lebanon county 50plus senior news august 2014

Maria Romano Marcinko stands with a couple of feral cats thatwill be spayed/neutered and then released where they were found.

Ergonomic Tools that Can

Ease Gardening Pains

page 4

The Beach at the End

of the Trail

page 14

Inside:

By Rebecca Hanlon

Maria Romano Marcinko is severely allergic to cats.The itchy skin and shortened breaths would send most people running

from these critters.But Marcinko can’t stay away.The 58-year-old energetic woman founded a community stray cat

program in 2010 shortly after being appointed to a seat on the boroughcouncil.

The first item on the agenda that was handed to her in September 2009was for a municipal contract with the local Humane Society. Thousands oftaxpayer dollars were being spent each year for the care of stray animals.More than 85 percent of those were feral cats.

“I’ve always been an animal lover,” Marcinko said. “They hoped thatbecause I had experience in dog rescue services that maybe I could help withthe overwhelming cat population.”

The challenge was “staying outside of the box,” Marcinko said. She tried to understand the concerns of residents who became attached to

the cats, while at the same time relating to the frustrations of neighbors whowanted strays to stay off their lawns.

Feisty feral cats can damage plants, outdoor furniture, and flowerbeds, shesaid. But there was a solution.

please see FELINES page 12

Councilwoman Heads SuccessfulFeral-Cat Program

For the Love of

Felines

Lebanon County Edition August 2014 Vol. 9 No. 8

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directoryof its kind!

By John Johnston

To help combat the rising threat offraud and identity theft, SocialSecurity will no longer issue

Social Security number printoutsbeginning in August 2014.

If you need written confirmation ofyour Social Security number—perhapsyour new employer needs verification—and you can’t find your Social Securitycard, you can apply for a replacement.

But do you really need a replacement?

In most cases, you don’tneed your card as longas you know yournumber.

For all intents andpurposes, your numberis your card. Usuallyproviding your numberand identifyinginformation is enough.

In the event you really do want orneed a replacement card, either foryourself or for a child, you can find all of

the details you need atwww.socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber.

The “Social SecurityNumber and Card”page providesinformation on how toobtain a replacementcard and what specific

documents you need to provide. Whether you need a Social Security

card for yourself or a child, it’s easy—andfree—to apply for one.

But consider whether a new SocialSecurity card is really in the cards foryou. It may be that your “card” is alreadywith you—in your head.

While you’re at the website, open yourfree “my Social Security” account atwww.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount. It canhelp you plan for retirement, check yourearnings history, request your SocialSecurity statement, and more.

John Johnston is a Social Security publicaffairs specialist.

Is a New Social Security Card in Your Cards?

Social Security News

ER vs. Clinic: Which to Choose?Hospital emergency rooms are

stretched thin by almost 130 millionvisits a year. Many of these visits aretriggered by complaints that could behandled more efficiently at same-dayclinics or pharmacy care centers.

How do you know which to choose?Go to the emergency room (or call an

ambulance) if you or a friend experience

any of these serious symptoms:

• Persistent chest pain• Persistent shortness of breath• Severe pain, especially in the abdomen

or the lower back• Loss of balance or fainting• Difficulty speaking or thinking clearly

• Sudden, severe headache

On the other hand, most same-dayclinics are able to treat these routinehealth problems:

• Fever (except in the case of a newborninfant)

• Minor trauma such as cuts and sprains

• Urinary tract infections

• Severe sore throat

• Nausea and vomiting

• Minor eye irritation

A clinic will also be able to advise youto go to the emergency room if yourcondition is more serious than you realize.

www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com 50plus SeniorNews August 2014 3

