The Best Times April 2015

Johnson County Manager’s Office

Volume 33 No. 1

Planting annual flowers provides a summer of color. Pages 8-9

www.jocogov.org /thebesttimes

Publication of Johnson County Government www.jocogov.org

PRSRT STDU.S. Postage

PAIDColumbia MOPermit No.353

Feats keep feeton healthy pathYouth suicide takes a sad toll

Exercising with grandkids can become child’s play. 2

Grandparents can help troubled grandchildren.

Page-22-23

theApril 2015

Best TimesINFORMING & SUPPORTING JOHNSON COUNTY’S 60+ ADULTS

April showers canbring May flowers

Coping with arthritis?Exercising offers benefits

Pages 10-11

Johnson County Manager’s Office111 S. Cherry Street, Suite 3300Olathe, KS 66061

www.jocogov.org/thebesttimes • 2 • April 2015


the editor’s view

Still Wild about Harry (Truman)

DEADLINE FOR EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING COPY IS THE 8TH OF THE

MONTH PRECEDING PUBLICATION

Best Times

the

THIS & THAT

The Best Times, a monthly publication of Johnson County Government, is mailed without charge to Johnson County residents who are 60 plus. Subscriptions are available for $15 annually for those who do not qualify to receive it. If you are interested in receiving The Best Times, call 913-715-8930.

Mission: The Best Times is a monthly magazine provided for all Johnson County residents age 60 plus, publishing articles that inform, challenge, support, entertain, and persuade.

Contributions to support the mission of The Best Times should be made payable to The Best Times and mailed to the address below, or online at www.jocogov.org/thebesttimes.

Publishing of letters from readers, opinion columns, or advertising does not constitute agreement or endorsement by this magazine or Johnson County Government. Director of Public Affairs and Communications: Sharon Watson

913-715-0423 email: [email protected]

Editor: Gerald Hay, 913-715-0725 email: [email protected]

Circulation: Janice Suddath 913-715-8930

Advertising Sales: Che’rell Bilquist, 913-715-8920 email: [email protected]

111 S. Cherry Street, Suite 3300 Olathe, KS 66061 913-715-8930800-766-3777 TDD

On the CoverDebbie Shearer leads a class of exer-cisers with arthritis at the Shawnee Civic Center.

Cover story photos by Paul Andrews

Volume 33, No. 4 April 2015

By Gerald Hay, editorThe Best Times

My father, a World War II vet, long credited President Harry Tru-man for saving his life. He’s not alone.

Seventy years ago, my dad was a 20-year-old Army veteran from the Euro-pean campaign and fearing he would be joining the Pacific battle front, preparing for the invasion of Japan.

Instead, he was sent home. Japan did not have to be invaded. Dad, and probably most other veterans, believed the end to WWII came quickly, very quickly, because of President Harry Truman's decision to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Naga-saki in the week before V-J Day on August 15, 1945.

The bombings have been debated for years among historians and scholars as to whether they were necessary. But most WWII veterans, who watched and fought Japanese soldiers with great ferocity on Iwo Jima and Okinawa, never questioned Truman’s decision. They knew Japanese soldiers would die and fight to their final breath in defending their homeland and kill many American soldiers in doing so.

Few WWII vets, like Dad, have ever questioned the bombings either. To them, Truman’s decision saved not just American lives, it saved the lives of countless Japa-nese, as well, as Americans returned to their homes and Japanese rebuilt their homeland.

Less than one million WWII veterans are still living as the nation celebrates the 70th anniversary to the ending of the war. Less than 10,000 of them are in Kansas with hundreds, perhaps a thousand or so, living in Johnson County.

Dad, a Missouri native, always liked “Give ‘Em Them Hell, Harry.” As an expe-rienced veteran of battle himself, Truman understood and appreciated the American soldier. He once said, “They have earned our undying gratitude.”

The Truman Library Institute, part-ner of the Truman Library and Museum in Independence, Mo., will commemorate the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII while honoring President Truman’s leadership and veterans who served so bravely.

A new exhibit, “Till We Meet Again: The Greatest Generation in War and Peace,”

opens April 4 and runs through January 3 at the Truman Library. It features news-reels, personal letters, iconic artifacts, and surrender documents signed by German and Japanese leaders.

On April 23, the “Wild About Harry” annual benefit includes elegant dining, USO type entertainment, Pulitzer prize author Rick Atkinson, and recognition of Johnson County veterans and others from throughout the Kansas City region.

Other activities are planned for the rest of the year with VIP hospitality to WWII veterans. For complete details on the exhibit and other events, visit TrumanLibraryInsti-tute.org or call 816-268-8200. Admission charges for all veterans and active military members will be waived from VE Day (May 8) through VJ Day in August.

Thousands of Johnson Countians – spouses, family members, and veterans – were personally and directly impacted by WWII with rationing, war bonds, USO shows, Victory Gardens, the pride of mil-itary service, the pain of loss or scars of battle.

The exhibit is a great way and a good event to salute our remaining WWII veter-ans and a president who made a historical decision.

Dad would be proud to honor Truman and his fellow vets, and will be present, in spirit.


letters to the editor

Exercise is the elixir of lifeI am writing to thank you for providing excellent information

about keeping and improving our health through exercise. Articles such as “Walking offers path to future, friends” and “Sitting: The new nasty habit?” give us insight and encouragement to get up, get out, and exercise through walking. I have found that exercise is the elixir of life.

I find additional encouragement by being around others who believe as strongly as I do about the value of exercise. I was very fortunate to discover the excellent programs for seniors available at the Lenexa Community Center a few years ago. I have become involved in the weekly Men’ Basketball Program that features men from 55 to 80 years of age. It’s a lot of fun and very reward-ing.

Other programs for seniors there are pep fitness, C.H.A.I. yoga, pickleball, ping pong, and senior dances. All are at low cost, senior friendly, and are held in a clean, fun, environment. Plus, the people at the Lenexa Community Center are very help-ful. So, there’s something for everyone.

Please continue to keep us seniors informed and excited about ways to improve our lives.

Charles M. SavellOverland Park

Keep up the good workAfter reading the last few issues of The Best Times, I must say

I am very pleased with the way your publication is advocating for us

seniors, whether it be standing up to the Kansas Legislature or just keeping us informed of the issues, statewide and national.

We can’t be politically neutral. Whenever the legislature or the Congress brings up issues that affect us, we need to be right on top of it, and The Best Times is becoming a primary source and inspiration for us to do just that.

Keep up the good work.Frank StradaOverland Park

Finding no government adsThanks you for our copy of The Best Times. In answer to the letters

liked “Unwanted Publication,” we appreciate our copy. I’m sorry but I couldn’t find one advertisement in our copy by the government. If there were any government ads, I think they were to our benefit, not to sell us anything.

Judy AllenLenexa

Preferring mail over the InternetIf Mr. Land does not want The Best Times magazine, all he had to do

was contact your office and have his name removed from the mailing list.I do not consider the mail to be an obsolete mode of communication.

Not all seniors have access to the Internet or want to. Also the ads are of special interest to a lot of older folks.

I really appreciate your magazine.Marcheta AbelsOverland Park

shadow.indd 1 5/1/12 3:22 PM



All faiths or beliefs are welcome.

Y ou may have the wrong idea about

senior living. Our senior living communities are full of life,

friends and a sense of belonging. A place where everyone is loved, valued and at peace.

To learn more about current openings in our senior living community, call (913) 780-9916.


By Gordon L. Davis The Starfish Story

Original story by: Loren Eisley

One day a man was walking along the beach, when he noticed a boy hurriedly picking up and gently

throwing things into the ocean. Approaching the boy, he asked, “Young man, what are

you doing?” The boy replied, “Throwing starfish back into the ocean.The

surf is up and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.”

The man laughed to himself and said, “Don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish? You can’t make any difference!”

After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up anoth-er starfish, and threw it into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, he said, “I made a difference to that one.”

National Volunteer Week, April 12-18, 2015, is about inspir-ing, recognizing, and encouraging people to seek out imaginative ways to engage in their communities. It’s about demonstrating to the nation that by working together, we have the fortitude to meet our challenges and accomplish our goals.

National Volunteer Week is about taking action and encour-aging individuals and their respective communities to be at the center of social change – discovering and actively demonstrating their collective power to make a difference.

Special Human Service volunteers are in service to Johnson County throughout the year, and further the department’s mission to provide essential human services that support the indepen-dence, dignity, and self-sufficiency of our residents.

Johnson County volunteersDuring 2014, Human Services volunteers completed 26,377

hours of activity. This equates to $594,801 based on indepen-dent sector rates (over a half million dollars)! A total of 964

volunteers contrib-uted their efforts to many Human Service programs, including Outreach, Housing Services, Accessibil-ity, Administrative

Services, and the Area Agency on Aging (AAA). Honoring those who help others

A special beach-themed event centered on the premise “The Impact of One: You Make a Difference” will be held on Thurs-day, April 16, in Olathe. Human Services volunteers will be receiving a personal invitation with all the particulars profiling the day’s fun-filled events. Volunteers are invited to bring along a guest if they would like.

The day’s festivities will include food, bingo, prizes, and healthy cooking food demonstrations with free samples hosted by the Johnson County K-State Research and Extension office. Each volunteer who attend the event will walk away with a door prize.

Join our volunteer teamThere is no better time to join their efforts than when we are

paying tribute to the difference our volunteers make in John-son County. Volunteers may choose activities that meet their interests and time schedules. There are volunteer opportunities tailored to your needs and talents.

The AAA has two priority volunteer programs: Meals on Wheels and Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas (SHICK). Many other opportunities are available throughout the department to meet individual interests and availability, including Catch-A-Ride, a transportation service offered through Human Services.

Call Brandy Hodge, 913-715-8859, to learn more or to become a Human Services volunteer, or e-mail [email protected]. Information about volunteering is also available at www.jocogov.org/hsd (click on Volunteer Opportunities on the left).

Johnson County Area Agency on AgingPaid for by Older Americans Act funding

Event pays special tribute to volunteers

The Kansas Silver Haired Legislature (SHL) election to choose six dele-gates to represent Johnson County was held March 10 in Olathe.

The top candidates (those receiving the most votes) have been elected as John-son County delegates. They are: Katherine Hoffman, Gerald Ireland, Roy White, Alfie Thompson, Max Atwell, and Gary Scott.

Congratulations to these delegates, and a special “thank you” to all Johnson County residents 60+ who voted and participated in the democratic process.

The SHL is a unicameral legislative

body of 125 representatives age 60 or older. Members develop bills and resolutions that are presented to the Kansas legislature and Gov. Sam Brownback.

The SHL provides an educational ex-perience in the political process, as well as giving older adults the opportunity to speak for themselves about policy concerns for Kansas’ aging population.

For more information about the SHL, or to contact the delegation in Johnson County, call the Area Agency on Aging at 913-715-8860 or see http://www.jocogov.org/dept/human-services/home.

Silver Haired Legislature delegates elected Online directorylists aging and

disability servicesThe Aging & Accessibility Directory is a comprehensive online resource for aging and disability services in John-son County, Kansas, and is updated on an ongoing ba-sis. See listings by topic area at http://www.jocogov.org/dept/human-services/publi-cations-and-directories/ag-ing-and-accessibility-directory.


Johnson County Area Agency on Aging

Eating is so much more fun

with friends!Join old friends and make new ones by lunching at one of the six SENIOR DINING SITES available in Johnson County. The Nutrition Program of the Johnson County Area Agency on Aging, 913-715-8888, serves nutritious meals Monday through Friday at 11:30 a.m. for those 60 and older, and offers fellowship, recreation, and educational programs. The meals are provided through the Older Americans Act. A suggested donation of $3.00 is requested. To reserve a meal, just call the center of your choice by 10:00 a.m. one day in advance. Menus for meals provided through the Nutrition Program are available at http://www.jocogoc.org. We hope to see you there soon!

