EE
FR
Reflections
Winter 2016
Ogemaw County Herald Oscoda County Herald Arenac County Independent
og sled musher and hobbyist takes advantage of a hairy situation
D Pg. 5
CURING
Life & philosophy of a traveling artist
FEVER WITH
CERAMICS Pg. 8
Pg. 7
WEAVING
THROUGH TIME
A Fairview couple makes ties with the community Pg. 2
CABIN
Pictures of winter past
As seen in the 1980s Pg. 11
Page 2 — Reflections –– Winter 2016
REFLECTIONS PUBLISHER Elizabeth Gorske
MANAGING EDITOR Eric Young EDITORIAL STAFF Tim Barnum Kimberly Landenberg Matt Varcak Scott Nunn Tiffany Johnson
ADVERTISING SALES Joyce Clark Jama Gates Anthony Kachiros Carla Reeves Shannon Arnold COMPOSITION Sharon Ehlert Merhia Adrian
EMAIL tiffanyjohnson@oscodaherald.com
On the cover Photo by Jill Miller
Pinconning resident Linda Hoffman makes her way down a trail in a five-dog race, which is more than five miles.
Pg. 4 Handlettering historian Jim Fives
What’s inside
Pictures of winter past Pg. 11
Pg. 5 The life of an artist Brian Schorn
Pg. 7 Keeping hands warm in the mitten Linda Hoffman
Pg. 13 Setting realistic resolutions
Pg. 8 Curing cabin fever with ceramics
Pg. 15 How to beat the winter blues
Kathy Hicks
Weaving through time Keeping ties with the community
BY TIFFANY JOHNSON
Taking thousands of scraps and weaving new life into them, John and Luetta Detweiler of Fairview make new creations from old things. Residing in the area for over 20 years, the Detweilers have been working together making rugs for most of that time. Buying a vintage loom from friends, they started making their inventory of rugs made up of various material scraps like denim and wool. John and Luetta started out with small items, and over the years their skill set has only broadened. “We started out making placemats,” Luetta said. But the couple found their niche in rugs, which they enjoy selling at various events like farmers markets and festivals. Active in their church and community, John and Luetta, both in their 80s, bring their personalities to life with their rugs. “We’ve made rugs out of corduroy pieces and sweatshirts and pants,” Luetta said. Some of the more unusual materials they use are denim, old neckties and wool. “Denim isn’t necessarily harder to work with; it just takes up more time,” said John, his wife agreeing. The process starts with getting leftover scraps from all over the state, including a factory in Kalamazoo and around their hometown, Fairview. They pay for some and some are donations. The actual process of
putting the rug together is very straightforward. “You cut (the material) into strips, then after I cut up a bunch of strips, she sews them back together into a big long strip,” John said. “Then I take that out and put it on the loom. I bring (the rug) back in and have Luetta tie the knots.” Most of the materials are prepared in the same way. The loom the Detweilers use to make their rugs is in a small garage that used to house a garden tractor, John said. They now call that space the Loom Room. This 10-by18-foot room holds all their finished rugs, the loom, most of the material they have collected over the years and a heater, which John makes use of in the fall and winter months. After being in this business for such a long time, the couple is looking to yet again expand their material inventory. “We would really like to get a hold of chenille bedspreads,” Luetta said. The couple will continue to make rugs until they can’t tie the knots anymore, John said. “My fingers can’t do those little knots; Luetta does that,” he said. The couple has made this process a tag team effort, which may be why rugs from the Loom Room turn out so well.
Luetta and John Detweiler show the before and after stages of the process.
Pictured here is a rug by the Detweilers made out of denim material.
