July 2010 Baltimore Beacon

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Paying for her education wasn’t an issue this time around. Buchanan’s tuition, fees and books were waived through the Senior Citizens Tuition Waiver, which is offered by the Commission on Higher Education to Maryland residents who are 60 or older for any course in their college where space is available.

Buchanan is, of course, not only happy to be a new grad but also grateful for the opportunities that she has been afforded

by Coppin.

“Everyone is so nice to me and treats me like I am golden,” she said. “I love Coppin.”

Not one to let any grass grow under her feet, Buchanan has also recently been ordained a minister and plans on attending

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JULY 2010

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Graduates make up for lost time

By Carol Sorgen When Phoebe Buchanan enrolled in what was then Coppin State College in 1975, at the age of 51, she had every intention of graduating in a timely manner with an undergraduate degree in biology.

But in 1981, having successfully completed 140 credits and earning a 2.6 grade point average, she was forced to leave school in order to find a job so she could support her two school-age sons.

But proving that it is never too late to make up for lost time, Buchanan, now 86 and a resident of West Baltimore, returned to what is now Coppin State University last June to complete the academic requirements necessary to obtain her degree. Thirty-five years after she started, Buchanan finally graduated in May with an undergraduate degree in interdisciplinary studies.

Buchanan wasn’t idle after leaving Coppin the first time. She worked as a nurse, and also worked in the Baltimore City school system, and “traveled a lot.”

But finishing her education had always been a goal, something new technology made easier for her. After re-entering Coppin, Buchanan enrolled in the Interdisciplinary Studies Capstone Seminar — an online course that uses Blackboard, a webbased software program.

Buchanan attended Coppin’s student computer lab daily, working one-on-one with a tutor who coached her on navigating the system, through which she submitted her assignments.

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ARTS & STYLE Isaiah Fletcher, Sr., 82, earned his master’s degree from Loyola University in May. The former high school dropout also has degrees from Morgan State and Harvard. He enrolled at Loyola because he worried he was “stagnating intellectually” after retirement. Nationally, the number of college students over age 50 grew 45 percent from 1997 to 2008.

Morgan State University in hopes of earning a Master’s degree in religion.

Students over 50 make up nearly 5 percent of undergraduate students and about a quarter of the graduate students at Coppin State, which has a mission to serve non-traditional students.

A study by the National Center for Higher Education Management Systems found that Maryland residents age 40 to 64 are more likely to be enrolled in college than their peers in many other states. The percent of Marylanders in this age group in college ranks 12th among the 50 states.

A review of the upcoming summer festival scene; plus, dance troupe steps up to an award from the governor page 16

From dropout to grad student Isaiah Fletcher, Sr. can relate to Buchanan’s spirit of intellectual curiosity and achievement. In May, the 82-year-old Northeast Baltimore resident picked up his Master of Arts in Liberal Studies from Loyola University.

A high school dropout, Fletcher joined the Merchant Marines during World War II, eventually receiving his high school diploma.

“I never thought that I’d go to college, See GRADUATES page 21

FITNESS & HEALTH k Pros and cons of daily aspirin k Keeping your brain fit

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LAW & MONEY 10 k Lessons from the bear market k Calculate your nest egg’s life LEISURE & TRAVEL

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JULY 2010 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Got Medicare, but don’t plan to use a lot This month, the publisher cedes his space to And this one: I am healthy enough not a national award-winning guest columnist. to need my Medicare card, certainly right I slit open the envelope one away and maybe for a long day last month and there it was, time. in all its red, white and blue As the actual birthday glory: My Medicare card. bears down on me, I’ve been A passport to health security thinking a lot about my father in my old age. A social benefit and my grandfathers. None I’ve been anticipating for a long lived to 65. Only one lived to time. And, yes, proof positive 60. that I’m about to be, by governI don’t believe that a little ment decree, a worthy (if not red, white and blue card necessarily a wise) old owl. would have saved any of GUEST Turning 65 is pretty much a COLUMNIST them. Regular overdoses of yawn, as birthdays go. Sixty was By Bob Levey butter and roast beef sealed tough. Seventy will be tougher. their fates.

But a birthday that ends in a five? No But I am their product, and I hope to live big deal. Please pass the hors d’oeuvres, long enough to fray my Medicare card and and what did you say Cousin George has need a replacement. To do that, I will need been doing with himself? to take a different view of healthcare than But because the government has just my Dad and Grandpas ever did. clasped me to its bosom and promised to It’s very tempting to look at one’s cover my medical bills, 65 is a lot more wa- Medicare card and see it as a license to tersheddish than 55 or 45 ever were. spend.

It’s a time to count one’s blessings, beIf I’m ever sick, why not arrange for ginning with the biggest: I’m still around every diagnostic test in the world? Why to mark this moment. not demand the latest, most expensive And this one: I live in a country that (even experimental) drugs? Hey, world, cares about my old bones.

I’ve earned the right, haven’t I? And how And this one: My doctors all say they very lovely that someone else — a will honor Medicare. younger someone else — will be picking

Beacon The

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up most of the tab.

Trouble is, I do care. I’ve decided to be very judicious with my Medicare card. I’m going to use it only when absolutely necessary. The reason is the people who are my product — my children, and theirs, and theirs.

My generation has had every advantage. Polio was cured when we were babies. Smoking was flagged as a major menace when we were teenagers, in time to save thousands of us. Statins can now reduce the risk of heart disease at astonishing rates.

As long as I continue to view celery as an exciting snack, I may be around to mark my 85th, and 95th, and perhaps more.

Which is precisely the point. The choice and responsibility are mine. The decision to mainline celery and not doughnuts is mine.

I can’t irresponsibly eat whatever I like for the next two decades and then hurl myself at the medical profession, while chanting, “Save me! And charge it all to Medicare!”

Of course, into each life some rain must fall, celery or no. But when the droplets splash onto my noggin, I will not ask taxpayers to provide me with the gold standard of care.

Doctors, yes. Comfort, yes. But low-suc-

cess-rate, high-cost surgery that might extend my life by a few weeks? I’m not that piggy.

Expensive drugs that might work and might not? No to that one, too.

Second opinions, third opinions and endless consultations by specialists? No, no, and no.

I can feel your skepticism. Give Bob cancer, and a chance to survive it, and he will spare no expense, you’re probably saying.

Give Bob three months before a grandchild’s wedding, and he will order up every test and drug in the world so he can stave off an illness and be right there in the first row.

Sorry, but I just don’t see it that way.

My right to medical care is no greater than anyone else’s, and if that someone else is far younger than I am — as most people now are — I will gladly exit stage right and leave precious resources to him.

I have had a long run. Others need to be able to say that. I can help them do so.

So: thanks to that huge computer in Governmentland that created and mailed me my Medicare card. Please forgive me in advance if I use it far less often than most.

Bob Levey is a national award-winning columnist and recent winner of the Red Ribbon Pairs event at the North American Bridge Championships.

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BALTIMORE BEACON — JULY 2010

FITNESS FOR YOUR BRAIN Diet, exercise and new mental challenges keep your brain nimble

Health Fitness &

HALLUCINOGENS AT HOPKINS Hopkins seeks patients willing to try psilocybin to ease anxiety BONE DRUG FIGHTS CANCER An osteoporosis drug is one of two that may prevent breast cancer NEW WORKOUT RULES Fitness experts now agree pre-stretching may be harmful

Pros and cons of taking a daily aspirin

By Sarah Baldauf Research recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association casts doubt on the benefit of a daily aspirin in people with very early peripheral artery disease. It might also increase the risk of hearing loss in some.

These and other findings underscore the fact that aspirin therapy isn’t for everyone, even though it has other proven benefits.

Should you be taking a daily aspirin?

Here’s what recent research on regular aspirin use reveals: 1. It may increase the risk of hearing loss.

In the March issue of The American Journal of Medicine, researchers reported that regular use of aspirin — at least twice weekly — upped the risk of suffering hearing loss by 12 percent in men. Those younger than 50 had a 33 percent increased risk of hearing loss. Use of other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or acetaminophen also increased the risk of hearing loss.

2. It may reduce risk of developing colorectal cancers.

A 2009 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggested that aspirin use in certain patients who have had colorectal cancer (with tumors that express the COX-2 enzyme) may improve survival. And the journal Gastroenterology published a study in 2008 that found a significantly lowered risk of developing the cancers in men using aspirin (and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories)

regularly over the long term.

The benefits, however, were not evident until individuals had amassed a total of five years of regular use. Also, the dose with the biggest benefit — 325-mg. pills more than 14 times each week — is greater than typically recommended.

3. It may lower a woman’s risk of breast cancer recurrence or possibly even its development.

A report issued in February based on data from the Nurses’ Health Study suggested that women who had breast cancer and took a low-dose aspirin two to five times weekly were 71 percent less likely to have a deadly recurrence than those who took little or no aspirin.

And a research review published in 2008 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found a 13 percent relative risk reduction in women who used aspirin regularly, compared with those who did not. The findings found an overall reduced risk of 12 percent for regular use of NSAIDs in general.

Previous research on breast cancer risk and NSAID use had shown conflicting results.

4. It may throw off test results for prostate cancer.

In a 2008 issue of the journal Cancer, researchers reported that men who used aspirin and other NSAIDs regularly had about 10 percent lower levels of prostatespecific antigens. The researchers suggest this may hinder the detection of prostate cancer in regular aspirin users.

5. It may offer some protection against

Alzheimer’s disease.

Research has been inconclusive, but a 2008 review published in the journal Neurology found that people who used aspirin had a 13 percent lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s. The study added to an ongoing debate about whether certain types of NSAIDs — say, ibuprofen versus aspirin — were more beneficial.

6. It may help prevent strokes — unless you also take ibuprofen.

A small study published in 2008 in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacology found that stroke patients who took daily aspirin to prevent another stroke and also took ibuprofen — say, for their arthritis — reaped no antiplatelet benefit. After a patient stopped the ibuprofen, the aspirin became effective. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns that aspirin’s benefits may be diminished by ibuprofen use.

7. It may protect against Parkinson’s disease.

A 2007 study published in Neurology suggests that women who used aspirin regularly (defined as two or more times a week for at least a month at any point in their lives) may be 40 percent less likely to develop the disease.

8. It may prevent asthma in middleaged women.

A 2008 study published in the journal Thorax found that women 45 and older who took 100 mg. of aspirin every other day were 10 percent less likely to develop asthma over the next decade than women given a placebo. The study authors note

that aspirin could exacerbate symptoms in about 10 percent of people already diagnosed with asthma.

9. It may provide zero protection against heart attacks in people with diabetes.

In 2008, the British Medical Journal published research that suggests diabetics taking aspirin to prevent a first heart attack are no less likely to experience an attack than those taking a placebo. People with diabetes are at least twice as likely to develop heart disease or have a stroke as the general public.

10. It may offer no protection to some suf ferers of heart attack or stroke.

A 2008 research review published in the British Medical Journal found that nearly 30 percent of people with cardiovascular disease who took prescribed aspirin were resistant to its effects. Such “aspirin resistance,” the study found, makes such patients four times as likely as those for whom aspirin had an effect to have a heart attack, stroke or die.

11. It may be less effective in preventing heart attack death in women.

In 2008, a research review published in the journal BMC Medicine found that earlier studies showed a large benefit in men taking aspirin to reduce the rates of fatal heart attack, but women did not receive the same advantage. A 2009 U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation

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Fitness & Health

JULY 2010 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Diet, exercise and puzzles keep brains fit

By Marcella G. Wilding We are generally aware that as we age we can take steps to keep our bodies fit.

There is not, however, the same level of awareness that we can take simple, everyday steps to keep our brains fit. But research has clearly shown that we can do so.

The underlying principle in maintaining brain fitness through mental exercise is to introduce “newness” into mental activities.

For example, if you are an avid crossword puzzle player (an effective activity for brain health), your brain would benefit tremendously from introducing number games, like Sudoku. Or if you are right handed, occasionally form letters with your left hand.

Since all our thoughts and actions originate in the brain, the options for introducing newness into our behavior are unlimited. Comb your hair, wash your car, or set your dinner table with your least-used hand.

Study a new language, learn a new game, or read a different type of book.

These are all steps that promise to stimulate fitness of the brain.

Make new connections Social interactions that expose one to new ideas and new experiences have also been proven to increase mental activity in our brains.

One way to understand the importance of “newness” is to imagine the brain as a

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We know the brain uses 25 percent of our total oxygen consumption, so improving blood circulation and heart function through exercise would naturally assist in developing brain heath.

There is an exciting new link being studied between exercise and brain fitness. Scientists are investigating a protein called ‘brain-derived neurotrophic factor’ (BDNF) which the body produces during exercise. Findings from some early studies suggest a direct connection between BDNF and better memory.

Studies are reporting that BDNF may be making neurons more resistant to injuries and may be encouraging new synapses in a memory portion of the brain.

These findings may explain why physically fit people have better memories. Longitudinal studies on the aging brain are beginning to consistently report that the risk of developing memory loss with aging is halved with regular exercise.

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complex circuit board. Some circuit connections are often used and thus are well developed, but new activity will prompt multiple new connections.

In the brain, these new connections are occurring between brain cells or neurons.

As connections between neurons increase, the density of the brain increases.

The denser the brain, the more efficiently it works and the fitter it becomes.

Connection activities in the brain are called synapses, and a major goal of promoting brain fitness is to increase the number of brain synapses.

Current research supports the possibility that one can hold brain synapses for later use. That is, one can draw on extra synapses when needed for brain efficiency.

This is called “the reserve theory” and is of particular interest for the aging brain.

It is not difficult to appreciate the capability of having synapses “in reserve” when (and if) the aging brain begins to decrease in the density of synapses.

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Another contributing factor for “brain fitness” is physical exercise. While it is commonly accepted that physical exercise often improves general health, using physical fitness as a predictor for mental health is somewhat new.

There are many lifestyle behaviors that we can control and which have a major impact on keeping the brain fit. One primary lifestyle behavior associated with brain fitness is one’s daily diet.

See FIT BRAIN, page 5

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Fitness & Health

BALTIMORE BEACON — JULY 2010

BEACON BITS BETTER HEALTH AND WELLNESS FOR OLDER ADULTS Howard Community College is sponsoring a health and wellness cle strength and endurance, coordination and balance. Call (410) 772-4823 or visit www.howardcc.edu for a complete schedule.

FIX — OR PREVENT — A BROKEN HEART Does heart disease run in your family? Do you have high blood pressure or other heart problems? Learn to be proactive in your

care through diet and exercise and find out about the latest in prevention and treatment. “Fixing or Preventing a Broken Heart” will be presented on Wednesday, June 30, at 7 p.m. at St. Joseph Medical Center in Towson. Visit

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suggests some women may benefit from aspirin’s action against ischemic strokes, however.

12. It may cause stomach troubles.

People taking aspirin or another NSAID are at higher risk of gastrointestinal bleeding and stomach ulcers — particularly

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From page 3

timated that only 25 percent of Americans with high blood pressure have taken necessary steps to get this under control. Uncontrolled hypertension in mid-life can triple the risk of developing cognitive decline later in life.

Pages could be filled on ways to keep the brain fit. The essential point is to recognize that one can exert considerable influence on the health of one’s brain by taking the foregoing relatively simple steps.

Marcella G. Wilding, Ph.D., lives in Howard County and speaks frequently to healthcare professionals and seniors on brain fitness.

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Aspirin

with long-term use of the drug.

13. It may increase the risk of bleeding.

Aspirin is a blood thinner; it makes the blood’s platelets less sticky, so to speak.

Because of this mechanism, the drug makes blood less likely to clot. This is especially risky if bleeding occurs in the brain, which can be fatal. © 2010 U.S. News and World Report

★

It is generally known that keeping a balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, grains and dairy products keeps a heart healthy, which in turn is necessary for a healthy brain. Research has consistently found that a healthy diet decreases cognitive decline.

