Prime Time November 2015 by AIM Media Indiana

PRIME TIME November 2015

Laura Moses A big sister to the community

Trainer Nancy Hankins | Hospiceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mission of compassion | Musician Steve Allee

Editor’s note

Welcome to the winter issue of Prime Time. That’s right, I said winter issue, even though as I’m writing this letter on Nov. 2 the weatherman is calling for temperatures in the 70s for most of the week. It has definitely been a strange autumn so far, though I’ll take all the 70s I can get. But I know that sooner or later winter will arrive. I’ve been trying to stop it for decades. Haven’t yet and probably never will. While I will always prefer warm weather to cold, over the last few years I’ve learned that winter does have its good points. For one thing, Christmas is, in my opinion, much more enjoyable when there’s snow on the ground or at least a good chill in the air. I feel sorry for folks down south who work up a sweat dodging their inflatable Santas and snowmen while mowing the lawn. Winter also brings college basketball. For those of us who root for Indiana University, the snow helps to wash the bad taste of another failed football season from our mouths. This winter even Purdue fans might want to taste some snow, too. This is also the time of year when we can wear sweaters, both beautiful and ugly. There’s something comforting about wearing a sweater and enjoying a cup of hot chocolate. If nothing else, it helps take your mind off the fact that while you’re sipping your drink the snow is piling up outside. But not to worry, we can face the snow in our stylish winter coats, boots, hats, gloves, scarves, long underwear, three pairs of socks, face masks, hand warmers, foot warmers, etc. Winter also gives us a much-needed break from our friend the lawnmower, though we might have to get reacquainted with Mr. Snow Shovel and Mr. BenGay. One of my favorite things about winter is going to bed at night in a bed outfitted with flannel sheets and several blankets. And, of course, winter is the perfect time to read Prime Time. We have lots of good articles in this issue, each guaranteed to keep you warm and toasty. So grab your Snuggie and your favorite hot beverage and enjoy. Unless, of course, it’s still 75 outside, in which case you might want to opt for shorts and iced tea. See you in the spring.

PRIME TIME • NOVEMBER 2015 • 1

contents 4

This & That

Laura Moses always in motion

Cooking for one

Music man Steve Allee

Hospice delivers compassion

Nancy Hankins focuses on fitness

Handwritten keepsakes

Neil Sedaka still crooning

Calendar of events

Sharon Mangas column

2 â&#x20AC;˘ NOVEMBER 2015 â&#x20AC;˘ PRIME TIME

Forest Path 20

A home-like setting for up to ten residents with skilled nursing and therapy available.

Not just a design, an approach to living.

Call Today

for Additional Information!

Comments should be sent to Doug Showalter, The Republic, 333 Second St., Columbus, IN 47201 or call 812-379-5625 or dshowalter@therepublic.com. Advertising information: Call 812-379-5652. ©2015 by Home News Enterprises. All rights reserved. Reproduction of stories, photographs and advertisements without permission is prohibited. Stock images provided by © iStock.

Lutheran Community Home, Inc. On the cover: Laura Moses | photo by April Knox

111 Church Ave., Seymour, IN 47274 www.LutheranCommHome.org

(812) 522-5927

PRIME TIME • NOVEMBER 2015 • 3

This & That New Music Josh Groban tackling classic tunes on ‘Stages’ On his current release “Stages,” Josh Groban covers some of the most timeless show tunes in musical theater. The material seems custom-built for the charming and affable pop singer with the strikingly dramatic voice. “These songs are meant to be sung over and over again by many different interpreters,” he says. “It’s great to keep carrying that torch a little bit.” The 13 tracks on “Stages” feature such emotional classics as “What I Did For Love” from “A Chorus Line” and “Try to Remember” from “The Fantasticks.” Also included is material by composers Stephen Sondheim, Rodgers & Hammerstein and Andrew Lloyd Webber. Groban is the right singer to revisit such notable material. His smooth, sweeping and classically trained voice puts him in the lineage of beloved pop crooners Johnny Mathis and Andy Williams.

Social Security Q&A

Q: A:

How far in advance should I apply for Social Security retirement benefits?

You should apply three months before you want your benefits to start. Even if you aren’t ready to retire, you should still sign up for Medicare three months before your 65th birthday. When you’re ready to apply for retirement benefits, use our online retirement application for the quickest, easiest and most convenient way to apply. Find it at www.socialsecurity.gov/retire.

I heard that my future Social Security benefits are based on my earnings, and I want to make sure my earnings have been accurately documented. How can I do this?

Your online Social Security Statement gives you secure and convenient access to your earnings records. It also shows estimates for retirement, disability and survivors benefits. Get started at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount.

For fast answers to specific Social Security questions, contact Social Security toll-free at 800-772-1213 or visit www.socialsecurity.gov.

4 • NOVEMBER 2015 • PRIME TIME

5 ways to improve health and finances EAT LESS MEAT “Studies do show that people who eat less meat tend to be leaner and less likely to gain weight than people with higher meat intakes,” said Kristen Gradney, the owner of a nutrition consulting firm. Numerous studies have also shown that switching to a vegetarian diet can lower cholesterol levels, she said. Plus, you can cut your grocery bill by replacing meat sources of protein with beans and vegetables.

QUENCH YOUR THIRST WITH WATER Water is your best bet for hydration because it’s calorie-free and inexpensive. Considering households spend an average of $850 a year on soda, and drinking just one soda every day can add 10 pounds of extra weight in a year, according to Drink Water First, your wallet and waistline will thank you for sticking to water. Just skip bottled water, which costs 240 to 10,000 times more per gallon than tap water, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.

DRINK LESS ALCOHOL Various studies have found that moderate consumption of alcohol actually helps your heart. However, if you drink too much, those benefits are outweighed by an increased risk of high blood pressure, liver damage, certain types of cancer and

other problems, according to the Mayo Clinic. So what’s a moderate amount? One glass of wine a day for women and men older than 65 and two for men 65 and younger. Limiting — or eliminating — your alcohol consumption will also save you money. Consumers spend an average of $445 a year on alcoholic beverages, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

EXERCISE WITH FRIENDS Not only does physical activity help you control your weight and combat chronic health conditions, it can also make you feel happier, relieve stress and give you more energy. Exercise can also lead to higher wages because it boosts productivity, according to a study published in the Journal of Labor Research.

QUIT SMOKING If the warnings that smoking can lead to lung disease, heart disease and cancer haven’t convinced you to quit, maybe the high cost of your habit will. The average price for a pack of cigarettes is $6.24, according to the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids. So if you have a pack-a-day habit, you’re spending nearly $2,300 a year on cigarettes. Plus, smokers pay $35 for related health costs per pack they smoke, according to the American Cancer Society, which adds up to almost $13,000 a year if you smoke a pack a day. — GOBankingRates.com PRIME TIME • NOVEMBER 2015 • 5

[this & that] Book Reviews “Rogue Lawyer” (Doubleday), by John Grisham John Grisham’s latest novel introduces Sebastian Rudd, a criminal defense attorney who takes on cases others want to avoid. In the world that Grisham reveals from Rudd’s perspective, he is fighting for his clients’ lives while also battling corrupt police and court officials who would rather have closure than the truth. While his methods are sometimes unorthodox, and he doesn’t have an official residence he can call his office, saying Rudd is a rogue lawyer is a bit of a stretch. He’s not really a scoundrel or dishonest. The book opens with Rudd defending someone who appears to be guilty, but he knows otherwise. The evidence is either made up or circumstantial at best. He has witnesses who can place his client elsewhere at the time of the murder, but it’s going to be a tough sell since his client’s alibi involves testimony from street people and drug addicts. The jury has already made up its mind and is willing to do anything to put an innocent man on death row just to stop the proceedings. Several other cases land in Rudd’s lap over the course of the novel, with some being quite personal and others tragic. He’s going to have a difficult time providing justice the more he pushes. The book’s layout and the way in which the narrative flows give “Rogue Lawyer” the appearance of being several short stories crammed together. The last third of the book feels more like a standard novel when elements from previous sections are mentioned and become essential to the tale. All the standard Grisham themes are in abundance, and Rudd’s charm as the narrator should vault this book to the top of the best-seller lists.