Reflections –– Winter 2016 –– Page 3
Page 4 — Reflections –– Winter 2016
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Handlettering historian BY TIFFANY JOHNSON
Keeping old techniques alive
In a growing digital age, hardly anyone uses old practices anymore. But while many are taking to the new ways, some are keeping the old ways sacred. Jim Fives is a historian in this way. “I am one of the last people to do hand lettering. It has a warm human look to it,” Fives said. The Saginaw resident’s business artistry is on windows and buildings around the state, including in West Branch and Tawas, while his fine art has been entered in events like Art Prize in Grand Rapids. Owner of Art and Sign in Saginaw since 1991, Fives has actually been doing this type of artwork for 30 years. “When I started, I didn’t know anything,” he said. He was in the record business when vinyl was popular. Traveling throughout Michigan to sell records, Fives found out the hard way that the business was not panning out. He then went into the window lettering business. “I failed at everything else,” the 63year-old said with a laugh. He learned all the old-school tricks of the trade from Justin “Babe” Premo of Yellow Cab Letter in Saginaw, which was open from 1919 to 1990. “(Babe) worked up until the day he died,” Fives said. Fives still uses selectively old methods. It is one of the unique things about him. Most of his work is on retailer’s glass. He paints in reverse on the inside of store windows. After going over the subject with the customer, he makes a drawing on paper and goes over it with a toothed wheel on the glass, and the charcoal leaves an outline on the glass, which he then paints in with a dense watercolor made especially for this type of work, Fives said. “I finish off the piece with a varnish,” he said. The technique he uses to transfer his drawing to the glass is called a pounce pattern, which is similar to tracing. This technique has been used for centuries and even as far back as 1490.
Jim Fives “I’m a man of the late 19th century,” he said. Being mostly custom work, each mural or window painting takes a different amount of time, Fives said. Some clients tell him what they want, while some ask for him to choose. “I had a client say, ‘I want some Jim Fives,’” he said. In regard to his fine art, his favorite objects to paint are classic cars and portraits inspired by Greek art. His entry that was accepted into the 2015 Art Prize was inspired by Greek pottery and primary colors. “The color wheel, I used that as a road map; it sets up a vibration in the painting,” Fives said. His art has been accepted into Art Prize four times now, and he counts it an honor to be a part of it. While the rest of the world is buying into the digital age, Fives keeps the old world alive with his hand lettering techniques. Artists and customers alike agree that Fives’ art is unique and has qualities that offer a human touch.
At right, Fives lettering on the windows at Dean Arbour Ford of West Branch.
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Keeping hands warm in the Mitten
Reflections –– Winter 2016 — Page 5
BY TIFFANY JOHNSON
Making the best of hairy situation
Your hands will never be warmer. That is what dogsled musher Linda Hoffman will tell you. She has spun a hobby out of a hobby and actively enjoys both. She first started getting into dog sledding 20 years ago when her son Jacob wanted to try his hand in the sport starting in his high school years. The whole Hoffman family, including her husband David and daughters Katie and Anna, participates in the sport, whether with training or mushing, Hoffman said. “It’s just a lot of fun,” she said. Hoffman has her own team of dogs that she enjoys training, racing and babying, she said. “I have six Siberian huskies and two house dogs,” she said. The Hoffman family has had as many as 15 dogs at one time. “My oldest Siberian is 13 1/2. We baby him,” Hoffman said. Her dogs shed a lot, she said. She has found a use for this normally messy occurrence. She converts the husky hair into yarn to make various items, but mostly mittens. “(I) mostly make them for family; I have sold a few,” Hoffman said. When people hear that she makes mittens, they become interested when they find out they are made of hair. “They can’t believe, but I just say it’s just the hair they shed,” Hoffman said. She explained the lengthy process by saying her huskies shed only four times a year. She collects the hair over time until she has enough to spin into yarn. Before she spins it,
she washes it and carts it, however. It takes three times as much husky hair to make one skein of normal yarn, Hoffman said. She spins the hair with a wheel; the hair can be brittle so it has to be tripled up to be as strong as yarn. “The hair is not like ‘yarn’ yarn,” she said. Hoffman got the idea to make mittens from hair by seeing another woman, Carol Berke, do the same thing. “She can spin anything,” Hoffman said. Along with mittens, she has been working on another project. “I am making a blanket, five squares on it, not done yet,” she said. Being a time-consuming project, it will probably only be the size of a baby blanket when finished. Hoffman reassures that even though the process is sanitary, the blanket is not for a baby, since it is made of dog hair. “You got to watch it, with allergies,” she said. After making mittens for everyone else around her, Hoffman finally made some for her own hands. “I knit mine last of course. I have borrowed others’ but now I have my own,” she said. Hoffman says they are the warmest mittens she has had. However, this mild winter has not called for wearing her mittens as much and has slowed down her efforts to train her dogs and race with them. Starting training as early as September, Hoffman and her family usually begin early
See HOFFMAN,12
Above, pictured here are sets of mittens made by Hoffman. At right, Linda sits with daughter Anna as she steers the fourwheeler, while the dogs press on toward Dave Hoffman, Linda’s husband.