In addition to the overall benefits of a well balanced diet, the brain has some unique characteristics that could use additional attention with specific foods. Research is providing support that antioxi-

with aging.

Polyunsaturated omega-3 oils are yet another food source that contribute to brain health. Fish and walnuts are popular sources of omega-3.

In addition to daily diet, there are other behaviors that have been shown to be directly related to brain health. Unattended high cholesterol, high blood pressure, depression and isolation have been shown in longitudinal studies to increase the risk of cognitive decline and, more specifically, memory loss.

Unfortunately, treatments to modify these problems are often not taken. It is es-

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From page 4

dants can make a measurable difference in memory performance.

With the breakdown of oxygen molecules (which produces “free radicals”), cell damage accumulates with age. Foods with high antioxidant levels, such as blueberries, carrots, spinach and sweet potatoes, can help.

The importance of B12 and folate in reducing the risk of dementia is another current focus of ongoing research. This research has derived from the findings that high homocystene levels (associated with low B12 and folate vitamins) can double the risk of developing cognitive decline

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Fit brain

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Fitness & Health

JULY 2010 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Treating anxiety with psychedelic drugs

By Malcolm Ritter The big white pill was brought to her in an earthenware chalice. She’d already held hands with her two therapists and expressed her wishes for what it would help her do.

She swallowed it, lay on the couch with her eyes covered, and waited. And then it came.

“The world was made up of jewels and I was in a dome,” she recalled. Surrounded by brilliant, kaleidoscopic colors, she saw the dome open up to admit “this most incredible luminescence that made everything even more beautiful.”

Tears trickled down her face as she saw “how beautiful the world could actually be.”

That’s how Nicky Edlich, 67, began her first-ever trip on a psychedelic drug last year. She said it has greatly helped her psychotherapeutic treatment for anxiety from her advanced ovarian cancer.

And for researchers, it was another small step toward showing that hallucinogenic drugs, famous but condemned in the 1960s, can one day help doctors treat conditions like cancer anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Study at Hopkins The New York University study Edlich participated in is among a handful now going on in the United States and elsewhere with drugs like LSD, MDMA (Ecstasy) and psilocybin, the main ingredient of “magic mushrooms.”

At Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, doctors are recruiting patients for a study of psilocybin for cancer anxiety.

So far, the study has treated 11 out of a planned 44 participants. (See health study, page 7.)

The work at the universities follows lines of research choked off four decades ago by the war on drugs. The research is still preliminary, but at least it’s there.

“There is now more psychedelic research taking place in the world than at any time in the last 40 years,” said Rick Doblin, executive director of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, which funds some of the work. “We’re at the end of the beginning of the renaissance.”

He said that more than 1,200 people attended a conference in California in April on psychedelic science.

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But doing the research is not easy, Doblin and others said, with government funders still leery and drug companies not interested in compounds they can’t patent.

That pretty much leaves private donors.

“There’s still a lot of resistance to it,” said David Nichols, a Purdue University professor of medicinal chemistry and president of the Heffter Institute, which is supporting the NYU study. “The whole hippie thing in the ‘60s” and media coverage at the time “has kind of left a bad taste in the mouth of the public at large.

“When you tell people you’re treating people with psychedelics, the first thing that comes to mind is Day-Glo art and tiedyed shirts.”

Nothing like that was in evidence when Edlich revisited the room at NYU where she’d taken psilocybin. Landscape photos and abstract art hung on the walls; flowers and a bowl of fruit adorned a table near the window. At the foot of the couch lay an Oriental rug.

“The whole idea was to create a living room-like setting” that would be relaxing, said study leader Dr. Stephen Ross.

Edlich, whose cancer forced her to retire from teaching French at a private school, had plenty of reason to seek help through the NYU project. Several recurrences of her ovarian cancer had provoked fears about suffering and dying and how her death would affect her family.

She felt “profound sadness that my life was going to be cut short.” And she faced existential questions: Why live? What does it all mean? How can I go on?

“These things were in my head and I wanted them to take a back seat to living in the moment,” she said. So when she heard NYU researchers speak about the project at her cancer support group, she was interested.

A spiritual experience Psilocybin has been shown to invoke powerful spiritual experiences during the four to six hours it affects the brain.

A study published in 2008 found that even 14 months after healthy volunteers had taken a single dose, most said they were still feeling and behaving better because of the experience. They also said the drug had produced one of the five most spiritually significant experiences they‘d ever had.

Experts emphasize people shouldn’t try psilocybin on their own because it can be harmful, sometimes causing bouts of anxiety and paranoia.

Did Edlich think the drug experience helped her? It let her view the issues she was working on through a different lens, she said.

“I think it made me more aware of what was so important, and what was making me either sad or depressed. I think it was revelatory.”

The three people in the study so far felt better, Ross said, with less general anxiety and fear of death, and greater acceptance of the dying process.

Though the clinical studies are being conducted by prestigious medical institutions such as Hopkins and NYU, some psychiatrists who work with cancer patients have reacted coolly to the prospects of using psilocybin.

“I’m kind of curious about it,” said Dr. Susan Block of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston. She said it’s an open question how helpful the drug experiences could be, and “I don’t think it’s ever going to be a widely used treatment.”

Ross, meanwhile, thinks patients might

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Fitness & Health

BALTIMORE BEACON — JULY 2010

Health Studies Page

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THE PLACE TO LOOK FOR INFORMATION ON AREA CLINICAL TRIALS

Hopkins studies altered mental states

By Barbara Ruben Johns Hopkins University Medical School is seeking patients with potentially life threatening cancer diagnoses for a study on how psilocybin can help with anxiety over their disease. [See “Treating anxiety with psychedelic drugs,” on page 6.]

Participants must be 21 to 70 years old and be depressed or have anxiety. Patients receiving chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, radiation or biologic therapies may participate.

The study lasts eight to 10 weeks, including two daylong sessions using psilocybin about a month apart. During the first study visit, participants will have complete questionnaires and interviews about medical and psychiatric history, have a physical exam, and have blood and urine samples taken.

Over the next two weeks, participants will have two or more meetings with a trained “guide,” who is a study team member that will stay with them during the psilocybin sessions and teach them meditative and mental imagery procedures.

For one week proceeding each psilocy-

bin session, participants must refrain from taking any nonprescription medication or nutritional or herbal supplement, except when approved by the research team. Exceptions will be evaluated by the research team and will include acetaminophen, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and common doses of vitamins and minerals.

The sessions in which participants take psilocybin will be conducted at Hopkins’ Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit.

Participants will be given capsules to swallow with water and will spend their time in a room furnished with comfortable living room furniture. For most of the time, participants will be invited to lie down on the couch with eye shades and headphones for music.

The doses of the drug will range from low to high, but neither the participant nor the researchers will be told the dosage at the time it is given. The dosages in the two sessions may differ.

After taking the drug, patients will be encouraged to focus their attention on their inner experience. At intervals throughout the day, blood pressure and heart rate will

Drugs for cancer

Edlich said her single dose “brought me to a deeper place in my mind, that I would never have gone to ... I feel a second session would take me to even more important places.

“I would do it a second time in a New York minute.”

— AP

From page 6 benefit from more than one dose of the drug during psychotherapy. The NYU study permits only one dose, but all three participants asked for a second, he said.

The Hopkins study includes two doses.

be monitored. Toward the end of the session, they will complete questionnaires on mood and psychological state.

Participants will meet with the guide for a follow-up visit one to two days after each session and about a month later. A final

visit will take place about six months later.

Blood samples will be taken at each session.

For more information, see Hopkins’ website on the trial, www.cancer-insight.org, or call Mary at (410) 550-5990.

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USING MEDICATIONS SAFELY A representative from Baltimore-Washington Medical Center will offer a lecture on “Medication Safety” at two senior centers:

Pascal Senior Activity Center, 125 Dorsey Rd., Glen Burnie, at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, June 23, and Pasadena Senior Activity Center, 4103 Mountain Rd., Pasadena, at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, June 29. For further information, call (410) 222-6680 (Pascal), or (410) 222-0030 (Pasadena).

Studies on Aging: Johns Hopkins University Are you 70 years or older?

Investigators from the Division of Geriatric Medicine at the Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Campus are looking for individuals aged 70 or older to participate in a research study that is looking at the aging process.

Tests would include measurements of strength, walking speed and questions about your physical activities. We may also request a blood draw and urine sample.

You will be paid $10 for participating depending on the study and we can conduct the study in your home. No travel required. If you choose to travel to Bayview, a parking pass will be given to you.

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Do You Have Osteoarthritis Of The Knee?

The University of Maryland is conducting an investigational research study to determine if an herbal supplement is useful for persons with osteoarthritis of the knee.

You may be eligible if you: Have been diagnosed with OA of the knee.

Are at least 40 years old.

And are in good general health.

Participants will be seen at Kernan Hospital located just off I-70 and Security Boulevard. Parking is free.

Do you know someone who has had a stroke and has arm or leg weakness? A study is being conducted investigating the benefits of exercise after stroke.

Please call 410-605-7000 ext. 4151 for information.

Seeking Elderly Men and Women Participate in a research study at the University of Maryland Baltimore / Baltimore VA

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Fitness & Health

JULY 2010 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Osteoporosis drug helps prevent cancer

By Marilynn Marchione Older women at higher risk for breast cancer now have two good drug options for preventing the disease, but they will have to weigh the trade-offs, a major study shows.

Tamoxifen, the longtime gold standard, is more effective and longer lasting, the results show. But a newer drug — raloxifene, sold as Evista — is safer. Tamoxifen is widely used to treat cancer once it’s diagnosed, and Evista is used to treat osteoporosis.

The two drugs have not found wide acceptance so far as cancer preventives. Doctors hope the findings will spur more highrisk women to consider taking one of the drugs. “I don’t see a clear winner,� but two good choices with different risks and benefits, said

Dr. Scott Lippman, a cancer specialist at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. He is editor of Cancer Prevention Research, the journal that published long-term results from the federally funded study.

For high-risk and older women The drugs are not recommended for women at average risk of breast cancer.

But for the millions who are at higher risk because of gene mutations, family history or other factors, they can make a dramatic difference. “Between 27 and 30 million women in the United States might have a high enough risk to qualify for one of these drugs,� including any woman over age 60, said Dr. Gabriel Hortobagyi, a breast cancer special-

ist at the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.

The National Cancer Institute study, called STAR for Study of Tamoxifen and Raloxifene, found that Tamoxifen cut the chances of developing the most serious forms of breast cancer in half. But it has a higher risk of uterine cancer.

Evista cut the cancer risk by 38 percent, with fewer uterine problems and other serious side effects. “We’ve now documented that [Evista is] far less toxic� than tamoxifen, said study leader Dr. D. Lawrence Wickerham.

Tamoxifen has long been used to treat and prevent breast cancer. It blunts estrogen, which fuels the growth of most tumors that occur after menopause.

Evista more selectively blocks estrogen.

It is only for use after menopause; its safety and effectiveness before then are unknown.

Tamoxifen costs 10 times less Generic tamoxifen costs about 30 cents a day, versus up to $3 for Evista. Both can cause hot flashes.

The study compared them in nearly 20,000 postmenopausal women at higher risk of breast cancer. They took one drug or the other for about five years and then stopped (longer use is not known to be safe or good).

After about seven years of follow-up, there were 310 cases of invasive breast cancer

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among women on Evista versus 247 in those on tamoxifen. That works out to a 24 percent higher breast cancer rate for Evista users.

On the other hand, uterine cancer developed in 65 tamoxifen users but in only 37 women on Evista. Also, twice as many women on tamoxifen had abnormal uterine growths that led to hysterectomies.

Blood clots and cataracts also were less common with Evista.

Evista clearly is the safer drug, said V. Craig Jordan of Georgetown University, the scientist who led development of tamoxifen. However, Evista’s breast cancer prevention benefits wane over time much more than tamoxifen’s do.

Lippman, the Texas cancer specialist, agreed. “It may be that with raloxifene, you need to continue to take it,� he said.

And even counting the additional uterine cancers that occurred with tamoxifen, its users still had 35 fewer invasive cancers overall than women on Evista.

It sets up a choice, he said. For example, women might choose tamoxifen if they are at very high risk of breast cancer and have had hysterectomies so that uterine cancer is not a concern.

For more information on the STAR study, see www.cancer.gov/star. For a breast cancer risk calculator, see http://cancer.gov/bcrisktool. — AP

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9

Stretch before a workout? Not any more

By Maria Cheng Want a better workout? Then don’t stretch beforehand, some experts say.

Many people take it for granted that they should start their exercise routines with some stretching on the spot, perhaps hoping it will loosen them up for their workout.

But most fitness experts now agree this kind of static stretching before exercise is not only unnecessary — it’s potentially harmful.

Traditional stretches, like when people bend over to touch their toes or stretch their legs on a fence, often cause muscles to tighten rather than relax — exactly the opposite of what is needed for physical activity.

Experts say it is like extending a rubber band to its limit. When people stretch to the maximum, they are more likely to pull a muscle.

Stretch afterwards instead “We have developed this idea of static stretching at exactly the wrong time,” said Kieran O’Sullivan, an exercise expert at the University of Limerick in Ireland, who has studied various types of stretching and their impact on athletes.

When you stretch before exercising, your body may think it’s at risk of being overstretched. It compensates by contracting and becoming more tense. That means you aren’t able to move as fast or as freely, making you more likely to get hurt.

O’Sullivan said stretching helps with flexibility, but people should only do it when they aren’t about to exercise, like after a workout, or at the end of the day.

“It’s like weight training to become stronger,” he said. “You wouldn’t do a weight session right before you exercise, and you shouldn’t stretch right before either.”

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In the last few years, several studies have found static stretching before playing a sport makes you slower and weaker.

And when experts at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention combed through more than 100 papers looking at stretching studies, they found people who stretched before exercise were no less likely to suffer injuries such as a pulled muscle, which the increased flexibility from stretching is supposed to prevent.

Better warm-up routine Instead of stretching, many experts recommend warming up with a light jog or sport-specific exercise, like kicking for football or a few serves for tennis. That type of light movement increases the heart rate and blood flow to the muscles, warming up the body temperature.

“This allows you to approach your full range of motion, but in a very controlled way,” said Dr. Anders Cohen, chief of neurosurgery and spine surgery at the Brooklyn Hospital Center and former physician for the U.S. Tennis Open.

Cohen said elite athletes in all sports are increasingly ditching static stretching and using other warm-up techniques instead.

But the message has yet to trickle down to legions of joggers and recreational athletes.

“This is classic, old-school stretching that has been done for generations,” Cohen said. “It’s going to be very hard to convince people to start doing something different.”

There’s more news for the traditionalists: research shows static stretching doesn’t work as well as more active kinds of stretching that incorporate movement, such as lunges.

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In a study published earlier this year in the Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, Roberto Meroni of the University of Milan and colleagues found people who stretched using conventional techniques, like bending over to touch their toes, were less flexible than those who did a more active type of stretching that used more muscle groups.

Meroni said static stretching simply forces the muscle being stretched to endure the pain of that stretch. With active stretches that work more muscles, the stretched muscles learn to extend while another group is working.

Those types of stretches are commonly used in yoga, which emphasizes how the body is aligned during stretches, not just flexibility. Many yoga poses involve the whole body and focus not only on stretching a particular muscle, but the ligaments, tendons and joints around it.

Still, experts don’t discount static stretching entirely. Lynn Millar, a fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine, said they recommend people stretch several times a week and that most types of stretching work.

— AP

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JULY 2010 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Money Law &

SELL YOUR OLD CELL PHONE There are many options to recycle or sell old electronics, from computers to cell phones. They can also be donated to nonprofits for a tax deduction

Investing lessons from the bear market You don’t need me to tell you just how near the bottom last year? Are you now volatile the stock market can be. You’ve lived watching your money earn next to nothing through it over the past three in bank certificates of deposit? years — as the market first anThe market’s volatility scared ticipated another Great Depreseveryone, including me. Lots of sion just around the corner, and people did things that, in hindthen concluded that the future sight, don’t look smart. would be far sunnier than that, Almost no one thought the with many bumps and turns bear market would get so bad. along the way.