“Find a Way” (Knopf ), by Diana Nyad Diana Nyad writes the way she speaks — exuberantly capitalizing the job titles of her swimming support team members, name-dropping her way through anecdotes about her public life at a historic time for women in sports, colorfully detailing the hallucinations she experienced during her long swims from Cuba to Florida. Nyad’s new memoir, “Find a Way,” should charm the fans who cheered her through five attempts to swim the approximately 100 miles through the rough, swift currents between Cuba and the Florida Keys. Critics who questioned Nyad’s documentation of her successful 2013 swim, along with her methods and equipment, likely won’t find much to appreciate about “Find a Way,” though. “Find a Way” makes clear how Nyad did everything her way, even if she was out of step with the rest of the open water swimming community. She didn’t keep up with how marathon swimmers started to codify their events during her 30-year absence from the water, and she didn’t much care when it came to jumping back into the Florida Straits. She had her vision for the swim, her internal playlists and tricks to occupy her mind during the long hours in the water, her hand-picked crew of supporters and her own expectations to manage. She may not have maliciously flouted any rules, but she wasn’t looking for input from outside her protective bubble, either. Maybe some readers will find inspiration in Nyad’s triumphs over adversity. In “Find a Way,” though, Nyad’s ambitions don’t come across as triumphant so much as needy. 6 • NOVEMBER 2015 • PRIME TIME

Understanding grief Mill Race Center hosts a bereavement support group from 4 to 5:30 p.m. the third Thursday of each month. The group is facilitated by Walter Glover, a certified grief counselor, and Jennifer Lowry. It is open to anyone who is grieving the loss of a spouse/ partner, child, parent, sibling, loved one or friend. The group is free and open to the community; MRC membership is not required. Participants’ books and journals are provided by the Teegarden Foundation. Information: Shannon at MRC, 812-376-9241, ext. 220.

900 Lindsey Street Columbus, IN 47201 (812) 376-9241 www.millracecenter.org

Join us at Mill Race Center!

Fourth Friday of each month at 2:00 pm Live performances and desserts. $5 MRC member / $10 non-member

Friday Night Live Three events planned throughout the year from 7-10 pm Cover charge at door. Cash Bar & Snacks

Four Saturday mornings planned throughout the year.

Super Saturdays Lunch & Laughter

Readers Theater

Enjoy exploring, creating, learning, engaging, tasting and connecting! 10 am - 12:30 pm

Several lunch shows planned each year. Reservations Required Come laugh with us!

Sponsored by Columbus Parks & Recreation & Seniors Helping Seniors

PRIME TIME • NOVEMBER 2015 • 7

Cover Story

personality An electric

Laura Moses moves in high gear through her many community roles

By Sharon Mangas n photos by April Knox

aura Roberts Moses, program director of Big Brothers Big Sisters for Bartholomew and Brown counties, is a force to be reckoned with. She has the sparkle and energy of Shirley Temple combined with the grit and determination of literary heroine Scarlett O’Hara. “I’ve always been outgoing and driven,” says Moses. She’s spent much of her career and spare time in service to others and to her community. A native of Columbus, she was the shadow for her father, David Roberts, growing up, tagging along with him to the barber shop, accompanying him to work at the trucking business he managed, and helping out at the houses he built. “I knew what a guys’ world was,” says Moses. “I was born a social butterfly who figured out early on how to balance the feminine and masculine sides of life, striving to succeed in everything I did. My mom, Enid Roberts, kept me in Polly Flinders dresses and patent leather shoes, and my dad pushed me to have a strong backbone and determination. I was driving a tractor by age 11. I had to pull my own weight. I loved it.” Shy isn’t in her vocabulary. At age 15, while at Acme Electric with her mom to buy light fixtures, she asked owner Joe Ostrander how he managed to sell light fixtures when the samples were so covered with dust. “Joe laughed and called me a smart aleck, but he offered me a job on the spot, and I starting cleaning light fixtures on weekends and school vacations.” After high school, she stayed on at Acme full time, teaching herself the business and eventually taking on the position of showroom manager at the age of 19. “I learned everything I could about lighting, electricity and design layouts. I worked with architects, engineers and decorators. Joe was a wonderful mentor. My work experience there was invaluable.”

8 • NOVEMBER 2015 • PRIME TIME

PRIME TIME • NOVEMBER 2015 • 9

[Cover Story]

Laura Moses began cycling in 1996 as a way to relieve stress but grew more serious about her training in 2009. Married at 23, Moses eventually left Acme to support her husband’s business and to focus on her three sons, Nathan (34), Ethan (32) and Matthew (30). She volunteered while the boys were young, helping at their schools and serving at various nonprofits, including the American Cancer Society, where she arranged rides to Indianapolis for cancer patients. Her dedication is legendary. “I gave birth to my third son, Matthew, on a Friday, and the next day it dawned on me I’d probably be going home from the hospital on Sunday, which meant I needed to find drivers for the upcoming week, ASAP. Much to the consternation of the nurses who wanted to check my vitals, I had paperwork spread everywhere and worked the phone from my bed until I had the roster filled!” Then came a difficult year for Moses. Within a few short weeks in 1996, her husband suffered a heart attack, her father died, and she found her marriage crumbling. Her boys were 14, 12 and 10 at the time. Despite the challenges, she carried on. “You can’t tell me not to do something, because I’m always going to find a way to get it accomplished. After the divorce, the boys and I went from living in a big house and having a comfortable income, to me sometimes working two to three jobs to make ends 10 • NOVEMBER 2015 • PRIME TIME

meet. That was very humbling … but we managed. My kids were always number one.” Oldest son Nathan lives in Bend, Oregon, and is the married father of 5-year-old twins. He’s grateful for his upbringing. “Mom taught us the importance of balance in life, in the personal, professional and spiritual. She instilled in all three of us the desire to try out new things and seek out new adventures. Failure, to us, is not trying our best at something new. She’s a wonderful grandmother and is always there to offer advice or a friendly set of ears to listen.” Although Moses took up a fitness regimen only five years ago, including learning to swim at age 53, she’s been bicycling for years. “When I was newly separated, I starting taking bike rides when the boys were at their dad’s. Biking is how I learned to be alone, but more than that, I came to see my bike gears metaphorically … as resources for life. Today, when I facilitate groups, or I’m working through a challenge, I say, ‘In life we have all sorts of resources to make the journey more manageable, like bicycle gears. So reach out and use those gears to help you through the headwinds.’” Today she not only bikes, but also runs, swims and does circuit training.

Younger friend Autumn Reinbold, who trains with her, loves her company. “Laura is a beast on a bike. She pushes me on biking, and I help her with running, but more than that, I just enjoy spending time with her. She has an abundance of knowledge in regards to work, family, travel and life experiences. She’s one of the best role models I could ask for in life.” Throughout Moses’ career, including time as the director of general affairs at CAPCO, a long stint as executive director of the Bartholomew County Historical Society, and working as an account manager for SIHO Insurance — not to mention the countless boards she’s served on — she’s dedicated herself to learning every aspect of the organizations she’s been involved with and gives her all. Chuck Kime, executive director of Foundation for Youth, works closely with Moses in her current capacity as program director of Big Brothers Big Sisters and appreciates her attention to detail. “Laura’s a ball of energy,” says Kime, “and works hard to identify the needs and motivation of the people she works with. This is true of the Big Brothers Big Sisters staff, the mentors, the “littles” and our community supporters. Laura identifies what is most needed to serve our kids. She pairs those needs with people’s desire to serve.” Moses recently agreed to partner with Donnie Ritzline for Dancing with the Stars Columbus Style

2016, a popular fundraiser for Children Inc. and Family School Partners. She’s busy training. “I’m taking belly dancing lessons to help get my body moving in both directions. I have two left feet.” Ritzline, who won the competition in 2012, looks forward to competing with Moses. “She’s a competitive person,” says Ritzline, “and I love that spirit, since we’re doing this to raise money for two great organizations. She wants to win.” Retirement is still down the road for this busy woman, but she already (jokingly) told her boys to prepare a FROG — Family Room Over Garage — for her, so she can spend a few months a year with each of their families when she retires. With her boys settled in Oregon, Chicago and Germany, she’ll have a selection of great places to hang her hat, should the FROG spaces materialize. Preparing for a meeting, Moses, ever the multitasker, touches up her mascara and lipstick … without using a mirror. “I’m a work in progress,” she says. “I believe that life is what you make it.” She loves quotes, and as she readies to leave her office, she points out a favorite from Teddy Roosevelt, framed and hanging on a wall: “Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” “You’ve got to have faith,” says Moses. “I remind myself daily: It’s his plan, my journey.” PT

Moses has been the program director for Big Brothers Big Sisters in Bartholomew and Brown counties for eight years. PRIME TIME • NOVEMBER 2015 • 11

lifestyle

•

• The •

solitary

diner • Cooking for one presents singular challenges

By Jennifer Willhite

et’s face it. When you live alone, cooking a meal can seem like an unnecessary pain. What’s the point? It’s easier to fix a frozen dinner or, better yet, run through the drivethru. But cooking for one doesn’t have to be a daunting chore. It’s important for anyone to eat well, but especially those who live alone, says Julie Knight, clinical dietitian with the Bariatric Center at Columbus Regional Health. Healthy eating at any age can help prevent and control many common issues that plague Americans in today’s fast-food culture, including diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. The key is to consume a balance of the right minerals, nutrients and vitamins, according to WebMD.com. When you live alone, eating out is very convenient. But it can run into money and take a toll on your health, Knight says.

