12B
UpSlope
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
www.CanyonCourier.com
senior briefs
photos From Page 1B In the collection are photos of a youthful Michael Landon as Little Joe that mingle with images of Dan Blocker as Hoss and Lorne Green as the patriarchal icon Ben Cartwright. The photos of the “Bonanza” crew were a hit with EAPL thrift store manager Dana Snider. “I didn’t think they would sell as well as they have,” Snider said. Snider and Rosa held up photos and tried to guess who they were, since most had no name on them. They both agreed the “old-fashioned” black-and-white photos had a special appeal. “The black-and-white image makes a difference,” Rosa said. “Time put its stamp on it.” Rosa said the celebs’ photos were taken when they were very young, and she had to look carefully at their eyes to tell who they were. After a moment or two, recognition set it. She didn’t have a problem recognizing Frankie Avalon, though. “Oh, my God!” she said. “It’s Frankie Avalon!” Snider said people have come into the store, dug through the pictures and rushed home to get more money to own an image of their favorite movie or TV star. The photographs are selling for between $1 and $2. The box of photos at the EAPL is almost gone and will soon pass into legend as the stars in the box have. Willis didn’t keep any of the photographs. She doesn’t really need them; she has her memories of Miss Alexander, her mother and the antique store — which, for her, are better than an image of any movie star.
We’d like to know about interesting events or activities. E-mail items of 125 words or less to news@ evergreenco.com. Items will appear on a spaceavailable basis.
Senior bridge group
The senior bridge group meeting at Buchanan Rec Center has changed to its winter schedule. The group meets from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays. Cost is 75 cents and free for Silver Sneaker members. For information, call Carole or Al Baptiste at 303-679-3493.
SRC seeks technology volunteers
Volunteers are needed to provide assistance and instruction with computers, cell phones, television remote controls and answering machines to older adults. Basic computer and Internet skills required. We are looking for volunteers who are patient, compassionate and willing to spare a couple of hours a month. For details, call Chris S. at 303-674-2843, ext. 302.
SRC home repair
The Seniors’ Resource Center has volunteers able to assist lower-income seniors and disabled adults with minor home repairs. This service provides simple household repairs such as installing grab bars, changing light bulbs, fence repair, small plumbing problems and building wheelchair ramps. Each request is reviewed and evaluated on an individual basis. Xcel Energy provides the funding for the coordination of the minor home repair project in the mountain area. For information, call Chris at 303-6742843.
Contact Barbara Ford at barbara@ evergreenco.com or 303-350-1043.
Wheels of Love
Above right: EAPL thrift store manager Dana Snider asks Vicky Rosa to guess the identity of the celebrity in the photo. The actor in the picture is Chuck Connors, star of the early-1960s TV show the “Rifleman.”
Alzheimer’s support group
Wheels of Love helps seniors who suffer from respiratory disorders, arthritis or cardiovascular disease, have mobility limitations or difficulty propelling a standard wheelchair to receive a powerchair or scooter paid for by Medicare. For information, call 866-631-3028. Mount Evans Hospice & Home Health Care offers a support group for caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias from 4:30 to 6 p.m. the fourth Thursday of every month.
At right: A youthful Michael Landon looks out from among the collection.
Dr. Jo’s perspective on family dynamics family matters I ’d like to introduce myself and re-introduce myself to those of you who knew me before. Professionally speaking, I am Joanne Baum, Ph.D. From February 1994 to July 2004, I wrote two parenting/family columns a month for the Canyon Courier. I really enjoyed writing columns and sharing with the community. Ever since my columns stopped appearing, people have stopped me at community events and asked why I stopped writing, saying they loved my columns. It has been wonderful to hear that kind of positive feedback. I’d like to take this opportunity to say thanks to all of you who did read my columns back then and thank new readers for giving me a try. My first assignment way back when was to write one “educational” parenting/ family column and one cutesy funny Erma Bombeck-type column about me and my son each month. I did that for about six years. After six years, my son asked if he could OK the columns about him (which I of course agreed to). A year or so later, he asked if he
by Dr. Joanne Baum
could have a say and suggest the topics I wrote about — which I thought was a most reasonable request. We had fun brainstorming ideas. He maintained veto power over any final product I produced, although he never exercised it. Then sometime around middle school he asked me if I could stop writing about him entirely, because kids at school were beginning to tease him. And so at that point I began writing two “educational” columns a month. So here I am, an empty-nester … did it really go that fast? My son is a junior in college. His 21st birthday is coming up this week. He was 3 when I started writing columns. It’s been a long, fast journey. This time around, I’d love to get your input into issues that would be relevant to you. I’d like you to brainstorm with me. I’m thinking about a variety of topics, including:
making the transition from couple to family; substance abuse; workaholism; from junior high to high school; from high school to college; from living as a family in one home to living as a family in two loving homes following a divorce; from relying on your own parents for advice to needing to give advice to your older parents; to becoming a member of the “sandwich generation.” I’d also like to write about topics concerning families that are in the news. For instance, recently my heart was pulled by the story on “60 Minutes” which reported that 25 percent of our country’s children are living in poverty. Malnutrition, which comes about when parents cannot afford a “proper diet,” can lower a child’s IQ scores by 15 to 20 points. That can impact a child for life. I’d really appreciate if you’d take a couple
of minutes and call me or e-mail me with your ideas. Let me know what issues are up in your family. What concerns you as a parent? What challenges are you facing with your children, your spouse, your older parents? Or for kids, please let me know what you’d like your parents to read. I’m open to all your ideas, and I will respond. For those of you who do not know me, I’ve been a therapist/counselor/coach for more than 30 years. I’ve written four books on substance abuse and parenting; I still love my work and see each hour as being creative and challenging in its own way. I work with families, couples and individuals. No two families are alike; no two people are alike; I like that aspect of my work. I have offices in Evergreen and Denver. You can contact me via e-mail at drjobaum@ gmail.com, or call me at 303-670-3948. It looks like I’ll be writing one column a month this time around; I welcome your ideas. E-mail your questions to Dr. Jo at drjobaum@gmail.com.