Poison Control Center(800) 222-1222

Food Stamps(800) 692-7462

Lebanon County Christian Ministries(717) 272-4400

Lebanon County Area Agency on AgingMeals on Wheels(717) 273-9262

Salvation Army(717) 273-2655

Alzheimer’s Association(717) 651-5020

American Cancer Society(717) 231-4582

American Diabetes Association(717) 657-4310

American Heart Association/American Stroke Association(717) 207-4265

American Lung Association(717) 541-5864

Arthritis Foundation(717) 274-0754

Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services(717) 787-7500

CONTACT Helpline(717) 652-4400

Kidney Foundation(717) 652-8123

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society(717) 652-6520

Lupus Foundation(888) 215-8787

Melnick, Moffitt, and Mesaros927 Russell Drive, Lebanon(717) 274-9775

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

Good Samaritan Hospital252 S. Fourth St., Lebanon(717) 270-7500

Medical Society of Lebanon County(717) 270-7500

Energy Assistance(800) 692-7462

Environmental Protection AgencyEmergency Hotline(800) 541-2050

IRS Income Tax Assistance(800) 829-1040

Medicaid(800) 692-7462

Medicare(800) 382-1274

PA Crime Stoppers(800) 472-8477

PennDOT(800) 932-4600

Recycling(800) 346-4242

Social Security Information(800) 772-1213

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs(800) 827-1000

Housing Assistance & ResourcesProgram (HARP)(717) 273-9328

Lebanon County Housing &Redevelopment Authorities(717) 274-1401

Lebanon HOPES(717) 274-7528, Ext. 3201

Medicare Hotline(800) 638-6833

Pennsylvania Bar Association(717) 238-6715

Lebanon County Area Agency on Aging(717) 273-9262

CVS/pharmacywww.cvs.com

StoneRidge Retirement Living440 East Lincoln Ave., Myerstown(717) 866-3204

Annville Senior Community Center(717) 867-1796

Maple Street Senior Community Center(717) 273-1048

Myerstown Senior Community Center(717) 866-6786

Northern Lebanon County SeniorCommunity Center(717) 865-0944

Palmyra Senior Community Center(717) 838-8237

Senior Center of Lebanon Valley(717) 274-3451

Governor’s Veterans Outreach(717) 234-1681

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

RSVP of Capital Region, Inc.(717) 847-1539

RSVP Lancaster County(717) 847-1539

RSVP Lebanon County(717) 454-8956

RSVP York County(443) 619-3842

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Dear Savvy Senior,Can you recommend some good

ergonomic gardening gear for seniors?I am a 72-year-old who loves to workin the garden, but I have beenplagued by various gardening injuriesthis year.– Looking for Solutions

Dear Looking,There’s no doubt that gardening

can be tough on an aging body.Garden work often requires a lot ofrepetitive stooping, squatting,kneeling, gripping, and lifting,which can lead to back andknee pain, carpal tunnelsyndrome, and various otherinjuries.

To help make your gardeningchores a little easier is a slew ofnew and improved gardeninggear that’s lightweight,comfortable to use, andergonomically designed to helpprotect your body from thephysical strains of gardening.

Here are several that canhelp.

Gloves: There are a numberof specially designed gloves thatcan improve your grip andprotect your hands while youwork.

Two of the best are the “AtlasNitrile Touch Garden Gloves”(available at Amazon.com for lessthan $6), which are coated with aflexible, synthetic rubber.

And the “ReliefGrip Gardening”gloves (www.bionicgloves.com, $35)have extra padding in the palm andfinger joints, which can improvegrip and cause fewer calluses andblisters.

Digging tools: There areergonomic tools that can helpprotect your wrists by reducing thebending and twisting wristmovement that often comes withdigging and weeding.

Some good options includeRadius Garden tools (www.radiusgarden.com), which make a varietyof curved-handle hand tools(scooper, weeder, transplanter,

cultivator, and trowel) and shovelsthat run between $10 and $50.

And check out Corona tools(www.coronatoolsusa.com), whichmakes the ComfortGEL and eGriphand garden tools.

Another excellent product is the“Cobrahead Weeder and Cultivator”(www.cobrahead.com), an all-purposedigging and weeding tool, availablein a short-handle version for close-up work for $25 and a long handlefor standing work for $60.

Knee and back aids: Kneepadsand garden seats can also protectyour knees and save your back whenworking close to the ground.

Some popular products soldtoday through the Gardener’sSupply Company (www.gardeners.com) are the “GardenEase Kneeler”($70), which is a kneeling pad withsupport handles; the “GardenKneeler” ($35) that’s akneepad/garden bench combo; andthe “Deluxe Tractor Scoot withBucket Basket,” which is a height-adjustable, swivel garden seat onwheels ($90).

Pruning tools: Fiskars(www.fiskars.com) makes some ofthe finest ergonomic pruning toolsthat have also earned the Arthritis

Foundation’s Ease of UseCommendation because of theirpatented PowerGear mechanismsthat increase leverage to makecutting three times easier thantraditional pruners.

The Fiskars PowerGear handpruners, loppers, and hedge shearsall run between $25 and $48.

Bahco and Corona also make anice line of ergonomic pruning toolsand handsaws that you can see atwww.bahcostore.com orwww.coronatoolsusa.com.

Watering: To help make yourwatering chores a little easier,there are lightweight gardenhoses, soaker or drip hoses thatcan be snaked throughout thegarden, and hose chests that canautomatically rewind themselves.

Some good companies thatmake these products includeWater Right Inc.(www.waterrightinc.com), whichmakes a variety of superlightweight garden and coilhoses; the DIG Corp.(www.digcorp.com), which makesconvenient drip-irrigation kitsand micro sprinkler kits; andSuncast (www.suncast.com), theleading maker of self-windinghose reels and hose carts.

Container gardening: Raisedgarden beds, trellises, and containergardening are also easier ways togrow plants and flowers because itbrings the garden to you,eliminating most stooping,squatting, and kneeling.

The Gardener’s Supply Company(www.gardeners.com) offers a widerange of raised beds and gardencontainers at prices ranginganywhere between $10 up to $350.

Locally, Your Garden Solution(www.yourgardensolution.org, (717)919-1010) offers raised beds andgarden tables in a similar pricerange.

