Sassy • Spirited • Successful
December 2016
INSIDE • Fred LeFebvre embraces the spirit of giving Hearty Holiday Hors d’oeuvres • Steve North Offers a LifeLine Financial Resolutions for 2017 • Expert Tips for Better Photos
Sassy • Spirited • Successful “You can give without loving, but you can never love without giving.” --Robert Louis Stevenson
In this edition, we celebrate the season and the joy of giving. Fred LeFebvre gives a voice to nonprofits (pg. 3) and Steve North throws a LifeLine to the community (pg. 10). This holiday, capture your special moments with tips from our pro photographer (pg. 4) and resolve to better your finances in 2017 by following 10 financial resolutions (pg. 6). Entertain with ease with our hearty hors d’oeuvres ideas (pg. 8). Relax safely by the fire (pg. 12) and take a break from the hustle and bustle by watching one of our suggested holiday movies (pg. 15). Co-editors Jennifer Ruple and Mary Helen Darah get in the holiday spirit We are grateful for your support and readership and wish at Whitehouse Christmas Tree Farm. you and your family a happy, healthy and spirited holiday.
sas•sy
spir•it•ed
suc•cess•ful
adjective very stylish; confident and energetic
adjective full of courage or energy; very lively or determined
adjective having the correct or desired result; ending in success having achieved wealth, respect, or fame
BOOMERS Inside & Beyond Editors Mary Helen Darah Jennifer Ruple Boomer Consultant Sharon Lange Sales Representative Nancy Rodgers Contributing Writers Gary Bendig, Jeff Bucher, Mary Helen Darah, Jennifer Ruple, Sue Schafer Distribution Donald Frazier, Nancy Jomantas, Paul Jomantas Layout and Design Elissa Cary Boom Your Business with Advertising boomersandbeyond2014@gmail.com 419/824-0100 On The Web sylvaniaadvantage.com/boomers-beyond facebook.com/ Boomers Hangout 5655 N. Main St. #1, Sylvania, Ohio 43560
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• Fred LeFebvre embraces the 3 spirit of giving • Expert tips for better photos 4
6 8 • Hearty hors d’oeuvres • Steve North offers a LifeLine 10 12 • Fire up the holidays safely
• 10 financial resolutions
• Crossword fun
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• Books for boomers
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• It’s a date
Fred LeFebvre spreads the holiday spirit throughout the year by giving a louder voice to nonprofits through his support and participation. - Photo by Jennifer Ruple
ON THE COVER
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The season of giving
Fred LeFebvre maintains the spirit of giving all year By Mary Helen Darah
Fred LeFebvre, morning host at 1370 WSPD, LeFebvre, who has a stepson in the U.S. Army loves to “play Santa” throughout the year. The Reserve, is also supportive of veterans and active philanthropic radio personality, originally from members of the military. “I enjoy being part of Detroit, landed in Toledo in 1980 and has been ‘Dancing with the Military Stars’ and ‘Trees for here ever since. LeFebvre is known for Troops,’ which gives over 170,000 farm-grown highlighting and participating in nonprofit Christmas trees to those who are actively serving events. “When I first got here we had some in all branches of the military. I never served but charity stuff going on every weekend at the radio those guys have given it all for their country. station,” he recalled. “We were involved in local They deserve everything we can give them. I nonprofit events all the time. It will do anything and everything for became a part of what we did and our vets.” giving back became ingrained in For those interested in giving back my daily life.” According to this holiday season, LeFebvre has a LeFebvre, many stations have list of his favorite charities on his currently changed their website, fred@wspd.com. He philosophy and involvement in believes that everyone can make a freely assisting charities. difference. However, he has personally “I know that this stuff works when maintained the spirit of giving by somebody tells me that they heard continuing to help in any way he something on the show or my can. “I don’t have a lot of Facebook or Twitter and has taken money,” stated LeFebvre. “Yet advantage of it,” he stated. there are many ways to help “Recently, we did something with a besides giving funds. I offer my suicide prevention group. They Fred LeFebvre loves playing time as a participant to give ‘Santa’ by donating his time to called to thank me and to tell me organizations a louder voice and nonprofits throughout