De Soto Neighborhood CenterDe Soto Community Center

32905 W. 84th St. • 913-585-1762Gardner Neighborhood Center

Gardner Community Center128 E. Park • 913-856-3471

Lenexa Neighborhood CenterLenexa Senior Center

13425 Walnut • 913-888-6141Merriam/Shawnee Neighborhood Center

Merriam Community Center5701 Merriam Drive • 913-677-2048

Overland Park Neighborhood CenterMatt Ross Community Center

8101 Marty St. • 913-648-2949Spring Hill Neighbors’ Place

Spring Hill Civic Center401 N. Madison • 913-592-3180

CHAMPSS ProgramSenior dining at select Hy-Vee’s

913-715-8894

Home Plate Nutrition ProgramSeven frozen meals following

hospital discharge913-715-8810

Paid for by Older Americans Act funding

Helping older adults to live in the community with independence and dignity.

Information & Referral . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 913-715-8861Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas (SHICK) . . . . . . . . . . . 913-715-8856Volunteer Services line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 913-715-8859Commission on Aging meetings will be held from 9-10 a.m. the second Wednesday of each month in Room 1070/1075, Sunset Drive Office Building, 11811 S. Sunset Drive, Olathe. The meetings are always open to the public. For more information, call 913-715-8860 or 800-766-3777 TDD.AAA programs are funded by the Older Americans Act and state funds through the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services, Johnson County government, agency matching funds, and individual participant donations.Johnson County government does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, or disability in employment or the provision of services.

Published monthly and distributed free of charge, the Johnson Coun-ty Area Agency on Aging (AAA) provides Caregiver Assistance

News, a newsletter featuring helpful articles on topics of particular interest to seniors and their caregivers.

Readers can expect articles on man-aging caregiver stress, health and well-ness, managing the effects of dementia, food and nutrition, and much more.

Caregiver Assistance News is fund-ed through Older Americans Act III-E Family Caregiver Support Funds, which makes possible distribution of this news-letter without charging subscription fees.

The newsletter is available online. Johnson County caregivers may start receiving the newsletter at home by calling 913-715-8860; or current sub-scribers may read the newsletter online instead.

ADRC can connect you to local experts

If you or a loved one need in-formation about the long-term supports and services available in Kansas, the Aging and Dis-

ability Resource Center, or ADRC, is the place to go.

ADRC is the single entry point for older adults and persons with disabilities to connect with local experts who can help them choose a long-term care option.

The ADRC call center line is answered Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Or you can leave a message after hours. The ADRC is at work for every Kansas community.

For more information, call your local ADRC at 1-855-200-A-D-R-C. That’s 1-855-200-2372. Or, visit the website at kdads.ks.gov.

AAA offers Caregiver Assistance News

Extra Help is available

More than 2 million people qualify to get Extra Help paying their prescription drug costs, but they don’t know it. Don’t miss out on a chance to save. Call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213, or visit

www.socialsecurity.gov/i1020 to apply. TTY users should call 1-800-325-0778.

Annuals provide a summer of color


the extension connection

By Dennis Patton

One of the joys of my summer is the color created by planting masses of annual flowers.

Annuals are one of the few flowering plants that will provide continuous bloom from planting until

frost. Annuals come in a wide range of colors, heights, and flow-er shapes. But let’s not forget about the wonderful foliage plants that create their own beauty while never producing a single flower.

Annuals are commonly planted from a transplant. I am sure you have noticed that about every street corner or store has a dis-play of annuals for purchase. Success with annuals is not compli-cated, but a few practical growing tips will help ensure success for the season.

Soil preparation is important for success. Annuals need to establish a root system quickly so that the top growth, which includes the flowers, happens rapidly. The best way to improve the soil is to add organic matter such as compost. Spade the area to be planted at least six inches deep, eight would be better. Then spread and work into this area at least four inches of compost or a similar product. The organic matter loosens the heavy clay soil to provide good aeration for the roots while helping to hold moisture during the stressful summer heat and drought.

We ask a lot of annuals. By that I mean we desire months of flowering. Continuous flowering is hard on a plant. Best flowering is accomplished through timely fertiliza-tions. Despite what you might read in gardening books, nitrogen, not phosphorus, is the most important nutrient for good plant growth. Phosphorus and potassium are important. But nitrogen is the most valuable nutrient because new flower buds develop at the end of green shoots which are produced by the nitrogen.

Get a soil testIt would be ideal to have a soil test from the annual

garden area. But let’s face it, even though it is recommended most people do not have this information. Based on my years of experience, most gardens have plenty of phosphorus and potassium from repeated applications of balanced fertilizers such as 13-13-13. Due to this fact, my recommendation is to use fertilizer sources higher in nitrogen and lower in phospho-rus and potassium.

Before planting the annuals, apply about one to two table-spoons of a fertilizer such as 30-0-0 or 29-5-4 (lawn fertilizer without herbicides) for every four to six transplants or about a 10 square foot area. Then, to promote good flowering through fall make monthly applications through early September. This is a schedule similar to that at the K-State Horticulture

Research Center in west Olathe. Their flowers are vigorous and loaded with blooms.

Steady, even moisture is helpful for best flowering. If the standard one inch of moisture each week is not provided by Mother Nature then supplemental water-ing is needed. It is best to water deeply and thoroughly, and infrequently. The an-nuals can be mulched to conserve water, or with proper spacing and good growth, they will quickly grow together helping to conserve moisture and cool the soil through shading.

Everyone has their favorites. I have my own must-haves for the summers. Vinca is my first choice, as it is heat and

drought tolerant and provides great color all summer long. The trick to vinca is to not get in a hurry to plant. This warm-loving plant will struggle if planted earlier than mid-May. It can even get root rot in cool, wet soils if planted too early.

A few must-have flowersI love Dragon Wing and Whopper Begonias in containers.

These come in red and pink, and both will flower nonstop. Continued to next page

Popular annuals are marigolds, left, and zinnias.


Annuals provide a summer of colorContinued from page 8One small plant will easi-ly grow to two feet and be covered with dangly blooms all summer. Lantana is a must, and an older variety, “New Gold” finds a place in my garden, as one plant takes up nearly a three- foot area. The Little Lucky series of Lantana is smaller but still blooms until frost, and makes a great nectar plant for the numerous butter-flies. Other must haves in the Patton garden are zinnias. My favorites are “Bridesmaid,” “Uptown Grape,” and “Dream-land Red.”

There are two common annuals that you will be hard pressed to find in my garden. They are two of the most com-monly planted annuals; petu-nias and geraniums. You might ask why I avoid these standby favorites. The answer is simple

— the flower buds are eaten by the budworm. Budworms start feeding in mid-summer and destroy the blooms so all that is left is a green plant.

We all have our favorite summer flowers. Just remem-ber that we ask a lot of our an-nuals, wanting them to flower

on end for months of enjoy-ment. So properly prepare the soil and feed them for a sum-mer of color in the garden.Dennis Patton, horticulture agent at Johnson County’s K-State Re-search and Extension Office, can be reached at 913-715-7000 or [email protected].

Vinca also can provide a summer season of color.

Curtain goes upfor ‘Avenue Q’

Coming to the Barn Players stage from April 17 through May 3 is the

hilarious, modern stage musical “Avenue Q.”

The show, the winner of a Tony “Triple Crown” award (Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book), focuses on a group of 20-somethings making their way in the big city following college graduation.

“Avenue Q” is directed by Eric Magnus with musical di-rection by Kevin Hershberger.

The production will be performed at the Barn Players Theater, 6219 Martway, Mis-sion, on Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. with Sunday mati-nees at 2 p.m.

Tickets are $18 and are available on the theatre website www.thebarnplayers.org or at the box office the date of the performance.

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cover story

Exercising helps class with arthritisBy Gerald Hay

People with arthritis should avoid exercising.

Not so fast. Participants at an exercise class at the Shawnee

Civic Centre disagree, claiming that exercises are doing them a lot of good in fighting the effects of arthritis.

The class is taught by Debbie Shear-er, a certified instructor through the Arthritis Foundation. She began offering the exercising program for people with arthritis a dozen years ago.

The class members, all residing in Shawnee, said arthritis is far more than minor aches and pains associated with getting older.

“All of a sudden, I felt like I was getting old, and I didn’t like it,” 72-year-old Diane Dowdy said regard-ing the time arthritis started to limit her abilities.

Janet King, 71, agreed.“It just happens,” she said, adding

that a common challenge to her was “getting up in the morning.”

Most of the class participants have osteoarthritis, which is the most com-mon form of arthritis. A few explained other family members also had the disease.

“My mother passed it down to me,” King said, adding her older brother also has osteoarthritis.

According to the Arthritis Foun-dation, with offices at 1900 West 75th Street, Prairie Village, arthritis is actual-ly a complex family of musculoskeletal disorders consisting of more than 100 different diseases or conditions that can affect people of all ages, races, and gen-ders. It is the leading cause of disability in the United States.

Arthritis is not just a disease of old age. According to the foundation, two-thirds of people with arthritis are under the age of 65.

Of the more than 50 million Ameri-cans with arthritis, more than 36 million are Caucasians, more than 4.6 million are African-Americans and 2.9 million are Hispanic. By 2030, an estimated 67 million Americans will have arthritis, unless the trend is reversed, the founda-tion warns.

There are three common diseases that make up arthritis: • Osteoarthritis, affecting some 27

million Americans, is a progressive

degenerative joint disease; • Rheumatoid arthritis, which can

sometimes result in severe joint damage and involves about 1.5 mil-lion Americans, mostly women; and,

• Juvenile arthritis, taking its toll on more than 300,000 children ages 16 and younger.Fibromyalgia and lupus, affecting

women more than men, and gout, af-fecting men more than women, also are

listed in the disorders under the umbrel-la of arthritis diseases.

“This is not a little cut,” Shearer said regarding the physical toll from the diseases linked to arthritis. “This is a great big bruise.”

Arthritis can affect any joint, but it occurs most often in knees, hips, lower back and neck, small joints of the fin-gers, and the bases of the thumb and big toe. The shoulders and temporomandibu-lar (jaw) joints may also be affected.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, there is strong evidence indicating that both en-durance and resistance types of exercise provide considerable disease-specific benefits for people with osteoarthritis and rheumatic conditions.

That point is echoed by Shearer, who says exercise is a valuable tool in the fight against arthritis with three main benefits to participants.

“To keep moving, to keep indepen-dent, and to be strong,” she said.

Class members agreed.“Keep moving,” Maria Koeneman,

71, who has rheumatoid arthritis, said Continued to next page

Above: Debbie Shearer leads exercises to help participates cope with their arthritis. Left: Maria Koeneman has rheumatoid arthritis.


cover story

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About the Arthritis Foundation

The Arthritis Foundation Greater Kansas City Office is located at 1900 West 75th Street, Prairie Village.

Hours: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. M-F

Phone: 913-262-2233The foundation also has offices in Wichita and Topeka, serving approximately 492,000 Kansans who are affect-ed by arthritis.The offices provide education, programs, and ser-vices regarding arthritis, information about upcoming events, programming news, volunteer opportunities, and other foundation-related business.

Exercising helps class with arthritisContinued from page 10with a smile. “It keeps me looser, more limber.”

“Exercising helps to keep you going,” Priscilla Wool-wine, 83, added.

