dauphin county 50plus senior news august 2012

By Katie Weeber

Some people enjoy plants, purchasing a few potted blooms each summer

to decorate their backyards, while others are born with natural green thumbs.

Francesca McNichol is one of the latter.

McNichol has been using her greenery prowess to grow a new crop of

gardeners. As a member of a local garden club, McNichol has helped

organize and run several successful gardening initiatives that have brought

the knowledge of growing living things to adults and children alike,

including a community garden and a junior gardening class for inner-city

youth.

McNichol’s introduction to gardening came naturally, starting with her

childhood home on Long Island, N.Y.

“My mother loved roses. When I was younger, she had a beautiful rose

garden,” McNichol said.

In addition to the rose garden, there was a rock garden and other

beautiful, growing plants that McNichol’s mother cultivated around their

home.

When she was 19 years old, McNichol’s older brother purchased a farm in

upstate New York. He and his wife became avid gardeners caring for the

property, and McNichol spent most of her summers sharing in their labors.

GrowingCommunity Spirit

One Gardenat a Time

McNichol in the wooden gazebo positioned in the center of the

127-bed community garden she helped to organize.

Second Opinions:

When to Get One

page 4

She Served in the British

and Israeli Armies

page 10

please see GARDEN page 16

Inside:

Dauphin County Edition August 2012 Vol. 14 No. 8

2 August 2012 50plus SeniorNews e www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com

(717) 545-4001

A Legacy of Service

Dale A. Auer, Supervisor4100 Jonestown Road • Harrisburg, PA 17109

Funerals • Cremation • Pre-PlanningAsk about our: Cremation with Memorial Service Package - $2,485

Sunset Funeral Package - $3,885Traditional Funeral Package - $4,485

Cremation with Traditional Funeral Package - $4,485

(717) 545-4001

A great place to call home — or the care needed to remain at home.

Will they think of you?

A great place to call home — or the care needed to remain at home.

Will they think of you?

• Active adult and residential living

• Independent and retirement livingcommunities

• Assisted living residences andpersonal care homes

• Nursing and healthcare services

• Home care, companions, andhospice care providers

• Ancillary services

In print. Online at onlinepub.com.

Call about EarlyBird Savings!

Must reserve by Aug. 24, 2012

To include your community or service in the 2013 edition

or for a free copy of the 2012 edition, call your representative or

(717) 285-1350 or email [email protected]

For free tickets or for more information, go to: aGreatWayToSpendMyDay.com 717.285.1350

omen’s xpo

Cumberland County

E

Please, Join Us!The premier women’s expo in the Capital area

will feature exhibitors, demonstrations, shopping,and information that encompasses many aspects

of a woman’s life, including:

Beauty Home Health & Wellness ShoppingFashion Finance Technology Nutrition

and more!

November 3, 20129 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Carlisle Expo Center100 K Street, Carlisle, PA

11.03.12

Register todayand get in free! ($5 at the door)

Book Review

Cape Cod psychiatrist Dr. Sophie

Green is a hypochondriac and a

compulsive eater who comically

quells her conflicts with leftovers.

Now, Sophie has a

problem of her own: One

of her patients wants her

dead.

There’s Elizabeth,

whose abusive husband

blames Sophie for his

wife’s independence.

There’s Gracie, who is

involved with a

menacingly brilliant

psychiatrist, and there’s

Charlie, a man with

obsessive-compulsive

disorder who thinks he’s

in love with Sophie.

This is not your classic whodunit.

For more information, visit her

website, www.saraleeperel.com. Raw

Nerves is available via Amazon.com.

About the Author Saralee Perel is an

award-winning,

nationally syndicated

columnist. She is a

regular contributor to

Chicken Soup for the Soul

and has been published

in many of the nation’s

leading magazines and

newspapers, including

50plus Senior News.

Although Saralee, a

psychotherapist, claims

that the central character,

a neurotic psychiatrist, is

not autobiographically

inspired, readers who know her insist she

is lying.

Raw NervesBy Saralee Perel

Calling All AuthorsIf you have written and published a book and would

like 50plus Senior News to feature a Book Review,

please submit a synopsis of the book (350 words or

fewer) and a short autobiography (80 words or

fewer). A copy of the book is required for review.

Discretion is advised.

