Dauphin County Edition
July 2011
Vol. 13 No. 7
Filled to Overflowing 2011 PA State Senior Idol Winner Performs to ‘Keep Her Bucket Full’ By Megan Joyce Two days after her PA STATE SENIOR IDOL win, Peggy Kurtz Keller was still being inundated with flowers—flowers at home, flowers at work, flowers and phone calls from acquaintances she hadn’t heard from in years. “It’s really nice being recognized by your peers,” she admitted. Keller, of Ephrata, was recognized by more than 400 of her peers on June 6, taking home the title of 2011 PA STATE SENIOR IDOL at the conclusion of the finals competition at the Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre in Lancaster. She impressed both the audience and the judges, first with her rendition of “Summertime” from Porgy & Bess, followed by her finalist performance of “Cabaret” from the famous musical. After “Summertime,” Keller felt confident. “I thought, ‘I did the best I could and whatever will be, will be,’” she remembered. “The reason why I did the competition is not so much for the competition and certainly not about winning; it’s about being able to perform. It gives me one more chance to perform at the Dutch Apple, on stage, with the lights, and have the audience receive what I’m giving.” And what she gives, according to SENIOR IDOL judge and WGAL news anchor Janelle Stelson, “is joy, and that’s such a gift.” This was Keller’s fourth consecutive year as a semifinalist in the annual competition, produced by On-Line Publishers, Inc., publishers of 50plus please see FILLED page 16 2011 PA
SENIOR IDOL Peggy Keller earned the win during her fourth consecutive year as a semifinalist.
STATE
Inside:
Learning to Live Alone page 8
PA STATE SENIOR IDOL
Highlights page 10
Landisville, PA Permit No. 3
PAID PRSRT STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE
Savvy Senior
How to Stop Junk Mail
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July 2011
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Jim Miller Dear Savvy Senior, How can I reduce the junk mail my elderly mother gets? She gets around 25 pieces of junk mail each day, and I just discovered that she’s given away nearly $2,000 over the past year to many of the sleazy groups that mail her this junk. How can I stop this? – Frustrated Daughter Dear Frustrated, Millions of seniors get bombarded with unwanted junk mail these days, including mail fraud schemes that you and your mom need to be particularly leery of. Here’s what you can do to help. Senior Alert While junk mail comes in many different forms—credit card applications, sweepstakes entries, magazine offers, coupon mailers, donation requests, political fliers, catalogs, and more—the most troublesome type that all seniors need to be aware of is mail fraud. This is the junkiest of junk mail that comes from con artists who are only trying to take your money. Mail fraud can be tricky to detect because there are many different types of schemes out there that may seem legitimate. Some of the most common mail scams targeting seniors today are fake checks (see fakechecks.org), phony sweepstakes, foreign lotteries, free prize or vacation scams, donation requests from charities or government agencies that don’t exist, get-rich chain letters, work-at-home schemes, inheritance and investment scams, and many more. If your mom is getting any type of junk mail that is asking for money in exchange for free gifts or winnings, or if she’s receiving checks that require her to wire money, she needs to call the U.S. Postal Inspector Service at (877) 876-2455 and report it, and then throw it away. Unfortunately, once a person gets on these mail-fraud mailing lists, it’s very difficult to get off. That’s because these criminals regularly trade and sell mailing lists of people whom they believe to be susceptible to fraud, and they won’t remove a name when you request it. Knowing this, a good first step to help protect your mom is to alert her to the different kinds of mail fraud and what to watch for. The Postal Inspection Service
offers some great publications and videos (see postalinspectors.uspis.gov) that can help with this. Another option is to see if your mom would be willing to let you sort her mail before she opens it so you can weed out the junk. You may want to have the post office forward her mail directly to you to ensure this. If your mom feels compelled to donate to certain charities, ask her to let you check them out to make sure they’re legitimate. You can do this through your state’s attorney general or charity regulator’s office—see nasconet.org for contact information or look into charity watchdog sites like charitywatch.org, give.org, and charitynavigator.org. Reduce Junk Mail While scam artists aren’t likely to take your mom’s name off their mailing lists, most legitimate mail-order businesses will. To do this, start with the Direct Marketing Association, which offers a consumer opt-out service at dmachoice.org. This won’t eliminate all her junk mail, but it will reduce it. The opt-out service is free if you register online or $1 by mail. Then, to put a stop to the credit card and insurance offers she gets, call the consumer credit reporting industry optout service at (888) 567-8688 and follow the automated prompts to opt her out for either five years or permanently. Be prepared to give her Social Security number and date of birth. You can also do this online at optoutprescreen.com. If you choose the permanent opt-out, you’ll have to send a form in the mail. Some other resources that can help are the National Do Not Call Registry (donotcall.gov, (888) 382-1222), which will cut down on your mom’s telemarketing calls, and catalogchoice.org, a free service that lets you opt her out of the unwanted catalogs she receives. Savvy Tip: If you don’t want to hassle with stopping the junk mail yourself, you can hire a private company (like 41pounds.org or stopthejunkmail.com) to do it for you for a small fee. Jim Miller is a regular contributor to the NBC Today show and author of The Savvy Senior Book. www.savvysenior.org.
www.SeniorNewsPA.com
Older But Not Wiser
The Wedding Dress Sy Rosen don’t know if it’s traditional, but I, a man (the last I heard), went with my wife to see our daughter, Ann, try on her final three choices for her wedding dress. Yes, our daughter’s getting married—it’s wonderful, joyful, blissful,
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magnificent, and fantastic (one of my holiday gifts was a thesaurus). We agreed we wouldn’t say anything until she tried on all the dresses and then the three of us would make a logical, well-thought-out decision. However,
when she came out in the first dress I yelled, “You look beautiful! That’s definitely the one! You look like a bride!” To compound my excitement, a little tear formed at the corner of my eye. And I hadn’t cried since I saw that kid running
through the airport in Love Actually. I agreed not to voice anymore opinions until we saw all the dresses, but when Ann came out in her second gown, I yelled out, “Forget the other one. This please see DRESS page 15
Resource Directory This Resource Directory recognizes advertisers who have made an extended commitment to your health and well-being. Cleaning Services HDM Cleaning Services (717) 602-9502 Emergency Central PA Poison Center (800) 521-6110
Tri-County Association for the Blind (717) 238-2531 Healthcare Information PA Healthcare Cost Containment Council (717) 232-6787
Dauphin County Office of Aging (717) 255-2790
Home Care Services Central Penn Nursing, Inc. (717) 361-9777 (717) 569-0451
Floor Coverings Gipe Floor & Wall Covering (717) 545-6103
Home Instead Senior Care (717) 540-5201
Funeral Services Neill Funeral Home (717) 564-2633 Zimmerman Auer Funeral Home (717) 545-4001 Health & Medical Services Alzheimer’s Association (717) 651-5020
Safe Haven Quality Care (717) 238-1111 Visiting Angels (717) 652-8899 Home Improvement Dreammaker Bath & Kitchen (717) 367-9753 Four All Seasons (717) 545-8747
American Diabetes Association (800) 342-2383
PA Home Solutions (717) 412-4675
Arthritis Foundation – Central PA Chapter (717) 763-0900
Senior Home Repair (717) 545-8747
CONTACT Helpline (717) 652-4400 The National Kidney Foundation (717) 757-0604 (800) 697-7007 PACE (800) 225-7223
Housing Assistance Dauphin County Housing Authority (717) 939-9301
Restaurants Old Country Buffet (717) 657-6290
Property Tax/Rent Rebate (888) 728-2937
Retirement Communities Country Meadows of Hershey (717) 533-1880
Insurance Apprise Insurance Counseling (800) 783-7067 Sterling Life Insurance Inc. (888) 858-8572 Legal Services Keystone Elder Law PC (717) 691-9300 Medical Equipment & Supplies GSH Home Med Care (717) 272-2057 Memorials Romberger Memorials (717) 232-1147 Orthotics & Prosthetics The Center for Advanced Orthotics & Prosthetics (800) 676-7846
Hospice Providers Compassionate Care Hospice (717) 944-4466 Housing/Apartments B’Nai B’rith Apartments (717) 232-7516
Rehabilitation Spring Creek Rehabilitation & Health Care Center (717) 565-7000
Not an all-inclusive list of advertisers in your area.