12 • NOVEMBER 2015 • PRIME TIME

“As we age, the worrisome part is gaining weight,” she says. “The heavier you are, the more your body breaks down as you age, and you become less independent because you can’t move as much or go up and down stairs due to the extra weight.” When impaired mobility and motivation are dominating factors, eating out can easily become your go-to option for meals, she says. Fast food portion sizes are often much larger than what’s necessary for one person, Knight says. So moderation goes straight out the window. It’s essential to limit how much you eat out. The best defense against eating out too frequently is meal planning. “I think it’s probably more important for a single person,” she says. “A healthy diet doesn’t happen in our current environment. If you want to be healthy, planning is a must.” Preparing a different meal at home every evening can quickly become overwhelming when you’re cooking for one, she says. But, on the flipside, you don’t

OVER 300 years

of combined experience providing wealth management in columbus Retirement Plan Rollovers • Estate Planning and Administration • Trust Services • Comprehensive Financial Planning Managed Investment Accounts • High Quality Personalized Service

Front Row Left to Right: Andy Simms, Suzie Shaw, Kristen Rieckers, Faye Michael, Lori Burton, Rain Barker, Steve Boggs Back Row Left to Right: Scott DeDomenic, Bob DeDomenic, Steve Meredith, Bill Glick, Tom Currens, Don Prince, Paul Schultz, Bob Banister

Securities offered by J.J.B. Hilliard, W.L. Lyons, LLC Member NYSE, FINRA & SIPC Trust Services offered by Hilliard Lyons Trust Company, LLC, an affiliate of J.J.B. Hilliard, W.L. Lyons, LLC 380 Plaza Drive, Suite D, Columbus, IN 47201 • 812-372-7892 • www.hilliard.com PRIME TIME • NOVEMBER 2015 • 13

[lifestyle] want to eat the same thing every day either. Familiarizing yourself with flash freezing is a good idea and a great place to start, Knight says. Flash freezing involves taking small portions of prepared foods — such as cuts of meat, vegetables, etc. — and freezing them on a sheet pan. Frozen portions are then placed in individual plastic bags for easy access. Consider this. If you prepare and freeze two meals that serve four to six people each, those meals will give you up to one dozen dinners. The trick is to start with a couple of simple recipes and freezing techniques, recommends Knight. Mixing and matching easy, freezerfriendly recipes offers flexibility and also stretches out what you prepare. And you would be amazed at what you can freeze. “A good way to store herbs is to chop them up and put them in a small amount of butter and put them into an ice cube tray to freeze,” she says. “Then you have seasoned butter that is really quick and easy to cook with because it’s ready to go.” Not up for freezing whole meals? Go fresh with fruits and vegetables. Baked potatoes with vegetables, fruit and vegetable-based smoothies, and omelets are nutrient-rich foods that can be individually prepared to taste. “When it comes to fruits and vegetables, a lot of them can be cooked quite easily for one,” Knight says. “You don’t want to shy away from fresh fruits and vegetables; they’re easier to prepare when it’s just one person because you can buy them individually, which makes it easier.” Spending time perusing the grocery store’s produce section can also yield great results since many items there are individually portioned and packaged. Consider shopping at the salad bar for vegetables that are already cut, prepared and ready to go, Knight says. It’s also good to keep staple dry goods on hand, such as beans, pastas and whole grains like rice and couscous. “Most of your dried goods go pretty far,” Knight says. “If you think about it, you don’t have to cook an entire box of whole grain pasta, just take what you need from it.” Canned foods are another option. “For someone who is not going to cook as much, canned beans are probably better

“You don’t want to shy away from fresh fruits and vegetables; they’re easier to prepare when it’s just one person because you can buy them individually, which makes it easier.” — Julie Knight

14 • NOVEMBER 2015 • PRIME TIME

than a dried bean,” Knight says. “Beans are cheap, easy protein and are high in fiber. They can really fill out a meal, and it doesn’t get much easier than that.” To lessen the temptation of eating out, many single people will load their freezers with frozen dinners, which can do in a pinch, but you shouldn’t rely on them too much, she says. It’s easy to be seduced by the convenience of pre-packaged frozen meals. Many brands offer “healthy options,” but remember that those, too, are loaded with sodium and preservatives and, many times, aren’t as filling. “I always look at things on a scale of least healthy to most healthy, and sometimes a frozen meal is going to be healthier than going through the drive-thru,” Knight says. “I don’t see anything wrong with keeping healthy frozen meals on hand as a backup.” The best approach to meal planning and preparation when cooking for one is to keep things simple. If you are someone who doesn’t mind eating the same thing for breakfast or lunch every day, that routine can actually be a benefit, she says. “You need to have a fall-back routine that you just do without thinking,” she says. “And when we’re talking about someone living alone, I think it’s even more important.” PT

PRIME TIME • NOVEMBER 2015 • 15

16 • NOVEMBER 2015 • PRIME TIME

profile

And all that

jazz For Steve Allee, his many roles reflect a life set to music

By Barney Quick

or Brown County resident Steve Allee, music means the excitement of constantly discovering new ideas. It means mentors and collaborators and passing knowledge on to those who share the passion. It means an array of roles, all in service of melody, harmony and rhythm: pianist, arranger, composer, bigband leader, trio leader, educator and archivist. And he fits all that around his day job as musical director for “The Bob & Tom Show,” the Indianapolis-based, nationally syndicated morning-drive radio program with which Allee has been associated for 27 years. He’s primarily a jazz musician, but his Bob and Tom work requires him to come up with tunes and fragments thereof in a wide variety of genres. He has to be keenly attuned to the nature of the characters and skits the hosts create and what kind of musical environments are called for. As is often the case with those for whom music is an all-consuming passion, it started with a family member with a great record collection. Aside from a piano-and-organ-playing grandmother, no one in his immediate family was a musician, but he had an uncle with a treasure trove of vinyl. “He had Dixieland, classical, rock ’n’ roll, various kinds of jazz,” Allee recalls. “That was my first exposure to Dave Brubeck, Count Basie and Benny Goodman. One day, he played me Miles Davis’ jazz interpretation of “Porgy and Bess,” and I asked him to play it over and over.”

Regarding playing, his first instrument was the accordion. “A door-to-door accordion salesman came by offering six free lessons if you passed an aptitude test,” he says. “Of course, everybody passed, because he wanted to sell instruments.” When Allee was a freshman at Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis, band director Fred Niemeyer told him that if he learned piano over the summer, he could play in the stage band. From there, the die was cast. Mentors and gig opportunities appeared with increasing momentum. Niemeyer introduced Allee to trumpeter Jim Edison, who led small groups that played at dances. Edison gave Allee arranging lessons and exposed him to yet more jazz artists. Edison also introduced Allee to pianist Claude Sifferlen, who was a great influence. “He exposed me to Chick Corea and Herbie Hancock, as well as contemporary classical composers like Bartok.” Meanwhile, Allee played accordion in a society band that had a standing residency at the Indianapolis Athletic Club on Saturday nights for two years. The repertoire consisted of standards and Broadway show tunes. He graduated from Ben Davis in 1968 and studied music at Indiana University for a while. Alas, the draft intervened, and he served in the Army for a year and eight months. He performed in the 82nd Airborne Division marching band and at combo engagements for dignitaries. PRIME TIME • NOVEMBER 2015 • 17

