Cumberland County 50plus Senior News February 2014

Dan Tepsic seated in the second floor of the New Cumberland Public Library,the meeting place of the Great Books Discussion Group.

By Chelsea Peifer

The moment you finish a great book is the moment you want to tellsomeone about what you read.

Certain books stir questions and create a desire for discussion. But afterhigh school and college, many people lose the groups and resources theypreviously had at their disposal to share about what they are reading.

Book clubs can be a good fit for some readers, but a club tailored to deepdiscussion is something of a treasure these days.

One such gem exists in Cumberland County. For the last five years, Lower Allen Township resident Dan Tepsic has had

the privilege of coordinating the Great Books Discussion Group at the NewCumberland Public Library.

“It’s an opportunity to read all of the great thinkers in the past,” explainedTepsic. “You get to read a vast selection, including economics, classicliterature, poetry, politics, and religion.

“You realize after reading all of these things that while the context haschanged, human nature has not,” he said.

The themes in historical literature are the same themes found in stories

Discussion Group Coordinator SeesWorld through Great Writers, Travel

Expanding Minds,Broadening

Horizons

please see HORIZONS page 14

Cumberland County Edition February 2014 Vol. 15 No. 2

How to Guard Against

Wintertime Heart Attacks

page 6

Salute to a Veteran:

Gene George

page 10

Inside:

2 February 2014 50plus SeniorNews › www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com

omen’s xpoE

FREE advance registration online! ($5 at the door)

aGreatWayToSpendMyDay.com

717.285.1350

HHEEAALLTTHH && WWEELLLLNNEESSSS SSPPOONNSSOORR:: PinnacleHealth MMEEDDIIAA SSPPOONNSSOORR:: CBS 21

Relax and unwind!Women of all ages have

enjoyed this fun-filled event!

March 22, 20149 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Hershey Lodge

325 University Drive, Hershey

Health & Wellness Finance Home

Nutrition Beauty ... plus

Shopping Fashion Show

Demonstrations

and more!

Hula Hoop

Contest!

TToopp PPrriizzee

$$110000!!

Talk to usabout sponsorand exhibitoropportunities.

Why did FBI Director JohnEdgar Hoover not use his firstname? He went by the name

“J. Edgar Hoover.” Edgar? One explanation is that his

cousin, John E. Hoover, who also lived inWashington, DC, had a bad creditrecord, and J. Edgar did not wish to bemistaken for him. It was not a case of J.Edgar being confused with his father,whose full name was Dickerson NaylorHoover.

Comedienne LilyTomlin referred toHoover as “Jedgar,”a name not likely tocreate confusionwith someone else.Her creativityaccords with thechoice made byJohn Ellis Bush, sonof President George Herbert WalkerBush. J.E. Bush merged his initials and isknown as “Jeb.”

This is a great country. One can editthe first and middle name withoutapplying for official approval by a court orraising the suspicions of the secret police.

Several of our political figures havejettisoned their first names, using onlytheir middle name to be recognized.Would you know, if their middle name ornickname was not indicated, any of thefollowing: President Stephen GroverCleveland, Vice President JamesDanforth (“Dan”) Quayle, PresidentHiram Ulysses (“U.S.”) Grant, GovernorJames Richard (“Rick”) Perry, GovernorWillard Mitt Romney, and PresidentThomas Woodrow Wilson?

There are non-political figures, too,that are more easily identified when theirmiddle names are stated. Among themare publisher William Randolph Hearst,economist John Kenneth Galbraith, civil-rights icon Martin Luther King, historianJohn Hope Franklin, musician James PaulMcCartney, and CNN founder RobertTed Turner.

The first name of James has beenspurned by Perry, Quayle, andMcCartney. Is there an implication herethat the name is a career liability?

Occasionally, celebrities discard boththeir first and middle names, using onlyinitials. Circus impresario Phineas Taylor

(“P.T.”) Barnum and poet e.e. cummings(Edward Estlin Cummings) come tomind.

Cummings, being impoverished,possibly had a typewriter that could notproduce capital letters. Less likely, he hadan overwhelming sense of humility thathe believed was best expressed by usingonly the lower case.

A single name suffices for some whosefame is legend, but not for ordinarypeople. We have the examples of Prince,

Liberace, andMadonna. Elvis didnot need his lastname to berecognized.

Single namesevoke a royal lineage.No one shouldaddress QueenElizabeth II by her

full name, which is Elizabeth AlexandraMary Windsor. If one were to do so, achilling grimace can be expected fromHer Majesty’s entourage.

Europeans did not begin to adopt lastnames until the 11th to 13th centuries. TheIrish were among the first, but they werecenturies behind the Chinese. It was openseason then on the crafting of familynames. The opportunity will not returnon this scale again.

Editing the last names of immigrantspassing through Ellis Island wasunintentionally done by officialsincorrectly transposing names onto entryrecords. As a result, two adult siblingsnamed Smith may have records showingone as Smith and the other as Smyth.Such errors generally became permanentchanges.

Families in our Southern states havethe charming custom of calling theirchildren by somewhat lyrically pairednames. Fans of the television series TheWaltons may recall John Boy and JimBob. Betty Mae, Eddy Joe, Mary Alice,and Lila Sue are further examples.

Names given to infants decades ago arerarely selected today. Understandably,Adolf (or Adolph), which is Teutonic forwolf, is a name most Americans abhor.Wolf Blitzer can be thankful he is not ofTeutonic ancestry. He may not want

Editing OurGiven Names

My 22 Cents’ Worth

Walt Sonneville

please see NAMES page 14

www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com 50plus SeniorNews › February 2014 3

Resource DirectoryThis Resource Directory recognizes advertisers

who have made an extended commitmentto your health and well-being.

American Red Cross(717) 845-2751

Central PA Poison Center(800) 521-6110

Cumberland County Assistance(800) 269-0173

Cumberland County Board of Assistance(800) 269-0173

Kilmore Eye Associates890 Century Drive, Mechanicsburg(717) 697-1414

Cocklin Funeral Home, Inc.30 N. Chestnut St., Dillsburg(717) 432-5312

Alzheimer’s Association(717) 651-5020

American Diabetes Association(800) 342-2383

Arthritis Foundation(717) 763-0900

CONTACT Helpline(717) 652-4400

The National Kidney Foundation(800) 697-7007

PACE(800) 225-7223

Social Security Administration (Medicare)(800) 302-1274

Pa. HealthCare Cost Containment Council(717) 232-6787

Duncan Nulph Hearing Associates5020 Ritter Road, Suite 10G, Mechanicsburg(717) 766-1500

Pennsylvania Office for the Deaf and Hardof Hearing(800) 233-3008 V/TTY

Home Care AssistanceServing Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster,Lebanon, and York counties(717) 540-4663

Safe Haven Quality CareServing Cumberland, Dauphin, and Perrycounties(717) 582-9977

Senior HelpersServing the Greater Harrisburg Area(717) 920-0707

Homeland Hospice2300 Vartan Way, Suite 115, Harrisburg(717) 221-7890

Cumberland County Housing Authority114 N. Hanover St., Carlisle(717) 249-1315

Homeland CenterCumberland and Dauphin counties(717) 221-7727

Property Tax/Rent Rebate(888) 728-2937

Salvation Army(717) 249-1411

Apprise Insurance Counseling(800) 783-7067

CVS/pharmacywww.cvs.com

Homeland Center1901 N. Fifth St., Harrisburg(717) 221-7902

Cumberland County Aging & Community Services(717) 240-6110

Meals on WheelsCarlisle(717) 245-0707

Mechanicsburg(717) 697-5011Newville(717) 776-5251Shippensburg(717) 532-4904

Bureau of Consumer Protection(800) 441-2555

Cancer Information Service(800) 422-6237

Consumer Information(888) 878-3256

Disease and Health Risk(888) 232-3228

Domestic Violence(800) 799-7233

Drug Information(800) 729-6686

Flu or Influenza(888) 232-3228

Health and Human Services Discrimination(800) 368-1019

Internal Revenue Service(800) 829-1040

Liberty Program(866) 542-3788

Medicare Hotline(800) 638-6833

National Council on Aging(800) 424-9046

Organ Donor Hotline(800) 243-6667

Passport Information(888) 362-8668

Smoking Information(800) 232-1331

Social Security Fraud(800) 269-0217

Social Security Office(800) 772-1213

Wheelchair GetawaysServing Pennsylvania, West Virginia,Delaware, and Southern New Jersey(717) 921-2000