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Nutrition and aging go hand-in-hand Nutrition is important for people of all ages, but it’s especially important for men and women over the age of 50, who can dramatically improve their quality of life by eating a well-balanced diet filled with vitamins and nutrients. Though that may seem like common sense, research has shown that men and women in this age group, who are often referred to as “Baby Boomers,” are not necessarily as healthy as they may seem. While the baby boomer generation, which is generally regarded as those people born between 1946 and 1964, boasts longer life expectancies than any generation that came before them, some of that can likely be chalked up to advancements in medical care, including a booming pharmaceutical industry that seemingly has an antidote to every ailment. But a 2013 study from researchers at the West Virginia University School of Medicine found that baby boomers are less healthy than the generation that immediately preceded them, tending to be more likely to have higher levels of hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol. While that news might be sobering, it’s never too late for men and women over 50 to start eating healthier diets, which can reduce their risk of a wide range of ailments, including heart disease, stroke and osteoporosis. The following are a few ways men and women over 50 can alter their diets so their bodies are getting what they need to live long and healthy lives well into their golden years. As is always the case, men and women should discuss any potential changes to their diets with their physicians to ensure the changes will be both effective and healthy. Balance your diet. Kids hear of the benefits of a balanced diet seemingly from the moment they enter a classroom for the first time, but many adults fail to heed that basic advice as they get further and further away from kindergarten. When changing your diet, be sure to include plenty of protein and carbohydrates. Protein maintains and rebuilds muscles, which is especially important for aging men and women who might find themselves unable to keep up with the physical demands of everyday life as well as they used to. Including ample low-fat protein, which can be found in fish, eggs and low-fat dairy among other foods, will aid in muscle recovery, benefitting aging athletes as well as those men and women over 50 who recently started exercising as a means to regaining their physical fitness. A diet lacking in sufficient protein can contribute to muscle deterioration, arthritis and even organ failure, so it’s important for men and women to prioritize including protein in their
Answers from page 9
diets. Carbohydrates are also an important part of a balanced diet, as they are a great source of energy that can help men and women stay active well past the age of 50. Carbohydrates found in fruits, grains and vegetables are the most beneficial, as these contain valuable vitamins, minerals and nutrients. Don’t denounce dairy. Dairy is a great source of calcium, which promotes strong bones and teeth. Men and women over the age of 50 want their bones to be as strong as possible because aging is one of the strongest risk factors for osteoporosis, a potentially debilitating medical condition in which loss of tissue causes bones to become brittle and fragile. Vitamin D is necessary to effectively absorb calcium, and vitamin D can be found in certain dairy products, including pasture-raised eggs and grass-fed cow’s milk, and can be generated when men and women get enough sunlight. Other healthy sources of vitamin D include salmon, light tuna packed in oil, sardines, and sun-grown mushrooms. Cut back on sodium intake. Cutting back on sodium intake can be very beneficial, especially for men and women over the age of 50, who are at greater risk of diabetes, hypertension and chronic kidney disease. But cutting back on sodium intake takes more than just throwing the salt shaker away. Processed foods, soups, canned goods, salad dressings, condiments such as mustard and ketchup, and breakfast cereals are just a few of the many products that may contain alarming amounts of sodium. That’s important to note, as excess sodium increases blood pressure by holding excess fluid in the body. That excess fluid puts an added burden on the heart, potentially increasing a person’s risk of stroke, heart failure, osteoporosis, cancer, and kidney disease. The problem with cutting back on sodium is that salt is so often relied on to make foods taste better, and many people find salt-free foods bland. But the rewards of reducing sodium intake are so significant that it’s worth making the adjustment, especially for men and women over the age of 50. No one is too old or too young to embrace a nutritious diet. But men and women over the age of 50 are in a unique position to vastly improve their quality of life by adopting a low-sodium diet that is rich in vitamins and minerals.
Local artist, will travel
Reflections –– Winter 2016 — Page 7
The life and work of artist Brian Schorn BY TIFFANY JOHNSON
One of Brian Schorn’s greatest inspirations is the Japanese concept of “enso,” which is a brushstroke that is a continuous circle. Applying that symbolism of circular motion to almost every part of his life including his career, his art and his philosophy, he wanted to start afresh, but this time in a major way. “I decided to do something quite radical — there are plenty of other artists in the past who have done it for whatever reason — to destroy every piece of my artwork from my entire career up until 2011,” Schorn said. He had just been working on a performance art piece, in which his movements on stage triggered musical reactions from wires he had laid out. Now he began thinking he had finished this work and it was time to move on. Born in Alpena and raised in areas including St. Helen, Roscommon and Alpena again, Schorn has a love of all things local. After experiencing both the rural town setting and the big-city life, he said both have their charms but he will always return to his roots. “I prefer the small-town life,” he said. Schorn can trace his beginnings in art back to when he was a young boy in Alpena. He was the boy Friday in the community. He did all kinds of odd jobs. He cleaned windows, swept sidewalks and acted as a cashier. Working at a photo store, he took opportunities to work in the dark room.