[profile]

submitted photos

Upon Allee’s return to civilian life, Sifferlen recommended him for a six-night-a-week job at The Lamplighter at 38th and Emerson in Indianapolis, backing visiting artists. Around that time, he met drummer John Von Ohlen. “He’d just come into town from a tour in the Stan Kenton band and wanted to form a quartet,” Allee says. “We had a nice run playing around town and giving workshops.” Allee himself spent a period in a nationally known big band, touring with Buddy Rich. Then Von Ohlen formed a big band and asked Allee to write for it. He was very much an established jazz figure in the Indianapolis area when, in 1988, trumpeter P.J. Yinger recommended him to Bob and Tom as a pianist for one of their songs. Bob and Tom had been on WFBQFM for five years and had a well-established presence for radio zaniness. “They asked me if I’d like to arrange some horns and strings for what I’d written, and then asked me if 18 • NOVEMBER 2015 • PRIME TIME

I’d like to produce it,” he says. Thus was a relationship that continues to the present formed. He’s directed the music for around 70 Bob and Tom albums over the years. That activity has led to production work on recordings by other comedians. Allee has also composed film scores and music for television shows such as “Chicago Hope,” “Mad About You” and “Touched by an Angel.” He’s kept up his activity as an educator as well, which has led to further collaborations. For many years, he’s been on the faculty of the Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshops, presented annually on the University of Louisville campus. He and fellow instructor, East Coast-based bassist Rufus Reid, have recorded some albums and performed some highly acclaimed concerts together. In 2000, the lifelong city-dweller moved to the hills of Brown County. “It’s magical to me,” says Allee. “I’d come from Indianapolis, where there aren’t any hills.”

He’d always been attracted to the area. “My family would go for Sunday drives and picnics there when I was growing up. It’s just an enchanting place.” He has a studio in his home where he’s recorded several projects. Beginning with the fall semester, he has taken on full-time faculty duties at the University of Cincinnati, teaching advanced improvisation, jazz theory, combo and jazz piano skills. He describes his most recent summer preparing for his classes as “the busiest of my life.” How does he fit this in with his day job? He says that Bob Kevoian and Tom Griswold “have been very gracious about letting me pursue other projects. I’m currently working on a Bob and Tom library that they can use on their Internet show and app.” In turn, the university admired his Bob and Tom work. “They valued the practical aspect, my having been an arranger, producer, studio musician and contractor.” Indianapolis-based record producer (and Columbus native) Michael Clark has collaborated with Allee on many Bob and Tom albums, as well as albums by comedian-musicians Rodney Carrington, Tim Wilson

and Richard Bowden. He describes Allee as a downto-earth person and a good friend. “The Bob and Tom band was going to change keyboardists, and Steve volunteered,” recalls Clark. “I thought, how is it going to be to work with this jazz monster? But it worked out great. It’s impressive to watch him write out a chart right in the middle of a recording session. I do tease him about playing these big 10-finger chords on simple country stuff.” Allee says that his other great enjoyments in life are his wife, Carol; son, David (a trumpeter and proprietor of the Indianapolis venue The Jazz Kitchen); daughter, Lori; and his grandchildren. He and Carol enjoy exploring the world of food and wine as well as travel. “We’ve been fortunate to go to Europe, Central America and many parts of the United States,” says Allee. It’s mostly about music, though. He counts it among his hobbies as well as being his livelihood. “I feel like I’m still a student. I learn alongside those in my workshops and university classes. Also, musicians make great ambassadors. Nothing puts a country’s best face out there like a musician.” PT

Columbus Advanced Family Dentistry Are you looking for quality dentures at an affordable price?

Call YOUR Local Denture Experts Are you tired of waiting to get your dentures or denture service? at 812-372-0102 Are you looking for a quality dental office that is local?

900 Lindsey street • CoLumbus, in 47201

812.372.6415

www.ColumbusDentalGroup.com

www.justfriendscolumbus.com PRIME TIME • NOVEMBER 2015 • 19

profile

A continuum of

Care and Compassion Hospice facilitates a time of grace for families

By Jennifer Willhite n Photos by April Knox

ovember is National Hospice/Palliative Care Month, a perfect time to look at the dedicated staff and volunteers of Our Hospice of South Central Indiana and the valuable service they provide to the community. The local hospice organization may be widely known for its annual concert and fireworks show, which celebrated its 29th year this past Labor Day weekend, but its services are much more complex and far-reaching than what’s seen on the surface. It’s difficult to find a hospice staff member or volunteer who, at some point, hasn’t been personally touched by the services the nonprofit organization offers. And, for many, it is because of the comfort, care and compassion they and their loved one received that they work for hospice. Nurse practitioner Lisa McHone’s journey with hospice began when the organization was still new to the Columbus community in the 1980s. Back then, she worked as one of four registered nurses who visited patients in their homes. “I loved the holistic care of the patient and the challenge it brought,” she says. “I also loved the team approach and patient and family contact.” She continued her work with hospice until 1991, when she returned to school. After completing her master’s degree in the early 1990s, she worked with Volunteers in Medicine for nearly a decade before returning to hospice as the inpatient facility’s first nurse practitioner in 2008.

20 • NOVEMBER 2015 • PRIME TIME

Lisa McHone is a nurse practitioner with Our Hospice of South Central Indiana.

Our Hospice of South Central Indiana Nurse Practitioner Lisa McHone, RN, ANP

Patient Care Manager Dawn Curry, RN

Registered Nurses

Rhonda Banks, Lori Buntin, Karen Crawl, Amy Dager, Debbie Garber, Susie Goins, Lu Anne Hendricks, Tracie Jarrett, Kim Napier, Lisa Ondrejack, Kathy Smith, Melissa Spears

Inpatient Services – Hospice Center Patient Care Manager Stephany Hendrickson, RN

Registered Nurses

Susan Bell, Patty Daniels, Genevieve Day, Erika Good, Edna Jones, Lee Ann Lane, Lailah Mobley, Sally Ramsey, Becky Roberts, Jon Templeman, Melinda Thomas, Regina Zen Ruffinen

PRIME TIME • NOVEMBER 2015 • 21

[profile] “Hospice is a gem in this community,” McHone says. “And when patients and families come here who aren’t familiar with it, they’re amazed it’s available. Our community is extremely fortunate to have the inpatient facility and program that stretches over the south-central region.” She admits her role with hospice is unique in that she fulfills several of the same responsibilities as a physician in addition to providing education to hospice’s nursing staff at the inpatient facility and throughout the region. “We have a very holistic approach,” she says. “One of the reasons I love hospice is that it brings together a lot of elements of my 35-year career in health care.” The 14-bed, 24-hour inpatient facility next to Columbus Regional Hospital opened in 2004. The organization has other offices in Columbus, North Vernon and Greensburg, all supported by a staff of more than 100 full-time employees and 250 volunteers. Over the past 10 years, Our Hospice of South Central Indiana has expanded to serve 15 counties in the south-central region, including Johnson, Decatur and Jackson counties. Despite its well-known reputation, there are still misconceptions about what hospice is, says McHone. Hospice offers several services in addition to inpatient, end-of-life care. Patients who have symptoms that are difficult to manage at home may come to hospice until their symptoms are controlled. Additionally, hospice offers six days and five nights of respite care, which allows caregivers and loved ones a few days’ rest and relief from direct care giving. Those who enter hospice during the last stages of illness no longer receive aggressive, curative treatment, McHone says. Prior to entering hospice, a physician must certify that the patient has a life-limiting illness, that curative treatment has stopped and that the individual’s life expectancy is measured in months. McHone describes the care offered to patients in those final stages as comfort care, which could also be considered supportive care. “In some cases, people say, ‘I’ve had enough,’” she says. “Other times, it’s the patient’s decision to not opt for treatment, such as dialysis or chemotherapy.” McHone says end-stage disease and illness can often be quite complex and unexpected symptoms do occur. Since the facility offers only supportive care and no diagnostic services, such as imaging tests or lab work, staff must have a keen understanding of what’s happening and help provide solutions that 22 • NOVEMBER 2015 • PRIME TIME

Bartholomew County Volunteers Total 66 Including: Patient/Family 29 Fundraising 6 Office 14 Bereavement 1 Pet Therapy 1

Volunteering

Individuals interested in volunteering are encouraged to contact Our Hospice of South Central Indiana Volunteer Program at 812-314-8030. What’s required: 15 hours of orientation/training, as well as ongoing monthly training. Volunteer opportunities: Support for patients, including visiting, reading, taking walks, writing letters or bringing in music. Running errands for the patient or family. Clerical assistance, such as copying, filing and answering the phone. Computer data entry. Supporting fundraising events. Additional opportunities in the Our Hospice Inpatient Facility. Time commitment: Volunteers may offer time based on their availability and the needs of patients and their families.

alleviate the symptoms that are distressing to the patient, she says. Families want answers about the condition of their loved one and look to staff to help make the difficult situation better, which can be challenging. To help aid with emotional, mental, spiritual and physical support, hospice offers families a team approach consisting of a chaplain, social worker, registered nurse, physician, nurse practitioner, home health aide and volunteer. McHone says dealing with death on a daily basis is difficult, but it is also a blessing. “Patients and families need to be surrounded at that time with comfort, caring people and compassion,” she says. “They understand the situation they’re in, and they welcome that circle around them.” McHone says her father’s death in July, following a year-long illness, has allowed her to more effectively reach out to patients and families.