American Legion(717) 730-9100

Governor’s Veterans Outreach(717) 234-1681

Lebanon VA Medical Center1700 S. Lincoln Ave., Lebanon(717) 228-6000 or (800) 409-8771

Veterans Affairs(717) 240-6178 or (717) 697-0371

Veterans Services

Travel

Toll-Free Numbers

Services

Retirement Communities

Pharmacies

Insurance

Housing Assistance

Hospice Services

Home Care Services

Hearing Services

Healthcare Information

Health & Medical Services

Funeral Directors

Eye Care Services

Energy Assistance

Emergency Numbers

Not an all-inclusive list of advertisers in your area.

Name: _______________________________________________________

Address:______________________________________________________

City:__________________________State: _____ Zip: _________________

Please specify edition:Chester Cumberland Dauphin Lancaster Lebanon York

You can have 50 plus Senior Newsdelivered right to your home!

Simply mail this form and $15 for an annual subscription to: 50 plus Senior News • 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512Or, subscribe online at www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com!

Our cat, Dennis, opensdrawers. We put a hook-and-eye lock on the

bathroom cabinet, which he quicklyunhooked. He pulled on the knob,opened the door, and ripped thetoilet paper to shreds.

Dennis swings from lampshades.He chucks objects off tables—at 3a.m.

Last night, he knocked over myguitar. I heard screeching noises andfound him bouncing around on thestrings—trampoline style. My guitaris now in the attic.

Yet every night, Dennis sleeps onhis back between my husband’sknees, purring while Bob rubs thehappy cat’s belly.

“Sweet Dennis,” Bob says, “youhave an amazing joy for living. Icouldn’t love you more, my littlefriend.”

Murphy is our orange cat. He’snot smart. This cat would just keepwalking off a ledge without lookingdown. When we have plastic bags inthe house, I grab them or he’ll scarfdown the plastic. He’s endearinglysimple. He’ll walk straight into aclosed door, turn around, and do itagain.

Yet when Murphy wantsattention, he sits in front ofthe computer screen. Bobnever pushes him away.Instead he gives Murphy theattention he wants.

“Goofy Murphy,” he says, “Iwill keep you from harm’s way.I love you just the way youare.”

While I was reading on thecouch, Jordy, our kitten,trotted in with Bob’sunderpants in his mouth. Heflung them in the air and thensettled down to teethe on thewaistband. Instead of buyingcat toys, we should just strewBob’s drawers everywhere.

That night, while we werewatching TV in bed, Jordy waswiggling under the covers.When his little head poppedout, his binky (Bob’sunderpants) was in his mouth.

“Can’t he keep them, Bob?”“No. They’re mine.”And so ensued the most

ridiculous-looking tug of war onecould ever envision.

Yet Jordy looks up at Bob withthe innocence of a newborn.

“Jordy,” Bob says, “you are morefun than Disneyland. You teach methat toys are not something we buyin a store. They’re whatever weimagine them to be, my silly, lovablekitten. Your tenderness melts myheart.”

We once had a cat named Eddiewho set off two fires, causing thepolice and fire trucks to arrive—sirens blaring. His first case of arsonwas to turn on a gas burner. Thesecond involved a flaminglampshade.

One time, he pushed our burglaralarm, sending police to our houseagain. My claim, “The cat did it,”was wearing pretty darn thin.

Yet Eddie will always be a part ofme. I still see a hole—a space thatmoves around the house where hisform used to be.

As heart-wrenching as endingsare, they’re only so painful becausethe love was so grand. But love nevergoes away.

And so, I asked Bob why we keepwinding up with wacky creatures.

“Because we’re lucky,” he said. “But they’re unpredictably

insane.” “I married you, didn’t I?”Why do Bob and I adore these

little beings of mischief and chaos,who worry us with their exploits,who break things, who need extracare? Why do we love them somuch?

Because everyone who has a four-footed family does.

Saralee Perel is an award-winning,nationally syndicated columnist. Hernew book is Cracked Nuts & SentimentalJourneys: Stories From a Life Out ofBalance. To find out more, visitwww.saraleeperel.com or [email protected].


50plus Senior News is published by On-Line Publishers, Inc.and is distributed monthly among senior centers, retirementcommunities, banks, grocers, libraries and other outlets

serving the senior community.On-Line Publishers, Inc. will not knowingly accept or publish

advertising which may be fraudulent or misleading in nature. Views expressed in opinion stories, contributions, articles and letters

are not necessarily the views of the publisher. The appearance ofadvertisements for products or services does not constitute anendorsement of the particular product or service. The publisher will notbe responsible for mistakes in advertisements unless notified within fivedays of publication. On-Line Publishers, Inc. reserves the right to reviseor reject any and all advertising. No part of this publication may bereproduced or reprinted without permission of On-Line Publishers, Inc.

We will not knowingly publish any advertisement or information notin compliance with the Federal Fair Housing Act, Pennsylvania State lawsor other local laws.

Corporate Office:3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512

Phone 717.285.1350 • Fax 717.285.1360Chester County:610.675.6240

Cumberland County/Dauphin County:717.770.0140

Berks County/Lancaster County/Lebanon County/York County:

717.285.1350E-mail address:

[email protected] address:

www.onlinepub.com

PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHERDonna K. Anderson

EDITORIALVICE PRESIDENT AND MANAGING EDITOR

Christianne RuppEDITOR, 50PLUS PUBLICATIONS

Megan Joyce

ART DEPARTMENTPROJECT COORDINATOR

Renee McWilliamsPRODUCTION ARTIST

Janys Cuffe

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENTACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Jill HublerAngie McComsey Jacoby

Susan KriegerRanee Shaub Miller

Sue RughSALES & EVENT COORDINATOR

Eileen CulpEVENTS MANAGER

Kimberly Shaffer

CIRCULATIONPROJECT COORDINATOR

Loren Gochnauer

ADMINISTRATIONBUSINESS MANAGER

Elizabeth Duvall

Winner

Member of

Member of

FebruaryThe land lies dreary before the eye,Often under a blanket of snow.No birds sing now, just the caw of the crow,And the sun shines low in the winter sky.Cornfields are bare, broken stalks are brown;While naked trees stand rigid and bold.Frost whitens the ground, the air is cold;Blue haze of smoke floats over the town.

The timeless rocks and the frozen creekHave often seen this yearly routine.Although the land seems barren and bleak,Something hides in the lonely scene,Waiting for the warming sun they seek;Tiny buds and seeds will soon grow green.

Written and submitted by John McGrath

Such is Life

Saralee Perel

Our Wacky House of Cats

Murphy needs attention.


Your key to choosing the rightliving and care options for you

or a loved one.

In print.Online at

onlinepub.com.

18th EditionNow Available!

Call today foryour free copy!

(717) 285-1350

DAUPHIN COUNTY

May 27, 20149 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Hershey Lodge

325 University Drive

Hershey

15th Annual

CHESTER COUNTY

June 10, 20149 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Church Farm School

1001 East Lincoln Highway

Exton

11th Annual

15th Annual 26th Annual• Exhibitors •

• Health Screenings •

• Seminars •

• Entertainment •

• Door Prizes •

www.50plusExpoPA.com

(717) 285-1350 • (717) 770-0140(610) 675-6240

Limited SponsorshipOpportunities Available

&

May 5, 20149 a.m. – 3 p.m.