At its depths, the media reLook at the numbers. From peatedly lauded the handful of October 9, 2007 through March experts who had predicted 9, 2009, Standard & Poor’s 500the market meltdown.

SAVVY SAVER stock index plunged 55 percent, But most of those experts

By Steven T. Goldberg even after including dividends. continued to predict further That was its biggest loss since the 1930s. declines long after the new bull market Then the market went virtually straight had gained traction. Many remain bearish up for more than a year. It had soared 73 today, with their clients heavily in cash. percent as of mid-May. The truth is that no one can predict the Is the stock market a casino that prudent market’s short-term moves. You shouldn’t people are wise to avoid? Is there no way to try. Accept that the market’s short-term dimake some sense of how it behaves? rection is unknowable. How could anyone Or can you still earn decent profits in have anticipated, for instance, the nearspite of the investment bankers and broker- 1,000 point plunge in the Dow in a matter ages that treat the market as their play- of minutes on May 13? ground?

Stocks are long-term investments.

Here are five lessons every investor can Rather than giving up on stocks, or trying take away from the market’s collapse and to predict their short-term course, diversisubsequent rebound. fy sensibly and stay put, regardless of what Give yourself a break. Are you one of the market does. the many investors who bailed out of stocks Since 1926, despite all manner of wars,

recessions, inflation and panics, stocks have returned an annualized 9.5 percent.

Bonds have returned an annualized 5 percent, and inflation has subtracted an annualized 3 percent from nest eggs. There’s no reason to expect those numbers to be much different in the future.

But stocks are horribly volatile over the short term. That’s the price you pay (the risk you endure) for good returns. Most retirees, in my view, should keep at least 40 percent of their investments in stocks.

If you can handle 50 percent or even 60 percent in stocks, you’ll likely do better.

But the rest of your money belongs in lowrisk bonds and bank accounts. When the market plunges again, you won’t be forced to sell stocks to pay your bills. Instead, you can take what you need out of your bonds and cash.

Pick a sensible percentage of your money to invest in stocks, bonds and cash — what’s right for you — and then stick with it.

Turn of f the financial news. On CNBC-TV, a new expert offers different advice every five minutes. The same is true for the Internet.

It’s great to learn more about investing.

But don’t become a financial news junkie.

Instead, pick one good source of investment and personal finance information and tune out the rest. I’m prejudiced because I

worked at Kiplinger’s Magazine for almost 14 years, but it’s my favorite.

Don’t be fooled. Lots of investments — and the people who sell them — promise risk-free returns. Run from people who peddle variable annuities, guaranteed equity index annuities, or anything else that seems too good to be true. These products are larded with fees, and the real risks are disclosed only in the fine print.

Likewise, avoid investments that promise to rise in falling stock markets. Most of the time the market goes up.

We’re not out of the woods. The economy is a lot healthier than it was a year ago. But Europe faces enormous challenges paying off its debts, and it will likely grow much more slowly than the U.S. China is beset by inflation, and right here at home, we face continued high unemployment and huge fiscal problems.

There’s no way the market can continue rising at the pace it has set for more than a year now. But disciplined investors can achieve their goals.

Steven T. Goldberg (steve@tginvesting.com; 301-650-6567) is a freelance writer and investment advisor in Silver Spring, Md. He welcomes reader questions. Send them to: Steven Goldberg, c/o The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915-2227.

Recycle old gadgets and get some cash

By Anne D’Innocenzio Got a drawer full of old cell phones and defunct iPods? A 15-year-old computer monitor in the basement? There’s a growing list of companies happy to take such junk.

Gazelle.com and YouRenew.com will even give you cash for some aging electronics, a process Gazelle.com calls “ReCommerce.”

Recycling firms like GreenCitizen.com will take gadgets for free or for a fee — depending on what they can reuse. And many consumer electronics companies, including Best Buy and Apple Inc., have recycling programs. Some charities also take some cell phones and computers and resell or refurbish them.

Just remember, before turning in any electronics, especially an old cell phone or computer, to delete all your contacts and

other personal files.

“There’s a bigger marketplace for recycled equipment, particularly for consumer electronics,” than even a year ago, said Dudley Blossom, chairman of the marketing department at LIM College, a fashion and retailing school in Manhattan.

Here’s how it can work for you.

1. Do your research: Start by assessing what gadgets you want to get rid of and researching online what they’re worth.

The prices sellers are getting on eBay.com or Glyde.com can offer a pretty solid hint of a gadget’s worth. Or try the calculators at Best Buy’s Web site, http://www.bestbuytradein.com/bb/calculators.cfm, or at YouRenew.com or Gazelle.com (both of which pay for your shipping). ReCellular, which will give you cash for your old cell phone or recycle it, also has a calculator.

David-Michel Davies, editorial director

of Netted.net, a daily online newsletter about mobile applications, services and Web sites, advises shopping around because prices vary widely.

But brace yourself. The Associated Press found that a two-year-old Hewlett Packard desktop hard drive (with an Intel Core Duo processor) was worth $67 in good condition at Gazelle.com. An iPod Shuffle with two gigabytes of memory in poor condition had a trade-in value of $4 at Gazelle.com or $3 at YouRenew.com. And a Juke cell phone from Samsung with water damage had no value on either site, though it would net $7 in good condition.

2. Donate for a write-off: Cell phones — working or not — are accepted by such organizations as hopephones.org and cellphonesforsoldiers.com.

Hopephones.org sends the gadgets to its recycling partner called The Wireless

Source, which either refurbishes, reuses or fully recycles them. The group uses the credit it receives from Wireless Source to buy more cell phones that it gives to healthcare workers around the world.

Cellphonesforsoldiers.com sells the phones it receives to a recycler and uses the proceeds to buy calling cards for members of the military.

To unload a computer, check out reconnectpartnership.com, an alliance between Dell Inc. and Goodwill Industries International that accepts computers and related accessories in any condition. You can drop things off for free at any participating Goodwill, but check ahead whether your items require extra preparation.

Any profit from reselling the refurbished items at Goodwill stores helps fund the orSee RECYCLE GADGETS, page 12

Law & Money

BALTIMORE BEACON — JULY 2010

11

The trouble with online retirement calculators

By Mark Miller How much do you need to save for retirement? You can get an idea by using any of the dozens of retirement calculator tools offered for free on the Internet.

But a recent study by actuarial experts on retirement forecasting shows that many popular calculators have serious flaws. These problems could lead to serious miscalculations when you’re plotting your retirement.

The report by the Society of Actuaries analyzed 12 retirement calculators created by financial services firms, software companies, nonprofits and government for consumers and financial planning pros. All but one of the six consumer calculators were free — and they had a host of problems.

“These tools take a project that is fairly complex and boil it down to something simple,” said John Turner, an economist and co-author of the report. “They don’t ask you to consider a lot of important variables.”

So it’s buyer beware when it comes to online retirement calculators. Here’s a rundown of the key things to look out for.

You can find a more detailed analysis in an article I wrote recently for CBS MoneyWatch.com (http://tinyurl.com/299faxj).

1. Social Security projections. Most retirees get a third or more of retirement income from Social Security. Yet many retirement calculators don’t gather the detailed information needed to project these benefits accurately, Turner said.

“They often project Social Security income using a bare minimum of information: typically your current earnings, your age, and the year you expect to retire,” he said.

The Social Security Administration offers the best projection tool, customized to your actual earnings history (http://www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator/) 2. Rate-of-return assumptions. Three of the free calculators used pre-set future investment rate-of-return assumptions that you can’t change — and their percentages varied widely. One, created by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Administration, assumed a 5 percent average annual return from 401(k)s; several others assumed 10 percent.

If a calculator won’t let you choose your

anticipated rate of return, either be sure you’re comfortable with its assumption or walk away.

3. Life expectancy. It’s impossible to know how long you’ll live, of course. On average, 65-year-old men can expect to live another 17 years, and women another 20 years.

Some calculators, the study found, automatically input life expectancy figures. But they fail to account for differences by race, income and gender. And they also don’t take into consideration that you or your spouse might live longer than the averages.

If a calculator forces you to make a longevity prediction, base it on your family history and your health. If you’re married, use different life expectancy numbers for you and your spouse, since women tend to live several years longer than men.

4. Housing. The calculators make very different assumptions about what you’ll do with your house at retirement. “Some assume you won’t liquidate your home; others assume you will sell and downsize,” Turner said. Very few of the tools analyze the impact on your finances of carrying a mortgage into retirement.

Among the free calculators reviewed, only the U.S. Department of Labor calculator lets you plug in home equity when calculating your retirement assets.

5. Inflation. None of the free calculators — and few of the professional tools — listed inflation as a retirement-planning risk. Some of the tools let you plug in just one percentage forecast, even though inflation can fluctuate widely over time.

Others put in their own default inflation rate, ranging from 2.3 to 4.6 percent. That spread can make a huge difference in how much the purchasing power of your assets will shrink over a 25-year retirement.

6. Spouses. Few of the free calculators helped couples forecast retirement income for a surviving spouse. They rarely let users enter separate information for both spouses and run numbers with differing life expectancies for them, for example.

When the calculators recommended annuities for retirement income (most didn’t), none suggested buying one with a survivor’s benefit.

Some of the calculators allow for separate entry of data for each spouse, but

Computing retirement income While online calculators may have their drawbacks, they can be helpful for basic estimating of income, expenses and spending. Here are a few to try: T. Rowe Price offers a free retirement income calculator at www. troweprice.com/retirementcalc.

The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants also has a planning tool, which can be found at http://tinyurl.com/ya6eoh9.

Another program, which offers four

versions — from a free online tool to software for purchase — is developed

by Economic Security Planning, Inc., a company headed by Laurence J. Kotlikoff, professor of economics at Boston University. Unlike some other calculators, the ESPlanner software doesn’t assume that retirees will spend a set percentage of their pre-retirement income after they stop working. To try out the free version, go to www.esplanner.com.

— Barbara Ruben

even these typically assume that both people retire at the same time. Spousal issues regarding Social Security benefit claims can be complex — beyond the capability of any online calculator.

If you’re married, calculate retirement income needs for you and your spouse together and separately, using different life expectancy scenarios. This will help en-

sure that the one who lives longer won’t run out of cash.

“Doing the ‘what-ifs’ can help you see just how differently things can turn out,” said Turner.

Miller blogs at www.retirementrevised.com; contact him with questions and comments at mark@retirementrevised.com. © 2010 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

Tell them you saw it in the Beacon!

Bernard I. Pollock, Attorney Elder Law, Estate Probate, Real Estate Law

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12

Law & Money

Recycle gadgets From page 10 ganization’s mission of putting people to work. If the item can’t be resold, Goodwill takes care of recycling. Either way, consumers get a receipt for a tax deduction.

JULY 2010 — BALTIMORE BEACON

3. Check out incentives: Many electronics stores and makers offer gift cards or discount coupons in exchange for aging electronics. Best Buy, for example, charges $10 when it receives items with cathode-ray tubes like older TVs and monitors, but it gives customers a $10 gift card

BEACON BITS

July 10

ESTABLISHING A CONSULTING PRACTICE If you have a marketable skill, you can establish a full-time or

part-time consulting business. Learn how at this day-long workshop on Saturday, July 10, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Laurel College Center, 312 Marshall Ave., in Laurel. For more information, call Howard Community College at (410) 772-4823 or visit www.howardcc.edu.

Own your home?

Withdraw tax-free cash

• No Pay Back as Long As You Live In • •

The House You Still Own Your House Use The Money For Any Purpose

If you’re a homeowner 62 or older, you can safely tap into your home equity with a Federal Government regulated reverse mortgage.

Call Mel Mintz, 410.935.6926

in exchange. (It does not accept TVs larger than 32 inches.)

And Apple stores will give anyone who brings in an old iPod a 10 percent discount on a new one, except a Shuffle or Product Red nano (part of the proceeds already go to charity). Apple also accepts devices by mail but doesn’t give discounts in exchange for those.

Target Corp. sends customers a gift card in exchange for items they send in, once it inspects them. Check http://target.nextworth.com for details and a tradein calculator.

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

LEGAL ASSISTANCE FOR LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS

Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service connects low-income Marylanders in need of civil legal assistance with pro bono attorneys.

Cases handled include family law, foreclosure, guardianship, name change, deed change, landlord/tenant, bankruptcy, tax disputes, consumer issues and wills.

Call (410) 547-6537 or (800) 510-0050 for assistance

Ongoing

LEGAL AID AVAILABLE FOR IMMIGRANTS

The University of Maryland Immigration Clinic represents individuals seeking asylum, individuals with criminal convictions, and those with domestic violence issues. Call (410) 706-3295 or email immigration@law.umaryland.edu for more information

June 21 Mel Mintz

4. Recycling what’s left: If there’s no such program nearby (or no one’s interested in your broken TV), consult Earth911.com, which helps consumers across the country figure out a local way to recycle anything from car batteries to MP3 players and how much it will cost.

At GreenCitizen.com consumers can buy and sell some items through the “GreenCitizen Classifieds.“ LIM’s Blossom also recommends calling your town hall or waste hauler to learn about local recycling programs.

— AP

JUNE 21 PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF HEARING LOSS

Audiologist Dr. Steve Seipp of the Hearing Assessment Center will discuss the psychological, emotional and social effects of hearing loss at the Bykota Senior Center, 611 Central Ave. in Towson, from 10 to 11 a.m. on Monday, June 21. To register, call Bykota at (410) 887-3094.

Having trouble using the phone?

Missing or misunderstanding words?

Maryland Relay provides a free public service with equipment (free to qualifying Marylanders) and a system that make it possible, and simple, for you to use the phone again. Learn more:

Visit:

www.mdrelay.org

Call:

Maryland Relay Customer Service 1-800-552-7724 (Voice/TTY)

Write:

Maryland Relay Department of Information Tech nnology 301 West Preston Street, Suite 1008A Baltimore, MD 21201

E-mail: moreinfo@mdrelay.org

13

BALTIMORE BEACON — JULY 2010

Travel Leisure &

Smith Island’s famous many-layered cake, Maryland’s official dessert.

Chesapeake’s one-of-a-kind Smith Island Captain John Smith spotted the diminutive archipelago during his exploration of the Chesapeake Bay in 1608. Eventually it was named not for him, but for a Henry Smith, an early landowner.

The first 17th century settlers had names like Marshall, Bradshaw, Evans and Tyler, and many residents today share the same last names. Some can trace their ancestry back as many as 12 generations to those early colonists.

PHOTO BY VICTOR BLOCK

By Victor Block Talk about hometown pride! I had heard that people who live on Smith Island in the Chesapeake Bay love their isolated lifestyle, and that residents of each of the three tiny towns there good-naturedly tout its superiority over the others.

Even so, the reply of a grizzled waterman whom I invited to accompany me on the five-minute boat ride to one of those villages caught me by surprise. “Nope,” he said, with a twinkle in his eye. “I’ve already been there.”

Along with being chauvinistic about their small island and even tinier towns, Smith Islanders also are hardy, proud, independent and very welcoming to visitors — even when they’re poking a bit of fun.

That last trait is no accident. When people share a group of grassy island strands encompassing only about 8,000 acres, of which just 900 are habitable, it helps to develop a friendly attitude.

Despite its name, Smith Island actually consists of three minute islets, each occupied by a village. Ewell and Rhodes Point are connected by a short wooden bridge, while Tylerton stands alone.

Learning the lingo

PHOTO COURTESY OF SOMERSET COUNTY TOURISM

Their unique way of speaking also derives in part from the first settlers. Most were English and Welsh, and vestiges of their Elizabethan dialect persist, leavened by what I judge to be touches of southern and rural Maryland colloquialisms.