Making $30 a week, Schorn saved up to buy his first SLR camera. However, he had taken his first photos with a 1950s manual camera, on a Boy Scout trip to New Mexico at the age of 14. “(The photos) were all incredibly wellexposed. I was somehow a natural,” he said. Schorn was not always studying art. After graduating from high school in Alpena, he went on to Oakland University in Rochester, N.Y., to enroll in pre-medical school. He then formed a dislike of the medical field. “I had to figure out a new career,” Schorn said. Thinking back to his first experience taking photos on his Boy Scout trip, he started drifting toward his creative side once again. “When (medical school) didn’t work out, I looked back and said, ‘Well, what do I do that I really love? If I forget everything and do what I love, I think I want to be a photographer,’” he said. Focusing on the process of photography, Schorn then attended the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, earning his Bachelor of Fine Arts. Schorn also went through creative phases that included poetry, creative writing, typography and print design at various universities and colleges including the University of Michigan, Brown University in Rhode Island and Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills. After graduating from Cranbrook, Schorn
See SCHORN, 9
An installation project by Schorn titled “Abridgements.”
Schorn’s display at the Art Walk and Wine Tasting in West Branch.
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Curing cabin fever with ceramics
Page 8 — Reflections –– Winter 2016
The kiln Hicks uses to fire her artwork in her home.
Kathy Hicks sits as she paints glaze onto a ceramic trout. BY TIFFANY JOHNSON
Mio hobbyist Kathy Hicks uses her artwork to keep herself busy during the winter months. An involved community member, Hicks uses ceramics as a way to keep her skills sharp and fill a void, especially in the winter. “I am trying to find things to keep me busy,” she said. Hicks has grandchildren who can keep her busy enough when she gets to visit with them. “They live downstate. I have one 6-yearold, a 7-year-old and five 2 1/2-year-olds, quintuplets,” she said. She went on to say that while it is a busy time when she is with them, the majority of her time is spent in Mio, to which she and her husband moved about 4 1/2 years ago. Hicks relies mostly on her background in ceramics to get all the technical things like glazing right, she said. She learned how to
Here, the handmade backsplash in the Hickses’ kitchen.
make pottery in a class at Kincheloe Air Force Base in the Upper Peninsula, where she and her husband were stationed together. The base was in service until 1977. After learning the ropes of ceramics, she was then passed the torch and began teaching the class herself at the age of 21. “Yeah, I was a youngster,” Hicks said. She still uses the process she learned there today. Her basement holds all of her supplies and equipment. Hicks utilizes a workspace located in the house that she and her husband planned out and built. “I first started making tiles because I couldn’t find tiles I liked,” she said. The floors, kitchen backsplash and bathrooms all hold Hicks’ tiles, as well as a few secret places around the house. To make her custom tiles, she first rolls out clay like a pie crust, which she purchas-
At right, a piece before the firing process.
es from Runyan Wholesale like all her other supplies, and then cuts out different shapes. “I use cookie cutters sometimes and other times I use a cutout (I made),” she said. The largest of her equipment is a kiln that she uses to fire all of her clay tiles and other art pieces. “This one I bought after damaging the last one,” she said. Hicks’ previous kiln was too damaged to use anymore because of glazes melting off the tiles. Over time, it was evident that she needed a new one. “The tricky thing with ceramics is you never know what you’re going to get,” she said. The same goes for the colors of the glazes. Some glazes go on brown and turn out orange or green after firing, she said.
Hicks creates her artwork not only for fun but also to support the community. “I usually donate a piece that is auctioned off at an event. I did one (recently) for the humane society,” she said. She also enjoys putting her work in various events and festivals. “I do the Fourth of July, OC Riverfest and Black Bear,” she said. Hicks said if she is available, she will definitely do more shows this summer. Hicks enjoys being part of the community as a member of the Oscoda Garden Club, and is also involved in the AuSable Valley Engine and Tractor Club and car shows in the warmer months, she said. Hicks has no plan of stopping any time soon: she enjoys ceramics for the artistic quality and purpose. “I don’t make much money back on them; I just do it for fun,” she said.