the year. that someone contemplating suicide to let people know how they can had called them and they were able get involved in their community. Toledo has to help. That was very meaningful. You don’t always been generous. Anyone who has done often get to hear those success stories and when charity work in this area knows they can get a you do, it’s very gratifying.” pretty good response here.” In the year ahead, LeFebvre plans to continue LeFebvre has supported an eclectic mix of giving to the community. “I’m not planning on organizations. The one with the greatest retiring any time soon. I will keep going as long longevity for the radio host is the MS (Multiple as I have a voice,” he said. “I will use any time I Sclerosis) Society. “I started getting involved can to promote the local nonprofits and causes I with the MS Society when my coworker Trisha believe in.” Courtney Tischler was diagnosed with MS,” said Have a cause that needs a shout out? You may LeFebvre. “The following year, I started riding in contact LeFebvre at fred@wspd.com. the ‘MS Bike to the Bay.’ This is going to be my tenth year.” This year LeFebvre participated in the American Cancer Society’s ‘Real Men Wear Pink’ LMT, LLC initiative. “I wore a different pink shirt every day Christine A. Raszka, Licensed Massage Therapist for the month of October,” he recalled. “I then 6616 Monroe St., Ste 3 • Sylvania, OH 43560 spread awareness throughout ‘Breast Cancer 419.705.4993 • craszka@gmail.com • chrisraska.com Awareness Month’ via my social media venues.”
Chris Raszka
DECEMBER 2016
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Behind the lens Expert tips for better photos By Gary Bendig, Kohne Camera & Photo
If you’re new to photography, the controls on For example, there’s a mode that features a your new SLR camera may as well be the graphic of a person’s head. This is called Portrait controls on a spaceship. Right out of the box Mode. When you use this mode, you’re telling you’ll probably put your new camera into the the camera that you want your subject to be in green or Automatic Mode and go take pictures focus and you want the background to be in the hope that the significant expenditure you blurred. made for your new camera will give you First, be sure to put some space between the professional results. subject and the background. If the subject is Although Automatic Mode will sometimes give leaning against a wall, that wall will not blur no you wonderful results, perhaps even awardmatter what. Give more distance between the winning results, most often you’ll take a picture, subject and the background than between you then look at the screen and say, “Gee, THAT and the subject. didn’t come out the way I Next, use a long lens. If wanted it to!” This is why you own an 18-55mm there are all those zoom lens that came with controls, but don’t worry! the camera and you also These days, the camera have a 75-300mm zoom manufacturers have made lens, use the longer lens it significantly simple to for your portrait because get great results by it will accentuate the allowing you different blurring of the exposure modes to get background. If you don’t you the photographs you have a longer lens, then want without the need to set the 18-55mm to its learn all about apertures longest focal length and shutter speeds, the available (55mm) and ISO, how they all work, simply adjust your body Gary Bendig is an owner and vice president of Kohne Camera & Photo in Perrysburg, Ohio. what they all do, and how position forward or to set them yourself. backward to compose the picture to your liking. Portrait Mode, a long If you were born with a camera in your hand or lens, and some distance between your subject learned how to use one as a pre-teen, then you and the background will give you a professional would use one of the modes with single or result every time. double letter abbreviations on the dial at the top of the camera and set the camera settings by The opposite of the Portrait Mode is Landscape hand simply because those settings and concepts Mode. When you use that, you’re telling the have become second nature to you. If, however, camera that you want everything sharp and in you’re just starting out then you’ll want to use focus from your feet to the wildflowers three the “cue card” modes because those will give yards away, and on to the pond with a canoe on nearly identical results but without the years of it, and beyond to the mountains and moon in the study. background. In other words, a travel book shot.
