. Identify some companies you’d love to work for and see if there are postings. • “Stay the course. Don’t give up. It’s all about timing.”

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Tips from Daniel J. Troup, managing director, AdvantEdge Careers, Rochester. • “I was in sales 30 years. It’s a sales cycle and you have to apply sales processes to it. The product you’re selling is yourself. Sales is about understanding your customer ’s problem and pain point and providing the best solution. What are the challenges they’re facing and what is your value proposition? How can you align that to the company? • “Keep yourself current on the most recent technology. Don’t talk about typing skills. Don’t list MS Office as a skill; that’s a given. Show proof you can work remotely. Can you use Zoom, Slack, and Microsoft Teams? • “Eighty percent of jobs any time in the US are never advertised. If you spend all your time online, you’re fishing in a pool where only 20% of the fish are. You have to incorporate networking. Going online should be part of it, but what you have to invest is time. That’s your biggest investment. Invest it where you’ll get the greatest return. Referrals come through networking. Allocate the amount of time through your job search to networking.

• “Networking is not asking if you know of any open positions. Study the person’s profile and have a conversation. In about 20 minutes, talk about yourself for one minute. If you do it with enough people, if you have intellectual curiosity, and you have enough, and you maintain that network, you’ll end up with referrals. • “LinkedIn is a way for individuals to begin to have more than an online representation of their resume, but a way to relate to business-related conversations and demonstrate your area of expertise. Potential people who could hire you could see your interest in posting and writing about your area of expertise. Ultimately, that can lead to opportunities. • “Most interviewers — and I’ve been an interviewer — are lazy interviewers. We have a resume in front of us and we start everyone with ‘Tell me about yourself’ because it’s a friendly way to start an interview. If you have practiced your elevator pitch and aligned it for that company and their pain points, it’s a fastball right over home plate.”

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Tips from Rob Statham, president, Pathlight Career Counseling, Rochester. • “Customize the resume and cover letter for each job for which you’re applying. It seems to the employer that you’re not just throwing resumes out there. • “Update your technology skills, depending upon your field. There’s so much online that is low-cost. You can take a course for $10. Some are free during the pandemic. The Department of Labor has a lot of free courses and webinars to learn and increase skills. • “Avoid email addresses like AOL. Maybe update to Gmail. Include your LinkedIn. • “Don’t pigeonhole yourself in one category. I’m thinking of people who have done one or two things in their career and think they need to do that same career. The transferable skills are what employers are looking for.

Maybe you did marketing and you can take your skills to another field. • “In the interview, be personable. All the jobs where I have been on a panel of four interviewing someone, when the interview is over, they ask each other, ‘Did you like that person?’ Soft skills

matter. • “If you know some you will interview it, go to LinkedIn and see what you can connect with. Be authentic with that connection. It has to be a true connection because people can spot a fake. • “Never downplay your former positions. People will think ‘What will they say about my company?’ Don’t brag too much. One of the things people like is the humbleness about people.

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55+ careers

Oh, No, I’m Retired

Facing — or maybe regretting — your retirement? Here is what three Rochester area retirees decided to do after retirement By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant Bob Zinnecker of Penfield had worked in the telecommunications industry 55 years before retiring. A year later, he realized that he missed working. He began consulting with telecom companies — a natural segue for many retiring professionals — but also tried a few new endeavors, such as mentoring at SCORE and writing four Christian novels, “Acquisition” (2011), “Sell Out” (2013), “The Investment” (2016) and “Tolliver” (2019), plus articles and religious devotionals for publication. He had studied journalism in high school with the ambition of becoming a newspaper reporter someday. Writing came naturally to Zinnecker. However, once he entered the telecom industry, he stayed in it. “A lot of us say, ‘Someday, I’ll write a book,’” Zinnecker said. Only after he and his wife, Elaine, had reared their four children and after he had retired did he find the time to finally pursue that ambition. Three years ago, he began to volunteer as a coach for the Small Business Administration. “I found that to be very rewarding,” he said. “I work with young people who are very enthusiastic. In SCORE, I’ve helped with startups, business planning and nonprofits.” Whether he is helping someone succeed in business or avoid investing in a business that won’t succeed, he is glad to provide guidance. He encourages other retirees to be open. “Look around and try to get outside of your natural orbit. If you’ve been vice president and general manager of a manufacturing firm, you’re probably not going to get the exact same position. Use what you’ve 38

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Rochester and Italy, leading small group tours of Sicily and launching an import business that included designer leather bags and silk items. The pandemic has paused her tour group business and the retirement of the designers stalled the import business. However, she began her most recent venture, working as a franchise consultant for FranNet of Upstate New York, in 2019. The company represents about 225 franchises within the US and assists potential investors in finding what type of franchise best fits their financial situation and goals. The franchises pay the consultants’ commissions.