Please send to: On-Line Publishers, Inc., Megan Joyce,

3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512.

For more information, please email

[email protected].

Visual Examples Prove Persuasive

NurseNews

Gloria May, M.S., R.N., CHES

Jack is my friend Jenny’s companion.

He’s a big bear kind of guy,

handsome, but with dangerously high

blood pressure, and he carries an extra 40

pounds.

If it weren’t so potentially threatening

to his life and independence, it would be

amusing the way he dismisses his

hypertension. He’ll say it’s “white coat

syndrome,” meaning it reflects the

anxiety of seeing a doctor but which,

away from the doctor’s office, is “just

fine.” Or he’ll excuse it away as the

consequence of the salty

meal he had had the

night before his

appointment.

Until last week’s

checkup, Jack had

brushed off both his

doctor’s and Jenny’s

clearly stated concerns

and he’d not been at all

interested in diet

modifications or

medication.

Jenny told me that Jack

saw a new doctor in the

practice who, without

muss or fuss or many

words, brought out a

graph that showed the

direct and positive

correlation between rising

high blood pressure and

the increased risk of

strokes, heart attacks, and

kidney failure.

Then the doctor

dropped a zinger. “Jack,” he said, “I can

safely predict you’ll have one of these

‘events’ within five years if we don’t get

this hypertension and weight under

control.”

Now, Jack’s a man with an engineering

background, so visual representations are

what he’s comfortable with, what he

understands. Jenny said he studied the

graph for a moment, and then to

everyone’s surprise, said, “OK. What do I

www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com 50plus SeniorNews e August 2012 3

Central PA Poison Center(800) 521-6110

Dauphin County Office of Aging(717) 255-2790

Gipe Floor & Wall Covering(717) 545-6103

Zimmerman Auer Funeral Home(717) 545-4001

Alzheimer’s Association(717) 651-5020

American Diabetes Association(800) 342-2383

Arthritis Foundation – Central PA Chapter(717) 763-0900

CONTACT Helpline(717) 652-4400

The National Kidney Foundation(717) 757-0604(800) 697-7007

PACE(800) 225-7223

Social Security Information(800) 772-1213

Tri-County Association for the Blind(717) 238-2531

PA Healthcare Cost Containment Council(717) 232-6787

CareMinders Home Care(717) 454-0159

Safe Haven Quality Care(717) 238-1111

Visiting Angels(717) 652-8899

Dreammaker Bath & Kitchen(717) 367-9753

Homeland Hospice(717) 221-7890

B’Nai B’rith Apartments(717) 232-7516

Dauphin County Housing Authority(717) 939-9301

Property Tax/Rent Rebate(888) 728-2937

Apprise Insurance Counseling(800) 783-7067

GSH Home Med Care(717) 272-2057

Ability Prosthetics and Orthotics, Inc.(717) 458-8429

CVS/pharmacywww.cvs.com

Spring Creek Rehabilitation & HealthCare Center(717) 565-7000

Homeland Center(717) 221-7902

The Middletown Home(717) 941-3351

Dauphin County Area Agency on Aging(717) 255-2790

The Salvation ArmyEdgemont Temple Corps(717) 238-8678

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

Veterans Affairs(717) 626-1171(800) 827-1000

CAT Share-A-Ride(717) 232-6100

Lebanon VA Medical Center

(717) 228-6000

(800) 409-8771

Veterans Services

Transportation

Toll-Free Numbers

Services

Retirement Communities

Rehabilitation

Orthotics & Prosthetics

Medical Equipment & Supplies

Insurance

Housing Assistance

Housing/Apartments

Hospice Services

Home Improvement

Home Care Services

Healthcare Information

Health & Medical Services

Funeral Services

Floor Coverings

Emergency

This Resource Directory recognizes advertisers who have made

an extended commitment to your health and well-being.

Resource Directory

Not an all-inclusive list of advertisers in your area.

please see VISUAL page 8


50plus Senior News 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.