Shearer, 66, Overland Park, enjoys teaching her class-es because she’s at the same age facing some of the same is-sues that come with aging. She has osteoporosis, but doesn’t let the disease keep her from doing what she enjoys.

“I can literally feel their pain,” she said. “But, it’s not stopping me.”

“It helps very much,” King added about the results from exercising.

Like many of her classes, Shearer adds a little spice, playing a little music, talking, and sharing some friendly personal information or com-munity news, while directing them in exercising routines. A group class is also a great way to meet others facing the same challenges.

Her exercising class is suitable for most adults at any age.

Most routines are done while sitting in a chair or standing beside it. The exercis-es promote physical wellness through chair-based slow-mov-ing stretching, strengthening movements with light weights,

and easy-to-follow routines. The activities are designed

to increase flexibility, coordi-nation, balance, strength, and endurance.

Most movements, nor-mally involving a cadence of eight counts, are simple, such as lifting legs or sitting on the edge of the chair; extend-ing arms and touching chests and shoulders; and very slow impact aerobics moving in various directions.

The routines have a common purpose for people with arthritis: reduce stiffness, keep joints flexible, strengthen muscles around joints, im-prove flexibility and balance, and stay limber.

Class participants follow Shearer to the best of their abilities. The trick is to work fairly hard but not so hard as to cause an injury, such as a pulled muscle or fall.

Health experts also point out walking also is a great ex-ercise for people with arthritis because it puts less stress on their joints than other types of aerobic exercise, such as jogging and bicycling.

Dowdy took all the exer-cising activities in stride while working out with her peers.

“We’re all a mess, but we keep trucking,” she said with a laugh.

Rosemary Hernandez, left, and Diane Dowdy, right, use light weights during their exercising routines.


to your good health

Working out becomes child’s playBy Lisa Taranto Butler

Age ain’t nothin’ but a number. But when it comes to numbers, the older you are the less likely you are to be getting the adequate amount of exercise you need to stay healthy and fit.

While grandma and grandpa may be struggling to get a good workout in, the grandkids seem to be burning calories nonstop.

Believe it or not, when it comes to fitness, grandchildren and grandparents are very similar. Both groups need to exercise safe-ly while protecting joints and bones. So why not take a lesson from the younger set and consider some good old-fashioned kids play that is safe, fun, and simple?

Here are a few kid-friendly exercises to get you and your grandkids on the path to good health together!

Hula HoopThe hula-hoop has made a comeback! Today’s exercise hoops

are bigger and heavier than the older styles, which makes it eas-ier to keep them continuously spinning. It’s a great low-impact aerobic workout, and you can twirl creatively-around your arm, neck, or hoop two at a time.

When you isolate different muscle groups for a high number of reps, you can mimic weight training. Do not forget to change directions to get all-around benefits.

Intensity varies with each person, but it is possible to burn up to 100 calories per hour depending on how hard you are work-ing. Make it a friendly competition and see who can keep their hoop going longest.

Water NoodlesWater noodles are a fun (and cheap) way to add some variety,

color, and intensity to any water routine! Some fitness clubs offer aqua classes that require noodles, or make your own fun with your offspring.

Noodles are great for toning, balance and stabilization exercises. Try jogging with one and keep the noodle in front of you and then behind you. You can alternate pushing your arms forward, front, down, and back. Try a relay to get everyone involved.

Line DancingHokey pokey, anyone? Fun music and basic moves make line

dancing tons of fun for adults and kids alike. You don’t need a partner and each generation can learn from one another.

Stand side-by-side and try to move in unison while doing easy left to right steps like the slide, grapevine, toe touch, and more. Grandparents can teach the boot scoot boogie or electric slide and kids can instruct as well. Check out some instructional videos from the library if you need a few ideas.

A few more kid-friendly exercise ideas ....• Kickball – Some cities have existing

leagues or start your own with your neighbors and their families.

• Skip – Instead of running or walking add a little spring to your step, or mix it in with your usual workout. Take a hike with your grandkids and add-in a few skips, side shuffles, or marches.

• Dance – Have your own family Danc-ing with the Stars! Kick up your heels

with a partner or get your groove on your own.

• Play with toys – Buy col-orful exercise balls, bands, and weights that interest you. Keep them handy where you can see them for some quick 10-minute bursts of activity or have your grandkids help you make a simple obstacle course to complete together or on teams.

• Go to Re-cess – Use your own backyard or the neighborhood playground to swing, slide, and climb. Some gyms offer classes where kids can take part as long as they are with an adult. Try group classes like zumba or spinning. Enroll in a boot camp session where everyone can workout at their own pace. More than likely, you will perform some exercises that you remember from those early middle school P.E. days.

• Cheer – Rah, Rah, Sis Boom Bah just like a teenager at a cheerleading “camp” class. Have your grandkids teach you some new cheers and perhaps a few new moves.

• Play HORSE – The whole family can take turns shooting at the hoop. Every time you miss, you get a letter. The closer you come to spelling HORSE, the more you need to practice your “A”-game. Short on time? Try COW.Remember that the idea is to enjoy yourself! Whether you

are doing any of these kid-like exercises as a new workout or just making the time you spend with your grandchildren healthier, your heart will benefit in more ways than one. Lisa Taranto Butler is triple-certified by the American Council on Exercise as a personal trainer, lifestyle, and weight management coach, and group fitness instructor. She is the owner of FitChix KC in Leawood.

Have you been diagnosed with pre-diabetes? Do you have an elevated fasting glucose?Physicians at the KU Diabetes Institute are currently recruiting for a national study to nd out if vitamin D can help prevent diabetes.Individuals who participate in the 4-year research study will:•Be monitored for diabetes twice a year•Receive education on how to reduce their risk of diabetes•Recieve a stipend for participating of up to $745*

*Total compensation based on number of visits completed. Participating in research is voluntary. Opting out will not affect the services you receive from the KU Medical Center.

For more information:Visit www.d2dstudy.orgCall 913-588-6052Email [email protected]

You may be ineligible if you:•Have had a kidney stone in the last 3 years•Have been diagnosed with diabetes•Are on medication for diabetes or pre-diabetes


making a difference

A taste of home away from home. Time for talk among the troops. And the dance you couldn’t wait to attend. At Aberdeen Village, the good old days of USO clubs are never far behind — and you’re invited to celebrate them with us! For one special evening, we’ll enjoy refreshments while revisiting the Big Band era, with music from K.C. Swing Band and the Sharon Andrews Duo. Dust off those uniforms, grab a partner, and join us at Aberdeen Village for a jitterbug or two.

USO-Style Dance

AberdeenVillage.com

Reminisce this spring with a little bit of swing.

Aberdeen Village resident “Irish” Lubberts (third from right) at Honolulu Naval Air Station, 1945

A Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America Senior Living Community .

Wednesday, April 22, 2015 5-7 p.m.

Aberdeen Village17500 West 119th Street

Olathe, Kansas 66061Complimentary valet parking provided.

Veterans are welcome to wear their uniforms and caps.

To R.S.V.P., call 913-599-6100 today!

Grandparents caring for grandchildren: We can helpBy Kimberly Herndon

Need help having “the talk?” We can help!

The Johnson County Department of Health and Environment is offering Making a Difference, a free, evidence-based program for 11-14 year olds. Topics

include puberty, healthy relationships, self-esteem, peer pressure, abstinence, teen pregnancy and STD prevention.

The class uses games, worksheets, DVDs and role playing activities to make the lessons fun. Healthy snacks and meals are provided. All students who successfully complete the 8-hour course will receive a $10 Target gift card.

Making a Difference is an abstinence approach to preventing teen pregnancy and STDs. All activities focus on the knowledge, attitudes and skills needed to practice abstinence. As a public health program, Making a Difference teaches information to keep kids healthy. Any value-based questions are always referred back to the parents or guardians of a child.

All activities are age appropriate and the program has been approved by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Johnson County Board of County Commissioners, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment.

There is also a separate, optional class just for parents/guard-ians that is held during the school year on the first and third Mon-

days of each month from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Health Services Building, 11875 S. Sunset Dr., Olathe.

Topics include a review of program con-tent, teen pregnancy/STD/HIV statistics, parent-child communication tips, and internet/cell-phone safety for families. The class will be an informal discussion and each family is given a packet of helpful books,

brochures and resources ($50 value). Making a Difference has received an enthusiastic response

from schools and families across Johnson County. Please visit http://www.jocogov.org/deptpage/

health-and-environment/making-difference-class for more information and to register. You can also call 913-477-8124 or 913-477-8120.Kimberly Herndon is health educator at the Johnson County Depart-ment of Health and Environment working in partnership with Shari Tedford, Senior Wellness coordinator.


kitchen table money talk

Anthem computer hackers sound a sour noteBy Gene Meyer

Potentially 389,000 Kan-sans – including many in Johnson County and surrounding northeast-

ern Kansas – may have received some disturbing mail recently.

Anthem Inc., the nation’s second largest health insurer, is mailing them and 80 million other Americans postcards to warn them their personal infor-mation may have been compro-mised in a giant cyber attack discovered in January.

Never heard of Anthem? That might not mean much. Anthem and the Kansas Depart-ment of Insurance say the ac-counts that were hacked appear to be Blue Cross/Blue Shield and KanCare Medicaid ac-counts going back a decade or more – to 2004. No credit card or confidential health informa-tion appears to be taken, but the hackers apparently got enough name, address, birth date, and contact information to set up all kinds of bogus accounts in victim’s names.

“Insurance commissioners throughout the United States are urging consumers to be wary of potential new attacks on their personal informa-tion, including phone or email scams,” Kansas Insurance Com-missioner Ken Selzer said.

The state insurance de-partment has a hotline Kansans can call, at 800-432-2484, if they worry about someone who might be trying to rip off per-sonal or financial information.

Anthem also has a website – www.anthemfacts.com – and toll-free number – 877-263-7995 – through which victims of the hack can get free identity theft repair help, credit moni-toring or other help sorting out problems they may incur.

Other people or organi-zations may offer help, too. And that is where things can get tricky, said Stan Adell, of Adell Communications LLC,

an Olathe firm offering identity protection services.

“You have got to be care-ful, “ Adell said. “Scammers may try to use this event to trick people into giving up per-sonal information.”

Being told that your per-sonal identity information has been breached “tends to elicit a wide range of responses, ev-erything from anger and fear to complete apathy,” he said. “The most important thing to do is remain calm and keep in mind there are positive steps you can take.”

Be wary of any unsolicited phone call, email or other offer to help you through an identity

breach, Adell recommends. Study the offer careful-

ly before you do anything. Figure out who the call or letter actually came from, why they had your data in the first place, and what exactly was exposed.

Remedies will vary depending on, for example, whether your Social Security number, a credit card or other account, or your email address was hacked. And, if you have any doubts, don’t answer any questions until you first call the affected business directly to see if they really do have a representative trying to reach you.

There also are ways to reduce the risk your identity will get ripped off in the first place, said Aaron Reese, a manager at the Better Business Bureau of Greater Kansas City.

We’ve all heard the most frequently recommended basic safeguards, Reese said. Those include guarding your credit cards carefully in restaurants and shops, watching your monthly statements for any-thing suspicious, and shred-ding or destroying old bank statements, credit card offers

and other documents with per-sonal information when you no longer need them.

“Those still are the most important things you can do,” he said.

Additional safeguards are available if you need them. You can ask the three big credit re-porting agencies – TransUnion, Experian and Equifax – to put either a fraud alert or a credit freeze on your accounts. Fraud alerts require potential creditors to verify your identity before issuing any new cards.

Credit freezes prevent anyone, including you, from opening a new credit line until you lift the freeze. There may be fees, $30 or so, for doing this.