Bob Zinnecker learn to help shape an organization. Live a little bit outside yourself in retirement. Don’t settle into the rut of ‘In the good old days, I used to do this.’ This isn’t the good old days. You have to find new ways to use the talents God gave you.” Angela A. LaVeccia of Rochester jokes that she never could tell what she wanted to be when she grew up. Now 67, her work included civil service, outside sales in the food industry, assisting a broker within the food industry and operating a B&B while raising flowers and flipping houses. LaVecchia’s wanderlust drew her to Sicily for a vacation. She fell in love with the region and bought a house there. She divided her time between

Angela A. LaVeccia

“I’m able to guide the potential candidate to three or four franchises based on the information on their assessment,” LaVecchia said. “It’s much the same as a realtor. I have to know their financials. There are minimum and maximum investments within each franchise. I have to know loosely what they have for assets.” She has enjoyed her zigzagging career path throughout the years, especially when working independently, where she can “have freedom to follow my instincts and freedom to align with people who are not necessarily likeminded but open,” she said. She networks and promotes her business through membership in Syracuse-based Women TIES, Rochester Women’s Network, and Builders Exchange of Rochester. “I’m helping people reach a dream and it makes their heart sing and they want to go do what they’re doing to do whether sun, rain or snow,” she said. “I’m happy doing that.”

Jill Bates

Jill Bates, 65, of East Rochester, made an unusual switch from owning Jill Bates Fashion, her own seamstress business, to working for a company. Bates founded her sewing business in 1986. Eventually, she opened a small studio near her home, which she ran for 15 years. Wanting a change, she closed that business at the end of 2019 and joined her daughter, Jennalee Herb, to work as a realtor at Howard Hanna Real

Estate Services in Pittsford. Herb is a licensed associate real estate broker. “I was getting restless,” Bates said. “I had my real estate license and helped out the team whenever they needed it. I did do a little bit of consulting to other small businesses and other entrepreneurs as I was trying to figure out how to close my sewing business.” She enjoyed sewing; however, the

business administration side became tiresome. Since her daughter had been asking her to help more in the real estate business, it made sense to shift into that role. “When I turned 60, I knew I needed a career change of some sort and the way I was doing things,” Bates said. “There’s something about turning 60 that you need to prove that you’re not old yet.” She also completed her first triathlon at age 60 and placed first in her age group. “It proved to me that no matter what you want to do, you’ll do it,” Bates said. She encourages anyone transitioning to an encore career to evaluate their transferable skills. Helping customers in the sewing shop often meant reading individuals’ personalities. That skill transferred well to the real estate industry. In addition to shifting her skills from apparel to property sales, Bates improved her networking. She is a member of Women TIES, Rochester Women’s Network, and Rochester chapter of the National Association of Women in Construction. “It is great to connect with other women and learn about their business and they can learn about mine,” Bates said. “Those three organizations have been very helpful.” She also thinks that shadowing someone doing what you think you may want to do can help determine if you should take the plunge.

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May / June 2021 - 55 PLUS

55+ second act A chance meeting results in a ‘musical’ new career

The

Jukebox Repair Man

By John Addyman

he things that happen over a cup of coffee. In 1984, Gary Merritt had a chance meeting with Stan Holloway at a restaurant. “We would each stop in to get a coffee,” said Merritt. “I’d read a newspaper. You know how you meet people at the counter. We started talking one day. He was having some concerns.” Merritt, 77, from Webster, owned a management consultant firm. He has a Master of Public Administration degree from the Maxwell School at Syracuse and has done work for Monroe County and many of the area’s largest companies. Merritt said in one of those chance coffee conversations, “Holloway asked me if I’d come over to look at his business and see if there was anything I could do to help him.” As the two men worked together and became friends, Merritt started to learn something new in his life — fixing jukeboxes and pinball machines. That was Holloway’s business. Little by little, Merritt got involved in the hands-on aspects of fixing the machines. “He taught me everything I know,” said Merritt. “I bought the business from him in 1994 and he worked for me. At first it was a part-time thing. I kept the management consulting thing