May 5–9, 2014

Two of your favorite events, together!

FREE!

FREE! FREE!

Please join usfor these events!

NEWLOCATION!

Spooky Nook Sports2913 Spooky Nook Road, Manheim

(Just off Rt. 283 at the Salunga exit)

Lancaster

CelebratesSeniors

Older But Not Wiser

My mother is 91, blind, and hasdiabetes, arthritis, Parkinson’s,mild dementia, and heart

problems, but besides that, she’s inperfect health.

I visit her three times a week at herassisted living facility. Sometimes I onlystay for a few minutes, but I still count itas a visit because I want to think ofmyself as a good son.

And when I bring her the Dependsand the caregivers say, “Oh, you got thegood kind,” I feel like I am almost asaint. I know, I’m anidiot trying to build uppoints for myself, butthat’s who I am.

I’m worried that thedementia is gettingworse. My mom tries tohide it, but shesometimes gets confusedabout what’s going onaround her.

To help keep hermind sharp, I always tryto have a conversationwith her to jog hermemory. I don’t minddoing it. Like I said, I’malmost a saint.

We usually talk aboutBrooklyn. That’s where my mom wasborn and I grew up.

“Do you remember what we did therefor fun?” I ask.

My mother nods but doesn’t answer.“We went to the movies,” I tell her.

“In those days, there was double featureand a cartoon, and I remember I got infor a quarter.”

“Movies are $2 now,” she says. Ofcourse I don’t correct her. Like I said, I’malmost a saint.

“We also saw Broadway plays,” I tellher.

“Yes, we went to plays.” I could tell she was just repeating

what I said, so I asked, “Do youremember what kind of plays?”

She was thinking but didn’t come upwith an answer.

“Musicals,” I said.“Musicals,” she repeated.“Yes,” I said, “we went to musicals like

Oklahoma! and South Pacific.” I thenstarted to sing “OOOklahoma…”

“You’ve got a terrible voice,” she saidand laughed. My mother had a bitingsense of humor, and I’m glad that shestill has it. And she’s right; I do have aterrible voice.

“Do you remember the name of thetuxedo store that you and Dad owned?” Iasked.

She shook her head no, so I said, “AceFormal Wear.”

“Ace Formal Wear,” she repeated “Why’d you name it Ace?” I asked.“So, uh, it would be first in the, uh,

phonebook.”“Right! And

everybody who camewas happy because theywere renting a tux for awedding,” I added.

“Yes, it was only laterthat they got miserable,”she said while laughing.As I said, my mom hasa wicked sense ofhumor.

As she talked shebecame more and moreengaged andremembered a bunch ofstuff. I was feelingpretty good aboutmyself. I was almost a

saint. Unfortunately, as I was leaving, she

told me that Sy came yesterday.Uh oh. “I’m Sy,” I replied. I hated that

she got mixed up and didn’t realize thatall this time she was talking to me, herson.

“You’re Sy?” she asked.“Yes, Mom, I’m your son Sy.”And I could see by my mom’s face

that she knew she blundered. That hersometimes jumbled mind had betrayedher. I should have stayed longer, but it’shard seeing my mom like this, so I said Ihad work to do, kissed her on theforehead, and left.

On the way out, I was stopped by anelderly man.

“Are you Flora’s son?” he asked.I nodded, trying to get out of there as

quickly as possible, but he kept talking. “She’s a very nice lady. I spoke to her

yesterday. By the way, my name is Sy too.”I may be almost a saint, but I’m a

complete idiot.

Sy Rosen

Almost a Saint


The listings with a shaded background have additional informationabout their center in a display advertisement in this edition.

CCRCs offer a tiered approach to the aging process, accommodating residents’ unique and often changing needs.

Healthy adults entering a CRCC are able to live independently in a home, apartment, or condominium of their own withinthe community. When assistance with everyday activities becomes necessary, they can move into personal care, assisted living,rehabilitation, or nursing care facilities. Some CCRCs have designated dementia areas within the community. These unitsaddress the progressing needs of people who have any form of dementia.

With a wealth of available resources, these communities give older adults the option to live in one location for the durationof their lives, with much of their future care already figured out — which equals both comfort and peace of mind.

The CCRC Communities listed are sponsoring this message. This is not an all-inclusive list.

CCRCContinuing Care


Bethany Village325 Wesley DriveMechanicsburg, PA 17055Stephanie LightfootDirector of Sales & Marketing(717) 766-0279www.bethanyvillage.org

Chapel Pointeat Carlisle770 South Hanover StreetCarlisle, PA 17013Linda AmsleyDirector of Marketing/Admissions(717) 713-2201www.chapelpointe.com

Cornwall Manor1 Boyd StreetCornwall, PA 17016Jennifer MargutDirector of Marketing(717) 274-8092www.cornwallmanor.org

Cross Keys VillageThe Brethren Home Community2990 Carlisle PikeNew Oxford, PA 17350Amy KirkpatrickSenior Retirement Counselor(717) 624-5350a.kirkpatrick@crosskeysvillage.orgwww.crosskeysvillage.org

Homeland Center1901 North Fifth StreetHarrisburg, PA 17102-1598Barry S. Ramper II, N.H.A.President/CEO(717) 221-7902www.homelandcenter.org

Calvary FellowshipHomes502 Elizabeth DriveLancaster, PA 17601Marlene MorrisMarketing Director(717) 393-0711www.calvaryhomes.org

Dear Savvy Senior,When I had a mild heart attack about

six months ago, my doctor told me I neededto be extra careful during the winter whenrecurring heart attacks are more common. Isthis true? How can the seasons affect yourheart? – Leery Senior

Dear Leery,Everyone knows winter is cold and flu

season, but most people don’t know thatit’s also the prime season for heart attackstoo, especially if you already have heartdisease or have suffered a previous heart

attack. Here’s

what youshould know,along withsome tips tohelp youprotectyourself.

Heart AttackSeason

In theU.S., the risk

of having aheart attackduring thewinter monthsis twice as highas it is duringthe summer-time. Why?

There are anumber offactors, andthey’re not alllinked to coldweather. Even

people who live in warm climates have anincreased risk. Here are the areas youneed to pay extra attention to this winter.

• Cold temperatures: When a persongets cold, the body responds byconstricting the blood vessels to help thebody maintain heat. This causes bloodpressure to go up and makes the heartwork harder.

Cold temperatures can also increaselevels of certain proteins that can thickenthe blood and increase the risk for bloodclots.

How to Guard Against Wintertime Heart Attacks

Savvy Senior

Jim Miller

February isAmerican Heart

Month


The CCRC Communities listed are sponsoring this message. This is not an all-inclusive list.

CCRCContinuing Care


StoneRidge Retirement Living440 East Lincoln AvenueMyerstown, PA 17067Stacia KeithDirector of Sales(717) 866-3553www.stoneridgeretirement.com

Willow Valley Communities600 Willow Valley SquareLancaster, PA 17602Kristin HambletonDirector of Sales(717) 464-6800(800) 770-5445www.willowvalleycommunities.org

Woodcrest VillaMennonite Home Communities2001 Harrisburg PikeLancaster, PA 17601Connie BuckwalterDirector of Marketing(717) 390-4126www.woodcrestvilla.org

Normandie RidgeSenior Living Community1700 Normandie DriveYork, PA 17408Joyce SingerDirector of Sales & Marketing(717) 718-0937www.normandieridge.org

Pleasant ViewRetirement Community544 North Penryn RoadManheim, PA 17545Amanda EckingerCommunications Coordinator (717) 664-6207www.pleasantviewrc.org

Homestead Village Enhanced Senior Living1800 Marietta AvenueP.O. Box 3227Lancaster, PA 17604-3227Susan L. DoyleDirector of Marketing(717) 397-4831 ext. 158www.homesteadvillage.org

The Middletown Home999 West Harrisburg PikeMiddletown, PA 17057Andrea HenneyDirector of Residential Services(717) 944-3351 www.MiddletownHome.org

Serving from theHeart in the Spirit of

Friendship, Love,and Truth

If you would like to be featured

on this important page,

please contact your

account representative or call

(717) 285-1350.