The big three reporting companies – and hosts of other enterprises, including Adell’s – also offer credit monitoring services that will flag potential-ly suspicious activity in your accounts for you. Their range of services and costs vary widely, so again, check out details close-ly before you decide whether to use one of them. Gene Meyer, a Fairway resident, is a former staff reporter at The Wall Street Journal and The Kansas City Star.

www.jocogov.org/thebesttimes• 15 • April 2015

Saturday, April 4th ● 1:00 p.m. ● All Children up to Age 12 2nd Annual Easter Egg Hunt

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8505 Pflumm Road ● Lenexa, KS ● 66215 There will be an Easter Bunny, Refreshments, Egg Hunting & Bag Decorating!

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“Thomas Johnson’s Story and the History of Fairway, Kansas” The story of Johnson County’s namesake, the Shawnee Indian Mission and Fairway

Contact ● Joe Vaughan Associates ● [email protected])

“Books Are

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Fairway Rainy Day Books (www.rainydaybooks.com), Fairway City Hall

Prairie Village Bruce Smith Drugs, Tiffany Town, Gregory’s Fine Floral

Overland Park Ranchview Floral, Fred’s Train Shop and Unique Finds-Downtown, Ranchmart Hardware

Joe H. Vaughan, Author

Open house setat TimberRidge

The annual open house at Timber-Ridge Adventure has everything a thrill seeker is looking for: a climbing wall, archery, BB gun

shooting, canoeing, pedal boating, hiking, fishing, and more.

The event is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 25, at 12300 South Homestead Lane, Olathe.

An open climb-ing opportunity on the Hawk’s Nest Climbing Tower for age 12 and older will occur from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Climbers will need to pre-register at 913-856-8849 as space is limited to 40 people.

All ages are invited to participate in the Family Fun Treasure Hunt from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Participants need to be 8 years or older for the BB gun and archery range activities.

Catch-and-release fishing also is available, but participants 16 and older are required to have a Kansas fishing license. Licenses will not be sold on site.

For more information, call 913-831-3359. PROBATE THE EASY WAY

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special section

As more and more seniors age in place and desire to remain in their own homes with some formal

and informal assistance, it becomes increasingly important for them to know what help they may need and where to get it.

Although many people choose facility-based care and the support that a facility offers, most people spend their entire lives in their own homes with a little help from family, friends, and in-home service providers.

Consider how you live day to day, and examine the activities of daily living you might need help with—preparing meals, houseclean-ing, laundry, bathing, dressing, toileting, managing medications, managing money, shopping, er-rands, transportation, paying bills, or making calls and coordinating a variety of care needs. Knowing what will make it easier and safer for you to live at home is an integral part of long-term care planning.

According to the National Clearinghouse for Long-Term Care Information, at least 70 percent of people over age 65 will require in-home care or some long-term care during their lives. And, contrary to what many people believe, Medicare and private health insurance programs do not pay for the ma-jority of long-term care services. Other programs, including Medicaid, VA benefits, and federal and state programs, may be available, but some private-pay services may be needed, too. Planning is essential for you to get the care you might need.

Long-term care is required when you have a chronic illness or disability that causes you to need assistance with activities of daily living. Your illness or disability could in-

clude a problem with memory loss, confusion, or disorientation.

These factors increase your risk of needing long-term care:• Age. The risk generally increases as you get older.• Marital status. Single people are more likely to need care from a paid provider.• Gender. Women are at a higher risk than men, primarily because they live longer.• Lifestyle. Poor diet and exercise habits can increase your risk.• Health and family history. These also influence your risk. If you need long-term care, you may need one or more of the following:• Assistance with daily activities in your home from a family member or friend;• Services at home from a nurse, home care aide, therapist, or home-maker;

• Care in the community;• Care in any of a variety of long-term facilities.

The Johnson County Area Agency on Aging provides programs of intermittent in-home assistance, such as Meals on Wheels, housekeeping, attendant care (or bath aide), and respite care. They also provide information and assistance, op-tions counseling, and a variety of caregiver support programs. Many people also need more prolonged or additional support from in-home care providers.

Keep this guide handy or use it now to arrange some help at home if needed, and contact the Johnson County Area Agency on Aging’s information line at 913-715-8861 for a planning packet including service information, brochures, and directories to help you explore your options for benefits and care.

Johnson County offers in-home care options


special section

Hospice care provides comfort and support

Help From A Friend Helping Johnson County’s Older Adults

Lawn Mowing $30

(Mow, Edge, Trim, Blow Clean—Average City Yard)

Lawn Applications $45 (Fertilizer plus Grassy and/or Broadleaf Weed Control

Optional Grub Control—Average City Yard)

Spring Cleanup Yard Work Lawn Care Lawn Renovation Yard Cleanup

Gutter Cleaning Planting Seeding Aerating Shrub Removal

Leaf Cleanup Weeding Fertilizing Verticutting Small Tree Removal

Mulch / Edging Pruning Weed Control Power Raking Brush Cleanup

Lawn Mowing Trimming Topsoil / Sod Lawn Patching Storm Cleanup

Yard Care—It’s that time of year again!

HelpFromAFriend.com (913) 980-8686

For those who are very close to dying, the terminally ill, life choices become focused into a short period of time and hospice care services are extremely valuable in pro-viding needed comfort and support.

Hospice care helps families address issues of communica-tion, living with their health condition, dealing with pain and emotions, while focusing on the care and support of patients.

Hospice care focuses on comfort, not cure. It is a service that can be covered by Medicare if the patient is enrolled in Medicare and the doctor certifies that the patient is terminally ill.

The physician and the hospice provider that you and your loved ones choose will work with you to develop a plan of care to cope with the illness. The doctor, social worker, counselor, and hospice aides will be available to help with services, includ-ing prescription drugs, medical equipment, and supplies. To find out more about hospice care, consider these steps:• Ask your doctor about care options, and if or when hospice care

might be appropriate.• If hospice care is prescribed, choose a hospice provider or call the Johnson County Area Agency on Aging 913-715-8861for additional options and support.• Find out more about how Medicare covers hospice. Talk to your chosen provider, and call Medicare at 1-800-633-4227 (1-800-MEDICARE) to request the publication “Medicare Hos-pice Benefits” or visit www.medicare.gov.• Get additional information from Caring Connections, an initia-tive of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization to improve care at the end of life:

1-800-658-8898 | www.caringinfo.org. Caring Connections publishes brochures on end-of-life deci-

sions and wishes, leaving a legacy, selecting a hospice program, understanding the dying process, managing pain, and hospice patient rights.

We bring peace of mind,

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at every stage of illness

“They definitely gave my wife Beverly a better quality of life.” ~ Jim 816.363.2600

Call 816.363.2600kchospice.org


library connection

Activist, mother, candidate – the chapters in Ruth Shechter’s story have always involved her

taking a stand for what is right. When searching for the setting for her next chapters, she found

the right fit in The Villas at Village Shalom.

Start a new chapter in your story.Call 913-266-8407 to schedule a tour and see how Village Shalom can make for the perfect setting.

Village Stories: The Activist

See the rest of Ruth’s story in her mini-documentary video

at www.VillageShalom.org/Ruth.

Yard Rakeoverneeds volunteers

Volunteers are needed to help clean up and pre-pare the yards of quali-

fying Jewish Family Services’ (JFS) Help@Home members from April 23 through May 3.

Volunteers will choose the date and time that works best for them.

Locations are in southern Johnson and parts of the metro. JFS will provide yard waste bags; volunteers should bring their own yard and garden tools to use.

The registration deadline is April 10.

For more information, call 913-730-1445.

By Bryan Voell and Rachel Novotny

Intergenerational friendships offer unique benefits to every-one involved.

Engaging with varied perspectives on history and culture enriches our individual lives, and our communities. On

April 11, Johnson County Library offers opportunities to meet, greet, and have fun with diverse generations of library patrons. The Let’s Get Creative: Playing Between the Rules program is for all ages and centered on music, creativity, and art. It’s co-sponsored by the Positive Aging Coalition and is presented at the Blue Valley Neighborhood Library.

Let’s Get Creative features mu-sicians and artists of all generations and mediums: • Olathe East High School student

Kate Rose, a homegrown sing-er-songwriter, started writing songs when she was 11 years old. She is one of the youngest musicians featured in the recent Folk Alliance International conference in Kansas City. Rose has performed widely in the Kansas City metro area. She will offer a selection of her original compositions for voice and guitar.

• Also featured is a classical music performance by Jeanne Fizell, a multi-instrumentalist with a passion for guitar, hammered dulcimer, and autoharp. Fizell, formerly of the local classical quartet String Theory, will perform solo as 96 Strings.

• Improvisational scenes or presented by Blue Valley High School’s Fifth Wall and Kansas City Senior Theatre who will

perform separately and together.• Delicious cookie frosting is the medium in a fun drop-in

workshop. Participants can be inspired by Van Gogh, Cas-satt, or even Niewald while creating a sugar cookie master-piece to take home – if it makes it that far! Let’s Get Creative: Playing Between the Rules starts at 2

p.m. on Saturday, April 11, at Blue Valley Library, 9000 W. 151st Street, Overland Park.

More innfo: 913-826-4600. A full list of Johnson County Library programs is at www.jocolibrary.org/events

Listen LocalDid you hear that? Johnson County Library has

launched a new blog initiative: Listen Local. This innovative project focuses on original songwriters, composers, and musical noisemakers in and around our metro area.

Listen Local’s goal is to spotlight musical creatives of all ages living, working or performing in our collective backyard. Some artists featured on the blog are well-known to our community. They perform regularly in and around Johnson County venues, receive airplay on local radio stations, and may already have dedicated followings.

Many others may not be as widely known – yet. They may be just starting out in musical careers or, after a period of long creative gestation, are ready to share their musical talents with the rest of us. Visit the listen local project online at http://jocolibrary.org/

we-recommend/listen-local.Be part of Listen Local! Composers and recording musicians:

we’d love to hear from you. Contact Bryan Voell, Local Arts librari-an, 913-826-4418 or [email protected]. Bryan Voell is Local Arts librarian at Central Resource Library. Rachel No-votny is Information Services librarian at Blue Valley Neighborhood Library.

Let’s Get Creative: Playing between the rules


County approves new Arts and Heritage Center

Two Board of County Commission votes have paved the way for the new Johnson County Arts and Heritage Cen-ter (JCAHC), which will open in 2017.

The JCAHC will serve as the new home for the Johnson County Museum, an indoor theatre for The Theatre in the Park’s off-season productions, and space for expanded arts programming provided by the Johnson County Park & Recreation District (JCPRD).

First, the Johnson County Board of County Commission-ers (BOCC) voted to establish a capital project to renovate the former King Louie building at 8788 Metcalf in Overland Park for use as the new JCAHC. The project was approved by 4-3 vote.

Second, the BOCC, operating as the Public Building Com-mission, adopted a resolution by a 5-2 vote to issue lease pur-chase revenue bonds in the amount of $21,960,000 to pay for the renovation and refunding of the short term loans to purchase and

affect initial repairs to the building.Plans for the Arts and Heritage Center

• The Johnson County Museum, now located in a 1927 structure with numerous additions that suffers from water infiltration and other inadequacies, will move into the lower level of the center.• A flex theater, along with rehearsal space and a workshop, will be the new off-season (spring, fall, and winter) home for The Theatre in the Park. Those spaces will be available for other per-forming arts organizations and others to use when The Theatre in the Park is not using them.• Space will be designated for advance voting and election work-er training.• Event space, including an outdoor patio area and catering kitch-en, will be available for community rentals.• More classroom space will be available for JCPRD classes, programs and camps that focus on dance, music, and the arts.