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From Page 7: Schorn
took the advice of a professor to move to Chicago to pursue graphic design. “It was a very different experience for a guy coming from Alpena,” he said. He ended up leaving that job within a year and coming back to Michigan to teach graphic design for about six years at Eastern Michigan University. Following his “enso” life philosophy, Schorn then followed another creative outlet, music. He went back to school again. After getting his master’s degree in electronic music at Mills College in California, Schorn returned to Michigan once again. This is when Schorn decided to refresh his art style by destroying all his work dated before 2011. “If you follow my career, and you see how I move from medium to medium, in visual art to writing to filmmaking to music and performance, that it kind of creates a circle,” he said. His work has always been about trying to investigate the human experience, Schorn said. An opportunity arose in late 2015 during an artist residency in Silver City, Nev., where he found a way to investigate the past. “This is a residency I received to live in the desert of Nevada and live in a geodesic
dome, and work in a geodesic dome and have access to this desert landscape and basically make work for about three months,” he said. He began creating artwork made from old things he found in the desert landscape — things like old shoes, pieces of glass, metal, wire and weathered wood. “What I found, there were natural things out there, but mostly there was junk, and this was junk from all these people in the 1800s that lived there and left traces of their lives behind,” he said. Schorn adopted his inspiration from that word, “enso,” to create artwork that included this meaning in some way or another. He collected the objects first, brought them back to his geodesic dome then would later put them together. “I looked how they fit together and found natural connections and relationships,” he explained. Schorn continues to live his life in this way. Coming full circle, he is back in this area. Ogemaw County has become his stomping grounds once again. He recently participated in the Art Walk and Wine Tasting in West Branch, giving Ogemaw the chance to become reacquainted with his art style. He looks forward to what is in store for his career and lifestyle.
Reflections –– Winter 2016— Page 9
Here, Schorn shows the organization process he used after finding items along the desert landscape.
A detail of a drawing by Schorn titled “Enso Collection.”
A piece made of wood and old hose created by Schorn during his residency in Nevada.
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Pictures of winter past
Reflections –– Winter 2016—Page 11
As seen in our publications during the 1980s
The Ogemaw Hills Ski Council and the Kiwanis Club of West Branch Officially opened the new Ogemaw Hills County Ski Trail Saturday, December 19 (above). Ready to slide on those skis were some of the members of the newly formed Ogemaw Hills Ski and Hiking Club (below). But they were beat to it by a young, enthusiastic skier (right) who was ready to take advantage of the terrific conditions.
Above, championship trophy — Dana Wiltse, of Standish, proudly displays the silver trophy he brought home last weekend from the TC 250 snowmobile race at Traverse City. Wiltse qualified the machine that won first place for him and two relief drivers at one of the state’s most prestigious winter racing events.
ARENAC COUNTY INDEPENDENT DEC. 1987
ICICLES ADD an additional decorative touch to Community Methodist Church in Standish.
ARENAC COUNTY INDEPENDENT DEC. 1987
DESERTED STREETS — The streets of West Branch seemed deserted Tuesday, December 15, as more than 12 inches of snowfall kept most residents and many businesspeople home. A lone road crew truck traveled Houghton Avenue, while winds gusting up to 46 miles per hour blew the wet, heavy snow into drifts. OGEMAW COUNTY HERALD DEC. 1987
SENIORS LEARN TO SKI — Natalie Giardina, of Mio, left, instructs senior citizen Vernece Vallie, 62, of Mio in the proper way to climb a hill on cross-country skis
OSCODA COUNTY HERALD JAN. 1981
From Page 5: Hoffman
Page 12 — Reflections –– Winter 2016
training to ensure healthy endurance of their dogs. She decides whether or not to run her dogs with a formula her whole family and most race officials go by: if the temperature number and the humidity number combined are over 120, then the dogs are in danger of getting hurt. “If it is over 120, the dogs can actually get heat stroke,” Hoffman said. She went on to say that if the number gets too high during training, she still can do a fun run with her team. “They are born to run. We let them do what they love, under control,” she said. As far as races go, Hoffman is hoping for some decent weather for any upcoming races. “I would love to do races (this year),” she said. Her favorite part of races is not what people might think: it is actually not the start of the race. “I get too excited (at the start), said Hoffman. The part she looks forward to is about two miles down the trail when the dogs get into
their groove. “All you can see is the tails curled in front of you,” she said. Snow dog races are a great sport to watch, Hoffman said. “I welcome spectators to attend them; just don’t bring your own dogs. It will distract the race dogs,” she said. Hoffman will be attending an event in Au Gres coming up at the end of January. The second annual Polar Splash at the Au Gres City Park will host many events Jan. 30, including a craft show, Sunrise Side Snowdogs exhibition, fishing contest and the polar dip. Hoffman will bring her spinning wheel to the event to demonstrate the technique of spinning the dog hair that she uses to knit the husky hair mittens. She has always been a dog person. With this way of utilizing the hair that normally would only be recycled by birds, Hoffman said, she is able to make something that aids her and her family in their favorite pastime. Being a musher has allowed her to be with whom she loves, her family and her dogs.
