Issuu

SEPTEMBER 2014 Vol. 28 FALL 2014

Health &Wellness Massage your way to health page 2

Alzheimer’s special section page 8

New Alternative Health section Produced by the BEACON’s Advertising Team

Your Guide to a Healthy Mind & Body

No. 9

Western Colorado’s Monthly Newspaper for Adults 50+. Over 32,851 Readers.

Your heath and wellness is sure to get a boost after reading this month’s insert.

Now on the web at www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

A Tribute to Western Movies This daylong festival for the movie buff features movie showings, memorabilia and celebrity guests. Page 12. Sweet Adelines Grand Mesa Chorus celebrates 50 years of music with a special concert on Sept. 13. Page 24.

The Happiest People are Older It’s true! Happiness reaches a peak around age 70, despite the aches of getting older. Page 10.

Our local Partners and Ariel programs offer friendship and fun Photo by Xxxx Xxxx.

Do you have varicose veins? If yes, you may suffer from venous reflux disease. Venous reflux disease is a progressive condition caused by incompetent vein valves in the leg. Outpatient procedure done in office! >> See what the VENEFIT procedure can do for you “One highlight of my year was varicose vein surgery. Being able to be more active again has not only improved my disposition and attitude, it has improved my health as well.” -Judy A.

Brad Baldwin, D.O. 30 years of experience

>> FREE initial consult. Call for appointment

Surgical Associates of Wester n Colorado • 2373 G Road #280, Grand Junction •

970-243-9340

If you can pay an electric bill

YOU CAN AFFORD SOLAR

Itâ€™s never been easier to go solar.

(970)

241.0209

569 S. Westgate Drive #4 | Grand Junction, CO 81505 | highnoonsolar.com

September 2014

EDITORIAL 3

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

“Hook me up for free, partner!” By Kevin K. VanGundy

adult mentor like you. Can you spend a few hours a week getting to know here used to be a long-running and helping guide a young person? If commercial on local television not you, then who? where the head of And if not now, then United Cable, Tom when? Please call Worster, would offer Joe Higgins today at to waive the instalSo here’s a great way 245-5555 and ask him lation fee for new to give money and get some when his next oriensubscribers and great bargains. tation meeting is. make a donation to Scary photos? the local Partners orLet’s scare up ganization in return. a good time next An older gentleman month. Please send with a weathered us your Halloween complexion, an easy Friday, September 5 photos for Octosmile and a slightly ber’s BEACON. They graveled voice, Tom 6 p.m.-11 p.m. can be old photos would end his comon KJCT TV 8 of yourself, newer mercial by asking photos of your grandviewers to call his kids, or recent phooffice and say, “Hook tos of your neighbors me up for free, gardening in the nude, but please inpartner!” clude a line or two with your photos Our town was smaller then, so about who is in the picture. Send to: small that you could actually meet Tom at his office if you wanted to, Email: Beacon@PendantPublishing.com and homespun charitable events like or the Partners-KJCT television auction Mail: PO Box 3895, Grand Junction, CO were mandatory viewing in most 81502 homes. Nowadays, unless you’re

2014 Partners/ KJCT Auction

clever enough to invent the ALS Ice Come enjoy Montrose-Delta Bucket Challenge, which has raised BeaconFest, September 18 over 50 million dollars and is still We’re having a party and you’re inclimbing, fundvited. The fourth raising has gotten Montrose-Delta annual MontroseCome enjoy the area’s more challenging Delta BeaconFest largest senior fair... for the relaSenior Fair will tively small, local be held from 9 nonprofits like a.m.-2 p.m. on Partners. Thursday, SepWhat hasn’t tember 18 at the diminished is our Montrose Pavilneed for the Partion, 1800 Pavilners Program. ion Drive. More young peoThis year’s ple need an adult Montrose-Delta mentor more BeaconFest feao Rivers Convention Center, Grand Junction than ever before. tures an exciting Yes, Partners can lineup of live FREE ADMISSION FREE enter tainment, FREE seminars & info, FREE food put your money entertainment, to good use, but free food, inforSeptember 18, 2014 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Montrose Pavilion, Montrose more importantly, mative seminars there are young and booths people right now, sponsored by over 60 senior-related boys and girls, who could use an businesses. ■ FOR INFORMATION CALL 243-8829

FOR INFORMATION CALL 243-8829

Be Prepared for the Unexpected! Attend our Free Estate Planning Workshops What to Do When Someone Dies September 10, 2014. 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. Have you lost a loved one recently? Do you have questions on how to administer their estate? Would you like to know how your own estate will be administered? It may not be as easy as you think!

Wills, Trusts & Powers of Attorney—The Basics September 24, 2014. 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. Learn basic estate planning essentials including will and trust estate plans and using powers of attorney. Registration is Required. The workshops will be held at our office at 1250 E. Sherwood Drive. Sign up by calling (970) 243-8250 or go to our website at

www.brownandbrownpc.com

Phone: (970) 243-8250 1250 E Sherwood Dr. Grand Junction, CO 81501 817 Colorado Ave., #206 Glenwood Springs, CO 81601

Baird B. Brown ♦ Clara Brown Shaffer ♦ Jamie J. Roth ♦ Paul M. Smith

•No hospital •No general anesthesia •No pain, no bruising •No downtime •No recovery •All out-patient •Walk & resume normal activities immediately

IF You Have Varicose Veins – Normal Looking Legs Are Still Possible In ONE Treatment Session!

Call TODAY for a cost free ultra sound analysis of YOUR vein problem!

28 years experience with treating all patterns of Varicose Veins!

Member: • American College of Phlebology • American Society of Plastic Surgery

(970)

The Dornier D940 Laser System is the Gold Standard for VaricoSe & Spider VeinS

Laser treatment of varicose & spider veins has now been perfected and no longer requires the stripping surgery or general anesthesia used in the past. Varicose veins of all sizes are the external manifestation of a larger, more extensive vein valve problem. The valves stop working and blood flows the wrong way: down the leg, not up. Treatment for both internal & external deformed veins requires internal (endo) laser, where the laser fiber is placed inside the abnormal veins to “weld” them closed, plus schlerotherapy (chemical treatment) done at the same time. Anything less will invite re-occurrences. All treatment is by local anesthesia and in our JCAHO Nationally Accredited, private in-office operating room. IV sedation can be added as an option. Unlike treatment by others, Dr. Merkel offers a one stop, one treatment session to correct the entire system; not by repeated injections. And yes, some insurances do cover part of the treatment. We’ll check it out for you.

242-9127

2525 North 8th St., Suite 203 Grand Junction, CO 81501

William D. Merkel, M.D. Board Certified in Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery

www.wdmerkel.com

4 COVER STORY

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

Relationships

September 2014

that last a lifetime

Mesa County Partners’

mission is to make a difference in the lives of young people by helping them develop a positive self image, a sense of belonging and an acceptance of responsibility for their actions. The organization believes that having a positive role model in the life of a child helps him or her stay out of trouble and teaches them new skills they later need to become an independent and productive member of society.

Do you have what it takes to be a senior partner with Mesa County Partners? 1) Would you consider yourself to be a positive role model for a child? 2) Are you age 16 or older? 3) Can you commit to the program for one year? 4) Can you spend an average of three hours a week with your junior partner? 5) Can you pass a background check? 6) Do you know people that can vouch for you? If you said yes to all of these questions, then give Partners a call at 245-5555. A checklist to become a foster parent isn’t as black and white as becoming a senior partner, but Ariel Clinical Services believes that foster parents are the most important ingredient in helping a child heal from the negative effects of abuse and neglect. Children that have faced such issues need warmth and stability, and many BEACON readers have both. If you’re interested in becoming a foster parent or mentoring a child through Ariel, call 245-1616.

By Cameron Jones

spend at least three hours a week for a hildren need year with their junior someone they partner. However, it can trust—someone is the organization’s they can count on to hope that it turns into listen to them and a relationship that to help them feel lasts much longer. valued. Kids need an Vivian Rolland environment where has developed such they feel safe and relationship with her have a strong supjunior partner. port system to help “I expected a trouthem make the right bled teen,” she said. choices. But instead, RolBe a positive role land’s junior partner turned out to be an model introvert who just Mesa County needed a friend. Partners aims to acRolland first becomplish just that came interested in through it’s one-tobecoming a senior one mentoring proVickie Dean, left, and Jordyn Stephenson, right, bond over playing the game Sorry! at partner when she atgram. Many young Ariel Clinical Services’ office in Grand Junction. tended a Partners funpeople face problems draiser auction six years ago. She said and societal pressures in their lives senior partner. Applicants must pass she was hesitant at first to become a that may cause them to get into a background check, and once they senior partner because of the amount trouble or to become withdrawn, become a senior partner, they are of time she was expected to spend and Partners believes that a one-toable to read profiles of kids in need with her junior partner. one relationship with a successfully of a mentor to see who might be a “What am I going to do with a coping adult can help a young person good match for them. child for three hours a week?” she learn skills that will help him or her Senior partners are expected to asked herself. become an independent and producNow she and her junior partner do tive member of society. everything from skiing and ice-skatChildren involved in the Partners ing to watching movies or visiting program range in age from 7 to 17. the library. Partners used to work solely with Rolland’s first junior partner didn’t juvenile offenders, but many of the work out, but her current partner has kids in the program today just need a become like one of the family. positive role model and friend. Adult “It doesn’t matter if you get a mentors in the Partners program partner and it doesn’t work the first are called “senior partners” while time,” she said. “You’ve got a kid the kids they help are called “junior who’s got your name on him or her.” partners.” One-to-One Program Manager Partners encourages those interBlake Ammon said that many partnerested in becoming senior partners ships are fostered at Partners events. to attend an orientation to find out There are no limitations on the more about the program and to see activities that senior partners and if it is the right fit for them. A case junior partners can do, as long as manager oversees each partnership both parties are in agreement and and leads the process of becoming a Vivian Rolland and her junior partner.

September 2014

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

the junior partner’s community,” she parents approve. said. Some senior But she said that partners have even despite all the bad, taken their junior she finds positivpartners on vacation ity and satisfaction with them. Others when kids are placed have sat in on parentinto safe homes and teacher conferences. she is able to see Senior partners them grow in a safe are not required to environment. spend any money on Ariel is a nontheir junior partners, profit organization as there are plenty dedicated to helping of free activities children, families around town. But and adults. Ariel some choose to give started out in 1994 more than just their in downtown Grand time after they have Senior partner Rita and her junior Junction. Today, they formed a relationship partner Alexa. also serve kids in Delta, Denver and with their junior partner. Colorado Springs. Rolland emphasized the imporOne challenge that Ariel currently tance of the Partners program to faces is that there are not enough our community. “When they say it foster homes or people willing to be changes two lives, it certainly does,” foster parents. A foster home is only she said. allowed four kids and there are many She also said that if it weren’t for Grand Valley kids still in need of a Partners, she would never have tried home. certain activities again. McCoy said some people are afraid “It keeps you young,” she said. “You to become foster parents because of find out that certain things are fun the stigma associated with it. The again.” idea of bringing a child with possible Rolland said that her junior partner behavioral issues into their home plans to stay in contact with her well is frightening for some people, and after she leaves the Partners prostories that circulate about other gram. people’s bad experiences with foster Partners doesn’t expect adult menkids makes foster parenting seem tors to be anything but themselves, more like a gamble than help for a which makes all the difference in the child in need. life of a child. Ariel combats these stigmas by hav“There are kids in our community ing case managers visit the home on that need that chance—that positive influence they deserve,” Ammon said.

Provide a home for a kid with no place to go Ariel Clinical Services helps children by placing them in foster homes and also by functioning as an adoption agency. Without Ariel, some kids would have no place to go. Ariel’s adoption program supervisor, Kathy McCoy, said her job is no walk in the park. “You see the worst of our

a weekly basis. Ariel is an advocate for supporting the parents as well as the child. They have programs and trained therapists available to advise and coach foster parents about how to manage a problematic child. They will also allow foster parents to read a child’s file so they have a better understanding of what to expect before they bring the child into their home. McCoy said there is also a fear that biological parents will lash out at foster parents or their family, but Ariel never gives out the foster parents’ information. Ariel will even pick up children from their foster home and take them to visit with their biological parents, then bring them back. McCoy said some foster parents are encouraged to meet the biological parents if it might motivate them to continue to work to get their kids back. “[Potential foster parents] are put through a rigorous screening process to ensure the children entrusted to them will be well cared for,” McCoy said. “They also receive a monthly stipend in order to help take care of the child/children.” McCoy said Ariel is also in need of mentors in their direct service providers program. This is a part-time position, but mentors play a crucial role by being positive role models for children, equipping them with skills they will need to succeed in the community. Ariel is a program that has blossomed in a short time because it holds a firm belief in helping children succeed by properly supporting and equipping the people who care for them. But it is more than just helping children in a temporary home. Ariel also supports and guides children so that they can reach their full potential for a bright future. To volunteer with Partners, call 245-5555. To become a foster parent or mentor with Ariel, call McCoy at 245-1616.

■

Partnerships through Mesa County Partners spend a day at Spin City.

COVER STORY 5

National & Regional Award-Winning Publication Publisher ........................ Kevin K. VanGundy Founding Publisher................... Susan Capps Editor........................................ Cloie Sandlin Graphic Design.............................. Heidi Graf Production................................ Karen Jones Account Representative...............Sue Bowen Account Representative............Sidney Jayne Proofreader................................. Jan Weeks Cheerleader..............................Genevra Shal Delivery ............................. Solomon Herrera Delta-Montrose Bureau Assistant Editor...................Liesl Greathouse Account Representative.......... Virginia Carlile Delivery..........................................JR Milner Beacon Mascot Bogart.......................................................... P.O. Box 3895, Grand Junction, CO 81502 970.24 3.8 82 9  800.536.7516 fax Website: www.BeaconSeniorNews.com E-mail: Beacon@ PendantPublishing.com The BEACON is published at the beginning of the month. Our goal is to inform and inspire the 50+ community in Mesa, Delta, Montrose and Garfield counties. Publication of advertising does not necessarily constitute endorsement. Columns are opinions of the writers, not necessarily the opinion of the publisher. Display advertising rates are available upon request. Deadline for advertising and announcements is the 20th of the month preceding publication. © Copyright 2014 • All Rights Reserved

Cover Photo Mesa County Partners offers group activities on a regular basis to help adult mentors (senior partners) and their junior partners build relationships and have fun. Now, wouldn’t it be a blast to go rafting with a kid that looks up to you?

6 FEATURE STORY

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

September 2014

s r e m r a f de

a a lisshare the fruits of their labor with future generations

By Melanie Wiseman

amily businesses are not for everyone. These Palisade farmers give us lessons on the importance of hard work, work ethic and the value of family that will last for generations.

Richard Skaer and Carol Zadrozny.

Z’s Orchard Orchard matriarch Carol Zadrozny said, “Growing things is part of my genes. I just love seeing things grow.” It’s definitely in Carol’s genes, which she must have passed on to her children, as there are now four generations of her family involved in running Z’s Orchard. Carol grew up on a farm in Delta. When she and her husband, Fritz, purchased 20 acres in Palisade 40 years ago, her parents were there to help them get started. Fritz died in a car accident, leaving Carol with three young children and an orchard. She was a full-time teacher as well. “Looking back I don’t know how I did it,” Carol, 71, said. “I did consider selling the orchard. God has given me wonderful friends. I had a lot of support and encouragement.” Carol married Richard Skaer, now

71, also a teacher, and they have all five of their children involved planting trees and being a part of the growing process. “Now our grandkids have grown up with it, too,” Carol said. “Our great-granddaughter, Hallie, who’s 3, is the best helper. She even pulls weeds on occasion. Growing up on a farm, she is way into eating fruits and vegetables, and isn’t into sugar.” All children and grandchildren in the Zadrozny and Skaer family are involved at some level. Marketing, canning in their commercial kitchen, planting and pruning, watering, beekeeping, flower arranging, preparing and running farmers markets, and making products for their country store keep everyone busy. “I remember carrying baskets full of peaches around as a kid,” Jennifer Zadrozny, 50, said. “Now everything is from the tree to the box.” Z’s Orchard started with peaches but has since added a variety of fruits and vegetables as well as perennials to its mix. Outside of their family, they only have one employee. Everything is done by hand, without automation. “One of the rewards of our hard work is that if you’re hungry, you just go out and get something,” Carol said. “We laugh at how we find halfeaten peaches everywhere.” Kendra (Zadrozny) Williams, 45, left the family farm for many years but always came back in the summers. She started selling their produce at Telluride’s farmers’ market 26 years ago, right out of high school. “She was their youngest vendor and is the longest continuous vendor there,” Carol said. Kendra now ships peaches to a customer on Fifth Avenue in New York and others all over the U.S.

“We’re busy because people are more conscious of where food is coming from today and what they’re putting in their bodies,” Kendra said. “Every year, I overplant because I can’t believe how much grows out of the seeds.” Carol admits she and Richard would like to relax more with a glass of wine. Referring to Kendra and her husband, Ken, Carol said, “This is their life now.”

Donovan, Victoria, Ron, Clare, Caden, Cobe and Megan.

C & R Farms What was once a dream and passion of Clare Talbott’s has turned into a family affair. Clare, 69, and her husband Rob, 72, lived in Golden when they decided to buy 20 acres in Palisade in 1978. They now own 150 acres. “Work was slowing down for me at Coors,” Rob said. “We became weekend farmers, traveling with our kids to Palisade 45 weekends a year.” That lasted 16 years until Rob retired in 1994 and they moved to Palisade permanently.

“Sometimes I feel like I took some things away from our kids during the traveling years,” Clare said. “But what they got was good common sense and life skills.” Their children, Donovan and Megan, now 45 and 42, got involved in helping out at a young age, even driving a tractor at 6 and 8 years old. Clare sold her daughter peaches when she was a teenager, and Megan set up stands and sold them at a profit, which became her college fund. When Donovan graduated from Golden High School, he immediately packed up and moved to the farm in Palisade. “We’re our own bosses,” Donovan said. “You get a lot of practical experience running your own orchard. I can fix anything.” Megan left home for 14 years to attend college, teach and start a family. Then she called and said she wanted to come home. Megan does all the marketing and sales for C & R Farms, Donovan is the agriculture guy, and his wife, Elizabeth, is the bookkeeper. Ron designs the packing lines and Clare oversees the packing shed and pruning. All three families live on properties adjacent to the farm and Clare also helps take care of the six grandchildren. The three oldest, Victoria, 14, and twins, Cobe and Caden, 12, are now helping out. “My kids like to be here,” Megan said. “They’re learning things they won’t learn in school.” “By working on the farm I have a better work ethic, learn about machinery and agriculture, and can be outside,” Cobe said. According to Caden, the best part of the farm is, “I can eat right off the tree.” Clare said she is living the

September 2014 American dream. “It’s a great lifestyle,” she said. “I love my trees, I love my peaches, and I go crazy if I lose any.” Megan said each family member has different roles. “We respect what everyone’s strengths are and that’s what makes us successful,” she said. “At the end of the day we’re still family.”

Keenan, Theresa and Scott High.

High Country Orchards & Vineyards

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

FEATURE STORY 7

pro’posed to me, he promised me a vineyard,” Theresa said. The Highs bought their first 15 acres in Palisade in 1999. Their property has grown to 126 acres filled with 25 varieties of peaches, lavender and a vineyard. “There is satisfaction from creating something from nothing,” Scott said. “A pride comes over me that I can’t explain.” The Highs moved to Palisade permanently six years ago. Their son, Matthew, now 24, helped them through their first problems and operations. Matthew and his sister, Katie, 32, still help in the summer. Keenan feels he owes a lot to his orchard experience. “I was very shy and bashful,” Keenan said. “Now I can talk to anyone. I improved my communication skills, do marketing and problem solving and am line manager for 20 workers.” Keenan said he doesn’t have to worry much when distinguishing between Theresa being his mom and his boss. “Bringing up concerns is healthy for the business,” he said. “They respect my opinion.” Theresa said, “At the end of the day, I’m still at home cooking dinner.” ■

At 16, Keenan High knows his peaches. After all, he’s been doing tours and helping out with the family business since he was 9. His older brother and sister have gone to school and have careers, which Keenan hopes to accomplish as well. “In the end, I think we all want to come back and live here,” Keenan said. “It’s a much better life here. This is our parents’ dream, so they’re not forcing it on us, but they’d be happy to have us take it over. They just want us to enjoy our lives.” Theresa and Scott High, 58 and 59, spent years in Denver in wine distribution and still own a business there. Kendra and Ken of Z’s Orchard work at the Grand Junction “When Scott Farmers Market.

KREXTV.COM

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

M o n day - T h u r s day u n T i l 6 p M

Early DinE

September 2014

P i z z a

By Michelle Nash f More recipes at www.t hecompletesavorist.com

Ingredients: Pizza dough Cream cheese, softened 2-3 strawberries, sliced 1 ripe banana, sliced 2 T brown sugar +/2 T powdered sugar +/Pecan pieces

for c ho o se f rom

11 dinners

ROLL out the dough ball to desired thinness. Brush the edges of the dough with olive oil.

Happy Hour 4-6

SPREAD the cream cheese on the dough, meeting the olive-oiled crust line.

7 days a Week

$2.25 domestic pints $3.25 premium pints

$ Original rOcks

LAYER the strawberries over the cream cheese, then the bananas in the open spots. Sprinkle the pecan pieces over the fruit, then the brown sugar. Make sure the bananas are coated in the brown sugar, as it will crystalize during baking. Dust the powered sugar over the entire pizza.

our original margaritas have three tequilas and are specially blended with our signature sweet and sour, orange juice and agave nectar.