Paul Miner is a volunteer at hospice. He visits with patients so their family members can have time to run errands or take a break. “I understand more clearly the depth of loss now,” “I think end of life is sort of like the beginning she says. “I understood it professionally, now I unof life,” McHone says. “It is sacred. It is personal. derstand it personally, what a transformative experiEveryone has a unique story, and the process and ence it is to lose a parent. I have now walked in those patients and families deserve undivided attention and shoes, and there are some days my work brings that care during that time.” back up closer.” Often, it is the volunteers Because of the ripple who supplement staff in ofeffect caused by the profering that support. Volunteer “The hard part is after you have fundity of loss at end of Paul Miner has been with called on a patient for two hours a life, hospice’s bereavement hospice for nearly two years week for 10 to 12 weeks you get to team continues to surround as a part of the organizafamilies for 13 months followknow them. Then when the end time tion’s Vet to Vet program. ing the death of their loved He says his more than 35 comes, it hurts you more that way.” one, McHone says. years of military service of“Grief is a process, too,” fer a unique perspective that — Paul Miner she says. “To me, it’s always many veterans in hospice amazing a family allows you care appreciate. into that sacred time for them. And when they do, you “It is odd that we’ve found combat veterans don’t feel privileged to be part of a care team.” want anyone to know what they did in combat until She says the greatest lesson her work with the orthe end time comes,” 79-year-old Miner says. “And ganization has taught her is that everyone has a story then they want everyone to know.” about what has led them to hospice. They want to tell Miner, who also serves as chaplain for a local their story and have someone actively listen. American Legion post, says his weekly two-hour visits PRIME TIME • NOVEMBER 2015 • 23

[profile]

Volunteer Bruce Foster helps lay memorial bricks in the garden walkways at the hospice facility.

24 • NOVEMBER 2015 • PRIME TIME

Flowers and a plaque grace the gardens. to help with maintenance and groundskeeping at the with veterans give him and the patients something hospice center, located on the Columbus Regional to look forward to in addition to offering caregivers a Health campus. He says the job he loves the most is much-needed rest. laying memorial bricks in the walkways that surround “The hard part is after you have called on a patient the facility. He admits sometimes his emotions do get for two hours a week for 10 to 12 weeks you get to the better of him. know them,” Miner says. “Then when the end time “I laid two bricks in a row one day,” he recalls. comes, it hurts you more that way. I have some pa“One was a former classmate tients I didn’t even get to see of mine in school, and I was before they passed.” sad about that, and then the Miner says working with “To me, it’s always amazing a family next one was a state police hospice is difficult to describe allows you into that sacred time for officer who gave me my first unless you have experienced ticket, which I deserved. I it personally. The organizathem. And when they do, you feel had to laugh about it.” tion offers much more than privileged to be part of a care team. ” Volunteering a couple what people think, he says. of days each week keeps And that is certainly the — Lisa McHone him busy, Foster says, but case for longtime volunteer the biggest benefit is the Bruce Foster, whose parents satisfaction of knowing were in hospice care in the he’s helping others and giving back to the commuearly 1990s. Foster says the care his parents received nity. He says he plans to continue volunteering for coupled with his own experience with cancer in many years to come. 2000 and 2001 are what led him to start volunteer“I’ll stay on as long as they let me,” he says. “I told ing 10 years ago. my wife, ‘I’ll put down the bricks even if I have to As a former facility maintenance worker with come out of one of the rooms to do it.’” PT Cummins, 67-year-old Foster has used his experience PRIME TIME • NOVEMBER 2015 • 25

profile

A good fit It has all worked out for personal trainer Nancy Hankins By Sharon Mangas n photos by April Knox

ancy Andress Hankins, owner of StudioFit by Nancy, has a long family history tied to sports and fitness in Columbus. Her late father, former Mayor Max Andress, was a longtime teacher and football coach at Columbus North High School who played football in high school and college. Hankins’ four older brothers also played football — for Columbus North — and three of them played football in college. The sports tradition is now extending to the next generation. Hankins’ son, Triston, 16, a junior at Columbus North, played quarterback for the Bull Dogs this year, and daughter, Alexa, 25, has a degree from IU in exercise science. “When I was born,” says Hankins, “The Republic ran an article saying that (after four boys) my dad finally got a cheerleader … but Mom and Dad didn’t get a cheerleader. I was a tomboy. I liked to do all the things my brothers did: running, riding

26 • NOVEMBER 2015 • PRIME TIME

bikes, jumping off things, playing football. My mom, Dolores Andress, had to bribe me to wear a dress for my birthday parties, but halfway through the parties, I’d inevitably be back in play clothes, running around outside.” Hankins remembers her rowdy childhood fondly. “With five kids at home, Mom and Dad didn’t go out by themselves often, but when they did, whoever baby-sat for us would predictably tell my parents at the end of the evening, ‘Never again!’ Thankfully, my parents both had a great sense of humor. There was lots of laughter in our house when I was growing up.” As a high school student, Hankins excelled at tennis, working her way to No. 1 on the girls tennis team at North. “My brother Steve got me into tennis. We were doubles partners and both very competitive. We started beating couples older than we were — most of them longtime tennis players — and that didn’t sit well. One couple we trounced walked off the court and threw their tennis rackets in the trash!”

PRIME TIME • NOVEMBER 2015 • 27

[profile] Hankins graduated from Purdue in 1985 with a B.A. in advertising and returned to Columbus to work as a marketing consultant for a radio station. Aerobic exercise classes were a new trend in fitness at the time, and she signed up for classes through the local Wellness Program. Other instructors noticed her abilities and encouraged her to train to teach. Hesitant at first, she eventually agreed and was on her way to becoming a fitness guru. “I fell in love with fitness through the Wellness Program,” says Hankins. “I had some unbelievable mentors and bosses there who had so much foresight into the future of fitness.” Shayla Holtkamp, longtime fitness specialist for the Wellness Program, was one of Hankins’ fellow instructors in the early days and has watched her career develop. “Nancy has always had a passion for fitness and health,” Holtkamp says. “She has years of experience and a natural intuition about how to teach safe, effective exercise. She’s truly a role model of fitness and health in Columbus.” In her early 30s, Hankins faced a hurdle that could have sidelined her career. After years of binge

drinking on weekends, she realized her drinking had become a big problem. Sober for more than 20 years, she talks frankly about her addiction. “I had a moment of clarity on a vacation. I saw this little girl playing on the beach, and I thought she looked so much like my daughter back home. It hit me. ‘What was I doing with my life?’ I had this beautiful child, but I was continuing to make bad choices that affected me and my family. I called home and said, ‘I need help.’ Thankfully I got the support I needed from family and went into rehab.” Recovery brought her Catholic faith front and center in her life. “My recovery from myself — I believe alcoholism is a symptom of self — is only as strong as my service to others. I started recovery on my knees. Through faith in God, treatment, AA and the loving support of my family and friends, I’ve been able to stay sober and live my life. I’m not sure I really started truly living until after sobriety.” About a year into recovery, Hankins left marketing and the Wellness Program behind, and moved on to a full-time fitness job with Tipton Lakes Athletic Club. “It was hard to leave the Wellness Program,” she says,

Hankins instructs her client, Tom Hinshaw, during a class at StudioFit. He began working with her prior to his open heart surgery several years ago and attributes his continued good health to his workouts. 28 • NOVEMBER 2015 • PRIME TIME

Hankins teaches a spinning class.

Hankins with her grandson, Max Redicker.