Jim Miller is a regular contributor tothe NBC Today show and author of TheSavvy Senior Book. www.savvysenior.org

Ergonomic Tools thatCan Ease Gardening Pains

Savvy Senior

Jim Miller

A raised garden table is an option for moreergonomic gardening (Your Garden Solution).

This story begins on a Sundayafternoon in my mom’s assistedliving facility.

An accordion player, Ramon, comesevery week. He is 50, good looking, andLatin and is the heartthrob of thefacility—and he definitely knows it. Hestruts, he prances, he winks, and theladies all put on an extra dab of rougewhen Ramon is there.

Lately, however, Ramon seems boredand is just going through the motions,like he would rather be somewhere else.When he played his half-hearted versionof “You SendMe,” he wasreally sendingeveryone to sleep.

I was sittingnext to my mom,and I could seethat half of theseniors in thelobby weredozing, butRamon didn’tseem to care. Heknew he was theonly game in town.

And then the game changed! Mydaughter Ann arrived with her 8-month-old baby, Summer. My granddaughterlooked gorgeous. Even at 8 months shewas making a real fashion statement withher bow matching her outfit. Ann putmy granddaughter in my mom’s lap. Andthere they sat, both of them smilingaway.

And then a strange thing happened.All 60 gray heads in the lobby turned in

unison and watched my granddaughterwith her great-grandmother. Ramon wasmomentarily forgotten. The heartthrobhad been replaced.

So what could the accordion playerdo? Of course he stepped up his game torecapture the audience. Nobody wasgoing to steal his thunder. He started toplay faster and louder as he bouncedaround the room, desperately trying toget everyone’s attention.

He played “Chattanooga Choo Choo”and “Great Balls of Fire.” Both songswere crowd pleasers and the seniors

turned towardhim, but thenSummer wouldgiggle andaudience turnedback to her. Itwas like theseniors werewatching achampionshippingpong match,their headsturning right andleft.

Ramon played his accordion fasterand faster. He would crescendo anddecrescendo. Everyone stared at him.Summer would answer with a coo and agurgle, and everyone would then stare ather.

Ramon’s fingers were now flyingacross the accordion. And then he didsomething he hadn’t done in years: aquadruple bellow shake. In the space ofone beat, he hit a note four times. It wasbreathtaking, and everyone watched him.

Summer then made a sound,“boeleebboobbaa,” and everyone turnedtoward her.

Finally, Ramon decided it was time tostop fooling around. He had to establishhis superiority. He had to squashSummer and once again become theKing of Assisted Living. And he tried todo it by playing “Bolero.” That’s right—he was going for the tango!

And he didn’t just play “Bolero.” Healso grabbed one of the ladies from herseat and somehow danced with her whilekeeping his accordion at full blast.Everyone was watching.

And then Summer did something

miraculous. She yelped, “Whoooo,whooooo” and wiggled her body asthough she were dancing.

Game. Set. Match. Summer haddefeated Ramon. She had clearly becomethe Queen of Assisted Living. AndRamon had no choice but toacknowledge her superiority anddecided, “If you can’t beat ’em, join’em.”

He danced over to Summer whileplaying “You Must Have Been aBeautiful Baby.” All eyes were now onSummer and Ramon. But really, theywere just looking at Summer. All hail thequeen.

Older But Not Wiser

Sy Rosen

There’s a New Heartthrob in Town


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

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

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

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

CCRCContinuing Care


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

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

Church of God Home801 North Hanover StreetCarlisle, PA 17013Sherry HeimDirector of Development/PR(717) [email protected]

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

Garden Spot Village433 South Kinzer AvenueNew Holland, PA 17557Megan FarberSales and Marketing(717) [email protected]

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

Charles Wilson grew up in a smalltown near Bel Air, Md. Thoughhe didn’t know it then, he was to

spend a lot of time over the broadPacific on the opposite side of the worldfrom his home.

In January of 1943, he enlisted in theArmy Air Corps and entered the aviationcadet program. After basic, he went toclassified, where he passed all therequirements to become either a pilot, anavigator, or a bombardier. He chose tobecome a pilot and started pilot trainingat Albany, Ga.

He soon discovered that there were

lots of ways to “washout” of pilot training,and he then went tonavigator training atSelma, Ala. There, inDecember 1943, he wonhis navigator wings and acommission as secondlieutenant.

The Air Corps waslooking for navigatorswho had also qualifiedto be bombardiers, so hevolunteered to attendbombardier school at

Roswell, N.M. He thereearned his bombardierwings before beingassigned to a B-25 crewat Greenville, S.C.

The standard B-25crew was made up ofeight men: pilot, copilot,navigator, bombardier,radio man, two waistgunners, and a tailgunner. In his case,however, it was onlyseven men, since heserved as both navigator

and bombardier.Their route to combat took them to

California, Hawaii, and New Guinea.How did they find their way across thosegreat expanses of the Pacific?