18 oz.

PREHEAT oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit. If using a pizza stone, allow the stone to preheat for at least 10 minutes. Slide the pizza onto the stone in the oven. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until it has reached desired doneness. Remove it from the oven, allow it to sit for a minute then slice and serve.

Call ahead seating 243-5700 2870 North Avenue

BUY ONE MEAL, GET 2ND MEAL AT 1/2 PRICE EXPIRES 09/30/14

Excludes Daily Specials

One Coupon Per Two People

Homestyle Cooking • Breakfast • Lunch

urs Open Mon. - Sat. 6am to 2pm Closed Sun. Mon-Thly 970-243-2133 On 241 Grand Ave.• Grand Junction, CO breakfast saturday & sunday

7 am-12 pm

lunch & dinner

monday - saturday 11 am-9 pm

mimosas & bloody marys ITALIAN GRILL & BAR

(sunday only, open 7 am-2 pm)

Buy any lunch item Happy Hour Get second item 1/2 price (Has to be same value or less) Good through 9/30/2014

3 pm-6 pm daily

624 Rae Lynn St. #C ♦ off 24 rd next to Starbucks ♦ 639-9789

Strawberry Ingredients: 3 c fresh strawberries, diced 2 jalapeños, diced 1/2 red onion, diced 1/4 c fresh cilantro, chopped 1 orange bell pepper, diced Salt/pepper, to taste Juice of 1 lime (about 1 T) PREPARE the strawberries, jalapeños, onion, cilantro and bell peppers and add them to a mixing bowl. Mix the ingredients together. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour the freshly squeezed lime juice over the mixture and stir. Serve immediately or chill until ready to serve.

Salsa

September 2014

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

Ask the Old Bag

ASK THE OLD BAG 9

Advice Column for the Over 50 Crowd By Gayle LagmanCreswick I ask myself: What makes me different in my attitudes toward aging? Why would “The Old Bag” not offend me? Then I answered myself. I believe it is because I grew up around old people. As a youngster I had seven or eight oldsters that I visited on my way home from school and I loved them. Later in my life, I became an RN and director of nursing in a skilled nursing facility. I was asked how I felt about working with older people. I replied that I loved them—and I did. For the next 40-plus years, I worked in retirement communities and my love for older persons grew. I learned so much from them. One gentleman who had a doctorate in psychology always showed up when I was having a rough day to cheer me and provide me with an attitude adjustment. Oh, the stories they shared with me. This was not a job. It was a lifetime education. From them, I learned how to face adversity and death. I learned not to take myself so seriously, and to laugh and not be critical of others. I met some old bags along the way who had lessons to teach me as well. So when an elderly woman called me an old bag, it shocked me. The lesson I learned from that was that we often judge people by how they look, without knowing them at all. I found that when I am not smiling, I could be mistaken for an old bag. Then I woke up one day and I was old. It felt good. My bones didn’t feel that good, but I relished the thought that I could be myself. I didn’t feel I had to work hard on my makeup or my hair to please others. I felt free as the breeze. I had turned to gold! Old is not a bad word. Old means gold. Dear Old Bag: I am in my 70s and I have a big family. The problem is that they are beginning to treat me as if I don’t have a brain

cell. They want to drive me wherever we are going. (I am a good and capable driver.) They always want to know where I am going. They don’t think I should go out at night. They put new burglar alarms on my house, which I set off accidentally all the time. I love them, but I find myself resenting this overdo. Signed, Frustrated Dear Frustrated: I think they love you very much. They probably read about the elderly being attacked, making them afraid for you. I think that gently asking them to give you a little breathing room would suffice. Tell them there may come a day when you want and need them to do those things, but right now you crave your independence. I receive many more letters complaining about children who never call, never come, and never pay attention than I do letters like yours! Good luck.

Artisan Bakery & Cafe 6th & Main  970.241.2740 gjmainstreetbagels.com

Where great food, great coffee & great people meet!

Dear Old Bag: I have been dating a woman for over a year. My problem is that none of her three kids speak to her. When I ask her why, she says they all take after their father—impossible to get along with. While she may be telling the truth, I was raised to consider two sides to every story. Is this a red flag? Signed, Wondering Dear Wondering: I would not jump into a permanent relationship just yet. It could be a red flag. Is she a widow or divorced? Do you ask her if she misses seeing her children? It is hard for me to digest that a mother would be estranged from all her children. You are right to wonder. Give it some more time. Dirty laundry has a way of showing up. Dear Old Bag: Last year, against the advice of our friends, we asked Dad to come and live with us. He wasn’t able to stay alone for long periods. He had lived alone for about seven years. Things went well at first, but he seems to have changed. He was neat and now he is terribly messy. He used to be

Legacy

www.legacyfuneralhomegj.com

F uneral H ome

“Our family serving your family.”

a quiet guy, and now he wants to monopolize conversations. We just grin and bear it. What else can we do? Signed, No Good Deed Dear No Good Deed: The change in your father’s behavior should not be ignored. You need to tell his doctor and take him for a checkup. He could have brain chang-

www.facebook.com/ legacyfuneralhomegj Available 24 hours

Phone: 970-609-2233 Fax: 970-609-2234

762 Horizon Drive, Grand Junction 81506

es, small strokes, medication reactions, depression or any number of things. Also, it would be good if you could take him to visit friends of his in assisted living so he can see how wonderful these places can be. ■

Send your questions to the Old Bag in care of the BEACON, or email lagmancreswick@cox.net.

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

"I’ve been a pilot since I was 17-yearsold. Having cataract surgery improved my vision for flying and all of my activities. Dr. Hoffman and his team are top notch!" Dr. Robert Rigg

CATARACT CARE Dr. Hoffman can recommend the type of cataract lens implant based on each individual patient and lifestyle.

Ophthalmologist

W. Jay Hoﬀman, MD

• No injections, sutures or eye patches • Little or no dependency on glasses • Conveniently located surgical center

Contact your primary care optometrist for an evaluation and referral.

Custom Cataract Surgery Physicians' Building at St. Mary's Hospital 2643 Patterson Road, Suite 405, Grand Junction, CO 81506

970.256.0400 • 800.439.3799 • www.HoffmanEyeCare.net

NEED GLASS REPAIR? No Job Too Small New Windows • Window Repairs • Window Glass Mirrors • Table Tops • Insulated Glass Shower & Tub Enclosures • Rescreens & New Screens

Same day service on most autoglass

The

Glass Brokerage 970-243-4507

2200 E. Main • Grand Junction • Open 8am - 5pm M-F & 8am - Noon Sat. • All Credit Cards Accepted

970 683-1848

September 2014

The happiest people are older

By Karen Telleen-Lawton

emember the Chinese finger trap—the little woven-bamboo tube where you stick your index fingers in each end and then try to pull them out? The only way to extricate them is to stop pulling, whereby they come out easily. Happiness is one of those elusive conditions that reminds me of that puzzle. It tops our list of desires, but I wonder if happiness is attainable through effort, especially as age sometimes bring us aches both physical and of the heart. A campus-wide roundtable at my recent college reunion featured Katie Couric and a panel of experts discussing the new science of happiness and well being. Their collective research about what truly makes people happy included some interesting points, such as the finding that each age group defines happiness differently. (Drumroll) The happiest people are middle aged and older! While younger age groups define happiness in terms of excitement and satisfaction, 50-year-olds define happiness as balance. As we age, this definition morphs to alignment, meaning, savoring, and finally contentment. Happiness reaches a peak around age 70 and can plateau there for nearly the rest of life—with some concession to those aches and pains, I suppose. The panelists agreed that happiness is elusive if you are trying to attain it. This has been measured in many

ways, but one interesting point is the effect of technology. While Facebook and other social media are good for empowering far-flung groups to organize for a purpose, they tend to make people feel lonelier because everyone else seems so happy. The panelists agreed that a meaningful life, which can be achieved deliberately, is a better goal and often results in happiness as a derivative. Returning home, I found an online article declaring Denmark to be the happiest country on Earth. This was based on research published by economists in the “World Happiness Report,” co-edited by University of British Columbia economics professor John Helliwell. He wrote, “Six factors explain three-quarters of differences in life evaluations across hundreds of countries and over the years.” The happiest countries have in common high scores in three government-level measures: a large GDP per capita, healthy life expectancy at birth, and a lack of corruption in leadership. The other three factors play out on a more personal control level: a sense of social support, freedom to make life choices and a culture of generosity. Among the evidence the researchers named in rating Denmark the highest was their support for parents, and health care as a civil right and source of social support. Gender equality is prioritized, biking is common as transportation, and Danes

Happiness reaches a peak around age 70 and can plateau there for nearly the rest of life

September 2014

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

feel a responsibility to one another. Forty percent of Danes do volunteer work, and close to 90 percent voted in the last election. Their culture also manages to put a positive spin on its harsh environment. The U.S. ranked 17th in happiness of the 156 countries surveyed. I’m not sure how to feel about that. That’s almost in the top 10 percent, but of course we like to consider ourselves the absolute top of everything. In fact, the authors noted that the U.S. and many Western European nations ranked higher than predicted. University of Illinois’ Benjamin Radcliff comments on our no. 17 showing in a book published in 2013 called “The Political Economy of Human Happiness: How Voters’ Choices Determine the Quality of Life.” Radcliff concludes, “Americans are happy, just not as happy as they could be… Our decades-long debate over Social Security and Medicare is now joined by a messy debate over Obamacare. Underlying them all is

the fact that the pursuit of happiness is established as one of America’s founding principles. What we’re really arguing about is how much to pay for it.” Nevertheless, if scoring 17th makes you a little sad, you just may be able to improve your own personal happiness score. Having recently read Dr. David Burn’s “Feeling Good,” a classic self-help book first published in 1980, I am convinced happiness is largely a state of mind. Burns’ exercises help readers recognize and control negative thoughts that lead to mood swings. Burns outlines several tools for rewiring the little voice in your head that overdramatizes the bad and under-rewards the good in your life. Just working through these exercises tends to release my brain to better enjoy the process of life. Like releasing your fingers by reducing the tension on the bamboo trap, wise elders learn to release the need to control. In the process, we may find elusive happiness. ■

Concert, Saturday, Sept. 13th 2 & 7 PM

CMU Moss Performing Arts Center - Recital Hall Grand Mesa Chorus, Quartets Cover Charge, Bass’ly Treble, Spare Parts, Garden Party. Guest Performers, Ken Dravis, Emily & Jon Pfeifer, Scholarship Winners, Belle Weathers & Joel Brown.

TICKETS Adults $12 Seniors $10 Students ( up to 17) $7 TICKET OUTLETS The Shade Tree, 618 Main - Back Porch Music, 995 Independent Ave Roper Music, 136 N 5th St. - Grand Events, 2801 Grand Ave from any member and at the door.

• Oxygen

• Scooters • Lift Chairs • Power Wheelchairs • Hospital Beds • Commodes • Walkers • And Much More You do have a choice Please choose Mountain Aire Medical Supply

Grand Mesa Chorus Sweet Adelines

ry a s r e iv n n n o A i t h a t 50 la Celebr Ga

Providers for

Rocky Mountain Health Plans, Medicare, Medicaid, Blue Cross/Blue Shield and many others Locally Owned and Operated

2490 Patterson #5 Grand Junction, CO

244-8983

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

September 2014

Remember your favorite western movies By Liesl Greathouse

horses, period cooking and live music by Denver-based country/rock band Jones & Raine. The museum will also be open from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. on Sunday, September 28, with a $5 discounted admission rate. The museum is made up of 25 original buildings that house over 500,000 original relics and items of historical significance. Knowledgeable volunteers will help guests relive the history of the region’s past. Retired historical archaeologist, Richard Fike, 74, founded the museum in 1997. The significance of Colorado’s beautiful scenery in the filming of many western movies such as “True Grit” led him to create this event, which pays homage to western films. “People don’t realize that movies like ‘How the West was Won’ and ‘The Sheepman’ were filmed at least partially in the Montrose adobes,” he said. “The Black Canyon was also used in two movies. So many won-

ans of history and western films will enjoy movie showings, tours, presentations and more at the Tribute to Western Movies Day, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. on September 27 at the Museum of the Mountain West in Montrose. This festival is in its fifth year and will feature artifacts, presentations and activities related to over 40 movies that were filmed in Colorado from 1927-2013. Lobby cards and movie posters of Colorado films will be displayed, and there will be showings of “The Great K&A Train Robbery” and “The Gold Rush,” along with the premiere of Rocky Mountain PBS’ “Colorado Experience: The Manassa Mauler.” Stunt actors Kaye Wade and Chuck Hicks are among the honored guests that will speak at the event. There will also be mock gunfights, souvenirs, strollers in period dress, food, kid’s activities, a working blacksmith,

SEPTEMBER 19

American Dreams

5:00 pm* 6:30 pm 7:00 pm 8:15 pm

Featuring . . . Jane Addams portrayed by Annette Baldwin John James Audubon portrayed by Brian “Fox” Ellis Alexander Hamilton portrayed by Hal Bidlack Rosa Parks portrayed by Becky Stone Also featuring Young Chautauquans from local schools

970.242.0971 www.museumofwesternco.org

Musical entertainment Young Chautauqua performance Jane Addams portrayed by Annette Baldwin John James Audubon portrayed by Brian “Fox” Ellis

SEPTEMBER 20

September 19 & 20 Cross Orchards Historic Site 3073 F Road

Friday Evening (Big Tent)

Saturday Morning

derful movies were filmed here and we want to focus on them.” Fike tries to incorporate something new into the event each year. “Last year, we focused on Butch Cassidy, with Butch Cassidy’s grandnephew here to talk about a book he wrote about him,” he said. “We want to tell the story about the movies and events, as movies were sometimes based on real people.” “True Grit” has also been featured at the event previously. Volunteers are needed for the event. With just two hours of work, volunteers can get into the event for free. Food and craft vendor applications are still available. Many movie stars from westerns are no longer with us today, but Fike is looking for anyone who has ever been associated with a western movie, regardless of whether or not it was filmed in Colorado. Fike said that even if someone was just a water boy or an extra, they will be celebrities at this special annual event. This event gives seniors an opportunity to enjoy and delve deeper into the history of the movies they grew up with. “Westerns were so popular in the ’50s-’60s, and they do not film movies now like they did then,” Fike said. “[Tribute to Western Movies Day] caters to those who went to

the theaters to see the movies. Older generations remember those movies and want to see them again to refresh their memories.” The museum’s regular operating hours are 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, with each tour being two hours full of history and fun. For more information, call 240-3400. Admission to Tribute to Western Movies Day is $10 for adults and $5 for school-age children or $25 for an immediate family. ■

7:30 am Audubon walk with John James Audubon (Brian “Fox” Ellis) on the Audubon Riverfront trail. Meet at the west end of the Redlands Albertson’s parking lot.

9:00 am Coffee with the Chautauquans at Barnes & Noble

Saturday afternoon (Cross Orchards Barn)

11:00 am* Rosa Parks presentation ~ Becky Stone Noon Young Chautauqua performances 1:00 pm Alexander Hamilton presentation ~ Hal Bidlack 2:00 pm Young Chautauqua performances 3:00 pm Jane Addams presentation ~ Annette Baldwin 4:00 pm Young Chautauqua performances 5:00 pm* 6:30 pm 7:00 pm 8:15 pm

Saturday evening (Big Tent)

Musical entertainment Young Chautauqua performance Rosa Parks portrayed by Becky Stone Alexander Hamilton portrayed by Hal Bidlack

*Food available for purchase. $7.50/person; $12/couple; $15/family

Direct Cremations $795.00 Also offering burial services 729 37 3/10 Rd. (970) 464-5333

September 2014

Long-distance caregiving: What’s in your emergency toolbox? By Paula McCormick, Elder Quest

ast month, I explained the challenges of long-distance caregiving. This month, I am going to tell you what to include in an emergency toolbox so that when, not if, you get that emergency call, you will be prepared to step into action and provide care for your loved ones, even at a distance. Of course, your toolbox can be in the form of a kit, file folder, bin or whatever container you prefer. The first thing you’ll need in your toolbox is: 1) The names and phone numbers of friends, neighbors, doctors and pharmacists These numbers are important because maybe Mom is taking care of Dad, who has dementia, and she has a fall in the middle of the night

and breaks her hip. Who are you going to call when Dad needs someone to be with him? Or maybe Mom lives alone but she has a dog. Who is going to check on the dog? Have conversations with people who are trustworthy and who can be called on at a moment’s notice. Maybe they can have a key to the house so they can check on Mom if she doesn’t answer the phone. If there’s no one you trust, you may need to call a professional who can step in during these kinds of emergencies. Let your loved one know that you need this information in order to better protect their wishes and maintain their home while they are in the hospital. If they say, “Mabel (the neighbor) will take care of things,” acknowledge it as her wish, but have a conversation with Mabel to be sure she agrees to it and has the ability to follow through.

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

Buying for CASH! Coins & Coin Collections Gold & Silver Coins Old Currency Foreign Coins & Currency Pocket Watches Sterling silver Gold & Silver Jewelry Antiques Guns and Ammunition Military Items Cowboy Spurs Native American Items Check with US before you sell!

2) Medical history, list of allergies and general medications being taken, names of the utility company and insurance company (especially if they have long-term care insurance), bank account information, advance directives and copies of power of attorneys 3) It will also save you a lot of work in the future if you know the location of birth certificates, military records, wills, deeds, social security numbers and passwords. Now with all of this information, you should feel some sense of organization and relief. ■

We Have Over 37 Years Experience Buying and Selling Professionally. Paying $14 per gram and up for Scrap Gold! Open: Monday-Friday, 10-5

Transitions with Grace

North Avenue Coins

October 23, 6-8 p.m. October 25, 9-11 a.m.

1005 North 12th Street, Suite 211 Grand Junction, CO 81501

Western Colorado Community College Register at 255-2828

970.261.8368

BECAUSE THIS CARD CAN PROVIDE FREE IN-HOME CARE This valuable card issued by the Department of Labor may qualify you for FREE, in-home care now or in the future. Your patriotic service in the uranium industry may provide medical services due to a work-related illness. Spend your golden years in the comfort of your home with your loved ones.

Take Advantage of the EEOICPA Benefits You’ve Earned: • Provide relief to spouse/family in the care-giving role • Ease the financial burden on your family • No copays, no deductibles

Specializing in FREE in-home care for former URANIUM workers

Professional Case Management Helping Uranium Workers Live at Home

970.372.6943 | PCM_WestSlope-BeaconSrNews 10.375x5.2.indd 2

procasemanagement.com 4/7/2014 8:45:42 AM

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

HOME TO THE

BOTTOMLESS CUP RIMROCK AVE. IN FRONT OF WAL-MART

2546 RIMROCK AVE. • GRAND JUNCTION, CO Franchise Location • LocaLLy owned and operated

970.245.0266

Grand Valley Funeral H omes

Fruita Funeral Home 455 Kokopelli Boulevard

970- 858-3933

Grand Junction Funeral Home 1022 Grand Avenue

970-549-1114

FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE GARCIAS’ Celebrating Today, Honoring Tomorrow. Founded on Affordability and Dedicated to Excellence.

Cremations starting at $800

Burials starting at $1,200

All Veterans, Military, Police, Fire, EMS Receive 15% off Services.

We Honor and accept Pre-Arranged Funeral Plans from other Funeral Homes. Se Habla Español www.grandvalleyfuneralhomes.com

September 2014

6 life lessons from a local centenarian By Melanie Wiseman

and put God first and he will be there for us. We have a choice to ena Metcalfe was born on Auhave faith, trust and believe.” gust 18, 1914. That’s right. This A terrible car accident in 1965 spirited, wise, talented and beautiful nearly took Vena’s life. woman just turned 100 years old. “I would not be here if it wasn’t for “I just got my first my faith,” Vena said. gray hairs six months “The doctor didn’t ago,” Vena said. give me a chance to If you knew her live. My heart stopped life story, you would and the doctor said, expect her to have ‘She’s gone.’ I felt hair as white as snow. myself going away Through the challengand prayed that I was es, joys and sorrows ready to go but I still along the way, Vena had a lot left to do. I has learned many life came back and told lessons. the doctor, ‘I’m not Vena was born and going anywhere.’” raised in the small Vena said the biggest farming community of change she’s seen over San Augustine, Texas. the last century is sociShe was the third of ety’s rejection of God. six children. In the “In the old testamiddle of World War Vena in her 40s on the night she ment, people always II, at 26, she found received an award for her volungot in trouble when herself in Los Angeles teer work with MS patients. they took God out of as a single mom of two their lives,” Vena said. daughters. She focused

on her daughters over Family: Work hard and the next 20 years, accept other opinions seeing them through “Next to your faith college before remarin the Lord Jesus, rying. She worked family is the most two jobs and went important thing,” Vena to school to earn her said. “Disagreements teaching certificate, shouldn’t cause anithen her degree. Domosity. Accept differing whatever it took to ent opinions.” make ends meet, Vena Out of financial worked at a factory necessity, Vena’s girls that made B-17s, taught learned the value of school, flipped burghard work early on. ers and was a food and “I taught them to be program coordinator grown up when they Vena today with some of her at a senior center. She weren’t,” she said. paintings, including a self-portrait found a passion in “They have kept their of her younger days. her volunteer work work ethic throughout with multiple sclerosis their lives. If they have one penny, patients and was recognized for her they make two.” service in the late 1950s. Vena has written poems to her

Faith: Put God first

Vena’s faith in God runs deep. Her Bible is never far from her side. “I try to let the Word speak to me about my values,” Vena said. “Obey

great-grandchildren, letting them know what a blessing they’ve been and how precious they are. “I feel led to serve as an example,” Vena said.