55 PLUS - May / June 2021

Jukeboxes like this one were a dream addition to a teenager’s game room or basement with big sound, bright lights, and lots of recordings inside. Gary Merritt of Webster is a special craftsman who repairs and restores jukeboxes, pinball machines and old slot machines. opened for a while, but I ended up doing this full-time.” “This” is fixing slot machines, jukeboxes and pinball machines. Merritt’s company, Great Selections, started in a store at Wynton Road and Main Street in Rochester, but has now settled in a repair shop in Village Gate, on Anderson Avenue. He spends his days working on objects of sound and sight that bring great pleasure to people…but they are artifacts of a different age. The number of craftsmen still able to make them dance and sing are fewer and fewer — Merritt figures maybe 60, tops, in the country. “Everything I’d done in the past was administrative, financial. This was something where I could use my hands to repair and create stuff. I enjoyed that,” he said. “I like taking something that doesn’t work and making it work, and cleaning it up so it looks the way it’s supposed to.” The work he takes on — and he can be choosey — involves pinball machines from the 1940s to present day, slot machines from the 1920s to 1990: “Any slot machine that’s newer than 25 to 30 years is illegal to own in your home,” he said.

For jukeboxes, he likes to work on those from the 1930s to the 1960s. “Anything from 1960 on, you repair; anything from the ‘50s and ‘40s, where you can see the records play, those are the classics and are worth a lot of money — those you absolutely restore,” he said. “The new ones from the 1960s on aren’t worth restoring — people like them and play them, but you just repair them. You can’t see the mechanism working in the newer models. They can’t ‘do’ anything. It’s a jukebox.” The jukebox gems are Wurlitzers, Seeburgs, AMIs and Rockolas. “The Wurlitzers of the 1930s and 1940s are the best and most beautiful,” he said. “The one you saw on TV like ‘Cheers’ is a Wurlitzer ‘bubbler.’ It lights up and bubbles. That’s not the most valuable. The most famous — the 1952 Seeburg that Fonzie hit to play music on ‘Happy Days’ is one of the most valuable, because of the TV show.” Merritt puts the value of a 1940s Wurlitzer bubbler in perfect condition at $10,000 — $12,000. “But there are some earlier Wurlitzers that’ll go anywhere from

Gary Merritt had a successful career as a planner, county director and management consultant, but he turned all that in for the chance to repair and restore jukeboxes, pinball machines and slot machines. $18,000 to $20,000,” he added. Indeed, the Wurlitzers were the Rolls Royces of jukeboxes until they were slow to change over to something new — 45rpm records. “Seeburg started in 1948 and 1949 with 45s, and the 45s took over everything. Vendors — you didn’t have a jukebox in your home, they were all placed in stores by vendors — and vendors bought the Seeburgs because there were 100 selections versus 24 selections (with 78s). In the 1950s, Wurlitzer started going to 45s and asked the vendors why they weren’t switching back to their brand. They were told, ‘We’ve trained all our mechanics and have all the parts for the Seeburgs: why would we want to go back?’” he said. The Jukebox Marketplace on Facebook, a private group of people interested in the machines — buying, selling, swapping or fixing — has some recent posts that indicate what the market is like today. A 1961 Seeburg AY100 is available for $2,200 in Charleston, South Carolina. A recent Rockola Bubbler CD-8B Jukebox that plays CDs is available for $4,500 in Morristown, Tennessee. A 1946 Rockola 1422 (plays 78s) is for sale in Detroit for $3,650. A 1954 Seeburg HF100R in very good condition in Milford, Connecticut is $3,000. A Rowe Encore CD Jukebox is $950 in Waynesville, Ohio. And, you

can have your own 1946 Rockola 1428 (plays 78s) for $2,100 and the owner in Otisville, New York will deliver it locally. A 1959 Seeburg 222 is for sale for $5,500 in Elkhart, Indiana — it holds 80 45s. Jukeboxes are interactive entertainment. You insert a coin (it was a nickel when Glenn Miller recorded “Juke Box Saturday Night”), you choose what song you want to hear, push a button or two, and watch the machine go pluck your record from a neat row of them, turn the record around, and either bring it to the needle or lay it on a turntable…and the music starts while the machine glows and pulsates. A lovely beverage and a willing dance partner complete the experience. Merritt marvels at the breadth of his customer base. “They come from all walks of life: doctors, lawyers, professionals, older people in their 70s and 80s; young people in their 20s and 30s,” he said. “Income levels are also variable. I’ve got multi-billionaires who are customers, and people like me who just survive along the line.” And very often, the most appreciative and enthusiastic audience is grandkids. When the jukebox under his care is finished, the big moment arrives when a customer is re-introduced to the machine which is now shiny and ready to rip. “There’s a level of happiness and enthusiasm,” Merritt said. “Now they can actually see it function and they can hear it. That’s the fun part. All of a sudden they’ve got something that works and they can enjoy it. They can also enjoy it, many times, because they have grandkids and the grandkids enjoy the jukeboxes. “I have customers — of almost every wealth category — who tell me, ‘Okay, come over and take care of all my machines — and they may have four or five machines. I know exactly the reason I’m going over there to repair those machines — their grandkids are coming over and the grandparents want the jukeboxes to work for their grandkids.” Getting a 70-year-old electronic and mechanical device to command a room and fill it with light and sound takes a good amount of work and talent.

