December 2020 | Baltimore Beacon by The Beacon Newspapers

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Several years ago, MND noticed that some Baltimore residents were floating

PHOTO BY AARON LEVIN

Specialized training

DECEMBER 2020

More than 125,000 readers throughout Greater Baltimore

Opening career opportunities By Ivey Noojin Baltimore resident Emma Smith, 61, was looking for her big break last year. She had been working hard as a security guard, but still wasn’t making enough money to comfortably pay the bills. “They took pride in saying that they paid people 60 cents over minimum wage. Wow,” Smith said sarcastically. She had recently received a commercial driver’s license from a local training program, but “I couldn’t get my foot in the door” to drive buses, she said. Then, Smith saw a flyer about Maryland New Directions (MND), a local nonprofit that offers employment coaching and specialized career training for residents of the Baltimore area, ages 18 to 60, at no cost. On a whim, she signed up for a training course, thinking there was no harm in trying a free program. “I started a training but didn’t even finish it,” Smith said. “They just sent me immediately over to a job counselor.” Using MND’s connections, the job counselor found Smith a position with the Maryland Transit Association as a professional bus operator. She celebrated one year with the company in August. “I really love my job,” Smith said. “I’m very grateful.” Smith is just one of the 300 people each year who use MND’s services, which include trainings, resume review, mock interviews, career counseling, networking practice and more. Established in 1972, MND was originally called Baltimore Nontraditional for Women. It provided women, especially widows and divorcees, with the connections and skills to enter the workforce. Within a few years, however, it began to include men, too. “Over the years, the organization just evolved as the community evolved,” Program Director Maurice Good said. “As they tell us what the needs are, we have been able to adapt.” Since then, MND has served low-income residents, those leaving incarceration, single parents and anyone who needs help finding employment.

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BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2020

Jewelers work with color, beauty and joy nearby — and they are always welcome in her basement studio, where the three of them create jewelry to give to their teachers and bus driver. If the kids ask her if they can touch or keep some of her treasures, she said, “Most of the time I say yes.”

By Margaret Foster Ask any of the three winners of the Stained Glass and Jewelry category why they spend hours creating intricate works, and they’ll say the same thing: Because it makes them happy. The category’s juror, Maryland art designer and instructor Jill Tannenbaum, was pleased with the three winners and eight honorable mentions. “Overall, the quality was impressive,” Tannenbaum said of all the entries.

Second Place

First Place Lori Grant Locust Grove, Va. Lori Grant, the firstplace winner of the Stained Glass/Jewelry category, learned how to make jewelry from her father. Grant, a veterinary technician who lives in Locust Grove Virginia, drove to her father’s house in Illinois six years ago for some in-person lessons. “We spent great quality time together. He taught me everything he knew and sent me home with a trunk full of equipment that I could never afford to buy,” Grant said. When her father, now 85, heard she won first place and an honorable mention for her silver jewelry, she said, “He laughed and said now I’ve outdone him.” Grant’s father wasn’t the only artist in the family. Grant, who grew up on an Illinois farm, remembers her grandmother working on art projects in a room that, as a child, Grant wasn’t allowed to enter. During the Depression, her grandmother made jewelry from fish eyeballs — a piece Grant still owns. “They’re pretty until someone tells you what they are,” she laughed. Grant’s siblings are artists and writers, she said. “I guess I came from a very creative background.”

Woodland Peace

By Lori Ann Grant

Grant’s first-place piece, “Woodland Peace,” is a pendant made from sterling silver and Variscite, a soft rock similar to turquoise. “It’s a sea foam green that I just love. I like to run my fingers across it all the time; it just feels nice. Envisioning a nature theme, Grant made silver castings from twigs she picked up in her yard. She bought leaf-shaped stamps from a Native American artist and arranged them around the stone. She uses Argentium sterling silver, a higher-grade sterling that doesn’t tarnish. The alloy takes some skill to work with, however. “When you’re soldering it, it just crumbles like dirt, and you’re like, ‘Oh man, that didn’t work.’” Grant still works two 10-hour days a week at a local animal hospital. “The rest of the time, I sit down in my basement and I make jewelry, and the time flies by,” she said. Now Grant is a grandmother herself. Her grandchildren, ages 9 and 12, live

Meredith Weiser Nor th Bethesda, Md. When Meredith Weiser learned she had won second place in the Jewelry category, she was “literally jumping with joy,” she said. Weiser’s jewelry is “what’s kept me sane during the pandemic,” she said. She makes jewelry almost every day from her North Bethesda home, “just to feel productive. I get really excited with the product.” Weiser recalls that she was a creative child, making macrame, crochet and bead necklaces. About 20 years ago, she began making jewelry for family and friends. She took a class at Accent Beads in 2012 on wire crochet that “really had me intrigued,” she said.

Her winning necklace, “Michaelmas Cay,” was inspired by a trip to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. “I had this photograph and decided I wanted to re-create that in the necklace,” she said. Using shells and some beads she bought in Australia, she laid out all the colors carefully, “to get the gradations and darker blues, as you get into deeper water,” she said. Weiser’s technique involves stringing three separate strands of beads and then braiding them together. The unexpected results add to the suspense, she said. “When you’ve created three separate strands and bring them together, you’re not sure how it’s going to look until it’s done.” In addition, Weisman’s necklace “Aqua Dots” won an Honorable Mention. Although its colors resemble that of the reefinspired necklace, the necklaces’ styles are different. “I was trying to experiment with other types of crochet and came up with these wire crochet disks,” she said. “The dot necklace is individually crocheted disks using wire and linked together.” Making beautiful jewelry brings joy to her life. “I love to use color and different types of beads to create different looks,” Weisman said. “It makes me happy.”

Third Place Jeff Bulman Bethesda, Md. As the owner of three busy restaurants, Jeff Bulman has his hands full. But three years ago, a friend told him about a jewelrymaking class at Glen Echo Park, just 10 minutes from Bulman’s Bethesda home. Intrigued, he enrolled in the course. “I took one class, and another, and another. I just love it,” said Bulman, who has Michaelmas Cay

See JEWELRY, page 19

By Meredith Weiser

SEE SPECIAL SECTION Amateur artists win honors pages 17-24

ARTS & STYLE Emma Smith attributes her job as a bus driver to the nonprofit Maryland New Directions, a 47-year-old organization that offers free employment coaching and career training to Baltimore area residents.

from one job-training program to another to acquire more skills for their careers, but to no avail. “They were still being left empty,” still without a job, Good said. “That’s where we began to create our industry-specific trainings.” There are three training programs available through MND: hospitality and customer service, commercial transportation and maritime. With these three tracks, participants can get the certifications and connections they need to secure a job in those fields. Each training session requires a commitment of 60 to 90 hours over two to three weeks. Since May, these daytime programs have been taught virtually, due to the pandemic.

MND partners with employers in the three career tracks so that job counselors can provide the participants with direct access to hiring officials, as Smith can attest. According to Good, many trainees get hired after completion, and those who do have a retention rate in their first year of 82%. Even if a trainee doesn’t get a job straight out of training, the organization also offers two years of follow-up. As a client, “I can expect for someone to call me and say, ‘Hey, how are you doing? Is there anything MND can assist you with?’” Good said. MND staff communicate with former participants every 90 days. Smith usually gets a phone call, or an email, as a way of “checking on each other periodically,” she said. See NEW DIRECTIONS, page 29

Baltimore theater company brings Edgar Allan Poe to the radio; plus, new cookbooks in time for the holidays page 36 FITNESS & HEALTH k Tips to fend off falls k “Healthy” ice cream? LAW & MONEY k Best ways to give to charity k How to get better Medicare

LEISURE & TRAVEL 31 k New York’s Finger Lakes area k Suffragist sites in D.C. ADVERTISER DIRECTORY

PLUS CROSSWORD, BEACON BITS, CLASSIFIEDS & MORE

DECEMBER 2020 — BALTIMORE BEACON

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Appreciating talent First, I want to congratulate again the which competes in a different category winners of our Celebration of the Arts am- based on circulation, received a total of 18 ateur art competition. You NAMPA awards. may recall we announced In Baltimore, writer Simone their names in our July issue. Ellin won first place in the FeaThis month, we are pleased ture category for her cover to provide a special pull-out story last September about Balsection with images of their timore’s Rock Steady Boxing winning artworks and brief program for Parkinson’s pabiographies of all the wintients. The judge praised Ellin ners. I hope you enjoy readfor choosing “wonderful, ining about the sources of their trepid sources whose optimism creative sparks and find their is infectious,” and found the stories inspiring. story “important, as well as upFROM THE I also want to congratulate PUBLISHER lifting.” our own writing staff and our By Stuart P. Rosenthal Theatre reviewer D a n wonderful freelancers who Collins won first place for have recently been recognized for their two of his reviews of Baltimore productop-notch work. tions. The judge said his reviews “are an Each year, we enter a selection of our writ- art in themselves…helping readers decide ers’ original stories in the annual journalism whether they’d like to go, and to learn new competition held by the North American things about shows they’ve seen.” Mature Publishers Association (NAMPA), Robert Friedman won first place for the association for newspapers and maga- his profile of Alice McDermott, which was zines specifically for the 50+ market. our March cover story for both the BaltiThat competition attracts hundreds of more and Howard County Beacons. The submissions every year and is judged by in- juror said the story “is recounted with ternationally respected faculty at the Uni- grace and respect” and with “pitch-perfect versity of Missouri School of Journalism. pace and delivery.” This year, our four publications, each of Our travel writer, Victor Block, won

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first place for two “most inviting” stories with a maritime theme: one about a riverboat cruise on the Danube, and one about Panama and its famous canal. He was praised for capturing the beauty, history and culture of his destinations. Our quarterly Housing & Homecare Options pull-out section, which appears in both the Baltimore and Greater Washington Beacons, won first place for best special section. And several of my columns — on diversity, COVID-19, artificial intelligence and music — were honored in the Editorial, Senior Issues and Personal Essay categories. A Howard County Beacon cover story about Maryland’s “difficult history…a legacy of lynchings” won Ivey Noojin a first-place award. Our Richmond publication, Fifty Plus, brought home a first- and a second-place award in the Profile and How-To categories. And in our Greater Washington edition, our managing editor, Margaret Foster, won two first place awards for cover stories, Glenda Booth won first place for a feature story, Alice Shapiro won first for a How-To article, and the Beacon won both the General Excellence and Best of Show awards — the top prizes of the whole competition. In short, nearly every Beacon staff writer and freelancer was honored in this national competition, and we couldn’t be prouder of each of them. Of course, whatever awards we do or do not win, what matters most to us is that you, our readers, are pleased with the practical information, news and entertainment you find each month in the Beacon. Please let us know what you think — even (actually, especially) if you think we are missing the boat in any particular area. Also feel free to share ideas for future stories and to recommend your fellow citizens for profiles. Your opinions, suggestions and letters to the editor are always welcome, whether you contact us by mail, phone, fax, email or online. I want to conclude by expressing my thanks to, and admiration for, all our writ-

ers (and editors) mentioned above as well as the other members of our staff, who work so diligently to produce multiple editions of the Beacon every month. I’d like to thank them by name for their efforts and devoted contributions: Vice President of Operations Gordon Hasenei; Vice President of Sales & Marketing Alan Spiegel; Art Director Kyle Gregor y; Assistant Operations Manager (and webmaster) Roger King; Advertising Representatives Dan Kelly, Steve Levin, M.K. Phillips and Lisa BentonHawkins; Assistant Editor Catherine Brown, Content Manager Ashley Griffin and last, but certainly not least, my wife, the Beacon’s president, Judy Rosenthal. The Beacon would not exist without all of their efforts, nor without you who read our publications each month. I offer my sincere appreciation to each of you.

Don’t miss our Expo! Just a reminder that our first virtual 50+Expo brings together nearly 100 informative exhibits, a variety of expert speakers, engaging classes and varied entertainment, all available 24/7 at beacon50expo.com. This totally free event, which runs through the end of January, is made possible by a partnership between the Beacon and the Baltimore County Department of Aging and the Howard County Office on Aging & Independence, and by our many sponsors and exhibitors. We owe a particular debt of gratitude to our Gold Sponsors: the Maryland Department of Aging and Maplewood Park Place. Please take a minute to visit beacon50expo.com and see all that we offer there. We hope you choose to stay and explore the site, and that you will return often and encourage your friends and family to visit, too. And be sure to register for our weekly $100 door prize drawing!

Letters to the editor

Publisher/Editor – Stuart P. Rosenthal President/Associate Publisher – Judith K. Rosenthal Vice President of Operations – Gordon Hasenei Vice President, Sales & Marketing – Alan Spiegel Managing Editor – Margaret Foster Art Director – Kyle Gregory

Readers are encouraged to share their opinion on any matter addressed in the Beacon as well as on political and social issues of the day. Mail your Letter to the Editor to The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915, or email info@thebeaconnewspapers.com. Please include your name, address and telephone number for verification.

Director of Operations – Roger King Advertising Representative – Steve Levin Assistant Editor – Catherine Brown Content Manager – Ashley Griffin

The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915 (410) 248-9101 • Email: info@thebeaconnewspapers.com Submissions:

The Beacon welcomes reader contributions. Deadline for editorial is the 1st of the month preceding the month of publication. Deadline for ads is the 1st of the month preceding the month of publication. See page 39 for classified advertising details. Please mail or email all submissions.

Dear Editor: Thank you for your November cover story on “What retirees (should) want.” I was shocked when Dr. Ken Dychtwald shared, “...about half the retired population are bored out of their wits.” Seriously?! Perhaps I am blessed. I retired from the federal government in 2015 at age 56. Young, I know. My 56-year-old husband had died unexpectedly the year before. Our kids were 21 and 15.

To retire from my federal agency, one MUST attend a four-day retirement seminar. As expected, benefits for the prospective retirees covered health insurance, monthly pay, etc. But most of the four days covered, “What are you gonna DO after retirement?” Speakers explained how to find and explore new areas of interest, many at little or no cost. See LETTERS TO EDITOR, page 30

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2020

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

2020 PRESENTED BY

Ken Dychtwald, PhD, a national expert on aging and author of the new book, What Retirees Want

WHAT:

A 50+Expo like you’ve never seen before:

More than 60 hours of speakers, classes and entertainment, 100 exhibitors, and 3 months in which to enjoy it! Plus, weekly door prizes

A sampling of our programs:

WHERE: All online at a new website designed just for this event: www.beacon50expo.com

WHEN:

The Virtual 50+Expo is live now

and continues through January 31, 2021.

Classes: Meditation 101; Line Dancing; Avoiding Frauds & Scams; Healthy Cooking

Speakers: Low Vision Solutions, Interview with the Oldest Living Tuskegee Airman; Caregiving During COVID; Options for Intergenerational Activity

Entertainment: Jazz piano; Stand-up Comics; Classical String Quartet; Rock 'n' Roll, Barbershop Chorus GOLD SPONSORS

SILVER SPONSORS

Brought to you free of charge by the Beacon Newspapers, in partnership with the Baltimore County Department of Aging and the Howard County Oﬃce on Aging & Independence.

WHO:

BRONZE SPONSORS

www.beacon50expo.com Businesses and organizations interested in exhibiting/sponsoring: Call Debbie at (410) 887-2012.

MEDIA SPONSORS

DECEMBER 2020 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Visit beacon50expo.com

Here is a selection of the classes, entertainment, and speakers available at

2020

www.beacon50expo.com NOW through January 31, 2021:

SPEAKERS

CLASSES

KEYNOTE: Ken Dychtwald, PhD speaking about decades of research on aging and how to make the most of retirement Women’s Heart Health, Women’s Heart Specialist & Cardiologist Daisy Lazarous, M.D. Courtesy of Adventist HealthCare Adventist Medical Group The Latest Information on Low Vision Research Dr. Emily Chew, National Eye Institute of the National Institutes of Health, courtesy of Prevention of Blindness Society The Oldest Living Tuskegee Airman interview with Brig. Gen. Charles McGee, courtesy of Silver Spring Village Everything You Always Wanted to Know about the Cuban Missile Crisis from a CIA insider, courtesy of Silver Spring Village How to Create Harmony in Your Life interview with Serge Mazerand, composer, pianist and author of The 7 Keys to Serenity Designing Camelot a discussion with the co-authors of Designing Camelot: The Kennedy White House Restoration, courtesy of the White House Historical Association A, B, C and D’s of Medicare Sherry Kolbe, State Health Insurance Assistance Program Manager for Baltimore County, courtesy of Baltimore County Department of Aging

Mindful Meditation Seminar including guided meditation practice, courtesy of Brooke Grove Foundation Intergenerational Volunteer Activities You Can Do from Home a panel including GrandInvolve, Age-Friendly DC, Link Generations, Experience Corp, Montgomery Connects and JCA Heyman Interages Center, courtesy of Empowering the Ages Go, Grow and Get Active Video special featuring tai chi ﬁt, laughter yoga, Zumba and more, courtesy Montgomery County Aging & Disabilities Avoiding Coronavirus Frauds and Scams, courtesy of AARP VA Cooking with Chef Francis, an Embassy Chef Challenge award-winner, courtesy of Gold Sponsor, Maplewood Park Place Dance with Nancy lessons with Nancy Hays in Electric Slide and Achy Breaky line dancing for exercise and fun, courtesy of DancewithNancy.com Playing Billiards a demonstration of techniques and shots, courtesy of Maplewood Park Place Zumba, Tai Chi and Core & Stretch classes courtesy of Baltimore County Department of Aging

T N E M N I A T R E T N E

Rearview Mirror Duo Iris Hirsch and Glenn Bullion perform a blend of rock and roll, R&B, pop, country, standards from the Great American Songbook, disco, and Motown from the 50s, 60s, 70s Shades of Gray rock and roll band, performing memorable songs, courtesy of Ken Hunter

Stand-up comedy Four over-50 comics do their thing, courtesy of Silver Spring Town Center SPARKLE program Alexandria Harmonizers Christmas Concert award-winning barbershop men’s chorus from Alexandria, Va., courtesy of the Harmonizers

Maxim Lando, 18-year-old classical piano phenom protégé of Lang Lang, performs Kapustin’s Concert Etudes, courtesy of Candlelight Concerts

Music by Black American women composers performed by the Chin Family Quartet and Victoria Bragin, courtesy of the Friday Morning Music Club

Dance to music from a live ballroom orchestra courtesy of dancewithnancy.com

Beethoven Sonata No. 10 in G major, for violin and piano Lisa Weiss and Yeou-Cheng Ma (sister of Yo Yo Ma), courtesy of Lisa Weiss

French, Latin and American Jazz recital by Steve Baddour, courtesy of the Louise P. Zanar Fund

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2020

Technology &

Innovations Avoid dirty money with no-touch payment By Gregory Karp If you’re looking for a self-improvement task in this pandemic era, try teaching yourself to use contactless payments with your phone or “tap-to-pay” credit and debit cards. Any germaphobe will tell you that the surfaces of bills and coins have always been gross. And handing your credit card to a cashier who has the sniffles and a hacking cough? Even in pre-pandemic times, gross. Now, COVID-19 has prompted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to advise using touchless payments whenever possible in the brick-and-mortar world. Americans have been relatively slow to adopt touch-free payments even though they’re more convenient and secure than swiping credit and debit cards. But maybe hygiene will be the tipping point as people seek a solution for, well, yucky money.