September 2014 Equality: Accept others

Regrets: Don’t let anger affect you

Vena witnessed extensive prejudice against black Americans during her hospital work in the ’50s and ’60s. She was not afraid to speak her mind, telling the other staff, “Their blood is as red as mine and they have the same God as I have.”

“I regret making snap judgments at times,” Vena said. “I would also not let anger separate me from someone for so long. I would not have waited so long to make amends.” Vena’s mobility keeps her pretty close to home these days. But she surrounds herself with her paintings and family photos. “I do a lot of reminiscing,” Vena said. “I’ve lived a hard life, but a happy life.”

Volunteering: Do it with joy “Even if you only have an hour a week, please volunteer and do it with joy,” Vena said. “Every little bit is a change for the better and leaves a good feeling. I learned how to smile when my own heart was breaking.”

Health: Be kind to yourself A health screening revealed that Vena had rheumatic fever as a child that went undiagnosed. “I exercised more and ate right after that,” Vena said. “Be kind to yourself and get plenty of rest.” Her diet primarily consists of fruits, vegetables, nuts and lean meat. “Keep your mind active,” she said. “Reading is important. Use your talents. For me, it’s painting. Most of my paintings reflect past experiences.”

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

POEMS BY VENA METCALFE My Garden of Love I have a garden in my heart The flowers are big and small The ones I love the very best Are my friends – one and all. In the corner of my garden, deep inside Grows a flower rare That longs to blossom wide And spread its fragrance fair. I tend my garden with loving care Lest creepy things crawl inside Like unforgiveness that choke and kill I tend my garden with love and pride. Long-suffering blooms so sweetly there

Forgiveness and forget flourish too If I tend my garden of love with care And remember to pray for you. Love and joy are difficult to grow But if I take time and remember to pray And temperance in my garden I sow I will grow peace in my garden today. Long-suffering too is so pretty Growing beside temptations anew So row on row, I plant faith to grow They bring happiness when I remember to pray for you.

Acting On the stage of life we perform Like a puppet on a string Each day we dance to a different tune Not knowing what tomorrow might bring. A comedy of errors and noble deeds Acts of kindness and dreams so bold Are marred with inner fears and doubt That forever fight against the feeble soul. Dancing on with a Mardi Gras mask Daring not to show our true face Smiling all the while to hide the muted pain Dancing on and on with pomp and grace. With a silent struggle and a stifled cry We dance the night and day through Seeking to cast aside the heavy mask

And live life to its fullest – anew. Acting is such hard work Why can’t we be honest and real? Where is the peace of joyful living What is this restlessness we feel? God is the greatest actor of all He has a sense of humor too He can create a miracle of love From actors such as me and you. Past deeds and bad memories can fade away When His shed blood is applied To hurts and disappointments of yesterday “You are forgiven” from the cross He cried. So lay aside your shattered dreams And Mardi-Gras mask He has given you a choice In an act of love He forgave your past. ■

Are you a poet?

Here’s your chance to show it! Writing poetry is a great way to express your creativity. We’d like to read your poems and maybe they’ll get published! Send your poetry to the BEACON at beacon@pendantpublishing.com or PO Box 3895, Grand Junction, CO 81502

16 LAUGHING MATTERS

Laughing Matters Blond man jokes

Submitted by Ronald Puckett 1. A blond man is in jail. The guard looks in his cell and sees him hanging by his feet. “Just what are you doing?” the guard bellows. “Hanging myself,” the man replies. “The rope should be around your neck,” the guard says. “I tried that,” he says, “but then I couldn’t breathe.” 2. An Italian tourist asks a blond man: “Why do scuba divers always fall backwards off their boats?” The blond man replies, “If they fell forward, they’d still be in the boat.”

Helpful son

Submitted by Linda Bolles An elderly woman lived alone. She wanted to spade her potato garden, but it was very hard work. Her only son, Joe, who used to help her, was

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

in prison. The woman wrote a letter to her son describing her predicament. “Dear Joe, I am feeling pretty bad because it looks like I won’t be able to plant my garden this year. I’m just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. If you were here, all my troubles would be over. I know you would dig the plot for me. Love, Mom.” A few days later she received a letter from her son. “Dear Mom, For heaven’s sake, Mom, don’t dig up that garden, that’s where I buried the BODIES. Love, Joe.” At 4 a.m. the next morning, F.B.I. agents and local police showed up and dug up the entire area without finding any bodies. They apologized to the woman and left. That same day

the elderly woman received another letter from her son. “Dear Mom, Go ahead and plant the garden now. That’s the best I could do under the circumstances. Love, Joe.”

Grandma’s little boy

Submitted by Laura Traut During a violent thunderstorm one evening, a grandmother was tucking her grandson into bed. She was about to turn off the light when with a tremor in his voice he asked, “Grandma, will you sleep with me tonight?” The grandmother smiled and gave him a reassuring hug. “I can’t dear,” she said. “I have to sleep in your granddaddy’s room.” A long silence was broken at last by his shaky little voice: “That big sissy.”

A Polish divorce

Submitted by Shelli McFadden A Polish lad married a Canadian girl after he had been in Canada a year or so. Although his English was far from perfect, they got along very well. Until one day he rushed into a lawyer’s

- Mini Implants to Stabilize Dentures and Partials - 0% Financing Options - Open Fridays - Laughing Gas Available For Relaxation - Friendly, Kind, Experienced Staff - Find Courage And Trust - We’re Here To Help

September 2014 office and asked him if he could arrange a divorce for him very quickly. The lawyer said that the speed of getting a divorce would depend on the circumstances and asked him the following questions: “Why do you want this divorce?” “She going to kill me.” “What makes you think that?” “I got proof.” “What kind of proof?” “She going to poison me. She buy a bottle at the drug store and put on shelf in bathroom. I can read. It says, ‘Polish Remover.’”

How to say “I love you”

Submitted by Doug Porter English: I Love You Spanish: Te Amo French: Je T’aime German: lch Liebe Dich Japanese: Ai Shite Imasu Italian: Ti Amo Chinese: Wo Ai Ni Swedish: Jag Alskar Western Colorado: “Nice body. Get in the truck.”

September 2014

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

What you should know about Mom

Submitted by Terry Kostro A little girl’s mother was driving her to her friend’s house for a sleepover. “Mommy,” the little girl says, “how old are you?” “Honey, you are not supposed to ask a lady her age,” the mother warns. “It’s not polite.” “Okay,” the little girl says, “How much do you weigh?” “Now really,” the mother says, “these are personal questions and are really none of your business.” Undaunted, the little girl asks, “Why did you and Daddy get a divorce?” “Those are enough questions,” her mother says. The exasperated mother walks away as the two friends begin to play.

hi ng a t y r e Ev has

“My mom wouldn’t tell me anything,” the little girl says to her friend. “All you need to do is look at her driver’s license,” her friend says. “It’s like a report card. It has everything on it.” Later that night, the little girl says to her mother, “I know how old you are. You are 32.” The mother is surprised and asks, “How did you find that out?” “I also know that you weigh 140 pounds,” the little girl replies. “How in heaven’s name did you find that out?” her mother asks. “And,” the little girl says triumphantly, “I know why you and Daddy got a divorce.” “Oh really?” the mother asks. “Why?” Send your funniest jokes to: beacon@pendantpublishing.com

Story

From your story to our store. Donate to Heirlooms today. Your heirlooms become our treasures – accepting clothing, accessories, jewelry, furniture, kitchenware, china & glassware. Proceeds benefit the programs of HopeWest.

Shop • Volunteer • Donate • Recreate 635 Main Street • 970-254-8556 Monday – Saturday • 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. HeirloomsForHospice.com

LAUGHING MATTERS 17

18 TRAVEL

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

NEW! 2015 ESCORTED TOURS MARCH

JULY

APRIL n D.C. Washingto Tulip Time Rhine Baltimore & Mosel River Annapolis Cruise

“Big Sky” Montana Summer S EPTEMBE Theater R New Engla nd “Rails and Sails” All Tours fully escorted from Grand Junction

Call for pricing and detailed flyers!

751 Horizon Court, Suite 249

Terry Eakle

Escorting Custom Tours from Grand Junction Since 1985.

(Skyline Building behind WW Peppers)

New Address!

Grand Junction, CO 81506 • 434-6494

the

% Flower shop 10 SENIOR

• Friendly and aFFordable

• accepting wire orders • same day bridal bouquets • across From st. mary’s hospital • large variety oF plants K aren K ilgore, owner /designer

Discount

2648 patterson rd, #b, 7th & patterson 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., monday–saturday 970-241-3500

Come join us for the 3rd annual

November 5- 8 2014 Ages 50 and over

www.moabseniorgames.com Call 435.260.0161 for more information Sponsored by:

Your Local Advantage

The Moab Star, Moab Happenings, Moab Sun News, the Grand Center and Moab Aquatic Center

September 2014

Dominican Republic: a vacationer’s white-sand paradise By Lesley Moe

right in the middle of the action on Cabeza de Toro beach. ave you ever dreamed of a CaribPunta Cana has hotels in an array bean vacation off the beaten of price ranges to satisfy any comfort path of all the popular, crowded deszone and style of vacation. There are tinations? When you think of a Caribluxury hotels from the elite, all-inclubean destination you may instantly sive hotel lines with all the luxury think of the Virgin Islands, Jamaica, one can handle, down to the small, the Bahamas or even Aruba. While I culturally traditional hotels with just was hunting for a great vacation in a the right comforts of home. warm, tropical, white-sanded beach When I arrived at the gates of paraand turquoise water area, the Dodise, a baggage concierge led me to a minican Republic showed up on the walkway lined with fountains among vacation radar. tropical greenery that meandered The locals call it the DR for short throughout the lush grounds. The and it’s not to be confused with the many pools were crying out to caress island of Dominica. Never before me with their glistening temptation had I imagined this would be a vacaof crystal blue coolness as I passed tion paradise for travelers and I was by. Once at my room, I was pamquickly shown the bounties it had to pered further with native fresh fruits offer. on the table and flowers that adorned Punta Cana, on the southeast side my bed. I couldn’t wait to drop my of the Dominican Republic is among luggage and proceed down to exone of the most popular vacation plore what the beach had to share. areas on the island. As I stepped The beach was beautifully down onto the airport tarmac from groomed and had plenty of chairs the plane, the weather was a balmy to lounge in throughout the day. 84 degrees and humidity was around There was a security guard posted 80 percent. I hardly noticed the heat, at each of the hotel beaches up and and breathed a great deal better down the waterway making sure the than at the higher altitude, the moist patrons stay safe and the vendors humidity had an amazing medicinal didn’t hassle the guests when trying effect on my acute asthma. to show them their treasures for sale. Entering into the small but quaint There was no pressuring from the thatch roofed receiving area, visitors vendors for you to buy after you said were greeted by a cultural quartet ofDOMINICAN REPUBLIC no, and certainly no fuss if you didn’t musicians. After making it through want anything when they came customs and out to the many oparound. tions of transportation to the hotels, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC I climbed into an Amber Coast air-conditioned, pre- MB aayn z a r i l l o Cofresi Sosua N O RT H AT L A N T I C O C E A N paid transportation, Cabarete Puerto Plata courtesy of a little Nagua pre-planning done Samana Peninsula San Francisco de Macoris on bookit.com. The HAITI DUARTE PEAK driver handed over Bonao Comendador an ice-cold beverage Uvero Alto Punta Cana and we proceeded SANTO DOMINGO San Pedro Higúey LAKE ENRIQUILLO de Macoris to the Dreams Palm La Romana San Cristóbal Boca Chica Beach Punta Cana Barahona Resort. This resort Pedernales was located only 15 CARIBBEAN SEA 40 km minutes away from 40 miles the airport and was

September 2014

TRAVEL 19

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

The white sandy beach of Cabeza de Toro is the main thoroughfare of tourist travel. The white sandy beach was the main thoroughfare of tourist travel. Everything was within walking distance of your hotel’s beach access. Shopping areas and wonderfully renowned restaurants were found just minutes away. If less travel and more relaxation is on your agenda, then there’s no need to go anywhere. The resort has five restaurants on site and each serves a different culturally themed cuisine of fine dining, as well as a buffet-style main cafe. In the morning, you can enjoy freshly made pastries and a hot cup of coffee made just for you at the coffee shop. No one was in a hurry, but everyone was on time in the DR. The service was excellent. I was treated like their first and only priority even if everyone else was, too. The servers made me feel like they were my personal staff and they seemed to always be there right when I needed something. The bartenders remembered my favorite drinks and most of the time had them waiting for me when they saw me walking up to them. The entertainment team keeps things going with dance lessons, local language lessons and art projects, water sports in the ocean or aerobics in the pool. If the grandchildren or children are with you, there are even

activities for them. At night is when the magic happens. Theater shows, movies and sporting events such as American football or the World Series played on a big screen on the beach. There was also casino action, dancing by the fountains romantically lit by candlelight, elegant dining on the beach for a romantic dinner for two, or guests simply sitting with a loved one in the moonlight watching the waves lap at their feet. If you are more of the sightseeing vacationer, explore the main towns of Dominican Republic, such as Higuey, La Romana, Santa Domingo and Uvero Alto. You will have to go by taxi or your hotel’s excursion tours. The concierge or the activities team at the larger hotels have an excellent array of activities from snorkeling, scuba diving, zip lining, water parks, jungle tours, jeep tours, cultural tours, catamaran rides, to romantic sunset cruises. Sometimes you can save a little bit of money by booking ahead of time. I would invite everyone to try the Dominican Republic just once for the bucket list of travel destinations and tell me they didn’t fall in love with something while being there. The best part of the Dominican Republic is that it truly is a vacationer’s dream vacation destination. ■

BRANSON OZARK CHRISTMAS

November 10 – 18, 2014 Featuring… Johnny Mathis, Daniel O’Donnell, “JONAH” at the Sight & Sound Theater “YAKOV SMIRNOFF” Dinner Show, “RED, HOT AND BLUE MORNING SHOW”,THE HUGHES BROTHERS” and.. The Osmond Brother’s & Lennon Sister’s Christmas Show at the Moon River Theater… What a line-up of GREAT SHOWS & Entertainers!!!and MORE GREAT Entertainers!! $1,849 Per Person Double Occupancy, $2,139 Single, $1,739 Per Person Triple Price Includes: Motor Coach, All Hotels, Show Packages in Branson, Meals… All Breakfasts, 4 Dinners, & 2 Lunches, Luggage Handling and MORE!!! There is plenty of “space” waiting just for you to join us!!! Don’t miss the Motor Coach on November 10th when we leave Western Colorado for BRANSON, MO.. Call Soon for reservations & details!!! As long as space is available you can reserve up to October 1, 2014…

“THE BOOK OF MORMON”

Returning to Denver’s Ellie Caulkins Theater in August 2015… “The Book of Mormon” is so popular - Group Sales have been ongoing since Nov. 2013. Full payment for Theater Ticket is required at time of reservations. Golden Circle Seats ~ $148.50 (includes service fees) Trip Details & Pricing will follow. Call Margaret to reserve your spot. Call for information, reservations, and to receive a free newsletter. Payment plans available...call for details Margaret Krabbe

P.O. Box 2142 • Montrose, CO 81402 Specializing in Escorted Local, National & International Senior Group Travel!

Phone (970)

240-3020

Email: mkrabbe@montrose.net

20 HOME & GARDEN

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

Valley Grown Nursery Blowout Sale l l : Fa Roses – 35% off

Per ennials – 25% off Shrubs – 30% off Cr abapple tr ees – 45% off Other deciduous tr ees – 25% off

Hours are: Mon-sat 8-6, sun 9-5

680 24-1/2 Road (3/4 mile north of Mesa Mall) f 245-2634

Garden Smarts By Kathy Kimbrough

Q. Is this a good time to reno-

vate my lawn? I have bare patches and it seems like there are multiple types of grass in my lawn. Fall is a great time to work on your lawn. The cooler air is easier on us and the ground is still warm enough to promote root growth. Reseeding or overseeding is the most affordable way to fill in bare or sparse areas of your lawn. The key to success is keeping the ground evenly moist until the seeds germinate and are growing. Not soggy or wet, just damp. Kentucky Blue Grass seed takes 21 days to germinate. Most of our lawns are a variety of KBG or fescues. When they are grown together, the results can be undesirable because their growth habits are very different. KBG has long runners called rhizomes, which knit the grass together. Fescues are bunch grasses and form clumps, which do not knit together. When buying new grass seed, look for a blend of KGB varieties. Be sure there is no fescue or rye grass in the blend. This is also a great time to core aerate your lawn if you didn’t get to it in the spring.

Garden Checklist

Ambassador Blind N’ Shutter Inc Grand Junction CO M-F: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM 970-523-4566 www.ambassadorblindsgj.com

 With vegetable gardens in full production, now is the time to learn about the right ways to preserve our bounty. Here are some resources to help you.  Ball canning guide and recipes (www.freshpreserving.com)  The National Center for Home Food Preservation (nchfp.uga.edu)  “So Easy to Preserve” by the Cooperative Extension of the University of Georgia. (May be purchased at the CSU Extension Office)  Add to your landscape. Plant garlic to harvest early next summer.  Spot treat broadleaf perennial weeds like thistle and bindweed with systemic weed killer. A mixture of 2,4-D and glyphosate is especially effective against bindweed.

September 2014

 Divide older peonies. Leave at least three buds on each root. When replanting, add a handful of high phosphate fertilizer to the hole and plant no more than one inch below the soil. If planted too deeply, they will not bloom.  Destroy any vegetable plants that may have disease or insect infestations immediately after harvest. Healthy plant material can go into the compost pile, but remove seed heads.  Harvest winter squash and pumpkins when the skin can no longer be easily penetrated by a fingernail.  Cut the canes of fall-bearing raspberries to the ground after harvesting.

Q. Some of the leaves on my silver maple tree are a pale green, have brown around the edges, or have dark green veins running through them. I would hate to lose this tree because I love the shade in the summer and the great fall color. What can I do to get it healthy again? It sounds like your silver maple tree is suffering from iron chlorosis and scorch—both common problems for a shade tree that does not grow well in western Colorado. Most maples tend to be chlorotic in our alkaline soils. To correct this problem, apply chelated iron. Iron treatments include foliar spraying, iron injections or soil applications. Many arborists recommend trying soil applications first, as they can last up to two years and do not injure the tree, but they are most effective prior to May 1. Buy an iron chelate that contains EDDHA or EDDMHA on the label. The brown edges are a sure sign of scorch, which happens when the tree does not have sufficient water through the winter. Extra watering now will do no good. Keep up regular watering and be sure to water in December, January and February when it will need it the most. Once a month, run your sprinklers over the grass for about an hour when daytime temperatures are above freezing and when there is no snow on the ground. ■

September 2014

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

6 fall cleaning tips to help rid your home of autumn allergens

any people think of allergies as a spring problem, but most sniffle sufferers know that fall can pose its own issues. Mold and ragweed are common fall allergy triggers, as are dust mites, which are naturally more prevalent in the home during the drier months. “You can turn your home into a safe haven from fall allergens with regular, strategic cleaning and a few preventive measures,” Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America Ambassador Robin Wilson said. To help make your home more comfortable this season, Wilson is offering some fall cleaning tips to

Plant of the Month

Whirling Butterflies - Gaura lind-

heimeri. This North American native plant is easy to grow in our climate. It likes hot weather and is not picky about the amount of water it gets. The flowers start blooming in June and continue through October. There are several cultivars with either pink or white orchidlike blossoms on long, thin stems. Depending on the cultivar and height, they can sit in the front of the border, contrast with spiky plants in mid-border, or form a dainty hedge or drift in groups of three or more. Complementary perennials include Jupiter’s Beard, Red Rocks and Pike’s Peak Purple. Choose a spot that will give this beauty plenty of room to shine. In full bloom, the stems reach up to 30 inches across. Full sun, low water and lean soil will ensure the plant doesn’t get too weak. Cut back to the ground in fall or early spring. Often the mother plant dies after a few years but Gaura produces seedlings so you probably won’t even notice.

eliminate allergens and maintain a clean and healthy space, • Wash your bedding. Mattress and pillow protectors will help control dust mites. As an added precaution, wash your bedding in warm or hot water every month, and replace pillows every three years. • Check for mold. Moisture breeds mold, so make sure to scan the inside of dishwashers, under the fridge in the water pan and in sink and bath drains. Change water dispensers and icemaker filters on a regular basis. • Vacuum frequently. Whether you have wall-to-wall carpeting, tile or hardwood floors, it’s important to eliminate dust and dirt. Vacuum, mop or steam clean flooring regularly. “Use a vacuum with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter, which captures small particles such as allergens, irritants and pollutants,” Wilson said. • Wash or freeze stuffed toys. If your children sleep with their favorite stuffed animals, you should frequently wash or freeze them in a plastic bag for 48 hours. This will lower the level of dust mites, which can trigger asthma and allergies. • Use slipcovers. Slipcovers have come a long way in the last 10 years. Since they can be cleaned regularly and more easily than upholstery, consider using them on sofas and other furniture. • Keep ragweed outside. After spending time outside, have your child leave any clothing or sports equipment close to the entrance of the home to avoid tracking irritants throughout rooms. “Just because the pollen count isn’t through the roof doesn’t mean you can’t fall prey to allergies,” Wilson said. “With regular cleaning, you can manage the irritants in your home and make it a more breathable place.” Article printed from StatePoint Media, www.statepoint.net. ■

HOME & GARDEN 21

We appreciated their professionalism and attention to detail. is crew has validated our long-held faith in the work ethic of our young people. — Dick and Joan Miller, e Knolls

FREE In-home assessment ▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼

Insulate ▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼

ThE SoluTion May bE SiMplE noT ExpEnSivE Jim schooley, owner-operator. over 35 years of experience. bbb a+ Rating Licensed and Insured. Serving the Grand Valley.