Merritt, by necessity, is wired into people who can provide parts, relying on 10-15 folks whom he has dealt with over time. “I use them because I know them and have had dealings with them: they’re reliable and their prices are reasonable. There are a few people out there who think their parts are gold and I just won’t deal with them. It’s not worth it. “Once you deal with these people a lot, you get to the point when you call them up, you get to know them and there’s a relationship. On the flip side, they may call me for parts. I have some customers who can do their own work on certain things. They ask me to get them this, get them that. I buy the part and sell it to them, or I take it off one of my machines and give it to them,” he said. He said others doing the kind of work he does are middle-aged plus, but he also sees younger people coming into the ranks as their parents (or grandparents) pass the businesses on to them. Has Merritt thought about bringing in someone young to take over the work or cut down the backlog? “The problem is,” he said, “nobody seems to want to commit to learn the business and they think they should be getting journeyman’s wages instead of apprenticeship wages.” COVID-19 has kept Merritt out of his repair shop for most of the last year. He’s return this spring. Time is always on his mind. One particular part can be so rare it takes several months to find it. If that’s the case, Merritt may employ an expert to make the part that is no longer available and that can put the price of a restoration up by several hundred dollars. He normally needs two to five months to finish a project when parts aren’t a particular problem. In the end, he loves to watch the expression on a customer’s face when his work has had the desired effect. “When a customer says, ‘That looks nice and really sounds good — I didn’t think it was going to sound that good.’ That’s the joy of the customer getting the jukebox back and enjoying the sound — and usually, it’s their records they’re listing to,” he said. “The real audiophiles like to hear their music on vinyl rather than on disc or over the internet because the sound is truer and warmer on a record.” May / June 2021 - 55 PLUS

55+ food

A Taste of Germany in Rochester Market offers a plethora of German meats, beers and more By Mike Costanza

fter almost 21 years of running the Swan Market, owner Barry Fischer still enjoys coming to work. “I love to hear people be so happy with a lunch, or a sausage, or whatever we make for them,” the 58-year-old Irondequoit resident said. Swan has the feel of an old German butcher shop, market and delicatessen. Its walls are lined with exotic spices, cookies, pastries and other fare. German beer is sold in bottles and on tap. Sausages, cold cuts and cuts of meat fill the refrigerated counter that dominates Swan’s public area. The sausages and cold cuts are made from scratch either at its original location on Rochester’s Parcells Avenue or in a second building that Fischer owns about two blocks away. Richard Yates headed to Swan on a Saturday in early March just for its meats. “Their butcher case, with the German types of sausages and deli meats, is very, very high quality and

Lisa and her husband Barry Fischer have owned Swan Market in Rochester for more than 20 years. delicious,” the Brighton resident said. “They make a cognac salami that’s really delicious, and no one else has that.” Rochester residents Jessica Paul and Drew Shumway came seeking foods that would help relieve their pandemic-induced isolation. “While we’re quarantined, we’re kind of doing date nights around the world,” Paul said. “We’re doing Germany tonight and just exploring some German food.” Shumway also scored some spicy

curry ketchup. “My oldest sister lived in Germany for a year after high school and introduced this to us,” he said. Customers can shop for dinner, then lunch on dishes that are made fresh that day. Though Swan’s specializes in German foods, other cuisines are also available — the Hungarian goulash is great. You can also enjoy the market’s products at some local restaurants. “They have our stuff at the Genesee Brew House, Rohrbach’s [Rohrbach Brewing Company], the Irondequoit