www.SeniorNewsPA.com
Services Dauphin County Area Agency on Aging (717) 255-2790 The Salvation Army Edgemont Temple Corps (717) 238-8678 Toll-Free Numbers American Lung Association (800) LUNG-USA Bureau of Consumer Protection (800) 441-2555 Meals on Wheels (800) 621-6325 National Council on Aging (800) 424-9046 Social Security Office (800) 772-1213
CVS/pharmacy www.cvs.com
Social Security Admin. (Medicare) (800) 382-1274
Ecumenical Community (717) 561-9982
Veterans Affairs (717) 626-1171 (800) 827-1000 Transportation CAT Share-A-Ride (717) 232-6100 Wheelchair Getaways (717) 921-2000
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July 2011
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My 22 Cents’ Worth
Getting Older but Not Old
Corporate Office: 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512 Phone 717.285.1350 • Fax 717.285.1360 Chester County: 610.675.6240 Cumberland County/Dauphin County: 717.770.0140 Berks County/Lancaster County/ Lebanon County/York County: 717.285.1350 E-mail address: info@onlinepub.com Website address: www.onlinepub.com
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EDITORIAL MANAGING EDITOR Christianne Rupp EDITOR, 50PLUS PUBLICATIONS Megan Joyce
ART DEPARTMENT PROJECT COORDINATOR Renee Geller PRODUCTION ARTIST Janys Cuffe
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Angie McComsey Susan Miller Ranee Shaub Miller SALES COORDINATOR Eileen Culp
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ADMINISTRATION BUSINESS MANAGER Elizabeth Duvall
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Walt Sonneville t the age of 70, one has a mindset essentially unchanged from the age of 50 or 60. If one enjoys reasonably good health at 60 or 70, old age may be thought to be further down the road of life. Upon reaching 80, reality seizes the senses and one’s perspective undergoes serious recalibration. For those who currently have reached the age of 75 or more, there should be a sense of gratitude for having been born at the right time. The Depression of the 1930s was an era when the simple pleasures of life molded our character. The future could only get better and the technological marvels exhibited at the 1939 World’s Fair in New York forecast more and more comforts. There was confidence in continuing progress. Life was getting better. Patriotism during the Second World War unified Americans in a way we have not seen since, with the possible exception, briefly, of 9/11. Spending on houses and automobiles was suspended during WWII, creating a post-bellum posterity based on pent-up demand, accumulated savings, and expansion of consumer credit. Life was good. Marriage, family formation, college attendance, and employment at living wages blossomed nationally until 1980, when the unemployment rate grew to 7.1 percent from 4.9 percent 10
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years earlier. Lower- and middleincome Americans saw their share of the nation’s income drop from 66 percent in 1980 to 52 percent in 2008, with the balance going to the top 10 percent of households. Evidence of global warming was a troubling phenomenon not recognized in our younger years. Public debt reached levels unimaginable prior to the financial turmoil that began in October 2008. Financial “bubbles” had given us a sense of economic prosperity until these fantasies burst. The American dream became out of reach as unemployment rose to 9.8 percent in November 2010. Life was much less bountiful. How would you describe your “golden years”? Is it a time of greater calm, fewer unmet wants, and a greater satisfaction from a relaxing meal than from other corporeal pleasures? Or is it mostly a time of unpleasant memories, anxiety, precision budgeting, and dread of the coming years? If your golden years lack luster, take cheer that, nevertheless, you probably are becoming wiser and more tolerant as you age into your 70s and 80s. That is a conclusion reached in various studies of septuagenarians and octogenarians by the National Academy of Science, the University of Chicago, the University of Michigan, and the Georgia Institute of Technology.
This modern research reaffirms what the Bible had disclosed: “With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days, knowledge.” You can witness that your generation is wiser than the young and middle-aged. The evidence is there: Men today wear earrings, women are tattooed, and both genders display body-pierced ornaments. These are tribal artifacts. It is the younger generations that tend to be addle-minded. In our own youth and mid-life there wasn’t any need for how-to books entitled The Idiot’s Guide to … (fill in the blank and you will probably find a published title). Comedian George Burns showed that popularity can surge as one approaches his or her centennial. Burns observed: “You can’t help getting older, but you don’t have to get old.” There is wisdom in that observation, as there is in this thought from Oliver Wendell Holmes: “To be 70 years young is sometimes far more cheerful and hopeful than to be 40 years old.” Holmes spoke from experience. He resigned from the Supreme Court at the age of 91. He was our longestserving justice. Walt Sonneville is a retired marketresearch analyst. He enjoys writing and reading non-partisan opinion essays. Contact him at waltsonneville@earthlink.net.
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50plus SeniorNews is published by On-Line Publishers, Inc. and is distributed monthly among senior centers, retirement communities, banks, grocers, libraries and other outlets serving the senior community. On-Line Publishers, Inc. will not knowingly accept or publish advertising which may be fraudulent or misleading in nature. Views expressed in opinion stories, contributions, articles and letters are not necessarily the views of the publisher. The appearance of advertisements for products or services does not constitute an endorsement of the particular product or service. The publisher will not be responsible for mistakes in advertisements unless notified within five days of publication. On-Line Publishers, Inc. reserves the right to revise or reject any and all advertising. No part of this publication may be reproduced or reprinted without permission of On-Line Publishers, Inc. We will not knowingly publish any advertisement or information not in compliance with the Federal Fair Housing Act, Pennsylvania State laws or other local laws.