Properly installed blown-in attic insulation: • Saves money on annual cooling and heating costs • Eliminates hot and cold areas in your home • Makes living in your home more comfortable year-round

Grand Valley home Insulation 970-640-3908

22 FUN AFTER 50

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

September 2014

Fun after 50

Activities offered by GJ Parks and Recreation

Gourmet Coffee, Donuts ...and so much more Over 20 varieties of donuts and pastries made fresh daily ® Locally roasted, fresh brewed coffees

2412 Patterson Road, Suite 8 (N.E. corner of Café Rio plaza) • 970-639-9741

o register for these programs, call the Grand Junction Parks and Recreation Department at 254-3866 or visit www.gjparksandrec.org. September 13

Pork and Hops BBQ Challenge

Senior Dances with Live Music Dance to live music from 7:30 p.m.10 p.m. every Thursday and from 1 p.m.-3 p.m. on the first and third Sundays of the month at the Senior Recreation Center. Cost is $3.

People’s Choice Tasting costs $10 and is at Lincoln Park.

HEALTH & FITNESS

September 17

Gentle Active Yoga

DANCE

• Tuesday, September 23 - 9 a.m.-11 a.m. • Thursday, September 25 - 6 p.m.-8 p.m.

Tuesdays & Fridays

This class teaches flexibility of mind and body in a fun and supportive enMaster Gardener Margie Frey will vironment. Students must be able to demonstrate how to create an enget up and down from the floor unaschanting fairy garden using found sisted. Class is 8 a.m.-9 a.m. at Linobjects at noon at the Western Colocoln Park Barn. Cost rado Botanical Garis $7 to drop in or $50 dens. Cost is $5. VOLUNTEER for a punch pass. September 26 OPPORTUNITIES Thursdays Free Friday Hike: The Trail Host Program is onBeginner and Chair Fisher Towers going throughout the year. Get Yoga Moderate hike. Disyour volunteer application in This class can be entance: 11 miles with a now and don’t miss any of the joyed with or without 650-foot elevation gain. fun. Become an ambassador Bring water and lunch. for the Riverfront Trail System. a chair assist. Basic yoga teachings, flexHike starts at 8:30 a.m. Call Lorie at 254-3876. ibility and strength Register by September building poses are the 24. focus. Class is 1 p.m.October 10 2 p.m. at Lincoln Park Barn. Cost is Murder Mystery Dinner Party $7 to drop in or $50 for a punch pass. Pepi Roni served up a mean plate of pasta until someone did him in. Now SPORTS there’s big trouble in Little Italy. You Bocce Ball Clinic will receive your character and cosThese beginner clinics will cover tume suggestions in the mail. Dress rules, mechanics, stance and strategy. the part, come play and have fun! Participants will play a bocce ball Dinner is at 5:30 p.m. at the Senior game. Equipment provided. Clinics Recreation Center. Cost is $14. are held at Hawthorne Park. Register by September 29. • Saturday, September 20- 9 a.m.-11 a.m.

Garden Talk: Fairy Gardens

Senior Recreation Center 550 Ouray Avenue - 970 243-7408

The Senior Recreation Center offers activities for seniors age 50 and older. The center is open Monday - Saturday from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Annual membership is $10.

S e n i o r R e c re a ti o n C e n te r M o n t h ly C a le n d a r

Ev e n ts

Monday

9:00 a.m. 10:30 a.m. 12:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m. 5:30 p.m.

Cribbage Computer Classes Gray Gourmet Card Bingo Dominoes Singles Pinochle (1st & 3rd Monday)

Tuesday

9:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. 1:30 p.m.

Cribbage & Pool Tourney Gray Gourmet Bingo

Wednesday

9:00 a.m. 9:30 a.m. 10:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. 1:00 p.m.

Ladies Pool, Card Social Jack & Jill Pool Tourney Free Blood Pressure Clinic (3rd Wed) Gray Gourmet Pinochle

Thursday

9:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m. 10:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. 7:30 p.m.

Canasta Cleaning Crew (Last Thursday) Membership Meeting w/Music (1st Thursday) Pokeno (Starts at 1 p.m. on 1st Thursday) Dance

Friday

9:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. 12:30 p.m. 12:45 p.m.

Canasta, Painting Class & Pool Tourney Gray Gourmet Bible Study Bridge

Beginning Line Dance

Saturday

8:00 a.m. 9:00 a.m. 1:30 p.m.

Bridge Class Bridge Bingo

Mondays

Sunday

1:00 p.m.

Dance (1st & 3rd Sunday)

Mondays (September 8-29) No partner or previous dance skills needed. Class at 12:15 p.m. Mondays at Lincoln Park Barn. Cost is $12.

Bocce Ball Challenge Ladder If you love bocce ball and want to compete for bragging rights, join our challenge ladder! Call Lorie at 254-3876.

Intermediate Line Dance

Doubles Pickleball League

Improve your line dancing skills from 1 p.m.-2:30 p.m. Mondays at Lincoln Park Barn. Cost is $34 for a 10-punch pass and $5 to drop in.

This six-week league begins September 24. Cost is $20. Register by September 16. You must register with a partner. Call 254-3866 for details. ■

September 2014

Don’t just sit there. Hike somewhere.

• Take a pack with plenty of water, protein snacks (beef jerky, granola, eptember is a great month for hiktrail mix and energy bars) and extra ing. The weather usually cools off weather layers. enough that you don’t have to be up • Lock your vehicle and make sure at the crack of dawn to enjoy the day your valuables are out of sight. before the heat drives you indoors. • Tell someone where you’re What’s great is that the Grand Valley going. Know where you are going offers a plethora of trails for hikers of and estimate the time you’ll be back. all fitness levels—even children. That way, someone knows where to Maps can usually be found at the look for you if you take a wrong turn Grand Junction Visitor and Convenor get a sprained ankle. tion Bureau, the Bureau of Land • Make sure pets are allowed. Even Management office, outdoor apparel with a leash, dogs are not allowed in stores and the Grand Valley’s chamthe Colorado National Monument, bers of commerce. A Google search except in the campground. Follow sometimes comes up with reviews any applicable leash laws, clean up from other hikers. after them (yes, even if you’re out in Rick and Linda Weber have hiked the boonies) in the area for and bring water years. for your dog and “We’ve never something to run into trouble, put it in. but I think that’s • Bring your because we’re cell phone or prepared for it GPS, but don’t and understand put all your faith the special in them. Batterchallenges of ies fail, service hiking in a high isn’t available desert, where Rick Weber on the Monument. and things get the weather can broken. If you don’t know the area, change within minutes,” Linda said. get a map and pay attention to signs Linda’s favorite hikes include Kanand forks in the trail. nah Creek Trail and Andy’s at the • Pay mind to the difficulty and Lunch Loops. Both hikes are chaldistance of the hike before you go. lenging and steep in some places. Taking on a hike that’s too easy or “We prefer hiking by ourselves and tough can ruin your experience. there usually aren’t a lot of other hik• Hike with the right people. Hike ers or bikers on these trails,” she said. with people that are in the same If you prefer to hike in a more physical condition as you. It’s no fun populated area, stick with the easy to be left behind if you’re struggling trails or get your own group together. with the terrain or to have to stop There are several groups who reguand wait for others. larly schedule hiking excursions. • Stay off trails near creek beds You’ll find several of them at www. if there is any sign of rain, even if meetup.com. Just type in “hiking.” it looks like its’ miles away. We’ve Check them out for a new adventure already seen a lot of flash floods this and you’ll make new friends to boot. year and you don’t want to be the Not sure how to plan for your hike? 6 o’clock news headline. Here are some tips. • Have fun, take pictures and bring • Get good shoes. Even tennis shoes along an animal or plant field guide will do. Start by breaking them in on to keep track of all the flora and short jaunts—not long hikes. fauna you see. ■ By Terri Benson

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com Great News!!!

The Special Exposure Cohort (SEC) recently extended to cover former Rocky Flats workers from 1952 to 1983

Thank You former workers of

Rocky Flats For serving our nation during the Cold War

www.cnscares.com

*Upon Approval

Safety. Reliability. Trees can be a power line’s worst enemy. Right-of-way clearing is the easiest and most common way to reduce risks of injuries and outages. You can help. Make sure your co-op knows of any trees or limbs located close to a power line.

Call 877-687-3632 (OUR DMEA) to tell DMEA about potential problems. DMEA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

24 LOCAL LORE

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

Grand Mesa Chorus celebrates 50 years of music By Melanie Wiseman

he Sweet Adelines don’t consider themselves a typical choir. “We are vocal athletes,” said Barb Mack, member of the barbershopstyle Grand Mesa Chorus, the local chapter of Sweet Adelines International. “It’s more difficult than other types of choirs. Our art form is evaluated on sound, expression, showmanship and music. It’s not just about getting the notes and words correct.” Mack, 74, is a charter member of Grand Mesa Chorus, which is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary. She spent 20 of those years as director. Current director Tammy Schler, 58, joined Sweet Adelines when she was just 26. “When you love it so much, you make it work. I never thought, ‘Oh, I need to raise my family first,’” Schler said. “Women who join in their 50s and 60s say, ‘I’m so glad I found you, why did I wait so long?’ I say, ‘When Mama’s happy, everybody’s happy.’” The Sweet Adelines is a true sisterhood that values not only music artistry and performance, but also the bond of life-long friendships and fun. “We join to sing and yet it’s so much more,” Mack said. “We come from all walks of life.” The number of members fluctuates

1966

in size and mix. There are currently 28 members, the youngest being age 28 and the oldest, 75. At other times, there have been several motherdaughter pairs and even a motherdaughter-grandmother trio. “Our families have come to respect what we do and it enhances our family life,” Nola Stephens, 73, said. “And oh, the experiences. Barb can tell stories that would make you wet your pants. I always bring extra panties along.”

The Barbershop Style “Barbershop was invented by men and perfected by women,” Sue Chapman, 74, said. “We say that a lot. We love to harass them a little.” The Bookcliff Harmony Chorus men’s barbershop started in 1988. “We were about 25 years into singing before the men’s group formed,” Chapman said. “Sometimes we perform in each other’s shows or sing together for eight-part harmony.” What makes the barbershop style different? “A choir sings more in a box, all four parts—soprano, alto, tenor and bass—singing at the same level,” Mack said. “In our barbershop art form, we sing more in a cone. Basses provide the foundation, the tenor part needs to be a more ethereal sound with less volume on top, and

1970

the lead sings the melody line, which is what the audience recognizes and is more prominent. Baritones bring richness to the chord between the lead and the bass.” Barbershop groups sing a cappella, memorize their music, use choreography and engage the audience. The four different parts are scattered throughout the chorus, where in a traditional choir, parts are grouped together. Fifty years ago, the sections practiced separately, and then decided to learn the four parts together. “It’s a whole different ball game now,” Mack said. “We don’t just stand there and sing. We’re not putting in dance steps just to dance. We’re adding the moves because we feel it enhances the sound.” Stephens said she loves barbershop because they can adlib singing and change the tempo from how a song’s written. “We have a lot more flexibility,” she sad. “The liberties we take can freak out someone with a traditional musi-

September 2014

cal background. But it’s more fun.” Mack said a regular choir isn’t challenging enough for her. “In a traditional choir you can be stone-faced and looking at your music,” Mack said. “We entertain, so we have to be in character and sell the show.”

Musical growth and learning “I’m still learning something new

1978

chorus by moving the women around. “Coaching keeps us up with vocal productions,” Bette Lowenstein, 71, said. “There are always new techniques to improve the way you produce full, round, resonated sound.” The Sweet Adelines refers to its coaching as “having a fifth ear” that can give feedback to both the director and the entire chorus. As the Sweet Adelines are always working towards precision and perfection, coaching is vital to their musical growth and knowledge. “You don’t need a musical background to be part of the Sweet Adelines,” Lowenstein said. And you don’t have to know how to read music either. “People learn by rote that way,” Lowenstein said. “It’s advantageous but not required.” Stephens said being in a quartet helps members improve and strengthen their sound. “There’s just the four of you so you’re the only one singing your part and you can’t depend on anyone else,” she said. “You strengthen yourself in a quartet and you are going to

Teen Talent Show, 2010

even after 50 years,” Mack said. “This organization is amazing. It keeps us up on all the latest trends and we have coaches that come and work with us.” Vocal teacher and coach Vickie Maybury has traveled to Grand Junction for about 40 years from Denver where her chorus touts 150 members. She knows each person’s voice and who would be better standing next to whom. She can change the whole sound of the

LOCAL LORE 25

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com bring that back to the chorus.”

Performance and competition To be part of Sweet Adelines International, you must compete once every three years. “We compete to become better singers,” Mack said. The Grand Mesa Chorus competes each spring in a six-state regional competition. “When I went to my first competition and heard the big choruses, my hair stood straight up,” Stephens said. “I had never heard anything like that in my life.” Every performance or competition is exhausting. “It is rewarding but physically draining,” Chapman said. “We get hungry and all the way home we discuss what we’re going to eat. You use 110 percent of your energy and then it’s gone.” Lowenstein said she feels the opposite. “I’m so wound up after a performance it takes me several hours to slow down,” she said. Linda Barker, 67, said she wakes up in the morning singing. “My son told me, ‘Mom, you’re the only one I know that can walk through City Market and sing baritone to the overhead music,’” Stephens said.

The international sisterhood Sweet Adelines International is a worldwide organization established in 1945 and now claims a member-

2011

ship of 24,000 women, all singing in English. “It’s an American art form,” said Mack. “We can all gather and sing the same songs together.” Chapman said sometimes singers from other countries will walk in on a rehearsal and sing with the chorus. Likewise, “When we go somewhere, we can contact their chamber of commerce and find out when they rehearse and sing with them,” she said. Lowenstein has sung with six different choruses as far away as Russia. The international conventions each fall allow them to see Sweet Adelines they have connected with over the years from every corner of the world. “The music binds us together,” Lowenstein said.

Mark your calendars! The Grand Mesa Chorus’ fall show on September 13 will not disappoint. There will be two performances at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Grand Junction High School, 1400 N. Fifth St. “It’s called Seaside Rendezvous,” Barker said. “We’ll all be wearing 1890s swimsuits.”

Love to sing? New members are always welcome. Call Linda at 241-5438 for more information or visit www.grandmesacho rus.org. Interested in having the Grand Mesa Chorus or the Cover Charge Quartet perform at your next function? Call Nola at 858-4839. ■

26 FINANCE

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

September 2014

What to do if you inherit someone else’s 401(k)

By Jason Alderman

Medicare Moment Do you have questions about your Medicare? If you are computer-savvy and want to be proactive about your Medicare coverage, visit MyMedicare.gov to track your health care claims, view your eligibility information, etc. Look closely at charges made to your account. Did a medical treatment show up that you never received? That could be Medicare fraud! If you don’t have computer access, a SHIP Navigator can personally help you consider your options, select an appropriate health and/or drug plan, and even report suspected fraudulent activity. Call your local SHIP at the number below. Brought to you by the Mesa County RSVP Senior Health Insurance Assistance Project (SHIP) Sponsored by the Association of US West Retirees (AUSWR) and Mesa County RSVP

QUESTIONS? Call SHIP! 243-9839

alk about good news wrapped in bad: In the midst of grieving the loss of a loved one, you learn that you were named beneficiary of their 401(k) plan. Chances are you’ve got too much on your mind to make any sudden decisions about what to do with the money. However, don’t procrastinate too long. The IRS has ironclad rules, deadlines and penalties concerning inherited retirement accounts, which vary depending on what type of account it is. This column discusses inherited 401(k) and similar employer-provided plans. Under federal law, surviving spouses automatically inherit their spouse’s 401(k) plan unless someone else was named beneficiary and the surviving spouse signed a written waiver. If someone is single at death, their plan’s assets go to their designated beneficiary. The IRS has basic tax and distribution rules and timetables for inherited 401(k) plans. However, the plans themselves are allowed to set more restrictive guidelines if they choose, so read the plan documents carefully. Basically, you must pay income tax on distributions (except for Roth accounts, which have already been taxed), although you may be able to spread out withdrawals and tax payments over a number of years, depending on how you structure it. Many 401(k) plans require beneficiaries to withdraw the money in either a lump sum or separate payments extending no longer than five years after the person’s death; however, some will allow you to keep the money in the plan indefinitely, so check their rules. Note that distributions will be added to your taxable income for the year, which can greatly increase your tax bite. Thus, many people prefer to spread the payments out as long as possible. Plus, the longer funds remain in the account, the longer they

accrue earnings, tax-free. If the original account holder had already reached the mandatory withdrawal age of 70 ½, you may be allowed to continue withdrawing funds according to his or her withdrawal schedule. Your minimum annual withdrawal amount is based on your own life expectancy, according to IRS tables (see Appendix C in IRS Publication 590 at www.irs.gov). Alternatively, you could speed up the payment schedule or take a lump sum. You may also be able to transfer your balance into an “inherited IRA,” which must be named and maintained separately from your other IRAs. With an inherited IRA, you must withdraw a certain amount each year, based on your life expectancy. Distributions must begin the year following the donor’s death, regardless of whether or not you’re retired. Make sure the 401(k) trustee transfers funds directly to the inherited IRA’s trustee so you never touch the money; otherwise the transfer may be voided and you’ll have to pay taxes on the entire sum that year. Surviving spouses have an additional option: Instead of opening an inherited IRA, they’re also allowed to do a “spousal rollover,” which means rolling over the balance into an existing or new IRA in their own name. The key advantage of a spousal rollover is that you don’t have to begin taking mandatory withdrawals until you reach 70-1/2, unlike inherited IRAs where you must begin withdrawals the year after the donor’s death. Always withdraw at least the required minimum distribution (RMD) amount each year, if one is specified. If not, you’ll pay a penalty equal to 50 percent of the difference between the RMD and what you actually withdrew. Talk to a financial or legal expert before taking any action on your inheritance. ■

N RES OW ER FOR VING 2015 2015

™

w pa

PMS 660

ent

C 90 M 50 Y 0 K 0

PMS 123

C 0 M 25 Y 100 K 0

Home Care

es t Bereavemen

Hospice

• Mesa County • Montrose-Delta • Garfield County

Medical Servic

2O14

Aging in Place

ty d Coun Garfiel

Medicare

e yello

“It’s th

ors.”

ty seni

Coun

Medical Equipm

arfield

rG ges fo

Senior Living

tOry Direc

uRce s e R

Nursing Home

atmosphere for guests. “We like to do modern things re your ancestors from Norway? and old things,” Firth said. “We will Maybe you're just fascinated by create old recipes, such as a potatothe country and have always wanted like flatbread that is rolled out like to visit. Are you interested in learna tortilla. The kitchen is always full ing more about the culture? Look no of people wanting to learn how to further than the western slope. make them, some who watched their Sons of Norparents and way promotes grandparents and preserves make it.” Norwegian Vestafjell heritage and Lodge helps culture. The people with local chapgenealogy ter, Vestafjell and hosts Lodge (which “Viking Day” means “west each year. of the mounThis year’s tains”), was event feachartered in tured displays 1990. of traditional The internaweapons and Viking boat on display at a recent Sons of Norway picnic. clothing, a tional organization was real Viking ship, and the ability for originally established as a fraternal guests to learn fun skills. benefit society in 1895 by 18 NorweVestafjell Lodge meets regularly at gian immigrants in Minneapolis, Min- 2 p.m. on the second Sunday of each nesota. Today, the organization has month. Most meetings take place over 57,000 members and the local at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran chapter has around 100. Church, 3133 F Road in Grand JuncVice President Barb Firth, 74, tion, but they also meet in Montrose, joined Vestafjell Lodge 15 years ago, Delta, Cory and Glenwood Springs just before she and her husband some months. traveled to Norway. For a list of activities, visit www. “I wanted to learn about the gevestafjelllodge.org or stay up to date ography and where my family came by looking in the BEACON’s Mesa from,” Firth said. “I contacted friends County Club Activities and Delta/ that I knew were in the organization Montrose Beacon Bits. three months before my trip and I've Firth said they will create modern been a member ever since.” Scandinavian open-faced sandwiches Firth said another member of the at their next meeting on September group, who is over 90 years old, first 14 at Zion Lutheran Church, 701 S. joined Sons of Norway during World Junction in Montrose. War II, and has been a part of the “We don’t have too much rambuncorganization for over 60 years. tious behavior,” Firth said, “however, “It just becomes part of your life,” we have had a bagpipe player and she said. “It’s where your friends are.” Celtic fiddlers at meetings, so you The group’s meetings aim to be fun never know.” Visitors are welcome to Vestafjell and unique, focusing as little as posLodge meetings. For more informasible on business, and more on food tion, call 245-5649 or 242-3396. ■ and activities, creating a welcoming

“It’s our yellow pages for seniors”

Assisted Living

Vestafjell: It's where your friends are By Liesl Greathouse

RESOURCE DIRECTORY HIGHLIGHT 27

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

ng Financial Planni

September 2014

Get your FREE copies!