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55 PLUS - May / June 2021

Beer Company,” Fischer said. The solid brick building that the Swan calls home has housed a German meat market for almost 100 years. “The daughter of the guy who built the store, and she died when she was a little over 100, brought me the original paperwork, as far as the specs for the building,” Fischer said. “Pretty cool stuff.” Fischer caught sight of Swan more than two decades ago, when he wanted to take his working life in a new direction. After 17 years as a butcher and meat manager for Wegmans Food Markets, he’d decided that he didn’t quite fit into the corporate world. “When somebody asked me what I thought about something, I gave them my honest answer,” Fischer said. “Not always what they wanted to hear.” Gunther Schwahn, the market’s previous owner, had put the market up for sale, and Barry considered buying and running the business. Lisa, his wife, was more than a little concerned about her husband leaving a good job at Wegmans to strike out on his own. “We had four children, a mortgage, and it was very unknown,” she said. “We were coming into something we didn’t know and I was terrified.” Barry admits that some important aspects of running Swan were new to him back then. “I thought of myself as a pretty good butcher,” he said. “The sausage part of it, that was certainly something that I was not familiar with.” Before signing on the dotted line, Barry spent time with Schwahn, trying to see how well running Swan would fit his aims.

“I would work there for nothing for quite a few weeks on my day off, just to see if it was something I wanted to do,” Barry said. On April 23, 2000, at the age of 37, he and Lisa became Swan co-owners. Schwahn initially agreed to work with Barry for eight months while he learned how to run the business — and make sausages. “He was to stay with me and teach me,” Barry said. “Here it is 21 years later, and he still kind of looks over my shoulder once in a while.” Swan is very much of a family business—four of its seven employees are family members—and everyone works together. Barry runs the place, butchers the meats, makes the sausages, serves customers and takes on all sorts of other tasks, and 59-yearold Lisa mainly takes care of Swan’s bookkeeping. Their son, Eric, calls himself the business’s “utility guy.” “I’m making sausage, helping in the kitchen, running the counter.” he said. “I do all of the electronics.” Eric worked at Swan while growing up and when not away at college. After graduating from Binghamton University, the talented athlete spent three years in Israel playing lacrosse for the Israel Men’s National Team. Returning to the US in 2019, he began working full-time in the family business. “I’m not the kind of guy that sits behind a desk,” Eric said. “I can work with my hands and see a finished product that I’m making, which is kind of cool.” James Power’s accent betrays his English roots. Barry and Lisa’s son-

in-law was working as a landscape gardener when he met the couple’s oldest daughter, Ashley, who was teaching physical education in London. Four years later, they moved to the Rochester area, where he took a job with Swan that allows him to follow his real passion — cooking. “I’ve had the opportunity to really go back in the kitchen and make the gravies and all the soups, and stuff like that,” he said. Power, who also serves customers and runs the Swan’s catering operation, will celebrate his seventh year with the business on July 4. Swan grew until it encompassed two buildings, both of which are now paid off. Then the coronavirus pandemic hit, the market’s catering business dried up and state regulations prevented customers from coming in for sit-down meals. “We generally had a pretty good lunch crowd,” Barry said. “We lost a lot of revenue, with not serving lunches for a year.” The market managed to survive on its retail and take-out customers and Barry was able to keep all of his employees on the payroll. After virus infections fell in Monroe County, Swan reopened for lunch on March 3. Barry recognizes that he can’t continue to perform the physical labor of running the Swan Market forever. He’s already had one hip replaced and underwent surgery to deal with a problem in one wrist. Though Eric and James might want to take over the business sometime in the future, Barry isn’t sure he could ever actually retire. “I have to keep busy.”

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May / June 2021 - 55 PLUS

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55+ art Lorraine Staunch’s

Positive Art By Christine Green

hen guests walk into Lorraine Staunch’s art gallery and studio one of the first things they encounter is a giant portrait of a cat wearing glasses. “Whenever people come into my gallery-studio, they have a certain smile that comes across their face. I have a three-foot by four-foot painting of a beautiful angora cat and it has cateye glasses from the ‘50s on it. They immediately break out into a smile, because that cat has an attitude and that cat has cat-eye glasses! It is for no reason other than to make someone smile,” Staunch said. This cat with an attitude is just one example of Staunch’s “Positive Art: Art That Makes You Smile.”