“but after I took a workshop on personal training — it was a new concept then — I knew that’s the direction I wanted to go, and the Wellness Program didn’t have facilities for it.” Hankins credits Vern Jorck, then owner of Tipton Lakes Athletic Club, with giving her the freedom she needed to develop her skills as a personal trainer. “Vern was very good at letting me develop personally and professionally,” says Hankins. “I had a strong mindset when it came to what I wanted to accomplish as a trainer. I knew exactly how I wanted to do it. Vern would reel me in when necessary, but he gave me a lot of leeway to develop.” Hankins was divorced with two young children when she met her future husband, Shane Hankins, on a blind date in 2001. They clicked immediately, married in 2003 and have learned to juggle busy schedules and the needs and demands of a blended family. Together, they have five children and a grandson. Hankins credits her husband with giving her the push and encouragement she needed to open her own gym. “Shane has always supported my career and never discouraged me when I wanted to go forward with an idea. It was difficult to leave Tipton Lakes PRIME TIME • NOVEMBER 2015 • 29

[profile] Athletic Club, but I knew that to follow my vision for the future, it was time to go out on my own.” StudioFit opened in July 2003 in a roomy upstairs space in the Rumple (now Roviar) Building at 12th and Washington streets. It has the sleek modern look of an urban loft. Hankins offers classes in stationary cycling, Gravity (think Total Gym), boxing, boot camp and circuit workouts, and personal training for couples, small groups and individuals. She also advises on nutrition. “I train about 75 people,” she says. “Some of my clients have been with me forever.” Barb and Bob Stevens have worked out with Hankins since her days at the Wellness Program and are big fans. “We started with Nancy in group classes over 20 years ago,” says Bob, “and now we train with her as a couple. She makes exercising fun, challenging and never boring … and most importantly, she closely monitors us to be sure we are doing the exercises properly.”

Celia Watts, another longtime client, credits Hankins with helping her lose 90 pounds 10 years ago and keeping it off. “I’ve known Nancy for years,” says Watts. “I feel safe and comfortable in the environment she’s created at StudioFit. She holds me accountable, helped me lose a lot of weight, and as I’ve aged, she’s helped me with the right exercises to combat my aches and pains. I will always be grateful to her.” At 52, Hankins is not ready to retire but has plans in the works for when son Triston leaves for college. “I want to get master’s and doctorate degrees in sports psychology, and I’d like to visit the Holy Land … and if my schedule ever slows down, I’d like to volunteer with a substance abuse program.” But give up working in fitness? Not a chance. “I can’t imagine not doing this,” she says. “A career in fitness is a perfect fit for me. I’m very fortunate. Who wouldn’t want to do what I do?” PT

Fitness Tips from Nancy Hankins l General health and fitness are a lifestyle you live, not decide to do for eight weeks. I exercise while on vacation because it’s the way I live. l Be active every day. Activity creates energy. l Try to engage in physical activity with a friend or take a fitness class. An appointment holds you accountable. l Wear athletic shoes as often as possible. Athletic shoes promote movement. l Try to avoid deprivation when you diet. It doesn’t work. Include all food groups in moderation. l Work on portion control; that’s our problem, not the food. We flat out eat too much and move too little. l Increase your heart rate into your target heart rate most days of the week for at least 30 minutes, to avoid heart disease. l Engage in resistance training two to three days a week to build bone density. l Get the sleep your body needs. l Avoid social media if it’s stressful. l Give up social media for a month and see how you feel. l Hire a professional when you start an exercise program, to help avoid injury. l Take the stairs, always. l Shop the perimeters of the grocery store. l Begin your day with meditation. l Be grateful. l Smile.

StudioFit by Nancy

Address: 1282 Washington St. (second floor of Roviar Building) Phone: 812-343-9172 Email: studiofit@comcast.net 30 • NOVEMBER 2015 • PRIME TIME

THERE’S AN

APP FOR THAT!

Now you can download The Republic on your Apple smartphone or tablet. Subscribe to receive the E-edition regularly or purchase a single copy using your Apple account!

Go to TheRepublic.com/apps or call 812-379-5601 for more information.

PRIME TIME • NOVEMBER 2015 • 31

lifestyle

Handwritten keepsakes preserve legacy of loved ones

By Leslie Mann n Chicago Tribune (TNS)

eading musical scores that were handwritten by her late husband, Stephen, “brings him to life,” said Bonnie Simon, president of New York-based Maestro Classics, which produces classical music geared to children. “I can tell by the notes in his famous red pencil what he was thinking.” Shanti Wintergate’s late grandmother’s personality radiates from the greeting cards she sent. “She was disciplined (she ran a foreign language school) yet artistic,” said Wintergate, a McCall, Idaho, singer/ songwriter. “I can hear her tell me, ‘Get every last drop out of life.’” As Alex, 9, and Brendan Osolind, 6, have matured, the snail mail they’ve sent their California aunt, Kirsten Osolind, has morphed from scribbles to creative missives, and she has a record of their South Lyon, Mich., childhood. More than computer documents, handwritten items such as those saved by Simon, Wintergate and Osolind convey the writers’ essence, humanity and individuality. Science confirms the emotional connection, said psychologist Virginia Berninger, a professor

32 • NOVEMBER 2015 • PRIME TIME

at the University of Washington. Her brain-imaging studies have shown that children use the brain’s amygdala (responsible for emotional learning) when they write by hand. “Cursive, especially, is more than a motor skill,” said Berninger. “We pay more attention than when we block-print or type.” But more than that, handwritten keepsakes are tangible reminders of the people who wrote them. Experts offered some tips not only for safeguarding these one-of-a-kind treasures, but also for generating and appreciating them: • When you host a shower, hand out cards and pens for guests to proffer advice. “At one of our baby showers, guests wrote name suggestions — some serious, some silly,” said Polly Hall, a composer in Santa Monica, Calif. “I’m so glad I have them.” • Handwritten invitations, as well as greeting cards (get well, thank you, etc.) trump digital messages. “It’s polite, personal, and you know the receiver reads it,” said Simon. • Keep journals in uniformly sized, hardcover books. “Mine are lined up on the shelf, all 32 years of

them, and include all the funny little stories about my sons — good and bad,” said Simon. “After I die, they’ll be hard to throw out!” • To encourage the whole family (grownups, too) to write by hand, keep colorful pencils, pens and papers handy. • Attach handwritten notes to family treasures. “There are notes on my pearls that say which are real or fake and who bought them for me,” said Marilyn Jacobs of Mississauga, Ontario. “My kids will have their history.” • Keep guest books at weddings and funerals, but also consider using them for celebrations and at vacation homes. Simon’s Cape Cod, Massachusetts, neighbor has one in the form of a family tree. “Everyone adds notes because they’ve gone there for generations and are related,” she said. • Put two-sided keepsakes such as postcards in “floating” frames and hang them as room dividers. • Organize handwritten papers in chronological order and store them in binders with archival sleeves (sold in office supply and department stores). That’s how Wintergate stores the “playful” notes her musician-husband wrote while courting her. “You can tell

by his upper- and lower-case printing he doesn’t always follow the rules,” she said. • Compile a binder for each person in the household. “They include everything from a foxhound pedigree chart, dinner menus, a 1947 bicycle license and grocery lists, to property deeds,” said Jacobs of hers. “They tell stories of their lives.” • Digitize paper copies of old letters and handwritten mementos before they get lost. Compile them in photo books such as those on Shutterfly.com. Or shop www.etsy.com for artisans who preserve handwriting on jewelry, scarves, wooden carvings, tea towels, etc. • Keep handwritten recipe cards, said Hall, who treasures her grandmother’s collection. “She died before I was born, so they tell me a lot about her I wouldn’t know otherwise,” she said. “They even say who she had over for dinner.” Again, archival sleeves sized for recipe cards are available. These can be scanned into your computer as well. • Don’t overlook longer documents, which can be more revealing, said Patricia Siegel, handwriting analyst and president of the American Society of Professional Graphologists. “We become less conscious of the way we write after a few pages.” PT

RUST- UNGER MONUMENTS

Established in 1865 1865

Monuments and Markers

Granite

Marble

Specializing in the Finest Granite! Custom Designing & Engraving Ceramic Color Photos Granite Benches & Signs Laser Etching Bronze Markers Mausoleums Memorial Vases Above: One way to help preserve the legacy of loved ones is to hire an artisan to create a one-of-a-kind item. Designer Jill Campa uses people’s handwriting to create personal keepsakes, including these charms, that will last for generations. Opposite page: Another way is to keep handwritten recipe cards. | TNS photos