Call 970 243-8829 “I have had many of my clients tell me that they have seen my ad in the BEACON’s Senior RESOURCE Directory. The yearly RESOURCE Directory, which stays with most people’s telephone books, gets me the best bang for my buck!” – Valerie A. Begalle, Reverse Mortgage Specialist

28 FAITH MOVES

8:45am…Contemporary Serv.

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

September 2014

Back to church: time to resume our spiritual journey

9:30am & 10:00am…Sunday School

10:50am…Traditional Serv.

We offer a growing number of ministries for adults 50+, including:

Weekly coffee and conversation at Burger King on North Avenue…Tues., 9am Baby-Boomer-friendly contemporary worship and Traditional Worship Christ-centered Small Groups about things like: dominoes, pinochle, grief support, healthy living, book studies, crafts, and more. Bible Studies - daytime and evening

PLUS, our building is accessible and on one level…no steps!

By Jenny Dwight-Barnes, First Christian Church

utumn is approaching and the nightmare of back-to-school shopping is over. Exhausted parents and grandparents can finally unwind from the chaos of crowded stores and shopping malls and other stressors related to outfitting our future leaders, who are eager to embark on another year of learning. That same sense of excitement gripping the kids who recently began a new school year holds true for our places of worship. Summer is generally an attendance-thin time for churches, but now we are ready and eager to get back into the full swing of things. For those who have spent the summer months closer to home and have regularly attended service, this excitement is no less palpable. The church laity, like our schoolteachers, have been busily preparing for our return. Fresh bulletin boards, new brochures, exciting classes and inspiring sermons await us. God has shared the majesty of His creations as we traveled, renewing our bodies and souls, and now rejoices with us as we bring renewed vigor and energy to our worship experience. I think another reason for this "new beginnings" feeling is because soon it will be the beginning of the holiday season. If anyone has con-

sidered visiting a house of worship, this may be one of the best times to do it. Through worship, study and fellowship, we relive the wonder and mystery of one of Christianity’s most moving events—the birth of God’s son. The sermons will prepare us with scripture and background, study will allow us to explore even deeper, and fellowship brings the body of believers together to rejoice in our shared experience. Much preparation has been made to welcome, nurture and aid us on our spiritual journey. Like making new friends in a new school year, there are new friends to be made who will journey with us in building the bonds that welcome us into a caring family of God’s. The most meaningful experiences in our lives often come when we are seeking fresh starts. Autumn—with its cooler evenings, color-changing leaves, and thoughts of the holidays tugging at the edges of our subconscious—is a good time for reflection. God speaks to us in the stillness of the moment. When we are open to stretching our spiritual, emotional and physical selves, it is amazing what we open ourselves to hearing. Let the excitement of the changing seasons and the possibility of encountering a faith community of believers seeking wholeness, acceptance and relationship, be your new beginning. ■

September 2014

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

What programs can help perform maintenance on my computer? Ask the computer guy By Daniel Ashurst, Alpine Computer Solutions

y teenage son has taken a position at a local fast food restaurant and has been amazed at the stringent time schedule it demands. From the time the customer has placed their order over the speaker or at the counter, the staff members have two minutes to complete the transaction and move on to the next one. This is just an example of what life is like in today’s high-paced society. It’s not surprising that the integrity-challenged fellows who write today’s most prolific viruses and spyware have taken advantage of this mentality. They have cooked up just what the doctor ordered. Programs such as Optimizer Pro promise to deliver a clean computer that runs faster in one small stride. However, it’s not actually there to help you. It’s a predator of your information, your pocketbook and your peace of mind. The premise of a book I recently read, called “The Slight Edge,” is that everyday chores and tasks that are left undone are the very issues that keep people behind in life. This type of thinking proves true when it comes to computer maintenance. A computer that is used daily and not kept up will eventually slow down and will need professional help to get it back in tiptop shape.

It’s just like taking out the trash. It doesn’t take long in a home to understand what happens if you don’t take out the trash for weeks at a time. Your computer recycle bin may not start to smell like the piles of trash in your house, but it will become full of discarded files and folders that will slow down your computer. Keeping that clear will increase performance. It’s such a simple task that seems so insignificant yet it really makes a difference. A small but mighty PC program that I suggest is CCleaner. CCleaner has a tool to remove temporary files and clean up old registry entries that are no longer serving your computer. The end result is a computer that runs more efficiently and will likely last you longer. So when it comes to maintenance and upkeep of your computer, remember to stick to the fundamentals. Take out the trash and don’t fall for the quick fix promised by the flashy programs.

ASK THE COMPUTER GUY 29

1000 N. 9th Street, #5 Grand Junction

Cell. 970.234.1011

Business • Home Laptops • Desktops • Servers We Serve All Your Computer Needs! – Established in 1996 –

Fast Reliable Service!

MAC

If you find Optimizer Pro on your computer, give your local computer professional a call. ■ Email your questions to Daniel Ashurst with Alpine Computer Solutions at solutions@alpinepc.com or mail them to the BEACON at P.O. Box 3895, Grand Junction, CO 81502. For professional assistance, call Daniel at 234-1011 or Alpine Computer Solutions at 257-1011.

Ask about our senior benefits:

• Free Pickup & Delivery* • FREE Diagnosis with this ad ($49 value) “This is Kara, a German short-haired pointer. She is loyal, loving and extremely smart. She’s a natural comedian and makes us laugh every day.” - Douglas Buffa & Anita Block

*Limited to the city of Grand Junction, reduced delivery charge for surrounding areas.

CALL NOW

970-257-1011 www.AlpinePC.com

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

500 Excludes OFFAdvertised Specials Any New Or Pre-Owned Vehicle

One Coupon Per Customer Per Sale Expires 10/31/14

10%

FUEL SYSTEM SERVICE

120

ANY SERVICE OR ACCESSORY

Oil Change 1995 *27-point Free Inspection

COOLING SYSTEM FLUSH

Expires 10/31/14

OFF

Free Tire Rotation & Car Wash Service Includes: A ny Model

• Replace Oil Filter • Complete Chassis Lube

• Up to 5 Quarts of Quality Motor Oil

* Synthetic oil slightly higher. Excludes Diesels. Plus shop supplies & disposal fees.

Expires 10/31/14

FREE SUMMER CHECK  27-point Inspection  Car Wash  Battery Check  Tire Check  Antifreeze Check  Wiper Blade Check

12095

Up To Two Gallons Antifreeze & VPS Protection Package

Expires 10/31/14

AC SYSTEM

INSPECTION & SERVICE Includes up to $ 1 lb of R-134a

11995

Good On A ll Makes & Models

Expires 10/31/14

Complete auto maintenance and repair at reasonable prices.

1E0N% IOR S

UNT DISCO A D ITH

We specialize in Hondas! Bill and Karen Stewart’s

formerly of import shop

MAVE R I C K GARAG E

970 243-2222

2486 Commerce Blvd Ste. #A • Grand Junction, CO 81505

A Great Place to Call Home!  New & Pre-Owned Homes  Quiet 55+ Adult Community  Resident Club House  Free RV Storage  On-Site Manager

September 2014

Threshold choir: a legacy of healing and peace By Lynn Pribus

“W

e’re witnessing and celebrating the end of life,” declared Kate Munger, the California woman who founded the first threshold choir in 2000 after sitting helplessly with a comatose friend before his death. Not knowing what else to do, she began singing and recalled that it just felt right. “I did what I always did when I was afraid. I sang for two and a half hours. I felt as if I had given generously of my essence to my dear friend while I sang to him. I also found that I felt deeply comforted myself.” Since that beginning, more than 100 threshold choirs have formed worldwide. Singers are mostly women, but some groups include men, and people join for various reasons. Often they learn about the choir by word of mouth. “I first heard about threshold choir from Sue Ribaudo, who had just started the New York City Threshold Choir,” recalled Cindy Harris, founder of the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania choir. “I had some ideas I wanted to work out regarding the impact of the voice on the listener. Threshold choir seemed like just the thing.” Some singers like Kathy Troyer, a member of the threshold choir in Charlottesville, Virginia, have particular insight. Troyer’s T-shirt proclaims “ONE TOUGH CHICK: Breast Cancer Survivor,” and her experience gives her new understanding. “I realize—not in an immediate sense—that I am closer to death than before,” she said. “I can put myself in that situation now more than I used to and I see how music is a comfort. It’s a beautiful gift, as much for the family as for the dying person.” In some cases, it’s a right time/right place thing. Deborah Ferreira, also of the Charlottesville choir, was grieving after the death of her friend. “I had sung to Ruth and I’d seen how it uplifted her,” Ferreira said. “So when a friend told me about thresh-

old, it just clicked. I’m very moved by the effect our singing has on people. I feel such love between the person we sing to and the other choir members. It’s a gift you give, but you are receiving a gift, too.” “Threshold singing has created a safe and enduring space where all of us can come when we’re tired and leave completely refreshed,” Harris said. “I see women who were certain their voices were not good learn that singing is a learnable skill, not a talent. I’ve watched their lives change significantly because they’ve learned how to use their voices for this.” Threshold songs are not significantly different from other choral pieces, although many are only a line or two, repeated like a peaceful mantra, leading to rest and comfort. Two examples are, “There you are in the splendor of this moment. Here I am, with you,” and “We are all just walking each other home.” While each singing visit is planned individually, a common pattern is that three or four members sing for 20-30 minutes and the song leader chooses songs in the moment while observing the client’s response. “We often start with songs about rest and breathing, and end with songs of love and peace,” said Ellen Rose, a singer with the Peninsula Threshold Choir in Palo Alto, California. “Our music is so soothing in its universal simplicity and gentle harmony that the client, caregivers and singers all share the experience of its calming effects.” Delores “Susie” Pascarella understands those calming effects in a special way since she is both a member of the Charlottesville group and a resident at the nursing home where they rehearse. “I love contributing and singing with the choir,” she said. “To hear the voices blend together is wonderful and the people we sing to—they love it, too.” Sometimes, however, Pascarella’s own health issues confine her to bed.

September 2014 On those occasions the choir sings in her room. “There’s a lot of comfort,” she said. “Listening to them makes me feel so much better and serene. I feel so calm when they sing." “It’s really quite amazing what we hear from clients,” said Susie Pollock, director of the Napa Valley Threshold Choir. “They tell us they feel a vibration inside their body, a warmth that relaxes, envelops and stays with them for a couple of hours, allowing them to sleep. I often see a face that goes from wrinkled from pain or anxiety to smoothness—a relaxed jaw, shoulder tension eased. Our special lullabies can sing people into a loving space.” The emotional and vocal blending of the choir embodies pure love and tenderness. Listeners and singers alike are often moved to tears. “It’s just amazing to watch a nonresponsive patient’s breathing and body change as we sing,” Harris said. “We know they’re hearing us and deriving great benefit from what we do. We also know the families are certain that because we sang, their loved one passed on in a completely peaceful way.” ■

Mesa County’s Newest and Unique Cremation & Direct Burial Service • Simple - Dignified - Affordable • On-site Crematory • Alternative to traditional – We do it your way

WHY PAY MORE? Kevin Brown

(970) 255-8888 www.brownscremationservice.com brownscremationservice@gmail.com

Preserve your precious memories with archival quality framing...

Find a choir

There are more than 100 threshold choirs worldwide, honoring the ancient tradition of singing at the bedsides of those who are ill, dying, grieving or otherwise in need of musical healing. When invited, they visit in a small group at hospices, hospitals, nursing facilities and private homes to offer comfort through song. Their singing is a gift to members of their community and there is never a charge.

See it Before you Spend it!

7th St

Hig

6th St

Rood Ave Main St Colorado Ave Ute Ave Pitkin Ave South Ave

CARLSON MEMORIALS, INC. 237 South Avenue Grand Junction, CO 81501

5th St

www.framedepotgj.com

Ouray Ave Grand Ave

3 ay

2nd St

(next to Golden Corral) 245-6999

Hours: Monday-Friday: 8:00 to 5:00 For your convenience, Evening and Weekend Appointments

3rd St

529 Bogart Lane

237 South Avenue Grand Junction, CO 81501 (East of the Amtrak Station in Downtown Grand Junction) Phone: 970.242.7264 Toll Free: 800.532.7264 Fax: 970.256.1667 engraving@carlsonmemorials.com www.carlsonmemorials.com 4th St

If you have problems visualizing what your project will look like before it’ s done, we have the solution. It’ s called a visualization camera. We take a photo of your art and with a few clicks of the mouse you can see the frame, the mat width and the art as if it were already hanging on your wall.

Working closely with your memorialist in the planning and creative stages of the process is very important to insure the precious details of your life’s story are told in the memorial stone. From sketches and sentiments, the artist creates a rendering.

1st St

The only threshold choir on the western slope is the Harmony Chorus in Glenwood Springs. For more information or to locate or start a choir, visit www.thresholdchoir.org.

The Hands that Tell Life’s Stories in Stone

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

Losing our third places By Froma Harrop

WESTERN SLOPE DENTAL CENTER BRANDON S. BERGUIN D.D.S. AND ASSOCIATES 514 28 Road • Grand Junction, CO 81501

241-3483

GENERAL & COSMETIC DENTISTRY

DENTURES, CROWNS, VENEERS, BRIDGES, FILLINGS, ROOT CANALS, EXTRACTIONS, IMPLANTS • • • • •

Brandon S. Berguin D.D.S. SENIOR DISCOUNTS

ALL FEES QUOTED BEFORE TREATMENT INSURANCE PLANS ACCEPTED DENTURE REPAIRS & RELINES EMERGENCIES WELCOME NO INTEREST PAYMENT PLANS

story that captivated New York City: A group of elderly KoreanAmericans had been gathering at a McDonald’s in Queens for fellowship. They’d sit there all day long, sometimes sharing a $1.39 package of fries. The hangout was so popular that friends from other neighborhoods would travel to join them. The restaurant’s management fretted that the old folks were monopolizing precious table space. Other patrons would demand their money back because they had no place to sit and eat their meal. The restaurant tried several strategies. It put signs at the tables announcing a 20-minute limit. They were ignored, as were direct requests to leave. Eventually, the restaurant called the police to remove the sitters, angering many in the area’s large KoreanAmerican community. They called for a boycott of McDonald’s. The public opinion on the matter seemed clearly on the side of the restaurant. McDonald’s is a business, not a senior center. And many know the feeling of wanting to sit and consume food but not finding a table because others have monopolized them. But there’s no denying that the elderly need a “third place,” as this McDonald’s had become. “Third place” is a term coined by University of West Florida sociologist Raymond Oldenburg, referring to a social gathering spot other than one’s home or place of employment. A third place is especially important for retirees no longer reporting to an office, factory or shop. But it is also becoming increasingly necessary for telecommuters, who operate at home and need to escape. A third place can be a bookstore, a tavern, a coffee shop, or a church center. The ideal third place is inexpensive, open to people of all incomes, within walking distance and friendly to conversation. The etiquette of using third places, however, is tricky, and the elderly aren’t the only problematic squatters.

September 2014

Working stiffs visiting a Starbucks on coffee break often feel miffed when they find all the seats taken by students lingering over their laptops, dregs drying in their coffee cups. But what’s the solution? Starbucks offers the illusion of an unhurried coffeehouse culture. The feeling would change radically if it installed parking-type meters at the tables. Another third-place dilemma is that such locales may turn into second homes for people with no other place to go—for example, the unwashed and the mentally disabled. But monitoring this is a balancing act. Third places thrive on being a mix of very different types. Which brings us back to the elderly Korean-Americans at the McDonald’s. They had plenty of other places to hang out—senior centers—for example. They apparently didn’t want to be surrounded by other old people. They wanted a perch from which they could see bustling life in all its variety, and who could blame them for that? Casinos know how to profit off older people’s sense of isolation. For someone with reduced mobility, slot machines may offer a rare outlet for excitement. Casinos draw in these customers with cheap buffet meals and easy wheelchair access. Some send buses to retirement centers. Sadly, third places seem to be disappearing. Bakeries that provided allday sitting for leisured neighborhood folk can’t afford city rents. Drugstore lunch counters are pretty much gone. And bookshops are closing. Third places are amenities we should be loath to lose. But let’s be realistic: If a community wants a McDonald’s to serve as an all-day meeting space for its elderly, the community should open one. Surely, there must be a way to distinguish between lingering and loitering. Contact Froma at fharrop@gmail. com or follow her on Twitter @FromaHarrop. To read features by other Creators writers visit www. creators.com. ■

September 2014

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

Yampa Valley Crane Festival is all about the birds

$ 500misOsFioFn

An easy excursion with four days of free events

the ad en you fee wh in this bring ad

he third annual Yampa Valley Crane Festival takes place in Steamboat Springs and Hayden, Colorado, from September 12-15, featuring guided crane viewing sessions, talks by crane experts, films, children's and family activities, the famed “Birds in Art” exhibit from the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, a wildlife photography workshop and more. All scheduled events are free and open to the public. Highlights of the festival include talks given by top crane experts as well as a panel discussion about the science and politics of managing water use and crane habitat. The festival’s keynote speaker, International Crane Foundation President and CEO Dr. Richard Beilfuss, will be presenting “Cranes: Ambassadors for Conservation” on Saturday. He will be joined for talks during the weekend by retired Colorado Parks & Wildlife wildlife biologist Van Graham, who helped develop Colorado’s Greater Sandhill Crane Recovery Plan, and “Birding Magazine” editor and field guide author Ted Floyd. “The Yampa Valley in early autumn is stunning, and Sandhill cranes at any time of year are breathtaking to behold,” Floyd said. “I can’t wait to enjoy the beautiful birds, evocative scenery and wonderful human company at this year’s crane festival.” Additional festival highlights include educational displays, guided bird/nature walks in some of Yampa Valley’s most magnificent settings, birding by pontoon boat, a community picnic, a horse-drawn wagon tour of a “crane-friendly” ranch and a “sketch-a-crane” session open to all ages. Sandhill cranes are an iconic species of the Yampa Valley and Northwest Colorado. For years, a group

Photo by Gerhard Assenmacher, courtesy of CCCC.

of enthusiastic birders and nature lovers has gathered each fall at a small ranch near Hayden, Colorado, to watch the cranes—adults and their young—forage for food, dance in the fields, and practice flying in anticipation of their grand migration south to warmer wintering territory. The sights and sounds of these spectacular birds on their fall staging ground in the Yampa Valley led some to dream about an event in which locals and tourists would gather together to learn about this population of cranes and to celebrate their presence in Northwest Colorado. The Colorado Crane Conservation Coalition, Inc. turned the dream into a reality. “It was a great honor and an enormous pleasure in 2012 to participate in the first Yampa Valley Crane Festival,” International Crane Foundation Co-founder and Senior Conservationist George Archibald said. “By reaching out to the general public and the resulting positive responses from the latter, the crane festival organizers are helping protect cranes and their habitat. All of this is great fodder for celebration.” Colorado Crane Conservation Coalition (CCCC) is dedicated to the conservation and protection of Sandhill cranes in Colorado. Yampa Valley Crane Festival is presented by the CCCC, with help from partners including the Bud Werner Memorial Library, The Nature Conservancy,

DID YOU HEAR THE BUZZ?! We’re open! Come by and see! Call Deena @ (970) 549-6555 2395 H Rd  Grand Junction wgates@Beehivehomes.com

www.Beehivehomes.com Yampa Valley Land Trust, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Steamboat Ski & Resort Corp., USDA Forest Service, Yampatika, Steamboat in the Summertime, and many other local businesses and organizations. Wyndham Vacation Rentals is the official lodging partner for the 2014 Yampa Valley Crane Festival and will be donating a percentage of proceeds to the Colorado Crane Conservation Coalition. Lodging reservations for the festival can be made at www. wvrsteamboat-cranes.com. Yampa Valley Crane Festival’s daily schedule of festival events is posted at www.coloradocranes.org. For more information, call 276-1933. ■

34 CROSSWORD PUZZLE

20% OFF Any Lift Chair Many Fabrics to Choose From (bring in this ad; expires Sept. 30, 2014) Made in USA. Lifetime Guarantee.

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

Volunteer at Mesa County Libraries

Current needs include: • Assist with special events Sept. 16, Sept. 23, Nov. 7, and Nov. 8. • Bookstore clerks at the Central Library. • Literacy Center tutors at the Central Library. • Book shelvers and general library support at the Central Library and the Clifton, Palisade, Collbran, and Orchard Mesa branches. No prior library experience required; training provided for all positions. Applicants must be at least 14 years of age. Interested? Apply online at mesacountylibraries.org, or paper applications are available at all Mesa County Libraries locations.

QUESTIONS?

Call the Volunteer Program Coordinator at 970-683-2432.

visit mesacountylibraries.org

Explore our many selections,

styles, and unique decorating items either online at www.blackcarriagefurniture.com or visit our showroom for the real wood experience!