So stay warm this winter, and whenyou do have to go outside, make sureyou bundle up in layers with gloves anda hat, and place a scarf over your mouthand nose to warm up the air before youbreathe it in.

• Snow shoveling: Studies have shownthat heart-attack rates jump dramaticallyin the first few days after a majorsnowstorm, usually a result of snowshoveling.

Shoveling snow is a very strenuousactivity that raises blood pressure andstresses the heart. Combine those factorswith the cold temperatures, and the riskfor heart attack surges.

If your sidewalk or driveway needsshoveling this winter, hire a kid from theneighborhood to do it for you or use asnow blower.

Or, if you must shovel, push ratherthan lift the snow as much as possible,

stay warm, and take frequent breaks.

• New Year’sresolutions: EveryJan. 1, millions ofpeople join gyms orstart exerciseprograms as part oftheir New Year’sresolution to get inshape, and manyoverexertthemselves toosoon.

If you’re startinga new exerciseprogram thiswinter, take the time to talk to yourdoctor about what types and how muchexercise may be appropriate for you.

• Winter weight gain: People tend to eatand drink more and gain more weight

during the holiday season and wintermonths, all of which are hard on the

heart and risky forsomeone withheart disease.

So keep awatchful eye onyour diet thiswinter and avoidbinging on fattyfoods and alcohol.

• Shorter days:Less daylight in thewinter months cancause many peopleto develop seasonal

affective disorder or SAD, a wintertimedepression that can stress the heart.

Studies have also looked at heart-attack patients and found they usuallyhave lower levels of vitamin D (whichcomes from sunlight) than people with

healthy hearts. To boost your vitamin Dthis winter, consider taking a supplementthat contains between 1,000 and 2,000international units (IU) per day.

And to find treatments for SAD, visitthe Center for EnvironmentalTherapeutics website at www.cet.org.

• Flu season: Studies show that peoplewho get flu shots have a lower heart-attack risk. It’s known that theinflammatory reaction set off by a fluinfection can increase blood clotting,which can lead to heart attacks invulnerable people.

So, if you haven’t already done so, geta flu shot for protection. Seewww.flushot.healthmap.org to find anearby vaccination site.

Jim Miller is a regular contributor to theNBC Today show and author of The SavvySenior Book. www.savvysenior.org

“ In the U.S., the risk

of having a heart

attack during the

winter months is

twice as high as it is

during the

summertime.

“


MedicalWWee ssppeecciiaalliizzee iinn mmeeddiiccaall aanndd ddiiaaggnnoossttiicc eexxaammssiinncclluuddiinngg pprroocceedduurreess,, eevvaalluuaattiioonnss,, eemmeerrggeennccyyccaarree,, aanndd ttrreeaattmmeenntt..

SurgicalEEaacchh oonnee ooff oouurr ssuurrggiiccaall ddooccttoorrss iiss hhiigghhllyy ttrraaiinneeddaanndd eexxppeerriieenncceedd wwiitthh ddiivveerrssee bbaacckkggrroouunnddss iinn aallllaarreeaass ooff ssuurrggiiccaall pprroocceedduurreess..

OpticalPPeerrssoonnaalliizzeedd sseerrvviicceess ssuucchh aass ccoonnttaacctt lleennsseess,, bbrraannddnnaammeess,, aanndd ffoollllooww-uupp aaddjjuussttmmeennttss aarree pprroovviiddeedd bbyypprrooffeessssiioonnaall ssttaaffff ooppttiicciiaannss..

KILMORE EYE ASSOCIATES890 Century Drive, Mechanicsburg

(717) 697-1414 • www.kilmoreeye.com

V. Eugene Kilmore, Jr., M.D. John W Pratt, M.D. Foster E. Kreiser, O.D.Ryan J. Hershberger, O.D. Michelle A. Thomas, O.D.

Provider and leader of qualityhealthcare in Central PA for more than145 years.50 renovated Personal Care Suites.Applications being accepted for alimited number.Skilled Nursing Care Unitaccommodates 92, including a 21-bed Alzheimer’s Unit.

717-221-79021901 North Fifth StreetHarrisburg, PA 17102

www.homelandcenter.org

Respectful, considerate, heart-felt carefor those with a life-limiting illness.Providing care for hospice patients inthe setting they consider their home.Clinical and bereavement staff providesupport for the patient and family beforeand after the death of your loved one.Providing service in Adams,Cumberland, Dauphin, Lebanon, Perry,and York counties.

717-221-78902300 Vartan Way, Suite 115

Harrisburg, PA 17110www.homelandhospice.org

“A Continuing Care Retirement Community”

Traveltizers Travel Appetizers: Stories that Whet the Appetite for Travel

By Andrea Gross

I’m standing on the deck of a 24-passenger catamaran, watching thesun rise over the Pacific. Yes, that’s

right. The sun is rising over the Pacific.Here, in the Central American

country of Panama, which is positionedbetween two continents and two oceans,I can see a bit of the Pacific that juts tothe east, poking into a portion of theAtlantic. So when the sun rises in theeast, it appears over Pacific waters.

I find this intriguing but at the sametime unsettling. But then, many thingsin Panama force me to rearrange mymind.

The hot-pink hibiscus, the bright-beaked toucans, the swirling skirts of thedancers … Everywhere I look, thecountry pulsates with the psychedeliccolors that inspired Paul Gauguin, andI’m on sensory overload for the first partof my trip.

Then, bingo, I board the MSDiscovery for my cruise through the

Panama Canal. The bright colorsdisappear as I enter a more orderedworld, one that’s muted, mechanical, and

often confined by the gray, cement bricksof the locks. The right side of my brainwars with the left.

My husband and I are in Panamawith Grand Circle Travel, preciselybecause their tour offers countryculture as well as canal cruising. Afterall, there’s no doubt that the famedwaterway has made the country a placeto be reckoned with.

One hundred years ago this year, onAug. 15, 1914, the SS Ancon made thefirst official canal passage between theAtlantic and Pacific. By eliminating thelong trip around Cape Horn, theocean-to-ocean journey was shortenedby more than 8,000 miles.

It was a feat that transformed bothglobal commerce and the country ofPanama.

In 2015, after a $5.2 billionexpansion is completed, the canal willbe able to handle larger ships, thusfurther fueling the country’s economyand increasing its importance.

We begin our tour in the capital ofPanama, Panama City, which has

morphed from a 15th-century settlement(now evident in the ruins of Panama La

Panama: the Country, the Canal, and a 100th Anniversary

High-school students perform traditionalPanamanian dances.

The canal is largely responsible for makingPanama City a hub for international

business.

Women of the Embera indigenouscommunity make baskets from the fibersof plants that grow near their village.


For an application or tour of our facility please contact:

• Efficiency and one- bedroom apartments withmany amenities

• Located in beautiful downtown Carlisle

• Maintenance-free living• Elevator in building• Laundry facilities on-site• Small pets welcome

(pet rules apply)

• Courteous and helpful staffIncome restrictions applyRent amount based on income

Now Accepting Applicationsat

Two West Penn ApartmentsAffordable Senior Housing

for persons 50 years and older

Two West Penn ApartmentsTwo West Penn Street • Carlisle, PA 17013

or call (717) 245-0516 • (717) 249-3484

www.cchra.comTues., Wed., Thurs. Mon. & Fri.