The wheel Hoffman uses to spin the collected and washed dog hair.
The view of the musher: Hoffman snapped a shot during one of her runs with three of her dogs.
Mittens and a square for a future quilt made by Hoffman.
Pictured above are Hoffman’s dogs during a training session before any snow.
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Setting realistic resolutions for the new year
Reflections ––Winter 2016—Page 13
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Heritage Wood Stove Matte Black BY TIFFANY JOHNSON
While the new year comes with new opportunities it also brings ways to fail. In a two-year study called The Resolution Solution, at the University of Pennsylvania, it was found that 77 percent of the resolvers kept their resolutions for one week but only 19 percent of the overall 200 participants kept their goals for the allotted two years. Why is it so hard to keep those pesky promises made in the new year? It could be because most bite off more then they can chew. Instead of not making a bunch of resolutions at the beginning of the year, try making one. Just one. When you have made that one, then move on to thinking of your next goal and finish that one too. It is better to finish one goal than to make a lot of promises on New Year’s Day and not follow through.
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Make goals that are realistic and specific to you. A good thing to do is to assess your situation and plan to make changes accordingly. If you have never run a mile, don’t make a resolution to win first place in a marathon next week. Any new goal requires lifestyle changes. Studies show that people who think and prepare for these changes show better overall success, according to an article on WebMD. For example, if you make a resolution to eat healthier, you might have to shop or cook differently. Ian Newby-Clark, Ph.D., psychologist at the University of Guelph in Canada, states that having an idea of the domino effect of changes that will happen helps you reach your goals. “Thinking through these substrategies boosts success rates,” said NewbyClark.
Allow yourself an accountability partner. This can be an actual person, which is most likely to keep you on track, or a device. It is pretty easy to set goals but very difficult to complete them. Ask someone in your life to ask you about your goal on a regular basis. Of course, you may not want it to be someone too close to you in the event that you become annoyed with this person and thus end up not caring enough to finish your resolution. In this day and age, an application on
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a smartphone is also a great way to keep yourself on track with your goal. If you are tech-savvy, set reminders at specific times during the day, which will at least get the idea back in your mind. As Jill Duffy suggests in an article titled “The best fitness apps for 2016,” include apps like MyFitnessPal, RockMyRun and Strava.
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The third thing that may help you with your goal, especially your physical one, is to practice the golden rule. Being nice to others may give you more power. The idea is that when you have a chance to do something morally right or rewarding, you become physically stronger. In a study at Harvard University, psychologist Kurt Gray, Ph.D., gave 91 participants a one-dollar bill, and he then gave the group the opportunity to donate the dollar to charity. He then asked the group as a whole to hold a five-pound weight up. Those who donated their dollar held up the weight longer. Can you exercise willpower? The answer is yes, according to an experiment done at the University at Albany — State University of New York. In the experiment 122 smokers who were trying to quit were asked to do a selfcontrol-exerting task for two weeks, like avoiding desserts or using a stress ball. Increased resolve in the participants, with 27 percent of those smokers kicking the habit, while those who were assigned a task that did not call for a self-control-exerting task had only 12 percent of participants kick the habit. Another way to get that oomph you need to get through the temptation is to write out your goals. People who write down their resolutions are more likely to finish them, according to research at the Dominican University of California. What’s more, it was also found that people respond to this strategy even more when they post the goals somewhere they can be seen regularly. Even though January is coming to a close, your resolutions don’t have to. Keep these tips in mind, and you just might surprise yourself with all the things you can do.