2580 US Hwy. 6&50 Grand Junction (Next to Chrysler-Dodge) Mon–Sat, 10–6

970 263-4433

Crossword Puzzle

Across 1 BPOE members 5 Lady of Lourdes 10 Four-baggers 14 Kind of show 15 Old Greek silver coins 16 Prey of an M.P. 17 Request from an artistic truck driver? 19 Put the finger on 20 Not abstract 21 Put up in cans 23 Former Mideast initials 24 “___ Mater” (hymn) 26 Part of a highway 30 Other name indicator 31 He was Clay before converting 34 Allen the revolutionary 35 Greeted, as the New Year 38 Prankster’s prey 39 Nin, the diarist 40 Gather leaves 41 “How beautiful is the moon” is an example 43 Lecherous onlooker 44 Catch on 45 Well-put 46 Case ___ (for example) 48 Field of work 51 Hallow finish? 52 ___ child (hippie) 54 Not worn away 59 Like Tonto’s partner 60 Confession of an artistic magician? 62 Serving standout 63 Like Fran Drescher’s voice 64 Rival of Boris and Pete 65 Pieces’ partner 66 Took an oath 67 Scot’s ancestor Down 1 Grand in scale 2 Big time host 3 Sharp 4 Play the market 5 Up to the minute 6 Aid Gotti 7 Old Venetian magistrates 8 Carte starter 9 Boo-boos 10 “Tom and Jerry” co-creator 11 Plea from an artistic little girl? 12 Heavy volume 13 “Citizen Kane” prop 18 Wear down

September 2014

22 Structural beam 25 Paste made from sesame seeds 26 Talk host Philbin 27 Make reparations 28 Artistic banker’s boast? 29 Cement mixture 32 Compare 33 Just sitting 36 Salvador or Paulo 37 Like an applied science 39 Headache stoppers 42 Hourly fee, e.g. 43 “Wozzeck,” e.g. 47 Rib 49 Decorative pitchers 50 Gibson’s co-star in “Ransom” 52 Billy Blanks’ enemy 53 Activity centers 55 Right around the corner 56 Market plunge 57 Of a geological time period 58 Mother’s oft-used word 61 Detroit labor org.

September 2014

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

Mesa County Club Activities Compiled by Liesl Greathouse

• Friendship Force meets at 6:30 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month at Community Hospital’s lower conference room. Call 260-4653 or visit www.thefriendshipforce.org. • Western Slope Coin Club meets at 6:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday of each month at the VFW Post 1247, 1404 Ute Ave. Get a free coin/currency evaluation before the meeting at 5:30 p.m. Call 241-1770 or visit ww.gjcoinshow.com. • Two River Sams Chapter, Good Sam RV Club, meets at 1 p.m. on September 20. For location, call 523-5625. • Grand Valley Knights is a group of auto enthusiasts that meet every Saturday from 8 a.m.-10 a.m. at Spoons Bistro and Bakery with their sport and classic vehicles. Call 462-6762 or visit www.grandvalleyknights.com.

from 1 p.m.-3 p.m. on the second and fourth Wednesdays at the Redlands United Methodist Church. Call 245-8817 or 523-5965. • Levis & Lace Square Dance Club has beginner classes from 7 p.m.8:30 p.m. Fridays at the Masonic Lodge. Call 936-8801 or 434-6541. • Art Jewelers’ Guild meets at 6:30 p.m. on the second Monday of each month at the Grandview Apartments, 1501 N. First St. Call 243-1220. • Stamp Collectors meet the second Wednesday at White Star Electric at 7 p.m. Call 986-1502.

• Mesa Fiberarts Guild meets at noon the first Wednesday of the month at First Presbyterian Church, and at 6 p.m. the first Thursday at the Center for Independence. Call 243-3598 or visit www.mesafiberartsguild.org. There will be a special meeting on September 4, at Color Creek Fiber Art, 1150 N. 25th St. in Grand Junction. For more information, call 778-5985.

• Two Rivers Cribbage Club meets from 6 p.m.-9 p.m. Thursdays at the Masonic Lodge. Call 261-1670.

• Blue Lodge Masons meet at 10 a.m. the first Saturday of the month at the Masonic Lodge. Call 245-5312.

• Vestafjell Lodge, Sons of Norway meets at 2 p.m. on September 14 at Zion Lutheran Church, 701 S. Junction Ave. in Montrose. For details, call 245-5649 or visit www.vestafjell lodge.org.

• Grand Mesa Back Country Horsemen meet at 7 p.m. on the first Monday of the month. For location and details, call 242-8860.

• Grand Valley Woodcarvers Club meets from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. on the first and third Wednesdays of the month and

• Western Colorado Decorative Artists meets at 9 a.m. on the second Saturday of the month in the dining area at the First Congregational Church, 1425 N. Fifth St. Call 640-2751. • Fleet Reserve Association (FRA) Branch 244 meets at 7 p.m. on the second Wednesday of the month at the VFW Post 3981, 503-1/2 Florence Road in Grand Junction. All former, retired and active sea service, U.S.

• Western Slope Non-Smoking Singles meets at 1 p.m. on the third Saturday of the month at Starvin’ Arvin’s in Clifton for lunch and games. The club also hosts special activities and dines out on the fourth Wednesdays. Call 434-0803 or 589-9309.

• Mesa County Genealogical Society meets at 7 p.m. on the second Thursday of each month at the Commons of Hilltop and at noon on the fourth Wednesday of the month (bring a lunch) at the Museum of Western Colorado. A help session is at 1 p.m. on the first Friday of the month at one of the Mesa County libraries. Call 640-2388.

• Happy Feet Rounds meets at the Masonic Lodge on Sundays for a variety of dancing, including waltz, rumba, cha-cha and more. Beginners are welcome from 5 p.m.-6:30 p.m. and intermediate dancers are welcome from 6:30 p.m.-8 p.m. Call 243-5858.

• The Brush & Palette Club meets on the third Thursday of the month at 1 p.m. at the Art Center. Members learn, practice and improve technical skills and abilities in all fine art media. Call 241-0410.

• Post 2009 American Legion meets at 5:30 p.m. for dinner at The Atrium of the Grand Valley with a meeting to follow. All honorably discharged veterans are welcome to join. Call 242-9195. • Bookcliff Duplicate Bridge Club welcomes new members to play at 2923 North Ave. Open games are at 1 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays and 6:30 p.m. Thursdays. Call 243-7874.

Got Stuff You WANT To Move & Turn Into $$$$ ? Route 6 Auction House & Estate Property Clean Out Services We Buy Estates - Pick Up & Clean Out Services Take the Worry Out of Your Move – Let Our Family Help Yours

Call Jerry at 970 236-5973 Check Out Our Website @

www.rt6auctionhouse.com

MESA COUNTY 35

Navy, Marines or Coast Guard members are welcome. Call 434-0868. • Toastmasters clubs help increase your confidence to speak in public. Grand Junction has three clubs to choose from and all welcome new members. • Wild Mustangs Toastmasters meets 4:45 p.m. Mondays at the VA Medical Center. Call 241-1192. • Grand Junction Toastmasters meet at 7:10 a.m. Tuesdays at St. Mary’s Life Center. Call 242-4863. • Talk of the Town Toastmasters meets at noon Thursdays at the Business Incubator Center. Call 250-3969. ■

36 MESA COUNTY

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

Presents

Fruita Farmers Market SaturdayS June 28 - September 20 8:30 am to 12:30 Pm

Mesa County Calendar Compiled by Liesl Greathouse September 3-7

Meeker Classic Sheepdog Championship Trials

civic centeR in downtown fRuita

Regional PRoduce live enteRtainment Quality Handmade cRafts local Baked goods uniQue local BRands

The Meeker Classic Sheepdog Championship Trials offers five days of sheepdog herding competitions at their finest. There will also be a food and craft festival, educational programs and demonstrations, art show, flyball and dog agility demonstrations, and more. Five-day passes for adults are $30 and one-day passes are $15. For seniors (65+) and children, five-day passes are $15 and one-day passes are $5. Purchase your tickets at the gate. For details, call 878-0111 or visit www.meekersheepdog.com. September 5

Monument View Trail Grand Opening

970-858-3894

The Riverfront Commission, the City of Fruita, and Mesa County invite you to save the date to attend the grand opening of the Monument View

www.fRuitacHamBeR.oRg

SAVE

section of the Colorado Riverfront Trail. The ceremony will take place at 11:30 a.m. at Walter Walker State Wildlife Area, Railroad Ave. in Grand Junction. Light refreshments will be served. Bring your walking shoes or bicycle, as the trail will be open to the public for non-motorized travel after the ceremony. For details, call 683-4333. September 6

Grand Mesa Poker Run The seventh annual Grand Mesa Poker Run begins with a pancake breakfast at 8:30 a.m. at Harley Davidson in Grand Junction and ends at 3 p.m. at the VFW Post 1247, 1404 Ute Ave. in Grand Junction. Cost is $10 per person, with the proceeds benefiting U.S. troops and veterans. Register at Harley Davidson at 9 a.m., last bike out at 10 a.m. People can also register at Throttle & Spurs in Delta at 10 a.m. For more information call 523-4217 or 250-1174. September 6

Heating Bill

EdenPure and Other Infrared Heaters SAFETY Heat up to 1000sf for MUCH Le$$ Pre-Season SALE Includes Amish Fireplace As Units Seen On TV

DLM Distributing Sales & Service

1533 Highway 50, N. Delta

874-2798

529 Main St., Grand Junction

201-9420

Call for hours

Writers’ Forum workshop Authors Sandra Dorr and Sally Crum will offer a new workshop at the Writers’ Forum, 740 Gunnison Ave. Crum and Dorr will co-teach “Making it Real: Marrying Research to Story” from 3 p.m.-6 p.m., followed by a writers’ potluck and open mic. They will demonstrate and discuss primary and secondary research, and how writers meaningfully blend fact into fiction as a natural part of the story. Participants are asked to bring half a page of research they’ve done for a new or ongoing work of fiction. There is no cost for Writers’ Forum members and $20 for nonmembers. For details and to register, call 4336800. September 6

Clifton Lions Club Spaghetti Dinner Enjoy spaghetti and all the fixin’s at the Clifton Lions Club Spaghetti Dinner from 4:30 p.m.-7 p.m. at Clifton Hall, 126 Second St. in Clifton. Adults are $6, children age 6-12 are $5 and children under 6 are free. Proceeds go to assist the sight impaired.

September 2014 September 10

Conversations about dementia This free class is offered by the Alzheimer’s Association and takes place from 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m. at Main Street Bagels in Grand Junction. Preregistration required. For more information and to RSVP, call 256-1274. September 11

Cacti and succulent expert to speak in Grand Junction Panayoti Kelaidis, senior curator and director of outreach at the Denver Botanic Gardens, will speak at the Chinle Cactus & Succulent Society meeting at 6:30 p.m. in the Sagebrush Room of the Mesa County Fairgrounds. His entertaining and educational program topic is “Cacti & Succulents of Europe.” The public is invited. For more information, call 263-0910. September 13

Walk to End Alzheimer’s Registration is at 8 a.m. and the walk starts at 9 a.m. at Long Family Memorial Park in Grand Junction. There is no fee to register, but participants must register and are asked to make a personal donation. All funds raised through the walk further the care, support and research efforts of the Alzheimer’s Association. For more information or to register, call 256-1274. September 13

Grand Mesa Chorus’ 50th anniversary gala The Grand Mesa Chorus, Sweet Adelines International, celebrates 50 years of music with a special concert featuring its quartets, American folk singer Ken Dravis, and the chorus’ scholarship winners at the Moss Performing Arts Center’s Recital Hall at Colorado Mesa University. You have two opportunities to see the show. Choose from a matinee at 2 p.m. or the evening show at 7 p.m. Tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors and $7 for children 17 and under, and can be purchased at The Shade Tree, Back Porch Music, Roper Music, Grand Events or at the door. September 18 & 24

Alzheimer’s seminars These two events are free and will be held at the Alzheimer’s Association

September 2014 office, 232 N. Seventh St. in Grand Junction: “The Basics: Memory Loss, Dementia &Alzheimer’s Disease” from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on September 18 and “Know the 10 Signs: Early Detection Matters” from 11 a.m.-noon September 24. For more information and to RSVP, call 256-1274. September 20

Brush & Palette Club workshop Concentration and learning about composition is what this workshop is all about. It is a topic that can always use more clarification. Sign up for this workshop and improve your skills. Workshop is presented by Bob Martin and Kay Crane and is from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Western Colorado Center for the Arts, 1803 N. Seventh St. in Grand Junction. For more information and to register, call 433-4180. September 27

Fruita Lions Club Pancake Breakfast Come to Circle Park from 7 a.m.-9:30 a.m. for pancakes, ham, fruit cups, coffee and juice. Adults are $5, kids age 6-12 are $3, and age 5 and under are free. Proceeds go to Fruita FFA. October 4 & 5

Safety Fair & Charity Auction This event will be held at Kmart, 2809 North Ave. in Grand Junction, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. both days. This highly anticipated yearly event promotes networking within the community by sharing safety awareness at no cost to the public. It also serves to raise money for charities at its concession booths, old fashioned carnival booths and the in-store sports memorabilia auction. (Bidding begins September 1 and ends October 5 at 4 p.m.) All proceeds collected will be donated to charity (St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the March of Dimes). For more information, call 243-6250 October 4

Mystery dinner: A Cereal Killer Thriller! This comedy mystery is fun for the whole family. It is hosted at Randy’s Southside Diner, 3210 I-70 Business Loop in Clifton, beginning at 6 p.m. Cost is $25, which includes dinner, a gift bag and one door prize ticket. There is also a silent auction with jewelry, clothes and more. Proceeds

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com go to support U.S. troops through Operation Interdependence. Seating it limited. For more information and to reserve your spot, call 523-4217. October 4

Rollin’ on the River It’s time to gear up for the fourth annual Rollin’ on the River” 3K walk and roll at the Western Colorado Botanical Gardens, 641 Struthers Ave. The event takes place along the Riverfront Trail. Walk begins at 10 a.m., followed by festive and fun fall activities. All proceeds for this wonderful event go to Strive’s children’s services. For more information, or to become a sponsor or team captain, call 256-8612 or email slaplante@ strivecolorado.org. October 5

Field to Fork Hoe Down This celebration of the 2014 growing season by Field to Fork CSA (community-supported agriculture) has something for everyone. The hoe down kicks off with free classes on gardening and farming subjects, ranging from water conservation to soil science/health. Later that day, local restaurants such as Bin 707 and Café Sol will prepare dinner with help from students in Western Colorado Community College’s culinary program, using Field to Fork produce. There will be live entertainment, a pumpkin patch and more. Cost for dinner is $25. Please join us as we put our hoes down and kick our feet up for a night of enjoyment. More details to come on the website at www. fieldtoforkcsa.com or call 216-2642.

River City Singles

MESA COUNTY 37

September 2014 Activity Schedule

“Young-at-heart adults getting together for fun and friendship!” Fridays at 5 p.m. - Friday Afternoon Club (FAC) meets in The DoubleTree Hotel’s lounge, 743 Horizon Drive. The first FAC meeting of the month is the business meeting. Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m. - Early Start Breakfast at Denny’s on Horizon Drive. Visitors welcome. Call Debbie Grose at 245-4995 for details. Tuesdays at 4:45 p.m. - Taco Tuesday in Bailey’s Lounge at the Grand Vista Hotel, 2790 Crossroads Blvd. Wednesdays at 5 p.m. - Dine out at the following locations every week. Visitors welcome. Call Debbie Grose at 245-4995 for details.  September 3 - Rib City Grill  September 17 - Chili’s  September 10 - Dos Hombres  September 24 - Texas Roadhouse Sundays at 12:30 p.m. - Bowling Sunday and card games at Orchard Mesa Lanes, 295 27 Road. RSVP to Bob Lewis at 263-8462. Wednesday, September 3 - Join us for the Morrow Point Boat Tour, a 90-minute boat ride through the upper Black Canyon. RSVP to Jim Spiegel at 424-2545. Saturday, September 6 at noon - Enjoy billiards, games of pool and lunch at Bank 8 Billiards, 2460 Patterson Road. Call Mary Wynn at 255-7370 for details. Thursday, September 11 - Join us for this grill-christening potluck at 5 p.m. For details, call Sue Moon at 242-4175. Friday, September 19 & 20 - Watermelon Festival in Green River, Utah. Thursday, September 25 - Hike the Monument Trail at 8 a.m. Contact Peggy Molnar for details. River City Singles’ Denim & Diamonds Anniversary Party is at the Country Inn, 718 Horizon Drive. Join us for dinner and dancing. More information to come.

October 11

Walk from Obesity 5K Each year, the Walk from Obesity welcomes participants to raise awareness and funds toward prevention, education, research and advocacy initiatives. This year’s walk takes place at Eagle Rim Park in Orchard Mesa. Registration begins at 9 a.m. and the walk kicks off at 10 a.m. Online registration is $25 and will be available until 11 a.m. Friday, October 10. On-site registration is $35. Children under age 12 can participate for free with a paid parent or guardian. For details, call 298-6417. ■

It’s worth the drive!

“Baby Boomer” Special

Oil chAnge SeRvice

Service hours

19.95

Monday-Friday 7:30-5:30

any make or model

gas engine

synthetic oils slightly higher

54.95 diesel engine

Saturday 8:00-5:00

No appointment necessary

2728 Railroad Ave • 970-625-1680 • www.columbineford.com

38 MESA COUNTY

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

Mesa County Beacon Bits

Education series for personal trainers

Compiled by Liesl Greathouse

Weight loss surgery seminar

Physicians from Rocky Mountain Orthopaedic Associates recently started a new provider education series for personal trainers in the Grand Valley. On September 16, Dr. Thea Wojtkowski from RMOA will provide information on knee disorders and proper rehab. Many of Wojtokowski’s clinics will have a special emphasis on women’s orthopaedic sports medicine. The ongoing series will take place at 11 a.m. on the third Tuesday of the month at Gold’s Gym in Grand Junction, 700 Maldonado Way.

If you are considering weight loss surgery, attend a free education session presented by the staff of St. Mary’s Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery Center. Learn how the different types of surgery work, who qualifies, and how St. Mary’s will support you as you change your life. Sessions take place at the St. Mary’s Life Center, 2686 Patterson Road in Grand Junction. Call 298-6400 to register. • September 10 - 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m. • September 24 - noon to 1:30 p.m.

Subscribe to September 2012 Vol. 26

ly Newsp Western Colorado’s Month

differently? Find out in our Health & Wellness insert.

more? Why do women hurtgender Pain and differences2 page

t hy Mind & Bod y Your Guid e to a H eal

Produced by the BEACON’s Advertising Team

No. 9

aper for Adults 50+. Over

the Beacon

31,510 Readers.

Why do men and women experience pain

Health &Wellness

fall 2012

Now on the web at www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

Boom ers october 2012

What’s Inside ........... 7 Advice and Ideas ................. .. 40 Classifieds .................................. .. 29 Crossword .................................. 35 Delta/Montrose County ................ 26 ....... Finance .................................. ............ 38 Garfield County ................. ........ 10 Health & Wellness................. ........ 16 Laughing Matters ................. ... 20 Local Lore .................................. 30 Mesa County................................. 22 ...... Parks & Recreation ................. ... 31 River City Singles....................... 18 ..... Travel & Recreation .................

page 2

and the ir bikes

Trivia question:

Is this photo of Colorado or Alaska?

William Kain and the little-known advice estate planning experts at Kain & Burke, on why you should start planning today. PC give great, Produced by the BEACON‘s Advertising Team

Your Guide to Year End Financial Planning

2012 is the year for estate planning. Find out why in our Financial Planning insert.

Blacksmiths have a rich history in the Grand Valley. Story page 20.

Zippity Do Dogs

Western Colorado’s Monthly Newspaper for Adults 50+. Over 31,510 Readers.

August 2011

Now on the web at www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

What’s Inside Advice and Ideas ............................ 9 Classifieds .................................... 44 Crossword .................................... 40 Delta/Montrose County ................ 36 Gardening ..................................... 28 Garfield County ............................. 41 Health & Wellness......................... 10 Laughing Matters ......................... 18 Local Lore ..................................... 22 Mesa County................................. 32 Parks & Recreation ....................... 17 River City Singles.......................... 33 Travel & Recreation ...................... 20

Local Lore

No. 8

Give a pet a home! Adopt a furry friend from Roice-Hurst. Read more on page 26.

Western Colorado ’s Monthly Newspap

er for Adults 50+

. Over 30,450 Read

wi t h Terry

What’s Inside

Advice and Ideas ............................... Classifieds ............ 9 ........................... 36 Crossword ............ ........................... 35 Delta/Montrose County ................... 32 Faith Moves ............ ........................... Fruita ........................ 7 ....................... 22 Garfield County............ ....................34 Health & Wellnes s ........................ ... 10 Kvetch ........................ ...................... 38 Laughing Matters ............................ 14 Local Lore ............ ............................ 20 Mesa County............ ........................ 28 River City Singles ............................ 29 Travel & Recreat ion ........................ . 16

Read about how one local man keeps the blacksmith’s trade alive in the Grand Valley. Story on page 22.

Summer down under

Vol. 25

Travel the world

Local Lore

This fun club promotes agility training for both dogs and their owners. Story page 9.

A Montrose woman crossed off an item from her bucket list when she visited Brisbane, Australia. Story page 18.

Vol. 26 No. 10

How do Alaskan trust laws benefit your Colorado estate planning?

Pickled pink

Some friends have scales

These seniors are competitive but enjoy helping people of the open road learn the of the freedom ce game Experien pickleball. likeonto “let it all go!” it’sStory and what page 6.

Read about how this small reptile made an impact on one Montrose couple’s lives.

Photo by Heidi Graf

Cruise to Alaska Join the BEACON staff on our first reader cruise to Alaska. Read about what wonders await. Story on page 20.

Local Lore

The library has had many faces and has been many places. Read more about its 110-year history Terry Eakle has led so many tours, she can’t keep track. inside Atthis 72,issue.

traveling keeps her and her many repeat travelers active and loving life. Where will she go next?

Long-Term Care

Family moments such as Pirate Day at Eagle Ridge of the Grand Valley impact quality of life more than anything else. With a staff like this to care for you, long-term care may not seem so bad afterall.

Produced by the Beacon’s Advertising Team

Your Guide to Senior Housing & Long Term Care

Now on the Web at www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

What everyone needs to know about long-term care. Read more in this month’s special insert.