Friendly faces, helpinghands, warm hearts. That’s

what we at Safe Havenbring to our clients.

Providing skilled nursing & non-medical in-home support

24/7/365Skilled Nursing • Personal Care • Homemaking

Respite Care • Errands • Chores • CompanionshipMedicare Certified

~ Free Consultations ~

phone:

717-582-4110Caregivers are supervised,licensed, bonded & insured

www.safehavenqualitycare.com

Safe Haven Skilled Services LLC

Safe Haven Quality Care LLCServing Cumberland, Dauphin, and Perry counties

for Wheelchair& Scooter Users

Renting wheelchair-accessiblemini vans for the day, week,

or by the month. Delivery available.

ACCESSIBLE VAN RENTALS

Wheelchair Getawaysof Pennsylvania

Please call for information or to make a reservation717-921-2000 • 800-221-6501

[email protected] Pennsylvania, West Virginia,

Delaware & Southern New Jersey

When youpatronize our

advertisers,please let themknow you saw

their ad in

Viejo) to a 17th-century Spanish colonialtown (quickly becoming the go-toneighborhood for after-hours fun) to a21st-century metropolis that is both aninternational business center and apopular tourist destination.

The city’s history is fascinating, theatmosphere electric, but still, I’m gladwhen we head out to the rural areas.

In line with our travel company’sphilosophy that meeting local people isas important as seeing historic sites, westop at an agricultural cooperative wherefarmers work together to bring theirproduce to market, a sugar cane farmwhere a husband and wife have a smallcandy-making business, a school whereyoungsters perform traditional dancesand their mothers serve us a homemadelunch, and a private home where theowner teaches us to make one of hisgrandmother’s favorite dishes.

At each place our hosts talk freely,giving us insight into their daily lives. Iemerge from these visits well fed andwell informed.

We learn about yet anotherPanamanian lifestyle when we meet theEmbera people, members of one ofPanama’s seven indigenous tribes. I stepout of our dugout canoe to find a villageof thatched huts perched on stilts, anopen-air schoolhouse, a soccer field, ameeting hall, a woman weaving baskets,

and an entire community of people intraditional attire.

The tribal spokesman explains thatopening their village to outsiders allowsthe Emberas to earn a living while

continuing to live according to the waysof their ancestors. It’s a Margaret Meadexperience, and I love every minute.

In between people visits, we take minitreks through the rainforest. Unlike the

men who built the canal, we’re slatheredwith sunscreen, protected with insectrepellent, and our only goals are to see amonkey, spot a toucan, and track acapybara.

We aren’t charged with digging a paththrough a thick jungle where thetemperature is often above 80 degreesand the humidity above 90 percent. Ofthe 80,000 men who worked on thecanal, more than a third died of yellowfever or malaria.

A normal trip through the canal takes10 hours, but we have arrangements for afull daylight passage. Therefore, we enteron the Pacific, head northwest throughtwo sets of locks that raise the Discovery85 feet above sea level, cross theContinental Divide, and spend the nighton Gatun Lake.

The next morning we go ashore tovisit the Gatun Dam and take our finalrainforest trek, which reminds us of thetravails that went into building the canal.Then we re-board our ship, go throughthe final set of locks, and descend to sealevel in another ocean.

I go to the upper deck and look to thewest. Yes, the sun is setting over theAtlantic.

www.gct.com/pma

Photos © Irv Green unless otherwise noted;story by Andrea Gross (www.andreagross.com).

Keel-billed toucans that live in thePanamanian rainforest often make forays

into villages.

There are several species of spidermonkeys in Panama, and it is special, but

not unusual, to see troops of 20 or 30swinging from tree to tree.

The gates open to allow theMS Discovery to enter theGatun Locks.

When Gene George was in highschool in Watertown, Mass.,in the early 1940s, nobody

had ever heard of a nuclear bomb. Thefact that we were secretly working todevelop one was perhaps the best-keptsecret of World War II.

But for George, those were carefreedays, with the greatest challenge being toplay the saxophone in his high school’smarching band and playing in a smallcombo that performed weekends at aChinese restaurant.

When he graduated from WatertownHigh School in 1942, however, the draftwas in full swing. And in September1942, he was drafted.

A friend had told him of the wondersof service in the Coast Guard, so hethought he’d give that a try. Butproblems with his teeth caused the CoastGuard to turn him down.

The best they could offer him was tosuggest he try the Navy. When he did, hefound that the Navy was glad to havehim.

Soon he was on his way to SampsonNaval Training Base in New York state, ahuge, 2,500-acre base where more than400,000 men were to train during thewar. George was part of a company thatwas assigned to KP (kitchen police).

Remarkably, the Navy chief who wasassigning men to specific jobs was BobDaughters, who had played second basefor the Boston Red Sox. Moreimportantly, he had been one of the mento whom George had sold newspapers asa high schooler.

So theywere oldfriends, andthat led toGeorge’sbeingassigned to acushy job inthe “broomcloset,” as theguy whopassed outthe broomsand mopsrather thenthe guy who had towield them.

After basic, hetrained at the NavalMedical CorpsSchool inPortsmouth, Va.,where he studiedanatomy and firstaid, learning to giveshots and bandagewounds. And that ledto an assignment atthe naval hospital inPortsmouth, wherehe served in theorthopedic ward.

“I made a lot oflifelong friendsthere,” he says. “Thehead corpsman therewas my best manwhen I married.”

His next assignment was to the USS

Sanctuary, abrand-newhospital shipthat washeaded forthe Pacific.He says hewas in theBrooklynNavy Yard,helping toloadsupplies forthe ship,when a

lieutenant asked him ifhe could form a bandto perform on the ship.

How did he evenknow that George wasa musician?

“I don’t know,”George says. “I supposehe spotted mysaxophone that Icarried with me. In anycase, I rounded up atalented 17-membergroup, some of whomhad played with the bigbands. The drummer,for example, hadplayed with GlennMiller and was a goodfriend of Glenn’s.”

The Sanctuarypassed through thePanama Canal and

arrived in Hawaii four days before thesurrender of the Japanese on Sept. 2,1945.

“We then sailed to Nagasaki, Japan,”he says. “Our band played every night onthe promenade deck before the movieswere shown. In Nagasaki, I rememberthat we played at an afternoon tea at theConsulate.

“I looked out the windows of theConsulate and saw everything simplyflattened, from the Mitsubishi AircraftFactory to the rest of Nagasaki.Everything was just a wasteland. Theblast went north and south and, for somereason, not so much east and west wherethe camps holding American POWswere.

“We picked up sick, injured, and

ambulatory cases to bring them home. Iremember that the captain who was ourchief medical officer told our skipperthat we had room for 1,100. The skipper,who was only a commander, said flatly,‘We’re taking them until they quitcoming.’ And we left for San Franciscowith 1,176 aboard from six differentPOW camps.

“On the way, we were hit with atyphoon, and I have to say that I wouldnever want to do that again. We had twodestroyer escorts, and they tucked inclose behind us so we could break themountainous waves and prevent theirtaking water down their stacks andsending them to the bottom.

“We were doing 21 knots, and thewaves were coming at 22, so we werebarely holding our own. I believe I mighthave been the only one on our ship whowasn’t sick during that blow.”

George later was assigned to the trooptransport ship, the USS Wharton, when itsailed in the spring of 1946 to takeobservers to the Bikini Atoll for the firstnuclear bomb tests since Nagasaki.

The Navy needed to investigate theeffect of nuclear weapons on naval ships.One bomb named Abel was detonated at500 feet above the atoll, and anothernamed Baker was detonated 90 feetunder water. Each was the equivalent of23 kilotons of TNT, and the radiationcontaminated all the target ships.

Wasn’t George concerned about theeffects of the radiation?