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July 2011
The Pennsylvania Department of Revenue is reminding senior citizens that there is no fee when applications are made to the commonwealth’s Property Tax/Rent Rebate Program. Under the program, participants can receive a rebate of up to $650 on their rent or property taxes. Pennsylvania residents who are age 65 years or older, widows and widowers 50 years or older, and those 18 years or older with
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disabilities are eligible for the program. The Department of Revenue, which administers the program, is aware that the Senior Advisory Center, a California-based company, is contacting older Pennsylvanians by mail with an offer to prepare their application for a processing fee of $39. The department says there appears to be nothing illegal about the offer but advises seniors they are
being charged for a service the government and other agencies provide for free. Property Tax/Rent Rebate application forms and assistance are available at no cost from the Department of Revenue district offices, local Area Agencies on Aging, senior centers, and state legislators’ offices. More information can be found at these locations and online at www.revenue.state.pa.us. www.SeniorNewsPA.com
Art and Antiques by Dr. Lori
Now Your Loved Ones Can Stay At Home We Build Friendships With Families
Assessing Value in the Antiques Game
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Dr. Lori have to laugh when a so-called original boxes in your neighbor’s trash, it “expert” (also known as some person would probably be more valuable to you. who writes a story or a blog about Do you get it? Value is relative. Some the antiques market after interviewing people will bother going after $150 by three people who hosted yard sales) selling those valuable Barbies and other writes a column or posts an online blog people won’t. and lists that items are “hot” right now. Here is the real deal when it comes to They rarely get it right. That is yet making your list of valuables ... another misguided attempt to compile Experts know that the collectibles that single, comprehensive list of what is market is not about trends; it’s about worth keeping. In short, those lists are quality objects and historical or cultural bogus. interest. If you are Here’s why ... banking on making First of all, most money on a trend, people know what you are dealing in is valuable to them. the collectibles But, most people market in the same don’t know what’s way a gambler valuable to other would play the people. For roulette table. instance, if Trends are a someone is trying crapshoot, a lottery to get rid of an old ticket, a slim pool table that has chance at a big Barbie dolls become obsolete, win. Trends are those flash-in-the-pan they have a hard time realizing that items that never hold their value very someone else would want that pool long like the Pet Rock or Beanie Babies. table. Once you have no use for an object, you figure no one else has use for Those items had some interest at one time, made some money for the it either. That’s why people ask me, manufacturers and the marketers, but “Who would want my old object?” they say nothing about culture, history, That’s where human nature gets in the or what’s of interest to contemporary way. It’s this attitude that loses you society. The objects that relate to history money—big money. People call my office or email me and are those with real value and have staying power in the marketplace. ask this question over and over again: “I When it comes to collecting, you have a (insert any antique object here). want to acquire objects that say Does it have any value?” My answer is something about our society at large, always that everything has value. And the historical period in which it was even your object has value! made, or a technological innovation. The real questions are: How much Assessing valuables and smart collecting value does it have? How does that dollar value relate to you? For instance, some of is not about fads, it’s about knowing the facts. the richest people in the world like Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, and Oprah Ph.D. antiques appraiser, author, and awardWinfrey probably wouldn’t think that a winning TV personality, Dr. Lori presents couple of aging Barbie dolls worth $150 antique appraisal events nationwide and each are valuable. If you are not Mr. appears on the Fine Living Network and on Gates and are, instead, an unemployed TV’s Daytime. Visit www.DrLoriV.com or lion tamer who found these dolls in their call (888) 431-1010.
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Dauphin County
Calendar of Events Dauphin County Department of Parks and Recreation
Senior Center Activities
July 9, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Volunteer Work Day, Wildwood Park
Bistline Senior Center – (717) 564-5633
July 17, 10:30 a.m. to noon – Flower Walk: “Still More Blooms,” Wildwood Park
Edgemont Senior Center – (717) 236-2221
Dauphin County Library Programs East Shore Area Library, 4501 Ethel St., Harrisburg, (717) 652-9380 July 22, 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., 1 to 2 p.m. – Book Swap Bingo
Friendship Senior Center – (717) 657-1547 Heinz-Menaker Senior Center – (717) 238-7860
Elizabethville Area Library, 80 N. Market St., Elizabethville, (717) 362-9825 July 27, 1 to 2 p.m. – Book Swap Bingo
Highspire Area Senior Center – (717) 939-4580
Harrisburg Downtown Library, 101 Walnut St., Harrisburg, (717) 234-4976
Hoy/Latsha Senior Center – (717) 939-9833
Johnson Memorial Library, 799 E. Center St., Millersburg, (717) 692-2658
Hummelstown Senior Center – (717) 566-6855
Kline Branch, 530 S. 29th St., Harrisburg, (717) 234-3934
Jewish Community Center – (717) 236-9555
Madeline L. Olewine Memorial Library, 2410 N. Third St., Harrisburg, (717) 232-7286 Northern Dauphin Library, 638 Main St., Lykens, (717) 453-9315 William H. & Marion C. Alexander Family Library, 200 W. Second St., Hummelstown, (717) 566-0949 July 5, 6:30 p.m. – Novel Thoughts Book Club July 19, 6 p.m. – Novel Thoughts, Too! Book Club
Lick Towers Senior Center – (717) 233-0388 Lykens Senior Center – (717) 453-7985 Millersburg Senior Center – (717) 692-2657
AARP Driver Safety Programs
Mohler Senior Center – (717) 533-2002, www.hersheyseniorcenter.com
For a Safe Driving Class near you, call toll-free (888) 227-7669 or visit www.aarp.org/findacourse.
Royalton Senior Center – (717) 944-4831
July 12 and 13, 5 to 9 p.m. – Mohler Senior Center, 25 Hope Drive, Hershey, (717) 533-2002 July 27, 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. – Jewish Community Center, 3301 N. Front St., Harrisburg, (717) 236-9555, ext. 3115
Programs and Support Groups
Rutherford House – (717) 564-5682, www.rutherfordhouse.org Steelton Senior Center – (717) 939-0693
Free and open to the public. Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10 a.m. Free Art Classes Thrive 100 N. Cameron St., Harrisburg (717) 238-1887 or cglover@jumpstreet.org
July 16, 10 a.m. Teamster 776 Retirees Club Picnic Union Hall 2552 Jefferson St., Harrisburg (717) 233-8766
Just a snippet of what you may be missing … please call or visit their website for more information.
If you have an event you would like to include, please email information to mjoyce@onlinepub.com for consideration.
Give Us the Scoop! Please send us your press releases so we can let our readers know about free events occurring in Dauphin County!
Why does a slight tax increase cost you $200, and a substantial tax cut saves you 30 cents?
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My grandmother was a very tough woman. She buried three husbands, and two of them were just napping.
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My husband wanted one of those big-screen TVs for his birthday. So I just moved his chair closer to the one we have already.
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This Month in History: July Events
Breakfast: Kuppy’s Diner Lunch: Brownstone Cafe
• July 10, 1943 – The Allied invasion of Italy began with an attack on the island of Sicily. The British entry into Syracuse was the first Allied success in Europe. General Dwight D. Eisenhower labeled the invasion “the first page in the liberation of the European Continent.”
Dinner: Fabio’s Restaurant
• July 20, 1969 – A global audience watched on television as Apollo 11 Astronaut Neil Armstrong took his first step onto the moon. As he stepped onto the moon’s surface, he proclaimed, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”— inadvertently omitting an a before man and slightly changing the meaning.
Celebrating: Champions Sports Bar
• July 25, 1898 – During the Spanish-American War, the United States invaded Puerto Rico, which was then a Spanish colony. In 1917, Puerto Ricans became American citizens and Puerto Rico became an unincorporated territory of the United States. Partial self-government was granted in 1947, allowing citizens to elect their own governor. In 1951, Puerto Ricans wrote their own constitution and elected a non-voting commissioner to represent them in Washington.