Easter Egg Huntplanned April 2at Antioch Park

Grab your basket and head to Antioch Park for a new twist on the tradi-

tional Easter Egg Hunt during a new special event for all ages being presented by the John-son County Park & Recreation District.

The event will take place at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 2, at the park, 6501 Antioch Road, Merriam, and fea-ture two different scav-enger hunts.

One area will be des-ignated for egg hunting for ages four to seven. Ages eight and up will walk along the park’s one-mile trail to different egg drop areas where each hunter will be responsible for finding specific eggs.

Each hunter will be guar-anteed at least a dozen eggs. All participants must have a guardian in attendance.

The cost is $8 per child for Johnson County residents or $9 per child for nonresidents.

Registration to attend the event can be made calling 913-831-3359 where more informa-tion is available.


inside story

Jean Rau: At 93, she inspires the art world

Garden Terrace at Overland Park is the only facility in the area that is 100% dedicated to providing

Joint Commission Accredited

THE BEST care for people with Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, and related memory care needs – and to have a medical Doctor, Dr. Bruce Hodges, on site! The comforts of home in a specialized care setting.

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Alzheimer’s Center of Excellence

Experts in dementia care (20 plus years)

Rehabilitation department, speech, occupational and physical therapists on staff

Four board-certified music therapists, an art therapists and a horticulture specialist

By Linda Chesney Kaut

Jean Rau is inspired by an oil paint-ing from the 1880s which hangs in her home. The artist is her grand-mother, who died when Rau was

only about 3 years old.In turn, Rau helped inspire one of her

grandchildren to take up art during child-hood. He grew up to become a graphic designer.

Rau, a 93-year-old resident of Mis-sion, is still an inspiration to people interested in the arts. She is a founding member of the Greater Kansas City Area Committee of the National Museum of Women in the Arts. She now serves as a consultant to the group’s board of direc-tors.

“The thread that runs through her life is really about the arts,” said Mary Lynn “M.L.” Bass, a new member of the board.

“I think she’s the most dynamic 93 year old,” Bass said. “She’s who I aspire to be at 93. She’s a real inspiration to me.”

Rau tried her hand at being an artist, but decided it wasn’t for her.

“If you’re a real artist, you’re driven to do this,” Rau said.

Nevertheless, she hasn’t given up on the idea.

“One day, when I quit doing all these other things, I’m going to do art again.”

Until then, Rau remains active in the arts community.

“I just feel passionately about it,” she said. “Art is everywhere. We would be no place without art.”

Among other things, the local group sponsors a bi-annual art exhibition. Women to Watch 2015, which featured the works of five women, recently closed at the Epsten Gallery in Overland Park. The artists are Rain Harris, Diana Heise, Linda Lighton, Sonie Joi Ruffin, and Lara Shipley.

Rau’s earliest role for the not-for-profit organization included helping organize outings to arts activities in the Kansas City area and beyond. For exam-ple, events included a performance by the Paul Mesner Puppets at Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral in Kansas City.

One event that stands out to Rau was a visit to the Crittenton Children’s Center in Kansas City.

“It was the most fascinating thing I ever heard how they used art for these children,” she said.

Rau’s part in the Greater Kansas City Area Committee has included four or five trips to the National Museum of Women in the Arts, which is in Washington, D.C. This is the world’s only museum dedicat-ed to national and international women artists.

Statistics show that women artists are not nearly as well represented as men at museums, which is something the metro organization is trying to change. These figures are low for women locally as well as nationally.

For Rau, her part in the arts organiza-tion came down to being in the right place

at the right time, not once but twice.“It’s funny how these things work

out.”Her art collection includes a piece

created by one of her aunts in addition to the one from her grandmother. She confessed that she didn’t use to like either one of them. That changed as she got older.

“I learned to appreciate them for what they are,” Rau said.Linda Chesney Kaut, a former newspaper reporter, is a freelance writer. She lives in Spring Hill.


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A day trip to St. Joseph, Mo. and reg-istration for a future outing to Kauffman

Center are in the works for April by the 50 Plus Depart-ment of the Johnson County Park and Recreation District.

Gems of St. Joseph will take place on April 10, depart-ing from Antioch Park, 6501 Antioch Road, Merriam, at 8 a.m. and returning at approxi-mately 5 p.m.

Participants will visit the Walter Cronkite Memorial for a tribute to St. Joe’s native son and then head to Missouri Western State University’s in-door Sports Complex, home of the Kansas City Chiefs training camp. After lunch at Frederick Inn, they will stop at Tobia-son Studio for a stained glass demonstration and a hands-on project.

Cost is $69, including

lunch and transporta-tion.

April 13 is the registration deadline to enjoy Disney’s Fantasia with the Kansas City Symphony on May 15 at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, Kansas City Mo.

Departure on May 15 will be at 5 p.m., returning at approximately 11 p.m. Motorcoach will pick up at Roeland Park and in Olathe with a minimum number of participants.

Cost is $69, including tickets and transportation.

Call 913-826-3030 to register for the day trip or for Fantasia tickets.

Day trip visits: St. Joseph

inside story


By Elaine Good

Elizabeth Stone once said the decision to have a child was momentous … “it is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.”

And, having a grandchild is akin to having someone else make that decision for you – and finding you have hearts of all ages, sizes and shapes walking about in the world. While no one heart is more or less important than any other – they are all irreplaceable – having teenage grandchildren carries some special worries perhaps unlike those of previous generations.

Today, suicide is the third leading cause of death in children ages 10 to 24, surpassed only by accidents and homicide. One teenage girl I met recently disclosed she’s lost seven friends to suicide in the past four years, and, she continued, “that doesn’t count the friends I have I’ve talked out of it ... or talked with or texted all night when they were depressed and feeling suicidal.”

Experts estimate that for every adolescent suicide you hear about, 25 suicide attempts are made. While no month of the year is immune to suicide, April is the most common month for suicides in the United States.

Teens today are beset with pressures unlike those of older generations. The competition for grades, college schol-arships, and high test scores is intense. Parents lose their jobs in corporate or government downsizing and families ‘double-up’ in numbers not seen since the Great Depression. Peer pressure (to “fit in,” to drink or drug, or to wear the latest fashions, have the “right” – or any – car) has increased significantly.

Unlike in “the olden days,” when peer pressure and bullying stopped for a few hours upon school dismissal, today’s adolescents are armed with cell phones and

social media sites (think Twitter, Vine, Instagram, SnapChat) that allow nearly constant interaction with each other.

Many teens report feeling anxious or worried about “what’s going on” with their social media even when they are busy with other activities. Hurtful remarks that remained relatively private in past generations can now be broadcast, 24/7, on social media sites, and behavior can be photographed or videotaped and sent to multiple people almost instantly. Privacy is nearly non-existent, and adolescents have never experienced as many opportunities for public humiliation and embarrassment as they do now.

The bond between grandparents and adolescents can be in-valuable when teens struggle with feelings of inadequacy, anxi-ety, depression, and a sense of being alone. Children who are too embarrassed to talk with a parent or teacher may instead turn to a grandparent for support or guidance – especially one who has tak-en an interest in them. Grandparents and grandchildren often have a special bond that is unique from other relationships adolescents have with other adults.

If you think your grandchild is strug-gling with friendships, grades, or any of the pressures of adolescence, there are steps you can take to help. Unlike popular myths, asking about suicide doesn’t “give anyone that idea.” It can, however, show you are taking your grandchild’s thoughts and feelings seriously and responding to their emotional pain in a caring and non-judgmental way.

We can acknowledge that thoughts of suicide indicate a desire to solve problems, and we can talk about the sources of pain that exist behind the suicidal thoughts. When we shift our focus to the causes of emotional distress, we can discuss solu-tions other than ending a life. Often, just

Continued to next page

Warning signs

Warning signs which may be seen in suicidal adolescents include:

o Feeling hopeless and worthless;o Feeling detached and isolated

from friends and family;o Knowing someone with suicidal

behavior, such as a friend, family member, celebrity or classmate;

o Having access to a weapon in the home;

o Previous suicide attempt(s); and,o Making frequent, negative com-

ments about themselves.

Youth suicide: Grandparents can help


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Continued from page 22putting words to vague or overwhelming feelings gives us some understanding, and increases our willingness to look at other choices.

Adolescents rarely feel genuinely heard, and having a grandparent who is in-terested and a good listener can help them feel connected and understood.

If you suspect your grandchild is sui-cidal, it can come as a great relief for them to see that someone else has some insight into how they feel. This can be a difficult question to ask, so here are some possible approaches:• “It sounds like an awful lot for one person to take; have you

been thinking about killing yourself to escape?”

• “Has all that pain you’re going through made you think about hurting yourself?”

• “Have you ever felt like just giving up on all of it?”A person who isn’t feeling suicidal will usually be able to

respond by giving a comfortable “no” answer, and then volunteer one or more reasons they have for living.

Keeping open lines of communication with your grandchild

and their parents can allow you to give them the extra support they may be need-ing at difficult times.

If someone you know tells you they feel suicidal, above all else, listen to them. Then listen some more.

Tell them “I don’t want you to die.”Try to make yourself available to hear

about how they feel and ask them not to hurt themselves.

While it’s not a long-term solution, asking a person if they’re suicidal and having them talk about how they feel can greatly reduce a sense of isolation and distress, which in turn reduces (at least temporarily) the immediate risk of suicide.

In the medium and longer term, it is important to seek help to resolve the problems as soon as possible, regardless of their source. Parents, the family physician, a school counselor, a trusted teacher or coach, a minister or rabbi can offer additional support and provide referral to a counselor or community mental health center.

A 24 hour telephone counseling service or suicide prevention number can offer you immediate suggestions and support. Elaine Good, LSCSW, is a mental health clinician at the John-son County Mental Health Center.

Who to callThe National Suicide Pre-vention Lifeline number is 1-800-273-8255 and is answered 24 hours a day. The Johnson County Mental Health Center Crisis Line is 913-268-0156.

April offers Love in the Afternoon

A lunch program featuring fine cuisine and exceptional music is being offered twice in early April

by the Johnson County Park & Recre-ation District’s 50 Plus Department.

Both Love in the Afternoon pro-grams begin at noon.

The first program will take place on Friday, April 3, at Lenexa Baptist Church, 15320 W. 87th Street Parkway.

The other is scheduled Tuesday, April 7, at Colonial Presbyterian Church, 9500 Wornall, Kansas City, Mo.

The cost for each two-hour program, including lunch and a show, is $15 per ticket, and must be purchased in advance by calling Shawnee Heartland Assisted Living at 913-248-6688.

While the JCPRD’s 50 Plus pro-grams are primarily for people who are age 50 or older, interested parties who have not yet reached that magic age may still be able to attend. Persons 18 and older who are interested in a 50 Plus class are invited to call the district’s Registration Department at 913-831-3359, and if space is available without forfeiting the place of a person over 50, their registration can be taken.

Youth suicide: Grandparents can help

Yoga: Exercise for mind, body & spiritBy Crystal Futrell

Is it a religion? A dance? Or an exercise?

There are many questions, speculations and opinions swarming around the practice of yoga. It can even incite parental worry. When I first started practic-

ing yoga a few years ago, my mother worried that I had inclinations of shaving my head and running away to become a Buddhist nun! But despite its mystery and ac-cusations, yoga is definitely being noticed by the health world as a viable treatment for varying ailments, especially amongst senior populations.

As people age, muscles stiffen and range of motion lessens. This often leads to a lower quality of life and can impact both one’s physical and emotional health.

With its series of poses, yoga both stretches and tones muscles while increasing one’s ability to maintain balance. On top of that, folks who practice yoga report feeling more relaxed which can affect their blood pressure, and relieve anxi-ety and depression.