Positive art to inspire and uplift

Staunch, 62, sold her first painting to a non-family member in 1970. But her artistic dreams didn’t end with a child’s crayons and watercolor set. She left the snowy Northeast Kingdom of Vermont where she grew up to attend the prestigious Ringling School of Art and Design in Sarasota, Florida. Staunch graduated with a degree in fine art then moved to North Carolina to work as an illustrator. In the late 1990s she moved to the Rochester area and is now settled in Fairport. When she first came to Rochester, she started her own business specializing in illustration and faux finishes in the home market. But about five years ago, the interest in faux finishes waned. Staunch decided that it was time

Photo by Michael Rivera

Lorraine Staunch with some of her portraits in her studio in Fairport. to get back to her first love. “I had to reinvent my business, which was art, it was always art,” said Staunch. “So, then I’m like, ‘You know what? I’ve got to get back to what I love to do,’ which is fine art, commissions, caricatures.” Today she works mostly in acrylic and her murals, portraits and fine art pieces can be seen all around the area in coffee shops, dental offices, restaurants, schools and homes. She particularly excels in large three-foot by four-foot “larger than life” painted caricature portraits. But these aren’t the hastily drawn caricatures one can buy at the boardwalk. These are carefully crafted, highly detailed, full-color paintings suitable for any art gallery as well as business or home display. Several of her latest pieces can be seen at Comedy @ The Carlson and Edibles Restaurant. Staunch is also working on an Amazing Women series featuring glass-ceiling busting females such as Lucille Ball, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Rochester’s own Abby Wambach. “A lot of these women have pushed the boundaries of whatever profession they were in,” Staunch said. “They have achieved greatness but underneath their spirit, their positive

attitude has made all the difference.” Staunch is drawn to positivity in her subjects because she herself is such a positive, cheerful person who lives and works primarily to spread happiness to those around her. “I believe that we all have a contribution to our society, to our community, to the world,” she said. “And why not make it a positive statement?” Staunch tries to live by this tenet every day. “The biggest thing is that every day, you get up, and you try to do better every single day. You just keep trying to be friendly and sincere,” she said.

Bringing joy to the community

Holly Anderson is the executive director and president of Rochester’s Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester. She knows Staunch through their annual ARTrageous Affair Gala. Each year, artists donate artwork for auction to raise money for BCC’s work to support people diagnosed with breast or gynecological cancer. “We’re so fortunate that she picked us. We love her! Her stuff is so great and so popular and so different,” she said. Staunch is more than happy to May / June 2021 - 55 PLUS

donate her time and energy to BCC since she knows how pervasive cancer is. “I feel that cancer touches all our lives,” she said. Anderson said she is glad that Staunch has stood by them and has helped them out so many times over the years. “Lorraine has stuck with us through thick and thin and I just think the world of her,” she said. “She’s just so real,” continued Anderson about Staunch’s positive attitude toward life. “You meet people all the time that that’s their shtick. It’s truly who she is. There’s no catching her down. I’m sure she has [bad days], we all are human. I’m sure that there must be dark days in Lorraine Staunch’s life, but you would not know it. She just has a way of looking at the world in a more positive way.” Kim Guerrieri said almost the exact same thing about Staunch. “I’ve never seen her just down. I’ve never seen that part of her,” she said. “She just makes you want to move. She puts a smile on my face and she makes me laugh.” Guerrieri met Staunch a little more than 13 years ago when she hired her to paint a mural in her child’s nursery. “At the moment I met her I loved her, because she came in with that positivity,” she said. “She took a deep breath, and she came into the room and had that positive energy and was always happy, smiling, and I was like, ‘Oh, this is amazing.’”

Portraits by Lorraine Staunch

When Guerrieri’s daughter was born with Down Syndrome she became involved with Gigi’s Playhouse, a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting individuals with Down syndrome. Today she serves as the vice president. When it was time to design the

interior of the building at Village Gate, Guerrieri immediately turned to Staunch, because she wanted her “good vibes.” “We wanted to make sure when our participants came into Gigi’s that they felt good,” she said. The result is a 3,800 square foot

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building filled with Staunch’s positive art including the Rochester city skyline. “So many people have commented as soon as they walk in that door. They are like, ‘We just feel like we’re at home. It’s just so inviting,’” Guerrieri said. In addition to donating her time and skills to the decor Staunch also donates to their fundraising events. “She always gives her paintings to put in the auction,” Guerrieri said. “She never takes a dime. She does this out of her heart. She absolutely loves it.” Anderson noted that Staunch does the same thing for them and other charitable events around the area. “She often buys a ticket and goes, so she’s doing a bit of dual support. And, you know, she’s just so generous with her time and her energy. She has so much energy and enthusiasm for the community and wants to make her art relevant and meaningful to people going through all kinds of things,” she said.