Birthdays • July 4 – Calvin Coolidge (1872-1933) the 30th U.S. president, was born in Plymouth, Vt. He became president on Aug. 3, 1923, after the death of Warren G. Harding. In 1924, Coolidge was elected president but did not run for re-election in 1928. • July 12 – American philosopher Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862) was born in Concord, Mass. At Walden Pond he wrote, “I frequently tramped 8 or 10 miles through the deepest snow to keep an appointment with a beech tree, or a yellow birch, or an old acquaintance among the pines.” • July 20 – Explorer Edmund Hillary was born in Auckland, New Zealand, in 1919. In 1953, he became first to ascend Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world at 29,023 feet.
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Ethnic Cuisine: Lin Garden
Bakery: Pennsylvania Bakery Coffeehouse: Dunkin’ Donuts Fast Food: Red Robin Seafood: Red Lobster Steak: Gilligan’s Bar & Grill Outdoor Dining: Sasha’s Hideaway Romantic Setting: Alfred ’s Victorian Smorgasbord/Buffet: Old Country Buffet Caterer: Karen’s Catering Winner of $50 Giant Food Stores Gift Card: Bill Lastoskie of Dillsburg Congratulations!
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Health Matters
Learning to Live Alone: Challenge and Opportunity Lisa M. Petsche hen a relationship ends due to divorce or the death of a spouse or other close companion, mature adults typically face the challenge of learning to live alone— often for the first time. Loneliness may be profound and difficult to overcome. If you find yourself in this situation, here are some tips that can help.
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Be Kind to Yourself Give yourself permission to feel all emotions that surface, including
resentment and frustration. Recognize that there will be good days and bad days. Try not to dwell on the past—it only fosters self-pity and keeps you from moving forward. Prepare a list of things to do on the bad days.
Include small indulgences to give you a lift, as well as tasks or projects that will give you a sense of satisfaction. Look after your physical health. Eat nutritious meals, get adequate rest, and exercise regularly. In
addition to safeguarding your overall health, these measures will also help ward off depression. Take things one day at a time so you don’t get overwhelmed. Plan your days so you don’t have too much free time on your hands. If you don’t like coming home to silence, leave the television or radio on when you go out. Nurture Your Spirit Write down your thoughts, feelings, please see ALONE page 13
‘We Hold These Truths to Be Self-Evident … ’ On July 4, Americans celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration was
officially adopted by the Continental Congress in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776, although Congress formally
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declared independence from Great Britain on July 2, and the Declaration wasn’t signed by all 56 members until August. Some other facts about the founding document of the United States that you may not know: • There is a message on the back. No, it’s not an invisible treasure map (as in the Nicholas Cage movie National Treasure). The words “Original Declaration of Independence, dated 4th July 1776” appear on the reverse side of the document on display in the National Rotunda, at the bottom and upside down. • About 200 copies of the Declaration were immediately produced by printer John Dunlap for distribution through the 13 colonies. Of these original “Dunlap broadsides,” 26 still exist.
• Easy-to-read format
In print. Online at onlinepub.com. To include your community or service in the 2012 edition or for a copy of the 2011 edition, call your representative or (717) 285-1350 or email info@onlinepub.com 8
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• The original document wasn’t printed on paper, but “engrossed” on parchment. Engrossing is a process for preparing an official document in large, clear handwriting. • At the bottom left corner of the Declaration is an unidentified handprint.
Historians speculate that it’s the result of the document’s being rolled up for transport and handled by various people for extensive exhibition in the early years of its existence. • The two youngest signers of the Declaration were Thomas Lynch Jr. and Edward Rutledge, both of South Carolina, both 26 years old at the time. The oldest signer was Benjamin Franklin, 70. Nine of the original signers died before the American Revolution ended in 1783. www.SeniorNewsPA.com
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Please join us as the “best of the best” step into the spotlight to not only showcase their individual talents once again, but to also join together for blended musical renditions. Previous performances can be viewed at www.SeniorIdolPA.com! These gifted Pennsylvanians will deliver an evening of exceptional talent! Come, share the fun! To reserve your seats, call the Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre at (717) 898-1900 now. 50plus SeniorNews e
July 2011
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Make Music, Make Merry 6th Annual PA State Senior Idol Finals Night Mixes Music, Laughter, and Goodwill By Megan Joyce After six years, it’s a well-known fact in the PA STATE SENIOR IDOL community that the level of talent amongst the competition’s 15 semifinalists grows progressively higher each year and that a “clear winner” within that initial group becomes less and less visible. But with each passing year, the finals night of PA STATE SENIOR IDOL also becomes even funnier. It’s no surprise that a competition with the very upbeat mission of highlighting the talents of the commonwealth’s 50-plus community should be so steeped in positivity and fellowship—but the sold-out crowd at the Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre must leave with worn-out facial muscles from a solid three hours of laughter. Many of those laughs come courtesy of the competition’s judges, all well-respected media and music personalities whose witty rapport and good-natured joking become an unexpected recipe for a highly comedic foursome. The obvious camaraderie between Adrian “Buddy” King of the former The Magnificent Men, Janelle Stelson of WGAL-8, RJ Harris of WHP580, and, new this year, Chuck Rhodes from abc27 set the lighthearted tone for the evening. Produced by On-Line Publishers, Inc., publishers of 50plus Senior News, and warmly emceed by Diane Dayton of Dayton Communications, the finals competition was the culmination of more than 100 preliminary auditions at four regional tryouts held back in the spring. Of those, the top 15 performers had been selected to compete against each other for the title of 2011 PA STATE SENIOR IDOL. After Chris Poje, last year’s SENIOR IDOL champ, reminded the audience just why he was chosen with a powerful rendition of The Platters’ “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes,” Donald Dickinson of Shippensburg was the first of this year’s contenders to take the stage. Singing “All the Things You Are” from Very Warm for May, Dickinson received praise from King for “the sincerity with which [he] delivered that song.” “I think that is one of the more complex songs ever sung at one of these competitions, and I think a much harder song to sing; you did a great job,” added Harris. Patty Price of York stepped onto the Dutch Apple stage for the second consecutive year, having been a semifinalist for the 2010 competition as well. She sang “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” made famous, of course, by Judy Garland. King commented on the unique “roundness” to Price’s tones. “They say anybody who yells can get somebody to listen to them, but that was a little bit of a soft sell,”
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observed Stelson. “You’re one of those people who, even when you whisper and speak softly, people lean in to hear it.” Hailing from Ephrata, Jose Angel Cruz sang “Butterfly Kisses” by Bob Carlisle, very clearly tapping into the emotion he feels for his own 10-year-old daughter. Rhodes concurred, saying, “As a father of two grown daughters and now a granddaughter, that song moves me every time I hear it, and you did a super job.” Next up was “Smooth Operator” Elaine Dukeman of Morgantown, channeling original artist Sade as she glided to the front of the stage in a series of flowing dance moves. Rhodes liked how she came out with attitude and confidence. “And I have a feeling you’d do that if the building were empty … the lights could go out, the sound system could go out, and I think you’d just keep on going,” he said. The audience and judges were in store for a change of musical pace next as Jack Wolfe of Mechanicsburg launched into Stevie Ray Vaughan’s “Texas Flood,” a blues number that showcased both Wolfe’s instrumental prowess and his vocal ability. “I’ve always thought guitars were the most difficult instrument to master,” King said. “You know your way around that fret board for sure.” Constance Kuba Fisher’s theater background was evident from the first notes of “Don’t Rain on My Parade” from Funny Girl. The Mechanicsburg resident presented a spirited, bold, and amusing performance supported by her strong vocals. “I have a feeling you’re one of those people who just has music and performance buried in your soul and it needs to find a way to get out!” Stelson said. Theater experience was apparent once again as Margie Sheaffer of New Providence strutted onstage to deliver a feisty, serious-faced rendition of “Fever” by Peggy Lee. King commented on how “natural” and “relaxed” Sheaffer seemed, while Rhodes proclaimed with laughter, “Had you done one more chorus, Janelle was going to be up on the table dancing.” Don “Duke” Larson, the competition’s musical veteran at almost 76 years young, charmed both judges and audience with his impassioned and vocally impressive version of Frank Sinatra’s “My Way.” Dressed in a sharp tux and angled fedora, Larson both looked and sounded the part of the crooner. “Ray Price comes to mind in terms of your vocal,” complimented King, referring to the baritone-voiced country singer. “Your feeling, your expression, your experience—it all comes through.” A familiar face to many annual SENIOR IDOL finalegoers, Peggy Kurtz Keller of Ephrata took the stage for www.SeniorNewsPA.com