Simple and convenient “I think the pandemic is a strong impetus to change,” said Jodie Kelley, CEO of the

Electronic Transactions Association. “I think it’s going to stick and accelerate further. “As people get used to it and understand how to do it and find that it’s simple and convenient, then they’re not going to shift back.” Consumer interest in contactless payments has spiked during the pandemic. Since January, no-touch payments have increased at 69% of retailers surveyed by the research firm Forrester on behalf of the National Retail Federation. And two-thirds of retailers surveyed now accept some form of no-touch payment. Learning to use contactless payments might be awkward at first, and some of your favorite retailers might not be equipped to accept them. The point is to give it a shot the next time you’re not in a rush in a checkout line that can handle contactless payments. “The first time I went to pay with my phone, I didn’t quite know how to do it,” Kelley said. “I felt a little silly trying to figure it out. But once I figured it out, I loved it.”

Here are three ways to experiment with contactless payments and avoid dirty currency and much-touched payment terminals:

Tap to pay True, the word “tap” doesn’t exactly scream contactless. But “tap to pay” credit and debit cards really only need to be within a couple of inches of the payment terminal. The cards have little antennas inside. How to tell if your payment card has contactless capability? It will have a logo that looks like a sideways Wi-Fi symbol of radiating waves. Retail payment terminals that accept contactless payments have the same symbol. These cards don’t require a smartphone to complete a contactless payment, and you don’t have to use a PIN. Nine of the top 10 U.S. credit card issuers are actively distributing new contactless cards to customers, Visa has said. “For people who are not used to engaging with technology, I would say, first look at your

card, see if it has the symbol. And if it does, the next time you’re at a retail location, all you have to do is touch that card to the terminal,” Kelley said. “It is incredibly straightforward. I encourage people to try it.”

Smartphone payments With this option, you open your “wallet” app and hold your phone near the terminal, and your phone will ask for authentication. That’s the normal unlocking procedure with your phone, whether punching in a code or using thumbprint or face identification. Many smartwatches work, too, as long as they have the required technology, called NFC, or near-field communication. The most popular services are Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay. Phone payments require a little prep work before you get to the checkout counter. First, you must enter your payment card See TOUCHLESS PAYMENT, page 6

Trying online banking? FAQs answered By Chanelle Bessette As the COVID-19 pandemic leads banking customers to lean into technology to manage their money, those trying online banking for the first time may find themselves with questions about how to handle things previously done in person or with paper documents. If you’re stuck on how to handle some of the practical aspects of online banking, here are answers to common questions: Should I save monthly statements? Experian, one of the three major credit bureaus, recommends keeping bank statements for tax purposes to confirm your income or deductible expenses. If you do end up using your statements for your taxes, you may want to hang onto your statements for up to seven years in case the IRS decides to audit you. Even if your bank keeps digital records of your statements, you may want to print or download your statements just in case. When should I shred the paper check from a mobile deposit? Major banks recommend that after you’ve made a mobile deposit, you write “mobile deposit” and the date of deposit on the front of the check. Keep the check until you’ve made

sure the deposit has gone through — which may take several days — and that the bank doesn’t need the original check for any reason. Once the check has been cleared in your account, it’s best to shred it. How do I send money or pay bills through my mobile banking app? If you want to send money to friends or family, your bank may have you covered with the Zelle money transfer service. Zelle, which is integrated with many major banks and also available as a separate app, allows registered users to receive and send money from their bank accounts. You can also sign up for money transfer apps like Venmo or Cash App and link them to your bank account to send and receive money, as long as your sender or recipient has the same app. To pay your bills online, your bank might have the option to set up recurring payments to services like your cell phone provider or utility company, allowing you to automate your monthly bills. Some banks can also send a check on your behalf if necessary. Wells Fargo, for example, offers online bill pay services, but you can also schedule paper checks to

be sent for you if your service provider doesn’t accept electronic payments. Search your bank’s FAQs or reach out to its customer service department for details on its bill-pay features. What should I do if my mobile banking app isn’t working? It’s a universal truth that technology comes with occasional frustrations. Sometimes banks experience app outages and sometimes there are problems on the user side. Here are a few things you can do to diagnose the problem: — Make sure your login credentials are correct. Entering an incorrect username and/or password is a common stumbling block and will prevent access to your account. Some banks might even lock you out after too many failed login attempts. If you’ve forgotten your login information, contact your bank’s tech support team. — Check your email and your bank’s social media accounts. Your bank may have posted on its Facebook or Twitter accounts or sent an email notification about any known app problems. Many consumers today also use their banks’ platforms to flag problems themselves. If there’s an outage,

your bank may post information on how long it’s expected to last and how you can access your account in the meantime. Bookmark or follow your bank’s social media accounts for quick access. — Update your app and/or your phone software. Your version of the app could be out of date, or your phone’s software may need updating to use a newer version of the app. Go to your phone’s app marketplace (e.g., Apple App Store or Google Play Store), search for your bank’s app and see if there’s an option to update. — Get technical support from your bank. For help, reach out to your bank’s customer service representatives by phone, email or chat, if available. — Use your desktop login or visit a branch or ATM. If your app isn’t working, you may still be able to log in on a desktop computer. If your bank has physical branches, you should be able to get in-person service, although COVID-19 precautions may mean that hours are limited. If you’re trying to deposit a check or check your balance, you can use an ATM, as long as your bank offers use of a network. —AP/NerdWallet

Technology & Innovations | Visit beacon50expo.com

DECEMBER 2020 — BALTIMORE BEACON

New products for this year’s gift giving Let’s face it. Exercising to become (or stay) fit is seldom the most enjoyable of experiences. But one company has come up with a way to pair one of the best types of exercise — the plank — with the fun (and frustration) of video games to help us forget that we’re strengthening our cores while we’re hang-gliding, blowing up things or racing around an obstacle course. You can download the games free online, but they are designed to work with the Stealth Plankster device ($99) that uses your body’s planking motions to direct your video game avatar through the course.

The device is basically a large plastic triangle, situated on a stable cone that lets it swivel 360 degrees. You place your smartphone in an indentation on top, then assume a plank position (on your knees, if a beginner) holding the sides of the triangle. As you rotate forward and back and side to side to maneuver your avatar, you are giving your entire core (abs, obliques and lower back) a workout like it’s never had before. But the amazing thing is, you’re hardly even aware you’re exercising at the time! It comes with a 30-day money back guarantee. Additional games are available for purchase. Learn more at trystealth.com.

Culture for kids Less technological, but also unique, is the Museum Tour Playset, designed for 2year-olds and up. A folding whiteboard serves as the museum wall, and five famous paintings are magnetized for “hanging.” (Choose the Classics or Modernism set.) There are also magnets for the ticket booth,

snack bar and exit, and a 20-page cardboard book that charmingly tells about the artworks and what museum visits are like. Two wooden “docents” let children with good imaginations play while learning about art. Price: $45. Available at Cityspotsonline.com and Amazon.

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Many retailers, such as Starbucks and Target, have mobile apps that let you pay on your phone and bypass in-person payment completely. In those cases, you typically would get items delivered or visit the store for curbside or in-store pickup. Another way to use a retail app is at major gas station chains. The apps (download them at an app store) let you identify which pump number you’re at, then authorize you to use it. You fill your tank with gas, and the charge goes to whatever payment method you identified in the gas-station app.

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❏ COVID Plasma Studies (see article on page 12) ❏ Early COVID Study (see ad on page 13) ❏ Exposed to COVID Study (see ad on page 15) ❏ Recovered from COVID Study (see ad on page 14) ❏ Stress During COVID Study (see ad on page 12) ❏ Worried About Memory Study (see ad on page 12)

information into your mobile wallet app. Then, the card is saved and available to use.

Touchless pay at the pump

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(see ad on page 26) ❏ Virginia Towers (see ad on page 32) ❏ Warren Place Senior Apartments (see ad on page 27)

Touchless payment

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❏ Blair House (see ad on page 12) ❏ Brightwood (see ad on page 8) ❏ Charlestown (see ad on page 9) ❏ Christ Church Harbor Apts. (see ad on page 13) ❏ Oak Crest (see ad on page 9) ❏ Park View Laurel (see ad on page 30) ❏ Park View Towson (see ad on page 30) ❏ Park View Fullerton (see ad on page 30) ❏ Park View Rosedale (see ad on page 30) ❏ Roland Park Place (see ad on page 16) ❏ St. Mary’s Roland View Towers

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Just be sure to clean your hands after using the pump nozzle.

Is it secure? As you beam your next payment to a retailer’s checkout terminal, you might wonder, “Will my credit card number be stolen?” The nontechnical answer is that it’s safer than the old method of swiping your card. That’s because the card or phone sends encrypted payment information to the terminal — it essentially masks your real credit card number. Even if the payment information was intercepted, it would be useless to a thief. “It’s an incredibly safe way to pay,” Kelley said. These days, in more ways than one. —AP/NerdWallet

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BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2020

Health Fitness &

ICE CREAM, YOU SCREAM Can ice cream be healthy or just less unhealthy? What to look for on the label HARD TO SWALLOW A number of conditions can lead to swallowing difficulties; treatments can help CLINICAL TRIALS Johns Hopkins gives plasma transfusions to COVID-positive or exposed volunteers POWER OF GINGER Ginger root can strengthen the immune system, regulate blood sugar and more

A surprising cause of falls: multitasking By Brad Manor A few years ago, my grandmother fell and broke her hip. She has never fully recovered and is now constantly fearful of falling, and has significantly limited her activities to prevent a fall from ever happening again. As a scientist focused on translational research in mobility and falls in older adults, of course I asked her how she fell. She stated that she was standing in the kitchen, reading a recipe, when the phone rang. When she turned and started to walk over to the phone, her feet “weren’t in the right spot.” She fell sideways and, unfortunately, her hip was unable to absorb the impact without breaking. For older adults, falls are a leading cause of hip and wrist fractures, concussions, mobility disability, loss of independence and even death. As it turns out, the circumstances leading up to my grandmother’s fall were typical. In fact, the majority of falls occur when an individual is “dual-tasking” — that is, standing or walking while at the same time performing a separate cognitive task (such as reading), a motor task (carrying groceries), or both (walking while talking and carrying a cup of coffee).

Why does dual-tasking (or multitasking) often lead to falls in older adults? It turns out that the seemingly simple acts of standing upright, or walking down an empty, well-lit hallway, are quite complex. To complete these tasks, we must continuously stabilize our body’s center of mass — a point located just behind our sternum — over the relatively small base of support that we create by positioning our feet on the ground. This control requires quick reflexes, as well as strong muscles of the trunk, hips, legs, ankles and toes. However, to avoid falling we also need to pay attention to our body and environment, predict and perceive unsafe movements of our body, and adjust accordingly. Our brains need to quickly make sense of information coming from our eyes, ears and bodies to produce patterns of muscle activity that appropriately adjust our body’s position within the environment. Therefore, tasks of standing and walking are in fact cognitive tasks, and these tasks require more and more cognitive effort as we grow older and our senses and muscles no longer work as well as they once did. For my grandmother and many others,

dual-tasking led to a fall because it diverted shared cognitive resources away from the critical job of controlling her body’s center of mass over her feet on the ground.

Training may prevent falls Older adults who are cognitively impaired are more than two times as likely to fall compared to those who are cognitively intact. A recent study by researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine has shown that even subtle differences in the brain’s ability to dual-task when walking are predictive of future falls in healthy older adults. Specifically, the researchers asked their volunteers to walk while completing a word-generation task in their laboratory, and used a technology called functional near-infrared spectroscopy to measure brain activity. Those volunteers who required more brain activity (mental effort) to complete these tasks were more likely to fall during a four-year follow-up period. Thankfully, these startling studies have a silver lining: They suggest that cognitive function is a promising — and largely untapped — target for the prevention and rehabilitation of falls.

If you are worried about falling, or feel like your balance is slipping, you might consider the following: Be aware of your surroundings. Try to minimize distractions if and when you find yourself standing in a crowded room, walking down an uneven sidewalk, or in a hurry to get to an appointment. Avoid answering your cellphone, keep conversations light, and prioritize your balance above all else. Keep your mind sharp. Cognitive decline is not an unavoidable consequence of aging. There are proven tips for maximizing your mental abilities into older age. Consider joining a class on tai chi, yoga or dance. These safe mind-body exercises have proven effective for improving balance and even reducing falls in older adults. Remember that falls rarely occur due to a single factor, like poor muscle strength, fatigue or reduced vision. Instead, they usually occur when multiple factors combine to cause an irrecoverable loss of balance. Multifactorial strategies therefore appear to be the best “medicine” for the avoidance of falls. © 2020 by Harvard University

Pros and cons of dietary supplements By Rozalina McCoy, M.D. Dear Mayo Clinic: Why does my doctor want to know what supplements I’m taking, even if I don’t have any health problems and don’t take more than the recommended amounts? A: It’s important to tell your healthcare provider about any dietary supplements you take. Although you don’t need a prescription for most supplements, that doesn’t mean they can’t significantly affect your health. Dietary supplements are useful in some situations — for example, calcium and vitamin D for bone health, and iron for iron-deficiency anemia. But they also can be harmful, especially if taken in certain combinations, with certain prescription medications, or before surger y or other medical procedures. By knowing the supplements you take, your healthcare provider can ensure they are a good fit for you.

Nutritional or herbal? There are two general categories of dietary supplements: nutritional and herbal. Nutritional supplements are designed to provide vitamins and minerals your body needs that you may not get enough of in your diet. Calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12, iron and fiber are common nutritional supplements many people take. Herbal supplements, sometime called botanicals, are supplements derived from plants that are touted as having health benefits. Popular herbal supplements include echinacea, ginkgo and flaxseed. People take dietary supplements to improve their health or prevent illness. One concern about supplements, though, is lack of oversight in their production and unproven claims manufacturers make about their benefits. Prescription and over-the-counter medications are closely regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). But the FDA doesn’t regulate or oversee

supplement content or claims to the same degree as it does for medications. Just because a supplement is approved for sale doesn’t necessarily mean it’s safe or effective.

be influenced by whether you take them with food or on an empty stomach. Some supplements also can prevent the absorption or action of medications, so it may be important to take them separately.

Benefits come with possible risk Although supplements aren’t regulated in the same way medications are, they have active ingredients that can affect your body and your health. And keep in mind that anything strong enough to produce a positive effect — such as lowering cholesterol or improving mood — also is strong enough to carry potential health risks. That’s one of the key reasons it’s important to talk with your healthcare provider about your supplements. He or she can review the potential benefits and side effects, and evaluate if the supplement is safe for you. When you take your supplements can be a factor you need to discuss with your healthcare provider, as well. For example, the absorption of some supplements can

Interactions are an issue It is particularly important for you to review your supplements with your healthcare provider if you take more than one supplement, or if you take any prescription or nonprescription medication. In some cases, taking a combination of supplements, or using supplements while taking certain medications, could lead to harmful or life-threatening results. You mention that you don’t take more than the recommended amount of your supplement, and that is wise. Taking more than the recommended daily values can increase the risk of side effects. But be aware that vitamins and minerals See SUPPLEMENTS, page 8

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DECEMBER 2020 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Can ice cream be healthy — or healthier? By Matthew Kadey When it comes to frosty treats, ice cream reigns supreme. These days, you may have noticed that low-calorie options ranging in flavors from Birthday S’mores to Cookie Dough are one of the coolest food trends in the supermarket freezer aisle. Their growth owes largely to a desire for wellness, even in the dessert world. But isn’t healthy ice cream an oxymoron? Well, certain ice cream brands are promising consumers a way to satisfy their ice cream cravings minus the caloric pitfall. Labels touting fewer calories, more protein and less sugar should theoretically let you dig in with fewer waistline repercussions.

But are these eat-the-whole-pint-style treats a godsend for health-conscious eaters who also scream for ice cream?

How the types differ Regular ice cream contains more regular sugar and more cream — meaning more fat calories — than its low-cal brethren, whose core ingredients tend to be skim milk, milk protein (hence, the higher protein count) and a low-calorie sweetener like erythritol. Other inclusions in the low-cal type can be flavorings, gums, thickeners and added fibers, such as corn fiber, that help give the products a taste and texture similar to regular ice cream. There are also dairy-free options on the

market, which swap out the cow’s milk for almond or coconut “milk,” a good option for vegans or those who can’t tolerate dairy. Lower-calorie ice creams have been around for years, but the newer crop of creamy treats boasts a more drastic reduction, a stingy 300 to 360 calories per pint. So, a whole pint of “healthier” ice cream can have the same calorie count as just a half-cup of a premium version. But ideas regarding portion control for desserts and snacks may become skewed as a result.

Portion size can be an issue “One of the biggest drawbacks of these types of ice creams is that many individuals rationalize, because of the low calories, hat

Supplements From page 7 are being added to a growing number of foods, including breakfast cereals and beverages. If you’re also taking supplements, you may be getting more of some nutrients than you realize. Your healthcare provider can help you evaluate your diet and decide if you need the supplements that you’re taking. The bottom line is that, although nutritional and herbal supplements may be use-

they can eat more, and [so] lose sight of the actual intended serving size,” said Keri Gans, R.D., author of The Small Change Diet. One study found that foods advertised as “low-fat” may lead people to eat up to 50% more than they might if no claim is made. Though the 300-calorie pints may seem less indulgent, if people eat them too often, they may gain weight. “A portion of ice cream, even the lowercalorie stuff, should be no more than twothirds of a cup,” Gans advised. But she said these ice creams can be a good way for people to cut back on their saturated fat intake if they are regular ice cream consumers. See ICE CREAM, page 10

ful, they aren’t risk-free. By talking with your healthcare provider about the supplements you take, and discussing their potential benefits and risks, you’ll gain a better understanding of the value those supplements have for your health overall. — Rozalina McCoy, M.D., Community Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota Mayo Clinic Q & A is an educational resource and doesn’t replace regular medical care. Email a question to MayoClinicQ&A@mayo.edu. For more information, visit mayoclinic.org.