After only a few hours on the island I realized that “air” means “are,” “why” translates to “way,” and “tie-yum” refers to “time.”

An endearing idiosyncrasy whose origin I did not discover is what can only be described as backwards talk. If a Smith Islander tells another where the fish are biting, the reply of another who wants to head there might be, “I ain’t a-going thar tomorrow.” Should an attractive woman pass by two men seated on a porch, one may turn to the other and remark, “She ain’t pretty none.”

Following in the bootsteps of their ancestors, most men eke out their living from the gray waters of the Chesapeake Bay. That means dropping traps or trotlines for crabs during spring and summer, and some dredging for oysters in fall and winter.

Each of the three communities has a small harbor from which locally built workboats venture forth, often well before daybreak, to return as much as 12 hours later.

The harbors also are where 8th to12th grade students depart and return each weekday for the boat ride to Crisfield, where they attend classes, and A woman picks meat out of crabs at the Smith Island where everything from food Crab Co-op, one of the island’s main industries. In to furniture is brought from addition to touring the co-op, visitors can explore the three tiny towns that make up the island. the mainland.

Boats dock at one of Smith Island’s three small harbors. The dockside crab shanties hold equipment used by the watermen, and house “peeler” crabs as they lose their shells in the process of becoming popular soft shell crabs.

Getting crabby As overharvesting, pollution and disease depleted the Bay’s oyster population in recent decades, the island’s economy has come to depend primarily upon crabbing.

Along with some hard shell crabbing, Smith Island has evolved into the center of the country’s soft shell crab industry.

The waters are thick with multicolored buoys bobbing in the waves, each marking a wire crab “pot.” Male crabs are the usual bait, luring females that enter anticipating a mating ritual, only to end up eventually on someone’s lunch or dinner plate.

Brought back to land, “peeler” crabs, those about to lose their hard cover and become soft shells, are put in “floats” in or just outside wooden shanties built on elevated docks. Water circulates through the large trays to keep the crabs alive.

They’re checked every few hours and as soon as they shed their shell, are plucked out with a net and prepared for shipment to markets near and far.

Hard shell crabs face a different, if no less ultimate, fate. Some end up, still living, at restaurants not far from the waters where they grew up. There they are sprinkled with a peppery mixture of spices, steamed until the shells turn from blue to red, and often washed down with cold beer.

Others have a shorter trip, no farther

than the Smith Island Crab Co-op in Tylerton. On many mornings and evenings during the crab season, women gather in this nondescript little building to pick succulent crab meat out of the shells with speed and dexterity that are a wonder to behold.

The pickers are equally renowned for their voices as they sometimes sing hymns to help ease the monotony of their task.

The importance of crabbing to Smith Islanders cannot be overstated. As Jennings Evans, an unofficial island historian, put it, “Everybody is after a crab. You can have all the education in the world, but if you can’t tell a peeler, you ain’t nothin’ here.”

Observing and listening to the action at the Crab Co-op by no means exhausts opportunities to sample what Smith Island has to offer. Strolling around the three towns, or traveling by bicycle or rental golf cart, introduces a way of life unlikely to be encountered elsewhere.

After all, how many places have you visited where two golf carts passing constitutes rush hour?

Touring by boat and bike Another inviting way to get around is by canoe or kayak. A system of marked water trails leads through canals and creeks See SMITH ISLAND, page 15

14

Leisure & Travel

JULY 2010 — BALTIMORE BEACON

A who’s who of European budget hotels While economists may deplore the falling value of the euro, it comes in handy for travelers looking to book a trip to Europe. And with a wide variety of budget hotels there, you can extend your stay as well.

Europe’s hotel landscape is quite a bit different from ours: some of the players are the same, but with very different positions.

And knowing the hotel landscape is increasingly important as big chains slowly

but surely edge out the funky independent “mom and pop” hotels and bed & breakfasts to which budget travelers formerly gravitated as a matter of course.

For whatever reasons, most of the lowcost chain action is based in France and the UK. There are four large chains: Frenchbased Accor (www.accor.com/en.html) and Groupe Louvre (www.louvrehotels.com/en) and the British Premier Inn (www.premierinn.com) and Travelodge (www.travelodge.co.uk). The majority of their locations

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players and extends over more of Europe.

The largest concentrations are in France, the UK and Spain. AccommoTiny, inexpensive rooms dations are similar to what you There is really no U.S. find at typical midrange budgequivalent to the very bottom et hotels in the United States. end of the European budget Typically, rates start at around hotel market. $100 a night.

Accor’s Formule1 brand • Holiday Inn Express (rebranded as Hotel F1 in (www.holidayinn.com) is reaFrance) is iconic: rooms of sonably well represented in about 100 square feet, one Europe, with facilities about standard double bed plus what you’d expect from your TRAVEL TIPS mini-bunk for a kid (twin beds experiences here at home.

By Ed Perkins in a few locations), washstand, • Premier Inn and Travand TV. Toilet and shower are across or elodge dominate the UK scene, with a down the hall. smattering of locations in other countries.

Check-in and room access are complete• Dublin-based Jury’s Inn (www.july automated — pay by credit or debit card, ryinns.com) operates seven hotels in Irethen use access codes to get in the hotel land and 23 in the UK. and into your room. You can stay there • An additional small British chain, City without ever encountering an employee.

Inn (www.cityinn.com), has only six locaRates in small cities start at around 30 tions but has received good reviews. euros (about $40) per night; breakfast is • Husa (www.husa.es/en/) operates extra. Formule 1/Hotel F1 is concentrated in more than 100 locations in Spain plus a France, but operates at least some hotels in handful in other countries, with rates startBelgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, ing at under $50 a night.

Sweden, Switzerland, Switzerland and the • Multi-tier chain Sol Melia’s brand UK. (www.solmelia.com) is similar, with many Accor’s Etap and Groupe Louvre’s Pre- locations, again mainly in Spain. miere Classe are a small step up the lad• The only similar German chain I der. Rooms generally include a private could find is InterCity (www.intercityhobath or shower and toilet, but they’re still tel.com/en/), with 34 hotels. Rates start at tiny. Both are mainly in France. about $100 a night.

EasyHotels, part of Stelios Hadj-IoanStart with the brands’ own websites nou’s “easy” empire, operates handful of when you’re looking for good deals: Accor, hotels in the UK plus a few outposts on the Premier Inn and Travelodge, in particular, Continent. Accommodations are similar to frequently promote sales and special adthe bottom-end French chains, with very vance-purchase rates. small rooms, self-contained but minimal Otherwise, check the usual suspects: bath facilities, and extra fees if you want a The big online travel agencies (Expedia, daily change of linen. Rates start at around Orbitz, Travelocity) cover Europe as well $45 in the suburbs, $60 in the city. as the United States.

If you’re looking for something a bit Also try Booking (www.booking.com), more like a typical U.S. budget motel, try Priceline’s UK affiliate. In a quick check, I Accor’s Ibis and Groupe Louvre’s Cam- found that these agencies can often find panille and Kyriad, again mostly in France discounted prices at three-star hotels that but expanding into other areas. Rates start are in the same price range as rack rates at at around $60 a night. more down-market budget properties.

Send e-mail to Ed Perkins at Conventional budget hotels eperkins@mind.net.

The next step up the ladder has more © 2010 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

are in France and the UK, but they’re also steadily spreading around Europe.

BEACON BITS

July 28

VISIT THE TOTEM POLE PLAYHOUSE Take a trip with the Parkville AARP Chapter to the Totem Pole

Playhouse to see Unnecessary Farce, a hilarious new comedy that follows two incompetent, but highly earnest and honest, cops on their current stakeout.

Price: $78 per person; a deposit of $10 guarantees you a seat. Call (410) 2564318 to register.

Aug. 19

ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT CRAB FEAST Join the Parkville AARP Chapter on Thursday, August 19, for an all-you-can-eat crab feast at Kentmorr Crab House and a stop at

the Amish Farmers’ Market. Besides crabs there will be red crab soup, fried chicken, coleslaw, potato salad, corn on the cob, fresh fruit basket, dessert, ice tea, soda, coffee and draft beer. Price $66. Call (410) 661-0692 to register.

BALTIMORE BEACON — JULY 2010

SPECIAL PULL-OUT SECTION

B-1

B-2

Housing Options

JULY 2010 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Consider a continuing care community Imagine finding a place where you can live for the rest of your life without worrying about maintaining a home or what will happen if your health fails.

Seniors searching for such peace of mind about their retirement years can find it by moving into a Continuing Care Retirement Community, known as a CCRC for short. Sometimes, they are called life care communities.

Move when you’re healthy What differentiates a CCRC from other retirement housing options is that the community offers a continuum of housing, support services and healthcare that is centrally planned, located and administered.

CCRCs incorporate the full range of housing alternatives — from independent housing to assisted living to skilled nursing care — all in a single building or campus.

Residents most often move to a CCRC when they are healthy and still quite independent. Indeed, many communities will not accept new residents who are not able to live on their own at the time of admission.

But because CCRCs provide healthcare for life, residents aren’t required to move away as they age or should they become ill. As a result, “CCRCs really address the issue of ‘aging-in-place’ better than any other housing model,” according to

Joseph Howell, noted housing and healthcare consultant.

Services provided include meals, housekeeping, transportation, personal care assistance and activities. In addition, CCRCs encourage their residents to continue to develop their talents and interests, and generally provide numerous outlets for such creativity.

They also offer residents relief from the burden of day-to-day chores, and provide a predictable way to take care of and pay for future needs, especially healthcare.

Each one is different The concept of CCRCs was pioneered by church and fraternal groups in the early 19th century. To this day, non-profit organizations continue to dominate the industry, though commercial developers and healthcare providers have jumped into the market in recent years.

Today, more than 3,500 CCRCs are in operation around the country, and the number being built — as well as the variety of living and healthcare options offered — is on the increase.

Some are run as co-operatives, where you own your own apartment and can sell it when you choose. Most, however, do not involve an ownership interest. Instead, your investment (in the form an entrance fee that can range from $5,000 to over $1

million) helps defray your lifetime healthcare costs in the community.

Some are compact communities based in one building, with different types of services on different floors. Others resemble small cities, with clusters of buildings often connected by breezeways or tunnels, situated on hundreds of acres of land.

There are also different levels of amenities, styles of dining, and affiliations (including a tendency to follow a particular religion) among the residents at different CCRCs. Because of this variety, visitors should realize that if they’ve seen one CCRC, they’ve only seen one CCRC. Each community evolves its own operating structure and overall personality, and offers its particular mix of housing and healthcare services.

Contract options are offered Many also offer a variety of contract options as well. There are two parts to your financial obligation. You are responsible for an entrance fee, much of which may be returned to you when you leave, or to your heirs when you die.

But there are also monthly payments

due, which will increase over time with the cost of living and, depending on your contract, with the services you require.

There are three main types of contracts: extensive or Type A contracts provide unlimited long-term care without much increase in monthly fees. Modified, or Type B, contracts specify a particular amount of care beyond which you are charged additional fees. And Fee-for-Service or Type C contracts require you to pay for assisted living or nursing services when needed at prevailing rates.

For all these reasons, selecting a CCRC, and choosing among the contract options, can be a highly complex decision. It is important to read all the fine print with the aid of an attorney and financial advisor before committing to a CCRC contract.

That said, “CCRCs have been and will continue to be the option of choice for a significant portion of the older population, specifically for people who are planners,” said Howell.

These are the people who move to a CCRC both for its total package of benefits and services, and for the security and peace of mind it can offer for the rest of one’s life.

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Housing Options

BALTIMORE BEACON — JULY 2010

B-3

Trying to sell your home? Incentives help

By Ilona Bray Particularly when the real estate market is down, and there are a lot more houses available than buyers wanting them, home sellers start looking for ways to attract buyer attention — or at least keep interested buyers on the hook.

One way is to throw in a few “extras.”

You may have seen listings advertising televisions, all-expenses-paid cruise vacations, or motor scooters.

Do these work? Are they necessary?

Here’s what real estate broker and author George Devine has to say on the matter: “I always scratch my head when I hear about home sellers offering things that are superfluous to the transaction, like a car or a trip to Hawaii.

“If they’re going to pay for those things, why don’t they just lower the list price? Especially because a higher selling price can result in a higher documentary transfer tax and real estate commission.”

The bottom line is that your selling price is what buyers care most about. They may be pulling together every last dollar in savings to buy your house — the cruise vacations can wait. So focus first on setting your price at a reasonable level that will bring in buyers.

But once you’ve got an interested buyer, keeping that person interested can be crucial. That’s especially true in a tough market, where buyers know that if they pull out, they’ll have plenty of other affordable homes to choose from.

Two of the most realistic way to help keep buyers on the hook include: • offering to pay some closing costs, and • offering to leave some home furnishings that you’d normally take with you.

Paying closing costs The last thing you want is for your buyer to get panicky looking at all the tangential expenses that come with home buying, such as inspection fees, escrow fees and moving costs. To sweeten the deal, you can offer to defray some of the following: Title insurance and title search fees.

Whether the buyer or seller pays these fees is typically a matter of local custom. If the buyer normally pays, you can usually cover these costs for around 0.5 to 1 percent of your house’s purchase price. If it’s been only a few years since you bought, ask whether this fee can be reduced by updating your original search.

Escrow fees. The escrow agent’s services usually cost several hundred dollars, though escrow companies will charge more for additional services like preparing the title report (which they’re responsible for in some states).

Inspection fees. Inspection fees usually run around $300 to $400, provided nothing unusual is needed. (But the buyer still gets to choose the inspector.)

Homeowners’ insurance. At closing, the buyer will be expected to prepay the homeowners’ insurance premium, usually a full year’s worth. If you offer to pitch in, expect this to cost somewhere from $500 to $1,300.

Home warranty. Home warranties — which are basically service contracts, providing for repair and replacement of mechanical systems and attached appliances such as the furnace and plumbing — are entirely optional and cost around $300 to $900 per year, depending on the house. It’s traditional in many states for the seller to foot this bill anyway.

HAMPTON HOUSE OPENS NEW EXHIBITS

Hampton National Historic Site, a unit of the National Park Service, will celebrate the grand opening of new exhibits in one of the park’s oldest buildings, which was constructed in the mid 18th century, on Friday, June 18 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. The house served as the overseer’s and farm manager’s home on what was once a 25,000-acre estate. Hampton National Historic Site is located at 535 Hampton Lane in Towson. For more information, call (410) 823-1309.

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can help defray expenses and stress by offering to hire a moving company.

Furniture and other items Your house itself offers an opportunity for some real incentives. As you may know, fixtures — those parts of the property that are affixed to the property and can’t be easily removed — must be included in the sale.

Anything that isn’t a fixture is yours, however. That means you can take it with you when you leave.

But you may have purchased furniture or other items that specially suit the house you’re in: Perhaps a Mission-style dining table that blends perfectly in your Craftsman-style bungalow, an energy-efficient stackable washer/dryer that fits perfectly in a designated spot, a patio set that blends with your landscaped yard, gardening equipment, or exercise machines that are already assembled and ready to use in the basement rec room.

A prospective buyer who sees these items may be impressed, and offering them as part of the package could seal the deal.

Reprinted with permission from the publisher, Nolo, ©2010, www.nolo.com

The Woodlands

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BEACON BITS

June 18+

Property taxes. Like homeowners’ insurance, several months’ worth of property taxes must usually be prepaid at closing.

Taxes tend to make people grumpy, so the buyer would no doubt be delighted to unload this charge onto you. It will probably be at least several hundred dollars — depending on the assessed value of the property and its location.

PMI. If the buyer is putting down less than 20 percent of the purchase price, the lender is likely going to require private mortgage insurance, or PMI. The cost of PMI is tied to the amount of the loan and the down payment — a 15 percent down payment will require less for PMI than a 5 percent down payment, for example.

The buyer will usually have to prepay up to one year’s worth of PMI in an impound account, usually at a cost of several hundred dollars — so if you can come up with that amount, you’ll make the buyer happy.