Scientific studies also show very promising results on yoga’s ability to re-duce low back pain, which is a frustratingly difficult ailment to treat in the medical world. Many claim that yoga helps to re-lieve asthma symptoms, but current research can’t prove this as fact.

So what exactly IS yoga and why do people do it? Historians aren’t able to define the exact origins of the practice. But there is agreement that yoga began in India more than 4,000 years ago, and has since evolved into several different practices with difficult to pronounce names (Anusra, Hatha, Iyengar, Bikram, Kundalini). There are even westernized yoga practices to meet modern needs and interests (chair, resistance, aerial).

Each practice or style focuses on a certain yoga element, be it meditation, breathing or a set of particular poses. It’s important for the beginner to understand which style of yoga they’ll be practicing, and whether it’s the right fit for their level of experience.

The nicest thing about the practice of yoga, however, is that it can be adapted to meet any level of fitness. Yoga is often called a journey exercise; the more it’s practiced, the better people become at con-quering the poses. But working on a pose at any level can reap benefits.

And since it’s a low impact exercise, it’s generally safe for most people. However, those who are pregnant or manage

certain medical conditions, such as high blood pressure, glau-coma (a condition in which fluid pressure within the eye slowly increases and may damage the eye’s optic nerve), and sciatica

(pain, weakness, numbing, or tingling that may extend from the lower back to the calf, foot, or even the toes), should

modify or avoid certain yoga poses.There are just as many reasons why people practice

yoga as there are different types of yoga: meditation, overall physical fitness, relaxation. I found that yoga is a great fit for me because I generally dislike exercise — I find it boring.

When I was a teenager, I lived inside a dance studio and really enjoyed the marriage

of mental and physical expression and exertion. But ever since I put away my

dancing shoes, I’ve struggled to find a physical activity that wasn’t team-based yet still challenged me both physically and mentally. Yoga is

the closest I’ve come in that search since you’re constantly thinking about you’re alignment and posture. This may be one reason why people find it so relaxing; it takes their mind off their general daily

worries and forces them to think about not falling over.

For an ancient practice, yoga’s staying power lies in its unique focus on flexibility. Unlike cardiovascular or strength-training exer-cises, which tend to focus on strengthening larger muscle groups which can lead to tightening and potential injury, yoga emphasizes stretching the

whole body to improve its flexibility. This is important because flexibility influences our daily activity like walking, standing, and even our ability to maintain balance.

When the muscles are flexible, the joints then have the abil-ity to align themselves in the way they’re supposed to for proper movement. This alignment is most notable in one’s posture. Strong posture can make a person look and feel younger, but

it also helps a person’s body act younger because it has the proper alignment to maximize its function.

When looking for yoga classes, it’s important to find one where you’ll feel com-fortable with both the level of fitness expected and the temperament of the instructor. By nature, most yoga instruc-tors are patient and calmly encouraging without being demanding. Their energy tends to be the polar opposite of aer-obics instructors, which may be beneficial to those who are intimidated or overwhelmed by high-intensity exercises.

Continued to next page

Gentle Yoga Dates: Tuesdays and Thursdays, May 5 through 28Time: Noon – 1 p.m. Fee: $10 for all eight sessionsLocation: Johnson County Extension Office, 11811 South Sunset Drive, OlatheInstructor: Crystal FutrellDetails: Have you always been curious about the benefits of yoga but worried you wouldn’t be flexible enough to do it? Class offers a gentle introduction to the practice of yoga. Participants will de-stress and relax as they softly stretch and strengthen muscles and bones. Perfect for beginners! To register: Visit www.johnson.ksu.edu/classes or call 913-715-7000.


to your good health

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Yoga: Exercisefor the mind,body & spiritContinued from page 24

A new class called “Gen-tle Yoga” for those interested in exploring this form of exercise is being offered next month. Designed for begin-ners, the class is not strictly a chair yoga class; we will have an opportunity to get down on to the floor, so all students are encouraged to bring a towel or yoga mat. However, each pose may be modified to do with chair support, and those modifi-cations will be addressed during class.

The curriculum is based entirely on the Tufts Univer-sity workbook Stretching for 50+.

Many people say that feeling achy and stiff is “just part of growing old.” But it doesn’t have to be that way. Yoga, even gentle yoga, can limber you up and give new life to “old bones.”Crystal Futrell, family and con-sumer sciences agent at Johnson County’s K-State Research and Ex-tension Office, can be reached at 913-715-7000 or [email protected]

Trucks and Big Rigs for KidsApril 11 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

The Theatre in the Park7710 Renner Road, Shawnee

A popular special event which lets kids get an up-close look at big rigs, trac-tors, and all types of equipment will

be returning to the Theatre in the Park in Shawnee Mission Park on April 11.

Trucks and Big Rigs for Kids will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 11, in the parking lot at The Theatre in the Park, 7710 Renner Road, Shawnee.

Participants can see what the insides of these vehicles look like. The event is for all ages, but parents/grandparents are encouraged to bring their little ones out to meet and greet trucks, tractors, construction, and city vehicles up close. They’ll have the opportunity to crawl, climb, and sit in the driver’s seat while visiting with the real-life operators of these vehicles.

This year’s event will also feature the tow truck character from the movie Cars©.

Admission is free, but a donation of $10 per participant vehicle is suggested.

Proceeds benefit the district’s Special Olympics and Special Populations programs.


Mildale Farm Community Day April 25 from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m.

35250 West 199th StreetEdgerton

Bring the family out and spend the day exploring and picnicing on the 158-acre Mildale Farm property, 35250 West

199th Street, Edgerton, during the free com-munity day event.

Visitors will be directed to park in the large parking lot near Mildale Farm’s main barn which features peg construction and a hand-laid brick floor.

Arts and Craft activities for the kids will take place in the main barn.

Catch-and-re-lease fishing will

also be offered, so participants should bring their own bait and tackle. While Johnson County Park and Recreation District fishing permits have been waived for the event, Kan-sas residents ages 16 to 74 and nonresidents 16 and older need to have a Kansas state fishing license.

Restrooms will be available, but the property’s two homes and other outbuildings will not be open. No alcohol is allowed on the property, pets must be on-leash, and vehicles must remain on roadways.


Spaghetti mealserved April 9

Spring Spaghetti Dinner, a long-standing tradition of delicious food and fun, is

scheduled Thursday, April 9, at the Roeland Park Community Center, 4850 Rosewood Drive.

Doors open at 4 p.m. and dinner will be served at 5:30 p.m. Entertainment and door prizes will follow dinner service.

The cost is $7 per person.The special meal is being

planned by the 50 Plus Depart-ment of the Johnson County Park and Recreation District.

Preregistration is required by calling 913-826-3160.

Other things to do in April

Walden Warming: Climate Change Comes to Thoreau’s Woods

By Richard B. PrimackReviewed by Barbara Watkins

2014 was the hottest year in the earth’s recorded history, and the ten warmest years on record have all occurred since 1997.

On January 26-27, 2015, however, a history-making blizzard dumped more than two feet of snow on the Boston area. What should we make of this? The prem-ise of Richard B. Primack’s timely book Walden Warming: Climate Change Comes to Thoreau’s Woods (University of Chi-cago Press, 2014) is that to understand climate change, we must understand its past.

Primack is a professor of biology at Boston University specializing in the impact of climate change on plants and animals. The main geographical focus of his team’s research is Concord, Massachusetts, due to the availability of extensive records kept by Henry David Thoreau and later naturalists.

Like Thoreau, author of the classic Walden, Primack and his students have spent a lot of time – several months every spring for 11 years walking around Walden Pond for about four hours a day – as Thoreau did a century and a half ago. Thoreau kept extensive journals in which he recorded seasonal phenomena in Concord; for example, he prepared tables documenting annual flowering times of more than 300 plant species. Primack’s team created its own data bank of observa-tions of the same phenomena to compare them.

Walden Warming includes chapters on changes in weather and flowering, bird mi-gration dates, bees and butterflies, insects, mosquito-borne disease, frogs, and one on variations in running times in the Bos-ton Marathon due to rising temperatures. The book’s afterward is a useful guide on how to become a citizen scientist like Thoreau: by learning to identify nearby

trees, shrubs, wildflowers, birds, insects and other creatures – or just concentrat-ing on one or two of those – and keeping a nature journal with this information.

More than 150 species of birds mi-grate through New England and rely on the abundance of food, mainly insects, in the spring and early summer. Birds use several cues to determine when to migrate, including “temperature, wind direction, and day length …Timing is crucial.”

Some species that migrated to Con-cord in Thoreau’s era – sparrows and purple finches, for example – now are year-round residents. But many birds are arriving at the same time now in the spring as they did in past and some arrive even later. Primark wonders why birds aren’t telling us the same story as plants, which are flowering earlier than in Thoreau’s time.

About three-fourths of the plant species that Thoreau found in Concord are still there, but Primack asserts that about half of these plants are “destined for local extinction.” This may be due to a rise in temperature: average yearly temperature in 1850 was around 46 degrees Fahren-heit; now it is 50 degrees, primarily due to urban development.

“One of the major worries about glob-al warming is that it could disrupt rela-tionships among species that have evolved over long periods of time.” How species respond to climate change profoundly affects their ability to survive. In addition, human activities – for example, the use of pesticides – have caused “extinction rates to increase by more than one hundred times over natural levels ... this loss of genetic diversity has serious implications for the health of individual species, eco-systems, and humanity.”

Thoreau was convinced that main-taining “one’s self on this earth is not a hardship but a pastime, if we will live simply and wise.”

Primack agrees: “Part of our strategy should be for each of us to “immerse him, or herself, in nature in order to understand what we are trying to protect.”

Reading this important book will help us deal with this complex and challenging problem. Barbara Watkins is an avid and accomplished gardener, birder, and director of outdoor excur-sions with friends. She lives in Lawrence.

Study at Thoreau’s Woodsfocuses on climate change


in cooperation with Americans Remembered

JOHNSON COUNTY’S

VETERANSA SALUTE TO

The Best Times features veterans each month. Some vets outside Johnson County are featured when their family members are Johnson County seniors. To suggest a vet’s name, including yours, contact Gary Swanson: call 913-744-8282 or email [email protected].

Patrick ClunePrairie Village

WW II, Army Air Corps, staff sergeant, 36 Bomber Missions over Europe, Gunner, 34th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force, Distinguished Flying Cross, six Air Medals.

Jim BradfordLenexa

Vietnam, Navy, two tours of duty, Petty Officer lst Class, USS Mount Baker AE-4 cargo ship from 1966-1968. Retired after 30 years service.

Merlin Anderson Lenexa

Korea, Navy, Served three years, quartermaster 3rd class in Korea, Adak Naval Station Alaska in navigational communications.

Sally Ashcraft PalmerShawnee

Vietnam, Army, three years as dental hygienist in Washington, D.C., two years at 2nd General Hospital, Landstuhl, Germany. Rank SP-5.

Tim OwensOverland Park

Vietnam, Army, three years active, including Vietnam tour, 23 years Army Reserves. Colonel, Military Intelligence. Three Bronze Stars, other medals. Graduate, Command and General Staff College.

book review

Happy Earth Day!

The annual observance, always occurring on April 22, is marking its 45th anniversary

this year with a theme: “Water Wonderful World.”

Johnson County has long supported and encouraged being a “green” commu-nity by all for all.

Since 1992, our Household Hazardous Waste collection program celebrates Earth Day year round with ongoing appoint-ments for residents to drop off their un-wanted household chemicals and paint.