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Swallowing issues are common, treatable By Magnus Halland, M.D. Dear Mayo Clinic: My mother is in her 80s and sometimes has trouble swallowing when she’s eating. She says it’s not bothering her much, but I feel like it’s starting to affect how much and how often she eats. Is there anything that can be done to treat this problem? A: It’s likely your mother’s problem with swallowing can be better understood and potentially helped, but it will require a medical evaluation. Having difficulty swallowing is a common concern that has several possible explanations. A thorough assessment of your mother’s condition can uncover the cause and guide treatment. When a person is having trouble swallowing — the medical term is dysphagia — the first step is to identify the point in the swallowing process where the problem is happening. There are two phases of swallowing. The first is the oropharyngeal phase. It involves the mouth and throat. The second is the esophageal phase. It involves the transport of food or fluids from the throat into the stomach through the esophagus (food pipe). Determining whether swallowing difficulty is related to oropharyngeal transfer or esophageal transit often can be accom-

plished by reviewing the symptoms people experience when they swallow.

First phase difficulties The oropharyngeal phase requires proper function of muscles in the palate, as well as appropriate tongue motion and airway protection during swallowing. This all happens in a coordinated sequence that allows for smooth transit of food and fluid from the mouth, through the throat and into the top of the esophagus. With oropharyngeal issues, patients typically begin to choke, cough or gag almost immediately after attempting to swallow. Material may come out the nose or slip out of the mouth. If an oropharyngeal problem is suspected, a healthcare provider may ask a patient to drink some water so the provider can observe what happens. When an oropharyngeal problem seems to be the cause, a pharyngeal swallowing study typically is performed with X-rays. This study can reveal structural issues, or problems with muscle coordination or strength in the mouth or throat. Conditions that cause oropharyngeal swallowing difficulties include many neurological diseases, such as stroke and Parkinson’s disease.

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Second phase issues In the esophageal phase, the muscles of the esophagus have to contract and relax in a coordinated fashion to move food to the stomach. The passageway within the esophagus also must be wide enough to allow food through it easily. If the problem is related to esophageal transit, the material clears the patient’s mouth and throat without incident, and he or she can breathe easily. But the patient feels as if something is stuck behind the breastbone or there is pain in the esophagus while swallowing. Eventually what was swallowed will typically pass, but in some cases the material is regurgitated. If it appears to be an esophageal con-

cern, the first test usually is endoscopy. During this procedure, a thin, flexible and lighted instrument, called an endoscope, is passed down the throat so the doctor can see into the esophagus to check for blockages, narrowing, inflammation or other structural issues. In some cases, tissue samples may be taken. If narrowing of the esophagus is found, expansion of the esophagus may be performed during an endoscopy, too. When results of an endoscopy are normal, the focus shifts to a possible esophageal motility problem or muscle dysfunction, although generally these disorders are uncommon. An esophageal muscle See SWALLOWING, page 10

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Ice cream From page 8 Many of these lightened-up ice creams contain extra amounts of protein â&#x20AC;&#x201D; up to 20 grams in a pint, which, sure, can add a boost of this nutrient to your diet. But most Americans already eat enough protein, and it certainly shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be a motivating factor to eat more dessert.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;At the end of the day, a low-calorie ice cream is still ice cream,â&#x20AC;? Gans said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t compare to the nutritional benefits of other higher protein foods, such as yogurt, cottage cheese, hard-boiled egg, nuts or edamame.â&#x20AC;? A three-ounce piece of chicken breast or one and a quarter cups of black beans delivers the same amount of protein as a whole pint of â&#x20AC;&#x153;high-proteinâ&#x20AC;? ice cream.

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MONTHLY DE-STRESS GROUP Jewish Community Services offers a free monthly support group

to help manage stress. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Creating Calm in the Storm,â&#x20AC;? an online drop-in group moderated by a social worker, meets via Zoom the third Thursday of each month from 11 a.m. to noon. The free sessions are open to the public. To register, visit

DECEMBER 2020 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; BALTIMORE BEACON

Sugar substitutes and cravings While many brands use less-caloric sugar alternatives like stevia and erythritol to help keep calorie counts down, research suggests relying on them is no guarantee for lasting weight loss success. No- or lower-calorie sweeteners may simply work to stoke a sweet tooth, leading to an increased intake of sugary calories elsewhere in the diet. Gans stressed, however, that these alternatives have been proven safe for consumption, so they may be beneficial to those with diabetes who want to enjoy a bowl of ice cream. Just remember that while these newfangled ice creams are lower in sugar, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not necessarily sugar-free. The amount of sugar can vary by brand, so itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s important

to read labels to know how much youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re getting in a serving. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also worth noting cost. For getting less (calories, fat, sugar), you will pay more. These gentrified ice creams can cost up to 50% more than the traditional options. In the end, if you are yearning for ice cream, go ahead and wedge in a small amount of whichever type you want â&#x20AC;&#x201D; calorie-stingy or high-fat â&#x20AC;&#x201D; as long as you do so in the context of an overall balanced diet. As always, moderation is your friend. Reprinted with permission from Environmental Nutrition, a monthly publication of Belvoir Media Group, LLC. 1-800-8295384, EnvironmentalNutrition.com. ÂŠ 2020 Belvoir Media Group

jcsbalt.org/events/calm or call (410) 466-9200.

Swallowing From page 9 test, called â&#x20AC;&#x153;manometry,â&#x20AC;? can be used to measure muscle contractions in the esophagus.

Most problems are treatable Specific treatment for swallowing difficulty depends on the underlying cause. In most cases, however, problems with swallowing can be relieved or significantly reduced once the source is identified. It is important to address dysphagia. Not only can swallowing difficulty interfere with nutrition and potentially trigger

unhealthy weight loss, it can also cause quality of life issues. Some people who have swallowing difficulty are embarrassed by it and avoid socializing in settings that involve food. That can lead to social isolation and potentially depression. Encourage your mother to see her healthcare provider for an evaluation soon. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Magnus Halland, M.D., Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota Mayo Clinic Q & A is an educational resource and doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t replace regular medical care. Email a question to MayoClinicQ&A@mayo.edu. For more information, visit mayoclinic.org.

COMMUNITY HEALTH

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DR. SHAWN ASHWORTH Andrus Award for Community Service -Ç¸ .#2*-/# ./ '$.# /# )*)+-*Í&#x2013; / ** Ç&#x201D; #*0"#/ *((0)$/4 0/- # -1$ .Çš ) Ç¸ Č&#x2013; Ç&#x201D; Č&#x2014;Çš 2$/# ($..$*) *! +-*1$ $)" 1 / - ).Çš /# #*( ' ..Çš ) ./-0""'$)" families with nutritional meals, housing referrals, counseling, and job skill development.

LEONOR BLUM AARP Maryland State President's Award .Ç¸ '0( !*0) Çž ' )/ /$) Ç˝Çš )*)+-*Í&#x2013; / $ / /* # '+$)" '*2Č?$) *( /$) "$-'. /* *1 - *( /# .* $*Č? 0'/0- 'Çš *)*($ Çš ) ($ --$ -. /# 4 ! $) +0-.0$)" *'' " - -Ç¸ * 4Çš Ç&#x2122;Ç?Ę? *! Çž ' )/ /$) Ç˝ "- 0 / . "* *) /* )-*'' $) *'' " Ç¸

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Health Studies

DECEMBER 2020 — BALTIMORE BEACON

INFORMATION ON AREA CLINICAL TRIALS

Two area COVID studies offering plasma By Margaret Foster As the pandemic continues, scientists are working hard to find effective treatments to prevent COVID-19 or decrease the severity of symptoms — without hospitalization. One of those possible treatments is from blood; specifically, human coronavirus immune plasma. Patients receive a

plasma transfusion from someone who has defeated and recovered from COVID-19, and antibodies in that plasma fight the virus and help the body recover. Johns Hopkins researchers are conducting two important clinical trials with this convalescent plasma. They’re seeking hundreds of volunteers at many sites, in-

Feeling stressed or isolated due to COVID-19? Growing older is a part of life, but feeling stressed and isolated does not have to be. Our team at Johns Hopkins is conducting a study to address the emotional and social needs of older adults during COVID-19. Eligible participants will be matched with a Peer Mentor or PEERS staff member for social support and will be compensated for their time. Study will be conducted entirely over the phone. If you are interested in learning more about PEERS, our team can be reached by phone at 410-995-8360.

cluding in D.C., for the randomized, controlled, double-blind phase 2 trials. “The whole idea is to prevent people from going to the hospital,” said Dr. David Sullivan, principal investigator. “We think our studies will help society get back to functioning normally,” Sullivan said. “If people knew they could get early treatment and avoid the hospital, I think they’d feel better about re-engaging in activities.”

posed to the virus within the past four days and test negative. So, for example, if a member of your household tested positive recently, you could potentially enroll in the study. “If we do show that administering antibodies early decreases the time of infection transmission, maybe you could just quarantine for three or four days,” Sullivan said. It’d be nice not to quarantine for 10 to 14 days, right?”

Have you been exposed?

One quick transfusion, a few visits

One study, known as the “early treatment” study, is for COVID-positive people who have had symptoms ranging from severe, such as fever and cough, to mild, such as loss of taste and smell, for fewer than eight days. If enrolled, patients will receive a plasma transfusion relatively early in the disease progression. “We think it’s better to apply the antibodies right after you start showing symptoms,” Sullivan said. “We let you recover at home. Then we see you at two weeks and a month [later].” The other study, which Sullivan calls the “infection prevention” study, is for asymptomatic people who’ve been ex-

Open to adults over 18, both studies require three or four visits, including a plasma transfusion that takes less than an hour, or “one and done,” as Sullivan put it. “That’s the beauty of it — the antibodies last for three to six weeks.” Then there are several follow-up visits, including one three months later. Patients in the D.C. area can receive transfusions at Medstar Washington Hospital Center or Georgetown University Hospital, as well as at Johns Hopkins or Anne Arundel Medical Center. Unlike certain medications, plasma is See PLASMA, page 13

Fostering personal growth, despite a dementia diagnosis Moving a loved one to a memory care facility has just become more personalized and intimate. Blair House at Stoneleigh is a safe and secure oasis offering intensive memory care with a homelike feel — treating every resident like family. Blair House at Stoneleigh breaks the mold of traditional memory care by nurturing past memories to create meaningful experiences. Whether gardening, listening to oldies, or writing their own personal biography, residents engage daily in activities specially designed to stimulate longterm memories. Located just south of Towson University, Blair House offers private rooms in a beautifully

refurbished home that can only be described as elegant. All food at Blair House is “farm to table”— you won’t find any institutionallycatered meals. Nutritionists are on staff to ensure everyone receives a wide range of delicious and healthy food. Most importantly, Blair House strictly adheres to all COVID19 safety precautions. At Blair House at Stoneleigh, personal fulfillment is within reach for every resident who walks through the door. Please call Jennie Slack at (410) 377-8000, x104 for your private tour (virtual or in-person, socially distanced) followed by lunch.

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2020

Understanding COVID’s divergent results By Lauran Neergaard and Candice Choi One of COVID-19’s scariest mysteries is why some people are mildly ill or have no symptoms, while others rapidly die — and scientists are starting to unravel why. An international team of researchers found that in some people with severe COVID-19, the body goes rogue and attacks one of its own key immune defenses instead of fighting the coronavirus. Most were men, helping to explain why the virus is hitting men harder than

women. And separate research suggests that children fare better than adults thanks to robust “first responder” immune cells that wane with age. They’re the latest in a list of studies uncovering multiple features of the immune system’s intricate cascade that can tip the scales between a good or bad outcome. Next up: Figuring out if all these new clues might offer much-needed ways to intervene.

Plasma

“I’ve transfused people in their 70s and 80s. It’s personal, because that’s the age of my parents. I’m doing it for them,” Dr. Sullivan said. “That’s why we’re working so hard, to quickly prove that you don’t have to go to the hospital to get treatment for this disease.” The twin studies are sponsored by the State of Maryland, Bloomberg Foundation, U.S. Department of Defense, and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Compensation of $200, along with free parking, is available. Sullivan said he thanks his patients for volunteering to help find an outpatient treatment for COVID-19. “They can really make a difference and be part of the solution.” To find out more, or to volunteer, call 1888-506-1199 or visit CovidPlasmaTrial.org.

From page 12 safe even for pregnant women. In fact, Sullivan is so confident in the trials’ safety that, when his brother contracted the virus, he helped enroll him in the study. Within a few days of the transfusion, he said, his brother recovered. So far, 55 patients have received a transfusion in the early treatment study at Hopkins, and almost 200 have participated throughout the country. About 50 people across the country have received a transfusion for the infection prevention study, and locally, 25 patients have been transfused at one of three Hopkins campus locations in the Baltimore area. The age range of patients is wide.

“We have the knowledge and capability of really boosting many aspects of the immune system. But we need to not use the sledge hammer,” cautioned Dr. Betsy Herold of New York’s Albert Einstein College of Medicine, who co-authored the child study. Adding to the complexity, people’s wildly varying reactions also reflect other factors, such as how healthy they were to begin with and how much of the virus — the “dose” — they were exposed to.

“Infection and what happens after infection is a very dynamic thing,” said Alessandro Sette, a researcher at the La Jolla Institute for Immunology in San Diego, who is studying yet another piece of the immune response.

Immune system primer There are two main arms of the immune system. Innate immunity is the body’s first See IMMUNE, page 14

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Immune From page 13 line of defense. As soon as the body detects a foreign intruder, key molecules, such as interferons and inflammationcausing cytokines, launch a wide-ranging attack. Innate immune cells also alert the slower-acting “adaptive” arm of the immune system, the germ-specific sharpshooters, to gear up. B cells start producing virusfighting antibodies, the proteins getting so much attention in the vaccine hunt. But antibodies aren’t the whole story. Adaptive immunity’s many other ingredients include “killer” T cells that destroy virus-infected cells — and “memory” T and B cells that remember an infection so they can spring into action quicker if they encounter that germ again.

Missing in some people Usually when a virus invades a cell, proteins called Type I interferons spring into action, defending the cell by interfering

DECEMBER 2020 — BALTIMORE BEACON

with viral growth. But new research shows those crucial molecules were essentially absent in a subset of people with severe COVID-19. An international project uncovered two reasons. In blood from nearly 1,000 severe COVID-19 patients, researchers found 1 in 10 had what are called auto-antibodies — antibodies that mistakenly attack those needed virus fighters. Especially surprising, autoimmune disorders tend to be more common in women — but 95% of these COVID-19 patients were men. The researchers didn’t find the damaging molecules in patients with mild or asymptomatic COVID-19. In another 660 severely ill patients, the same team found 3.5% had gene mutations that didn’t produce Type I interferons. Each of those silent vulnerabilities was enough to tip the balance in favor of the virus early on, said Dr. Jean-Laurent Casanova, an infectious disease geneticist at Rockefeller University in New York, who co-leads the COVID Human Genetic Effort.

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Ongoing

Certain interferons are used as medicines and are under study as a possible COVID-19 treatment. The auto-antibody discovery adds another factor to consider.

Kids’ immunity revs fast It’s not clear why children appear less at risk from COVID-19. But occasionally they’re sick enough for hospitalization, giving Herold’s team the opportunity to compare 60 adults and 65 children and teens at New York’s Montefiore Health System. The children produced much higher levels of certain cytokines that are among the innate immune system’s first responders. When the immune system’s next stage kicked in, both adults and children made antibodies targeting the coronavirus. Here’s the rub: The adults’ adaptive immune response was more the type that can trigger an inflammatory overreaction. The findings suggest kids’ early robust reaction lets their immune system get ahead of the virus, making an overreaction less likely “and that’s protecting them,” Herold said.

Pre-existing immunity?

VIRTUAL MEMORY SCREENINGS The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America now offers free virtual

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The coronavirus that causes COVID-19 is new to humans. But Sette’s team studied blood samples that were stored in freezers before the pandemic and found some harbored memory T cells that recognized a tiny portion of the new virus in laboratory tests.

“You can actually tell that this is an experienced T cell. This has seen combat before,” Sette said. Researchers in Germany, Britain and other countries have made similar findings. The new coronavirus has cousins that cause as many as 30% of common colds, so researchers believe those T cells could be remnants from past colds. But despite the speculation, “we don’t know yet” that having those T cells makes any difference in who gets seriously sick with COVID-19, noted Rory de Vries, coauthor of a study in the Netherlands that also found such T cells in old blood. All these findings beg for a deeper understanding of the myriad ways some people can be more susceptible than others. “We need to look quite broadly and not jump into premature conclusions about any one particular facet of the immune system,” said Stanford University immunologist Bali Pulendran. He also has found some innate immune cells “in a state of hibernation” in seriously ill adults, and next is looking for differences before and after people get sick. But, “it’s not just all about the immune system,” cautioned Dr. Anita McElroy, a viral immunity expert at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center who’s closely watching the research. As for a way to tell in advance who’s most at risk? “We’re a long, long way from that,” she said. —AP

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BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2020

Ginger reduces pain, may boost memory Ginger is something you’ve probably ginger to extract a specific compound. For walked past a thousand times in the gro- example, zingerone is negligible in fresh cery store and may have ginger; however, cooking it passed up. transforms the gingerol to It has some incredible mezingerone. Fortunately, the dicinal benefits and offers dried (powdered) ginger people a natural approach to spice does contain zingerone. many ailments. Many women Zingerone is well researched, use ginger for morning sickand it’s incredible. Studies have ness during pregnancy. determined that it reduces inSometimes you see it crysflammation, regulates blood tallized with sugar to improve sugar, eases muscle pain and flavor. But today I’m talking DEAR spasms, helps with arthritis, about the fresh ginger root PHARMACIST speeds fat breakdown and you can buy in food markets. ramps up immune function. By Suzy Cohen In an animal study, ginger Pain relief, including compounds protected rodents from brain arthritis damage and memory loss, so now drug We may think of fresh or powdered gin- companies are trying to morph it and ger as a flavor agent, but ginger is power- patent it into an Alzheimer’s drug. ful medicine. It is an antioxidant and a I say just eat it! However, it can thin the strong analgesic. blood, so you have to avoid or minimize it if Known officially as Zingiber officinale, you are taking anticoagulant medications. ginger contains many therapeutic compounds, all of which have well-documented Fights free radicals medicinal actions in the body. Ginger can block your enzyme xanthine In studies with people who ate dried gin- oxidase, which is good because that reger spice in their meals, 75% experienced duces ROS (reactive oxygen species). relief from arthritic pain and swelling. GinThe fact that ginger can degrade these ger contains dozens of compounds that ROS free radicals means it protects your have pharmacological activity. DNA and mitochondria. In fact, ginger proSometimes you have to heat or dry the motes mitochondrial health.

Mitochondria store energy for you in the form of ATP, and ginger root increases ATP production, according to one NIH study last year. If you have liver disease or hepatic injury (for example, alcohol-related, or hepatitis), consider ginger in all of your recipes because studies show that zingerone has a hepatoprotective effect. Here’s another fun fact: Ginger might have some heavy-metal binding abilities, because it can reduce cadmium levels, ac-

cording to animal studies. It can also reduce the body’s burden of organophosphate pesticides. If you have a PON1 gene, make ginger your friend! Not only does ginger spice up your recipes, it makes for a quick and delicious tea. Look for a recipe on my website, as well as a free ebook called Spices that Heal. Ginger is a delicious, safe and affordable way to improve health while adding a See GINGER, page 16

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DECEMBER 2020 — BALTIMORE BEACON

How to select the best winter squash By Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough All varieties of delicious winter squash are packed with the antioxidants alpha and beta carotene. Here you’ll find some tips on what varieties to look for and how to choose them.