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Effervescent, vivacious, contagious, exhilarating

When asked what one word they would use to describe Staunch, both Anderson and Guerrieri couldn’t stop at just one. “Effervescent,” said Anderson without hesitation. But then she quickly added a few more, “Vivacious and effervescent. Ok, three words— and contagious!” Guerrieri added her own word, “Exhilarating, because when I’m around her she makes me want to do stuff. She just puts that fire in everyone’s butt!” It’s clear that Staunch is a community member intent on uplifting the people she encounters. “I think there aren’t enough positives in the world right now,” Staunch said. “So, I’m just doing that tiny little part in that tiny little section of my world and letting it go out there and multiply.” Currently, Staunch’s studio is only open to clients by appointment only. In addition to her Amazing Women project and private commissions she is working on artwork in a liquor store in Canandaigua and a new barbecue restaurant in Fairport. Learn more at lorrainestaunch. com.

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55PLUS

addyman’s corner By John Addyman Email:john.addyman@yahoo.com

The Construction Behind the Glamour

roc55.com

Editor and Publisher Wagner Dotto

Writers & Contributing Writers Deborah J. Sergeant, John Addyman, Todd Etshman, Lynette M. Loomis, Kyra Mancine, Mike Costanza, Christine Green, Ernst Lamothe

Columnists

Jim Terwilliger, Jim Miller John Addyman

Advertising

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

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How to Reach Us P.O. Box 525 Victor, NY 14564 Voice: 585-421-8109 Fax: 585-421-8129 editor@roc55.com 48

55 PLUS - May / June 2021

have not had a good relationship with tools in my life. Some guys are just talented and drawn to using tools wisely and well. I never got there. I think my troubles started with my father, who wasn’t too good with tools himself. That didn’t stop him from trying to fix things. He’d start to rewire a lamp or put a hinge on a screen door— something that would normally take an hour — and three hours later he was still struggling and swearing. I learned more about swearing when you fix something than I did actual reconstruction. The day I got officially offput by using tools was our first shop class in seventh grade when the shop teacher, Mr. Riker, was showing us something and I noticed he was missing two fingers and a couple more fingertips. But that didn’t stop me from using tools when I grew up. And adventure regularly ensued. For instance, we bought a 10-speed bike for our oldest daughter, Amy. “You and she can put the bike together as a father-daughter project,” my wife suggested. “We have to use tools,” I muttered to my wife. “It’ll be fun,” she said, “a bonding exercise.” Amy and I set up the box on the floor of the garage. On the outside was printed, “It’s the construction behind the glamour that counts.” “What does that mean?” Amy asked. “I have no idea,” I told her. A friend of mine came back from Vietnam with a Minolta SRT 101 camera for me. The booklet that came with it was written by someone who wasn’t exactly facile with English. “Shutter for picture gentle press” was one of the sentences in the booklet. “It’s the construction behind the glamour

that counts” was hitting me about the same way. The guy who sold us the bike said we might have to put the bike cables and gears together, but when we opened the box, they had come already assembled. I told Amy, “This is going to be easy. All we have to do is stick this thing together.” Those words should never have come out of my mouth. We read the owner ’s manual, got all the parts spread out in proper order, and started construction. “If your model has a tubular front fork with a spoked wheel, slip a spacer washer into each end of axle,” stated the instructions. “This isn’t a tubular fork,” I told Amy. We put the wheel on anyway. For the next step, we were supposed to assemble the kickstand and attach it to the frame. “Where’s the kickstand?” I asked. “I don’t see it.” “It’s on the bike, right here,” said Amy. “It’s already assembled, Daddy. Maybe you’re reading the instructions for the wrong model.” Yep, there was the kickstand, right where it should have been. “Something is screwy here,” I said to myself. Amy nodded demonstrably — she knew exactly what was screwy. I went through the manual front to back, then did it again. Nowhere could I find directions to assemble a 10-speed bike. Amy helped. We found stuff on quick-release hubs, on 12-speed gears, on three-speed bikes, but nothing on a 10-speed. “Now what are we going to do?” she asked. We had pieces of this thing all over the floor, spread out. “We’re going to put this together,” I said, and that’s what we did. We put the pedals on. And the handlebars. And the shift levers. And the brakes and cables.