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:

[email protected]

Website address:

www.onlinepub.com

PRESIDENT AND PUBLISHERDonna K. Anderson

EDITORIAL

MANAGING EDITOR

Christianne Rupp

EDITOR, 50PLUS PUBLICATIONS

Megan Joyce

ART DEPARTMENT

PROJECT COORDINATOR

Renee McWilliams

PRODUCTION ARTIST

Janys Cuffe

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Lori Lampert

Angie McComsey

Ranee Shaub Miller

Sue Rugh

SALES COORDINATOR

Eileen Culp

CIRCULATION

PROJECT COORDINATOR

Loren Gochnauer

ADMINISTRATION

BUSINESS MANAGER

Elizabeth Duvall

Winner

Member of

Member of

Dear Savvy Senior,

Are second medical opinions worth

the trouble or risk of offending your

doctor? And does Medicare cover them?

– Nervous Nelly

Dear Nelly,

Yes! A second opinion is good

medicine and your right as a patient.

Besides, good doctors welcome

second opinions and will even offer

referrals to help you get one. If they

don’t, you probably ought to find

another doctor.

Here’s what you

should know.

SecondOpinions

There’s a

mountain of

evidence that

shows that

second opinions

save lives, prevent

mistakes, and cut

costs. Yet most

older patients

choose not to get

them because

they’re either afraid of offending

their doctor, don’t want to hassle

with it, or fear their insurance won’t

cover it.

But getting a second opinion

from a different doctor may offer

you a fresh perspective, new

information, and additional options

for treating your condition so you

can make a more informed decision.

Or, if the second doctor agrees

with the first, it can give you

reassurance.

Who Pays

In most cases, Medicare pays for

second opinions under Part B and

will even pay for a third opinion if

the first two differ. Most Medicare

Advantage plans also cover second

opinions, but some plans will require

a referral first from your primary

physician.

If you have private insurance,

you’ll need to check with your

insurance provider.

When to Ask

The key times you should seek a

second opinion are when:

• Your doctor suggests surgery. You

should always question elective

procedures, especially if a less

invasive alternative is available.

• You’re diagnosed with a life-

threatening disease such as cancer

or heart disease.

• You’re not getting any better.

• Your regular doctor can’t diagnose

your problem.

• You’re having trouble talking with

your current doctor.

• You’re having multiple medical

problems.

Where to Look

When you opt for a second

opinion, you can ask your first

doctor for a referral or, if that makes

you uncomfortable, seek one on your

own.

Whatever route you choose, it’s

best to go with a doctor that has

extensive experience in treating your

condition and one that’s affiliated

with a different practice or hospital

than your original doctor. Hospitals

and practices can be set in their ways

when it comes to treatments and are

likely to offer similar advice.

Physicians from research and

teaching hospitals are smart choices,

especially for rare or complicated

conditions, because of their ongoing

research and expertise in specific

areas of medicine.

To locate and research potential

doctors, the American Medical

Association (www.ama-assn.org) and

the American Osteopathic

Association (www.osteopathic.org)

offer free doctor-finding services that

list virtually every licensed physician

in the U.S.

Another good resource is Health

Grades (www.healthgrades.com),

which provides detailed reports on

doctors for a small fee.

Also see Vitals.com, a

free service that lets

you search for top-

rated doctors based on

their training,

expertise, consumer

ratings, and

recommendations from

other doctors.

Online Advice

If you’re having a

hard time finding or

getting to another

doctor for a second

opinion, consider the

Internet. Yes, Web-based second

opinions are now available from top

medical centers that allow you to

consult with medical experts

regardless of where they’re located.

The cost for this online advice

ranges between $500 and $1,000 and

is usually not covered by insurance or

Medicare.

Savvy Tips: Before you get a

second opinion, you’ll need to have

your doctor’s office send your

medical records ahead to the second

doctor (you may have to pick them

up and deliver them yourself ), and

be sure he or she knows about your

original diagnosis and the course of

treatment recommended by your first

doctor.

If they disagree, you may want to

seek that third opinion, or go back to

your original doctor for further

consultation.

Jim Miller is a regular contributor to the

NBC Today show and author of TheSavvy Senior Book. www.savvysenior.org.

Second Opinions: Why ManySeniors Don’t, but Should, Get One

Savvy Senior

Jim Miller


AAdddd ssoommee eexxcciitteemmeenntt ttoo yyoouurr ccaalleennddaarr

Saturday, August 4 • 10 a.m. to noon

Beach Bingo Treasure Hunt with prizes & refreshments

Tuesday, August 7 • 6:30 p.m.