Appointments are made through the Department of Health and Environment’s webpage on the county website www.jocogov.org or by calling 913-715-6907.

The popular collection program accepts a lot of “unwanted” materials, including:

• latex and oil-based paint , paint thin-ner, solvents, and stains;

• automotive products, such as anti-freeze, used motor oil, gasoline, and other solvents;

• aerosol cans, cleaning products, and cooking oil;

• batteries, both cars and rechargeable; tires (four per customer);

• fluorescent bulbs and tubes; • pesticides, herbicides, and lawn care

items; • propane (maximum of 25 pounds);

and,• arts and crafts items.There is no charge to drop off latex paint

or for all other items for recycling, so please make an appointment to do so.

Johnson County also helps the community to dispose of its electronic waste by sponsoring collection activities throughout the year. The next event is scheduled from 8 to 11:30 a.m. Saturday, April 11. That, too, will be by ap-pointment only. All electronic items are accept-ed, including microwaves, computers, phones, printers, TVs (charges apply) and more!

The county is partnering with the city of Shawnee on Saturday, April 18, to collect latex paint from 8 to 11 a.m. in the Splash Cove parking lot, 5800 King Avenue. The event will also be collecting e-waste, paper for shredding, and bicycle donations.

Taking advantage of local waste collection efforts and special events will help to make Johnson County’s celebration of Earth Day a success. A healthy, sustainable environment toward a greener planet is important in the quality of life provided and enjoyed in our community.

Earth Day was founded by Wisconsin U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson in 1970. When the observance was established, cars were running on leaded gas and smog, especially in large metropolitan regions, pollutingthe air.

Unleaded gas and alternative fuels, elec-tronic cars, and more energy-efficient vehi-cles now are a norm on our roadways. Fewer vehicles on our congested roads, locally and in the Kansas City metro region, will also help our air quality by more use of public transpor-tation, walking, or biking whenever possible.

Recycling of plastic containers, aluminum and steel cans, newspapers and cardboard is more vogue by people in resolving to create less trash. Recycling containers at curbs from households need to be more filled than trash containers heading to the landfill.

Every Johnson County resident has a role to play in ensuring future generations are able to enjoy our local natural resources and benefit from a clean environment by starting actions and ensuring continued efforts, large and small, to protect the environment every day.

A lot has been done, but there’s still a lot more to do in living a “going green” lifestyle.

Let’s get out on Earth Day and do some-thing Green!

Being earth friendlyon Earth DayBy Jim Allen

CommissionerDistrict 2

“as I see it ...”


Your Chairman

Chairman Ed Eilert Phone: 913-715-0500

Email [email protected]

Your Commissioners

Ron Shaffer1st District

Phone: 913-715-0431 Email

[email protected]

Jim Allen 2nd District


[email protected]

Steve Klika 3rd District


[email protected]

Jason L. Osterhaus 4th District


[email protected]

Michael Ashcraft 5th District


[email protected]

John Toplikar 6th District


[email protected]

The weekly public business sessions of the Johnson County Board of Commissioners begin at 9:30 a.m. on Thursdays in the Johnson County Administration Build-ing, 111 S. Cherry Street, in downtown Olathe. Live coverage of the meetings is viewable each week over the Internet through the county’s main website at www.jocogov.org.


Volunteers sought for Ombudsman Program

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Downsizing, Liquidating, or Just Cashing in Assets?

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Moving into a nursing home or an assisted living facility can create anxiety and challenges for both seniors and their families. Many times they are un-sure about who to turn to with questions or concerns.

That’s when the Kansas Long-term Care Ombudsman can help. The mission of the Ombudsman Program is to advocate for

the well-being, safety, and rights of long-term care residents by assisting them in attaining the highest possible quality of life. In short, ombudsmen help to ensure that residents receive the care they want while being treated with the dignity they deserve.

Certified ombudsmen volunteers are the heart of the program. An om-budsman is a person who investigates complaints and helps to achieve equi-table settlements. They work as fact finders, educators, problem solvers, and mediators.

Ombudsman volunteers are trained to investigate complaints and concerns objectively and to achieve equitable solutions. Cer-tified ombudsmen have legislative authority to visit facilities and meet with the residents in confidence, identifying concerns and helping to resolve them. Weekly visits to their assigned nursing facility give residents the opportunity to get to know their om-budsman and to develop a trusting relationship.

Regional Ombudsman Phylis Toumberlin oversees the Om-

budsman Program for Johnson, Wyandotte, and Miami counties. She is responsible for providing the training and oversight for the region, which currently has 35 active certified ombudsmen.

Long-term care facilities served by ombudsman include skilled nursing homes, adult day care homes, home plus, assisted living and long term care settings in hospitals. Currently, there are 113 long-term care facilities in the region, 91 of those are located in Johnson County.

The office of the Kansas Long Term Care Ombudsman is seeking additional volunteers to advocate for residents in long term care settings in Johnson County.

“We are looking for volunteers who exhibit compassion, re-spect for elders, and have good listening skills,” Toumberlin said.

A prospective ombudsman will receive 30 hours of initial certification training. It includes 18 hours of class room work, two on-site visits supervised by regional ombudsman, and a mini-internship. Upon completion of training and background check, volunteers become certified ombudsman and are assigned to a long-term care facility near them.

Registration for classes is underway. The training begins in late April.

For more information on volunteering, questions about the program, or if you are in need of ombudsman assistance, contact the state office at 1-877-662-8362 or contact Toumber-lin at 913-236-9385, or visit www.kansasombudsmanksgov.com to request an information packet.


your April classifieds

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Classified ads must be submitted in writing and with payment by the eighth day of the month for the following month’s issue. The rate is $30 for up to 20 words and $.55 per additional word. (Minimum, $30).

To have your business card included in this advertising section, business cards must be submitted by the eighth day of the month for the following month’s issue.

To either place a classified ad or insertion of your business card:

Email: [email protected]

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Call: 913-715-8920

Publishing of classified advertising does not constitute

agreement or endorsement by this magazine or

Johnson County Government.

Do you know what a BLOG is? SenCom’s April meeting will feature Joyce Ann Brown, author and freelance writer, who will discuss the many joys and benefits of blog surfing. Blog is short for “weblog.” You can find a blog to suit your interests, or you can start your own. Possibilities are endless! Come dig into blogging at our SenCom meeting on Friday, April 10th at 1:30 p.m. at the Atonement Lutheran Church, 9848 Metcalf Avenue. SENCOM is a nonprofit for Seniors who use computers, we offer support, classes (paced for seniors) and special group meetings. For a list of classes check our website at www.kcsenior.net. Or contact Teresa Weaver at 913-620-1240.

Loving Hands Senior Care. Companion and personal care in your home or assisted living. Help with bathing, grooming, medications, exercises, walking, meal planning preparation, errands, transportation, housekeeping, laundry, medication reminders. Will set hours based on your needs. Call Staci for details. 913-999-8756.

Johnson County Home Service Plumbing Company. Free service call for any plumbing in your home with this ad! Servicing Johnson County for over 50 years. JCHS is a division of Reddi Root’r Systems. Trust earned the old-fashioned way! Angie’s List Super Award winner. Member of the Better Business Bureau. www.jocoplumbing.com or 913-439-1700.

Mitchell Painting: Taking care of Johnson County homes since 1981. We paint interiors and exteriors, and stain decks and fences. We are fully insured. Howard Mitchell 913-381-6854

WRITING/EDITING SERVICES: Your life story is unique. Your book lies before you. Let me help you write your story for family, friends, and associates. I have a degree in journalism and 30 years of writing experience. Together we can make it happen. I’ve made it happen for others. Contact David W. Swafford 816-229-2042 or [email protected].

Swalms Organizing - Downsizing - Clean Out Service. Reduce clutter and enjoy an organized life. Basement, garage, attic, shop, storage rooms, closets, storage units - Any space organized. Belongings sorted, boxed & labeled. Inexpensive, quick shelving built on site. Items hauled for donations & recycling. For Before & After photos, see www.swalmsorganizing.com. Over 20 years exp, Insured. Call Tillar 913-375-9115.

Adult painting classes now forming. Have fun while making new friends in a small creative painting environment designed for all skill levels. No prior experience necessary, contact Carole, at 913-825-1307. Visit my website at caroleabla.com.

Caregiving - We provide personal assistance, companionship, care management and transportation to the elderly and disabled in their home, assisted living or skilled nursing facility. We also provide respite care for main caregivers needing some personal time. Call Daughters & Company at 913-341-2500 and speak with Laurie, Debbie or Gary.

Dandelion Control / Lawn Care Applications. Fertilizer plus Grassy and/or Broadleaf Weed Control (Dandelion, etc.) $45 average city yard. BBB Accredited Business. A+ Rating. HelpFromAFriend.com 913-980-8686.

MG Home Repair and Improvement. All around the home repairs. Carpentry, lighting, plumbing, concrete repairs, deck and fence repair, power washing, staining and sealing, interior and exterior painting. Experienced, quality workmanship; senior discounts; free estimates; insured. Call Michael in Shawnee, 913-486-9040.

Brick, Block and Stone. All work guaranteed. I am insured and have forty year’s experience. Call Paul 913-302-7297 Day or 913-321-0431 Night.

HANDYMAN PRO, LLC - Repair, Remodel, Renew. Bathrooms, painting, decks, yard work, sheetrock repair, grab bars, ramp building. Call Tom for free estimate. 913-488-7320. Handymanprokc.com.

Lawn Mowing and Landscape. Honest, Reliable and Reasonable. 25 years of experience of golf grounds management Call Kurt at Kaw Lawns, 816-896-7354.

at your service

SERVICES PROVIDED

Doggie Day Care and Boarding at All Things Dogs KC. Pets are not caged and they stay in a home atmosphere that’s on two acres fenced. Call Kim at 816-719-1339.

Larry Laney Construction Co. Special-izing in Kitchen / Bathroom Remodeling and Home Renovation. Finish Carpentry, Painting, Electrical, Plumbing, Drywall and Tile. I’m an Honest, Hardworking, Dependable and Very Skilled Licensed Contractor, Insured with Ref-erences. Call Larry at 913-963-3434.

INCOME TAX PREPARATION. Individu-als, Partnerships and Corporations. Providing accounting, payroll and quarterly returns. Experience. 913-579-6345.

Yard Work. Spring Cleanup. Gutter Cleaning, Leaf Cleanup, Planting, Weeding, Pruning, Trimming, Mulch, Edging, Foundation Topsoil, Shrub Removal, Small Tree Removal, Brush Cleanup, Storm Cleanup. BBB Accred-ited Business. A+ Rating. HelpFromAF-riend.com 913-980-8686.

Professional Window Washing. Service for Residential, Insured and Bonded. FREE ESTIMATES. Over 40 years’ experience. Contact Gene Jackson at 913-593-1495.

Cleaning “Maid Simple.” Residential house cleaning. Reasonable and dependable. Johnson County area. Call Denise Carter. 913-563-5883. Free estimates.Lawn Renovation / Lawn Care. Seed-ing, Fertilizing, Aerating, Verticutting, Power Raking, Lawn Patching, Topsoil, Sod. BBB Accredited Business. A+ Rating. HelpFro-mAFriend.com 913-980-8686.

Bill Ammel Paint and Wallpaper. Interior and Exterior painting. Deck stain, wall paper removal and hanging, and ceiling texture. References and free estimates. 913-558-4409.

Turning 65 and still working? You have choices when it comes to MEDICARE. Find out which plan is right for you before and after retirement. We compare the options to save you time and research. Call for a no obli-gation appointment: Susan Joski, licensed, independent broker 913-402-8181 (never a fee and no investment sales!)