the fourth consecutive year, this time singing “Summertime” from Porgy and Bess. Keller’s sweet, crystalline voice glided over a sassy version of the familiar tune, and Harris called her “the whole package … head to toe.” “You are one of those rare people who just lights up the room, and the really great thing is that you come and you back it up with talent,” Stelson noted. “And I think anybody who is under 50 who’s sitting behind me is going, ‘I want to be her when I grow up!’” Philadelphia’s Dan Kelly auditioned for SENIOR IDOL after a “happenstance” encounter with Harris’s radio partner, Dan Steele, at a local breakfast restaurant. Another theater vet, Kelly belted out “Why God, Why” from Miss Saigon. “That’s a very difficult song, but you delivered it with a wonderful amount of passion,” King said. Harris couldn’t resist the opportunity to rib Steele the following morning. “Tomorrow for the radio show, did you happen to notice how many stacks of pancakes Dan ate?” he quipped. Steve Reuben of Manheim had chosen a bold, white tux to match his bold, resonating voice for his performance of “Some Enchanted Evening” from South Pacific. King praised Reuben’s delivery, especially his difficult falsetto notes. “It’s such a strong voice—so mellifluous,” stated Stelson, which prompted Harris to joke that his gift for Stelson last Christmas had been a word-of-the-day calendar. “We were told this was going to be the best year ever—and you hear that a lot—but it is,” Harris added. “You guys are all gangbusters.” Sinatra classics are a welcome staple of the PA STATE SENIOR IDOL competition, and Mark Ettaro of Reading did justice to the trend singing “Witchcraft.” Ettaro surprised the judges and the audience when, midway through his clean vocals, he launched into a lively, legkicking dance routine. Rhodes praised Ettaro’s “Sinatra phrasing” and added, “I like that you caught everybody off-guard with your impromptu—well-rehearsed, but impromptu—dance.” “If this Idol thing doesn’t work out, you can become a Pip,” Harris suggested. Robesonia resident Inge Kiebach was up next and delivered an almost operatic version of “If I Loved You” from Carousel. Rhodes noted her obvious opera training, saying he suspected that if she wished, she could “really reach the rafters” with her formidable voice. “When I was 10, I joined the adult choir at church because I think I had the same voice when I was little
that I have now,” recalled Kiebach with a laugh. “The variety we’re seeing here tonight is incredible to me,” King remarked. “It’s one of the best years in terms of all of the different styles and everything else that we’re witnessing here tonight.” The listening audience was in for a musical 180 once again with Steven Leaman’s hand-clapping, rocking performance of Grand Funk Railroad’s “Some Kind of Wonderful.” A plumber from Manheim, Leaman encouraged enthusiastic audience participation from the get-go and used the whole stage while wowing the judges with his confident vocals. Rhodes couldn’t help but offer up the available pun: “What are the odds—a plumber with good pipes!” “You’re just a showman,” said Harris. “I loved all your motions and getting the audience involved in a big way; it was great.” Harrisburg’s Jay Megonnell wrapped up the evening’s 15 semifinalist performances with his trumpet-and-vocal presentation of Louis Prima’s “I’m Just a Gigolo,” which had the audience chuckling and, as the judges noted, tempted to sing along. “What a way to tie up the evening,” Stelson said. “That was such a fun song, such a good choice, and such a perfect choice for you.” After a brief intermission during which the four judges’ scores were tallied, all 15 semifinalists lined up on the stage … and Margie Sheaffer, Steven Leaman, and Peggy Keller were named the night’s three finalists. For their second selections, Sheaffer sang “The Rose” by Bette Midler; Leaman performed “I Can Only Imagine” by MercyMe; and Keller sang “Cabaret” from the musical of the same name. The judges as well as the audience then voted for their favorite, and Keller was named the 2011 PA STATE SENIOR IDOL. As colorful balloons dropped amidst hearty applause, Keller, beaming with excitement, stepped forward to accept the trophy and a bouquet of flowers. “When they announced that I won, I was stunned and shocked and overjoyed,” Keller said. She then performed “Summertime” again, with many of her fellow semifinalists linking arms behind her and swaying along to the beat. As the winner, Keller will receive a limousine trip for two to New York City for dinner and a Broadway show. “You’re a real inspiration for 50-plussers all over the state,” Harris told Keller. For more information and highlights from the 2011 PA STATE SENIOR IDOL finals competition, visit www.SeniorIdolPA.com.
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The Squint-Eyed Senior
Family Fourth Theodore Rickard or some reason, Independence Day brings out the clan instinct in a lot of us—or used to, anyway. And each tribal family seemed to produce its dominant individual. In my family in my youth, it was my Uncle Albert. Albert was a forceful yet benign personality. He was the source of good advice—brusquely rendered but sympathetic and highly conservative. Albert was a successful engineer. More importantly, he was well paid and never out of work. Thus, he was first in the family to have a suburban house, a detached, single-family structure with a large backyard. This was how the Fourth of July family picnic moved from the local park to Albert’s backyard. It was a big step up for all of us. Siblings, cousins, and in-laws gathered early on the Fourth of July at
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Albert’s backyard. Suburbia was still an outing destination for us then, and the boulevard route with its graceful lining of old elms offered entry to a world of assured gentility. Out of habit, many of us brought something to eat. German potato salad, Irish soda bread, Polish sausage—and beer. And we all brought children. As a youngster I can recall a change in the atmosphere as we penetrated the suburbs. Wedged in the back of a
clattering old Ford, I was squeezed between my brother and sister so they wouldn’t fight. Somehow, silence and decorum seemed appropriate as we turned off the boulevard and headed up a gentle grade to our destination. Dad had to shift gears as we ground our way up the street, past green parkways and wide lawns. This was not our territory. “Oh, there’s Ed and Martha,” my father said as he coasted the car to the curb behind another Ford even older than ours. The relief in his voice was
evident. There was someone else now, someone to share the strangeness, even if it was only an in-law relative who’d recently tried to borrow money. As we got out of the car we could hear our cousins—youngsters of our ages and in between—in greetings of overly high pitch coming from the back of the house. Cousins meant deviltry and chasing one another around as soon as the initial awkwardness was over. Maybe the picnic would be just like before, in the park, with parents distracted with one another and us kids running loose. Immediately, however, we knew that this was different. Uncle Albert had hired a couple, a silently competent man and woman, who would cook and serve. Tables had been set up in the yard, with bright red, white, and blue tablecloths clamped to the tabletop. The tables were covered with trays of snacks and cold
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cuts that were other than bologna, and there was even sliced roast beef! And there were whole bottles of Coca-Cola and Schlitz beer chilling in watery, ice-filled tubs where you could just help yourself. There were waxy paper cups there, too, and Uncle Joe got a firm spousal nudge in the ribs when he started drinking right out of the bottle. It was later in the day before he dared dispense with the paper cup. The women had brought food, as they had in years past, and now slid their offerings as unobtrusively as possible on to the nearest table. The dishes clashed with the careful geometric arrangements of the caterer’s trays. Diplomatically, the serving woman rearranged them and out of nowhere came up with plates and serving spoons, even for the dumplings. Behind a large charcoal grill, the
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white-starched caterer was holding fort with spatula behind piles of hamburger patties, sausages and—making each of us pause—sirloin steaks. We’d seen these before, but only in the butcher’s case. Without being told, we kids settled for bratwurst or hamburger. In fact, even among the adults, only Uncle Ed and Kurt ordered the steak. By then, I guess, they’d both had their first beer and felt up to it. Two generations have passed since then. Now we have cousins of cousins who have never heard of one another. Almost all of us live in suburbs of our own. None of us has emerged as head of the family, nor does anybody seem to want to: not even those who have regular employment. Each has his own backyard now, I guess, although I’m not so sure that’s entirely a good thing. Every Fourth of July I wonder.