“Not then,” he says. “It was a questionof ‘ignorance is bliss.’ None of us knewanything about what radiation could do.”

And did he have any effect from it? “Well,” he answers with a shrug, “I’m

anemic, and that might have hadsomething to do with that.”

George retired from the Navy in July1963 as a chief hospital corpsman. Incivilian life, he worked as safety officer atthe Naval Supply Depot inMechanicsburg and is proud of havinglong served in his local honor guard,which honors our fallen heroes.

He now lives in an area retirementcommunity—and still fits in his WorldWar II uniform.

Colonel Wilcox flew a B-17 bomber inEurope in World War II.


Are You Reading?Join the 2014 One Book, One Community campaign by reading

The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan

85 libraries in Berks, Dauphin, Lancaster,Lebanon, Perry, and York counties and theircommunity partners present the regionalreading campaign:

Visit www.oboc.orgor your library to learn more

© Sophie Egan

GGeett aa ccooppyy aattyyoouurr llooccaall lliibbrraarryyoorr aarreeaa bbooookksseelllleerr

He Saw Up Close the Havoc from the A-bombson Nagasaki and Bikini Atoll

Robert D. Wilcox

Salute to a Veteran

The band put together by Charles E. (Gene) George(second from right, first row).

Gene George in 2003 while servingin a local honor guard.


Cumberland County

Calendar of EventsBig Spring Senior Center – (717) 776-447891 Doubling Gap Road, Suite 1, NewvilleFridays, Feb. 7 through April 11 – Income Tax Help by

AppointmentFeb. 14, 11:30 a.m. – Valentine’s Day Friendship DinnerFeb. 26, noon – Free Blood Pressure Checks

Southampton Place – (717) 530-8217,www.seniors.southamptontwp.com56 Cleversburg Road, ShippensburgFeb. 6, 11 a.m. – PCN Nutrition SpeakerFeb. 14, 9:30 a.m. – Valentine’s Party and PotluckFeb. 26, 1 p.m. – CPR/AED Training

Please contact your local center for scheduled activities.

Programs and Support Groups Free and open to the public.

Community Programs Free and open to the public.

Cumberland County Library Programs

Bosler Memorial Library, 158 W. High St., Carlisle,(717) 243-4642Feb. 3, 7:30 to 8:45 p.m. – Monday Bosler Book

Discussion GroupFeb. 4, 11, 25, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. – Upstairs StitchersFeb. 7 – Music at Bosler

Cleve J. Fredricksen Library, 100 N. 19th St., Camp Hill,(717) 761-3900Feb. 7, 7 p.m. – Shea Quinn Sings The BeatlesFeb. 11, 7 p.m. – Fredricksen Reads Book Discussions:

The History of Love by Nicole KraussFeb. 28, 3:30 and 7 p.m. – Film Fridays: The 2014

Oscar-Nominated Short Films

New Cumberland Public Library, 1 Benjamin Plaza,New Cumberland, (717) 774-7820Feb. 11, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. – Book Review: Social

Animal by David BrooksFeb. 12 and 26, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. – Great Books

DiscussionGroup

Feb. 15, 11 a.m. to noon – Couponing for ExtremeSavings: “How to Plan YourShopping Trip in Advance”

Senior Center Activities

Give Us the Scoop!Please send us your press releases so we can let our readers know about free events

occurring in Cumberland County! Email preferred to: [email protected]

(717) 770-0140Let help you get the word out!

What’s Happening?

PA State Parks in Cumberland County

Feb. 4, 7 p.m.CanSurmount Cancer Support GroupHealthSouth Acute Rehab Hospital175 Lancaster Blvd.Mechanicsburg(717) 691-6786

Feb. 6, 6:30 p.m.Too Sweet: Diabetes Support GroupChapel Hill United Church ofChrist701 Poplar Church RoadCamp Hill(717) 557-9041

Feb. 11, 6:30 to 8 p.m.Carlisle Area Men’s Cancer SupportGroupThe Live Well Center3 Alexandria Court, Carlisle(717) [email protected]

Feb. 12, 1 p.m.Parkinson’s Support GroupHealthSouth Rehab Hospital175 Lancaster Blvd.Mechanicsburg(717) 877-0624

Feb. 18, 1 p.m.Caregiver Support GroupMechanicsburg Church of theBrethren501 Gale St., Mechanicsburg(717) 766-8880

Mondays and Wednesdays, noonto 12:45 p.m.Silver Sneakers Class: MuscularStrength and Range of MovementLiving Well Fitness Center207 House Ave., Suite 107Camp Hill(717) 439-4070

Feb. 5, 1:30 p.m.Wednesdays in Winter: “TheTractobile” by Randy WattsCumberland County HistoricalSociety21 N. Pitt St., Carlisle(717) 249-7610

Feb. 12, 11:30 a.m.NARFE West Shore Chapter 1465VFW Post 67044907 Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg(717) 737-1486www.narfe1465.orgVisitors welcome; meeting is free butfee for food.

If you have an event you would

like to include, please email

information to

[email protected]

for consideration.

Feb. 9, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. – Stressbuster Hike, Kings Gap Environmental Education Center

Some Facts about GroundhogsIn honor of Groundhog Day on Feb.

2, here are a few fun facts aboutgroundhogs gleaned from the officialsite of the Punxsutawney GroundhogClub (www.groundhog.org), whichcelebrates the world’s most famousgroundhog, Punxsutawney Phil:

• The average groundhog is 20 incheslong and normally weighs from 12 to15 pounds. (Punxsutawney Phil weighsabout 20 pounds and is 22 inches long.)

• Groundhogs are covered with coarsegrayish hairs (fur) tipped with brown orsometimes dull red. They have shortears, a short tail, short legs, and aresurprisingly quick. Their jaws areexceptionally strong.

• A groundhog’s diet consists of lots ofgreens, fruits, and vegetables and verylittle water. Most of their liquids comefrom dew on leaves.

• A groundhog can whistle when it is

alarmed. Groundhogs also whistle in thespring when they begin courting.

• Insects do not bother groundhogs, andgerms pretty much leave them alone.They are resistant to the plagues thatperiodically wipe out large numbers ofwild animals. One reason for this istheir cleanliness.

• Groundhogs are one of the fewanimals that really hibernate.

Hibernation is not just a deep sleep. It isactually a deep coma, where the bodytemperature drops to a few degreesabove freezing, the heart barely beats,the blood scarcely flows, and breathingnearly stops.

• Young groundhogs are usually born inmid-April or May, and by July they areable to go out on their own. The size ofthe litter is four to nine. A babygroundhog is called a kit or a cub.

On New Year’s Eve 1913, a 12-year-old boy celebrated thenight by firing his mother’s .38

caliber pistol. He was arrested and sentto the Negro Waifs Home for 18months.

What could have been a devastatingexperiencing for a young boy proved tobe an auspicious, life-changing time. Thejuvenile home had a band master whotook an interest in the boy, giving him abugle and teaching him to play.

Louis Armstrong fell in love with theinstrument, learned to read music, and,before a year ended, was playing thecornet while leading the home’s brassband.

Though the introduction to musicwas important, perhaps as vital was thesense of discipline he picked up andcarried with him for the rest of his life.

When Armstrong was released fromthe Negro Waifs Home in 1915, he

wasn’t old enough to work with a band,so he earned money from a variety ofsources: delivering coal and beer, sellingbananas,peddlingnewspapers,deliveringmilk, andforaging ingarbage cansfor food tobring homeor sell torestaurants.

Saving asmany penniesas he could,Armstrongbegan to taketrumpetlessons from Joe “King” Oliver, theoutstanding exponent of jazz in the NewOrleans area.

By age 16, Armstrong and his hornwere inseparable, and he was playingnightly. Within five years, he glided

through thetiers of musicalestablishments,movingthroughnightclubs andriverboats tobecome one ofthe top brassmusicians inthe area.