Photo submitted by Terry Eakle

Birds of a feather

Come with us as we take a close r look at local peopl and their pets. From e exotic birds above everyday “pound puppies” to the .

Mail form with check to: The Beacon, P.O. Box 3895, Grand Junction, CO 81502

Photo by Heidi

Graf

ers.

September 2014

Writers’ Forum workshop: The Path of Writing Practice Sandy Dorr will teach a 10-week workshop called “The Path of Writing Practice” from 6 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Tuesdays, September 9 through November 11, for writers of fiction and nonfiction wishing to cultivate steady, daily writing practice. Participants are encouraged to bring in weekly work to read, followed by craft talks, discussion, writing exercises and submission ideas. Space is limited. Cost is $325 and college credit is available. For details or to register, call 433-6800.

September is Suicide Prevention Month The Western Colorado Suicide Prevention Foundation has special events during the month of September highlighting suicide prevention and fundraising. For details and to register for any of these events, call 683-6626. • September 3, 7 p.m. - City council proclaims September Suicide Prevention Month at Grand Junction City Hall, 250 N. Fifth St. • September 6, 8 a.m. - Golf 4 Hope Tournament at Chipeta Golf Course. This is the foundation’s main fundraiser with a 4-person scramble format and $10,000 prize for hole-inone. Mulligans will be available for purchase and lunch will be provided by Pantuso’s Ristorante. The foundation welcomes participation from sponsors and individual teams. Register online at www.suicidepreventionfoundation.org or call 683-6626. • September 8, 9 a.m. - Mesa County proclaims September as Suicide

Prevention Month at 544 Rood Ave. in Grand Junction. • September 27, 5 p.m. - Out of Darkness Walk is part of a national effort to increase awareness of suicide prevention efforts. The walk is open to anyone who has known or lost a loved one to suicide and to those who have a desire to end suicide. This is not a race and the time and distance that anyone walks is not important. The walk takes place at the Western Colorado Botanical Gardens, 641 Struthers Ave. in Grand Junction.

Small Grants Fund application deadline September 15 The Western Colorado Community Foundation is currently accepting applications to the Mesa County Small Grants Fund. Small grants, in the range of $250 to $500, are available for Mesa County projects where a small amount of dollars in the right places will make a difference. Deadline for applications is September 15. For details, call 243-3767.

Museum activities • September 11 - Changing Landscapes of Science lecture at 7 p.m. at the Whitman Educational Center, 248 S. Fourth St. Topic is “The Recent Landslide near Collbran.” Cost is $5 for members and $10 for nonmembers. • September 18 - Oral History Presentation at noon at the Whitman Educational Center, 248 S. Fourth St. • September 19 & 20 - Ninth annual Two Rivers Chautauqua at Cross Orchards Historic Site, 3073 F Road. Our theme is “American Dreams” so come and see how Chautauquans bring history to life under the big tent. Cost is $7.50 per person, $12

Personalized assisted living

name

iN a Beautiful faMilY StYle HoMe.

address city

state

zip

phone number credit card exp. date

 New subscription  Renew subscription

cvc

 1 year $15.00  2 years $25.00

 Safe and Secure  Private Rooms  Heated Pool in a Private Yard with Beautiful Views  Home Cooked Nutritional Meals  Just the Right Size to Meet your Needs  Respite and Day Care Call 241-6562  www.MlGJ.Co

September 2014 per couple or $15 per family for each day. Visit www.tworiverschautauqua. com for details. • September 26 - Downtown Grand Junction Walking Tour. Meet at the Museum of the West, 462 Ute Ave., at 5:30 p.m. Cost is $5.

Support groups • Mending Hearts Support Group is for any adult who has experienced the death of a loved one. This group meets from 2 p.m.-3:30 p.m. every Thursday at the Miller Homestead at HopeWest, 3090 N. 12th St. Call 248-8844 for details. • Caregiver Connections is open to all caregivers and meets from 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m. every Tuesday at the Miller Homestead at HopeWest, 3090 N. 12th St. Call 248-8844 for details. • MACHO Men, a cancer support group, meets at 5 p.m. on the second Wednesday of the month at St. Mary’s Hospital’s Java City Café. Call 2982351 for details. • St. Mary’s Stroke Support Group meets from 1 p.m.-2:30 p.m. on the third Friday of each month in the Grand Mesa Room of St. Mary’s Life Center. Call 298-1929 for details. • Breast Cancer Support Group meets from 6 p.m.-7:30 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month in the Reflection Room (Entrance 25). Call 298-2254 for details. • GriefShare is a nondenominational Christ-based support group for those mourning the death of a loved one, 1 p.m.-3 p.m. Mondays. Call Vicci at 628-1453 for details. • Low-Vision Peer Support Group, “Western Slope Visionaries” meets Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Call Joanne or Cathy at 241-0315.

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

MESA COUNTY 39

Volunteer opportunities • RSVP connects individuals 55 and older to volunteer positions in any of our member agencies. For a list of volunteer opportunities and to register, call 243-9839. • Mesa County SOS needs volunteer drivers to give seniors rides to grocery shopping, pharmacy and medical visits once a week. SOS will reimburse for mileage. Call 248-2746. • HopeWest seeks volunteers for a variety of positions. Volunteering can be as simple as one hour a month. Call 623-8816 for details. • Operation Interdependence invites you to write notes for deployed troops around the world. Notes don’t have to be lengthy—just a simple thank you will do. Call 523-4217 for drop-off location or to have someone pick it up. • Gray Gourmet needs several adult volunteers to deliver a weekday lunch to homebound seniors. Volunteers are also needed to work at one of their senior dining sites. Call 243-9844. • St. Mary’s Foster Grandparents seeks volunteers to work with children in Mesa County and Delta County schools. Volunteers may be eligible to receive a non-taxable hourly stipend, mileage reimbursement and annual wellness exam. Call Tanya at 298-9091. • Mesa County Libraries is seeking motivated, reliable volunteers to assist with a variety of library tasks as well as some upcoming special events. No prior library experience is required, and training is provided for all positions. Interested candidates can apply online at www.mesacountylibraries. org, or paper applications are available at all Mesa County Libraries locations. Call 683-2432. ■

A true devotion to healing.

40 DELTA/ MONTROSE COUNTIES

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

WHATEVER THE Delta/Montrose Calendar TIME OF YEAR

Compiled by Liesl Greathouse

information, call 256-1274.

September 1

September 11

Dog Days of Summer Enjoy this afternoon of swimming and fun for man’s four-legged friends and owners. This event will be from 3 p.m.-5 p.m. at the Montrose Aquatic Center, 25 Colorado Ave. All dogs must be on a leash. Cost is $5 per human and dogs are free. For more information, call 249-7705. September 3-7

Meeker Classic Sheepdog Championship Trials

When you need us, we’ll be here for you. Funeral Service & Crematory Mesa View Cemetery 682 1725 Road • Delta (970) 874-9988 105 S.E. Frontier, Suite F • Cedaredge (970) 856-3232 209 Bridge Street • Hotchkiss (970) 872-3151 311 Grand Avenue • Paonia (970) 527-3836 www.taylorfuneralservice.com

Living with Alzheimer’s This free class offered by the Alzheimer’s Association will be from 2 p.m.-4 p.m. at Sunrise Creek, 1968 Sunrise Dr. in Montrose. For more

League of Women Voters presentation Join the Montrose County League of Women Voters at noon in the Montrose Library for “Our Children, Our Future,” a presentation by the “Yes for Our Schools Committee” on the proposed ballot initiative to expand the financial resources available to the Montrose County school district. For more information about this topic, visit www.montrose.co.lwvnet. org. September 13 & 27

Dances at the Montrose Pavilion The Montrose Pavilion Dance Club hosts dances at the Montrose Pavilion, 1800 Pavilion Drive, from 7:30 p.m.-11 p.m. On September 13, there will be music by Route 66 and on September 27, there will be music by Thin Air. Admission is $5. For more information, call 252-7172. September 14

Learn about Norwegian culture Sons of Norway, Vestafjell Lodge, will hold a free event at 2 p.m. at Zion Lutheran Church, 701 S. Junction Ave. in Montrose. The program will be about Norwegian cultural skills and culinary arts. Everyone will have the chance to make their own Scan-

September 2014 dinavian open-faced sandwiches and sandwich fixin’s will be demonstrated and furnished by the lodge. Please bring a dish to go with the sandwiches for the potluck meal. Fresh fruit and ice cream will be provided by the lodge. For more information, call 245-5649. September 14

Savor the San Juans The Montrose Community Foundation and Valley Food Partnership invite you to savor the flavor of the Western Slope during this second annual home and chef showcase. Tour at your own pace, beginning at any home from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. (Home tours end at 3 p.m.) Toast the Tour from 1 p.m.-4 p.m. at Turn of the Century Saloon with local libations and desserts. Tickets are $35. For tickets and more information, call 249-3900 or visit www.valleyfoodpartnership. org/savorthesanjuans/ September 17

Putting your garden to bed With the assistance of local Master Gardeners, the Montrose Botanical Society will present “Putting Your Garden To Bed.” This free event will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Montrose Botanic Gardens. Bring a chair. September 18

BeaconFest Senior Fair The BEACON Senior Newspaper is having a party and you’re invited. The fourth annual Montrose-Delta

Custom Engraved:

Home appointments available

• Headstones • Stone Signs • Address Rocks • Sandblasting • River Rocks • Gifts & More

970-323-6658

Please call for an appointment

www.facebook.com/ MorrisMonument

morrismonument.com

1630 South Main Street, Delta

Life’s Legacy in Stone

September 2014 BeaconFest Senior Fair will be held from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on Thursday, September 18 at the Montrose Pavilion, 1800 Pavilion Drive. This year’s BeaconFest features an exciting lineup of live entertainment, free food, informative seminars and booths sponsored by over 60 senior-related businesses. Thousands of dollars worth of door prizes will be given away to those who attend. BeaconFest is FREE to attend. For details, call 243-8829. September 20

Walk to End Alzheimer’s Registration is at 8 a.m. and the walk starts at 9 a.m. at Sunrise Creek Senior Living Community, 1968 Sunrise Drive in Montrose. There is no fee to register, but participants must register and are asked to make a personal donation. All funds raised through the walk further the care, support and research efforts of the Alzheimer’s Association. To register, call 256-1274. September 20

Pea Green Pedal The Delta County Memorial Hospital Foundation announces the third annual Pea Green Pedal at Lion’s Club Pavilion at Confluence Park in Delta. There is an 18- or 40-mile bike ride or a 5KFun Run/Walk around the lake. Registration cost is $20 for the 5K or $30 for the bike ride prior to September 6, which includes lunch and a Tshirt. Registration after September 6 increases to $30 and $40. To register, call 874-2291. September 24 & 25

Free dementia care education Best-selling author and renowned

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com dementia expert Laura Wayman will visit Delta and Montrose to offer free help to those dealing with the lifechanging impact of dementia. Wayman teaches unique techniques that can arm families and caregivers with practical solutions for someone with dementia. On Wednesday, see her at 10 a.m. at Westminster Hall, 145 E. Fourth St. in Delta. RSVP to 249-2436. She will be at Crossroads Assisted Living, 1380 Aspen Way in Delta, from 2 p.m.-4 p.m. in a session designed for the professional caregiver. RSVP to 874-1421. On Thursday, she will be at the Montrose Public Library at 10 a.m. then again at 1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. for the session designed for the professional caregiver. Finally, she will be at Region 10, 300 N. Cascade Ave. in Montrose from 5:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. Call 249-2436 to RSVP. September 26

Music on the Green This free summer/fall concert series is presented by the Senior CommUnity Care Pace Program, 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. at 2377 Robins Way in Montrose (behind the Homestead, turn east off of Pavilion Drive). Bring your own blankets and chairs. Food and drinks are available, with concession sales benefiting Senior CommUnity Care’s “Legacy Program.” For details, call 252-0522. September 28

Montrose Community Band Join the Montrose Community Band at 3 p.m. at the Montrose Pavilion for a free concert that will take you on a tour of America. The band will play songs from several regions of the United States. For more information, call 596-1188 or visit www.montrose band.com. ■

DELTA/ MONTROSE COUNTIES 41

SAVE NEARLY 60% HEATING YOUR HOME THIS WINTER WITH

NATURAL

GAS INSTALLATION DAYS ARE FILLING UP. CALL TODAY TO CLAIM YOUR DATE BEFORE THE COLD WEATHER ARRIVES.

You can’t afford NOT to switch from propane to natural gas. With SourceGas incentives and financing, the cost to convert your home to natural gas can be rolled into your monthly bill and with the low price of natural gas you can save money every month over propane.* *Savings claim based on average residential heat consumption and installation cost. WAC.

| 1.855.583.6959 | GetGasCO.com

42 DELTA/ MONTROSE COUNTIES

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

September 2014

Delta/Montrose Beacon Bits Compiled by Liesl Greathouse

Events for veterans The Warrior Resource Center, 11 S. Park Ave. in Montrose, has the following events scheduled for veterans this month. If you have not previously registered with the Warrior Resource Center as a veteran, bring a form of military ID with you. For more information, call 765-2210. • All veterans are invited for coffee from 8 a.m.-10 a.m. every Thursday. • All military spouses (of any branch or era) are invited to a luncheon from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. on the last Friday of every month. • The public is invited to eagle head cane presentations at 1 p.m. the first Thursday of every month. Beautiful eagle head canes created by Black Canyon Wood Carvers and Wood Workers Guild of Western Colorado are presented to veterans.

Delta walking events

free admission !

• Second Saturday Street Fair Come down to Third Street between Main and Palmer Streets from 8 a.m.-1 p.m. and enjoy entertainment, food, crafts, bags, cookware, health and beauty supplies, and more.

Montrose-Delta

Montrose walking events

• Over a thousand visitors

Boomer & Senior

• 60+ Exhibitors

Fair

• Keynote Speakers

• Health Screenings

• First Friday Stroll - On the first Friday of each month, stroll along downtown Montrose and see artist demonstrations, enjoy free wine tastings and in-store promotional events from 5:30 p.m.-8 p.m.

Times and dates are subject to change. For more information, call 249-2085. • Cemetery tours - 4 p.m. on the last Saturday of the month. Meet at Grandview Cemetery. • Saturday Alley Walk - 9 a.m., September 2. Meet at the Montrose Historical Museum. • Tuesday Alley Walk - 7 p.m., September 9. Meet at the Montrose Historical Museum.

Support groups • Veterans PTSD support group meets at 10 a.m. Thursdays at the Warrior Resource Center, 11 S. Park Ave. Veterans must provide a copy of their DD214 as verification of eligibility of services. Call 765-2210. • Stroke Support Group meets 11 a.m. to noon, twice a month, at Montrose Memorial Hospital’s Acute Rehab Unit. For details and meeting days, call 318-2028. • Bosom Buddies Breast Cancer Support Group meets from noon to 1:15 p.m. Wednesdays at 645 S. Fifth St. in Montrose. • Caregiver Support Group meets 1 p.m.-2 p.m. Wednesdays at Crossroads Assisted & Independent Living model cottage at 1380 Aspen Way in Delta. Call 773-4214. • Caregiver Support & Networking Group meetings are structured

• Live Music

MONTROSE ORAL SURGERY AND DENTAL IMPLANT SPECIALISTS

• Giveaways • Door Prizes

• Specialist Implant Surgeons with Advanced Training • Most experienced implant team in our area • Implants for denture stability & implants for individual tooth replacement • Do your surgery asleep or awake • We work with your general dentist • Conventional, Mini & Orthodontic Implants

For inFormation call 243-8829

September 18, 2014 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Montrose Pavilion, Montrose

Historical Walking & Cemetery Tours

Craig T. Cayo D.D.S., Dorcha W. Boisen D.D.S.

www.montroseoms.com

970.240.4485 • 600 S. Park Avenue • Montrose, CO 81401

September 2014 to be an all-inclusive group for caregivers who care for someone with dementia or any disability or illness in any living environment. For more information and to register, call 2492436, ext. 203. • Mending Hearts Support Group, offered by HopeWest, is open to adults who have experienced the death of a loved one. The Montrose group meets from 1 p.m.-2:30 p.m. Mondays at the Bosom Buddies Room, 645 S. Fifth St. Call 252-2520.

Volunteer opportunities • HopeWest in Delta and Montrose is seeking volunteers for a variety of positions. In Delta, call 874-6823 for more information. In Montrose, call 252-2642.

Club activities • Western Slope 4 Wheelers is made up of off-road enthusiasts who enjoy four wheeling and who work to protect four-wheeling rights on our public lands. Meetings are at 7 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month at the Montrose Rod & Gun Club’s indoor range, 1211 6450 Road in Montrose. Call 275-0754.

Magic Circle Players presents “The Dresser” “The Dresser” is a comedy within a drama and a miracle of wit, history and satire that is populated with unforgettable characters. Two characters vie for your attention, leaving you to determine who is the hero and who is the villain. The play is guaranteed to keep you guessing and wondering what’s next. Tension, pathos, laughter and hubris are factors that will burn these characters into your memory and leave you contemplating their fates long after the play has ended. Performances are Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays September 5-September 20. Friday and Saturday performances are at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday performances are at 2 p.m. Tickets are $12 for adults and $10 for seniors. See the play at the Magic Circle Theatre, 420 S. 12th St. in Montrose. For tickets and more information, call 249-7838.

Delta Senior Activities The following activities are offered at

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

DELTA/ MONTROSE COUNTIES 43

Bill Heddles Recreation Center, 530 Gunnison River Drive in Delta. To register for any of the following activities or for a full list, call 874-0923. • Community Evening Dances 7 p.m.-10 p.m., third Saturday of each month. Cost is $4 per person. Bring a snack to share

Montrose Senior Activities The Montrose Recreation District has the following activities scheduled for seniors 50+ this month. Register one week ahead. Events take place at the Montrose Pavilion, 1800 Pavilion Drive, or transportation departs from the Montrose Pavilion. Please arrive at each event at least 15 minutes early. For more information on the following activities, call 252-4884. • Hike - 8 a.m.-4 p.m., September 2. Join the St. Sophia Nature Center’s experienced naturalist on a leisurely two-hour stroll down the Ridge Trail. You will learn about life zones, tree identification, geology, birds, wildflowers and local human history. This is a 2-mile approximately 1,000-feet downhill hike. Cost is $40. • Ute Mountain Gambling Casino in Towaoc - 6:45 a.m.-7:30 p.m., September 16. Relax at the slot machines and play video poker. Enjoy a scenic drive through the Colorado mountains on the way to Towaoc. Register early, as space is limited to 33 participants. Cost is $45. • McClure Pass Fall Color Drive and Red Stone Castle Tour- 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m., September 30. We will take a scenic drive through Hotchkiss and Paonia and then over McClure Pass to view the magnificent fall colors. We will venture into Redstone, where you can attend an optional tour of the Redstone Castle. The Tudor-style Redstone Castle was originally built in 1897 for steel and coal magnate John Cleveland Osgood. It has been host to such guests as John D. Rockefeller, J. Pierpont Morgan and Teddy Roosevelt. Note: There are stairs on the castle tour. Cost is $24 without castle tour and $34 with castle tour. Bring money for lunch or bring a sack lunch. ■

Helping America’s most vulnerable™

Everyone has a talent to give.

Everyone has a talent and a unique perspective and when shared with those in need, it helps to foster positive effects in the community, creating a new dimension in the lives of the volunteers and in the lives they touch.

Share Yourself With Us! Contact One of Our Communities or Programs Today: Home Health of Western Colorado 970-240-0139 • Montrose, CO

Valley Manor Care Center 970-249-9634 • Montrose, CO

The Homestead at Montrose 970-252-9359 • Montrose, CO

Senior CommUnity Meals 970-835-8028 • Eckert, CO

Senior CommUnity Care (PACE) 970-252-0522 • Montrose, CO 970-835-8500 • Eckert, CO

Horizons Health Care and Retirement Community 970-835-3113 • Eckert, CO

www.voahealthservices.org

www.facebook.com/ VOAWesternSlope

44 CLASSIFIEDS Real Estate for Sale Professional Real Estate Services by Jessica Empson, local Broker and business owner. FREE Home Market Analysis and buyers pay me $0 to represent them in purchasing a home listed through MLS. FREE consultations. 201-9567. www.JessicaE.com. Jessica E. & Associates. REDLANDS

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com FRUITA

1235 Wolfcreek • Parade of Homes People’s Choice Award 2004 • Lock & Leave - Maintenance Free • Large Courtyard - E. Star built Greenhome • Outdoor Living area 1891 Sq. Ft. • 3 Bedroom Ranch, 2 Bath, Large 2 car garage $259,000

Louise Forster 970-250-9913

c21louiseforster@aol.com

1979 E 7/8 Road

• 2.9 Acre Horse Property • 4648 Sq. Ft. 2 Story Home • Breathtaking view of Monument • Large covered patio, fire pit, waterfall • Hot tub and wet/dry Sauna $599,000

Hill & Homes, LLC Ben Hill 970-250-5002 www.benhill.com ben@hillandhomes.com

Real Estate for Rent

senior living in a parklike setting Friendly  Affordable  Safe Convenient  Comfortable

FRUITA

nellie Bechtel senior apartments 245-1712 • 3032 North 15th Street 1120 Primrose Lane • Located in Fruita’s premier retirement community • 1559 Sq.ft. ranch style unit • 3 Bedroom, 2 bath, split bedroom design • All appliances are included • Landscaping, snow removal and clubhouse included in dues $218,000

125 Grand Avenue, Suite A

Mandy Rush office: 970-241-3939 cell:

970-260-1310

Manufactured Homes RIO VISTA MOBILE HOME PARK BEAUTIFULLY SHADED lots available in Palisade’s premium 55+ mobile home community. Ideal for a singlewide modular home. Ph: 464-7798 for details. CUTE AS A BUTTON! 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 922 sq. ft. manufactured home in 55+ community. LAND IS INCLUDED in the sale. $82,500. Call Jessica Empson today at 201-9567. www.JessicaE.com. Broker/ Owner Jessica E & Associates.