Let’s Talk Seniors: Health Care in the Home


Cool as a Cucumber “Spa” Day: Enjoy a spa experience & refreshments

Friday, August 17 • 2 p.m.

VA Seminar presentation by Catie Scheib from Veteran’s Financial. Refreshments available.


Celebrating the United States Air Force. Exhibit by local Air Force recruiting office.

Refreshments will be served.

Saturday, August 18 • 10 a.m.

Let’s Talk Seniors: Fall Prevention Seminar

Tuesday, August 21 • 6:30 p.m.

Let’s Talk Seniors: Understanding Independent Living vs. Other Senior Living

Presentation by Kathleen Wall, Geriatric Care Manager & Lic. Social Worker

Friday, August 24 • 3 to 4 p.m.

Taste of Holiday Chef Cooking Demonstration with Chef Jesse preparing his favorite dish.

Saturday, August 25 • 3 to 4 p.m.

Taste of Holiday Chef Cooking Demonstration with Chef Charles preparing his favorite dish.

4500 Oakhurst Blvd. • Harrisburg, PA 17110

717-540-1895

• Breakfast with Ben Barber and News with Dennis Edwards

• John Tesh with Music and Intelligence for Your Workday

• Bruce Collier & The Drive Home

WE PLAY OVER1500 GREAT SONGS!

Harrisburg’sOldies Channel!

Find us at AM 960 or at whylradio.com

There Goes Granny

Older But Not Wiser

Wanda and I went to the

county fair, which was kind of

odd for us. We’re not big fair

people, although I was looking forward

to the pig races.

Wanda has been on a kick to try new

things, to live life to the fullest. I tried to

convince her that lying on the couch and

watching the new fall TV season is an

exciting adventure, but for some reason,

she just wouldn’t buy it.

The fair was kind of fun but a little

dangerous. Everywhere I looked there

was food—hotdogs, corndogs, sausage

dogs, beef ribs, pork ribs … Just by

breathing, I was filling my body with

secondhand cholesterol.

And the rides were a little scary. You

see, I’m afraid of heights. Well, actually,

that’s not true. I’m afraid of falling from

heights. Wanda, on the other hand, was

fearless, especially when we came to this

60-foot giant slide where you had to

climb to the top, put a blanket under

your butt, and then hurtle down to the

bottom.

Wanda insisted that

we both try it, so we

trudged up to the top.

Being a manly man, or

at least pretending to

be, I said I’d go first.

I pushed off and the

wind was in my face—

it was exciting and

thrilling and the best 4

feet of my life. That’s

when I somehow

managed to stop myself

and crawl off. Slightly humiliated, I told

Wanda I’d wait for her at the bottom and

I began my walk of shame downward.

When I reached the bottom, I waved

up to Wanda and she began her fast-

paced decent. She was really flying and

had a look of total exhilaration on her

face. I was smiling just watching her,

when I heard a young couple talking

next to me. The guy, referring to Wanda,

said, “There goes

Granny!”

The thing is, I’m not

exactly sure why I took

it as such an insult.

Our daughter got

married about 6

months ago and we

definitely want

grandchildren. But it

was the way he said

it—it was mocking,

condescending, and

patronizing, like Wanda didn’t belong on

that slide. He was definitely making fun

of her. Luckily, she didn’t hear him.

I was mad, but I didn’t want to make

a big deal out of it. I wanted to handle

the whole situation maturely, and I think

I did that by not directly confronting

him. Since the guy was overweight, I

simply mumbled under my breath, “The

pig races are starting in 10 minutes. You

better scurry on down there if you want

to participate.”

The chubby guy thought he heard

something but wasn’t quite sure, so he

said, “Huh?”

I very forcefully said “huh” back.

I then took Wanda’s arm and we went

on our way. When we passed tubby, I

may have made a snorting sound, but it

was done very tastefully and maturely.

The rest of the day was a lot of fun.

Wanda went on several different

rollercoasters and I watched her while

eating several different sausage dogs.

As we were leaving the fair, Wanda

said, “I went on a lot of rides today.”

“Yes, you did,” I replied.

“Not bad for an old lady!” she

exclaimed. And when Wanda said it, it

was OK.

Sy Rosen

September 8, 2012City Island, Harrisburg

Registration at 8:30 a.m. • Walk at 10:30 a.m.