Mortgage payments. You may offer to make the buyer’s first mortgage payment, to ease the cost of transitioning into the new home.

Moving expenses. While not part of traditional closing costs, all buyers have some costs associated with moving. You

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B-4

Housing Options

JULY 2010 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Advertorials

ACTIVE ADULT COMMUNITY

Cinnamon Woods 410-378-4105 58 Curry Avenue Conowingo, MD 21918 www.cinnamonwoodscommunity.com Cinnamon Woods is a unique and affordable manufactured home community located just off of Rt. 222 in Conowingo, Maryland. The community offers the perfect blend of quiet and peaceful surroundings while still being conveniently located near major shopping areas and attractions. Enjoy boating, fishing, shopping or just relaxing.

Homeowners benefit from one-story living and low-maintenance exteriors. A monthly community fee covers most exterior maintenance, including snow and trash removal and landscaping.

Come visit and see our variety of floor plans. You may also custom design your own! Our prices range from the mid $130,000’s to the $160,000’s, depending on square footage.

IN-HOME CARE

WeCare Private Duty Services, Inc. 410-602-3993 1852 Reisterstown Road • Suite 209 Pikesville, MD 21208 www.wecarepds.com Celebrating 15 Years of AwardWinning Service Excellence.

Our primary focus is to raise the standards of health care delivery.

We are especially proud of our professional team, who assure that our Registry remains filled with Caregivers who are both competent and compassionate, and who understand that caregiving is a calling — not just a job.

Our goal is to assure that we meet and exceed our clients’ expectations. That is why our reputation speaks for itself.

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CONTINUING CARE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY

Brooke Grove Retirement Village 301-260-2320 18100 Slade School Road Sandy Spring, MD 20860 www.bgf.org Situated amid the natural beauty of a 220-acre campus just down the road from historic Sandy Spring, Maryland, Brooke Grove Retirement Village has been an innovator in continuing care for seniors for 60 years.

With the ongoing growth of our independent living community, The Cottages, Brooke Grove Retirement Village adds to decades of expertise in assisted living, nursing and rehabilitation, respite care, and specialized support for individuals with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Call for a personalized tour or visit us on the Web at www.bgf.org.

How to create a nearly instant home office

By Caryn Brooks More and more people, from job-seekers to budding entrepreneurs to those who just need a better place to do their paperwork, are thinking about how to create an instant home office.

Christine Brun, a San Diego interior designer and author of Small Space Living (Schiffer Publishing, 2009), specializes in coaxing all you can out of your home by using ingenious products and overlooked spots.

The key is to think carefully about what you have and what your work will be like, she said.

“You need to ask yourself what the minimum is you need to function,” she said.

Assess your space, including spots you might normally overlook, such as a landing, a laundry room, a hallway and closets.

All can be transformed into workspaces.

Reconsider the dining room, too.

Avoid the bedroom Brun doesn’t recommend setting up shop in the bedroom unless absolutely necessary because it will throw what’s supposed to be a restful zone off balance.

Let’s say you commandeer the dining room. It’s possible to build a totally mobile home office set on casters that can be pushed out of the way come dinnertime.

If all you have is a living room, you can get an ottoman that opens up for storage, and by nighttime put everything away again. Brun is a big proponent of getting transformer furniture that looks right in a living room but with a few magical moves opens into a workspace.

People who have traditional furnishings and antiques are often worried about how to make a home office blend in, Brun said.

“It is actually a little easier for people who lean towards clean, contemporary taste to find all the working pieces to the puzzle,” she said. “But anything can be

screened off by a folding screen or even something homemade.”

Furniture options Brun said the following five easily ordered groups of products offer instant home office inspiration: 1) Ballard Designs (www.ballarddesigns.com) offers more classic-looking designs that fit right into a living room. She likes the multi-functional “Bill Payer Cabinet,” which costs $199 and comes in either black or white with antiqued handles. It has a stationery caddy on top that you can pull off and carry around, and features plenty of nooks and crannies to hold papers and files.

The Grande Cambridge Computer Armoire from Ballard ($1,599, distressed black or cream) looks like a classic cupboard when closed, but opens to reveal the slots needed for today’s workstation, including a sliding printer tray and space for a computer.

2) If all you’ll be doing is checking e-mail and sending out a letter or two, the wallmounted eNook by Anthro (www.anthro. com) is high tech and compact. You hang eNook on your wall ($429 in a variety of fabrics and veneers) and it houses your laptop and recharges your gadgets. When closed, eNook is just 7 inches deep, and it opens to offer a 30-by-15.5-inch workspace.

3) From Crate & Barrel (www.crateandbarrel.com), Brun recommends the Wentworth Desk ($399). “It offers the idea of an old-fashioned rolltop desk, where you can close up your mess,” she said. This classy streamlined desk opens to become a minioffice with a pull-down front to hold a laptop.

Brun also finds Crate & Barrel’s Sloane Leaning Desk/Bookshelf ($228), which clings to the wall like a ladder, very versatile.

“You can simply lean the pieces. This might be good for a wide hallway because the bookSee HOME OFFICE, page B-7

ASSISTED LIVING COMMUNITY

Lighthouse Senior Living 410-918-0400 410-465-2288 1813 Old Eastern Ave. 3100 North Ridge Rd. Baltimore, MD 21221 Ellicott City, MD 21043 www.lighthouseseniorliving.com At Lighthouse Senior Living, we offer a flexible approach to meeting the changing needs of our residents: from independent living to adaptive personal assistance; from dementia care to short-term stays — all in an environment that is secure and safe, but also fun and exciting. Our dedicated, professional staff encourages appropriate self-reliance for our residents, within a supportive community. At both our locations, you can rest assured that living in a senior community doesn’t mean giving up freedom and lifestyle. We are conveniently located in White Marsh/Middle River, Baltimore County, and also in Ellicott City, Howard County, close to the MARC train, I-695, I-95, Route 40 and BWI Airport.

Housing Options

BALTIMORE BEACON — JULY 2010

FREE HOUSING AND OTHER INFORMATION For free information — at no obligation — from the following housing communities, just check off the items of interest to you and mail the entire coupon to the Beacon. All coupons received, whether or not you request information, will be entered into a random drawing for $100 cash.

HOUSING COMMUNITIES: ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Brooke Grove . . . . . . . . . . . .B-4 Charlestown . . . . . . .B-2 & B-7 Cinnamon Woods . . . .B-3 & B-4 Lighthouse Senior Living . . . . . . . . . . . .B-2 & B-4 Meadows at Reisterstown . .B-7 Oak Crest . . . . . . . . .B-2 & B-6 Park View at Ashland Terrace B-8 Park View at Coldspring . . . .B-8 Park View at Catonsville . . . .B-8

❑ Park View at Dundalk .B-7 & B-8 ❑ Park View at Fullerton . . . . .B-8 ❑ Park View at Miramar Landing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-8 ❑ Park View at Randallstown . .B-8 ❑ Park View at Rosedale . . . . . . . . . .B-7 & B-8 ❑ Park View at Taylor . . . . . . . .B-8 ❑ Park View Timothy House . . .B-8 ❑ Park View at Woodlawn . . . .B-8 ❑ Park View at Columbia . . . . .B-8 ❑ Park View Ellicott City I and II . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-8

❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Park View at Emerson . . . . .B-8 Park View at Snowden River .B-8 Park View at Box Hill . . . . . .B-8 Park View at Bel Air . . . . . . .B-8 Quail Run . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-3 Weinberg Park Assisted Living . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B-6 ❑ The Woodlands . . . . .B-3 & B-6

IN-HOME CARE: ❑ WeCare Private Duty Service, Inc. . . . B-3 & B-4

Check the boxes you’re interested in and return this entire coupon to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915-2227.

You may also include the housing info coupon on page 5 of the Beacon.

One entry per household please.

Name __________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Address ____________________________________________________E-mail_______________________________________________ City _______________________________________________________ State ______________________ Zip ____________________

Phone (day) _______________________________________________ (eve) ________________________________________________ Please provide your telephone number or e-mail address so we may contact you promptly if you win the drawing.

BB 7/10

B-5

B-6

Housing Options

JULY 2010 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Advertorials

INDEPENDENT LIVING COMMUNITY

Oak Crest 410-665-2222 8820 Walther Boulevard Parkville, MD 21234 www.erickson.com Situated in Parkville, Oak Crest is retirement living at its best. Our beautiful gated community is 100% maintenance-free. So rather than worry about the house and the yard, you can spend more time pursing your passions: travel, volunteer, take a college class and explore some of Oak Crest’s 100-plus clubs and interest groups. Multiple campus restaurants offer a variety of delicious dining options, while 24-hour security offers protection and peace of mind. Enjoy the stability of predictable monthly expenses and look forward to a healthy future with our full continuum of health care and wellness services.

ASSISTED LIVING COMMUNITY

The Woodlands 410-918-2139 1320 Windlass Drive Baltimore, MD 21220 The Woodlands Assisted Living, nestled among four acres of serene woods, has a homelike atmosphere.

Each of our three floors is home to 14 residents in each wing.

Our spacious dining room encourages social gatherings, while each wing offers a kitchenette and dining area, enclosed porches with TV/VCR, and warm lounges. We also have a library, game room, beauty/barber shop and general store.

At The Woodlands, we take pride in lending assistance to residents, while maintaining their independence and peace of mind. Our loving and caring staff provide a sense of well-being and comfort to each and every resident.

INDEPENDENT/ASSISTED LIVING

Weinberg Park 410-664-0100 5833 Park Heights Avenue Baltimore, MD 21215-3949 www.weinbergseniorliving.com At Weinberg Park Assisted Living, everyone feels at home. Our quaint rooms and comfortable spaces create a relaxing atmosphere. To residents, the caring, experienced personnel are more than just staff, we’re friends and family. Everything we do is focused on helping our residents live life to the fullest extent by offering an environment where residents thrive.

We offer a vibrant community with just the right amount of assistance to let our residents live with confidence and independence.

Whether you need help getting dressed, managing medications or just need a friend, we’re there with a gentle helping hand. Our amenities include: Certified Nursing Assistance, Medication Management, 24-hour Emergency Response System, Laundry and Housekeeping Services, Delicious Kosher Meals, and Individualized Service Plans.

Setting the stage: How to sell your home fast

By Dave Carpenter Hiring a decorating and marketing specialist to help sell a house might sound like a frivolous cost to homeowners desperate to salvage every dollar in a fallen market.

A quality house at a fair price will sell itself, they figure. Paying a professional stager to rearrange or bring in new furniture, paint the walls neutral colors and hang different pictures surely couldn’t be worth a four-figure fee, the thinking goes.

Or could it?

Real estate professionals insist staging makes a big difference in how quickly a home sells — which can mean a higher sale price — and cite their own figures that show it.

Patrick McLaughlin had such a poor impression of a vacant house he visited at an open house that he told his broker friend it would never sell — it felt cold and uninviting. Then he went back after a professional had staged it and ended up buying it.

“They had art work, furniture, sofas, rugs.

It added a great deal of warmth to the property,” said McLaughlin, himself a broker.

More sellers have been turning to staging to make their properties stand out in a market packed with competing houses.

Margaret Gehr, who stages homes in the Chicago suburbs through her business Re-Arrange It Interiors, discussed the growing practice in an interview: Q: What exactly is home staging?

A: It’s the act of preparing and showcasing a home for sale. Preparing involves cleaning, decluttering, updating and repairing, while showcasing is the process of arranging furniture, accessories, art and light. The real estate agent, the homeowner and the stager work together as a team and decide what needs to be done to present the home on the marketplace.

Staging is all marketing — that’s all it is.

It’s a tool that’s no different than what someone might use to sell a box of cereal.

Q: Shouldn’t home shoppers be able to look at an unstaged house and visualize themselves there?

A: They should. But statistics from the National Association of Realtors show that only 10 percent of buyers can see past what is in front of them. It’s just natural for people to react to color, react to “stuff.”

I work with clients all the time who swear that they do not need to stage their home. But I find that they still bought the best-looking home available.

It might have been on a busy street or in an imperfect location, but the house was beautiful — they loved the house. Their emotions took over because the house was set up properly.

Q: Why is staging considered more important now?

A: It’s crucial in this market because there are just so many options for buyers to choose from. You need to be different,

you need to add extra value to your home.

Buyers are very move-in ready, so they can keep on moving right on down the line if they don’t like what they see. It used to be that if you were buying a home you might look at four or five homes before you made your decision. Now an average buyer might look at 35, 50 homes.

Q: How much does a consultation cost?

A: A comprehensive home staging consultation starts at $150 and goes up to about $350 nationwide. That consists of a walk through the property that will provide a homeowner with a to-do list — a detailed list of visual repairs, what they can do from fence to curb to get the most money and sell the fastest. We identify what should stay and what should go.

Q: What about the costs of staging itself?

A: For an occupied home, working with what the homeowners own in an averagesized house, it would start at about $750 and average maybe $1,000 to $1,500. With enhancement packages, where we supplement with furniture and trade some pieces out, that would start at about $1,500 and go up to about $2,500.

To fully furnish a vacant home would start at $2,500 and the average home would probably cost $3,000 to $4,000.

Q: What’s the difference between staging and decorating a home?

A: The biggest difference is that decorating is an extension of the things we love — our colors, our style, all our personality — whereas in staging we return the focus back to the property. We’re highlighting the features of the home, we’re complimenting the architecture of the home.

We want the potential buyer to come in and notice the beautiful windows or the fireplaces, not necessarily whatever color or style of furniture or pictures or things like that might be in the home.

Q: Do you stage every room?

A: No. It isn’t really necessary. We usually just stage the rooms where the buying decisions are made, and typically that’s on the first floor. We go for a “model home” sort of look. So, a lot of lifestyle elements to help buyers see what it’s like to live in the house.

Q: Home staging is relatively new.

What’s it like as a profession?

A: Staging has been going on forever; they just didn’t always have a name for it. It used to be done through the real estate agents, but that’s not their expertise. HGTV has brought it into the mainstream since the ‘90s.

You can make a good living staging. It takes time to build your clientele. And it takes a lot of behind-the-scenes work, a lot of inventory, purchasing, manual labor — lifting, moving, hauling, schlepping stuff around. The actual staging is the easy part.

More information about staging is available at www.realestatestagingassociation.

— AP

Housing Options

BALTIMORE BEACON — JULY 2010

B-7

Advertorials

Borrow free to renovate and weatherize

By Mary Stachyra Low- to moderate-income Maryland residents who want to make their homes more accessible as they age can now do so virtually for free.

Homeowners 55 or older can now borrow money from the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) at zero percent interest, with payments deferred for 30 years, so long as they meet income eligibility requirements.

The funds can be used for a wide variety of accessibility renovations, such as widening doorways for wheelchairs, building ramps for the outside of the home, and installing grab bars in the shower. Homeowners can borrow up to 95 percent of the assessed value of their property.

The program is also open on a case-bycase basis to Maryland residents who live with an older adult, as long as their house is the person’s principal residence. The house must be structurally sound and free of health or safety hazards.

The debt will be cancelled after the owner’s death. If the owner is still alive after 30 years, he or she will have to start making

payments on the loan, which will be based on affordability and income levels. If repayment is a hardship for the owner, the state will consider granting additional time.

Anyone who does not currently have a tax lien, open bankruptcy or foreclosure can apply. Applications are available at county Agencies on Aging.

For information about procedures for obtaining a home loan or to find the nearest place to apply, see www.MDhousing.org or call 1800-638-7781, TTY/Relay 1-800-735-2258.

The state also has funds available for low-income homeowners or renters who would like to lower their energy costs. The money, obtained from the federal government through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, covers “weatherization” expenses that make homes more energy efficient.

This can include the cost of improvements to hot water systems, adding insulation and cleaning furnaces. Seniors, the disabled, families with children, and high-energy consumers will be placed at the top of the list.

For more information, call 1-800-6387781 or visit www.dhcd.state.md.us/ARRA/ WAP.aspx.