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Since this is the opposite of a portrait shot, you focus simply because it’s been in focus all would accentuate the sharpness of everything along! An expensive camera, expensive lens, from right-here-to-forever by using your short and lots of light on your subject will all zoom lens, and for best results you would use accentuate the performance on this feature. the shortest focal length it has, such as 18mm on These three exposure modes, Portrait, an 18-55mm zoom. Landscape, and Sports, are the modes you’ll When you set your likely use the most, but camera on Sports there are more features Mode, an icon of a your camera has that running sports figure, are beyond the scope three things happen of this article. Kohne automatically. First, if Camera & Photo offers it’s not already set this classes and one-on-one way, the camera goes consultations to get into a continuous you fully up to speed shooting situation. on the care and When you lean on the operation of your shutter button it will digital SLR camera. keep firing at several Meanwhile, just get out frames per second until Gary Bendig is a Canon shooter, a natural-born teacher, a and practice! you run out of room on musician, and a nature and wildlife specialist. Gary Bendig is an your memory card or owner and vice president of Kohne Camera & let up on the button. Secondly, the camera will use the fastest shutter Photo in Perrysburg, Ohio, the only premier camera store and professional grade photo lab speed it possibly can based on the lighting in the area. Gary is a Canon shooter, a naturalcondition you’re within. The more light you born teacher, a musician, and a nature and have, the faster of a shutter speed it can use, wildlife specialist. Contact him at 419/385thereby freezing the action just like you see in 9500. sports magazines. Lastly, the camera goes into continuous focus. Maintain your right finger halfway depressing the shutter button and keep aiming at your moving subject. The focus will actually follow the subject as it moves nearer and farther. Press the button all the way down when you want to take the picture and that moving subject will be in DECEMBER 2016
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Financial resolutions
Ten ways to make 2017 a financial success By Jeff Bucher As the end of 2016 approaches, it’s time to start thinking about how to make 2017 a success for you and your loved ones. Here are 10 financial resolutions to help make 2017 healthy, happy, and Jeff Bucher successful: 1. Create emergency savings Life is full of unexpected emergencies, and some extra cash can help a serious illness, home repair, or other sudden financial need from derailing your finances. Prepare for unpredictable expenses by putting aside six to eight months of expenses in an easily accessible cash-equivalent account. 2. Make a monthly budget and stick to it Budgets may sound like a lot of unnecessary work, especially if you’re financially comfortable, but it’s quite easy to let your spending go off the rails if you’re not tracking it in some way. Set a budget and work on sticking to it for a couple of months. Don’t aim for perfection; instead, try for incremental improvement. 3. Make retirement plan contributions regularly (instead of all at once) We believe that “time in the market” is critical to long-term investing success. Instead of waiting until the last minute to make your annual
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contributions, give your money more time to grow by making automatic contributions to your accounts every month. 4. Maximize your retirement plan contributions Tax-managed retirement accounts are one of the most powerful ways to save for a more comfortable retirement. Make the most of them by contributing as much as you can each tax year. We usually recommend maxing out employer-sponsored plans first to take advantage of any matching contributions your employer may offer. Give us a call if you need help understanding your retirement account options. 5. Pay down high-interest debt High-interest debt can make it very hard to get ahead financially. If you’re carrying a lot of debt, make paying it down a priority. Contact us for help managing expenses and getting on top of your debt. 6. Review your estate planning and legal documents Your core legal documents should be regularly reviewed to make sure that they keep up with your life. If it’s been a few years since you took a look at your documents, dust them off and make sure that they still represent your wishes. 7. Review the beneficiaries of your financial accounts and insurance policies When is the last time you updated your beneficiaries? Since beneficiary provisions are independent of your will or other estate provisions, it’s critical to keep them current. Contact us for assistance with gathering account documents and making needed updates.