Tiffani Chambers, Constituent Relations Manager

Alzheimer’s Association

(717) 651-5020 [email protected]

Alzheimer’s Association

3544 N. Progress Avenue, Suite 205 • Harrisburg, PA 17110

Registration brochures, team packets, and sponsorshippackets available. Please call (717) 651-5020 or email

[email protected]

•

Easy online registration at http://www.alz.org/walk

•

Volunteer opportunities available.

•

Teams and individuals welcome.

Chapter Sponsors

September 15, 2012Morgan Cousler Park, York

Registration at 9:30 a.m. • Walk at 11 a.m.

September 22, 2012Long’s Park, Lancaster

Registration at 8 a.m. • Walk at 10:30 a.m.


Are you 62+

or Older?

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Look at all we have to offer...

Meal Programs, Beauty Shop,

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Give us a call and check out

our fabulous facilities

B’NAI B’RITHAPARTMENTS

130 South Third Street • Harrisburg

(717) 232-7516

Visit Our

Website At:

50plusSeniorNewsPA.com

Central Pennsylvania’s

Award-Winning 50+ Publication

A Chevy toRemember

Such Is Life

Saralee Perel

My husband, Bob, has gone so

far as to name our car. He

calls it Old Yeller. Whenever I

suggest it’s time to retire it, he lovingly

pets the steering wheel and asks, “You

mean destroy Old Yeller?”

We have a 1970-something yellowish

Chevy Blazer. I can see the street

whizzing by through the holes in the

floorboard. I hear little clinking sounds

whenever we drive, and if I look out the

rear view, I see tiny pieces of Old Yeller

leaving a wake behind us.

I really hate this car.

“It’s time,” I gently said to Bob last

month, as we pulled in our driveway

and the door

handle came

off in my

hand.

“Great!” he

said and

jumped out of

the car. “I’ll

start the gas

grill.”

I brushed clumps of foam rubber (the

insides of the seat) off my pants. We

went in the house. “You know what I

mean,” I said.

“A woodworking show’s on,” he said,

and picked up the remote.

“Sweetheart.” I took the remote.

“Old Yeller’s had a really good life.”

“He just needs a tune-up, that’s all.”

He picked up the keys.

“It put itself into park while we were

driving 30 miles per hour.”

“He stalled,” he said, fondling the

keys.

“It stopped, Bob. My forehead’s still

bleeding.”

He stood and looked out the front

door. “I can’t,” he whispered.

“It’ll be humane, honey.”

“No it won’t,” he said. “No ceremony,

no remorse. Nothing. Just a push of a

lever and Old Yeller’s squashed like a

pancake and dumped in somebody’s

scrap heap.”

Late that night, I heard him get out

of bed and head to the kitchen. I put on

my robe and tiptoed in. He was pouring

himself a shot of whiskey from a bottle

we’ve had over 10 years. He drank it in

one gulp.

After he finished his coughing fit, I

held his hand. He said, “If anybody’s

going to put Old Yeller to sleep, it will

have to be me.”

I knew then: I had to go against his

wishes and take Old Yeller myself. The

next day, I drove the Chevy away and

got back to the house around noon.

“It was quick, Bob. Painless.”

“Old Yeller …” he moaned. Then he

went back to the whiskey bottle, picked

it up, changed his mind, and put it

down. He opened the freezer and found

a bag of mini Milky Ways and began

stuffing five in his mouth at a time.

“Honey. Don’t do this to yourself.” I

tried to take the bag away but he

grabbed it and

ran out of the

room, but not

before

snatching the

peanut butter

and Ritz

crackers.

It took two

weeks to get

Bob back on track. And that happened

yesterday. He was still in bed at 11

o’clock when I called him to come into

the living room. He was a wreck.

Unshaven. Dirty. I wiped the chocolate

off his lip.

“There’s something for you outside.”

“I need marshmallow fluff,” he said.

I took his hand and led him out the

front door. In the driveway was a car

covered by a big brown tarp that I

theatrically removed. There, all shiny

and bright yellow, was the Blazer. New

mirrors, chrome, paint, engine,

transmission, and sparkling hub caps.

Painted in script on the side was, of

course, Old Yeller.