“I’ve never seen brakes like these,” I told her. Her bike had side-pull brakes as well as brakes you pulled up from the top of the handlebars. She showed me how well those brakes worked and how hard she could squeeze them. And at the same time, she showed me how much it hurts to have your daughter squeeze on the top-pull brakes when her father’s fingers are inside the brake. I took it all very calmly. “Aaaaaaaaaaah!!!” I screamed. Unfortunately, that scared Amy. In reaction, she managed to squeeze the brake harder. And I screamed again. From the next room, my wife reacted to the noise. “Amy, did you run over your father’s toes with your bike?” “No, Mommy,” Amy answered. “Did you grind up some of his fingers in a gear, dear?” “No, Mommy.” “Is he bleeding?” “Not sure, Mommy. I’ll ask. Daddy, are you bleeding?” “Aaaaargh! Take your hands off the brakes, won’t you please?” I muttered, doing my best not to yell at Amy. “Oh gee, Daddy — I’m sorry. Mommy? I guess I’ve crushed Daddy’s fingers a little.” “Is he bleeding, dear?” “I can’t tell, Mommy. He’s rolling around on the floor biting his tongue and he’s holding his fingers between his legs where I can’t see them.” “Is Daddy saying anything?” “No, he’s just grinding his teeth and rolling his eyes a lot.” “Get him some iced tea, dear,” my wife said, and as Amy left, my wife came in to look at me. I had stopped rolling around the floor in agony. She patted me on the head. An hour later, the pain had subsided and Amy and I actually finished the bike, with Amy doing most of the work. To make sure everything worked, Amy took the bike for a quick ride up and down the street. “There now,” my wife said, “that wasn’t so bad, was it dear?” She stood at the doorway of the garage as Amy returned. “I’m so proud of both of you.” With that, she gave Amy a hug. And she squeezed my hand.

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By Ernst Lamothe

David Roll, 72

Professor of chemistry, biochemistry and human biology at Roberts Wesleyan College wraps up a distinguished 40-year teaching tenure at Roberts Wesleyan College. Describe what teaching in the midst of a pandemic has been during the last year? It definitely has been a revelation. When the virus started making national news in March 2020, we couldn’t have foreseen the kind of year it has been. It was a wake-up call. I used email more in the last year communicating with students than ever before. I did find that when you are communicating with people by email, you learn a little more about them in a way where they wouldn’t be as direct with you in class. We utilized Zoom and Google Meet to do work and we met face to face for lab work. You realize how essential it is to have real interaction in a classroom but we still made it work as much as we could online. Was it difficult having a science class become virtual? It certainly was. When you do lab work, you need a feel of what is going on and you need to be able to firsthand see and create any experiments. It was a different experience. Plus with one of my classes, we always had a health professional come and meet with the students face to face and discuss medicine and pharmacy and that was something we were not able to do. How did you decide this was going to be your last year? I have been thinking and talking to myself for the past five years. Every year, I would think is this going to be the year I retire? I continued because I still had a passion every year and I believe it is important to keep that passion and you should never enter teaching without it. Then about a year ago, I decided that while I still loved teaching, I had done it for 40 years and there were other things that I wanted to look at doing with my life. 50

55 PLUS - May / June 2021

How has teaching changed during your four decades. The number one thing that has changed of course is the technology of how you teach. When I first started we would use a mimeograph which produces copies from stencil. You could smell the aroma of paper going through that machine in the classroom. Then we moved to transparencies where you David Roll of Caledonia has thought could put material to use with about retirement for the last five years. an overhead projector. Then He decided this year is the right time to the computer revolution came do so. and it was something we could never have imagined and sciences and that is when I knew and it has been a revelation when it that is what I wanted to do in college. comes to teaching biochemistry and chemistry. Students can isolate their Why do you think being a good DNA and amplify it and study it. teacher is essential? We are currently cloning a gene from I was lucky as early as the sixth plants in the student laboratory with grade to have a teacher who helped the advances in molecular biology. pushed by passion for science. It Those are experiments that would lets you know the impact of a great have been impossible when I first teacher in your life. Teachers have started teaching. the ability to shape you and fuel your interest. I certainly know I love to How have students changed? inspire students into doing research That’s the one thing that I would or going into the health profession say has stayed the same. I don’t know and making a difference. Also being if there are any major changes I have part of a smaller school like Roberts found across the spectrum of students Wesleyan you can really connect with 40 years ago as opposed to now. I students in a smaller class setting. I would say today’s students are facing have had students where I taught them financial challenges when it comes and eventually taught their child at to college like never before. Some Roberts. That is special to me. students are highly motivated and valid learners and others are not, but What will you do in your spare that has always been the case. time? I still jog three miles a day so I What made you decide to go am going to keep my exercise regime into science? going. I think it helps clear the mind I was interested in chemistry at a and makes your body feel strong. I young age. I had my Gilbert Chemistry might do some volunteer work as part Set that you purchased as a kid and of a Christian agriculture ministry that that is all I needed. Then in junior high helps farmers find efficient ways to I started to read books on chemistry raise crops.

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