Home office

($899-$1,299) used as a room divider.

5) If you go the route of inexpensive and mobile, Brun said The Container Store (www.containerstore.com) has some good, handy lines. The Juxta stacking drawers ($39.99) are slick and modern, and when fitted with the casters that are sold separately ($9.99), they can be pushed to the side of the room.

The Container Store’s Elfa brand of modular shelving and drawer system has many possibilities, and Brun likes how it can turn any nook or closet into an office.

— AP

From page B-4 cases are only 14 inches deep and the desk segment is only 20 inches deep,” she said.

4) Brun is also a fan of Room and Board, a company with 10 stores nationally and online ordering at www.roomandboard.com.

“These folks have good quality bookcases in maple, cherry, walnut and birch that are made in Pennsylvania, and I love the idea of buying American!” She likes the Woodwind Open Back collection of shelves

INDEPENDENT LIVING COMMUNITY

Charlestown 410-737-8830 715 Maiden Choice Lane Catonsville, MD 21228 www.erickson.com Ideally located in Catonsville, Charlestown offers maintenance-free retirement living combined with a vibrant lifestyle—all in a beautiful gated community. Without the worries of a house and yard, you can spend more time pursing your passions: travel, volunteer, take a college class and explore some of Charlestown’s 100-plus clubs and interest groups.

Multiple campus restaurants offer a variety of delicious dining options, while 24-hour security offers protection and peace of mind. Enjoy the stability of predictable monthly expenses and look forward to a healthy future with our full continuum of health care and wellness services.

INDEPENDENT LIVING COMMUNITY

Park View at Rosedale 410-866-1886 1315 Chesaco Avenue Baltimore, MD 21237 Park View at Rosedale offers maintenance-free living for those Seniors 62 or better. This community is nestled in a parklike setting yet is close to Golden Ring, White Marsh Mall, Franklin Square and the Rosedale Senior Center. Residents enjoy many social, recreational and educational activities including bus trips. This controlled access elevator building offers such amenities as a spacious community room, hair salon, clothing care center, lending library and lounge with game tables, cable TV, and computers with free Internet access. Call 410-866-1886 or email parkviewrosedale@sheltergrp.com today to arrange for your personal visit. We look forward to meeting you!

Adults 62+ – Make Your Move!

INDEPENDENT LIVING COMMUNITY

Park View at Dundalk 410-288-5483 103 Center Place Dundalk, MD 21222

Two Bedrooms from $949

Select 1 Bedrooms from $779

300 Cantata Court • Reisterstown, MD 21136 www.firstcentrumcommunities.com

Park View at Dundalk offers care-free living for those Seniors 62 or better right in the heart of historic Dundalk.

Just a block from Dundalk Avenue, this community has easy access to public transportation, shopping and restaurants. East Point Mall and Johns Hopkins Bayview are just minutes away. Residents enjoy many social, recreational and educational activities including bus trips. Our residents receive up to four dinners per week in conjunction with the Balto. Co. Eating Together Program. This controlled access elevator building offers such amenities as a community room, clothing care center, lending library and lounge with game tables and cable TV. Call 410-288-5483 or email parkviewdundalk@sheltergrp.com today to arrange for your personal visit. Come see what you’re missing!

B-8

Housing Options

JULY 2010 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Pull Out & Save This Section How to make the most of your garage sale

By Leah Dobkin Conducting a garage sale is a great way to make some extra money in this sagging economy. I decided to hold a garage sale a year ago after I had bought a duplex for investment purposes.

It contained the possessions of the original owner, who was born in 1890, as well as those of his parents and his daughter. Before I opened shop at my home, I solicited advice from Donn Moczynaski and Brian Belli, who conduct estate sales and own an antique mall.

If you’re going to hold a garage sale, you’ll need to decide if there’s anything

BEST VALUE

you can sell online. You could make extra money on collectibles.

I sold Harley Davidson knickknacks on eBay because there is a hot market for them. I also aimed for online collectors to sell a German doll from the 1880s.

Because I included the contents of three generations, my garage sale was bigger than most. The garage sale lasted two weekends, and more than 400 people stopped by.

I displayed about 300 items, including dishware, clothes, toys, furniture and records. Old postcards, maps, magazines and photos sold quickly. I sold unusual

items, such as an old sauerkraut barrel and an American flag with 48 stars.

How to get a good price When setting prices, conduct some research on very old and unusual items.

“The time you invest researching will pay you back tenfold,” Belli said.

There are diamonds in the dust, and you want to get a fair price. If you think you may have some old pieces of value, read Eric Knowles Antiques: A Beginner’s Guide With Over 1,400 Illustrations (Mitchell Beazley, $30). Also check consignment shops, eBay, Craigslist and Google to de-

MORE…

Affordable • Locations • Services

Independent Living For Those 62 or Better

Anne Arundel County • Park View at Furnace Branch: 410-761-4150 • Park View at Severna Park: Coming Soon Baltimore City • Park View at Ashland Terrace: 410-276-6440 • Park View at Coldspring: 410-542-4400 Baltimore County • Park View at Catonsville: 410-719-9464 • Park View at Dundalk: 410-288-5483 • Park View at Fullerton: 410-663-0665 • Park View at Miramar Landing: 410-391-8375 • Park View at Randallstown: 410-655-5673 • Park View at Rosedale: 410-866-1886 • Timothy House (Towson): 410-828-7185 • Park View at Taylor: 410-663-0363 • Park View at Woodlawn: 410-281-1120

Eastern Shore • Park View at Easton: 410-770-3070 Harford County • Park View at Box Hill: 410-515-6115 • Park View at Bel Air: 410-893-0064 Howard County • Park View at Colonial Landing: 410-796-4399 • Park View at Columbia: 410-381-1118 • Park View at Snowden River: 410-290-0384 • Park View at Ellicott City: 410-203-9501 • Park View at Ellicott City II: 410-203-2096 • Park View at Emerson: 301-483-3322 Prince Georges County NOW! *55 or * Park View at Bladensburg: 301-699-9785 Better • Park View at Laurel: 301-490-1526 • Park View at Laurel II: 301-490-9730

Call 410-246-7499 or Email SeniorLiving@sheltergrp.com to inquire about eligibility requirements and to arrange a private tour.

Professionally managed by The Shelter Group. www.thesheltergroup.com The Shelter Group is committed to Equal Housing Opportunities for people of all races, religions, ethnic groups, and disabilities and all other groups protected by federal, state, or local law.

termine market value.

I sought appraisals for my German doll, an embroidered handmade cloth, and some old records and books. An original receipt or box will increase an item’s value.

Know your bottom line and then negotiate. You should mark items slightly higher than what you expect to sell them for. Also check local ordinances, which could regulate the number and size of signs you can post.

I wasn’t allowed to conduct the sale on my front yard, so I used the garage and backyard. You can buy signs and price stickers and find tips for sellers and buyers at www.yardsaleportal.com.

Keep items accessible so that buyers do not have to rummage through boxes.

Also, be creative. Kathy Peterson, host of “The Balancing Act” on Lifetime Television, said it’s important to have colorful displays.

“Create beautiful vignettes using decorative home-decor items, like pottery and boxes, and group them in a theme,” she said. “If people love it all, they’ll buy it all.”

Barry Izsak, author of Organize Your Garage in No Time (Que, $17), said curb appeal is key. “Use lace tablecloths, twinkling lights, balloons and scented candles,” said Izsak, a professional organizer in Austin, Tex. I had a large, hand-carved, wood fireplace mantel with its original receipt front and center. I displayed decorative pottery and embroidery on the furniture I was selling. And I played upbeat nostalgic music from the various eras represented at the sale.

Look out for pros and thieves Watch out for antiques professionals, who will try to lowball you and then sell your items at much higher amounts.

They’ll look on the bottom of items for markings, and they may come with a magnifying glass or a jeweler’s loupe.

When some pros who read my ad came by my house days before the sale, I told them to return during the sale.

Also be aware of thieves. Belli suggests keeping small valuable items in a locked display case and larger valuable items close to you. Recruit friends and family members to watch your stuff.

Often fraudsters will collect a bunch of items and hide an expensive item in the middle of the pile. Look over what people want to buy. Check furniture drawers for unpaid merchandise.

“Just be vigilant, and have fun,” Belli said.

My garage sale was a blast — and my wallet was $4,000 thicker.

— Kiplinger Retirement Report

Leisure & Travel

BALTIMORE BEACON — JULY 2010

Smith Island From page 13 (called “guts”) that offer panoramic views of the scenery, which consists primarily of tidal marshes and mud flats.

They also provide opportunities for, and close encounters with, wildlife including heron, pelicans, bald eagles and many other resident and migratory species.

I understand angling for striped bass (rockfish), sea trout, flounder and other gamefish is excellent.

Back on land, each village is built around a Methodist Church which acts both as a kind of unofficial government and center of community life.

Since 1887, a week-long camp meeting held at the church in Ewell each summer has combined services and children’s Bible classes with homecoming and reunion festivities, and is a high point of each year’s social activities.

While some residents of Ewell and Rhodes Point own a vehicle, I learned that there are only three pick-up trucks in Tylerton and one car, which doesn’t run. Not surprisingly, as one local explained to me in his drawl, “Traffic signals are not re-quared.”

Neither, in fact, is any kind of vehicle for visitors. Tylerton — population about 70 at latest count and only two by four blocks in size — hardly calls for any mode of transportation other than feet.

A five-minute boat ride brings you to

Ewell (223 residents), which is connected to Rhodes Point (home to 90) by a strip of bumpy asphalt about 1.5 miles long which locals euphemistically call “the highway.”

The closest thing to a formal tourist attraction is a small Visitors Center and Cultural Museum in Ewell, where exhibits and an excellent film depict the history, economy and traditions of the island.

Boat models, including a half-scale crabbing vessel, old newspaper clippings and other displays augment facts and figures with touches of the character and color that combine to make Smith Island such an intriguing destination, though its residents constitute a unique part of the appeal.

Another “must” for visitors is to throw diet to the wind and sample Smith Island Cake. It is a towering delicacy of usually eight or nine thin layers that recently was designated as the official dessert of Maryland. Most common is yellow cake with chocolate icing, but flavors like coconut, fig and orange are also common.

In sum, this is a place of simple pleasures. In how many other places would a proud resident concede that life is hard, many young people are leaving, and no one can predict what the future will hold, then add — as Sharon Bruce did — “But it’s still home to us, and we love it here.”

Baltimore, unless you hit a traffic jam.

Three small passenger ferries and one larger cruise boat offer service to the island, about a 45-minute ride on calm days.

Warm weather is favored by mosquitoes and other small varmints, so take some bug spray.

For accommodations, there’s a choice of several inviting B&B’s. It didn’t take me long to understand where the Inn of Silent Music, where I stayed, got its name. Built by a boat captain circa 1916, it’s nestled on a quiet point at one end of Tylerton, and the property has three appealing bedrooms, each with a water view.

It offers bicycles, canoes and a two-person kayak for its guests’ use. Owners Rob and Linda Kellogg are happy to help arrange sightseeing, fishing and other activities. Rates, in the $110 to $130 range, in-

clude a true gourmet breakfast.

The inn remains open until mid-November. For more information, call (410) 4253541 or log onto www.innofsilentmusic.com.

Lunch is available at several other eateries, including tiny markets. The menu at the Bayside Restaurant in Ewell serves Maryland crab soup ($2.75 to $3.75), soft crab sandwiches ($10.99) and more elaborate platters.

At the Drum Point Market on Tylerton I enjoyed the best crab cake I found on Smith Island ($7.50). It’s a gathering place where watermen often hang out, and lunch “is served with a side order of island news and color.”

For more information about Smith Island, call 1-800-521-9189 or log onto www.visitsomerset.com.

Victor Block is a Washington, D.C.-based travel writer.

Cruise on the WWII Liberty Ship SS JOHN W BROWN 2010 Cruises August 28 & October 16 Baltimore, MD September 25 in Providence, RI Tickets are $140 each Group rates available This exciting six hour cruise features: continental breakfast, lunch buffet, music of the 40’s, & flybys of wartime aircraft (conditions permitting) and much more. The ship is open for tours including the engine room.

Ticket Orders: (410) 558-0164 Order forms available online at: www.liberty-ship.com Project Liberty Ship, P.O. Box 25846, Baltimore, Maryland 21224-0546

If you go Smith Island is 12 miles from Crisfield, Md., which is about a three-hour drive from

Last day to order tickets is 14 days before the cruise.

Conditions and penalties apply to cancellations.

Project Liberty Ship is a Baltimore based, all volunteer, nonprofit organization.

HELP FOR FEET & LEGS Dr. Stuart M. Goldman, Podiatrist Fellow, American College of Foot & Ankle Surgeons Board Certified in Foot & Ankle Surgery by the American Board of Podiatric Surgery Marquis Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in Medicine and Healthcare, Who’s Who in the World

Special focus on conservative (non surgical) treatment of foot & leg pain.

• Bunions • Hammertoes • Flat Foot • Burning Feet • Leg Cramps • Ingrown Nails

15

• Heel & Arch Pain • Fungus Nails • Surgical Failures • Corns & Calluses • Morton’s Neuroma • “Growing Pains”

• Peripheral Neuropathy • Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome • Warts & other Skin Growths • Arthritis and Tendinitis of the •

Foot & Ankle Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy

• Sleep Interference from • •

Leg Pains Walking Limitations from Leg Pains Foot & Leg Symptoms of Spinal Stenosis

• Diabetic Foot Management including “Comprehensive Diabetic Foot Exam” We welcome patients with persistent symptoms despite other medical or surgical care to come in for evaluation and treatment.

Dr. Goldman, who has been included in Marquis Who’s Who in America, has published many articles (1997-2008) on

Peripheral Neuropathic Symptoms including numbness, burning, cramping, difficulty standing, walking or sleeping.

Approximately 60% of diabetics and 40% of non diabetics receive relief of neuropathy symptoms, within 3 days to 3 weeks!

Medical Staff: Sinai Hospital, Northwest Hospital, GBMC Medicare • BlueCross/BlueShield • Aetna • Bravo • Hopkins Medical Assistance & most other insurances

4419 Falls Rd. Baltimore

4000 Old Court Road PIkesville

HelpForYourFeet.com

(410) 235-2345

16

JULY 2010 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Style Arts &

The group Beatlegras performs Beatles favorites with a twist.

Summer festivals highlight arts scene

Columbia Festival of the Arts Now in its 24th year, the Columbia Festival of the Arts has grown into a celebration of arts and artists ranging from emerging artists to those of international fame.

The festival runs through June 26, culminating in a performance by folk singer Arlo Guthrie on Saturday, June 26, at 8 p.m. at the Rouse Theater. Guthrie, the son of singer/songwriter/philosopher Woody Guthrie, came to prominence in 1967 with his song “Alice’s Restaurant.”

Leading up to Guthrie’s performance are a variety of other events, several of which are free including a literary reading that will pay tribute to the late poet Lucille Clifton on Sunday, June 20, from 2 to 4 p.m., at Oliver’s Carriage House.

Free screenings of films submitted by aspiring filmmakers to the Cinema Colum-

bia Project will be held on Monday, June 21, at 7 p.m. at the Horowitz Center of Howard Community College.

And on Wednesday, June 23, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., “Picturing America 19301960,” a traveling exhibit on loan from the Baltimore Museum of Art, will be on view.

This free exhibit features images captured by the great American photographers of the mid-20th Century, including Bernice Abbott, Margaret Bourke White, Harry Callahan, Walker Evans, Robert Frank, Dorothea Lange, Ralph Eugene Meatyard, Gordon Parks and Edward Weston. Curator Rena Hoisington will give a gallery talk at 6:15 p.m.

On Tuesday, June 22, at 7 p.m. at Howard Community College, novelist Sheila Kohler will read and talk about her new work, Becoming Jane Eyre. It opens in a dark room, where Charlotte Brontë sits beside her ill father, gathering the rage to write Jane Eyre, and follows the writer through her memories to pen her masterpiece.