“That’s where I came in,” he grins.“By looking down through the Nordenbombsight, I could see the waves, andthat helped me estimate the directionand force of the wind.”

And where did he learn to do that? “In Selma,” he says, “right out of the

textbook.” But without any real waves to see? “Yeah,” he says airily, “but it worked

In WWII in the Pacific, There Was a Lotof Water to Fly Over Between Islands

Robert D. Wilcox

Salute to a Veteran

2LT Charles A. Wilson in 1943as he earned his navigator

wings and commission.



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

CCRCContinuing Care


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

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

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

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

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

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

Serving from theHeart in the Spirit of

Friendship, Love,and Truth

If you would like to be featured

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please contact your

account representative or call

(717) 285-1350.

St. Anne’sRetirement Community3952 Columbia AvenueWest Hempfield Township, PA 17512Christina GallagherDirector of Marketing(717) 285-5443cgallagher@stannesrc.orgwww.stannesretirementcommunity.com

out just fine when you had real waves tolook at. And,” he adds, “I was able to‘shoot the sun’ to judge our speed overthe water.”

With a smile, he says, “It had towork, because I didn’t even know how toswim.”

After bombing the Japanese on NewGuinea and nearby islands, he and hiscrew were relocated to Morotai Island,where it rained for a solid month.Everything—their clothing, theirbedding, everything they had—wascontinually soaked.

Although they flew missions throughthe weather, everybody got “jungle rot.”Their hands swelled up with the tropicalinfection so that they couldn’t even write.Fortunately, the medics had an ointmentto treat it, but it was an experience thatWilson would prefer to forget.

The crew moved again, this time toPalawan Island in the Philippines, where

they bombed Luzon and nearby islands.Wilson says all the island settlementswere on the edge of islands, close to thewater. So they would circle over theland, then, at treetop height, dropbombs on the facilities on their waytoward the water so that, if they werehit, they’d be able to ditch in the waterrather than crash on the land in Japanesehands.

Not all missions involved bombs,though. The Japanese planted crops onsome of the islands they captured. Thefood they produced was needed, becausere-supply from Japan was so precarious.Wilson remembers flying missions tospray those crops with oil and destroythem.

On another kind of mission entirely,their B-25s were fitted with auxiliaryfuel tanks, and they flew a 16-hourmission, leading P-38s to a rendezvouswith B-24s off the coast of China,

aircraft that went on to bomb Japanesebases in China.

On one other key mission, they wereto fly to Leyte Island to cover GeneralMacArthur’s return to the Philippines.They ran into a huge monsoon theytried to climb over, but every time theyneared the top of the clouds, they foundthat the clouds were climbing faster thanthey were. So they had to abort theirshot at history being made.

Did he ever get shot up in combat? “No,” he says. “The closest we came

was when we were supporting theinvasion of Borneo. I saw the B-25 tothe left of us go down in flames. Thenthe same thing happened to the plane tothe right of us. But we came through itwithout a scratch.

“Then, after I had flown 53 missions,my tour was over, and I returned to theU.S. on a converted ocean liner. Justbefore we reached California, we got

news that the A-bomb had beendropped on Hiroshima. And the newsthat the Japanese had surrenderedreached us on the day that I musteredout of the Air Corps at Fort Meade.”

Wilson then entered the University ofMaryland on the G.I. Bill and in 1950graduated with a B.A. in mathematics.He taught high school mathematics for acouple of years, and then worked forthree years at Aberdeen Proving Groundsusing wind tunnels to study the effect ofwind on missiles.

For many years thereafter, he wrotecomputer programs for a major financecompany.

He often thinks of—but rarelydiscusses—all those hours he flew in thePacific with nothing below him butwater.

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

Dear Mark: Your recent columnabout someone who found credits in aslot machine brought to mind anincident that happened to me a fewweeks ago at the MGM Grand inDetroit.

I accidentally left my $97 voucheron the bar. When I came back from therestroom, it was gone. I reported myloss to security.

Within an hour, they caughtsomeone on “the eye in the sky”cashing the ticket in. This is one timethat I lost my money at a casino andthey gave me my money back. – James B.

Contrary to some mailbag responsethat didn’t quite believe what a casinodoes with the left-behind credits orvouchers, I must reiterate, it really isn’tsmart customer service for a casino topocket lost loot.

Returning player winnings to itsrightful owner is one of many ways acasino builds on customer loyalty. Heck,handing a player $97 that justly belongsto him can keep him yanking handles intheir casino forlife.

From thecasino’sperspective,customer loyaltycomes throughhaving a strongrelationshipwith its players.When a playersees them as afriend and ally,they are reluctant to jump ship toanother casino, even if it means they canget a sweeter deal elsewhere.

Given the competitive nature of thegambling business, casinos protect their

customers as a mother bear does hercubs.

Customers will decide whether totrust a casino based upon their day-to-day behavior. Handing you back your

$97 builds onthat trust.