Then, in1922, histeacher andmentor, Oliver,invitedArmstrong to

join his Creole Jazz Band in Chicago.Though he spent less than two years withOliver, the time was a huge boost toArmstrong’s morale and provided himwith greater experiences in publicperformance. During this time heswitched from the cornet to the trumpet.

Additionally, while playing withOliver, Armstrong met and married hissecond wife, Lil Hardin, who convincedhim to form his own band and to startmaking phonograph records.

In 1925, Armstrong learned thatChicago’s Okeh Records wanted toassemble a small combo of New Orleanstransplants to record jazz, and Armstronginvited a few friends to join him incutting some records.

That group—called the Hot Five andlater the Hot Seven—revolutionized jazz.Armstrong and his group developed themelodic, rhythmic style that all the bigbands of the 1930s and 1940s wouldadopt.

He brought swing dancing to theworld, and the world loved him inreturn. Armstrong became the first blackcrossover musician, whose musicappealed widely to black and whiteaudiences.

He also brought scat singing intoexistence. Armstrong created scat duringa recording session for the Okeh. Afterdropping his sheet music by accident, hehad to improvise vocally until therecording director returned the sheets tohim. As a result, Armstrong’s rasping,

gravelly voice would eventually becomeas famous as the luxurious sound of histrumpet.

In 1932 Armstrong made his firstEuropean tour; it was wildly successful,with Europeans gladly embracing hisebullient personality, talent, and naturalpublic charm.

It was during that European tour thathe acquired the nickname “Satchmo”because a London music writer named P.Mathison Brooks inadvertently garbledhis original nickname of “Satchelmouth,”which was given to him because of thesize of his lips and teeth and the hugebellows his cheeks made when he played.

As Armstrong became better andbetter known, an illustration of his lipsand teeth on a billboard were enough toannounce one of his comingperformances.

As his musical fame and reputationexpanded, so did his opportunities.Armstrong began appearing in moviesand Broadway shows and made guestappearances on various television showsduring the 1960s.

In 1964 his recording of “Hello,Dolly” became a huge hit, selling2,000,000 copies and displacing TheBeatles from the top of the hit list ofbestselling records.

Though Armstrong was not on thefrontlines of the civil rights movement,in his own way he tried to make acontribution.

“There has always been amisunderstanding of Armstrong and hisunbelievable courage,” says filmmakerKen Burns. “Here he was, refusing to goon a goodwill tour at the height of theCold War, and people like Sammy DavisJr. and Adam Clayton Powell denouncedhim.

“You have this guy considered athrowback showing courage few African-American entertainers were willing to doat the time.”

Louis Armstrong died of heart failureJuly 6, 1971, at his home in Corona, N.Y.The house is now maintained by QueensCollege as the Louis Armstrong Archives.

Very few people have ever risen as farin life as did Louis Armstrong. Beginningat the very bottom of American society,he emerged to become one of the mostfamous entertainers in the world.


Pick up your monthly refill … of news!

50plus Senior News is availableeach month near the entranceof your local CVS/pharmacy.Pick up a free copy with your

shopping basket!

www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com

The Man Who Taught

the World to Sing and Swing

Fragments of History

Victor Parachin

African-American History Month

February is


WORD SEARCH

SUDOKU

Solutions for all puzzles can be found on page 14

Your ad could be here on this popular page!Please call (717) 285-1350 for more information.

1. Elec. units5. Gave up10. Pitt of Mr. & Mrs.

Smith14. Orca prey15. Cheer up16. Country singer

McEntire17. Orient18. Range19. Foreboding20. Crepes22. Glide23. Leg part24. Daisylike flower

26. Piece of paper28. Pickle31. Strict32. Hindu frock34. Marquis de ___35. Pastureland36. Muscle39. Sandwich inits.40. Conjunctions42. S-shaped molding43. Stories45. Giant47. Confronts48. Cove

49. Pants measure50. Beef cattle52. Laurel & Hardy

producer56. Cheers57. South Korean city59. Gall60. Poker term61. Seed62. Hebrew calendar

month63. Low in pitch,

musically64. Nobleman65. Look after

1. Fast, if not fasterinits.

2. Plateau3. Anguish4. Loafer5. Bier6. Toastmaster7. Couples8. Second sight9. Scot. river10. Agents11. Extraordinary12. Assist13. Zealander

21. Concerning22. Fr. saint (abbr.)24. Concur25. Transport26. Office worker27. Auto necessity29. Stagnates30. Webs31. Dross32. Visual perception33. Hotshot37. Memorization38. Step41. Pollen attractors

44. Circus performer46. Than (Ger.)47. Angel type49. Sao ___, Brazil50. Omani, for one51. 1934 Anna Sten

movie52. Time of day53. Adjutant54. Tribe55. Animal group57. Cry58. A Gabor sister

Across

Down

CROSSWORD


Puzz

les

show

n on

pag

e 13

Puzzl

e Solu

tions

told and written in the present time.Group discussions commonly return totimeless themes of reality versusimagination, lust for greed, and so forth.

The group meets on the second andfourth Wednesday of each month at thelibrary, and there are usually anywherefrom six to 14 people in attendance.

Each reading selection is between 20and 40 pages, so the amount of readingrequired to be a part of the group is notoverly intensive, said Tepsic.

The Great Books Foundation inChicago sponsors the discussion groups.The foundation began as a nonprofitorganization in 1947 to promote criticalthinking and to encourage thedevelopment of well-roundedindividuals.

Today the foundation continues tosponsor programs throughout the entirecountry, including some at high schoolsand colleges.

Tepsic’s group is mostly retiredindividuals, but people of all ages arewelcome to join the biweeklydiscussions. Variety makes thediscussions more interesting, so peoplewith all different backgrounds andpersonalities are encouraged to attend.

“You can contribute as much as youwant, or nothing,” said Tepsic.

The group includes professionalsranging from a dietician to anaccountant to lawyers, professors, andgovernment managers.

“Everybody brings their own expertise

to the discussion,” Tepsic said. “It’sinteresting how different people interpretthings.”

One person is assigned to lead theconversation at each meeting. Theyprovide some background on thatparticular selection or author and steerthe discussion when need be.

The foundation sends out a catalogwith different genres for local groups tochoose from. Tepsic’s group’s recentreadings have included works from JohnLocke, Friedrich Nietzsche, Mark Twain,and F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Tepsic himself is just the sort of “well-rounded individual” the foundation islooking to cultivate. Now 71, he retiredat age 62 after working as the humanresources coordinator for theDepartment of Corrections.

He and his wife have two childrenand two grandchildren. They have alwaysenjoyed traveling, but retirement hasafforded them the time to take moretrips than ever before. When it comes toworld traveling, it can be hard to narrowit down to just one favorite, as eachdestination presents new experiences tosavor.

But if he had to choose, Tepsic saidthat New Zealand would be one of theirfavorite places to visit.

They have traveled to about 20nations so far, including Great Britain,Scotland, Ireland, France, Switzerland,Italy, Germany, Croatia, Honduras,Nicaragua, and Mexico. Still high on

their wish list of places to visit are Turkeyand Greece.

“I enjoy travel within the UnitedStates as well,” he said. “Out West issome of the most beautiful country inthe world, such as Yosemite NationalPark and the Grand Canyon.”

A lot of their travels are coordinatedthrough the Harrisburg Area FriendshipForce, an organization founded byformer United States President JimmyCarter to promote personal relationshipsbetween different cultures and nations. Itis a division of the People to PeopleAmbassador Programs.

The program sets you up with afamily to stay with when you are inanother country, instead of sleeping in ahotel or hostel. The people who host youare able to show you much more of thearea than you would get to see withoutthe friendship of locals, said Tepsic.