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from page 8
and experiences in a journal, chronicling your journey of selfdiscovery and growth. Nurture your spirit by doing things that bring inner peace, such as meditating, praying, reading something uplifting, listening to soothing music, or spending time in nature. Get a pet. Cats and dogs provide companionship and affection and give you a sense of purpose. A dog also offers a measure of security and ensures that you’ll get out of the house. (And while walking the dog, you might meet new friends.) Learn and Do New Things Get out of the house every day. To combat isolation, join a dinner club, fitness center, or exercise class. Sign up for an adult education course or lessons that interest you— for example, gourmet cooking, sculpting, or modern jazz. Be sure to check out any available programs at the local senior center or recreation center as well as those offered by educational institutions. Learning something new is energizing and boosts your selfconfidence. And you might make new friends in the process. Get involved in your community. Volunteer for a neighborhood association, charitable or environmental cause, animal shelter, or political campaign. Cultivate some solitary pastimes. Take up crossword puzzles, www.SeniorNewsPA.com
woodworking, gardening, writing, or sketching. Learn to enjoy your own company. Reach Out to Others Take the initiative in calling friends and relatives to talk or get together. Do nice things for others, especially those who are also going through a difficult time. This takes your mind off your own situation, boosts your self-esteem, and strengthens relationships. Find at least one person you can talk to openly who will listen and understand. Join a support group. If it’s hard to get out or you prefer anonymity, try an Internet forum instead. If you were a caregiver and put your personal life on hold, now is the time to reinvest in yourself by resuming former interests and pursuing new ones. Don’t forget to nurture neglected relationships as well as to expand your social network. Whether or not the loss was anticipated, the reality of being on your own may initially seem overwhelming and perhaps frightening. But with time, patience, and trust in your resilience, you will successfully adapt to your new circumstances. And you may end up growing in ways you never imagined. Lisa M. Petsche is a clinical social worker and a freelance writer specializing in boomer and senior issues.
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July 2011
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Beyond the Battlefield
He’s ‘The Real Thing!’ Ex-Trooper in the Army and Scouting Alvin S. Goodman hen Lee N. Whitaker of suburban Harrisburg joined the Army paratroopers during World War II, his unit dropped behind enemy lines near Worms, Germany. Their mission was to secure the area along the Rhine River for the approaching ground troops led by Gen. George S. Patton, including the famous bridge at Remagen. Whitaker was drafted into the Army in April 1944 and was inducted at New Cumberland Army Depot. He traveled, along with a trainload of recruits, to Camp Blanding, Fla., for basic training and assignment. “It took a couple days to assign all of the 300+ recruits to various Army units, such as the artillery, infantry, and Air Corps—all except me. I was told my name was not on the list. “I was referred to a certain colonel
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Germany when the war in who said the reason I had Europe ended in May 1945. not been assigned was that I We went back to France and had scored high on tests and were being readied to be they wanted to assign me to sent to China to prepare for a new intelligence unit they the invasion of Japan when intended to create. the Japanese surrendered in “They said I could go to August 1945. Officers’ Training School, “At that time, I had but I declined,” he earned enough points to continued. “When the new return to the States,” unit was formed, I went to Lee N. Whitaker Whitaker said. “After 30 school half a day and days at Indiantown Gap, I training half a day. After the was sent to Ft. Bragg, N.C., training was completed, I where occupation troops were being volunteered to join the paratroopers. I formed, but I was sent back to had special training for that, after which Indiantown Gap and discharged from I was assigned to Communications the Army in January 1946.” School. Whitaker, who is 90, is a native of “I was then shipped overseas to France Halifax, Pa., and a graduate of Halifax and was assigned to the 13th Airborne Division and attached to the Allied High School and Oxford Business Airborne Headquarters. I was in College, where he majored in business
administration. He was employed by the Mid-Atlantic Coca-Cola Bottling Companies, formerly known as the James E. Crass Bottling Corp., from 1940 to 1983, when he retired. The last 16 years of his employment were as the general manager of the Harrisburg Production and Distribution Center. He also served the corporation as training chairman and transportation manager. He was a member of the former Stevens Memorial Methodist Church, where he was Sunday school superintendent, chairman of the administrative board, chairman of the pastor parish committee, communion steward, and trustee. He is currently a member of the 29th Street United Methodist Church. He has been extremely active in the Masonic fraternity and has been a
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Do you know a 50+ volunteer who gives selflessly to others? Tell us what makes him or her so special and we will consider them for 50plus Senior News’
Volunteer Spotlight! Submissions should be 200 words or fewer and photos are encouraged. Email preferred to mjoyce@onlinepub.com or mail nominations to 50plus Senior News, Volunteer Spotlight, 3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512. www.SeniorNewsPA.com
member and presiding officer of many of its subordinate bodies, including the Scottish and York Rite, Tall Cedars of Lebanon, the Zembo Shriners and several Shrine Clubs, and Harrisburg Chapter No. 76, National Sojourners. He is a past grand master of the Grand Council of Royal and Select Master Masons of Pennsylvania. In 1988 he was made an honorary member of the Supreme Council of the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry/Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, receiving his 33° at the Supreme Council session in Grand Rapids, Mich. Whitaker’s civic and business memberships also are extensive. They include Keystone Area Council, Boy Scouts of America, serving as district chairman, president of the executive board, and vice president, scouting; president and zone chairman of the Harrisburg Lions Club; board of directors and chairman, Commerce Division of the Harrisburg Chamber of
DRESS
Commerce; chairman allocations, nominating committee, and speakers bureau of the Tri-County United Way; board member and financial development chairman of the Arthritis Foundation; board member of the Special Olympics of Pennsylvania; and advisory board of the YWCA. Also, the Executive Club, Old-Timers Association, VFW, American Legion, Police Athletic League, and the Lady Keystone Open Golf Tournament. Whitaker’s wife, Anne D. Magaro Whitaker, died Feb. 2, 2005, after 63 years of marriage. He is the father of three children, Nancy Lee, Lee Jr., and Claudia; three grandchildren, Cindy, Julie, and Jason; and three greatgrandchildren, Andria, Jeremy, and Brandon.