Expert Companion and Personal Assistant Services in your home 4- 8 hours weekly. $20/hour. Call Marie. 913-633-9080.

Lawn Mowing. Mow, Edge, Trim, and Blow drives and walks clean. $30 average city yard. BBB Accredited Business. A+ Rating. Help-FromAFriend.com. 913-980-8686. DEAN’S PRO PAINTING: 25 + years ex-perience; insured, fast, clean, reliable, quality work; interior/exterior; residential/commercial power-washing, wallpaper removal; drywall & plaster repair, faux work; texture matching; crown & trim work; custom colors. References available. Call Dean at 913-322-9089 or 913-944-3769.Help us build an urban farmsteading neighborhood in NE Kansas City, Kansas. Move here and share in the large group gar-dens project. Houses, apartments, and vacant lots available.No fees to participate. Paul Grahovac, attorney and founder, Quindaro Gardens Mutual Aid Society. 785-830-7355. [email protected]. www.mutualaidsociety.net. www.meetup.com/Low-cost-Retirement-Alterna-tives.

Budget Tree Service, LLC. Trimmed, shaped, or removed. Shrubs shaped or re-moved. Fence rows cleaned. No job too small. Licensed, insured. 913-593-7386. Free estimates. Budgettreeservicekc.com.

Learn to Re-Direct Anger. Got “healthy” anger? Make your anger work for you instead of it getting in your way or being isolatedWe teach the tools. Anger Alternatives. 816-753-5118 www.anger.org.

Complete Residential Services. Elec-trical, plumbing repairs, interior and exterior painting, driveway sealing and repair, expert textured ceiling or wall repair. Free estimates and references available. Call Rich at 913-522-8325.

CPR Computing. For all your computer needs. Virus and spyware removal, Windows repair and installation, upgrades, software and hardware training, new PC consultation, and networking. Call Rich Armstrong at 913-522-8325. Fast, friendly, and very affordable.

Mister Green Landscaping & Lawn-care - Family owned and operated. We offer competitive prices with excellent service. We are a one-stop business for your lawn needs. Mowing, Cleanups, Landscaping, Mulch, Tree Trimming & Removal, Irrigation Repairs, New Installations, Drain Solutions, Patios, Retaining Walls, Yard work, Concrete Work and Snow Removal. FREE ESTIMATES, FREE MOWING ask for details. Quick service, 10+ years’ expe-rience, licensed & insured. 913-707-2551.

RESIDENTIAL LIFTS. Buy, sell, trade. Stair lifts, porch lifts, ceiling lifts, elevators. Call Silver Cross at 913-327-5557.

CEMETERY LOTS: AT MT. MORIAH SOUTH, 3 Lots IN BLOCK 17 AND 1 Lot IN BLOCK 5. Major Discounted Price.Must Sell… 913-338-0851.

Time flies! Start planning now to get more than you pay for in an affordable, faith-friendly home. Now accepting applications for our waiting list: Olathe Towers and College Way Village. 913-782-6131. Equal Housing Opportu-nity. All faiths or beliefs welcome.

All classes and events require registration unless

otherwise indicated.

Apri l 2 Senior Cinema: “Wish I Was Here” 12:15 p.m. Lenexa Senior Center. Free. Enjoy free popcorn beverage and a movie! 913-477-7100.

Apr i l 6

Movie Monday: “Along Came a Spider” 12:15 p.m. Lenexa Senior Center. Free. Optional lunch for $3 donation at 11:30 a.m. Call 913-888-6141 between 9-10 a.m. for lunch reservations.

*Health Information Clinic/Blood Pressure Check. 1-3 p.m. Free. Indian Creek Branch of Olathe Public Library.

Apr i l 7

*Tuesday Tunes with Betse Ellis. 6:30 p.m. Free. Olathe Public Library.

*Social Tea Dance. 1:30 p.m. $5/person Roeland Park. $7/person.

Apr i l 9Spring Spaghetti Dinner. 5 p.m. $7/person. Roeland Park. Doors open at 4 p.m., dinner

served at 5:30 p.m.

Bingo: BOGO “Buy One Get One free.” 1:30-3:30 p.m. $3 for 3 cards at door. Irene B French.

Apr i l 10

*Family History Friday. 9 a.m.-noon. Free. Olathe Public Library

*Rainy Day Bingo. 1:30-3:30 p.m. $5 for 12 games. Mill Creek Activity Center.

Heartsafe CPR. 7-8 p.m. Free. The Shawnee Civic Centre. Call 631-5200.


your April classifieds

ITEMS WANTED

SERVICES PROVIDED

FOR SALE

HOUSING

your April calendar


BLUE VALLEY REC.: Blue Valley Recreation Activity Center: 6545 W. 151st St., Overland Park, KS 66223; 913-685-6000; www.bluevalleyrec.org.

CENTRAL RESOURCE LIBRARY: 9875 W. 87th St., Overland Park, KS 66212; 913-826-4600 and Press 3 for all Johnson County Library reservations.

EXTENSION: Johnson County K-State Research and Extension, 11811 S. Sunset Drive, Olathe, KS 66061; 913-715-7000; www.johnson.ksu.edu/classes.

INDIAN CREEK: Indian Creek Branch Library, 12990 Black Bob Road, Olathe, KS 66062; 913-971-6888.

IRENE B. FRENCH: Irene B. French Community Center, 5701 Merriam Drive, Merriam, KS 66203; 913-322-5550.

LENEXA SENIOR CENTER: 13425 Walnut St., Lenexa, KS 66215; 913-477-7100.

MAHAFFIE STAGECOACH STOP AND FARM: 1200 Kansas City Road, Olathe, KS 66061; 913-971-5111.

MATT ROSS: Matt Ross Community Center, 8101 Marty St., Overland Park, KS 66212; 913-642-6410.

MILL CREEK: Mill Creek Activity Center, 6518 Vista, Shawnee, KS 66218; 913-826-2950.

NEW CENTURY: New Century Fieldhouse, 551 New Century Parkway, New Century, KS 66031; 913-826-2860.

OLATHE PUBLIC LIBRARY: 201 E. Park St., Olathe, KS 66061; 913-971-6850; to register, 913-971-6888.

PRAIRIE VILLAGE: Prairie Village Community Center, 7720 Mission Road, Prairie Village, KS 66208.

ROELAND PARK: Roeland Park Community Center, 4850 Rosewood Drive, Roeland Park, KS 66205; 913-826-3160.

SHAWNEE CIVIC CENTRE: 13817 Johnson Drive, Shawnee, KS 66216; 913-631-5200.

SHAWNEE SAFETY CENTER: SenCom computer lab, lower level, 6535 Quivira Road, Shawnee, KS 66203; 913-631-5200.

SYLVESTER POWELL: Sylvester Powell Community Center, 6200 Martway St., Mission, KS 66202; 913-722-8200.

TOMAHAWK RIDGE: Tomahawk Ridge Community Center, 11902 Lowell Ave., Overland Park, KS 66213; 913-327-6645.

FACILITY LOCATIONS

Apri l 28

Apr i l 27

Apr i l 13Movie Monday: People’s Choice. 12:15 p.m. Lenexa Senior Center. Free. Optional lunch for $3 donation at 11:30 a.m. Call 913-888-6141 between 9-10 a.m. 24 hours in advance for lunch reservations.

Apr i l 14Fish Tales. 2:30-3:30 p.m. Uncle Buck’s at Bass Pro, 12051 Bass Pro Drive, Olathe. A Reminiscence and discussion for individuals with earlier stage dementia who enjoy the outdoors. Call 913-831-3888 for reservations.

*Health Information Clinic/Blood Pressure Check. 10 a.m. - noon. Free. Indian Creek Branch of Olathe Public Library.

*Social Tea Dance. 1:30 p.m. $5/person Roeland Park. $7/person. Singles and couples welcome for live music from the Big Band Era.

Understanding Reverse Mortgages. 2-3:30 p.m. Free. Indian Creek Branch of Olathe Public Library.

Apr i l 15

Bingo: Garden Party Bingo. 1:30 p.m. $5/$6 Tomahawk Ridge .Twelve games of Bingo. Register at least one week in advance by calling 642-6410.

Apr i l 18

Crafts: Scrapbook Crop. 8:30 a.m. $11/$12. Roeland Park. Scrapbook crops are the modern day quilting bees. Gather your scrapbooking tools and join other scrappers for a day of social interaction, artistic inspiration and friendly collaboration.

Transitions. 9:30-10:30 a.m. Free. Alzheimer’s Education Center, 3856 W. 75th St. Call 913-831-3888 to register. Support group for family members who have lost someone with

Alzheimer’s or another dementia.

*Legislative Coffee. 10-11 a.m. Free. Lackman Library, 15345 W 87th St. Pkwy. 826-4600.

*Camping on Indoor Turf. 6 p.m.-9 a.m. $10/$11 per person or $35/$40 per family of four. New Century Fieldhouse. Bring camping equipment, including self-supporting tents and sleeping bags. For more information call 826-2851.

Apr i l 20

Movie Monday: “Four Weddings and a Funeral” 12:15 p.m. Lenexa Senior Center. Free. Optional lunch for $3 donation at 11:30 a.m. Call 913-888-6141 between 9-10 a.m. 24 hours in advance for lunch reservations.

Apr i l 2 1*Social Tea Dance. 1:30 p.m. $5/person Roeland Park. $7/person. Singles and couples welcome for live music from the Big Band Era.

Apr i l 22Pickleball. 7 p.m. $8/person The Shawnee Civic Centre. Call 631-5200 for more information.

Pickleball Lessons. 9 a.m. $7/$8. Tomahawk Ridge. Learn the game in this fun relaxing environment. Register one week in advance by calling 642-6410.

Emerald Ash Borer Workshop: City of Mission. 7 p.m. Sylvester Powell. Free. To treat or not to treat your ash tree. Options discussed.

Apr i l 23*Hooked on Books Club. 1 p.m. Lenexa Community Center. Bring your own book for discussion, “TITLE” by Author. Call 913-477-7100 for information.

*Jam Session. 1-2 p.m. Free. Alzheimer’s Association Education Center, 3856 W. 75th St. Jam session for musicians with early stage memory loss and musicians who are caregivers.

913-831-3888.

Soup, Salad & Strolling Strings. 11:30 a.m. $7. Matt Ross. Enjoy delicious lunch and dessert. Delightful melodies entertain during the meal. Register one week in advance.

Apr i l 24Bingo: Mother Nature Earth Day. 10 a.m. - noon. $3 for 3 cards at door. Irene B French.

Apri l 25Grow Great Tomatoes. 7 p.m. Free. Colonial Presbyterian Church. Register by calling 913-715-7000.

Movie Monday: “The Four Minute Mill” 12:15 p.m. Lenexa Senior Center. Free. Optional lunch for $3 donation at 11:30 a.m. Call 913-888-6141 between 9-10 a.m. 24 hours in advance for lunch reservations.

Naturalization Records in Genealogy Research. 1-3 p.m. Free. Indian Creek Olathe Library.

*An Evening with the John Brown Boys. 6:30-8:30 p.m. Free. Olathe Public Library, 201 E. Park.

*Social Tea Dance. 1:30 p.m. $5/person Roeland Park. $7/person. Singles and couples welcome for live music from the Big Band Era.

Take me out to the Ballgame. 5:30 p.m. $39/person. Meet at Antioch Park in the north parking lot. Travel with us to Kauffman Stadium to enjoy some baseball. Dinner on your own at the stadium. Register at 826-3030.

Apr i l 30

your April calendar


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With 24-hour staffing and our emergency call system, our residents know they’re always in good hands. Discover why this feels like homeSM.

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