Shopping tips Choose squash that is very hard: press firmly all over to make sure the rind isn’t soft (a sign of immaturity or improper storage). Look for vivid colors — the skin color

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

VIRTUAL FITNESS

Baltimore County Parks and Rec offers virtual fitness classes as well as links to fitness videos for seniors. Visit http://bit.ly/BCRPVirtualFitness to learn more.

Ongoing

LOW VISION SUPPORT GROUP

Jewish Community Services offers a low vision support group the 2nd and 4th Thursdays each month from 1:30 to 3 p.m. The group is free and open to the public and meets via Zoom. For more information, visit jcsbalt.org/events.

should not look washed out. Later in the year, after the squash has been stored, the skin color may fade as the flesh becomes sweeter. Also, the skin should not look shiny — a sign that it’s either underripe or that it’s waxed, possibly masking bad quality. Choose squash with a remnant of the dried-out stem still attached, like a small knob at one end. A missing stem can be a sign of mold and bacteria growth inside.

Storage tips Store squash in a cool spot with good air circulation (not the refrigerator, but a cool pantry or cellar) for up to a month. If you buy pre-cubed squash at your market, make sure the pieces are dry, firm and vivid in color, and use promptly. Avoid those that look wet or desiccated, with sunken striations in the flesh.

WHY METROPOLITAN SENIOR LIVING?

Varieties to try Acorn: A moderately sized variety almost always available in supermarket bins, even in the summer. The flesh can be watery; prolonged cooking concentrates the flavor. Buttercup: An old-fashioned squash with a characteristic little cap at the stem. Full of natural sugars and fiber, it’s a delectable treat in midwinter. Butternut: Perhaps the most versatile winter squash, sweet and light when cooked, but also substantial — and thus able to stand up to both long cooking and quick sautés. Hubbard: Available in blue or gold varieties with somewhat warty skins. Ranges in size from 5 to 40 pounds; perfect cubed and roasted or for purees. Kabocha: A name for a set of squash varietals from Japan with consistently deep, honey-scented flavors. Red kuri: Now sometimes called “red curry,” a relative of the kabocha with many seeds, less meat, and with a deep, pearscented taste. Spaghetti: Oblong, yellow and mild in flavor, when cooked its flesh yields myriad threads, sort of like little spaghetti strands, best removed with a fork. EatingWell.com is a magazine and website devoted to healthy eating as a way of life. © 2020 Meredith Corporation. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Ginger From page 15 warming spice to your meals. This information is opinion only. It is not intended to treat, cure or diagnose your condition. Consult with your doctor before using any new drug or supplement. Suzy Cohen is a registered pharmacist and the author of The 24-Hour Pharmacist and Real Solutions from Head to Toe. To contact her, visit SuzyCohen.com.

BEACON BITS

Nov. 21

DRIVE-IN MOVIE Enjoy the animated movie “Abominable”

at Druid Hill Park Mansion House Lawn. The movie will be screened on Sat., Nov. 21 at 7 p.m. and tickets cost $10 per car. For more informa-

If we ever had a doubt about whether this was the right place for us, we were over it before we’d ﬁnished unpacking. The sense of collective caring was overwhelming, and we’re not sure if it was our neighbors or the staff who made us feel more welcome. In a time when so many things have felt so uncertain, it is incredibly reassuring to know we’re in the care and company of people who have our best interest at heart.

tion and to buy tickets, visit http://bit.ly/DriveInMovieDruidHill.

Nov. 22

MUSIC FOR THE MOMENT Baltimore Choral Arts

Learn more about available residences and our Grand Expansion, opening summer 2021.

presents “Off-the-Grid: Music for the Moment,” with songs about social justice. This free virtual event takes place

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BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2020

Jewelers work with color, beauty and joy her basement studio, where the three of them create jewelry to give to their teachers and bus driver. If the kids ask her if they can touch or keep some of her treasures, she said, “Most of the time I say yes.”

Second Place

Woodland Peace

By Lori Ann Grant

Grant’s first-place piece, “Woodland Peace,” is a pendant made from sterling silver and Variscite, a soft rock similar to turquoise. “It’s a sea foam green that I just love. I like to run my fingers across it all the time; it just feels nice.” Envisioning a nature theme, Grant made silver castings from twigs she picked up in her yard. She bought leaf-shaped stamps from a Native American artist and arranged them around the stone. She uses Argentium sterling silver, a higher-grade sterling that doesn’t tarnish. The alloy takes some skill to work with, however. “When you’re soldering it, it just crumbles like dirt, and you’re like, ‘Oh man, that didn’t work.’” Grant still works two 10-hour days a week at a local animal hospital. “The rest of the time, I sit down in my basement and I make jewelry, and the time flies by,” she said. Now Grant is a grandmother herself. Her grandchildren, ages 9 and 12, live nearby — and they are always welcome in

By Meredith Weiser

See JEWELRY, page 19

Celebration of the Arts | Visit beacon50expo.com

DECEMBER 2020 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Sculptors, carvers use humble materials By Catherine Brown American sculptor Malvina Hoffman wrote in 1939 that “sculpture is a parable in three dimensions, a symbol of spiritual experience, and a means of conveying truth by concentrating its essence into visible form.” Whether it involves building up materials like clay or carving away stone, sculpture can tell a distinct story, memorializing a person, a moment in time, or even an emotion. The three artists whose work won the top three awards in the Beacon’s Celebration of the Arts contest create differently, but all of their works convey a narrative, a parable in three dimensions.

First Place Pearl Chang Rockville, Md. Pearl Chang, 77, has always had an interest in art and loves visiting museums and galleries. “I [taught] myself how to see things in the art,” Chang said. Until she retired seven years ago, how-

ever, Chang was too busy with her job in immigration policy and strategy to create her own art. After retiring, Chang began taking sculpture and Spanish classes at Montgomery College. “I started from scratch,” Chang said. “I had never handled clay before.” Chang imitated other artists until she was comfortable enough to develop her own style. Along the way, she developed a love for expressive sculpture. “Expressive sculpture can put a lot of ideas in one type of work and mean different things to different people,” Chang said. Chang’s award-winning sculpture, “Solace,” presents a child being comforted by a loved one whose hands rest on their shoulders. “The work conveys a story,” Chang said. She was inspired by a photograph of a grandson resting his head in his grandmother’s lap. That made Chang think about how much support and care kids need from their families, especially with the prevalence of bullying. Chang also thought of her own experiences as a child. She used to get migraines, and her mother would gently pat her head until she was able to go to sleep. At its essence, the work conveys the love and support of a caregiver for a child. Chang also received an Honorable Mention for her work “Introspection.” Solace

By Pearl Chang

Second Place A. Barry Belman Rockville, Md. Barry Belman, 82, spent his career as a pediatric urologist. “I worked with my hands in 3D all my life,” he said. When he retired about 10 years ago, he started taking classes at Montgomery College, first in clay, and then in wood and stone.

said. Once the idea took hold, Belman spent time trying to figure out how to create the work. Marble offers little flexibility; he couldn’t add onto the piece if he had taken too much away, he could only subtract. “It’s a good challenge,” Belman said. “Creating art is gratifying emotionally and psychologically.” Belman’s decades of experience working as a surgeon and training other surgeons prepared him for the challenge of visualizing a work of art and thinking about it in terms of depth, height and width. “As a surgeon, I wasn’t aware that I was thinking about my work in that way, but I was,” he said. While he originally named the piece “Captive,” on further consideration, he said he should have named it Coronavirus. “It’s perfect for what we’re all going through,” Belman said.

Third Place

Captive

By A. Barry Belman

Belman created “Captive” for an assignment after a classmate gave him a block of marble he no longer wanted to use. Every day for months, the block of marble sat in his garage as he contemplated what to do with it. One day, Belman felt inspired to create a face imprisoned in the block. “It was just a subconscious idea that jumped out,” he

Addison Likins La Plata, Md. Addison Likins, 72, first realized he was interested in art when he won a contest in second grade. “We didn’t have art in my high school,” Likins said, “so I didn’t have any formal instruction.” Likens has worked as a reporter, editor, teacher and analyst, but he honed his artistic skills while working for the Maryland Science Center, where he created sculptural exhibits that helped demonstrate scientific principles. See SCULPTORS, page 20

Ceramics artists like to ‘play in the mud’ By Margaret Foster To make pottery or ceramic work, artists become very familiar with the concept of transformation. First they transform a gray lump of clay into a shape — which is easier said than done. Next the work gains color, or glaze. Finally, the work is dried and transformed by heat. After years of experience, the winners of this year’s Ceramics/Pottery category are accustomed to experimenting with clay.

First Place Leigh Partington Washington Grove, Md. Leigh Partington, who attended the Rhode Island School of Design, has a background in illustration and design. But “hand-building and sculpting is my thing,” she said. She first “got into ceramics” at Glen Echo Park, where, on a whim, she took a

Cat Sculpture

By Leigh Partington

pottery class. “I said, what the heck — it’s for us fuddy-duddies. I wasn’t expecting anything.” It was more difficult than she expected,

but in a good way. She got hooked. During the long days of the pandemic, Partington has kept busy by making animals out of clay. “It’s one of my saviors with this pandemic. I’m just nonstop,” she said. Partington launched her own art class tutoring business, which she called Playin’ in the Mud, more than two decades ago. She has been teaching art classes to children for 25 years, most recently at the Gaithersburg Arts Barn. “The kids are the ones that sustain me,” she said, noting that two of her former students went on to study fine art in college. For kids, “everything is new; everything is amazing.” Her winning porcelain piece, “Cat Sculpture,” was one of a series of sculptures of cats and owls. The whimsical piece wasn’t based on her two pets, however; she created it spontaneously. “I just made that one up because it’s obviously not anatomically correct,” she said. Juror Joan Ulrich chose the work because, she wrote in a juror’s statement,

“The artist exhibits a deft hand with porcelain, a famously unforgiving clay body. Stance and expression are well considered, the temptation to over-stylize is avoided.” Partington also won an honorable mention for her work titled “Petri Platter.”

Second Place Barbara Frey Potomac, Md. Barbara Frey, 85, has had a busy life — and she’s still remarkably busy, creating dozens of decorative pots each month. “In my younger days, I skied in the Rockies, did hot air ballooning, did parasailing and also did open-ocean sailing in the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico in 38-foot sailboats,” Frey said in an email. The wife of a brain research scientist, Frey has two children and four grandchildren. See CERAMICS, page 21

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2020

Photography winners have a special eye By Catherine Brown Almost anyone can take a photograph. With all the technology available to us through our phones and cameras, most of us can capture a moment in time. It requires a special talent, though, to take an artistic photograph. Photographers must pay attention to details the novice might not even notice, from framing the scene to considering the light and shadow. Over time, the three award-winning artists listed below have honed their photographic skills so that, amid a proliferation of visual imagery, their images stand out.

First Place David Allen Corbell Ellicott City, Md. About a decade ago, David Allen Corbell, 56, decided he wanted to learn more

Jewelry From page 17 other. I just love it,” said Bulman, who has a design background. His sterling silver ring titled “Peaks” won third prize in the Beacon’s contest. Last month, six pieces of his jewelry were included in a show at Glen Echo. Bulman works about three or four hours a day creating jewelry. His wife, daughter and daughter-in-law get first dibs on his creations.

Lotus

By David Allen Corbell

“If they don’t like it, it goes in the drawer,” he said, noting that he has about 60 unclaimed pieces he plans to sell. Next Bulman plans to establish an LLC so he can start selling his pieces on Shopify. “I’m not going to make a living out of it; I just enjoy it,” he said. Showing and selling his work has given the restaurateur deep satisfaction. “I’m excited about it,” Bulman said. “Finding something that I can do that I love — I’m in my late 70s — is great. So, if I ever retire, I still have this,” he said.

about photography, so he taught himself using a Nikon Coolpix 300. “I played around with the camera and did some research online until I figured out what worked for me,” Corbell said. He picked up the basics pretty quickly and moved from that Coolpix to professional cameras. The hobby began purely as recreation, but about seven years ago, Corbell developed a side job photographing weddings, graduations and individuals. He works full-time as a systems administrator. While photography has become a source of income for Corbell, he still enjoys it as a hobby. On the weekends, Corbell enjoys visiting interesting locations where he can take photos purely for pleasure. “Photography is relaxing for me,” he said. “There is peacefulness in finding the right composition.” Corbell took his award-winning photo of a lotus flower while visiting Longwood

Honorable Mentions Marylou Bono, Gaithersburg, Md. Clarice Burrell, Baltimore, Md. Regine Camacho, Falls Church, Va. Thomas S. Corbit, Olney, Md. Lori Ann Grant, Locus Grove, Va. Nathalie Pouliquen, Bethesda, Md. Lisa M. Scarbath, Ellicott City, Md. Meredith Weiser, North Bethesda, Md. Peaks

By Jeff Bulman

Gardens in Pennsylvania. “It’s hard to find a lotus in full bloom without it looking like a showerhead,” Corbell said. When he found this bloom, he captured it in a one-shot take. Corbell doesn’t like to do much processing of his photos afterwards; instead he works hard to capture the image he wants in the moment. “You have to be versatile, and you have to look ahead to what might happen.” Corbell said.

Second Place Raymond Finkleman Damascus, Md. When Raymond Finkelman, 68, retired in 2007 from his job as a computer sciSee PHOTOGRAPHY, page 21

Celebration of the Arts | Visit beacon50expo.com

DECEMBER 2020 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Mixed media opens up many possibilities By Catherine Brown Creative inspiration can come from surprising places. Often, something we happen upon at a particular moment can generate a reaction in us and lead us down creative paths we might never have anticipated. The three women who won awards for the Celebration of the Arts Mixed Media category have all been artistic for much of their lives. As they’ve gotten older, they have focused more time and attention on channeling inspiration into their own creative outlets.

First Place Young Yi Nottingham, Md. When Young Yi was in high school, her art teacher suggested she apply to art school. “Since I was a child, I’ve liked making things with my hands,” she said. Instead of studying art in college, however, Yi studied computers. Although she has never received formal art training, Yi, 62, has continued to make art throughout her life. About seven years ago, Yi discovered recycled paper arts. “One day, I stopped by a boutique shop while traveling and saw some art objects that caught my attention,” she said. “I was fascinated by them.” She was so interested in these works made out of recycled newspapers that she spent a good deal of time carefully examining and taking pictures of them. She used those photos to teach herself how to make recycled paper crafts. The piece that won first place is one of

Recycled paper art

By Young Yi

Sculptors From page 18 When Likins retired from full-time work, he “went back to his first love” and began exploring photography and sculpture. Until the pandemic, he also worked as a freelance reporter and photographer for the Maryland Independent, in part to support his art habit. “It gets expensive,” Likins said. Likins has exhibited in numerous galleries in D.C. and Maryland, including the Maryland Federation of Arts Circle Gallery in Annapolis and the Fredericksburg Center for the Creative Arts. For Likins’ award-winning sculpture, he created an image of Matthew Henson — the Charles County resident who accompanied

her favorite works. “I made frames of oval shapes with old book pages and filled them with colorful magazine pieces,” Yi said. “Even though it was time-consuming work, I was happy with the result.” This was the first time Yi had ever submitted her work to a contest, and she is delighted to have won a prize. Yi also received Honorable Mention for another recycled paper craft item she made.

Second Place Bevadine Zoma Terrell Washington, D.C. Bevadine Zoma Terrell, 69, moved to D.C. to attend Howard University and never left. “I fell in love with D.C.,” Terrell said, “because of the museums and accessibility of everything.” Terrell has loved art for most of her life, graduating with a bachelor’s and then eventually a master’s in art from Howard. She taught art at junior high and high schools in the District and spent several years working as an assistant principal and principal. After 38 years of working with students, she retired from full-time work. “I vowed I would get back to my art after I retired,” Terrell said. Her mother, who is now 97, would always ask her when she planned to make art again. Although she wanted to pursue her art again, the drive to help kids and make a difference in their lives was strong. Terrell took a job teaching art part-time at a private boys’ school, and directed a summer camp at the Langston Terrace Dwellings housing project. During that time, with humanities grants, she helped children create documentaries about the history of the community and the older adults who still lived there. When Terrell finally retired (again), she committed to returning to art. In 2017, a friend gave her information about an exhibit at the Maryland Art Place, which was seeking masks.

Robert Peary on his mission to the North Pole and claimed to be the first person to actually step onto that unexplored ground. “Henson’s great-great grandson saw the piece at a show and said it looked just like Henson,” Likins said, delighted to have received such high praise from a relative. For this piece, Likins used a material that had been sitting in his workshop for years. Made from insulation that had been ground into fine dust, it works as clay when water is added and then hardens like marble. “It was really tricky to work with,” Likins said, “but as a scientist, I love playing with new materials.” Likins was also awarded an Honorable Mention for his sculpture entitled “Game Over.”

Sister Circle

By Bevadine Zoma Terrell

She spent months brainstorming and then created a mask in her mom’s honor. “I found I kind of liked making masks,” Terrell said. At this point, she has created 60 masks that serve to represent special memories, events, emotions, stories and friends. She said the work she submitted to the Beacon, “Sister Circle,” represents the symbol of divine energy, the circle of girls and women who have been with Terrell throughout her life, through thick and thin. Terrell hopes to eventually create a coffee table book with all of her masks and the many life stories she has to share.

place, “Full Circle,” for a class assignment. She was tasked with representing the past, present and future in one work of art. Trevino found old canvases she had painted in previous years, took them off their frames and tore them in strips. Those strips of painted canvas represented the past, utilized in a work of art created in the present. A close look at the piece reveals the bottom right corner is slightly detached from the frame, suggesting it might become another work of art in the future. While Trevino works full-time traveling to clients’ houses to style hair, she is starting to move forward with a career in the arts. She’s had work in online galleries as well as in Brandeis University’s arts journal, Blacklist, and at the Alleghany Arts Council in Cumberland, Md.

Third Place Lisa Trevino Gaithersburg, Md. Lisa Trevino’s mother painted and drew, so art was always around the house when she was growing up. The 61-year-old hairstylist didn’t spend much time making art, however, until she was in her 30s. “I had two children at home, and I needed to do something,” Trevino said. “When I took classes, I felt like art was what I had been missing all those years.” While working and raising kids, Trevino slowly earned her degree in studio art, taking courses in printmaking, photography and painting. “I earned a four-year degree in 25 years,” Trevino joked. She created the piece that earned third

Honorable Mentions Pearl Chang, Rockville, Md. Addison Likins, La Plata, Md. Doris Herman, Potomac, Md. Elizabeth Steel, Rockville, Md. Christopher Ruch, Ebony, Va. Manny Eisner, Pikesville, Md. Nathalie Pouliquen, Bethesda, Md. Jo-Ann Marshburg Wilson, Bethesda, Md. Patrick James Rowland, Gaithersburg, Md. Nico Ambush, Frederick, Md. Sandra Valeria Franklin, Potomac, Md.