A movie based on another of Kohler’s seven novels, Cracks, opens in U.S. theaters this year after debuting at the Toron-

Looking for some deliciously entertaining fun?

OPENS JUNE 12 – LIMITED ENGAGEMENT

TOBY’S DINNER THEATRE OF BALTIMORE 5625 O’Donnell Street • CALL 410-649-1660

PHOTO COURTESY OF ARTSCAPE

By Carol Sorgen Festival fever has hit the region.

Whether you’re interested in visual or performing arts, or simply want to enjoy a beautiful summer’s day, opportunities abound throughout the season. Here’s a sampling:

Each year, thousands of people attend Artscape, America’s largest free arts festival.

This year, the event will take place from July 16 to 18.

to Film Festival. Tickets for Kohler’s appearance include a wine and cheese reception with the author.

On Thursday, June 24, at 7 p.m. at the Belmont Conference Center, the musical trio Beatlegras will perform songs from, no surprise, the Beatles. But the familiar tunes will take on a new twist, infused with bluegrass, jazz and the classics.

Dance fans will enjoy the performance of Parsons Dance on Friday, June 25, at 8 p.m., at Rouse Theatre. Parsons Dance has

been critically acclaimed for its “virtuosity, energy and sexiness.”

For more details on these events and to purchase tickets, visit www.columbiafestival.com.

Artscape Artscape is Baltimore’s annual free celebration of the arts. This year it will take place July 16 through 18 in the areas borSee FESTIVALS, page 19

BEACON BITS

June 23

BRITISH AUTHOR SPEAKS ABOUT LATEST BOOK British mystery writer Patricia Finney will talk about her latest

mystery, A Murder of Crows, on Wednesday, June 23, at 6:30 p.m., at the Southeast Anchor Library, 3601 Eastern Ave. For more information on this free

NOW PLAYING, HON! Hairspray is HELEN HAYES AWARDS RECOMMENDED©

TOBY’S DINNER THEATRE OF COLUMBIA 5900 Symphony Woods Road • CALL 410-730-8311 Seats are subject to availability. Due to the nature of theatrical bookings, all shows and dates are subject to change.

event, visit www.prattlibrary.org or call (410) 396-1580.

July 1+

SENIOR BOX OFFICE OPEN FOR ENROLLMENT Senior Box Office provides complimentary or reduced rate tickets to members for events in the Baltimore metropolitan area.

Enrollment is open to Baltimore County residents 60 or older. Annual fee is $25.

TobysDinnerTheatre.com

Open membership enrollment runs from July 1 to Aug. 15 for the upcoming sea-

RESERVE YOUR SEATS TODAY!

son. Call (410) 887-5399 for an application or visit www.seniorboxoffice.org.

Arts & Style

BALTIMORE BEACON — JULY 2010

17

Dancing their way to a statewide award

From exercisers to performers The company first started as a jazzercise class about 17 years ago, but quickly evolved into a performing troupe that spe-

cializes in line dancing. Line dancing is a choreographed sequence of steps performed by a group of people in one or two lines.

Teacher Leon Britain choreographs routines for the troupe, using familiar music from a variety of genres — “Anything that’s not too fast and won’t kill us,” laughed Collins.

The dancers rehearse at the Waxter Center twice a week, and usually perform up to several times a week throughout the year. They have appeared at the Flower Mart, the Senior Miss Maryland Pageant, the Reginald F. Lewis Museum, the Social Security Administration, and various senior centers, among other venues.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WAXTER CENTER

By Carol Sorgen Carolyn Collins has never had professional dance training, but that doesn’t stop her from being an enthusiastic member of the Waxter Center High Steppers, a troupe of 10 to 15 line dancers who appear at events and celebrations throughout the state.

The company of amateur — “but very agile” — dancers ranging in age from 59 to 83 was recently recognized at the Third Annual Governor’s Leadership in Aging Awards ceremony held in May at the Catonsville Senior Center.

The High Steppers won an award in the performing arts category. The Governor’s Leadership in Aging Awards is a celebration of those who have made outstanding contributions to the field of aging and the quality of life for seniors in Maryland.

“We got to meet the governor and we were elated,” said Collins, 69, president of the High Steppers.

A lifelong activity Like Collins, a retired personnel administrator for the state of Maryland, the company members learned dancing “on the street” as kids.

“It’s just something we loved, and it’s like riding a bike,” said Collins. “You don’t forget how to do it.”

Collins said she and the dancers enjoy

Tell our advertisers, “I saw you in the Beacon!”

Members of the Waxter Center High Steppers, a line dance group, surround Kenya Cousin, the director of the center. The group recently won a Governor’s Leadership in Aging Award for excellence in the arts.

the health benefits of dancing. In fact, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2003, “Dancing was the only physical activity associated with a lower risk of dementia.”

But even more than that, they enjoy

making people happy.

“It’s fun to surprise people — especially younger folks — with what we can do,” said Collins. “And it makes us happy to uplift others who need some joy in their lives.”

Incomparable Israel with Inimitable Rhea October 3-13, 2010 M

PT invites you to join maven of culture Rhea Feikin on the cultural and educational tour of a lifetime. You’ll see many historic, Biblical and scenic sites, plus markets, museums and more at stops that include Tel Aviv, Galilee, Jerusalem, the Western Wall, the Negev, Arava and Eilat.

This trip is in partnership with Jewish National Fund Travel and Tours. Proceeds benefit MPT.

Info & reservations: mpt.org/travel, (410) 581-4361.

18

Arts & Style

JULY 2010 — BALTIMORE BEACON

You’ll start feeling better the minute you see how much you save on generic prescriptions.

If you or your family are taking prescription medications, you may want to try generics. Generics are safe and effective, FDA approved, and work the same way that name brands do, but cost up to 80% less. Speak to your CVS Pharmacist to learn more.

Donndra Kee-Pearce, CVS Pharmacist

07658RXM08

Arts & Style

BALTIMORE BEACON — JULY 2010

Festivals

www.artscape.org or call 1-877-BALTIMORE.

From page 16 dered by Mount Royal Avenue and Cathedral Street/Charles Street, the Bolton Hill neighborhood, and the Station North Arts and Entertainment District.

This Charm City tradition is the country’s largest free arts festival, featuring more than 150 artists, fashion designers and craftspeople. There are visual art exhibits on and off site, such as outdoor sculpture, art cars, photography and the Janet & Walter Sondheim Artscape Prize.

The event also includes live concerts on three outdoor stages; a full schedule of performing arts including dance, opera, theater, fashion, film, experimental music and performances by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra; family events such as hands-on projects, demonstrations, jazz vocal and combo competitions, children’s entertainers and multiple street theater locations; and an international menu of food and beverages available throughout the site.

Artscape will welcome Martha Graham Dance Company’s troupe Graham II on Sunday, July 17 at 1 and 3 p.m. in the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall.

For more details about the festival, visit

Ethnic festivals Baltimore’s ethnic diversity is one of its charms, and the annual Showcase of Nations Ethnic Festivals is a great way to experience that. The festivals run through Oct. 17 and are held throughout the city.

The African American Heritage Festival, a celebration of African-American ancestry, with nationally known entertainment and educational exhibits, will take place Friday, June 18 from 5 to 10 p.m., Saturday, June 19 noon to 10 p.m., and Sunday, June 20 from noon to 9 p.m. at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. For more information, call (410) 235-2227 ext. 211, www.aahf.net. The festival is free before 4 p.m. and $5 after that.

LatinoFest, a lively weekend of Hispanic arts and culture featuring live musical performances, dances, food and more, will be held Saturday, June 26 and Sunday, June 27 noon to 9 p.m. at Patterson Park at Linwood and Eastern Avenues, (410) 5633160, www.latinofest.org. Admission is $5.

The Caribbean Carnival Festival at Druid Hill Park, with a traditional island costumed parade; soca, reggae, and steel drum bands; live international entertain-

ment, elaborate costumes, and authentic Caribbean cuisine takes place Friday, July 9 from 5 to 9 p.m. and Saturday, July 10 and Sunday, July 11 from noon to 9 p.m.

For more information, call (410) 230-2969.

Admission is $10.

International Festival, a celebration of Baltimore’s cultural diversity with music, dancing and a variety of ethnic foods, will be held on Saturday, August 7 and Sunday, August 8 from noon to 9 p.m. at Poly/Western High School near Falls Road and West Coldspring Lane. For more information, call (410) 396-3141. The festival is free.

FestAfrica 2010 is an African festival with traditional music, crafts and art, dances and food. It takes place Saturday, August 14 and Sunday, August 15, from noon to 8 p.m., at Patterson Park, located at Linwood and

Eastern Avenues. For info, call (410) 6080420, www.festafricausa.com. Admission is $5 for those over 10.

The following month at Patterson Park is the Ukrainian Festival, a celebration featuring four dance groups, Ukrainian Easter Eggs demonstrations, musicians, traditional crafts, a Ukrainian beer garden and children’s activities. The event is Saturday, Sept. 11 and Sunday, Sept. 12 from noon to 9 p.m. For more information, call (410) 687-3465, www.ukrainianfestival.net. Admission is free.

Russian Festival, a celebration of the Russian community, runs Friday, Oct. 15 to Sunday, Oct. 17 at Holy Trinity Russian Orthodox Church at 1723 E. Fairmount Ave. Call (410) 276-6171 or see www.holytrinityorthodox.com/festival for more information. Admission is $2.

BEACON BITS

July 13

HELP SENIORS REMAIN INDEPENDENT Partners In Care is an all-volunteer local nonprofit helping older

adults remain independent in their homes. Drivers, receptionists, handymen, ride dispatchers, Life Line emergency response installers, and boutique workers are all needed. Volunteer orientations will be held on July 13 at 2 and 5 p.m.

Applications and reservations are required. Call (410) 544-4800.

BEACON BITS

Ongoing

HUNT VALLEY SUMMER CONCERT SERIES

The annual Summer Concert Series returns to Hunt Valley Town Centre with free concerts every Friday from 7:30 to 9 p.m. For more information, visit www.shophuntvalley.com.

Ongoing

June 27

VOLUNTEER AT BALTIMORE WOMEN’S CLASSIC

You can run, walk or volunteer at the annual New Balance Baltimore Women’s Classic 5K on Sunday, June 27. The BWC is the secondlongest, consecutively running all-women’s event in the country. The race begins and ends at Rash Field, Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, at 8 a.m. For more information, call (410) 308-1870 or visit www.baltimorewomensclassic.com.

Ongoing

Have You Had Your Yearly Eye Exam?

THURSDAYS AT THE LEWIS

Enjoy live entertainment and light fare on at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St. Admission is $5 after 5 p.m. every Thursday. For more information, call (443) 263-1800 or visit www.africanamericanculture.org.

HELP EDUCATE ABOUT ASTHMA

The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America needs volunteers to assist in the office and staff tables at health fairs. Volunteer nurses and health educators are also needed to provide instruction in asthma/allergy protocols. Call (410) 484-2054 to learn more.

Cars, boats, furniture, antiques, tools, appliances Everything and anything is sold on

Radio Flea Market Heard every Sunday, 6:30-8 a.m. on 680 WCBM

19

We provide eye exams & eyeglass services in your own home or facility.

Contact us for more information or to schedule your appointment:

443-926-4435 or info@mobileopticalinc.com www.mobileopticalinc.com

20

Arts & Style

JULY 2010 — BALTIMORE BEACON

We want to be your Family’s Pharmacy That’s why we give you more.

Our pharmacists are at the heart of everything we do.

They can counsel you on your medications, side effects, drug interactions... even vitamins. We give you more than your medications; we’ll give you the advice you need.

Plus a series of pharmacy benefits like no other drugstore.

LifeCheck

sm

When we fill your prescription, our LifeCheck computer system lets our pharmacists triple check your prescriptions.*

Satellite Link

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Since all of our Pharmacies are linked by satellite network, we can access your prescription profile and fill your prescription at any location.* *If on file at another Rite Aid store.

Refills By Phone

Internet Refills

Refills just got easier. Call the Pharmacy number on your prescription bottle, enter the prescription I.D. number printed on the label and we will tell you when it will be ready.

With Internet Refills, you can order your prescription without ever leaving the house. Just go to www.riteaid.com and click “Refill Now”, select Store Pick-up or Mail Delivery and simply enter prescription information.

Rite Advice

Vitamin Program

With every prescription, you will receive written information on the dosage, side effects and potential drug interaction.

Only Rite Aid pharmacists are specially trained to know vitamins. Ask your Rite Aid pharmacist for a personal vitamin profile.

Workers’ Compensation

Flavor Rx

“Being injured on the job is hard enough. Your Rite Aid Pharmacist is here to personally help you along your road to recovery.” Ask us about our Workers’ Compensation Prescription Program.

There are no hassles, no delays and no out-ofpocket expenses.

We make children’s medicines a lot less yucky. Ask the pharmacist to add any of our 20 great flavors to any of your liquid medications.

Arts & Style

BALTIMORE BEACON — JULY 2010

Graduates From page 1 though,” said Fletcher, whose mother had been a domestic worker. But Fletcher managed to begin his college studies at night at then-Morgan State College and, with the aid of a scholarship, was able to continue his education, graduating in 1956.

A varied career followed, including stints as a teacher, a broadcaster and a human services specialist. Along the way, Fletcher also received a Master of Education degree in Guidance and Counseling from Harvard University.

Fletcher retired in 2000 but found that “sitting around and doing nothing” was not to his liking. Though he loves learning, he admits to needing some external motivation to get him going.

“I was stagnating intellectually,” he said.

“I needed another challenge.”

The challenge came at Loyola, where he enrolled in 2008, taking 12 courses in a variety of areas over the following two years — from history to literature to philosophy.

“I did it for fun,” said Fletcher, who received financial aid for his studies.

Fletcher said being a later-in-life student was “stimulating and enlightening.” He found that talking with his much-younger classmates gave him a good idea of how the world has changed.

Not concerned with grades, Fletcher nevertheless approached his studies diligently — and passionately. As a former English instructor, he found it a pleasure reading the many textbooks and writing term papers.

In fact, Fletcher may be joining Buchanan at Morgan — he plans to pursue a degree in

BEACON BITS

July 16+

HELP WITH AMERICA’S LARGEST FREE ARTS FESTIVAL

The Baltimore Office of Promotion & the Arts is seeking volunteers to help support the 29th annual Artscape on July 16, 17 and 18. The festival relies on more than 300 volunteers for assistance for a variety of activities, including helping children with arts and craft projects, greeting festival goers at galleries and much more. To register to volunteer, visit www.myvolunteerpage.com.

Online applications should be submitted by Friday, July 2, 5 p.m. For more information on Artscape or volunteer opportunities, call (410) 752-8632 or visit www.artscape.org.

Ongoing

MODEL TRAIN SHOW

If you’re a model train enthusiast, you’ll want to attend the Great Scale Model Train Show at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium on Saturday and Sunday, June 26 to 27. Admire the crafted-to-scale model trains and layouts and browse the offerings of more than 450 vendors selling miniature trains, scenery, books and more. Admission is $9. For more information, call (410) 730-1036 or visit http://gsmts.com.

Ongoing

Mom graduates with daughter When Sophia Cohen graduated in May with her undergraduate degree in social work from the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC), the 50-year-old Catonsville resident shared the special occasion with her family.

That celebration certainly included her 22-year-old daughter, Leah, who graduated from UMBC the same day with a degree in history and early childhood education.

“That made the day extra special,” said Cohen, who graduated from high school in 1977 but then found herself working in sales for a number of years — “the last

thing I ever expected or wanted to do,” she said. “But there were bills to pay and life was happening.”

At 40, Cohen, then a stay-at-home mom and caregiver for her parents, decided it was time to finally get that college degree.