Make thattype ofbehaviorconsistentover time—and here iswhere manycasinos fallshort—andthemanagement

knows you can be counted on as “their”patron. If their behavior becomesunpredictable, you, the consumer, willfind another joint to which you takeyour money.

James, getting your $97 back was ano-brainer for the casino.

Dear Mark: Are you aware of a goodvideo poker program that will run on aMacintosh laptop? I had Bob Dancer’sprogram on my old PC, which I likeda lot, but it is not available in a Macversion. I would like to find a similarproduct, but I am not having any luck. – Charlie P.

Unfortunately, Charlie, though I havebeen in the Mac world since its infancy, Itoo have yet to find software comparableto Dancer’s Video Poker for Winners! It is

specifically for that reason that I keep anold PC laptop lying around, as youshould too.

Besides using VP for Winners! as avideo poker game that replicates the IGTmachines you see in a casino, you canalso use it as a tutorial, create strategies,focus on problem areas, check unusualhands, figure slot club paybacks, and awhole lot more.

One of my favorite features of thissoftware program is the ability to printout game-specific strategy charts that youcan take to the casino with you. Themoney you save by never having to payfor another strategy chart alone will morethan pay for the cost of the $50program.

In addition, I like that VPW allowsyou to change pay tables and thenanalyze that game’s overall expectedreturn. Finally, I like the ability todetermine what your bankroll needs areto avoid going broke.

There is no better way to master videopoker than with this software program. Irecommend, Charlie, that you stick withit.

Gambling Wisdom of the Week: “To bea winner, you have to really want to be awinner.” – Avery Cardoza, How to PlayWinning Poker (1987)

Mark Pilarski is a recognized authority oncasino gambling, having survived 18 years inthe casino trenches. Pilarski is the creator ofthe bestselling, award-winning audio bookseries on casino gambling, Hooked onWinning. www.markpilarski.com


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he letter began: “Dear Saralee,I’ll get right to it. We arecousins.”

When I first read Robin’s words, Ididn’t believe her. How could I have afirst cousin I knew nothing about?

She found me by Googling my name. “I would love to speak with you and

share family memories,” she wrote. So Icalled her at her home in Pennsylvania.

Sure enough, her mother was myAunt Rebecca. I never even knew myaunt had a child.

When Robin and I spoke, it was liketalking to a sister. We usedthe same expressions,laughed and cried alike,related like we’d neverbeen apart, and evendescribed ourselves in thesame goofy way: aslunatics.

Her children’s careersare in writing andpsychology, just like myprofessions. We both signour emails: “Love, me.”And we each include ourdogs in the family photoswe send.

Together, we figured out why wenever knew each other existed.

I haven’t thought about my mother’smelancholia in a while. Oh, how Iblame myself for waiting until it was toolate to make things better.

Mom’s history was one of neglect andabuse. She wanted so desperately to beloved, but her fury at her parents wasunrelenting. So she took it out on themost important people in her world—the ones she held closest to her heart.

Most of her family wouldn’t speak toher. She didn’t understand that byconstantly hanging up on relatives aftershouting at them, they’d stop calling.

She didn’t understand that beingmean didn’t solve problems; it justalienated people.

And I didn’t understand that whenMom slammed her door each time I’dleave, it was because she wanted menearby, in her home and in her heart.

My poor mother crippled her ownlife when all she truly wanted was thecloseness she never had. How immatureand selfish of me, as an adult, not to see

the love she so deeply longed for. WhenI told Robin that Mom ended her ownlife, she was not surprised.

And so, Aunt Rebecca and herhusband, my uncle Jack, were includedin the sad picture of estranged relatives.Therefore, I had no idea Robinexisted—until now.

Sadly, everyone, other than mybrother, stopped talking with me whenthey gave up on my mom. Although I’vetried to reconnect, no one hasresponded. But now, I’ve been acceptedinto a new family, with all the richness

that goes along with feelingwelcomed by loved oneswith a shared past.

In her first email, Robinwrote, “I was awake all lastnight thinking of us. I findit unbelievable butwonderful and astounding!If you tried to write it, theywould call it fiction.”

I said, “I’m so happyyou found me.”

“So am I.”My mother would have

treasured being a part ofthis extraordinary reunion.

After all, the love I found is all she everwanted.

The truth is—my mother loved meas intensely as I loved her.

If only I had said, “I love you, Mom.I didn’t mean to hurt you so much,especially when I left for college. Younever meant to hurt me. You justwanted me to always be with youbecause you loved me in the purestsense. I should have known this.”

I wish I had told her that eventhough we didn’t shop, talk on thephone, or share secrets and laughter theway many mothers and daughters do,we still loved each other profoundly—asstrongly as rivers can flow and birds cansoar.

Maybe, oh maybe, somewhere in hertender, aching heart, she knew.

Saralee Perel is an award-winning, nationallysyndicated columnist. Her new book isCracked Nuts & Sentimental Journeys: StoriesFrom a Life Out of Balance. To find outmore, visit www.saraleeperel.com or [email protected].