First Man to the North Pole

By Addison Likins

Full Circle

By Lisa Trevino

Honorable Mentions Young Yi, Nottingham, Md. Sarah Lee Province, Silver Spring, Md. Martha Mihaly Black, Annapolis, Md. Frances Laughlin, Dundalk, Md. Clare Wilson, Silver Spring, Md. Cathe Hart Kervan, Mechanicsville, Va. Marylou Bono, Gaithersburg, Md. Nancy Carlin, North Potomac, Md. Jenny Harvey, Chester, Va. Thomas Corbit, Olney, Md.

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2020

Ceramics From page 18 Frey creates pottery from her home in Potomac. She has a fully equipped studio at her house, complete with a motorized wheel, an electric kiln and a pug mill — a machine for mixing and working clay and other materials. “I’m an artist who throws pots on a

wheel and usually alters them. I generally make them out of porcelain,” Frey said. “Most of my pots are intended for display.” Frey’s winning piece is wheel-thrown stoneware. To make her decorative pots, she first puts clay through a pug mill to achieve the consistency she wants. Then she throws clay on a wheel, a refined skill that takes hours of practice. She alters and trims the pot when it’s partially dry. When the piece is completely dry, she puts it in the kiln. The next day, she glazes the pot and sometimes returns it to the kiln to fire at a higher temperature to get the look she wants. “Many of the pots I then alter to create unique effects that have occurred to me. That [winning] pot I altered to give it an interesting shape, and glazed it to create an unusual surface pattern and color.”

Third Place

Decorative pot

By Barbara Frey

Photography From page 19 entist for the U.S. Army, he found a new passion in photography. Since 1996, Finkelman had also coached fencing, a sport that has been a part of his life since he was a teenager. When he retired from the Army, Finkelman began traveling the world to watch his athletes compete. When he traveled to Turkey for the World Championships in 2007, he bought his first Nikon camera. “I thought to myself, ‘If I’m going to Turkey, I might as well bring a good camera,’” Finkelman said. Before that trip, Finkelman had been interested in photography, but he hadn’t

Janet Mazor Baltimore, Md. Baltimore resident Janet Mazor didn’t find her passion until she retired more than 15 years ago and happened to take a pottery course at the JCC. “I had never done it before and was looking for something to do,” she said. “As soon as I walked through the class and

taken it seriously. His travels around the world changed that. “I started to approach photography from an artistic point of view,” Finkelman said. The more he traveled, the bigger role photography played in his life. Finkelman began to enjoy taking photos not only during his worldwide travels but also when traveling to Bethany Beach, a favorite vacation spot for 30 years. Now, he always has his iPhone or Nikon with him when he explores the beach. Finkelman took his winning photograph, “Sandals,” while sitting on the beach with his wife. “I like the perspective of the photo, with the sandals up close and the ocean in the distance,” Finkelman said. “The image signifies relaxation, and reminds me of the feeling of having my toes in the sand.” In 2018, the town of Bethany Beach chose one of Finkelman’s images, out of 2,000 submissions, to use in its town calendar. With degrees in physics, astronomy and computer science, Finkelman is getting more interested in using filters to enhance his photography. His goal is to eventually combine his interests and explore astrophotography. During the pandemic, Finkelman is selling face masks adorned with his photographs on his website, bethanybeachphotos.com. Sandals

By Raymond Finkleman

made my first piece — which was horrible — I loved it. It’s so relaxing. I zone out when I make my pottery. I just really concentrate on it.” Since that first “horrible” snowman piece, her style has evolved over the years. Lately, Mazor has been making woven ceramic bread baskets for friends. She also creates ceramic clocks that keep the time. Mazor’s winning piece, “Laila’s Whimsical Watering Can,” was based on a decorative watering can she saw in a store. “I put my own twist on it,” she said, adding beads and wire. Her teacher was a tremendous help, Mazor said. “The teacher I had at the JCC is very encouraging, and he will critique for me. He’s taught me a lot. When I made this piece, he said, ‘I think that’s the best piece you’ve ever made.’ It meant a lot.” Ulrich noted that the work required the assembly of many parts, “representing dozens of decisions with attention to color, scale and shape in space,” she wrote in her juror’s statement. “When I started this [watering can]. I had no idea what I was doing or if I would even like it,” Mazor said. “Sometimes when I make a piece, I start making it and it doesn’t come out the way I see it — but I like it better. “When I won [this] award, I was so happy because it took me a long time to get there.”

Laila's Whimsical Watering Can

By Janet Mazor

After 15 years, Mazor still gets excited about each new creation. She urges others to experiment with clay, too. “My passion is to get a piece of clay in my hand and start working with it,” she said. “People should try it. If you’re good with your hands, I’d just go for it. Just try it.” Honorable Mention Leigh Partington, Gaithersburg, Md.

Third Place Beth Altman Washington, D.C. Beth Altman works in private practice as a psychotherapist in downtown D.C. But when she’s not working, she pursues a longstanding interest: abstract and street photography. “I like to go out where there are people congregating, like at street festivals,” Altman said. Altman has been interested in photography for much of her life, but she began devoting more of her attention to it about 10 years ago. She has since participated in many formal workshops and classes and is an active member of the North Bethesda Camera Club as well as the NIH Camera Club. Altman now regularly shows her work and has participated in exhibitions at local galleries, including the Maryland Federation of Art, the BlackRock Center for the Arts, Penn Place at Garrett Park and Joseph Miller Abstract Photography Exhibits. Her award-winning photograph, “Kitty,” was shot at an event in Baltimore’s Graffiti Alley, where photographers and aspiring models are given a chance to work together. The events are mutually beneficial: Photographers meet potential models, and models can build their portfolios. “This particular woman [Kitty] was a natural and was fun to work with,” Altman said. “I liked her expression and the way her presentation blended in with the

Kitty

By Beth Altman

background in terms of color palette and the grunge factor.”

Honorable Mentions Lynn Schmitt, Montgomery Village, Md. Richard Isaacman, Edgewater, Md. Harvey Kupferberg, Rockville, Md. Keith Brace, Baltimore, Md. Warren Wilson, Lanham, Md. Vella Kendall, Monkton, Md. Alan Simmons, Rockville, Md. Stephen Robinson, Rockville, Md. Howard Clark, Montgomery Village, Md.

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DECEMBER 2020 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Drawing winners have eye for fine detail By Margaret Foster A well accomplished drawing can leap off the page. Although Leonardo’s famous drawings of the human form are no more than ink on paper, their faces and muscles seem to have three-dimensional depth and texture. The winners of the Drawing category have a similar way with pen and paper. This year, all the winners, including the honorable mentions, are women.

First Place Ruth Sentelle Gaithersburg, Md. On an Alaskan cruise years ago, Ruth Sentelle visited a coastal village. She noticed the remnants of a dock on dry land and took a photograph of the stranded pilings. “Over the years the water had receded,” said Sentelle, now 80. “I thought that it had such character to have endured all that

time. I just wanted to capture its personality and character, so I decided to draw it.” Sentelle must have done something right. Juror Andrei Trach said he selected her drawing for first place because “it wasn’t just an ordinary piling; it had a lot of character to it.” Although Sentelle had been drawing throughout her life, it wasn’t until the 1990s that she started taking classes at the Gaithersburg Art Barn near her home. “It’s a great community of artists,” she said, noting that she met good friends through the classes. Sentelle draws for pleasure, but she was pleased to receive a check with her firstplace prize from the Beacon for her graphite pencil drawing. “It was overwhelming to get a monetary prize. My word, when that check came, I was just floored,” Sentelle said. “It’s very generous and a good incentive for other people to enter the contest.”

Second Place

Old Piling in Alaska

By Ruth Sentelle

Angela White Alexandria, Va. Ever since Angela White was in high school in Chicago, she knew her life would have to balance both a career and a passion for art. White decided to pursue a career in law enforcement but kept creating art when she had time. “I went to school for criminal justice, but I had this other passion,” she said.

Looking at everyday people is one of White’s pastimes. With a photographic eye, she observes others and later sketches their heads — usually a profile or the back of their heads rather than a face. “If I’m at the grocery store in line, instead of looking at the food, I’m looking at the heads, drawing them [in my mind] while I’m watching someone,” White said.

Third Place Patricia Grimes Silver Spring, Md. How long does it take Patricia Grimes, who is in her 70s, to complete a drawing? “Oh, about two hours an inch,” she said, laughing. Everyday People

By Angela White

In 2002, when White was recovering from surgery, she started drawing to survive. She sketched angels, she said, “when I was in the hospital, looking out the window at the clouds. That helped get me through the surgery and the pain,” she said. The thrill of drawing intrigues White, now 50 and retired from a career as a Chicago law enforcement officer. “I find it relaxing, but it’s also an adventure for me…I don’t know what it’s going to be until the end, so that feels exciting, like an adventure.” White’s drawing “Everyday People,” which won second prize, depicts the backs of dozens of people’s heads. It “stood out,” said juror Trach, calling it interesting and different. “It’s about everybody being an individual,” Trach said.

See DRAWING, page 23

Big Ben

By Patricia Grimes

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Painters focus on unconventional topics By Margaret Foster The painting category of the Celebration of the Arts has the potential to elicit dramatic, unusual works, and this year was no exception. Rather than traditional landscapes or still lifes, two of the winning paintings depict industrial scenes, and the third is a busy European cityscape.

First Place Ellen Yahuda Chevy Chase, Md. At her 75th birthday celebration, Ellen Yahuda saw a photo of herself at age nine and realized she still has a lot in common with her childhood self. “When I was younger, my parents sent me to ballet classes and art classes,” she said. Today, she’s still dancing and painting. Yahuda grew up in Philadelphia and lived in Cambridge, England, for 35 years, working as a criminal attorney. When she returned to the United States in 2003, she began taking art classes at American University’s Osher Learning Institute. She started with a collage class, but found “It wasn’t enough,” she said. She went on to study with Rockville teacher Glen Kessler, completing his three-year Master Artist Program in 2019, she said, “and I never stopped.”

Pipe Dreams

By Ellen Yahuda

Drawing From page 22 Grimes’ winning drawing, “Big Ben,” drew the juror’s attention because of its detail. “It caught my eye because it was very meticulous,” Trach said. “It was clear [she] had spent a lot of time on it.” Grimes graduated from college with a degree in fine arts and a minor in teaching elementary school art. She worked as an art teacher at elementary schools in Montgomery County for 28 years. After she retired, she taught art to two-year-olds at a

Yahuda’s first-place oil painting, “Pipe Dreams,” depicts machines in her father’s factory in Bensalem, Pennsylvania. Her father designed the machinery, and her son built them. The subject matter, Yahuda said, “reflects my personality. It’s power and movement. I don’t sit still.” The painting’s gritty atmosphere is a nod to her work as a criminal lawyer. “The factory machinery really speaks to the seediness and down-to-earth [life]. I see the beauty in it, I see the shininess next to the rust and the abstract design on the ceiling.” Now, in the middle of a pandemic, Yahuda is undergoing cancer treatment. Yet she still paints three or four hours every day. When she’s not painting, she is cooking, she said. Zoom makes it easier to keep up with art classes at home, Yahuda said, and she refuses to slow down. “I have better things to do than think about cancer.”

Old Munich

By Ray Goodrow

Goodrow’s winning watercolor, “Munich,” is based on a photograph he took on a trip to that city more than 20 years ago. “I delve back into my photo archive that goes way back because now I have time to paint,” Goodrow said. “Sometimes the buildings are demolished. Sometimes the scenes don’t exist anymore, so it’s kind of fun.”

“My professors kept telling me I needed to have a concept. I would joke with them, ‘I don’t understand the concept of a concept!’” Balancing a job and family life, Collins spent a decade completing the master’s program. One day, she retreated to her basement to paint the boiler. Then, she painted some pipes at a Metro station downtown. She added or enhanced colors to reflect the mood of the painting, she said, and a concept was born. “I thought, ‘I really like this, it’s very enjoyable to me,’” Collins said. “I feel very fortunate that I found a passion like that.” Collins said that between art and accounting, her brain is always occupied. “[Painting uses] a very different part of my brain than doing the accounting for my companies. It gives me a way to look at things outside the box.”

Second Place Third Place

Ray Goodrow Washington, D.C. Ray Goodrow worked as a commercial architect in D.C. for decades. After he retired five years ago, he picked up a paintbrush for the first time since he was a child. First, he took several art classes at the Torpedo Factory in Alexandra, Virginia. “That’s a good way to get involved in the art scene in our area,” Goodrow said. “The more you do it, the better you get.” Goodrow has had a successful year. One of his cityscapes won a “best in show” award at a Torpedo Factory competition in June. He has sold 15 paintings in 2020. He’s also president of the McLean Art Society, a local group that meets once a month to watch artist demonstrations. With a background in historic preservation, Goodrow started out painting buildings and cityscapes. Lately, the artist has moved on to living subjects. “Now, I’ve really gotten to where I like doing people, different scenes with people. I also do cows,” he said, noting that he grew up in Texas. “I don’t paint just one thing.”

Gillian Collins Gaithersburg, Md. When Gillian Collins goes on vacation, she tends to snap photos not of prominent landmarks but of pipes, antique fixtures or valves. Her painting “Italian Valve” was inspired by a photograph she took in Florence, Italy. “I like those geometric patterns. It’s a functioning thing, and I’m making beauty out of it. I’m divorcing the function from the form.” Born in England, Collins, 64, has been painting for 35 years, although not fulltime. In her day job, she does the accounting for the plumbing company and HVAC company she co-owns. In December 2019, she received her Master of Fine Arts from Towson State University. It was there that she found her “voice” as a painter and her industrial subject matter. Collins started as a plein air painter, focusing on outdoor landscapes, but became bored, she said. Her professors encouraged her to delve deeper.

Maryland nursery school. During her career and home life, she said, “I did a lot of arty things, but I never did [art] like I had done at school. When you have kids, you don’t have time to do that stuff. So, I dabbled.” Later in life, she returned to art, taking a watercolor painting course at Montgomery College. “When I tried it, I thought, ‘Oh, I can do things I want to do now,’” Grimes recalled. Now Grimes lives in Leisure World in Silver Spring, Maryland, where she takes art classes. She took a drawing course and worked in the community’s open studio on

weekends. To her surprise, she said, “I found I actually could draw again. It’s a nice pastime… It’s something that I like to do, and actually I’m not too bad at it.” Grimes enjoys drawing cathedrals, lighthouses and other architectural works. Her latest interest, she said, is clocks. Her winning pencil drawing is based on a photo she took on a trip to London with her husband. “Big Ben” took her about two months to complete. “I’m so picky,” Grimes explained. “If it’s a lot of detail, it takes a good while. I work

Italian Valve

By Gillian Collins

Honorable Mentions Kenneth Bachman, Bethesda, Md. Phyllis Brent, Baltimore, Md. Gregor y J. Cannizzaro, Parkville, Md. Christine Fendley Greenland, Warrenton, Va. Jacquelyn Harris, Midlothian, Va. Gayle Magruder, Chester, Va. Michael Thomas Mohr, Towson, Md. Carol Morgan, Washington, D.C. Ronie Nieva, Chevy Chase, Md. Juan Antonio Serrano, Silver Spring, Md. Betsy Shelburne, Washington, D.C. Alexandra Margaret TreadawayHoare, Colesville, Md.

on it a little at a time.”

Honorable Mentions Susan Anchors, Germantown, Md. Sandra Cohen, Bethesda, Md. Denise Dallatore, Gaithersburg, Md. Chester Hall, Marriottsville, Md. Barbara Katz, Pikeville, Md. Julianne Mueller, Falls Church, Va. Ruth Sentelle, Gaithersburg, Md. LeAnne Sawyers, North Potomac, Md. Angela White, Silver Spring, Md. Gretchen Whitney, Chevy Chase, Md. Helen Wood, Bethesda, Md.

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Money Law &

The pandemic’s economic downturn has hit older workers especially hard. See story on p. 28.

Can you pass a retirement literacy quiz? The American College of Financial Serv- worth $100,000 at retirement, based ices periodically conducts a retirement lit- on historical returns in the U.S., what is the most you can afford to eracy quiz for prospective rewithdraw each year (not intirees. The 2020 quiz consists flation adjusted) to have a of 38 questions covering all 95% chance your assets will important retirement issues. last 30 years? Unfortunately, 8 out of 10 ina. $2,000 dividuals taking the 2020 quiz b. $4,000 failed to get a passing grade. c. $6,000 More than half of respond. $8,000 dents underestimated the life 2. An immediate income expectancy of a 65-year-old annuity that pays income of man. Only 31% have a plan in $1,000 a month is generalplace to fund long-term care. THE SAVINGS ly going to be more expenAlthough only 8% considered GAME sive: it likely they would need long- By Elliot Raphaelson a. The younger the owner is term care, the reality is that when the annuity begins 70% will need some form of this care. b. For a man rather than for a woman Only 33% of respondents report having a c. If interest rates increase written retirement plan, and of those who d. For a single person do have a plan, only 47% feel prepared for a 3. A deferred variable annuity with market downturn. Of those without a written plan, only 35% feel prepared to deal guaranteed lifetime withdrawal benefits: a. Ensures that the investment will not with a market downturn. You can take the test at theamericancol- lose value b. Only offers investment alternatives lege.edu/retirement-income-literacy-survey. Here are some of the questions contained in with fixed returns c. Pays guaranteed income that varies the survey, along with answers below: 1. If you had a well-diversified portfo- based on market performance d. Can pay income even if the investlio of 50% stocks and 50% bonds

ment account goes to zero. 4. True or False: A retiree who is working part-time can generally continue to contribute to an IRA or a Roth IRA 5. Sarah is single, aged 65, and takes a reverse mortgage with a lump-sum payment. When does the loan have to be repaid? a. At age 75 b. Whenever she takes another loan c. When she permanently leaves the home d. Whenever the mortgage company wants it back 6. Nationally, who pays the majority of long-term-care expenses provided in nursing homes? a. Medicare b. Private payment c. Medicaid d. Insurance purchased by individuals 7. Converting a portion of a traditional IRA into a Roth IRA is a good idea, if: a. You have more taxable income than usual, and your marginal tax rate is higher than normal. b. You have a big tax deduction this year, and your marginal tax rate is lower than normal.

c. The value of the assets in your IRA has remained the same for 10 years. 8. Which of the following types of long-term bonds typically has the highest yield? a. U.S. Treasury bonds b. AAA rated corporate bonds c. BBB rated corporate bonds 9. To maximize the safe withdrawal rate from a portfolio over a 30-year retirement period, it is best to hold what percentage of assets in equities throughout retirement? a. 0-10% b. 25-35% c. 50-60% d. 90-100% Answers: 1 b; 2 a; 3 d; 4 True; 5 c, 6 c; 7 b; 8 c; 9 c The quiz encompasses a comprehensive set of questions and answers including investing, withdrawal options, annuities, Social Security and long-term care. I recommend that you take the quiz to determine which important retirement topics you should consider learning more about. Elliot Raphaelson welcomes your questions and comments at raphelliot@gmail.com. © 2020 Elliot Raphaelson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

A guide to giving for the greatest impact By Kiplinger Consumer News Service The recession and global pandemic are hitting charities where it hurts the most: in the wallet. Most fundraising professionals expect donations to decline in 2020 compared with previous years, a situation likely to continue through 2021, according to the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Meanwhile, the need for charity is climbing, particularly to combat rising poverty, hunger and homelessness from the pandemic’s economic fallout. “There are so many needs that it can be overwhelming for donors,” said Una Osili, professor of economics and philanthropic studies at Indiana University and associate dean for research at the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. The U.S. has 1.6 million nonprofits, a figure that has quadrupled in the last 40 years, according to Kevin Scally, chief relationship officer for Charity Navigator, which evaluates nonprofits and rates

their effectiveness. Is it better to give to a large nonprofit or a small one? Should you go global or stay local? There’s no single answer, only ways to assess how your dollars might have the greatest impact for the causes you believe in.