He and his wife have made friendsaround the world through theHarrisburg Area Friendship Force. Theyhave seen their friends from NewZealand several times since they stayedwith them there, when they both happento be visiting other countries and whenthe couple comes to stay with the Tepsicson their trips to the United States.

The Tepsics love hosting others attheir home in Camp Hill and takingthem to local sites like the state capitolbuilding and Gettysburg.

“You really get to learn about peopleand their cultures and food,” he said.

Food is a portion of the Tepsics’retirement as well—not because they aresuddenly indulging, but because theyspend time each week delivering it toothers through Meals on Wheels.Patricia is a coordinator and Dan is adriver.

A natural outflow of their service hasyet again been friendships. For some ofthe people Tepsic delivers to, that smallinteraction might, unfortunately, be themost social part of their week.

“We wanted to give something back,and it’s just our way of contributing tothe community,” Tepsic said.

Playing tennis is another great joy inTepsic’s life, and he has continuedcompeting on several local teams evenafter having open heart surgery in 2004and hip replacements in 2006 and 2008.

He picked up the sport after servingin the Army for two years after collegeand has been competing in doubles eversince. Last year the team he is part ofthrough the Harrisburg Academy wentto the Eastern Regional Finals inPrinceton.

Having major surgeries has notslowed him down at all in tennis or inlife.

“I’ve been given a new lease,” Tepsicsaid.

For more information on the GreatBooks Discussion Group, call NewCumberland Public Library at (717)774-7820 or visit www.newcumberlandlibrary.org.

HORIZONS from page 1

either to be identified by his middlename, Isaac, had he been given theTeutonic “Adolf.”

There are perfectly good names forboys not commonly used today. Theyinclude Horace, Floyd, Seymour,Leonard, and Winthrop. Not likely toregain popularity soon are these venerable

names for girls: Dagmar, Fannie, Fifi, andGretchen. When these names reemerge aspopular choices, subsequent editing ofthem can be anticipated.

Senior citizens with archaic givennames reveal their age group whencommunicating with strangers. To avoidpotential age discrimination, they may

use an age-neutral nickname, such asSkip, Buck, or Cookie.

Teens who dislike their given namessoon edit them. Timing is critical. Ifseniors wait until they enter their goldenyears, others may regard name editing asa sure sign of dementia.

Walt Sonneville, a retired market-researchanalyst, is the author of My 22 Cents’ Worth:The Higher-Valued Opinion of a SeniorCitizen and A Musing Moment: MeditativeEssays on Life and Learning, books ofpersonal-opinion essays, free of partisan andsectarian viewpoints. Contact him [email protected].

NAMES from page 2


Complete Our Reader Survey to be Entered in Our DrawingPlease participate in our confidential reader survey. The information you provide is important to us.

The results are for 50plus Senior News’ use only. Thank you for participating and good luck in the drawing!Mail your completed survey to: 50plusSenior News Survey • 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512 by March 15, 2014.

Name_________________________________________________Phone ______________________________________________

Address_______________________________________________City _____________________State ____Zip _______________

Please give us your opinion so that we can give you a better publication. Thank you! The contest winner will be announced in our May issue.

1. What are your favorite columns in 50plus Senior News?

________________________________________________________________

2. What do you dislike about 50plus Senior News?

________________________________________________________________

3. What topics would you like us to cover?

________________________________________________________________

4. How often do you pick up your copy of 50plus Senior News?

Monthly Semi-regularly Occasionally Rarely

5. Where do you get your copy of 50plus Senior News?

________________________________________________________________

6. Over the last few years, has 50plus Senior News:

Improved Stayed the same Gotten worse I am a new reader

7. Which of the following actions have you taken in the last 12 months

as a result of reading 50plus Senior News?

Requested information offered in an articleRequested information from an advertisementVisited a specific store Bought/ordered advertised product or serviceVisited a specific travel destination Attended a local event or meetingSaved an article for future reference Other

8. Do you patronize 50plus Senior News advertisers?

Often Sometimes Never9. How important to you is our calendar of events?

Very important Somewhat important Not important10. How often do you do the puzzles on the Puzzle Page?

Every Issue Sometimes Never11. Do you use coupons or discounts when offered?

Often Sometimes Never12. Number of people (include yourself) who read your copy of 50plusSenior News? ____

13. What percentage of 50plus Senior News do you read? __________________

14. Is 50plus Senior News an important source of information for you? Yes No

15. Have you visited 50plus Senior News’ website? Yes No

16. How likely are you to read our website’s additional editorial content?

Very likely Somewhat likely Not likely17. Have you visited 50plus Senior News on Facebook? Yes No

18. Please check which activities you enjoy:

Dining OutLive TheaterConcertsTravelGolfing

BowlingFishingRVingCasino GamingExercise

ReadingMoviesGardeningShoppingDancing

CampingChurchOther

19. I am (check all that apply):Male Female Married Divorced Widowed Single

20. My age is: Under 49 50-59 60-69 70-79 80+My spouse’s age is: Under 49 50-59 60-69 70-79 80+

21. My/our education level is: High School Grad Some CollegeCollege Grad Graduate/Professional Degree

22. My present work status is:

Full-Time Part-Time Retired VolunteeringMy spouse’s current work status is:

Full-Time Part-Time Retired Volunteering23. Our/my household net worth is (includes home, pensions, investments, etc.):

Under $50,000 $50,000-$99,999 $100,000-$249,999 $250,000-$349,999$350,000-$499,999 $500,000-$999,999 $1 million or more

24. My sources of income are (check all that apply): Salary PensionSocial Security Stocks/Bonds Savings Annuity Income Property

25. Our/my housing status (check all that apply): Own Rent Condo Single-Family House Apartment Retirement Community Nursing Home

26. In the next two years, might you consider moving to any of the following?

Smaller House Apartment Condo Retirement Community27. How many times do you dine out each month?

14 or more 10-13 times 6-9 times Fewer than 5 times28. How many times a month do you attend cultural events, plays,

concerts, movies, etc.? 1-4 5-8 9-11 12 or more times29. How many times a year do you travel?

1-4 times 5-8 times 9-11 times 12 or more times30. Have you visited a casino in the past year? Yes No

If yes, how many times? 1-2 3-4 5-9 10 or more31. What professional services have you employed in the past year?

Elder Law Attorney Insurance Broker Stock Broker Travel AgentCPA Financial Planner Real Estate Agent Other ______________

32. Check which purchases you plan to make in the next 12 months:

New Car Make? ___________________ Used Car Motor Home or RV Computer Furniture Television Major Appliance Eyeglasses Heater/Air Conditioner Real Estate Financial Advice Hearing AidHome Improvements Airline Tickets/Travel Tax AdviceHealth/Long-Term Care Insurance Other__________________________

33. Do you have a computer? Yes No34. Do you use email? Yes No35. Do you use the Internet? Yes No For what? ____________________

36. Do you have a regular exercise program? Yes No If yes, how manytimes per week do you exercise? 1-3 4-6 7 or more

37. How would you rate your overall health? Excellent Good Fair Poor38. How much do you spend on prescription drugs annually?

$100 or less $101-$300 $301-$500 $501-$999 more than $1,00039. Have you taken out a policy for long-term care insurance? Yes No40. Have you or has someone you know taken out a reverse mortgage? Yes No

The following questions are asked for statistical purposes ONLY.

Replies will be held in strict confidence. Please check all appropriate boxes.

We’d Like to Know More About You

Your name will be entered in a drawing.

Thank You For Your Participation In Our Survey.

PrizesAre:

Winners will be notified

• A $25 gift card to Isaac’s Famous Grilled Sandwiches• (5) one-year subscriptions to 50plus Senior News

Cumberland County 50plus Senior News February 2014

Documents

Transcript of Cumberland County 50plus Senior News February 2014