Such is Life

Saralee Perel

Finding a FamilyAgain

Saralee and her motherin 1977.

T


Lebanon County

Calendar of EventsSenior Center Activities

Annville Senior Community Center – (717) 867-1796200 S. White Oak St., AnnvilleAug. 13, 12:30 p.m. – Applause Summer Music Revue at the TimbersAug. 18, 10:30 a.m. – Planning Committee MeetingAug. 20, 11:30 a.m. – Calendar Mailing List, Stromboli and Salad Lunch

Maple Street Community Center – (717) 273-1048710 Maple St., LebanonAug. 8, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. – Bus Trip: New Freedom Train Ride Lunch at

Brown’s OrchardAug. 22, 10:30 a.m. – Crochet Necklace for CraftAug. 27, 10:30 a.m. – Summer Fling Covered Dish

Myerstown Senior Community Center – (717) 866-6786Myerstown Baptist Church, 59 Ramona Road, MyerstownAug. 5, 11:45 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. – Bus Trip: American Music TheatreAug. 20, noon – Everybody’s Birthday PartyAug. 27, 27, 7:45 a.m. – Breakfast Club at Kold Duck Café

Northern Lebanon Senior Community Center – (717) 865-0944335 N. Lancaster St., Jonestown – www.jonestownpa.org/senior.htmlAug. 11, 12:15 p.m. – Farm Market BingoAug. 12, 10:45 a.m. – Art History Presentation: Paul CezanneAug. 22, 9:30 a.m. – Computer Class: Lesson One, “The Very Basics”

Palmyra Senior Community Center – (717) 838-8237101 S. Railroad St., PalmyraAug. 7, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. – Bus Trip: Middletown Train Ride and Hobo LunchAug. 15, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. – Bus Trip: “Spirit of Philadelphia” Lunch CruiseAug. 20, 10:30 a.m. – Left-Handers Information and Discussion

Please contact your local center for scheduled activities.

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

free events occurring in Lebanon County!

Email preferred to: [email protected]

(717) 285-1350

Let help you get the word out!

What’s Happening?

Programs and Support Groups Free and open to the public

Lebanon County Department of Parks and Recreation

All events held at the Park at Governor Dick unless noted.

Aug. 3, 1 to 4 p.m. – Music on the Porch: Bluegrass and Country Music JamAug. 10, 2 p.m. – A Whisper WalkAug. 24, 1:30 p.m. – The Art of Coal Making

Aug. 27, 6 to 7 p.m. – Personal Care Family Support GroupLinden Village100 Tuck Court, Lebanon(717) 274-7400

All I have to do to get mygrandkids’ eyes rolling is talkabout the good old days.

No, I don’t tell ’em how far I walkedto school (school was only a block away).But I might say I remember when, if youwanted to change channels on the TV,you had to get up, walk over, and turn aknob.

Then I’ll tell them how you had toadjust the rabbit ears to get a betterpicture. They’re not curious enough to

ask me what rabbit earswere, or how great TheColgate Comedy Hour was.They don’t care.

They don’t care if I neverhad a telephone that tookpictures. Or how we’d sendfilm into Kodak and getprints back in a week.They’re too busy texting.And they never heard ofKodak. I remember when

text was not a verb and textingwas not a word.

Yes, I have a cell phone.I’m not a Luddite. “Does ithave a crank on it?” you’reprobably asking. No, itdoesn’t. It’s a TracFone. No,it’s not smart, but it only costsme $7 a month. When you’reon a fixed income (aeuphemism for being broke),things like that matter.

I have given up on getting mygrandkids to join me in a game ofcheckers, dominos, or pickup sticks. ButI’ve learned to get their attention byasking them to show me their latestvideo game—a game that interests meabout as much as my games interestthem.

We do have that in common.

Visit www.nostalgiaroad.com

Nostalgia Road

Dick Dedrick

When I Was Your Age


Everyone likes to read good news, so tell us what’s happeningin your part of the world so we can share it with others!

Here are some ideas of what we hope you will contribute:

• a birthday or anniversary milestone

• a volunteer who should be recognized

• a photo of a smile that begs to be shared

• a groundbreaking event

• community activities

• support programs

• local news

We would love to consider your submissionfor an upcoming issue of 50plus Senior News*.

Please note: submissions must be received bythe 10th of the month prior to insertion.

* Submissions will be included as space permits.

For more information or to submit your happenings,

email Megan Joyce at [email protected] or mail to:

50plus Senior NewsMegan Joyce

3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512

Help 50plus Senior Newsspread your local news!

In just months, Marcinko wouldbecome closer to the felines that causedher to sniffle.

To solve the problem of wasted taxdollars and control the growing catcolonies, Marcinko adopted a populartrack, spay/neuter, and return program.Marcinko and a crew of volunteers tooka personal approach. They developrelationships with those who feed andcome to love the stray cats.