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Page 14 — Reflections –– Winter 2016
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Successful ways to stretch retirement savings BY: STEPHANIE HOLLAND, SOCIAL SECURITY PUBLIC AFFAIRS SPECIALIST
Many budding retirees plan to travel, relax and enjoy the company of their spouses when they officially stop working. But such plans only are possible if men and women take steps to secure their financial futures in retirement. According to a recent survey by the personal finance education site MoneyTips.com, roughly one-third of Baby Boomers have no retirement plan. The reason some may have no plan is they have misconceptions about how much money they will need in retirement. Successful retirees understand the steps to take and how to live on a budget. • Have a plan. Many people simply fail to plan for retirement. Even men and women who invest in an employer-sponsored retirement program, such as a 401(k), should not make that the only retirement planning they do. Speak with a financial adviser who can help you develop a plan that ensures you don’t outlive your assets. • Set reasonable goals. Retirement nest eggs do not need to be enormous. Many retirees have a net worth of less than $1 million, and many people live comfortably on less than $100,000 annually. When planning for retirement, don’t be dissuaded because you won’t be buying a vineyard or villa in Europe. Set reasonable goals for your retirement and make sure you meet those goals. • Recognize there is no magic wealthbuilding plan. Saving comes down to formulating a plan specific to your goals, resources, abilities and skills. Make saving a priority and take advantage of employersponsored retirement programs if they are offered. • Don’t underestimate spending. You will need money in retirement, and it’s best that you don’t underestimate just how much you’re going to need. No one wants to be stuck at home during retirement, when peo-
ple typically want to enjoy themselves and the freedom that comes with retirement. Speak to a financial planner to develop a reasonable estimate of your living expenses when you plan to retire. • Pay down or avoid debt while you can. Retiring with debt is a big risk. Try to eliminate all of your debts before you retire and, once you have, focus your energy on growing your investments and/or saving money for retirement. • Start early on retirement saving. It’s never too early to begin saving for retirement. Although few 20-somethings are thinking about retirement, the earlier you begin to invest, the more time you have to grow your money. Enroll in a retirement plan now so you have a larger nest egg when you reach retirement age.
USE YOUR EXTRA DAY TO LEAP INTO RETIREMENT BY: STEPHANIE HOLLAND, SOCIAL SECURITY PUBLIC AFFAIRS SPECIALIST
It’s leap year, and that means one thing — you can add one extra calendar day to your February schedule. Many people are preparing for the upcoming elections. Others might be getting a jump on spring cleaning. What will you do with your extra day? You could use a few of your extra minutes to check out what social security offers at www.socialsecurity.gov/onlineser vices. There, you can:
• Apply for retirement, disability and other benefits; • Get your social security statement; • Appeal a recent medical decision about your disability claim; and • Find out if you qualify for benefits.
If you’re planning or preparing for retirement, you can spend a fraction of your extra 24 hours at My Social Security. In as little as 15 minutes, you can create a safe and secure My Social Security account. More than 21 million Americans already have accounts. Sign up today at www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount. With a My Social Security account, you can:
• Obtain an instant estimate of your future social security benefits;
• Verify the accuracy of your earnings record — your future benefit amounts are based on your earnings record; • Change your address and phone number, if you receive monthly social security benefits; • Sign up for or change direct deposit of your social security benefits; • Get a replacement SSA-1099 or SSA1042S for tax season; and • Obtain a record of the Social Security and Medicare taxes you’ve paid.
If you have a little time to spare, you can always check out our blog, Social Security Matters, at blog.social security.gov. There, you will find guest posts by social security experts, in-depth articles and answers to many of your questions about retirement, benefits and health care. Each post is tagged by topic so you can easily search for what matters most to you. Leaping from Web page to Web page, you can easily see that social security has you covered all year long, not just on that extra day in February. Remember, you can access our homepage that links to our wide array of online services any day of the year — at www.socialsecurity.gov.