She started slowly, pursuing an Associate of Arts degree in human services from the Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC), and then moved on to UMBC. A career in social work has been a lifelong dream for her, and she is looking forward to finding a job in that field.

“I’ve heard from so many women who have been motivated by my story,” said Cohen, “that I’m thinking that that might be an area for me to pursue. I think I’d like to help other women and inspire them to follow their dream. Anyone can do what I’ve done.”

Baltimore City Health Department Senior Community Service Employment Program • Employment training for seniors • Be placed in non-profit or government agencies to train for a new job • Earn $7.25/hour while training • Required to train a minimum of 20 hours per week • Must be 55 or older, unemployed and a resident of Baltimore City

For more information, call

410-545-7290 or 410-545-7291

VOLUNTEER WITH BALTIMORE COUNTY

The Volunteer Office of the Baltimore County Department of Social Services offers numerous volunteer opportunities, including maintaining clothing and housewares closets, special projects, and clerical support. For more information, call (410) 853-3021 or visit www.baltimorecountymd.gov/agencies/socserv/volunteers.

June 26+

English there this fall.

“I’m always looking for another challenge,” he said. “After Morgan…well, then I’ll find another mountain to climb.”

a es ift! k a g M at e gr

Beacon The

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Enjoy homegrown and homemade produce, delicacies and crafts at the Baltimore Farmers’ Market and Bazaar, held every Sunday through Dec. 19 under the Falls Road Expressway.

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From page 22.

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21

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22

JULY 2010 — BALTIMORE BEACON

Crossword

Puzzle Page

Decisions, Decisions 1

2

3

4

6

5

14

by Stephen Sherr 7

8

18

20

21 23 27

42

25 30

43

1. In 1955, who were the two men who were the top money-earning act in show business? Their popular comedy team costarred in 17 movies between 1949 and 1956.

2. We collected them. We licked them. We got free merchandise with them. What were they?

3. In the 1950s, who was the woman who wrote on social etiquette?

4. What was the name of the well-known aviator in Will Roger’s 1935 plane crashed in Alaska?

5. During both the Kennedy and Johnson administration, who was the Secretary of State?

Jagoe’s Brain Joggers answsers

44

45

48

49

54

55

56

57

58

62

63

64

65

66

67

68

69

70

1. Islamic destination 6. Opt for 11. The last pres. born in the 19th century 14. ___ Shrugged 15. Parks namesakes 16. Confound 17. Slumber party highlight 19. Point value of a free throw 20. Spotted 21. Deplete 22. Gator’s cousin 23. Colonist 25. Home foe 27. Environmentalist’s dilemma 34. Editor’s denial of responsibility 35. Socially unacceptable 36. Kitchen appliance 37. Pacific coast nation 39. Bottle tops 41. A waterfowl 42. Make amends 44. Flower’s greeting 46. Tonsillectomy doc.

47. A proposition 50. ___ grand slam (score four) 51. Mafia boss 52. H1N1 preventer 54. Placesetting center 58. Greek salad topper 62. Sharapova shot 63. Lunch special 65. Clay, converted 66. Rage 67. Safeway pathway 68. ___ for Two 69. Plow inventor 70. Oxygen producers 1. Welcomers

46

51

53

Down

61

41

40

Across

by Armiger Jagoe

60

36

50

Jagoe’s Brain Joggers

33

26

31

39

47

32

22

29

38

13

19

35

37

12

16

24

28

34

Magic Maze answers on p. 21.

11

10

15

17

52

9

59

2. Raison d’ ___ (reason for being) 3. Game with a conservatory 4. Quick snooze 5. Output of Marlboro or Mount St. Helens 6. Drops the ball 7. Prospector’s quest 8. Jacob’s twin brother 9. ___ tunnel syndrome 10. Half of a dangerous fly 11. Academic ideal 12. Numbers game 13. Head honcho 18. Got to the ribbon quicker 22. Play groups 24. Profit after expenses 26. I ___ a Teenage Werewolf 27. Devoutness 28. Bad trait for a window washer 29. Bigger than big 30. Golfer Mediate, runner-up at the 2008 U.S. Open 31. Omaha Hi Lo, for example 32. Athletes Lendl and Rodriguez 33. It is now only 2.5% copper 34. Monty Python delicacy 38. Dark 40. Pretzel mogul 43. Enjoy some jambalaya 45. “Can I come ___?”

48. Alcatraz prisoner number 85 49. Biased 52. Plank 53. Golfer’s target 55. Winter Olympics vehicle 56. Rich Little, for example 57. Removed the wrapping 59. Otherwise 60. “Two Cities” story 61. Fruit drinks 63. Gloomy 64. Rightmost calendar column

Answers on page 21.

1. Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis 2. S & H Green Stamps 3. Emily Post 4. Wiley Post 5. Dean Rusk

23

BALTIMORE BEACON — JULY 2010

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 bottom of this page.

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 OFFER A NEEDED SERVICE VERY FEW KNOW ABOUT! Earn large commissions selling the unwanted life insurance policies of seniors in the emerging industry of Life/Viatical Settlements. Need network of seniors and/or professionals that work with seniors. Call Ray at 877-282-4360. www.AtAge60.com.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Forty-year-old community-based organization seeks an administrator with non-profit and budgetary experience.

Good communication skills a must. Salary negotiable. Send resume to: Forest Park Senior Center, c/o Doris Hart, 4801 Liberty Heights Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21207. Phone: 410-466-2124. $50/HR POTENTIAL. Get Paid to Shop and Eat. Retail Research Associate Needed. No Experience. Training Provided. Call 1-800-7426941.

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ANTIQUE AND QUALITY OLDER FURNITURE and accessories wanted. One piece or entire estate, including Potthast, Biggs, Kittinger, and significant modern furniture and art, Tiffany lamps, toys, dolls, paintings, silver, oriental rugs, prints, pottery, china and glassware.

Music boxes, clocks, country store items, paper memorabilia, historical and military items, old fishing equipment, antique firearms and all other items of value. I am a Washington native with over 35 years of experience in this business. I am well educated, courteous and have more experience and pay higher prices than virtually any other dealer in the area. I make prompt decisions, have unlimited funds, pay immediately and remove items expeditiously.

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References gladly furnished. Please call Jake Lenihan, (301) 279-8834. Thank you.

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FREE HD/DVR Upgrade! PLUS Save $29/mo for 1 yr! Ends 7/14/10. New cust only, qual pkgs.

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Personals TRYING TO LOCATE PATTY DODD from Inverness. She had friends named Gloria and Brenda. Call 410-238-4167, Important.

FREE 6-ROOM DISH Network Satellite System! FREE HD-DVR! $19.99/mo, 120+ Digital Channels (for 1 year.) Call Now - $400 Signup BONUS! 1-888-430-9664.

LEO LADY, Colored, 5’6”, 60 years old. I am interested in music, DVDs, cooking, good conversations and quiet evenings. Looking for male 50 – 65 for friendship with similar interests. He must be religious, educated, employed with his own home and transportation, non-alcoholic and drug free. Send photo and phone number to: Brenda Johnson, 11806 Maren Court, Reisterstown, MD 21136.

GIGANTIC GYM MIRRORS, $99 48”X100”, (11 available) @ $99/each 72”x100” (9 available) @ $149/each 60”x84” beveled (3 available) @ $135/each Will deliver free 1-800-4730619.

CHRISTIAN DATING & FRIENDSHIP SERVICE 21 Years of successful introductions with over 100,000 members & countless relationships! Singles over 40, call for a FREE package! 1-877-437-6944 (toll free).

MEMORY FOAM THERAPEUTIC NASA VISCO MATTRESSES WHOLESALE! T-$299 F-$349 Q-$399 K-$499 ADJUSTABLES - $799 FREE DELIVERY 25 YEAR WARRANTY 90 NIGHT TRIAL 1-800-ATSLEEP 1-800-2875337 WWW.MATTRESSDR.COM.

LEARN ENGLISH – SPANISH – ITALIAN –

Miscellaneous DONATE YOUR CAR!!! Kids Fund Inc. 443901-2649 or 1-877-532-9330. Help to provide scholarships to attend college for kids. Cars, Boats, SUV, Buses, etc. Free towing. IRS Tax Deductions. All vehicles considered.

REACH OVER 30 MILLION HOMES WITH ONE BUY. Advertise in NANI for only $2,795 per week! For information, call Roger King at 410-248-9101. **ALL Satellite Systems are not the same.

Monthly programming starts under $20 per month and FREE HD and DVR systems for new callers. CALL NOW 1-800-799-4935.

AAAA ** DONATION Donate your Car Boat or Real Estate. IRS Tax Deductible. Free Pickup/Tow. Any Model/Condition. Help Under Privileged Children. Outreach Center. 1-800-9287566.

ATTEND COLLEGE ONLINE from Home. *Medical, *Business, *Paralegal, *Accounting, *Criminal Justice. Job placement assistance.

Computer available. Financial Aid if qualified.

Call 800-510-0784 www.CenturaOnline.com.

120+ TV CHANNELS for only $19.99/mo with DISH. USA, TBS, ESPN, Disney, FOX News, CNN & more! $75 Cash-back, Free Equipment & Installation. Call Now: (866) 236-8706 or visit: www.SatelliteSolutions.com.

DONATE A CAR – HELP CHILDREN FIGHTING DIABETES. Fast, Free Towing.

Call 7 days/week. Non-runners OK. Tax Deductible. Call Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. 1-800-578-0408.

GET YOUR DEGREE ONLINE *Medical, *Business, *Paralegal, *Accounting, *Criminal Justice. Job placement assistance. Computer available. Financial Aid if qualified. Call 800510-0784 www.CenturaOnline.com.

DONATE A CAR TODAY TO HELP CHILDREN And Their Families Suffering From Cancer. Free Towing. Tax Deductible. Children’s Cancer Fund Of America, Inc. www.ccfoa.org 1800-469-8593.

For Rent/Sale Real Estate

HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA! Graduate in 4 Weeks! PACE Program. FREE Brochure. CALL NOW! 1-866-562-3650 Ext. 30 www.southeasternhs.com.

FOR SALE BY OWNER: Active 55+ Community located in Pikesville, MD Villages at Woodholme.

Over 3,000 Square Feet. Beautiful well maintained home. 410-653-8272. http://www.fsbo55andover.com.

DONATE YOUR CAR! Breast Cancer Research foundation! Most highly rated breast cancer charity in America! Tax Deductible/Fast Free Pick Up. 800-771-9551 www.cardonationsforbreastcancer.org.

Personal Services

HIGHEST CASH PAID FOR ANTIQUES AND ESTATES. Serving entire metro area. I will purchase one piece or your entire estate.

Including Furniture, Artwork, Glassware, Jewelry, Rugs, Costume, Gold and Silver, Watches, Sterling Items, Flatware, Lladro & Hummel Figurines, All Military Items, Guns, Swords, Helmets, Bayonets, Medals, Scout Items, Clocks, Music Boxes, Toys, Baseball Memorabilia, trains, All String Instruments, Including Guitars, Banjos, Mandolins, Fishing Rods and Reels, Lures, Historical Items, American tools, Posters. I am a very reputable dealer with two locations in Silver Spring and Bowie, MD. Please call Christopher Keller 301-408-4751 or 301-262-1299. Thank you.

FRENCH – PORTUGUESE Conversational.

Grammatical. Private lessons. Reasonable Rates. Tutoring students. 443-352-8200.

ABSOLUTELY PAYING TOP CASH for Antiques, Collectibles, Jewelry, Trains, Old Toys, WW2 Memorabilia, Pottery, Glassware, Colts & Orioles items. Call Todd 443-421-6113.

PIANO LESSONS: Free introductory lesson.

Summer is a great time to start. Patient, experienced teacher. All ages 5 thru senior. Near Towson. Call Linda at 410-532-8381.

OLD GUITARS WANTED! Fender, Gibson, Martin, Gretsch, Prairie State, Euphonon, Larson, D’Angelico, Stromberg, Rickenbacker, and Mosrite. Gibson Mandolins/Banjos. 1930’s thru 1970’s TOP CASH PAID! 1-800-401-0440.

TARNISH? Your complete resource for all things sterling. Fine gifts and antiques. Expert polishing, plating, repairs, engraving. BUYING AND SELLING sliver and gold at the best prices. Intercon Industries, 629 Reisterstown Road, Pikesville, MD 21208. 410-358-3377.

WANTED 1985 & NEWER USED MOTORCYCLES & select watercraft, ATV & snowmobiles. FREE Pickup – NO Hassle Cash Price. 1800-963-9216; www.SellUsYourBike.com MonFri 9AM – 7PM.

EXPERIENCED PERSONAL ASSISTANT – Companion and care for elderly, house keeping and run errands. Good references for only $12 hourly. Call Marlene anytime at 410-207-2772.

WANTED DIABETES TEST STRIPS Any Kind/Any brand Unexpired. Pay up to $16.00 per box. Shipping Paid. Call 1-800-267-9895 or www.SellDiabeticstrips.com.

Wanted OLDER RECORDS WANTED from the 20s through 70s. Jazz, Rock-n-Roll, Soul, Rhythm & Blues, Country, and Movie and TV Soundtracks. 33 1/3 LPs, 45s or 78s. Please call John, 301-596-6201.

Thanks for reading!

BEACON BITS

July 4

PETS ON PARADE

The American Visionary Art Museum’s annual Visionary Pets on Parade will take place on Sunday, July 4, at 10 a.m. (9:30 a.m. registration for pets). Enter your furry friend for a chance to win in such categories as Most Patriotic, Best Costume, Most Visionary Pet or Least Likely to Succeed as a Pet. Call (410) 244-1900 or visit www.avam.org for more details.

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING RATES

Deadlines and Payments: Ad text and payment is due by the 5th of each month.

Note: Only ads received and prepaid by the deadline will be included in the next month’s issue. Please type or print your ad carefully. Include a number where you can be reached in the event of a question. Payment is due with ad. We do not accept ads by phone or fax, nor do we accept credit cards.

Private Party Text Ads: For individuals seeking to buy or sell particular items, offer a personal service, or place a personal ad. Each ad is $10 for 25 words, 25 cents for each additional word.

Commercial Party Text Ads: For parties engaged in an ongoing commercial business enterprise. Each ad is $25 for 25 words, 50 cents for each additional word.

Note: Each real estate listing counts as one commercial ad.

The Beacon, Classified Dept.

P.O. Box 2227, Silver Spring, MD 20915-2227

Send your classified ad with check or money order, payable to the Beacon, to:

24

JULY 2010 — BALTIMORE BEACON

I have diabetes, but I also have Bravo Achieve. And that’s what matters.

Learn how Bravo Health can help you better manage your diabetes today.

Bravo Health offers a variety of Medicare Advantage plans that help members take charge of their health care, manage their conditions, and get on with living life.

Now, Bravo Health is pleased to introduce Bravo Achieve (HMO) — a plan designed to provide specialized benefits and help individuals with diabetes lower their risks of serious health complications.

Here are just a few of Bravo Achieve’s benefits: Z $0 monthly plan premium

Z SilverSneakers® gym membership

Z $0 diabetic drugs

Z Nutrition counseling

Z $0 diabetic supplies

Z Predictable costs and low copays

For more than a decade, Bravo Health has been serving the needs of Medicare beneficiaries like you. Call today to find out if you are eligible to join Bravo Achieve.

Call 1-800-831-6271 to speak to a Sales Representative.

(TTY 1-800-964-2561 for the hearing impaired.)

Schedule a one-on-one in-home appointment today and learn more about Bravo Achieve.

w w w. m y b r a v o h e a l t h . c o m

Bravo Health plans are offered by subsidiaries of Bravo Health, Inc., Medicare Advantage Organizations with Medicare contracts. The benefit information provided herein is a brief summary, but not a comprehensive description of available benefits. Additional information about benefits is available to assist you in making a decision about your coverage. Special eligibility requirements may apply. To enroll, you must be diagnosed with diabetes. Enrollment is open year round. This is an advertisement; for more information contact the plan.

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