By Myles Mellor
If you are a mature veteran and have interesting or unusual experiences in your military or civilian life, phone Al Goodman at (717) 541-9889 or email him at klezmer630@comcast.net.
from page 3
is definitely the one!” And again I cried. might hurt my daughter’s super-sized I was then banished and sent to the brain. Subway to bring back lunch, while my Ann’s first word was “poo.” OK, not a wife and daughter made the final great word. At first we tried lying, saying decision. At Subway, I told the middlethat her favorite book was Winnie the aged man behind the counter that my Pooh. I then changed my story and told daughter was getting married. He said he people Ann was really trying to say had two married daughters. “Papa.” However, I soon realized that We laughed, we cried, and he put an linking “poo” and “Papa” wasn’t that extra slice of provolone complimentary. cheese on all my subs. I Finally, we decided to got carried away and embrace “poo” (just the “Yes, that’s yelled out, “Free Subways word) and it became a great definitely for everybody!” family story. I know it’s Fortunately, there was great because my daughter the one!” only one customer, an winces every time we tell it. elderly woman who had The same way she winces just finished eating. Unfortunately, she when we show the naked baby pictures of ordered four subs to go. her taking a bath in the sink. On the way back to the dress shop I As I approached the dress shop, I started thinking about Ann as a baby. She remembered my daughter’s first step. She was absolutely beautiful and brilliant. was 2 months old (OK, parents The moment she was born she looked exaggerate). A look of determination around the hospital room, taking came into her eyes and she didn’t just everything in, probably deciding if we take a step. She actually—and I swear were worthy of her company. this is true—ran across the room before The next day we took her home and I she fell on her butt. was a nervous madman. For some bizarre And you know what? She’s been reason, I was convinced I smelled gas, running ever since. Luckily, she ran into and that would hurt my daughter’s super- the arms of a great guy, whom she is sized brain. In my hysteria, I called the going to marry. fire department. There was no gas leak, When I got back to the dress shop, of course, but there were 14 firemen Ann had on the third bridal gown. Ann roaming through our house sniffing and my wife informed me that this was away. Luckily, I had bought some cigars their choice. I looked at it and said, “Yes, and gave them each one. I asked them to that’s definitely the one!” And then I please not smoke in the house because it began to cry. www.SeniorNewsPA.com
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Across 1. Holy man 5. Annoyances 10. Like some columns 14. Baker’s need 15. Fancy tie 16. Stalactite site 17. Sandwich bread 18. Bathroom item 19. Hands 20. Indian restaurant fare 23. Coarse file 24. Disaster 25. Fragrant oil 28. Canal site Down 1. Chop (off ) 2. Tel ___ 3. Allot, with “out” 4. Word riddles 5. Yesteryears 6. Break 7. One who crosses the line? 8. No charge on the bridge? 9. It is best stainless 10. Absorb 11. Henry VIII’s last wife 12. Always Solution on page 16
30. 34. 36. 38. 39. 43. 44. 45. 46. 49. 51. 52.
13. 21. 22. 25. 26. 27. 29. 31. 32. 33. 35. 37. 40.
Bloodstream fluid Start to like Miss-named? “___ Time transfigured me.” – Yeats Fine produce Apply Flatter, in a way Building blocks Fine thread Polar worker Idiotic Gorbachev was its last leader (abbr.)
54. Floating, perhaps 56. Celebratory meal, probably 62. Basil, e.g. 63. Accustom 64. Enthusiasm 66. Advocate 67. One who makes dreams come true 68. Dead against 69. Rude person 70. Good point 71. Bit of choreography
Wet, as morning grass Third of nine Newspaper div. Bad Foot bones Genealogical diagrams Sweetheart Peach dessert Dress up Literature Nobelist Hermann Lab eggs Flight board abbr. Table centerpieces
41. 42. 47. 48. 50.
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53. 55. 56. 57. 58. 59. 60. 61. 65.
Bye word Windfalls Felled trees Medium ability? Imaginary land of supernatural beings Goat-like antelope Precipitation Great Lakes fish Deli sandwich Jason’s ship Women in habits Tiny payment Can’t take Mouthpiece July 2011
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Crossword shown on page 15
Braintwisters 1. What U.S. state boasts the following rivers: the Guadalupe, Trinity, Rio Grande, Brazos, and Colorado? A. California B. Oklahoma C. Texas D. Colorado 2. Which of the following states does not border the Great Lakes? A. Ohio B. Michigan C. Iowa D. Illinois 3. Pierre is the capital of what U.S. state? A. Montana B. Wisconsin C. South Dakota D. Rhode Island 4. Lake Okeechobee is located in what U.S. state? A. Wyoming B. Florida C. Oklahoma D. Texas 5. What is the smallest U.S. state? A. Delaware B. Maryland C. Rhode Island D. Maine Source: www.usefultrivia.com
This month’s answers on page 18
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allowed to audition and, of course, got Senior News. Always a crowd pleaser, Keller’s “stick-to-it-iveness” finally earned in. Later, that same instructor invited her to sing the national anthem before highher the top prize. school football games, which had Keller, Her genuine love of performance for performance’s sake prompted her to keep also a cheerleader, singing in between cheering sets. trying, year after year. “I think because I was assertive and “It keeps my bucket full,” she said of said, ‘I really want to do this,’ I made performing. “It makes me feel adequate. It makes me know that I can continue to some changes within what was normal within that school at that time,” said do the things that I really love to do. It Keller. gives me that energy and that power to During her senior year, Keller won the just continue to keep on going.” Keller had considered not auditioning Junior Miss Pageant at the local level singing “Summertime.” It would be a again this year, but as always, the lure of jazzed-up version of that same song that performance drew her back. “I really enjoy the [SENIOR IDOL] experience,” she would, years later, win her the SENIOR said. “From OLP employees to the IDOL title. Keller’s career people that work at path is wide and the Dutch Apple, varied, but she is everyone was so thankful to have helpful and friendly. truly enjoyed every It was such a great occupation she has experience—why taken on. A certified would you not want dental assistant just to be a part of it?” after high school, Keller grew up in Keller had the first of Leola, the oldest of her two children at three children (she age 20. She stayed at has two younger Keller, center, received her trophy and home full time for brothers). Her flowers from Kimberly Shaffer, left, several years until family owned On-Line Publishers’ events manager, Kurtz’s Store in and Donna Anderson, right, president working in her thenhusband’s new town, a grocery store of On-Line Publishers. business, an echo of that was Keller’s her family-run grocery store roots. second home and her first place of Later, she worked in therapeutic employment. She discovered her recreation at a nursing facility; as a flight fondness for singing early on and would attendant until she was furloughed after often “force” family members to be part 9/11; and then went to nursing school, of a concert when they came to visit, graduating in 2003. She worked in starting with her taking tickets at the dialysis, obstetrics/gynecology, and then door. “I would use The Sound of Music as a school nurse, a perfect schedule for and sing the whole album … I would Keller, who had remarried and gained play every part.” two school-age stepchildren. Her first public solo was in Keller is now in her second fulltime kindergarten, when she was invited to sing with the high school choir. To mark year of teaching medical assisting to adult students, and she sees the the occasion, Keller’s parents bought her a new pair of Hush Puppies shoes, which connection between her roles as teacher ended up being the only way her parents and musical performer. “It’s just like being a performer, could spot their diminutive child because every day that’s what I have to amongst the crush of teenage singers. do, to entice my students to pay “Except for hearing my voice and seeing attention, to learn, and hopefully bring my Hush Puppies, they would’ve never them a presentation that will bring them known it was me.” some kind of enlightenment,” she said. When her family moved to Ephrata Through the many career changes, for her second year of high school, Keller began to blossom musically as a member Keller managed to stay in touch with her musical side. When her children became of the vocal ensemble, chorus, and the school’s dance band, an instrumental jazz older and more independent, she reconnected with a friend from high ensemble that had never included a school and the duo sang together on the vocalist—until then. “senior group circuits.” Keller approached the band’s Individually, Keller also had roles in instructor with her wish to audition. “He said, ‘Well, we don’t have a singer,’ and I community theater and sang for service organizations, senior groups, and holiday said, ‘Well, you do now!’” She was www.SeniorNewsPA.com