How to beat the winter blues in your county
Reflections –– Winter 2016—Page 15
The importance of getting outside during winter
BY TIFFANY JOHNSON
This year has been stamped as the #MiShoeYear by the Department of Natural Resources. This “movement for movement” encourages the idea of strapping on your snowshoes, skis or skates and taking on the Michigan winter. “It started with the idea that the parks are year-round,” said Maia Turek, DNR recreation programmer. Michigan is home to rich scenery all year round that can offer the same as what a gym can or better. The University of Michigan did a study in 2005 concluding that exercising outdoors increases the time elapsed doing that particular activity, and participants had an increased sense of well-being from being outdoors, Turek said. Besides saving time and money, doing more outside can bring you closer to the people with whom you share in the activities, said Stacy Ford, co-director at Camp Barakel in Fairview. The Ford family takes advantage of winter sports as a way to bond as a family. “We have seven kids and we do mostly downhill skiing,” she said. Camp Barakel is buzzing with activity most weekends in the winter. The site has at least two camps going each weekend on average, a youth one and a relationship one, like a mother-daughter one, Ford explained. At Camp Barakel, campers can take advantage of the cross-country ski trails, tubing hill and multiple ice rinks on the property. Besides the camp, the county has many resources residents can utilize for recre-
ational activities, such as the Loud Creek trail, which is number nine of 11 trails in the Huron-Manistee National Forests. According to the U.S. Forest Service, this groomed trail is mostly used for jogging, walking dogs and recreation for families with younger children. It is also ideal for cross-country skiing and hiking. The area of Northern Michigan caters to snowmobile enthusiasts as well. Numerous trails in Oscoda County, most of which are groomed, allow residents to get in plenty of mileage. “The trail conditions are awesome,” said Lizz Holzwarth of AuSable Groomers in Mio. Oscoda County is home to over nine interconnecting snowmobile trails. Being out on the trails allows for a number of great things to happen, said Holzwarth who is an avid snowmobiler herself. “You get to see sights you don’t normally see,” she said. Jim Kelts, treasurer for the Ogemaw Snowmobile Club, said he has already put 700 miles on his snowmobile this winter. “Trail number six is my favorite because it’s just long and covers different areas,” Kelts said. That specific trail goes from Oscoda County, through Ogemaw County and across the state to the other coast, he said. Arenac County has many hidden gems near the Bay for people to ski or snowshoe, said Trevor Edmonds, a land protection specialist with the Saginaw Basin Land Conservancy. Some of the areas available for winter
Rose City Chiropractic Clinic, P.C.
Jenea Troyer, Gretchen Ford and Paige Jenkins of Fairview are all smiles mid-spin as they go down the tubing hill at Camp Barakel.
recreational sports include the Standish Nature Preserve and Saganing Nature Preserve. “They are not groomed specifically for that but people are more than welcome to blaze the trails,” he said. When in Northern Michigan, you may have to travel to find more areas that cater to your sport of choice. If your sport of choice is cross-country skiing, then Hanson Hills Recreation Area in Grayling is a prime spot for a day trip. Having well-kept trails, Hanson Hills caters to all levels of the sport. “Hanson Hills offers 35 kilometers of
groomed skating and classic trails,” said Gabe Williams, co-owner of Northbound Outfitters in Grayling. Whether your sport of choice is skiing, snowshoeing or snowmobiling, all are excellent ways to keep active through the cold winter months. “State parks, township parks, your neighborhood — whatever it is, just get outside,” Turek said. There are two things you can do when winter rolls around: build a bunker and let the winter blues take over, or bundle up and get outside to enjoy what your area has to offer.
NOTICE TO ALL ARENAC COUNTY SENIOR CITIZENS: Sunrise Side Senior Services 131 Clyde Street • Omer WE OFFER THE FOLLOWING IN-HOME SERVICES: Light Housekeeping, Personal Care, Home Delivered Meals and Respite Services.
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Dedicated to Your Health and Satisfaction “As a result of my care at Rose City Chiropractic, I feel so much better.” – Candy “The doctor addressed and explained my treatment needs to my satisfaction and answered all my questions.” – Linda Lamont “I would definitely recommend Rose City Chiropractic Clinic to family and friends.” – Frank Darling
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ON-SITE SERVICES THAT WE OFFER: Adult Day Care Center, Loan-Closet, Activities, Informational Speakers, Crafts, Best Foot Forward Exercise Class, Medicare/Medicaid Assistance Counselor, Alzheimer’s Support Group, Project Fresh Coupons, and Congregate Luncheons - Monday thru Friday at noon. We’ll answer all your questions! We play Bingo at 10:30 am Monday, Wednesday & Friday. Euchre is played following lunch on Tuesday and Thursday. We have exercise class Tuesday & Thursday at 10:15 - 11:15 am
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Page 16 — Reflections –– Winter 2016