812-379-4151

2421 E. 10 th Street, Columbus, IN 47201

www.rust-ungermonuments.com Info@rust-ungermonuments.com PRIME TIME • NOVEMBER 2015 • 33

profile

Neil Sedaka reflects on songwriting

By Steve Knopper n Chicago Tribune (TNS)

he first hit Neil Sedaka ever wrote, with partner Howard Greenfield, was singer Connie Francis’ “Stupid Cupid.” Shortly after that, working five days a week in New York’s famous Brill Building, he landed hits with R&B singers Clyde McPhatter and Laverne Baker. All this from white Brooklyn kids in the late 1950s. Did segregation come into play? “Not at all,” recalls Sedaka, 76. Then he shifts to a different question. “I used to go in as a teenager. I took the subway from Brooklyn to Manhattan and played for Ahmet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler at Atlantic Records, hoping they would not only take the song, but to sign me as a singer. But they didn’t. “But yes,” he said by phone from his New York home, “I have a lot of recordings — Cardinals, Clovers, Cookies. I love R&B. There’s a correlation between Yiddish music and R&B. You’re in the minor key, and they’re lamentful, and they show we have been suppressed, and we have been segregated over the years. I do find there is a closeness.” Sedaka, the longtime songwriter responsible for “Breaking Up Is Hard to Do,” “Love Will Keep Us Together,” “Laughter In the Rain” and dozens of songs by artists from Frank Sinatra to Elvis Presley to the Monkees, sums up the connection between Jewish songwriters and African-American performers in the early rock ‘n’ roll era and how they came together at independent record labels such as Atlantic. Sedaka indulges in several questions about his massive songbook. “I think it’s 700 to 800 (songs),” he says. “Don’t ask me to name them all. It’s more than 60 years of writing. I would say a couple of hundred have been released in one form or another.” But he emphasizes that he’s a singer too, and a classical composer, as his early biography suggests. His mother, Eleanor, worked a part-time department store job to pay for his first piano, and by the time he was 18 he was on a piano scholarship at New York’s Juilliard

34 • NOVEMBER 2015 • PRIME TIME

School of Music. A few years earlier he had hooked up with a neighbor, 16-year-old poet Howard Greenfield, and the two teenagers began collaborating on songs; soon they were writing together in a room in the Brill Building, 1650 Broadway in New York. By 1959, after scoring hits for other people, Sedaka managed to carve one out for himself — “Oh! Carol,” named for fellow Brill Building songwriter Carole King. The song led to “Stairway to Heaven,” “You Mean Everything to Me” and others, and Sedaka found himself touring all over the world. “I’m not a shouter,” he says. “My style is softer, and I think I’ve been overlooked — I’ve been underestimated as a singer.” Through 1963, Sedaka and Greenfield sold 40 million records, until The Beatles showed up to change music from crooners to rock ‘n’ roll groups in the U.S. Although Sedaka continued to make a living, scoring hits by the 5th Dimension and Tom Jones, he didn’t take off again until the ‘70s, when The Carpenters covered his “Solitaire” and Captain and Tennille took “Love Will Keep Us Together” to No. 1. “‘Love Will Keep Us Together’ is a combination of Diana Ross, the Beach Boys and Al Green,” Sedaka said. “I used to love the timbre of Diana Ross’ voice and the Beach Boys’ feel and the augmented chords of Al Green. I put all of those (together) and mixed them in a pot.” Soon, Sedaka was a go-to songwriter for stars from John Travolta to Wayne Newton for years, and headlined Las Vegas showrooms, which led to many years of touring U.S. casinos and small theaters. In his career, Sedaka has released 55 albums, and he’s preparing one more. “Once a year, I sit down at the piano and say to myself, ‘This is the last time I’m going to do it because that blank piece of paper scares the (stuff) out of me, and how am I going to top the last?’” he says. “But somehow that’s the creative force.” PT

PRIME TIME • NOVEMBER 2015 • 35

calendar of events

Deja Vu Art & Fine Craft Show

November November

— Music at the Harlequin Theatre. Rhythm Future Quartet, 7 p.m., inside Fair Oaks Mall, 2380 25th St. Information: 812-343-4597 and theharlequintheatre.com.

— Friday Night Live at Mill Race Center, with Whipstitch Sallies. 7 to 10 p.m., Mill Race Center, 900 Lindsey St. Admission: $5 for MRC members, $10 for nonmembers. Information: 812376-9241.

— Film “Your Environmental Road Trip.” Free, 6:30 p.m. The Commons. Called to action by a planet in crisis, three friends hit the road to explore America (the good, bad, and weird) in

36 • NOVEMBER 2015 • PRIME TIME

search of innovators tackling humanity’s greatest environmental challenges in this award-winning docu-comedy. This family-friendly film is presented compliments of the Déjà Vu artists and The Commons.

— Deja Vu Art & Fine Craft Show. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., The Commons. Free. Artists from Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio will show art and fine crafts such as painting, sculpture, jewelry, wearable art, woodworking, glass art and weaving. In celebration of America Recycles Day, employees from kidscommons children’s museum will present art activities with an Earth-friendly theme. There’s no charge to participate, and kids of all ages are welcome. Information: 812-376-2539 or www. facebook.com/DejaVuArtAndFineCraftShow.

—Wine-A-Ree. Wine and beer tasting event to benefit Hoosier Trails Council, Boy Scouts of America, noon to 6 p.m., The Commons. Tickets $20 in advance; $25 at the door. Unlimited tastings and a commemorative wine glass included in the price of the ticket. Silent auction. Tickets available at Viewpoint Books in Columbus, Bevers Family Pharmacy in Seymour and at www.hoosiertrailsbsa. org. Information: Jon Ocheltree at 800-844-6809.

22 Laura Osnes

— Holiday Creations Craft Show & Sale. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Donner Center. Free admission. Information: 812-376-2680.

— Columbus Indiana Philharmonic Verdi Requiem, 7:30 p.m., Columbus North High School auditorium, 1400 25th St. The Philharmonic Chorus will join the orchestra in this presentation of Italian composer Verdi’s towering masterpiece. Tickets: 812-376-2638 or tickets@thecip.com.

— Laura Osnes – Cabaret. 7 p.m., The Commons. Coming to the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic’s Cabaret is Laura Osnes, who has played some of Broadway’s best-known leading characters — Sandy in “Grease,” Nellie Forbush in “South Pacific,” Hope Harcourt in “Anything Goes,” and blossoming bad girl Bonnie Parker in “Bonnie & Clyde,” which earned her a Tony Award nomination. Ticket information: tickets@thecip.org.

— Christmas of Yesteryear. 5:30 to 9 p.m., Hope Town Square. Enjoy shops being open late, a live Nativity, the arrival of Santa, carriage rides into Hope’s past with costumed characters, a bake sale/cookie decorating/crafts at the Yellow Trail Museum, and strolling carolers.

— Columbus Symphony Orchestra “O’er the Fields We Go.” 3:30 p.m., The Commons. Tickets: $10 adults, $5 seniors & children (12 and older), free younger than 12. Tickets available online or at door. Information: 812-376-2681 or http:// csoindiana.org.

-29 — Music at the Harlequin Theatre. “Sounds of Summer” Beach Boys tribute, 7 p.m. Nov. 28 and 3 p.m. Nov. 29, inside Fair Oaks Mall, 2380 25th St. Information: 812-343-4597 and theharlequintheatre.com.

December

— “Dancing into the Heart of Compassion.” Presented by Arts for AIDS, The Commons, 300 Washington St. In observance of World AIDS Day, featuring the African American Dance Company of Indiana University. Doors open at 5 p.m. for an evening of dance, food and drink and shopping at the Global Bazaar. Program from 6 to 7:30. Tickets available at Viewpoint Books, Eventbrite and at the door: $25 adults, $12 students, children 11 and under free with adult ticket purchase. Information: artsforaids.org.

-22 — “Dearly Departed” Dinner Theatre. Simmons Winery, 8111 E. County Road 450N. Evening times: Doors open at 5:30 p.m., dinner at 6, play at 7. Sunday matinee times: Doors open at 1 p.m., dinner at 1:30, play at 2:30. Tickets: $25 per person including dinner and the play. Reservations: 812-546-0091.

—Yes Comedy Showcase, featuring Costaki Economopoulos. 8 p.m., Yes Cinema, 328 Jackson St. Tickets $20 in advance, $25 at the door. Information: 812-379-1630.

Wine-A-Ree PRIME TIME • NOVEMBER 2015 • 37

Christmas Village

— First Fridays for Families: Dave Rudolf. Free. 6 p.m., The Commons. His holiday show will have kids twisting and the audience enjoying traditional holiday tunes and parodies. Information: 812-376-2539; http://artsincolumbus.org.