Bob was overwhelmed, to say the

least. He opened the door and saw the

beautiful upholstered seats. Although he

was too moved to say anything, I got

the biggest hug in history. And though

Bob refers to this as one of the best days

of his life, I know it couldn’t have been

half as good as it was for me.

Saralee Perel is an award-winning, nationally

syndicated columnist. Her new book is

Cracked Nuts & Sentimental Journeys: StoriesFrom a Life Out of Balance. To find out

more, visit www.saraleeperel.com or email

[email protected].


CCRCContinuing Care

Retirement Communities

CCRCs (Continuing CareRetirement Communities)have so much to offer thevibrant, active, semi- orretired individuals of today.These communities present avariety of residential livingoptions in addition tocomprehensive medical andnursing services. Residentsmove between independentliving, personal care orassisted living, and nursingcare based on changingneeds. CCRCs can rangefrom all-inclusive monthlyrates to pay-as-you-go orfee-for-service.

These communities may alsooffer scheduled activities,programs, swimming pools,banks, chapels, fitnesscenters, walking paths,computer rooms, and more.More important, thesecommunities strive to providethe best in care, whichincludes a professional staff.

Bethany Village

325 Wesley Drive

Mechanicsburg, PA 17055

Stephanie Lightfoot

Director of Sales & Marketing

(717) 766-0279

www.bethanyvillage.org

Calvary Fellowship Homes

502 Elizabeth Drive

Lancaster, PA 17601

Marlene Morris

Marketing Director

(717) 393-0711

www.calvaryhomes.org

Ephrata Manor

99 Bethany Road

Ephrata, PA 17522

Admissions Department

(717) 738-4940

www.ucc-homes.org

Garden Spot Village

433 South Kinzer Avenue

New Holland, PA 17557

Scott Miller

Director of Marketing

(717) 355-6000

www.gardenspotvillage.org

Homeland Center

1901 North Fifth Street

Harrisburg, PA 17102-1598

Barry S. Ramper II, N.H.A.

President/CEO

(717) 221-7902

www.homelandcenter.org

Homestead Village Enhanced Senior

Living

1800 Marietta Avenue

P.O. Box 3227

Lancaster, PA 17604-3227

Susan L. Doyle


(717) 397-4831 ext. 158

www.homesteadvillage.org

The Middletown Home

999 West Harrisburg Pike

Middletown, PA 17057

Jennifer Binecz

Director of Residential Services

(717) 944-3351

www.middletownhome.org

Normandie Ridge Senior Living

Community

1700 Normandie Drive

York, PA 17408

Joyce Singer


(717) 718-0937

www.normandieridge.org

Willow Valley Retirement Communities

600 Willow Valley Square

Lancaster, PA 17604

Kristin Hambleton

Sales Manager

(717) 464-6800

(800) 770-5445

www.willowvalleyretirement.com

Woodcrest Villa

Mennonite Home Communities

2001 Harrisburg Pike

Lancaster, PA 17601

Connie Buckwalter


(717) 390-4126

www.woodcrestvilla.org

Woodland Heights Retirement Community

2499 Zerbe Road

Narvon, PA 17555

Lynne A. Bickta


and Sales

(717) 445-8741

www.retireatwoodlandheights.com

The CCRC Communities listed

are sponsoring this message.


OOnnee BBooookk,, OOnnee CCoommmmuunniittyy

2012 Book AnnouncementPlease join 70 libraries and their community partners

in celebrating the 2012 One Book, One Community

book announcement and reception.

Wednesday, August 22 at 4 p.m.at the

Manheim Township Public Library595 Granite Run Drive

Lancaster, Pa. 17601

RSVP by August 17, 2012 online at www.mtpl.info.

Time is a Priceless GiftDo 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’

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VISUAL from page 3

need to do?”

Is that all it took, for heaven’s sake? A

graph? Or was it the one-sentence

forecast? Or the combination?

If you think this is merely an isolated

incident of one man’s finally getting the

picture, maybe. But also, maybe not. At

a recent conference of heart doctors in

Chicago, two studies were presented that

showed similar phenomena: Patients who

were shown detailed pictures of their

hearts and arteries (done by a heart CT

scan) were 2.5 times more likely to take

their medication as directed.

And by the way, those who needed to

lose weight were more than three times

more likely to do so than those who were

merely only told to.