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8. Stay on top of your health Healthcare is a major expense for most Americans, especially when serious illness strikes. Take steps to protect your health (and your wallet) by building a healthy lifestyle and being proactive about preventative care. 9. Protect your credit and identity Identity theft and financial fraud are serious threats that can compromise your financial wellbeing. Protect yourself by reviewing financial statements and bills carefully for unauthorized activity. There are many websites where you can check your credit report for free. Jeff is giving away copies of “Beyond the Summit: The Hard-Working American’s Retirement Guide” to readers of this month’s edition of Boomers & Beyond. If you would like a complimentary copy of the book, give the Citizen Advisory Group office a call at 419/872-0204.
DECEMBER 2016
10. Involve your loved ones in your finances If you (or your spouse) don’t get involved in the family finances, it’s time to start. Work together to make financial decisions and make sure that each of you understands the overall game plan for your finances. At minimum, make sure that your loved ones know how to access financial accounts and understand your wishes. If you have questions about your future or would like some support in keeping your financial resolutions, give us a call at 419/872-0204. Together, let’s make 2017 a success. Jeff Bucher is the President and co- founder of Citizen Advisory Group, a comprehensive financial planning company in Perrysburg. You can contact him at 419/8720204; email at jeff@citizenadvisory.com; visit at 770 Commerce Dr., Perrysburg; or visit the website at www.citizenadvisory.com.
Investment Advisory Services offered through AlphaStar Capital Management, LLC, a SEC Registered Investment Adviser. SEC registration does not constitute an endorsement of the firm by the Commission nor does it indicate that the adviser has attained a particular level of skill or ability. AlphaStar Capital Management, LLC and Citizen Advisory Group are independent entities.
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Plates and Places Get the party started with hearty holiday hors d’oeuvres By Jennifer Ruple The gathering season is upon us, and chances are you’ll be hosting a get-together or two this month. Instead of a traditional sit-down dinner, try an hors d’oeuvres buffet. The following three recipes, from my grandma, my mom and me, are substantial enough that your guests will feel satisfied but not overly full. Pair them with an assortment of cheeses and some crudités and you’ll have a meal that’s just right for the occasion. Happy hosting! Jennifer Ruple
Tangy Cranberry Meatballs This recipe has been in my family for years. I can remember my grandmother rolling hundreds of these scrumptious little meatballs for her parties. Just a warning – they go fast! Makes approximately 4 dozen meatballs. Meatballs 3 pounds lean ground beef 2 eggs 1 cup unseasoned bread crumbs Salt and pepper to taste 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
Sauce 12-ounce jar Heinz Chili Sauce 14-ounce can jellied cranberry sauce 2 tablespoons brown sugar 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce Squeeze of a lemon In a large bowl, combine meatball ingredients. Roll into 1” balls. Bake at 350 F for 15 minutes or until no longer pink. Drain on paper towels. In a saucepan, combine sauce ingredients and cook over medium heat, stirring to break up jellied cranberry. Add meatballs and simmer 30 minutes. (Recipe from Ann McGrath)
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Meatless Stuffed Mushrooms Each time my mom serves these hearty hors d’oeuvres, she is asked what type of meat is in them. Surprisingly none! Instead of discarding the mushroom stems, they are diced and mixed with spices to create a savory filling. Makes 6 appetizers. 6 large white mushrooms 2 tablespoons butter ¼ cup onion, diced ½ teaspoon minced garlic Salt to taste Italian bread crumbs Parmesan cheese, shaved
Snap off the stems of the mushrooms. Set aside. With a teaspoon, scoop out a bit of the mushroom cap to create a larger hole for the stuffing. Dice the stems and extra mushroom scooped from the cap. In a frying pan, melt butter. Sauté onions until they begin to soften. Add garlic, salt and diced mushroom pieces and sauté until soft. Add bread crumbs and heat until mixture thickens. Fill each mushroom cap with stuffing. Top with Parmesan cheese shavings. Bake at 425 F for 20-25 minutes or until mushrooms are soft and cheese forms a crust. (Recipe from Carol Alexander)
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Sausage Polenta Rounds Finally, here is my contribution to the trio of holiday munchies. I was excited to find pre-cooked polenta at Sautter’s Food Center in Sylvania, it sped up the process considerably. Also, feel free to get a little spicy by using sweet, mild or hot Italian sausage. ¾ pound bulk Italian sausage 1 cup marinara sauce 24-ounce tube pre-cooked polenta Olive oil for frying Grated Parmesan cheese Fresh basil for garnish
Heat oven to 350 F. In a frying pan, cook sausage until no longer pink. Drain. Stir in marinara sauce. Set aside. Slice polenta into ½ inch thick rounds. With a spoon, gently scoop out a bit of polenta from the center of each round, creating a shallow well. In a frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil and cook polenta rounds a few minutes per side, in batches of 5-6.