— Third Annual Christmas Village. 1 to 5 p.m., The Commons. Free and open to the public. Join us for live musical performances, holiday market of local vendors selling handcrafted items and children’s activities, all leading up to the Festival of Lights parade that evening downtown. Information: 812-376-2680.

— Festival of Lights Parade. 6 p.m., downtown Columbus. The Festival of Lights Parade features up to 100 floats, animal units and walking groups created by local corporations, businesses and community groups. The streets of downtown Columbus light up with thousands of twinkling lights. Fireworks will immediately follow the parade. Information: 812-390-6912.

— Readers Theater, Lunch and Laughter. Noon, Mill Race Center. Sponsored by Columbus Parks and Recreation. $7 per person. Information: 812-376-2680.

38 • NOVEMBER 2015 • PRIME TIME

“Sounds of Summer,” a Beach Boys tribute, at the Harlequin Theatre.

-13; 18-20 — “It’s a Wonderful Life” Radio Play. 7 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and 3 p.m. on Sundays. Harlequin Theatre in Fair Oaks Mall. Information: 812-343-4597 or www. theharlequintheatre.com.

— Columbus Indiana Philharmonic “Christmas with the Children’s Choir.” This Christmas concert will feature the Philharmonic’s Columbus Indiana Children’s Choir in a concert to get the entire family into the holiday spirit. Concert

this left-handed salute to American history that would give Martha Washington a migraine. During this anachronistic tour de farce back through time, Thurston Osgood, host of the interview program, “Meet the Patriots,” brings you face to face with the people who made our country what it is today. Information: 812-376-2539; http://artsincolumbus. org.

Festival of Lights Parade times are 3 and 7 p.m., Columbus North High School auditorium, 1400 25th St. Information/tickets: 812376-2638, ext. 1; tickets@thecip.org.

— Yes Comedy Showcase: Mike Armstrong. Yes Cinema & Conference Center. Armstrong is a former police officer from Louisville. He’s a regular guest on “The Bob and Tom Show.” Tickets: $20 advance/$25 door (two shows). Rated G. Information: 812-379-1630; www. yescinema.org.

— Columbus Indiana Philharmonic, Celebrating Chinese New Year. 7:30 p.m., Columbus North High School auditorium, 1400 25th St. Usher in the Chinese New Year with pianist Tianshu Wang. “The Yellow River Concerto” is born of beautiful folk songs from China’s rich history. Also on the program is the symphonic poem “Scheherazade.” Information/tickets: 812-376-2638, ext. 1; tickets@ thecip.org.

— Yes Comedy Showcase: Ron Feingold. 8 p.m., Yes Cinema & Conference Center. Feingold has performed in America’s finest comedy clubs, universities and theaters. After doing straight stand-up for five years, he decided to stir things up a little and bring his love for a cappella music to the comedy clubs, and audiences have been laughing and singing with him ever since. Tickets: $20 advance/$25 door. Rated R. Information: 812-3791630; www.yescinema.org.

January January

— First Fridays for Families: Bongo Boy Drum Circle. Free. 6 p.m., The Commons. Drum to a different beat at this community drum circle. This is an interactive experience where participants learn how to play simple beats on drums in unison. Information: 812-376-2539; http://artsincolumbus. org.

— Yes Comedy Showcase: Dan St. Paul. 8 p.m., Yes Cinema & Conference Center. Tickets: $20 advance/$25 door. Rated PG-16. Information: 812-379-1630; www.yescinema.org.

February February

— First Fridays for Families: Hastey Pudding Puppets. Free. 6 p.m., The Commons. Join in

Yes Comedy Showcase: Dan St. Paul PRIME TIME • NOVEMBER 2015 • 39

M y Back Pages Sharon Mangas

What if we try to look on the bright side? There must be a scientific theory why time speeds up and seasons pass in a flash as you get older. I remember as a kid, late summer days went on forever, and like other bored kids back then, I actually looked forward to returning to school. Now that I’m in my 60s, by the time April Fool’s Day hijinks are over, Thanksgiving’s just around the corner, and the inevitable grumbling about winter weather begins. In a few months, I’ll turn another page in this fast-forward era of life and become Medicare eligible. There’s no way to ignore turning 65, folks. If you’re still a few years away from the big 6-5, be prepared. As you edge closer to that sweet spot, you’ll start getting mailings from countless insurance companies selling Medicare Advantage and Medicare supplement insurance. Beware the small print: “This is not an official government notice. When you return this card, you will receive a call.” You can attract a lot of new friends when you turn 65. NOT! Trust me, those hundreds of calls and emails are not people wanting to wish you happy birthday. When I turned 60, it didn’t rattle me, but it did cause me to reflect that there were fewer years ahead of me than behind me. Fast years. What would I do with my remaining time on Earth? That sounds grand, but I’m not spending all my bonus time wisely. For one thing, I log too many hours on social media, which an old friend — who has mostly disappeared from Facebook — likened to “having a pet pig, cute but ravenous. I don’t have the resources to keep it well fed.” I find plenty of slop to feed that darn pig. I toy with taking a “Facebook break” (has that term found its way to the dictionary yet?) but have yet to kick the addiction. A more pleasant and productive way I’m finding to pass the golden years — and just as addictive — is

enjoying my granddaughters. They’re growing like weeds. Lillian, closing in on 4, is a never-ending source of delight. This past summer, while visiting a petting zoo, she channeled Dr. Doolittle, talking seriously to a baby goat. “Do you like my dress?,” she queried, squeezing a bit of her sundress through the fence to give the little ruminant a closer look. Meanwhile, her sister, Katie, 22 months, picked up a goat by the neck and crowed, “I got one!” Thankfully, within seconds, said goat gave a frantic emergency bleat, and Katie dropped it like a hot potato. I have the video evidence saved on my phone, and if I’m in a bad mood (because I just fielded my 20th insurance sales call), replaying that film clip puts a smile on my face. Please don’t turn me in to PETA. My husband, Mike, asked me on a recent walk if I thought it was inevitable that we get curmudgeonly as we age. To be fair, he’s usually easygoing and optimistic, but those of you, like Mike, who work in health care, will understand his foul mood that day: ICD-10 coding. As we walked along and dissected the theory of senior curmudgeoness (OK, I know, curmudgeoness is not in the dictionary), we figured there were reasons for getting cranky as we age. Loss of energy, aches and pains, losing loved ones and friends, dealing with insurance companies. It’s easy to get caught up in the negative “whatifs” as you age. We agreed one remedy might be to turn the “what-ifs” around and give them a positive spin. Here’s an example: Throw your arms in the air exuberantly, plaster a smile on your face and exclaim: “It’s going to be a great day! Maybe I won’t get more than 10 Medicare sales calls this morning!” Even at 65, I can still dream, right?

Sharon Mangas can be reached at sharon.d.mangas@gmail.com. 40 • NOVEMBER 2015 • PRIME TIME

FACING CANCER. FACING DECISIONS. Many thoughts and fears go through your mind the minutes, hours and days after learning you have cancer. But the one thing you never have to question is where to go for answers. Our team of cancer specialists is now seeing patients, right here in downtown Columbus. And since your first decision about treatment is often the most important, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll get you in right away to discuss all your options so you can make the right decision for you and your family. Let us help remove all the waiting, wondering and uncertainty. Call today for an appointment! New patients will be seen within 48 hours â&#x20AC;&#x201C; next day in most cases.

Franciscan Physician Network 123 2nd St. Columbus, IN

(855) 837-8831

Inspiring Health FranciscanStFrancis.org/Columbus

A Community of Caring Keepsake Village of Columbus is the areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s premier provider of Memory Care; specializing in Alzheimer and Dementia care in a home like setting. Our trained team of caregivers and nurses provide a helping hand, comforting companionship and assistance with activities of daily living for those living with dementia. Engaging activities help keep life moving forward! Keepsake Village of Columbus: encouraging independence in a supportive environment.

Call or visit us online today for more information!

KEEPSAKE VILLAGE OF COLUMBUS

25th St Taylor Rd

2564 Foxpointe Drive Columbus, IN 47203 tel 812-372-0950

io at

N N. d lR

10th St

FAC#10680

KVCINS A Community of Caring 09112015 7.33 x 9.6 PIC M - FC MM .indd 1

keepsakeofcolumbus.com 9/17/15 1:25 PM