Home Services Reliable Estate Sales Are you in the midst of a stressful relocation or passing of a loved one? Let us handle the burden of personal property liquidation from start to finish. Contact Mark Bluhm at 260-2327, cash4@bresnan.net or www.reliableestatesales.net. Black Canyon Home Services Small Repairs, Maintenance, Housekeeping, Second home care. Visit our website at www. BlackCanyonHomeServices.net. Montrose Area. Call John 209-2095. SCENE CLEARLY, LLC Window cleaners specializing in making your day a little brighter! Grand Junction area. Call Frank Cordova at 242-1264. Flooring Great Scott’s Hardwood Floors. Installs, sand and refinish, residential, commercial, sports floor installation and stripping. Remote? No electricity? Not a problem! 25 years’ experience. 433-3539. Antiques, Appraisals, Estate Sales With over 30 years in the antique, appraisal and estate sale business, Great American Estate Sales is the valley’s leader in appraisals and estate liquidation. Settling an estate, moving into a smaller home or just simplifying your lifestyle? Great American Estate Sales can provide a worry-free and quick solution. Free consultation. 216-8236. Professional Flooring Installer Insured and bonded. You purchase the tile, laminate, hardwood or vinyl, and I provide everything else. Special discounts. Call Bill for a free estimate. 245-3344. Accessibility Services Grab bars. Walk-in tubs/showers. Licensed plumber/handyman. Serving Western Colorado since 1989. Free estimates. Compare and save! 985-1403. TREE SERVICE Get ready for winter – Tree trimming, tree removal, stump grinding, FREE hauling, boomtruck to 85 feet, FREE estimates. Licensed and insured. Chris 260-0222.

September 2014 Skilled Handyman Services Fast, reliable handyman services available. No job too big or too small. We are licensed and insured and have over 35 years’ experience. We are ADA (Special Needs) CAPS (Aging in Place) and NHBA (National Home Builders Association) certified to meet your individual needs. All services include carpentry, plumbing, electrical and misc. services. Western Interior Builders, LLC. Call 241-2029 for appointment.

Pet Sitting Services My Pet Nanny Loving care for your precious pets when you are away. New customers get the first visit free! 623-9902 Mary Jo Johnson, owner.

Home Care - Work Wanted PASCO/SW, INC.

Skilled and unskilled homemaking and/or personal care. Skilled nursing, specialize in wound care, physical therapy, occupational therapy, CNA, social work, pre-op, post-op services. PASCO/SW carriers certification for Mi, children’s hospice and Tbi waivers. Please call for courtesy evaluation of your home care needs. Serving: Archuleta, Delta, Dolores, La Plata, Montezuma, Montrose, Ouray, San Miguel Cortez (970)565-6833; Durango (970) 247-1211; Montrose (970) 240-1771; Toll Free (877) 685-6833

www.pascosw.com

Home Care - Help Wanted CAREGIVER NEEDED Experience desired. Will train. Flexible hours. Looking for kind and compassionate individual. Best time to call is after 2 p.m. No voice messages please. 243-1599.

Health & Fitness Senior Fun & Fitness ZUMBA-GOLD, Thursdays 10 AM, 9/11–10/9. 5 classes, $35. 251 Colorado Ave, GJ. (Ken) 640-4084, (LK) 2602384. Exercise for the fun of it!

Hunting Pheasant Hunting! Open now. www.BrokenSpokeGame Ranch.com. 241-3949.

September 2014

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

Wanted to Buy

For Sale

BUYING OLD CLOTHING Costume jewelry, purses, sewing patterns and perfumes (pre-1970s). Call Linda 234-4736 or 1-800-572-7670.

ADULT TRIKE Schwinn Trike, $225 obo. Not a multi-speed but has handle bar brakes. Call 241-4918 or 210-5038.

USED BOOKS BUY, SELL OR TRADE Gently used books on hundreds of subjects. Westerns, Romance, Mysteries, Suspense, Kids, Young Adult, Inspirational, and many others. Large Print. Special Orders. 242-3911. TWICE UPON A TIME BOOKSHOP, 2885 North Ave, Ste. B. Located in front of North Ave. Walmart and next to Subway. 10-6 Mon-Sat 11-4 Sunday. **Bring this ad in for $10 Trade Credit**

Burial Plots In Memorial Garden of the Valley – 4 consecutive grave plots. $600 each or $2,000 for all, OBO. 260-6637.

CASH Paid for Old Stuff Wind-up men’s wrist/pocket watches, gold and silver jewelry, pocket/ hunting knives, antique firearms, fishing gear, toys, BB guns, old Colorado bottles, old motorcycles, radios and amps, railroad, military, mining items. www.cash4oldstuff. net. Mark 260-2327.

Moving Sale MOVING - MUST SELL Schwinn 3 wheel, 3-speed bicycle. 10 in. radial arm saw in metal cabinet. 48 in. round solid maple table w/6 chairs. Extension ladder. Shop vac with blower. 3 tanned Elk hides. Ace 3-gallon pump sprayer. Metal shelves. Lots of tools and garden goodies. WELCOME TO COME AND LOOK. NO REASONABLE OFFER REFUSED. Please call 523-5767.

Help Wanted Janitorial Experienced supervisor, commercial cleaning. Individuals, teams, husbands and wives, retirees, seniors. Evenings and weekends. Part time. Please call 255-0525, M-F, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Grand Junction residents only, please. Wendy’s NOW HIRING! Shift Supervisors and Crew Members. We are looking for smiling faces and positive attitudes. We offer competitive pay, discounts and a great working environment. Full-time and part-time employment available. Please apply at your nearest location in Grand Junction.

salesperson needed The BEACON Senior Newspaper is growing, and we’re looking for a Delta/ Montrose salesperson to grow with us. Please send your cover letter and resume to beacon@pendantpublishing.com.

writers wanted The Beacon Senior newspaper is looking for writers in Mesa, Delta and Montrose counties. Send your letter and resume to beacon@pendantpublishing.com

Finding Senior Housing can be complex, but it doesn’t have to be.

National Classifieds  September 2014 ADOPTION All other states are subject to individual state laws that limit or regulate the use of advertising in adoptive placement. PREGNANT? CONSIDERING ADOPTION? Talk with caring adoption expert. Choose from families Nationwide. LIVING EXPENSES PAID. Call 24/7 Abby’s One True Gift Adoptions 866-413-6296 Void In Illinois/New Mexico/Indiana APARTMENTS FOR RENT RETIREMENT APARTMENTS , ALL INCLUSIVE. Meals, transportation, activities daily. Short Leases. Monthly specials! Call (866) 338-2607 AUTO DONATIONS DONATE A CAR - HELP CHILDREN FIGHTING DIABETES. Fast, Free Towing. Call 7 days/week. Non-runners OK. Tax Deductible. Call Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation 1-800-578-0408 AUTO’S WANTED CARS/TRUCKS WANTED! Top $$$$$ PAID! Running or Not, All Years, Makes, Models. Free Towing! We’re Local! 7 Days/Week. Call Toll Free: 1-888416-2330 GET CASH TODAY for any car/truck. I will buy your car today. Any Condition. Call 1-800-864-5796 or www.carbuyguy.com FOR SALE GET HELP NOW! One Button Senior Medical Alert. Falls, Fires & Emergencies happen. 24/7 Protection. As Low As $0.50/day. Call NOW 1-888-495-6199 HEALTH Viagra 100MG and Cialis 20MG! 40 Pills +4/free for only $99.00. #1 Male enhancement. Discreet Shipping. Save $500. Buy the Blue Pill Now! 1-888797-9029 HEALTH/MEDICAL Viagra Patent Expires in the UK! 40 Pills Only $169, shipped to you. Save $500 Now. Call today 1-800375-3305 HEALTH & FITNESS VIAGRA 100MG and CIALIS 20mg! 40 Pills + 10 FREE. SPECIAL $99.00 100% guaranteed. FREE Shipping! 24/7 CALL NOW! 1-888-223-8818 HEALTH OR MEDICAL VIAGRA 100mg or CIALIS 20mg 40 tabs + 10 FREE! All for $99 including Shipping! Discreet, Fast Shipping. 1-888-836-0780 HELP WANTED AVON - Earn Extra $$$ Sell from home, work, online. For Information Call: 1-800-796-2622 or email AvonDetails@aol.com (ISR) Se Habla Espanol GREAT MONEY FROM HOME! WITH OUR FREE MAILER PROGRAM LIVE OPERATORS ON DUTY NOW 1-800-707-1810 EX 701 OR VISIT WWW. PACIFICBROCHURES.COM HELP WANTED!!! $570/ WEEKLY Potential ASSEMBLING CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS from home + MAKE MONEY MAILING BROCHURES or TYPING ADS FOR OUR COMPANY!! www. HelpWantedWork.com

“You can trust A Place for Mom to help you.” – Joan Lunden

(800) 217-3942 A Place for Mom is the nation’s largest senior living referral information service. We do not own, operate, endorse or recommend any senior living community. We are paid by partner communities, so our services are completely free to families.

CLASSIFIEDS 45

HELP WANTED Earn Extra Income Assembling CD cases From Home. Call our Live Operators Now! No experience necessary. 1-800-267-3944 Ext 2870 www.easywork-greatpay.com HELP WANTED - DRIVERS Frac Sand Owner Operators Needed Immediately in Texas! Requires tractor, blower, pneumatic trailer.

Sting Services Pays 80%...Unlimited Work 214-2501985 MISCELLANEOUS AIRLINES JOBS Start Here – Get trained as FAA certified Aviation Technician. Financial aid for qualified students. Job placement assistance. Call Aviation Institute of Maintenance 888-686-1704 Bundle & Save on your TV, Internet, Phone!!! Call Bundle Deals NOW Compare all Companies, Packages and Prices! Call 1-888-986-3957 TODAY! CASH PAID- UP TO $25/BOX for unexpired, sealed DIABETIC TEST STRIPS! 1 DAY PAYMENT & PREPAID shipping. BEST PRICES! Call 1-888-7767771. www.Cash4DiabeticSupplies.com DISH TV only $19.99/mo! TV Simply Costs Less with DISH! Free Premium Channels*! High Speed Internet from $19.99! Local Installer Call: 888-803-5770 GET LIGHTNING FAST High Speed Internet: AT&T U-Verse® plans starting at $14.95/mo. Bundle & Save Internet+Phone+TV. Call to check availability in your area! Limited Offer. 1-800-919-0548 Viagra 100MG and Cialis 20mg! 40 pills + 4/FREE for only $99.00 #1 Male Enhancement, Discreet Shipping. Save $500! Buy The Blue Pill! 1-800-2136202 CASH FOR CARS: All Cars/Trucks Wanted. Running or Not! Top Dollar Paid. We Come To You! Any Make/ Model. Call For Instant Offer: 1-800-864-5960 Make a Connection. Real People, Flirty Chat. Meet singles right now! Call LiveLinks. Try it FREE. Call NOW: Call 1-877-737-9447 18+ SUPPORT our service members, veterans and their families in their time of need. For more information visit the Fisher House website at www.fisherhouse. org TOP CA$H PAID FOR OLD ROLEX, PATEK PHILIPPE & CARTIER WATCHES! DAYTONA, SUBMARINER, GMT-MASTER, EXPLORER, MILGAUSS, MOONPHASE, DAY DATE, etc. 1-800-401-0440 MISCELLANEOUS/SATELLITE TV DISH Free Hopper Upgrade! Bundle & save. TV & Internet @$24.99/mo. for TV. 2 yrs Free HD. TV anywhere on mobile phone or tablet with. Free 3 months Movie Channels. Limited offer. 1-800-5088606 MISCELLANEOUS/WANTED TO BUY Want to purchase minerals and other oil/gas interests. Send details to: PO Box 13557, Denver, CO 80201. MOTORCYCLES/WANTED TO BUY WANTED JAPANESE MOTORCYCLES 1967-1982 ONLY KAWASAKI Z1-900, KZ900, KZ1000, Z1R, KZ1000MKII, W1-650, H1-500, H2-750, S1-250, S2-350, S3-400 Suzuki, GS400, GT380, Honda CB750 (1969-1976) CASH. 1-800-772-1142, 1-310721-0726 usa@classicrunners.com TV/PHONE/MISCELLANEOUS DIRECTV, Internet, & Phone From $69.99/mo + Free 3 Months: HBO® Starz® SHOWTIME® CINEMAX®+ FREE GENIE 4 Room Upgrade + NFL SUNDAY TICKET! Limited offer. Call Now 888-2485961 WANTED TO BUY Cash for unexpired DIABETIC TEST STRIPS! Free Shipping, Best Prices & 24 hr payment! Call 1-855440-4001 www.TestStripSearch.com.

46 KUDOS & KVETCH

kudos \ ku·dos  “Liesl did an amazing job on the article about the Black Canyon Animal Sanctuary and our Silver Whiskers Program in the August issue of the BEACON Senior Newspaper. I’ve already gotten calls! Thank you so very much!” - Debbie Faulkner, Crawford  “I just wanted to write and say a great big thanks for the wonderful story on our Dory—beautifully done! What an honor to our little guy to have his story printed in your wonderful paper! We thank you from the bottom of our hearts! Well done!” - LaDonna and Dan Ishida, Grand Junction

 “I just love the August issue of the BEACON. The paper was full of cute pets and their owners. I really liked the story of the bilingual birds. How fun would that be? I was disappointed that I didn’t see any local pet stores advertising or even vets. I spend a fortune on my two dogs so I know it isn’t because they don’t have money.” - Cathy W., Grand Junction

Kevin: I love the pets, too. As for advertising, I do know that locally owned pet stores have been financially hurt by both Petco and PetSmart, which cart money out of our communities to distant lands and leave little behind for the locals who support them.  “Your Transitions in Aging magazine was very useful. I’d like to take some to my local church group. Where can I pick up more?” - Todd T., Montrose Kevin: “We have some here at our office in Grand Junction or you can visit the advertisers in that special insert who will have some as well. Thank you.”  “I took my computer into Alpine Computer Solutions to be fixed, but it was beyond repair. They set me up with a new, used computer and all I can say is, wow, this thing is like a racecar vs. a hand crank Model T. He gave me a real good deal. Thanks.” - Sue B., Grand Junction

www.BeaconSeniorNews.com

September 2014

If things were so good, why did we kvetch \ kfech change them?  “Now I’ve read that they want to By Eileen O’Toole

hen did old folks reminiscing about the good old days turn into memories of “We did such and such and we didn’t die” or their pride about being poor, or that they worked harder than anyone before or since? If everything was so great back in the ’30s, ’40s, or ’50s, why did you—us—want to go and change it? Wasn’t it we who weren’t satisfied? Why aren’t we still living that way? Because life was so wonderful with all that backbreaking hard work, low pay and no health care. What a bunch of baloney. As for socialism marring the American Dream, what were the CCC and the WPA? What were all those laws passed during the Depression that made utilities like electricity affordable, and those that hired people to build roads and dams and national parks? What was the Fair Labor Standards Act, which helped working people find better jobs? What were you all thinking by so strongly approving of Social Security, Unemployment Insurance and Workman’s Compensation that you elected President Roosevelt four times? Yeah, right, that wasn’t socialism, was it? That was desperately needed help. The phrase that irks me is “but it didn’t kill us.” Actually, it did kill quite a few. They just aren’t alive to tell about it. Cancer, heart attacks, accidents and diabetes—most died because of little money and little treatment. Medicare and Medicaid probably contributed more to prolonged life than healthy eating. The American Dream traveled a hard road. The lucky poor lived on farms that were at least self-sustaining. During the Great Depression, city folk rarely had meat to eat. I know one person who reminisced

about his hard times, having only a steak sandwich from their ranch every day for school. He’d trade a city kid for a peanut butter sandwich because his parents couldn’t afford peanut butter. The American Dream is about being able to buy stuff. Without consumers, productivity doesn’t exist. Without good wages, consuming doesn’t exist. Socialism and communism were spinoffs of democracy that entered the world stage after the Civil War, when capitalism became ugly and greedy, and owned politicians. That was also when the Democratic Party was the conservative party that believed in states’ rights and small government. The Republican Party, on the other hand, became so bogged down hugging fat-cat capitalists that blue collar workers, western farmers, ranchers and miners began forming unions and cooperatives, and they spawned the progressive wing of the Republican Party that claimed capitalism had to pay attention to its consumers because the public who worked couldn’t afford to buy. And when these republicans got down to business after the turn of the 20th century, they passed two new amendments to the Constitution. One gave the public the right to elect their senators and the other the right to have everyone pay income taxes. And yes, over all those years things changed dramatically—mostly for the better. Every new generation does something to change the world. Oddly, life now is safer and easier than ever before but people are fearful and sensitive of almost everything. Conversely, we’re so safe we recreate by taking greater risks. Old folks taught the young, so when we say, “Why can’t it be like it was?” the question becomes: Why did we change it? ■

have marijuana fields growing along I-70 under the Bookcliffs. Can nothing be done about the desecration of our desert by these madmen? Why don’t we hear of these problems along the Monument?” - Gary A., Grand Junction  “I say let the young people float the river in pool toys. If they’re that stupid, then it helps cull the population.” - Tom M., Grand Junction

 “I haven’t been able to find a copy of the BEACON for months. I usually pick it up at either the Glenwood Springs or New Castle City Markets. Is it no longer available out here in Garfield County, or am I just checking the newsstand at the wrong times?” - Rob H., Glenwood Springs

Kevin: I’m sorry, Rob, but we discontinued distribution to most of Garfield County. We had a growing group of readers, but we had only a handful of advertisers. Interestingly, business people in Mesa, Delta and Montrose counties have a real appreciation of the economic importance of seniors. Garfield County not so much. And while Mesa, Delta and Montrose counties continue to see their senior populations increase, Garfield County is actually seeing a decline in the number of seniors living there.

Wanna give a shout out? Pass out a compliment? Wanna pitch a fit? Write us at Beacon@PendantPublishing.com.

If you have questions about aging we have the answers. We understand navigating the complex issues of aging can be confusing. You have questions and getting the answers you need can be frustrating. With one free call to the experts at Hilltopâ€™s Senior Helpline you can get all the information and support you need including caring for an aging parent, aging at home, dementia and Alzheimerâ€™s care, independent and assisted living options, community referrals and so much more.

Call (970) 244-0799 today and speak with a Hilltop aging expert or visit www.HilltopSeniorHelpline.org

St. Mary’s achieves accreditation as Chest Pain Center St. Mary’s Hospital and Medical Center is an accredited Chest Pain Center, with a high level of expertise in

t. Mary’s has the only comprehensive heart care program in western Colorado with diagnostics, angioplasty, stent placement, open heart surgery, minimally invasive heart surgery, a coronary intensive care unit, and cardiac rehabilitation. And now St. Mary’s has been recognized by the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care (SCPC) with Chest Pain Center Accreditation.

caring for patients with heart attack

OF A

symptoms. For more about the Society of Cardiovascular Patient Care, visit www.scpcp.org.

HEART ATTACK ANXIETY NAUSEA • SHORTNESS OF BREATH • SLEEP DISTURBANCES • UNUSUAL FATIGUE •

ARM PAIN JAW PAIN CHEST PAIN BACK PAIN

•

Hospitals earning SCPC accreditation have a high level of expertise in caring for patients with heart attack symptoms. St. Mary’s protocols for treating chest pain include coordination among teams both inside and outside the hospital. That includes the local 911 dispatch and emergency medical system, CareFlight air transport, St. Mary’s emergency department, local cardiologists, and our cardiac unit, intensive care unit and procedures staff. “Good cardiac care starts with recognizing and acting on heart attack symptoms.”

970-298-CARE (2273) www.stmarygj.org 2635 N. 7th Street Grand Junction, CO 81501

To earn SCPC’s full accreditation, St. Mary’s met stringent criteria and underwent an onsite review by a team of accreditation review specialists. Good cardiac care starts with knowing, recognizing and acting on heart attack symptoms. Our bodies often give us early warning signs that we should seek help.

Upcoming Events THE 80s:

They’re baaaaaak! And we’re giving back. Since the United Way announced its countywide campaign theme, “The Decades,” St. Mary’s has been having fun in the 1980s. St. Mary’s is a United Way Pacesetter, one of a select group of organizations conducting workplace campaigns before the communitywide United Way drive. Pacesetters help “set the pace” for the community and raise about 40 percent of the total United Way donations. St. Mary’s mission is to improve the health of individuals and our community, especially the poor and vulnerable, and that’s what the United Way is about, too. Perhaps that’s why St. Mary’s associates are so generous, donating almost $375,000 over the past six years.

Weight Loss Surgery Seminar Learn how weight loss surgery works and who qualifies at a free seminar presented by the staff of St. Mary’s Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery Center. Call 970-298-6400 to register. » Grand Junction, St. Mary’s Life Center Wednesday, Sept. 10, 5:30–7:00 pm Wednesday, Sept. 24, Noon–1:30 pm » Rifle, Grand River Medical Center Thursday, Sept. 18, 5:30–7:00 pm Joyce Dean, Grand Junction Gastric bypass surgery patient