Transfer polenta rounds to a baking sheet. Fill wells with 1 tablespoon of sausage mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 10 minutes or until polenta is slightly brown and cheese has melted. Garnish with basil leaves. (Recipe by Jennifer Ruple)
Jennifer Ruple is the author of the blog somedaycowgirl.blogspot.com.
419-517-7000
DECEMBER 2016
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Toledo is thrown a LifeLine
Steve North is a man on a mission By Mary Helen Darah
If you ask Steve North what his occupation is LifeLine has two facets. The first is the he will say, “Pastor …but a really weird one.” spiritual community. “We created a truly Originally from Detroit, the Pastor relocated to organic and highly spiritual community, southern Ohio when he was “called” to begin a particularly in the inner city,” explained North, new mission. “I wanted to do something new Senior Pastor, founder and CEO of LifeLine. and different,” recalled North. “It will be 10 “Many feel disconnected from organized years this past summer that I walked away church. They have been hurt, disenchanted, from everything with my wife disillusioned, and three teenage kids to start and whatever this new “thing” even though I ‘dis’ you doubted it would work. I was in want to grad school working on a apply. I have Master of Divinity degree and a real affinity suddenly, over the course of for them. I several years, things changed. love atheists The process culminated in and love 2004. I wanted to start a new people from ministry but I couldn’t define it, every faith so I began to write. When I stream. We finished, I distributed it to create safe Steve North leads a unique and diverse community where people and the response I places for people feel valued, accepted and celebrated. received was overwhelmingly them to positive. I began doing research, and in about a explore. One of my mantras is ‘belonging is year, I had this feeling that I had to begin this before believing.’ The Lifeline ‘church’ meets new ministry or die inside. If I had known in our home. We also meet in coffee shops and everything that would accompany the move, I ‘homeless guy’ places. It certainly is not about would have chickened out.” buildings.” The “everything” in moving to the Toledo area A year after North moved here, he met a man that North was referring to includes being who would increase the outreach of his robbed, vandalized, the loss of 12 cars and ministry. “I met a man named Jim,” he having four heart attacks. Yet, he endured and recalled. “He has a higher IQ than anyone I threw Toledo a “LifeLine.” have known. He is completely outrageous, which usually goes with higher intellect. I heard him talking and went and introduced myself. I told him why I was in Toledo and he told me he had a group of people I should meet. I went to a poetry reading with Jim at the Collingwood Arts Center. People there had no use for God, pastors, or religious everything. What they read was so raw, vulnerable and real. Later that night we went to this homeless guy’s fire pit. It took my breath away. I realized this was his sanctuary. That week I did something I had not done in 35 years. I wrote a poem about the homeless guy’s place and went back to the group and read it.”