Charity starts at home Adela Crandell Durkee, 69, donates recurring amounts to PBS, NPR and Catholic Family Charities, but beyond that has struggled to find national organizations to support. In the past, she and her daughter raised money for breast cancer through the Susan G. Komen walk, only to encounter recriminations from family and friends who opposed the Komen Foundation’s support of Planned Parenthood. Durkee and her daughter donated hair to Locks of Love to make into wigs but then grew concerned that the organization wasn’t rated as favorably as others. “It got to be too much work for me to

sort through all the threads and truly give consciously. So, I changed my tactic,” she said. “I try to pick things that are local and where I can see the direct impact.” Now, Durkee volunteers at a local food pantry, Habitat for Humanity and her church, where, she said, “the overhead is low and the feedback is plentiful.” Some donors give in concentric circles: one local charity, one regional, one national and one international. “On the local level, you as a donor have more of a connection to the work being done,” Scally said. “On a national level, the benefit of supporting a larger organization is they have more resources to do more. In addition, many national organizations, especially the good ones, will have local partnerships.”

Philanthropy 101 Once you know the causes you want to support, visit websites such as Give.org and

CharityNavigator.org that evaluate nonprofits, provide comparisons, and even suggest charities if you search by topic or Zip code. These websites provide details about a nonprofit’s activities, and some also rate and rank charities according to financial efficiency, transparency and impact. Akira Barclay, a philanthropic consultant, noted that on these sites larger organizations tend to get higher ratings because they have the resources to collect data and present themselves in a favorable light. “A smaller nonprofit, just because they don’t have that concrete data, doesn’t mean they aren’t making an impact,” said Tracey Webb of Laurel, Maryland, a collective-giving expert and founder of Black Benefactors, which is based in Washington, D.C., and makes grants between $500 and $10,000. Of course, check the nonprofit’s website for annual reports or newsletters. Evaluate See GIVING, page 27

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DECEMBER 2020 — BALTIMORE BEACON

How to reduce tax bite on Social Security By Kiplinger News Service After a lifetime of paying taxes on wages and other income, many people enter retirement expecting their Social Security benefits to be tax-free. But that’s often not the case. For some retirees, Uncle Sam takes a hefty bite of those benefits. Fortunately, there are ways to lower the percentage of Social Security payments that are subject to federal tax. Start with calculating the taxable amount by adding together 50% of your Social Security benefits, all tax-exempt interest and other items that make up your adjusted gross income (minus certain deductions like those for higher education). The result is your provisional income. Social Security benefits are not taxed for single filers with provisional income of less than $25,000. The same is true for married

couples filing jointly if their provisional income is less than $32,000. When provisional income is between $25,000 and $34,000 for a single filer, or $32,000 and $44,000 for a joint filer, up to 50% of Social Security benefits can be taxed. As much as 85% of those benefits are subject to tax when provisional income exceeds $34,000 on a single return or $44,000 on a joint return. Reducing adjusted gross income is the key to lowering taxes on Social Security. If your AGI drops, so does your provisional income. When your provisional income shrinks, the percentage of benefits included in taxable income declines, lowering the tax on benefits.

Steps you can take Your strategy for reducing the tax should be put in place long before your

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first Social Security check arrives. Matt Nadeau, wealth adviser at the Piershale Financial Group in Barrington, Illinois, often recommends pre-retirement Roth conversions. Shifting money from a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA generally makes sense, he said, because the Roth’s tax-free withdrawals won’t raise AGI. Simply delaying Social Security can help. The longer you wait, the more you’ll get per month. “If your Social Security is higher and it allows you to take less from a retirement account like an IRA, that lowers provisional income” because you have less taxable money from a traditional IRA boosting your AGI, Nadeau said. Once you start taking Social Security and are at least 70½ years old, qualified charitable distributions (QCDs) are a great way to cut taxes on those benefits if you are taking money from a traditional IRA and plan to give to charity anyway. With a QCD, you can transfer up to $100,000 directly from a traditional IRA to charity without raising your AGI, whereas if you took $1,000 from your IRA and donated it separately “that $1,000 might be making another $850 of your Social Security taxable,” warned Ryan McKeown, senior vice president at Wealth Enhancement Group in Mankato, Minnesota.

Additional tips Tax-efficient investing can also help you keep more of your Social Security benefits. For example, because dividends are included in AGI, Nadeau suggests investing for growth rather than dividend income in after-tax retirement accounts. If you’re working part-time in retirement, which by itself will increase income, continuing to fund a traditional IRA helps dial back your AGI. Monitoring the capital gains on your investments is also important, McKeown said. “Long-term capital gain is something people can control, because they make a choice to sell an investment.” Even if you qualify for the 0% tax rate on capital gains, McKeown warns, you could still be upping the tax on Social Security benefits by selling capital assets. One way around this is to sell some stocks at a loss, if you can, to offset capital gains. “All the decisions need to be put in context of an overall plan,” McKeown said. “Make sure that things make sense for your goals and have investment merit” because there’s more to sound financial planning than just lowering taxes. © 2020 The Kiplinger Washington Editors, Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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FESTIVAL OF TREES Enjoy the popular Festival of Trees from your home this year. The

three-day event will offer family-friendly acts, an online store with decorated trees and wreaths, and an online auction to benefit the children of the Kennedy Krieger Institute. The festival takes place from Fri., Nov. 27 to Sun., Nov. 29. For more information and to get free tickets, visit http://bit.ly/KKIFestivalofTrees.

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2020

Reevaluate your Medicare coverage now By Lifestyles After 50 It’s that time of year again: Medicare’s annual Open Enrollment period. Each year from October 15 to December 7, current Medicare users are able to compare and switch their Medicare and Part D prescription drug plans, if wanted. New users are able to enroll during this period, so long as it is not their first time enrolling in Parts A or B. (Your initial enrollment period generally depends on the date you turn 65. If you miss that opportunity, your next one is during the “general” enrollment period, Jan. 1-March 31.) According to MyMedicareMatters.org, a service of the National Council on Aging, here are the various changes you can make during this open enrollment period:

Giving From page 25 the staff and board leadership, including their experience and background. “I like to look at their social media pages,” Webb said. “Sometimes they’re updated more frequently than the website.” For you to claim a tax deduction for your donation, the organization must be a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, fiscally sponsored or structured as a donor-advised fund. You should be able to find the charity’s 990 form, which most nonprofits must file annually with the IRS, on irs.gov or through a service like Candid GuideStar or Foundation Center. This form contains financial results, revenue, expenses and the compensation of the nonprofit’s five most highly paid employees or contractors. Assess whether the organization is a responsible steward of resources by looking at its results, the percentage of revenue that goes to overhead, and the amount of cash it

—Anyone with Medicare Parts A & B can switch to a Part C (Medicare Advantage) plan. —Anyone with Medicare Part C can switch back to Parts A & B, or switch to a new Part C plan. —Anyone who has or is signing up for Medicare Parts A or B can join, drop or switch a Part D prescription drug plan. Any changes you make to your Medicare coverage plan during the 2020 open enrollment period will be effective as of January 1, 2021.

Why bother? Each year, insurance companies are able to make various changes to their Medicare and Part D plans — including has on hand to meet operating costs. “If the organization isn’t sustainable, you may want to be a bit cautious,” Osili said.

The gift of time Besides giving money, “there’s also the volunteering of time, talent and testimony,” Osili added. “How do you support the organization? Do you post on social media? They could benefit from that testimony.” Consider volunteering, which can eventually lead to service on the board of directors. “Donors that get involved in the organization tend to get more satisfaction,” Osili said.

Give as part of a group Consider joining or starting a collectivegiving group, which combines gifts for a greater impact. Some alumni do this by pooling contributions from a graduating class, for example. “Anyone who’s making a choice to give during this time, their generosity is appreciated,” Barclay said. “It’s so important

the doctors and prescriptions they cover and their various co-pays and deductibles. Naturally, these affect the out-of-pocket costs different consumers will face. You could also lose access to a trusted doctor. So, it’s highly recommended that you use the open enrollment period to re-evaluate your current plan and consider changing to another one that could save you money or improve your coverage. The benefits of annually evaluating your Medicare coverage plan, according to MyMedicareMatters.org, are these: —Switching to better prescription drug coverage can reduce out-of-pocket costs and ensure drug plans still cover needed prescriptions. Research shows that the average consumer can save $300 or more an-

nually if they review their Part D coverage. —Save money and keep your doctor innetwork by switching Medicare Advantage or Part D plans. —Find a higher quality plan. Plans with a 5star rating are considered high quality. If you are enrolled in a plan that is less than 3 stars, consider using Open Enrollment to switch. So, take advantage of this open enrollment period to ensure that you have the best plan that has the coverage you need without overpaying. Visit MyMedicareMatters.org and complete their questionnaire to best assess your current healthcare needs versus your current plan. Reprinted with permission of Lifestyles After 50, lifestylesafter50.com.

Inc. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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ARTS ON THE AVENUE This year, the multicultural arts and music festival typically held

in the Del Ray neighborhood of Alexandria, Virginia, is all online. Listen to local music groups perform as you learn about the exhibiting artists. Links can be found at artontheavenue.org.

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DECEMBER 2020 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Older workers face higher unemployment By Sarah Skidmore Sell For the first time in nearly 50 years, older workers face higher unemployment than their midcareer counterparts, according to a study released in October by the New School, a university in New York City. The pandemic has wreaked havoc on employment for people of all ages. But researchers found that during its course, workers 55 and older lost jobs sooner, were rehired slower, and continue to face higher job losses than their counterparts ages 35 to 54. (The study focused only on workers with established careers. As a re-

sult, it did not examine workers younger than 35.) It’s the first time since 1973 that such a severe unemployment gap has persisted for six months or longer. AARP said the study bolstered concerns about the economic impact of the virus on older workers. When people over 50 lose their jobs, it typically takes them twice as long to find work as it does for younger workers, the organization representing the interests of older Americans estimates. The pandemic “may be something that is pushing people out of the workforce,

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FREE INVESTING VIDEOS

The nonprofit Better Investing provides free instructional videos on their website about investing. Visit http://bit.ly/FreeInvestingVideos.

Nov. 29+

ART SHOW

Need a unique holiday gift? Shop from home at an online version of the Holiday Maker-Mart. Local artists and artisans will be featured during this virtual event, which will take place over a two-week period, from Nov. 29 to Dec. 14. Browse a variety of unique and affordable art and handcrafted items. For complete details, visit hocoarts.org/makermart2020 or artistssunday.com to view the artists directory, with a search bar that allows you to search for artists by location.

and they may never get back in,” said Susan Weinstock, AARP’s vice president of financial resilience programing. In every recession since the 1970s, older workers had persistently lower unemployment rates than midcareer workers, partly because of seniority benefits. But in the current recession, older workers experienced higher unemployment rates than midcareer workers in each month since the onset of the pandemic. The older workers’ unemployment rates from April through September were 1.1 percentage points higher than mid-career workers — at 9.7% versus 8.6%. The rates were compiled using a six-month rolling average and were far worse for older workers who are black, female or lack college degrees. Among the newly unemployed older workers is Legasse Gamo, 65. He was laid off in March from his job as a baggage handler at Reagan National Airport. While Gamo is afraid of coronavirus exposure by working around others, he said he has looked for work — because he feels he has little choice but to take any job he can find. The contractor he worked for, Eulen America, has required its laid off employees to reapply for their jobs. Gamo did so

but said he has received no reply. The immigrant from Ethiopia supports three grandchildren, ages 6, 12 and 14, who live with him. His daughter is still employed, but her pay is not enough to cover their expenses. Gamo gets $210 a week in unemployment insurance payments and said he has spent almost all of his savings. “I just want to get back to my job as soon as possible to support my family because I’m afraid we will end up homeless,” Gamo said.

Employers jump at the chance The New School study found that the pandemic has posed a unique risk for older workers, said Teresa Ghilarducci, director of the school’s Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis. “The higher rate of unemployment for older workers might be because this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance for employers to shed older workers and not fear investigation by the labor department,” Ghilarducci said. She added: “Age discrimination rules are not being tightly enforced. Employers, fearing economic instability, may want to get rid of relatively more expensive workers and take their chances with training See WORKERS, page 29

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BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2020

New directions From page 1

Volunteer opportunities Training programs and job counselors, however, aren’t the only assistance MND provides. Baltimore residents can also have access to the computer lab for their internet needs, access to a closet with free interview-appropriate clothes, and help from volunteers with resume writing and job searching. Darryl Hines, 55, is one of the 10 to 15 volunteers who give one-on-one assistance. He started volunteering with MND in January, after he retired from the information technology industry. “My goal has always been to work for a nonprofit and to help people,” Hines said.

Workers From page 28 new workers when the economy recovers.” In addition, older workers often face age discrimination, making it difficult for them to find new jobs. Researchers believe employers laid off and resisted rehiring older adults, in part because they tend to face more serious health risks when infected by the virus. The unemployment spike for older workers could force more of them into

“This was an opportunity to do both.” Before the pandemic, he would hold open hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays from noon to 4 p.m., when anyone could sit down and chat with him without an appointment. He helped type resumes, write cover letters, and help with any other online services in the computer lab. Hines also assisted with the interview closet. Before March, he helped two men who didn’t have suits in their wardrobe. “I showed them how you can wear the same navy-blue suit with different shirts” to create multiple outfits, he said. Now, with many staying in their homes due to the coronavirus, Hines is volunteering virtually. “I’ve been able to do the same things I did in the office,” through phone calls, emails and Zoom meetings, he said.

early and involuntary retirement, worsen their financial well-being, and exacerbate financial disparities already experienced by women, minorities and people without college degrees in terms of retirement security.

Retirement security threatened New School researchers estimated that 1.4 million workers over 55 have lost their jobs since April and remain unemployed. The figure does not include workers who became unemployed in April and left the work force.

With MND services going virtual, however, fewer Baltimore residents are taking advantage of the free assistance. Before coronavirus, Hines would help eight to 10 people a week. Now he communicates with half as many. “A lot of clients aren’t receptive to Zoom or the phone,” which might be due to a lack of resources or even shyness, Hines explained.

For those who are cautious about applying for jobs during these virtual times, MND offers a virtual etiquette class before every training program to address ways to be professional at home. After all, “Virtual is new for so many people,” Good said. In fact, due to this etiquette course and

the five subsequent virtual trainings since May, several participants have been hired, according to Good. Even without the face-to-face interactions, the virtual trainees still get access to employers through MND they otherwise wouldn’t have, just like Smith did last year. “I’m really happy that [MND] is training,” Smith said. “People need encouragement more than anything, just to know that everything will work out.” Because of MND, Smith has faith that, even during a pandemic, she can drive an MTA bus through the streets of Baltimore with a smile behind her mask and a stable paycheck waiting for her at home. For more information or to volunteer with Maryland New Directions, visit mdnewdirections.org or call (410) 230-0630.

The situation could have deep ramifications for older workers close to retirement because their final years on the job are critical for those who have not saved enough for their retirement and expect to work longer to shore up their retirement funds. “Retirement security is very fragile, and a lot of them never recovered from the recession in the first place,” said Weinstock. “They were planning on working to make up for money they hadn’t saved, and then they aren’t able to make those catch up payments they need.” The Schwartz Center has estimated in

research separate from October’s study that 43 million people now in their 50s and early 60s will be poor when they become elderly because of economic conditions or a lack of adequate savings in retirement plans. The researchers who conducted the study recommended that Congress increase and extend unemployment benefits for older workers, discourage withdrawals from retirement accounts, lower Medicare eligibility to age 50, and create a federal Older Workers Bureau to promote the welfare of older workers. —AP

Virtual training works well

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DECEMBER 2020 — BALTIMORE BEACON

How to avoid the latest Medicare scams Every year during health insurance open enrollment season, scammers try to dupe unsuspecting consumers into sharing their personal information. This year is no exception. According to new BBB.org/ScamTracker reports, Americans are getting scam calls phishing for their Medicare numbers and other personal information. This year, open enrollment runs through December 7 for Medicare, and through December 15 for the Affordable Care Act.

How the scams work You may receive a call (or recorded message) from someone who claims to be helping you navigate your Medicare options. They may call themselves a “healthcare benefits advocate” or a similar title. The caller says they can enroll you in a “cheaper and better” Medicare program than what you currently have, and all you need to do is provide some personal information such as your Medicare ID number.

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COMBATTING LONELINESS

Need some company or conversation? Baltimore’s Senior Companion Program is available for older adults who are homebound and unable to take advantage of community-based opportunities for socialization. People who qualify for this program will be visited in their own homes (or contacted by phone) by another older adult during scheduled visits. For more information, call (410) 396-9405.

Of course, the call is a scam, and sharing personal information merely opens you to identity theft. In another version reported to BBB.org/ScamTracker, the caller is trying to frighten you by claiming your Medicare will be discontinued if you don’t re-enroll. Fortunately, you are told, this “Medicare advisor” can fix the situation, but you need to provide some personal information to get the process going. BBB.org/ScamTracker is also getting reports about callers pushing “free” back or knee braces. This is also Medicare fraud. You can learn more about these scams at http://bit.ly/bracescam.