Their first case was a woman pleadingfor help with the 50 cats who hadcongregated inher yard. Itstarted whenher little boydidn’t like thecrust on hispeanut butterand jellysandwiches.

Tossing thescraps out inthe yard forthe birdsended upattracting astray cat. Thefamilycontinued to feed it but soon found theyhad attracted an entire colony of hungryfelines.

What seemed like a cute way to helpone feral cat turned into anoverwhelming population of hungryfelines.

While they want the problem fixed,the last thing on their minds was hurtingthe animals.

“Most of these people are older andthey don’t have anything else,” she said.“I used to take my business card andthrow it in a mailbox and run, hopingthat they would call me. It’s a programthat requires a lot of patience andunderstanding.”

Marcinko learned to pour outcompassion for the people who longed tohelp the animals but didn’t want to losethem.

Entire colonies are taken to thedesignated clinic at the caretaker’spermission.

“You can’t just take one or two at atime,” Marcinko said. “It doesn’t work tolet everyone else stay behind to have funand make more cats.”

They are then spayed or neutered by avolunteer veterinarian, kept for severaldays to recover, and released where theywere found.

Grant money and donations pay forthe medical care, while volunteers shellout hundreds of hours a month to keepthe program running. PetSmart Charities

has been a big supporter, allowing themto renovate an old bank for the surgeries.

In about four years, the town savedenough money to hire two policeofficers. Marcinko, who retired fromcounty parole and probation, is able toget 200 community service hours amonth from people going through thesystem for non-violent crimes.

Some of them have been doctors,lawyers, and even veterinarians whoreturn to help even after completingtheir required community service hours.

And eventhough theprogramprimarilycaters tocontrolling thepopulation,Marcinko can’tresist helping ahurt cat.

Sometimesthe cats cometo the clinicwith brokentails or missingeyes fromfights within

the colonies. Pregnant cats might also besent to the Humane Society, so thekittens have a chance at avoiding theferal life.

More than 3,300 cats have beenspayed or neutered since 2010, causingthe local population to drop by about 75percent in that time.

“I feel really alive when I do this,” shesaid. “None of us is getting younger, butI hope I can continue to do this,continue to help the community, even asI age.”

While the program avoids adoptingthe cats (most wouldn’t be happy in ahome anyway, Marcinko said), the lovefor these animals is evident.

“The reason why this program keepsgoing is because people love it,”Marcinko said. “Even when I’m in therewith my mask on, trying not to handlethem, there is love.”

Not the type to sit at home in herretirement, Marcinko hopes she cancontinue to keep busy with the catprogram and maybe watch it be adoptedby other municipalities.

“My mother is 94 years old and livesby herself, and we travel together,”Marcinko said. “I’m just hoping I haveher blood and can keep doing this aslong as she keeps running circles aroundme.”

For more information aboutMarcinko’s stray cat program, please call(717) 877-4146.

FELINES from page 1

In a single midsummer day, more than70 feral cats await care from volunteer

veterinarians inside the program’s facility.


WORD SEARCH

SUDOKU

Solutions for all puzzles can be found on page 14

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

1. Gum5. Cupid9. Clothed13. Existence14. Grottos16. Italian capital17. Breakfasts18. Dropsy19. Summit20. Foe22. Washed-up lumber?24. Bonsai25. Warhorse26. Bothers29. Separates

33. Norse deity35. Pres. Lincoln36. Stetson37. Personal pronoun38. Service personnel

(abbr.)39. Before (prefix)40. Fall behind41. Nitty-gritty43. Likewise44. ____ mater45. Ger. city46. Boils slowly48. Break out

50. Turkish monetaryunit

52. Large, fragrant, whiteor yellow flowers

56. Worship58. Egg-shaped59. Common fraction61. Looked62. Vehicle63. Medleys64. Skim through65. Roman date66. Jazz singing67. Indian buzzard

1. Downwind2. Goliath3. Social club type4. Blot again5. Hotshot6. DUI org.7. Supervise8. Pays9. Shellfish10. Balmy11. Weaponry12. Exploit15. Dependable

21. Affirmative23. Indian lodge27. Cruise28. Weight units (abbr.)30. Status symbol31. Streetcar32. Heroic tale33. Shaver34. Garden tools36. Starting at38. Expressive style39. Small dog, for short42. Conifer droppings

43. Famous ship44. Most desiccated46. Patters47. Highest note49. Bib. word51. Regions52. Mongolian desert53. Eager54. Another 34 Down55. Gr. portico57. Ferber, for one60. Presidential

monogram

Across

Down

CROSSWORD


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Puzzl

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Traveltizers Travel Appetizers: Stories that Whet the Appetite for Travel

By Andrea Gross

Lewis and Clark traveledmore than 4,000 milessearching for a water

route that would span theAmerican West. Where did theyend up? On a small stretch ofsand near Seaside, Ore., 80miles west of Portland.

Today Seaside is a popularrecreational community,attracting visitors who wantsurf-perfect waves, abundanttide pools, good hiking, and thechance to follow the Lewis andClark Corps of Discoveryduring the last days of their journey tothe Pacific.