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North came to realize that many in the poetry group were poor and never ate a real meal. He decided to have a chili super for them in his home. “There ‘LifeLine Community Dinners’ take place the first Saturday of each month in were 15 North’s Old West End home and offer that came acceptance, love and respect ... and and I made LOTS of food. enough chili for 100. I am the master of overkill. They stayed for twelve hours. It was great,” he stated. “We had another dinner a few weeks later. In September, we celebrated our ninth anniversary. We have had as many as 200 people attend. No one is asked to bring anything. I would never want someone not to attend because they do not have anything to bring. Today it is not just poets but people from every walk of life. At any given dinner, there are dropouts, Ph.Ds, CEOs, people with no jobs, people with no faith and those who have devout faith. No matter what human spectrum you want to name, we have someone. We always start with belonging. There are no outsiders. People are learning to cross lines that normally divide. Over time, people learn to respect one another. We still have an open mic for poetry reading and musicians to honor our roots. It is a place that is iconic in the city of Toledo. The common thread is building community.” The second facet of North’s ministry is to be immersed and responsive in the community. “I got up to my eyeballs in the joy, the pain, the hard stuff,” he stated. “It took me a good five minutes to fall in love with Toledo. I am involved with everything that involves the homeless in Toledo. A few years ago, I bought a greyhound bus to provide services to people without medical care. It is staffed with DECEMBER 2016
volunteer medical students and docs. It has a professional and very private exam room. This isn’t ‘kids building a fort with a blanket.’ We provided free pap tests and free vouchers for mammograms at this year’s ‘Tent City.’ I have never recruited anyone. They come to me. I told Dr. Anne Ruch about my dream to have a real clinic for those in need. After researching other clinic models, she embraced the dream. On Aug. 21, she left her job at ProMedica and began ‘Compassion Health Toledo.’ I will be the speaker at the grand opening in 2017.” North feels the people involved in their ministry have a ‘lifeline heart.’ “You hear people’s stories. People know they are heard and seen. The same DNA that created the community dinners created the medical bus,” stated North. “If I were a boxer I would be a ‘counter puncher.’ I respond to what comes at me and LifeLine responds to what is happening around us by providing a sense of belonging and unconditional love.”
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Fire safety tips for the holiday season The holiday season is full of family, friendship and good cheer, but it’s important to keep in mind that this time of year can also pose specific safety risks, particularly around the use of candles, fire and heating products. In 2015, one home structure fire was reported every 86 seconds, according to the National Fire Protection Association. Unfortunately, the hustle and bustle associated with this time of year may mean you are paying less attention to safety precautions. To protect your family and home, check out these tips. Safety Devices Double check all of your home’s safety devices, including carbon monoxide detectors and
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smoke alarms for functionality and to ensure batteries are still working. Doing so will offer you greater peace of mind during a time of year with additional fire risks. Fireplaces Nothing beats the charm and warmth of a fireplace, particularly around the holidays when the family is gathered together. Heatilator, a leader in fireplace safety and the number one fireplace brand used by homebuilders, began including safety screens as standard equipment more than a decade before rules required the use of this equipment in new fireplace installations. As a pioneer in the field of fireplace safety, they offer these tips: FIRE SAFETY TO PAGE 14
BOOMERS
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Crossword fun: Tourists’ Europe
ACROSS 1. French abbots 6. Bag to Coco Chanel 9. Pulpit predecessor 13. Butterfly, premetamorphosis 14. Plays for pay 15. It died February 3, 1959 16. Wrinkles easily 17. Slippery when cold 18. Undo 19. *Home to Piccadilly Circus 21. *Home to Charles Bridge and Kafka’s grave 23. Scot’s woolen cap 24. Chinese monetary unit 25. Choose 28. Psychedelic lamp 30. Unhealthy vapors 34. Be sick 36. *Mister from Munich 38. Bar, legally 40. Like word of mouth 41. Software extension 43. Confederate soldier’s hat 44. Comforter stuffing 46. Magazine contents 47. Perceives with an eye 48. Masculine and feminine 50. Same as eon 52. Swedish shag rug 53. Related 55. Pester 57. *Where to see The Book of Kells 60. *Home to Tiergarten 63. Yankee’s relationship to Red Sox
64. Goose egg 66. Pneumonic lung rattling, pl. 68. Each and all 69. E in BCE 70. Bay window 71. Madam, to a cowboy 72. Yankee’s foe 73. *Eventual tourist feeling?