How to avoid being scammed —Be war y of unsolicited contact. People representing Medicare plans don’t contact you by phone, email or in person

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BALTIMORE CITY Ednor Apartments I: 410-243-0180 Ednor Apartments II: 410-243-4301 The Greens at Irvington Mews: 410-644-4487 Park Heights Place: 410-578-3445 Park View at Ashland Terrace: 410-276-6440 Park View at Coldspring: 410-542-4400

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BALTIMORE COUNTY Cove Point Apartments I: 410-288-2344 Cove Point Apartments II: 410-288-1660 Evergreen Senior Apartments: 410-780-4888 The Greens at English Consul: 410-789-3000 The Greens at Liberty Road: 410-655-1100 The Greens at Logan Field: 410-288-2000 The Greens at Rolling Road: 410-744-9988 Park View at Catonsville: 410-719-9464 Park View at Dundalk: 410-288-5483 • 55 & Better Park View at Fullerton: 410-663-0665 Park View at Miramar Landing: 410-391-8375 Park View at Randallstown: 410-655-5673

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unless you are already enrolled. Be especially cautious of calls that require quick action or immediate payment. —Decline promotional gifts in exchange for personal information. Keep a healthy level of skepticism any time a broker offers you free gifts or other special deals. Never sign up with a broker who offers you an expensive “sign-up gift” in exchange for providing your Medicare ID number or other personal information. —Beware of “free health screenings.” Some brokers offer this to weed out people who are less healthy. This is against Medicare rules. —Guard your government-issued numbers. Never offer your Medicare ID number, Social Security number, health plan info, or banking information to anyone you don’t know. —Go to official websites. You can enroll or re-enroll in Medicare at Medicare.gov. If you’ve been the victim of a scam, please report it to BBB.org/ ScamTracker. By sharing your experience, you can help others avoid falling victim to similar scams. Courtesy of the Better Business Bureau of Central Virginia.

Letters to editor From page 2 My passions are scrapbooking and figure skating. A few days after retiring, I attended figure skating camp. It was a blast! Since then I’ve volunteered at church and traveled to places I always wanted to see. Retiring was easy for me, and I hope others also find their niche. Mildred Alexander Catonsville, Md. Dear Editor: I just looked at your virtual expo information. WOW! It is unbelievable how many choices you have put together. There are very many programs that my husband and I would want to hear, and there are some that are just for me. It will probably take until the end of January to listen to our many choices. I can’t imagine the amount of work you had to do — after you learned WHAT to do. I am certain people will appreciate having this to help pass hours in their days — and I mean days and days and days! Barbara Scherr Baltimore, Md. Dear Editor: The list of vendors at your Expo is excellent! Great choices and I will learn a lot over the course of time. I thank you for going virtual this year. Cheryl Marquardt Via website Dear Editor: [Commenting on the Virtual 50+Expo] Great information and video classes and speakers. Well done. David Zink Baltimore, Md.

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2020

PHOTO BY LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

Travel Leisure &

Celebrate the 19th Amendment’s centennial with a tour of D.C. sites. See story on p. 32.

Try Finger Lakes for hikes, food and laughs sons to visit, while also sharing appealing traits and treats. Let’s begin with the latter. Foodies be forewarned! You may have to loosen your belt during the sojourn in this diet-busting destination. Farm stands and pick-your-own fruit orchards vie with cheese shops and bakeries to tempt passersby with hard-to-resist tasty treats. Wineries, craft breweries and cideries provide beverages to accompany those delicacies. Oenophiles may think they’ve gone to grape heaven. More than 70 wineries line the shore of Seneca Lake alone, almost half of them connected by a Wine Trail.

PHOTO BY STU GALLAGHER PHOTOGRAPHY

By Victor Block One afternoon during a recent trip to the Finger Lakes region of Western New York State, I was clocking 80 miles per hour (zooming around an automobile racetrack). On another day, I slowed down on the road to pass a horse-pulled Amish buggy. In between were hikes through otherworldly scenery, visits to intriguing museums, and opportunities to become acquainted with the opulent lifestyle of the wealthy. The Finger Lakes region is within an easy six- or seven-hour drive from Baltimore. You’ll pass through countryside with splendid views of rolling farmlands and dense forests. When the drive ends, visitors face a long, diverse list of sightseeing and activities. On something called the Empire State Road Trip, I followed an itinerary that linked enticing things to see and do with inviting accommodations along the way. The road trip was laid out by the Harbor Hotel Collection — three properties about a three-hour drive from each other in Chautauqua, Watkins Glen and Clayton, the latter located in New York’s Thousand Islands District (there actually are 1,864 islands). Each location offers its own unique rea-

Museums to explore The area’s museums range from tiny establishments to world-class collections. The often-overlooked Fenton History Center, located in the mid-19th century home of a former U.S. congressman, senator and governor, tells much more than his story. One room is devoted to the War of 1812 between the United States and Britain, much of which was waged along the New York-Canadian border. Other exhibits bring to life the role of New Yorkers who helped enslaved people escape through the Underground Railroad. PHOTO BY KEVIN C. COX/FINGER LAKES WINE COUNTRY

A race is underway at Watkins Glen International, a track whose roots go back to 1948 and has long hosted NASCAR and Grand Prix events. But almost every day, time is set aside for members of the public to zoom around the 3.45-mile circuit in their own cars for a taste of the thrill.

Hikers marvel at the 200-foot cliffs and 19 waterfalls of Watkins Glen State Park in New York. The state’s Finger Lakes Region offers adventure, relaxation, sophisticated food and local wine.

A smaller but no less interesting site is the Mark Twain Study. Built in 1874 on a farm outside Elmira, the hometown of his wife, the tiny octagonal structure is where Twain (Samuel Clemens) wrote some of his most famous works. It now sits in a place of honor on the Elmira College campus. At the National Comedy Center in Jamestown, a personal profile is created for each guest, and more than 50 immersive displays deliver content tailored to each person’s taste. All the famous names from comedy are represented, and a “Blue Room” delves into adult humor. Close by is the Lucille Ball Desi Arnaz Museum, which explores the life of that popular couple. Ball was born in Jamestown and retained lifelong ties to the area. Her California home contained furniture made in Jamestown, which was nicknamed “Furniture Capital of the World” when that industry thrived there from about 1860 into the early 20th century. Both museums are open, with COVID safety adjustments in place. At the Antique Boat Museum in Clayton, the heart of the Thousand Islands area, visitors can see a priceless collection of over 350 vessels ranging from canoes and kayaks to sleek power boats. Even a

landlubber like me can appreciate the beauty and craftsmanship of the exhibits. Visitors may row a traditional St. Lawrence skiff, ride in a triple-cockpit speedboat, and tour La Duchesse, an elegant houseboat built for George Boldt. He was a German-born hotelier and one of America’s wealthy tycoons who, during the Gilded Age, built opulent mansions on some of the islands in the archipelago region of the St. Lawrence River. Boldt planned a castle as a gift of love for his wife, Louise. He changed the island’s name from Hart to Heart, had stone and wood hearts carved throughout the structure, and directed that flowerbeds be planted in the shape of hearts. When Louise died before the palatial structure was completed, Boldt abandoned the project. Today the six-story, 127-room castle has been restored and opened for visitors, who reach the island following a 10-minute boat trip.

Grand Prix speedway Another ride provided a more adrenaline-boosting experience. I knew that Watkins Glen is a racecar fan’s dream desSee FINGER LAKES, page 33

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DECEMBER 2020 — BALTIMORE BEACON

D.C. sites that recall suffragists’ battles

Pennsylvania Avenue The 1913 suffrage march was pure pageantry. The program read, “We march in protest against the present political organization of society from which women are excluded.”

Milholland, calling herself “the free woman of the future,” invoked the image of Joan of Arc. The U.S. Treasury building, next to the White House, was the stage for an elaborate tableau featuring robed women representing Liberty, Justice, Charity, Hope and Peace. However, the marchers were met with jeers, shoves and spitting, mostly from rowdy men who labeled them “unwomanly,” “unsexed” and “shameless,” while police looked on indifferently. Upon arriving at Union Station by train on parade day, which was also the day before his inauguration, President-elect Woodrow Wilson was met by only a few fans. “Where are the people?” he asked. The answer: “On the avenue, watching the suffragists’ parade.”

Lafayette Park As Wilson resisted supporting women’s right to vote, the National Woman’s Party devised a new tactic in 1917 that they called the “Silent Sentinels” — a “perpetual delegation” on the White House sidewalk. It was, according to The Suffragist newspaper, “the first time in history the President of the United States is being picketed.” Thousands of women in purple, gold and white sashes stood silently in all kinds

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of weather, hoisting banners that asked, “Mr. President, how long must women wait for liberty?” With World War I well underway, the suffragists denounced Wilson’s fight for democracy abroad while denying it at home. In 1918, Wilson relented and justified backing a suffrage amendment as “a necessary war measure.” Unhappy with Wilson’s lukewarm support, however, in 1919 women began burning his speeches in Grecian urns on the White House sidewalk and in Lafayette Park, weathering attacks by men and infuriating officials. One of the suffragists’ boldest acts was burning Wilson in effigy because he and his party, they charged, held women “in political slavery.”

PHOTO BY LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

By Glenda C. Booth On March 3, 1913, Inez Milholland, astride a white horse and dressed in a white Cossack suit and white boots, led an unusual parade down Washington, D.C.’s Pennsylvania Avenue. With “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity” banners fluttering in the wind behind her, Milholland led between 6,000 and 8,000 women, along with 10 bands, 26 floats, and six golden chariots in the Woman Suffrage Procession. “This was the first March on Washington,” said Rebecca Boggs Roberts, author of Suffragists in Washington, D.C.: The 1913 Parade and the Fight for the Vote. The unprecedented parade through the capital was a dramatic event in the 72-year campaign to grant women the right to vote. In August, America marked the centennial of the 19th Amendment, which guaranteed that right. The D.C. area was a hotbed in the suffragists’ struggles of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Several local landmarks tied to the suffragist movement are easy to visit.

A monument to equality The Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Lucy Burns, a women's rights advocate and founder of Monument ser ved as the the National Women's Party, was arrested for picketing headquarters of the Nation- as a suffragist and imprisoned in the Occoquan Workal Woman’s Party, founded house in Lorton, Virginia, in 1917. by Alice Paul. The threestory brick house at Secter of the suffragists’ campaigns. The museond Street and Constitution Avenue, N.E., um houses memorabilia, banners and attire sits in the shadow of the Senate’s Hart Of- associated with the 19th amendment and fice Building, the Supreme Court and the the Equal Rights Amendment, which ConCapitol. See SUFFRAGISTS, page 35 Built in 1800, the house was the epicen-

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2020

Finger Lakes From page 31 tination but wasn’t sure why until I heard the town’s origin story. The first chapter was written in 1948, when a race was held over a 6.6-mile route along streets in and around the town. After a mishap several years later, which resulted in the death of one onlooker and injuries to others, the Watkins Glen Grand Prix Race Course was constructed. Today the racetrack is open to the public between races. I opted to try the “Drive the Glen” program and lined up my somewhat clunky Honda sedan on the track with eight other vehicles, including a snazzy Corvette, a stylish Nissan and the pace car that led the pack. The motorway combines stretches of straightaway with banked pavement leading into sharp hairpin curves. Despite the admonition not to exceed 60 miles per hour, I must admit that after slowing to open the distance between my car and the vehicle I was following, I saw my speedometer hit 80. Contrast that velocity and the roar of engines with the gentle clip-clop of a horse pulling an Amish wagon through quiet countryside. Here and there residents of local Amish communities cling to their traditional lifestyle. Those pockets of the past are comprised of tidy farms and massive barns, some with the image of a quilt painted on the side.

Hiking trails Many trails crisscross the area, suitable for all skill and stamina levels. My personal favorites offer more than just a walk in the woods. Panama Rocks Scenic Park in Chautauqua County is an ancient forest that has been attracting visitors since the 1880s. A mile-long loop leads through a jungle-like world of towering rocks, deep crevices and small caves. Signs identify features with names like Paradise Alley and Indian Fireplace, which Native Americans used as a stone oven. You’ll encounter a very different environment at Watkins Glen State Park, where a deep gorge cuts through a landscape of water-sculpted rock and dense northern forest. Adding to the scene are 19 waterfalls squeezed into the first mile of the path. Some plummet over sheer cliffs while others trickle across flat rocks in the river bottom. The route requires climbing up (and down) a total of 832 stone steps. If thoughts of this mountain-goat experience don’t excite you, other opportunities on the Empire State Road Trip certainly will. From picking apples in an orchard to chuckling at zany humor at the National Comedy Center, the challenge in the Finger Lakes region is selecting from among the long list of something-for-everyone choices.

If you go

share pleasant waterfront settings, AAA four-diamond caliber facilities, and touches of their locations and history. The use of stone, unpainted wood and water designs hint of their surroundings. Rates begin at $101 a night. Among vintage photographs that line lobby walls in the Chautauqua Harbor Hotel are Frank Sinatra, who performed there, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, and even some depicting the amusement park that occupied the site from 1893 to 1962. Memorabilia related to car racing is scattered about the Watkins Glen property, while antique boats are a focus of photos and displays in the 1000 Islands Harbor Hotel. The hotels’ dining rooms offer the same menu, plus nightly specials. A cheese plate

of four choices plus sides ($19) is more than enough for two people to share. Two Maine lobster rolls ($19) and fettuccini with roast chicken ($27) are popular favorites. The Drive the Glen experience, in which you drive your own car on a 3.45mile Grand Prix circuit, costs $30. It is open July through October. Like Drive the Glen, many attractions are open seasonally, so it’s best to check before you visit. NOTE: At the hotels, COVID restrictions are in place, restricting visitors from certain states, and requiring masks and social distancing at all properties. For more information, call (607) 535-3759 or visit harborhotelcollection.com/experiences/e mpire-state-road-trip.

BEACON BITS

Nov. 24

PANDEMIC PERSPECTIVES Join the National Museum of American History for a discussion of comfort food during a pandemic. This free virtual event takes

place via Zoom on Tues., Nov. 24 from 4 to 5 p.m. To register, visit http://bit.ly/PandemicComfortFood.

Ongoing

VIRTUAL HOLIDAY MART Join the 48th annual Holiday Mart, a juried arts and crafts show. Browse and shop online from now until Dec. 26. On Sat., Dec. 5,

join live to talk to crafters via video chat. For more information, visit http://bit.ly/VirtualHolidayMart.

The three Harbor Hotel properties

HERE WHEN YOU NEED US MOST To apply for meals, volunteer, or make a gift, visit mealsonwheelsmd.org or call (410) 558-0827

We are here, right now. For 60 years we have provided nutritious meals for so many in our community in good times and in challenging ones.

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DECEMBER 2020 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Is there a travel adviser in your future? For any upcoming trips, many of you tiums. But many ordinary consumers are will turn to a travel adviser to help with the taking advantage of the way travel advisers arrangements — some for the can make their lives easier. first time. There’s a big difference beWhen internet travel agentween a travel adviser and a cies and search systems first travel agent. blossomed, some observers Big online outfits such as predicted the “end” for conExpedia and Booking are travventional travel agents. And el agents. They can help you many such agencies did, in compare costs of various opfact, disappear. tions and actually perform the But others survived, in part base agency function of makby morphing into travel advising the transaction. But they TRAVEL TIPS ers. Specifically, internet-age can’t sit down with you, discuss By Ed Perkins travel advisers found three your objectives and preferuseful niches: ences, or help you map out a complete trip. That’s what makes travel advisers differ— Using specialized knowledge to help consumers plan and arrange trips in ent: Yes, they can also make the transaction, but their real value is helping you today’s complex travel marketplace, — Taking over the workload of compil- zero in on exactly which transactions you ing and arranging complex travel arrange- want to make. ments, and — Helping big corporations manage and Save time, get better deals Thus, probably the main way advisers control their business travel budgets. Ordinary consumers aren’t concerned can benefit you is by helping you plan and with the third niche, which is filled mainly by arrange a trip. They keep up with the latest large business travel agencies and consor- developments in destinations and trans-

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portation services. And they may even have access to deals that aren’t offered to the general public. Even if you keep up with what’s going on yourself, you may not want to spend tedious hours glued to your monitor, researching and comparing options. Instead, you can just tell an adviser, “I want to take my grandkids to Disney World in June” and let the adviser work out the details. Advisers earn their income from two sources: fees you pay and commissions some suppliers offer. And you can expect to pay some kind of fee, starting around $40 to $50 and running up into the hundreds, depending on the assignment. Airlines these days don’t pay agents much in the way of commissions, but cruise lines, hotels and tour operators do, so what you pay depends, in part, on what sort of trip you plan.

Find the right adviser And, lastly, maybe the most important question: How do you locate the right adviser? This is a tough one — just as it is for any other personal service, from doctor to stockbroker to plumber. As with all services, your most reliable source is word of mouth from friends, relatives and co-workers. Ask around. The American Association of Travel Ad-

visors (ASTA) posts an adviser locator that you can filter by specialty, such as “senior travel,” “beach vacations” or “luxury travel,” as well as by destination. The main problem is that too many advisers claim special competence in just about everything. ASTA membership is certainly a plus, but the “ASTA Verified” certification is more a measure of how an adviser runs its business than confirmation of its travel knowledge. Several large adviser chains operate multiple locations or affiliates around the U.S., including Internova, American Express and AAA (check websites for your state). Some advisers focus on cruises exclusively, which is a good thing — they keep up with what’s going on. If you want a cruise, consider a cruiser specialist, although AAA is also good with cruises. Many local travel advisers are affiliated with one of a dozen or more worldwide outfits that back up individual advisers with current technology. Google your area for candidates. And when you spot a likely candidate, don’t be reluctant to ask for — and check — references. Email Ed Perkins at eperkins@mind.net. Also, check out Ed’s rail travel website at rail-guru.com. © 2020 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2020

Suffragists From page 32 gress passed in 1972 but is not yet ratified. The museum is currently closed due to the pandemic. At other times, by appointment, visitors can read The Suffragist newspaper and National Woman’s Party scrapbooks which detail tactics, setbacks and successes.

ture of activists Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony and Lucretia Mott, none of whom lived to be enfranchised. Of Statuary Hall’s 100 statues and busts, only a dozen depict women. Jeannette Rankin’s statue was added in 1985. Elected to the House of Representatives from Montana in 1916, Rankin, an advocate for women’s rights and peace, was the first woman to serve in the body.

U.S. Capitol rotunda Many members of Congress were not supportive of the suffrage amendment for decades. Legislators introduced the first Constitutional amendment suffrage bill in 1878; however, Congress did not approve it until 1919. Three famous suffragists, memorialized in marble, joined the statues of mostly white men in the Capitol rotunda in 1997, after sitting in the Capitol’s basement crypt for 75 years. The “Portrait Monument,” nicknamed “Three Ladies in a Tub,” is a 1921 sculp-

Congressional Cemetery Eight suffragists are buried in the 35acre Congressional Cemetery on E Street, S.E., including Winifred Mallon, a founder of the Women’s National Press Club; Marguerite DuPont Lee, of the Delaware DuPont family; and Belva Lockwood, the first woman licensed to practice law, the first woman allowed to argue before the U.S. Supreme Court, and, in 1884 as a presidential candidate for the Equal Rights Party, the first woman to run on a major party ticket.