My husband and I walk throughtown, heading toward a bronze statuethat immortalizes the area’s flirt withfame. The streets are filled with people.

Some are simply strolling, enjoyingthe sea-fresh air, while others areshopping in an eclectic assortment of

stores, many of which are arrangedaround an old-fashioned merry-go-round in the aptly named CarouselMall.

Of course, we intersperse ourmeanderings with food—a fish taco atFirehouse Grill, homemade root beerand ice cream at Flashback’s, and a cupof the clam chowder that Bon Appétit

dubbed “one of America’s top 10 soups”at Norma’s.

To work off the calories, we go toWheel Fun Rentals, where we debatewhether to rent a surrey (elegant), atandem bike (easy, especially for me), ora regular bicycle (exercise for both of us).

We finally opt for bikes so we canexplore areas on the outskirts of town as

well as pedal the Promenade, a1.5-mile concrete path that runsparallel to the sea.

There, at the point where theProm intersects Broadway, is thebronze statue of the twoexplorers. It’s larger than life, asbefits the men it depicts, and isbacked with a sign that reads,“the END of the LEWIS &CLARK trail, 1805-1806.”

The next morning we set outto learn why and how Seasidebecame the last stop of theLewis and Clark expedition.

We begin at CapeDisappointment, 30 miles

northwest of Seaside. “Since this is one of the foggiest

places in the country, it’s almost certainthat you’re having the same weather asdid the Lewis and Clark team,” says aranger. “But they were too elated toworry about the weather; they hadfinally reached the Pacific Ocean.”

We forego the beachcombing for

The Beach at the End of the Trail

A bronze statue of Lewis andClark stands near the beach in

Seaside, Ore.

People relax on the bench near thePromenade, the 1.5-mile concretewalkway that parallels the beach.

Men from the Lewis and Clarkexpedition first spotted the PacificOcean near Cape Disappointment.

Information and support at your fingertips —

Call for your free copy — 717.285.1350or

view it online at www.onlinepub.com (under supplements)

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For more than 18 years, 50plus LIVING hasbeen the guide to living and care options.

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Call about Early Bird Savings!Must reserve ad space by Aug. 29, 2014

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Your guide to choosing the right livingand care options for you or a loved one:

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Online &In Print.

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which the 1,900-acre park is famous,instead spending our time at theinterpretive center and hiking a trail thatwas used by the corpsmen as theyexplored the area.

Although themen were eager toreturn home afterachieving theirgoal, many asnow-coveredmountain stoodbetween thePacific Ocean andtheir startingpoint in St. Louis.They needed ahunkering placefor the winter,and they found asuitable spot onthe Oregon sideof the ColumbiaRiver, midwaybetween the Capeand Seaside.

Today thatspot, FortClatsop, is aNationalHistorical Parkthat features afull-size replica ofthe original fort,ranger-ledprograms, anexhibit area, and abookstore thatwill please eventhe most devotedLewis and Clarkfans.

As we walkthrough the fort,a costumedinterpreterexplains what lifewas like duringthe winter of1805-06. In short,it was hard. Themen were almostout of food, andthey spent muchof their timehunting elk, deer,and small game.

On oneoccasion, hearingthat a whale hadwashed ashore,they hiked overTillamook Head to the beach in what isnow Ecola State Park. To their dismay, bythe time they arrived, the AmericanIndians had picked the whale clean.

We consider following the explorers’footsteps until we read that Clark called

Tillamook Head “the steepest, worst &highest mountain I ever ascended.”

Figuring that he was undoubtedly inbetter shape than we are, we hop in the

car for a 15-minute drive toEcola. From thereit’s acomparativelyeasy trek to thebeached whalesite.

But the mennot only had toget food, they alsohad to preserve it;and to do that,they had toextract salt fromthe ocean.

Therefore, fivecorpsmenestablished a smalloutpost on anearby beach.They made ovensfrom rocks, foundbranches for fuel,and boiledseawater for twomonths,collecting enoughpreservative tosafeguard theirfood for the restof their trip.

A month laterthe corps headedeast, and theabandoned saltworks thusbecame theexpedition’swesternmostcampsite. Todaythe reconstructedsite is just a fewblocks from thestatue thatproclaims Seasideas the end of theLewis and Clarktrail.

We sit on theProm, the oceanin front of us, thestatue behind us.While I suspectLewis and Clarkwere happy toreturn home, theycouldn’t have

found a more beautiful place to end theirjourney.

As for us, we’d like to stay forever.www.seasideor.com

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

Fort Clatsop consisted of two rows of hutsseparated by a central gathering spot.

An old-fashioned merry-go-round repletewith 24 fanciful animals dominates the

Carousel Mall.

Broadway Street is a perfect place to shop,snack, or just have a relaxing stroll.

Tillamook Head is at the southern end ofSeaside Beach.


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lebanon county 50plus senior news august 2014

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