DOWN 1. 100% 2. Get-out-of-jail money 3. *Home to Freedom Square 4. *Tour de France, e.g. 5. Warm weather shoe 6. “Wheel of Fortune” choice 7. *____ De Triomphe 8. a.k.a. nutria 9. *Salz____ or St. Peters____ 10. Biblical twin 11. ____ en scene 12. Expert 15. Unkind person 20. Nebraska’s largest city 22. Truck brand 24. Railyard worker 25. Symphony member
DECEMBER 2016
26. *Home to Notre Dame 27. Port city business 29. Sacred Hindu writings 31. Requests 32. Be at the helm 33. Languishing 35. Show the guns? 37. *Home to Trevi Fountain 39. *Home to the Leaning Tower 42. Not a soul 45. In fact 49. *Sporty tourists do it
in the Alps 51. *Like a Norwegian fjord 54. Private 56. Unfriendly glance 57. Prima donna 58. Iris holder 59. Yeasty foam 60. Spill the beans 61. Pelvic parts 62. ____-do-well 63. “Losing My Religion” band 65. Boiling blood 67. Like a fox
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Fire safety
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• Ensure gas fireplaces are outfitted with safety screens. Check out Heatilator, which offers retrofit safety screens. • Never leave children or pets unattended near a lit fireplace or one that was recently turned off. Safety screens are meant to protect against contact with hot glass, but remember that the metal can also heat up, and your heating equipment -fireplaces, stoves, inserts and their surrounding material -will remain hot for some time after use. • Ensure gifts, trees, and holiday décor are all placed a safe distance away from the fireplace. • Consider annual maintenance for both woodburning and gas fireplaces, as recommended by experts. • Learn more by visiting heatilator.com for additional fireplace safety tips and to learn about safety screens.
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Candles Candles can be a feast for the senses, but they are also a major cause of accidents and house fires, especially when your home is decked out with extra combustible décor. Don’t burn candles near curtains, trees and other flammable objects. Never leave candles unattended. Ensure all flames are extinguished before leaving a room and before going to sleep. If you have pets or children, make sure any open flames are well out of their reach and consider alternatives such as candle warmers. The greatest holiday gift you can give this season is the gift of safety. While decking the halls, take steps to make your home safer, too. (StatePoint)
BOOMERS
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Books (and more) for boomers
If you are feeling frazzled and rushed, why not stop by the library and check out some of your favorite holiday movies? From heartwarming to funny, you’re sure to find something entertaining! Here are some suggestions to help you get in the holiday spirit. Elf [DVD videorecording], New Line Productions, 2003 Buddy (Will Ferrell) was accidentally transported to the North Pole as a toddler and raised to adulthood among Santa’s elves. Unable to shake the feeling that he By Sue Schafer doesn’t fit in, the adult Buddy travels to New York, in full elf uniform, in search Manager, of his real father. As it happens, this is Walter Hobbs (James Caan), a cynical Sylvania Branch, businessman. After a DNA test proves this, Walter reluctantly attempts to start Toledo Lucas County a relationship with the childlike Buddy with increasingly chaotic results. Public Library Miracle on 34th Street [DVD videorecording], 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, 1947 In this Christmas classic, an old man going by the name of Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn) fills in for an intoxicated Santa in Macy’s annual Thanksgiving Day parade. Kringle proves to be such a hit that he is soon appearing regularly at the chain’s main store in midtown Manhattan. When Kringle surprises customers and employees alike by claiming that he really is Santa Claus, it leads to a court case to determine his mental health and, more importantly, his authenticity. It’s a Merry Muppet Christmas Movie [DVD videorecording], MGM Home Entertainment, 2002 On Christmas Eve, an angel petitions God to send help for Kermit the Frog who has lost all hope after losing the Muppet Theatre. Mickey’s Christmas Carol [DVD videorecording], Buena Vista Home Entertainment, 2013 It’s the same old classic Charles Dickens story with an all-star Disney cast. Uncle Scrooge McDuck is appropriately enough Scrooge and is visited by his dead partner and three spirits in one night to remember the joys of Christmas. Krampus [DVD videorecording], Universal Studios Home Entertainment, 2016 While the holiday season represents the most magical time of year, ancient European folklore warns of Krampus, a horned beast who punishes naughty children at Christmastime. When dysfunctional family squabbling causes young Max (Emjay Anthony) to lose his festive spirit, it unleashes the wrath of the fearsome demon. As Krampus lays siege to the Engel home, mom (Toni Collette), pop (Adam Scott), sister (Stefania LaVie Owen) and brother must band together to save one another from a monstrous fate.