BEACON BITS

Dec. 8+

VIRTUAL BOOK CLUB Every second Tuesday of the month, meet up with other readers

from the comfort of your home. You can participate in “Eclectic Evenings” via

Former Lorton jail In 1917, the Washington, D.C., police started arresting women who were peacefully picketing on the White House sidewalk for “obstructing traffic.” From 1917 to 1919, the police arrested more than 200 women ages 19 to 73. They hauled 70 of them to jail in the Occoquan Workhouse, 25 miles south of Washington in Lorton, Virginia. Guards beat them and fed them hard bread and maggot-laden soup. When some women went on a hunger strike, jailers force-fed them an egg mixture through a tube in their nostrils to prevent them from dying as martyrs. On the night of November 15, 1917, the “Night of Terror,” prison officials beat and dragged some women out of the dormitory-style quarters and slammed them into jail cells alongside prostitutes, thieves and drunks. One woman suffered a heart attack. Historians view the Night of Terror as a turning point in the struggle for passage of the 19th Amendment. The workhouse no longer stands, and an arts center now occupies the land where the jail used to be. The Lucy Burns Museum at the Workhouse Arts Center tells the story of the movement and the

suffragists’ incarceration. “The suffragists lived in very different time. There was no glass ceiling. They were in a box, locked in tight,” said Kathleen Pablo, a Turning Point Suffragist Memorial supporter.

New memorial next year In 2021 a new national memorial, the Turning Point Suffragist Memorial, will open in Fairfax, Virginia. It’s important, said Patricia Wirth, executive director of the memorial, because the struggle of “suffragists who fought and won the right for American women to vote was essentially a 72-year, bloodless revolution that resulted in the greatest expansion of democracy in a single day the world had ever seen.”

National Archives On August 24, 1920, Tennessee became the 36th state to approve the amendment, thus ratifying it as the law of the land. The original 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is on display until Jan. 3, 2021. It reads, “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.”

computer or telephone. On Tues., Dec. 8 from 7 to 8 p.m., the group will discuss

Share your opinion. Send a letter to the editor.

J.D. Vance’s memoir, Hillbilly Elegy. For more information about the free book club, call (410) 313-7800 or email nancy.tennant@hclibrary.org.

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Style Arts &

Tune in to WYPR.org or NPR.org for a new 20-minute radio drama each month. See story below.

Poe’s stories come alive over the radio vivid stories in the listener’s imagination.”

State and national accolades The Library of Congress recently announced that it will archive the “Poe Theatre on the Air” episodes as part of its new Podcast Preservation Program. The library said it considered the programs to be “an important part of the cultural and historical record.” Mark Dreisonstok, critic for Maryland Theater Guide, wrote: “We recommend these dramatizations of Poe’s tales, which will appeal to admirers of Poe as one of the masters of American literature…but also will find interested listeners in fans of horror series like ‘Tales from the Crypt.’ We hope these audio productions continue far into the future.”

‘A visual landscape for your ears’ During the pandemic, more theater companies are turning to audio productions, including Ford’s Theater in D.C., which will release A Christmas Carol: The Radio Play in December. “We’re creating a visual landscape for your ears,” Zavistovich said of his performers. “As you listen, the brain fills in the absence of the visual component.” Zavistovich was producer for the Molotov Theater Group in D.C., which presented live stage performances. One of them, Molotov’s 2014 production of Nightfall with Edgar Allan Poe, was extremely popular, giving Zavistovich the idea to create a radio series of the writer’s works. He also credits such local veteran theater

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technicians as audioengineer-producer Ty Ford for the success of the broadcasts. Besides the psycho-terror stories set for next year, “Poe on the Air” will present dramatizations of the author’s three short stories featuring amateur sleuth Auguste Dupin — “The Murders in the Rue Morgue,” “The Mystery of Marie Roget” and “The Purloined Letter.” Zavistovich noted that critics consider Alex Zavistovich co-founded the National Edgar Allan Poe these tales to be the Theatre 18 months ago. Stories like “The Tell-Tale Heart” are brought to life through its Poe Theatre on the Air series, now first great crime ficarchived at the Library of Congress. tion stories. Arthur Conan Doyle pointed to the stories as a tavern, what, besides the thrills and chills of strong influence for creating his own fiction- his writing, does Poe offer us today? “Poe’s stories deal with timeless themes al detective, Sherlock Holmes. Critics have also noted Poe’s influence on of love and loss, and metaphysical questhe psychological probing of characters in tions about the meaning of life. That will Dostoyevsky’s novels, and pointed to Poe’s never go out of fashion,” Zavistovich said. “Also, look no further than the story one novel — The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym, a story of the sea — as a major in- ‘The Masque of the Red Death’ for an example of how Poe is relevant in today’s fluence for Herman Melville’s Moby Dick. pandemic crisis,” said the producer-direcPHOTO BY THE NATIONAL EDGAR ALLAN POE THEATRE

By Robert Friedman Dr. Mallard leads his guests at the mental hospital to a cell, where a patient relates his sad story: “Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary, over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore; while I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, as of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.” In the next 21 minutes, listeners hear the fellow say that he had been visited by a raven, who kept saying just one word: “Nevermore.” This, along with memories of his lost love, Lenore, sent him around the bend and to his insane asylum cell. Those words were the beginning of the script for the recent radio recreation of “The Raven,” the classic poem by Edgar Allan Poe, who spent several of his writing years in Baltimore, where he died in 1849 and is buried. A dramatization of the writer’s short stories is broadcast on the radio each month, part of a series known as “National Edgar Allan Poe Theatre on the Air.” The program debuted on Baltimore WYPR-FM in August 2019, and is now streaming on NPR’s website, accessible at any time of day or night. The scripts were created by Alex Zavistovich (who also acts in them) and Richard Hand, a professor at the University of East Anglia in Norwich, England. Zavistovich, 59, founder and artistic director of the National Edgar Allan Poe Theatre, said the programs belong to “the theater of the mind, which uses actors, music and sound effects to conjure up

Poe’s relevance today So, 171 years after his death in a Baltimore

See POE, page 37

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BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2020

Cookbooks add creativity to your kitchen By Dinah Rokach in season, nutrition, storage and food safety. Spend time with these cookbooks and Hand-drawn illustrations by John Norton expand your culinary skills. are reminiscent of the original Joy of Cooking: The Trustformat. ed Kitchen Classic for a Thanksgiving menu suggesNew Generation of Joy: Retions at the front reference the vised and Updated, by Irma pages of the recipes inside — S. Rombauer, Marion Romeverything from butternut bauer Becker, Ethan Becksquash soup to classic roast er, John Becker and Megan turkey, stuffing with giblet gravy, Scott, 1,200 pages, ScribnParker House rolls, pumpkin pie er hardcover, 2019 and mulled cider. There is also The classic encyclopedia of an index in the back. THE home cooking dating back to This comprehensive exploBIBLIOPHILE the 1930s has been revived by ration of the art of home cookBy Dinah Rokach a new generation. This ninth ing includes recipes for more edition, the first since 2006, than 65 vegetarian and vegan main coursreflects current trends in the kitchen: es. Charts list substitutions for common inavoiding food waste, streamlining cooking, gredients, the volumes of baking dishes, preparing ahead. Irma Rombauer’s great- and other useful information. grandson John Becker and his wife, Megan Alas, the book doesn’t include calorie Scott, have painstakingly retested the counts or nutritional information, but one recipes. section covers healthy eating and USDA Without changes to the format, this edi- recommended dietary requirements. tion of Joy of Cooking contains 4,000 recipes Big Night In: Delicious themed menus — including 600 new ones — presented in to cook & eat at home, by Katherine 31 chapters. Additional segments cover Bebo, 176 pages, Ryland Peters & Small techniques, ingredients, how to shop, what’s hardcover, 2020

Poe From page 36 tor-actor-writer who was born in D.C. and now lives in Baltimore. Poe’s pandemic story features an arrogant prince who believes he has escaped a plague known as the Red Death by retreating to his abbey, where he decides to host

a masked ball for his fellow nobles. A good time was being had by all, until a stranger disguised as a Red Death victim shows up, causing the prince and all his guests to die. “Poe’s stories are every bit as strong — possibly even stronger — today,” Zavistovich said. “It’s almost as if we are experiencing those stories in real time.”

We’re spending lots more time inside, so let’s make it enjoyable. Big Night In is an easy-to-follow book of instruction with suggested menus for different occasions to celebrate at home. Each chapter provides suggested menus and recipes for 19 occasions including a night in at the movies, an indoor picnic and a Super Bowl watch party. Learn how to prepare alcoholic drinks such as Pimm’s deluxe, beer margaritas, cheesecake martinis and peach juleps as well as non-alcoholic homemade cola and root beer. No longer be intimidated at the thought of preparing and serving potato pakoras, scotch eggs, panzanella, Sardinian pizza and chorizo. Expand your approach with these unique versions of go-to favorites such as chicken wings, kebabs, fries, potato salads and chicken noodle soup, among others.

The desserts are unique versions of favorites: Hong Kong egg tarts, lemon drizzle cake, aquafaba pavlova meringue. While there is a short chapter of vegan recipes, the emphasis of this book is on hearty meat fare. Serving sizes run the gamut from one to 20 and can be easily converted to your desired amount. However, neither calorie counts nor prep times are included. The introductory chapter provides tips on entertaining, shopping, decorating your table, garnishing platters and preparing your meal. Color photographs accompany most of the more than 120 dishes created by an impressive array of more than 30 chefs. Katherine Bebo is a British freelance writer whose career has taken her from London to Denver to Dubai. Though the recipes reflect a cosmopolitan and sophisticated approach to food, the preparation is simple and basic.

ANSWERS TO CROSSWORD

FROM PAGE 38 ANSWERS TO SCRABBLE

S T E M

P E R U

A C E D I T

P O S A D A

A X E S

T O P N O T C A C H S H E K I D

Y A C H T

S T R A T L A N G L E N R O E D S

A M S O O P U G S A R E A G G E E S S T A S L E

P A L M

P R O C E D C U C R C A L

D R A W

C E L T I C

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Crossword Puzzle

Daily crosswords can be found on our website: www.TheBeaconNewspapers.com Click on Puzzles Plus Salad Days and Movie Nights 1

52 55 63

50 53

68 70

Across 1. “___ and neuter your pets” 5. iPhone download 8. Weak pair, in poker 12. Home of the Terlingua Chili Cook-Off 14. Artist Chagall 16. “Get in the ___” (putters’ mutters) 17. Install a new statue 18. Gin flavoring 19. Arrived like Yankee Doodle 20. Image at the end of Dr. Strangelove 23. Keep the beat, digitally 24. Greek letter that looks like an H 25. Elvis Costello and Eric Clapton, initially 28. Situationally appropriate 31. Pull a rope, competitively 33. “Deer in Headlights”, briefly 34. Siesta 35. Like Steve McQueen in Bullitt’s car chase scene 39. Its first highlight show was broadcast in 1979 40. They float in the middle of HOVERCRAFTS 41. Major Nelson’s employer on I Dream of Jeannie 42. Try to motivate Seabiscuit 47. Wedding words 48. Ingredient in Creme Brulee French Toast 49. Attract a Fact Checker’s attention 50. Ones with fancier pics in the yearbook 51. “I tawt I taw a puddy ___” 52. Warning that the next name is outdated 53. Greek letter that looks like a P 55. Some Like it Hot activity 62. Suffer in the head, shoulders, knees or toes, knees or toes 64. Ingredient in Pork Lau Lau 65. About 10 pennies, or 5 quarters 66. House for gardening tools 67. Close a door, dramatically 68. Present at birth 69. Some say the darndest things BB1220

Scrabble answers on p. 37.

By Stephen Sherr

70. Dolly the sheep was one 71. Fill up the washing machine Down 1. Tulip handle 2. Westernmost nation in South America 3. Wood-choppers 4. Pleasure boat 5. “I wish I knew why I ___ anguished” (Marilyn Monroe) 6. Fortune teller’s map 7. Cop show, for example 8. Drive-___ window 9. Pro baseball equipment 10. Long in the tooth 11. Pass a vision test 13. Layers of sedimentary rock 15. Boston basketballer 21. Musical masterpiece 22. Most populated Hawaiian island 26. Subject of a Shakespeare tragedy 27. Dieters Jack, and his wife 28. Scored 1600 on the SAT 29. Yankees catcher, Jorge 30. Of highest quality 32. Good place to buy used baby clothes 36. Sleeve lngth. 37. Perfect score in Roman bowling 38. They come after L is said and done 43. Tonight Show host before Fallon 44. Removes waste from a cell 45. Baptism, basically 46. “The only ___ for time is so that everything doesn’t happen at once” (Einstein) 54. Unremarkable 56. Magenta and maroon 57. Create an editorial cartoon 58. European capital city 59. Fascinated by 60. Letters on a Final Four trophy 61. Modify a stallion 62. Seek advice from Dear Abby 63. Greek letter that looks like an X

Answers on page 37.

BALTIMORE BEACON — DECEMBER 2020

CLASSIFIEDS The Beacon prints classified advertising under the following headings: Business & Employment Opportunities; Caregivers; Computer Services; Entertainment; For Sale; For Sale/Rent: Real Estate; Free; Health; Home/ Handyman Services; Miscellaneous; Personals; Personal Services; Vacation Opportunities; and Wanted. For submission guidelines and deadlines, see the box on the right. CAVEAT EMPTOR! The Beacon does not knowingly accept obscene, offensive, harmful, or fraudulent advertising. However, we do not investigate any advertisers or their products and cannot accept responsibility for the integrity of either. Respondents to classified advertising should always use caution and their best judgment. EMPLOYMENT & REAL ESTATE ADS: We will not knowingly or intentionally accept advertising in violation of federal, state, and local laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, familial status or handicap in connection with employment or the sale or rental of real estate.

Business & Employment Opportunities AUTO PARTS DELIVERY Fisher Auto Parts, Inc. is seeking part/full-time drivers to deliver Auto Parts for our Woodlawn, MD location. Candidate must be able to lift 50 lbs. Have a clean driving record and pass pre-employment drug screening. Please apply in person at: 2020 Lord Baltimore Dr., Baltimore, MD 20707. LIFE INC. IS SEEKING dedicated, hardworking, compassionate Direct Support Professionals (DSP) to work in our homes. At LIFE, our DSP’s are responsible for the care and training of assigned adults with intellectual disabilities living within various communities. Our goal is to give our individuals the best life. So, if you want to make an impact in someone else’s life, if you enjoy caring for others then apply on our website http://www.lifeinc.org or call 410.735.5433 for more information.

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Home/Handyman Services BORN AGAIN REFINISHING c/o Vernon E. Madairy Sr. Because your antique and fine furniture is an investment since 1973. Photographs at www.bornagainrefinishing.com. Furniture refinishing and repairs. All pieces hand striped. Restorations. Missing pieces hand carved. Veneer repair and replaced. Upholstery. Hand woven natural cane, Cane webbing. Natural rush. Fiber rush. Wood splint. 410-323-0467 CONTINENTAL MOVERS Local long distance. $80 x two men plus one hour drive $80 Moving -deliveries- pick ups - hauling -packing Established since 1995 Cmora53607@msn.com www.continentalmovers .net 202-438-1489 — 301-340-0602. THINKING ABOUT INSTALLING A NEW SHOWER? American Standard makes it easy. FREE design consultation. Enjoy your shower again! Call 1-844-536-0485 today to see how you can save $1,000 on installation, or visit www.newshowerdeal.com/tbn STAY IN YOUR HOME LONGER with an American Standard Walk-In Bathtub. Receive up to $1,500 off, including a free toilet, and a lifetime warranty on the tub and installation! Call us at 1-877240-2061 or visit www.walkintubquote.com/beacon

ELIMINATE GUTTER CLEANING FOREVER! LeafFilter, the most advanced debrisblocking gutter protection. Schedule a FREE LeafFilter estimate today. 15% off Entire Purchase. 10% Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1844-359-6933.

Legal Services APPLYING FOR SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY or Appealing a Denied Claim? Call Bill Gordon & Assoc. Our case managers simplify the process & work hard to help with your case. Call 1-866-970-0779 FREE Consultation. Local Attorneys Nationwide [Mail: 2420 N St NW, Washington DC. Office: Broward Co. FL (TX/NM Bar.)]

Miscellaneous BURIAL PLOTS: 3 spaces in beautiful Woodlawn Cemetery historic section. $1,100 ea. I will sell 1, 2, or all 3 for $3,000. Approx. 1/3 of what the cemetery is selling these for. Call 410-8813312 for more info.

Personals TIRED OF BEING ALONE? Reach out to find your Soulmate at: www.CompanionOutreach.com VERY PRETTY SINGLE WHITE LADY age 63 would like to meet single white gentleman age 63 or older. Call Patty 443-845-7802

Classifieds cont. on p. 36

ADVERTISERS IN THIS ISSUE Clinical Research Studies

Health

Early COVID Study. . . . . . . . . .13 Exposed to COVID Study . . . . .15 Recovered from COVID Study. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Stress During COVID Study . . .12 Worried About Memory Study .12

Advanced Center for Plastic Surgery . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Keswick Wise & Well . . . . . . . .10 Maryland Department of Aging 40 Maryland Relay . . . . . . . . . . . . .33 Richard Rosenblatt, DPM . . . . . .8

Events

Home Health Care

Beacon Virtual 50+Expo . .3-4, 28

Heavenly Home Care . . . . . . . .15 Options for Senior America . . . .32

Funeral Services Cremation Society of Maryland . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 MacNabb Funeral Home . . . . . .26

Housing Blair House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Brightview Senior Living . . . . . .8 Charlestown/Erickson . . . . . . . . .9

Christ Church Harbor Apts. . . . .13 Enterprise Residential . . . . . . . .30 Oak Crest/Erickson . . . . . . . . . . .9 Roland Park Place . . . . . . . . . . .16 St. Mary’s Roland View Towers . .26 Virginia Towers Apts. . . . . . . . . . .32 Warren Place Senior Apartments .27

Legal Services HELPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29

Shopping Perfect Sleep Chair . . . . . . . . . .37 Perfect Walker . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 Radio Flea Market . . . . . . . . . . .36 UpBed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24 Wilkens Beltway Plaza . . . . . . .27 Zinger Chair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22

Skilled Nursing & Rehab Manor Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10

Subscriptions Beacon Subscription . . . . . . . . .38

Technology Computer Doctors . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Senior Call Check.....40

Volunteers/Careers/ Education AARP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Beacon Sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Celebration of the Arts . . . . .17-24 Meals on Wheels . . . . . . . . . . . .33

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DECEMBER 2020 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; BALTIMORE BEACON