parties. Around the same time she first heard of SENIOR IDOL, Keller also auditioned to sing the national anthem for the Lancaster Barnstormers, an engagement she’s now held for the past four seasons. From her work life to her musical career, Keller has always gravitated toward and adored performing for the over-50 community. She loves to sing the standards: Sinatra, big-band music, and songs from the ’40s and ’50s. “I believe that the senior crowd appreciates entertainment, and they communicate appreciation,” she noted. “When I go and sing for seniors or community-service groups, I know I have their attention. I’m singing things they recognize, and they sing with me. They give me energy, I give them energy, and by the time I leave everyone’s feeling so good—it’s good for everybody.” Keller said “the energy was wonderful” during her fourth go-round at the SENIOR IDOL finals competition and said nerves weren’t a factor—at least at the start. “When I perform, I rarely get nervous before I sing because nobody can make a judgment on me until I’m done. For me, it’s wasted energy to be nervous beforehand because nobody knows what I can do.” After delivering “Summertime” to
high praise, Keller went backstage feeling satisfied with her effort and enjoying the fast-developing camaraderie that bonded her with the other semifinalists that evening. When her name was called as one of the three finalists, it wasn’t until Margie Sheaffer, a fellow finalist, gave her a visual nudge that she realized she had, in fact, heard her name. And later, as she clasped hands with Sheaffer and finalist Steven Leaman and heard her name called one more time— this time as winner—the shock and sheer joy running through her body were evident. “When I heard my name, I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, I’ll be able to represent OLP as PA STATE SENIOR IDOL all over the place now, no matter what we do! Let’s keep me really busy!’” The coming year is guaranteed to be a busy and fulfilling one for Keller, whose pure mission is to continue performing as often as possible. “I love being a teacher—I truly do love what I do during the daytime, but my bucket stays full because I can do something after school, and that is performing,” she said. “I’m proud I stuck it out, I did it, and I didn’t give up. I’m 54, and I can—we can do anything.”
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JCC Offering Free Fitness Memberships The Harrisburg Jewish Community Center (JCC) recently announced its partnership with Healthway’s SilverSneakers program. They join a few other area locations making fitness center memberships available at no cost for people having certain healthcare coverage. A variety of SilverSneakers classes will be offered, including MSROM (muscular strength and range of movement), SilverSplash (exercise in the pool), and YogaStretch. All classes are taught by certified instructors who specialize in older adult health. In addition, participants will be able to work out in the fitness center and meet one-on-one with a personal trainer to receive a free individual exercise orientation and evaluation. For more information on any of the programs or eligibility for the free fitness center membership, contact Linda Skulsky, program coordinator, at (717) 236-9555, ext. 3050, or l.skulsky@jewishfedhbg.org.
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Social Security News
Q & A’s for July By Sherra Zavitsanos Question: When a person who has worked and paid Social Security taxes dies, who is eligible for survivors benefits?
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Answer: Social Security survivors benefits can be paid to: • Widows or widowers – full benefits at full retirement age, or reduced benefits as early as age 60 • Disabled widows or widowers – as early as age 50 • Widows or widowers at any age if they take care of the deceased’s child who is under age 16 or disabled and receiving Social Security benefits • Unmarried children under 18, or up to age 19 if they are attending high school full time; under certain circumstances, benefits can be paid to stepchildren, grandchildren, or adopted children • Children at any age who were disabled before age 22 and remain disabled • Dependent parents age 62 or older Even if you are divorced, you still may qualify for survivors benefits based on the earnings record of a former spouse. For more information, go to www.socialsecurity.gov. Question: What is a Social Security “credit”?
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Answer: During your working years, earnings covered by Social Security are posted to your record. You earn Social Security credits based on those earnings. The amount of earnings needed for one credit rises as average earnings levels rise. In 2011, you receive one credit for each $1,120 of earnings. You can earn up to a maximum of four credits a year. Most people will need a minimum of 40 credits (or 10 years of work) to be eligible for retirement benefits. Learn more by reading the online publication How You Earn Credits at www.socialsecurity.gov/ pubs/10072.html. Question: What is the earliest age that I can begin receiving retirement benefits?
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Answer: You can get a reduced benefit as early as age 62. Keep in mind that your monthly benefit amount would be about 33 percent higher if you wait until age 66 and nearly 80 percent higher if you defer payments until age 70. Visit
our Retirement Estimator to find out how much you can expect to receive. You can find it at www.socialsecurity.gov/ estimator. Question: What is the earliest age that I can receive Social Security disability benefits? Answer: There is no minimum age as long as you meet the Social Security definition of disabled and you have sufficient work to qualify. To qualify for disability benefits, you must have worked long enough under Social Security to earn the required number of work credits and some of the work must be recent. You can earn up to a maximum of four work credits each year. The amount of earnings required for a credit increases each year as general wage levels go up and is currently $1,120. The number of work credits you need for disability benefits depends on your age when you become disabled. For example, if you are under age 24, you may qualify with as little as six credits of coverage. But people disabled at age 31 or older generally need between 20 and 40 credits, and some of the work must have been recent. For example, you may need to have worked five out of the past 10 years. Learn more at www.socialsecurity.gov/ disability. Question: My brother recently left me some money. Will this inheritance affect my SSI benefits? Answer: We consider the money inherited from your brother income for the month you receive it. That could make you ineligible for SSI that month, depending on the amount of the inheritance. If you keep the money into the next month, it becomes a part of your resources. You cannot have more than $2,000 in resources to remain eligible for SSI. You should call Social Security at (800) 772-1213 and report the inheritance. Representatives can tell you how your eligibility might be affected. People who are deaf or hard-of-hearing may call our toll-free TTY number, (800) 325-0778, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. Sherra Zavitsanos is the Social Security public affairs specialist in Harrisburg.
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Smile of the Month This month’s smile belongs to Charlay, age 3 ½, smiling big because, she said, “This is how princesses smile.” Charlay was photographed by Tanya Walker of Harrisburg.
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