Crossword Puzzle Solution
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traditions
It’s a date
Holidays in The Manor House Wildwood Preserve Metropark 5100 W. Central Ave., Toledo Dec. 3 – 11 10 a.m. – 8 p.m. Kick off the holiday season with one of northwest Ohio’s most beloved events. Tour the 30,000 square foot home that volunteer decorators have transformed into a winter wonderland. Free admission. metroparkstoledo.com Heralding the Holiday Toledo Botanical Garden 5403 Elmer Dr., Toledo Fri., Dec. 2, 5 - 9 p.m. Sat., Dec. 3, 10 a.m. 4 p.m. Unique holiday gifts – jewelry, pottery, glass, paintings, fresh greens, herb products, photography and more. Live entertainment, food and free horsedrawn wagon rides on Friday night. toledogarden.org Tours de Noel Historic Home Tours Old West End Collingwood, Bancroft and Monroe Streets Dec. 4, 12 - 7 p.m. Magnificent historic Old West End homes decorated for the holidays plus a holiday gift boutique at the Park Lane. Entertainment and food available. womenoftheoldwestendinc.com Tree City Playhouse’s ‘Uh-Oh, Here Comes Christmas’ Church 3TwentyOne 5845 Centennial Rd., Sylvania The play, based on the writings by Robert Fulgham, consists of a series of dramatic vignettes that take a funny, heart-warming and often poignant look at the struggle to find the holiday spirit. Tickets are $10 ($8 for seniors) and can be purchased online by phone or at the door. sylvaniaarts.org 419/517-0118
arts
‘Shakespeare’s Characters: Playing the Part’ Toledo Museum of Art Now through Jan. 8, 2017 Playwright William Shakespeare is honored with an exhibit that highlights characters from his literary works. Over 30 prints, paintings, sculptures, and photographs bring the Bard’s work to life. toledomuseum.org ‘The Nutcracker’ Stranahan Theater Dec. 17, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Dec. 18, 2 p.m. Toledo Ballet presents ‘The Nutcracker’ with the Toledo Symphony Stranahan Theater toledoballet.org
sweats
Run Santa Run The Town Center at Levis Commons, Perrysburg Sun., Dec. 18, 9:30 a.m. Join hundreds of runners/walkers to fill the street with Santas on this 5K course. Runners are encouraged to dress “festive.” Being provided are: Sole Clothing Co. Vintage Santa shirt ($25 value), Santa hat, hot chocolate and cookies, Santa-themed pint glass and a post-race beer, chip timing and awards. runsanta5k.com
roars
Lights Before Christmas presented by KeyBank Toledo Zoo and Aquarium Through Dec. 31 The area’s brightest holiday tradition sets the night aglow with over a million lights, animation displays, ice slide, Douglas the Talking Tree sponsored by St. Luke’s Hospital, Santa and, of course, cold weather animals. New this year are Bumper Cars on Ice in the Winter Village. toledozoo.org
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