The underlying concern for these docs

at the meeting was that between 50 and

80 percent of patients who have been

prescribed cholesterol-reducing

medication fail to take it. And as far as

losing weight and embracing a diet lower

in saturated fat, just look around. What

do you think?

There is an abundance of evidence

that indicates that visual communication

is more effective than verbal, but the

most effective style combines the two. In

other words, we understand more if we

see it; we understand the most if we can

both see it and hear about it.

Is this the future of patient education?

Don’t be surprised if your next doctor’s

appointment includes a PowerPoint

presentation. After all, it does make

sense. Instead of trying to decipher all

the medical language, why not show

pictures, charts, graphs, images—

whatever it takes to drive the point home

and help motivate patients to make

necessary changes?

Gloria May is a registered nurse with a

master’s degree in adult health education and

a Certified Health Education Specialist

designation.

By Doris Brookens

People who use social networking

websites know that it can be exciting to

reconnect with long-lost friends and

relatives over the Internet. Such surprise

connections can be fun and conjure up

memories of times forgotten.

But what if you have a more serious

situation and you need to locate a

particular person? Perhaps Social Security

can help.

Social Security is in the business of

paying benefits, not reconnecting people.

But, in some cases, we will do what we

can to help.

We will attempt to forward a letter to

a missing person under circumstances

involving a matter of great importance,

such as a death or serious illness in the

missing person’s immediate family or a

sizeable amount of money that is due the

missing person.

Also, the circumstances must concern

a matter about which the missing person

is unaware and would undoubtedly want

to be informed.

In less dire cases, such as when a son,

daughter, brother, or sister want to

establish

contact, we

will write to

the missing

person, rather

than

forwarding a

letter.

Because this

service is not

related in any

way to a Social

Security

program, its

use must be

limited so that

it does not interfere with our regular

program activities.

There is no charge for forwarding

letters that have a humanitarian purpose.

However, we must charge a $25 fee to

cover our costs when the letter is to

inform the missing person of money or

property due. This fee is not refundable.

The fee should be paid by a check made

payable to the

Social Security

Administration.

We must

read each letter

we forward to

ensure that it

contains

nothing that

could prove

embarrassing to

the missing

person if read

by a third party.

Letters should

be in plain,

unstamped, unsealed envelopes showing

only the missing person’s name. Nothing

of value should be enclosed.

To try to locate an address in our

records, we’ll need the missing person’s

Social Security number or identifying

information such as date and place of

birth, father’s name, and the mother’s

full birth name.

Unless a missing person is receiving

benefits under a program Social Security

administers, we would not have a home

address for them. Usually, we forward a

letter in care of the employer who most

recently reported earnings for the

person.

Requests for letter forwarding should

be sent to:

Social Security Administration

Letter Forwarding

P.O. Box 33022

Baltimore, MD 21290-3022

Learn more about this service at

www.socialsecurity.gov/foia/html/ltrfwdin

g.htm.

Doris Brookens is the Social Security office

manager in Harrisburg.

If Facebook Can’t Help, Maybe Social Security Can

Social Security News


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Traveltizers Travel Appetizers: Stories that Whet the Appetite for Travel

By Andrea Gross

I’m reading the newspaper when I

realize that there are almost as many

articles about Beijing as there are

about Washington, DC.

That’s when it hits me. If one of the

main purposes—and pleasures—of travel

is education, then I have to go to China.

I need to learn more about the country

whose actions will affect the way I live

and, more importantly, the way my

children will live.

A friend recommends China Spree, a

company that offers 12-day tours to

Beijing and Shanghai that include air

from San Francisco; all meals,

admissions, and transportation within

China; guide service; and, as I soon find

out, very nice hotels.

I do the math. Why, I can visit China

for not a lot more than I’d have to pay

for an all-inclusive two-week vacation in

California. I take a deep breath and sign

on the dotted line.

In Beijing our guide leads our small

group to the must-sees: Tiananmen

Square, where Mao proclaimed the birth

of the People’s Republic of China in

1949; the Forbidden City, which was

home to 24 emperors; and, of course, the

Great Wall, which was designed to

protect the country against foreign

invaders.

To learn about more current

endeavors, we visit a jade factory, a silk

factory, a tea plantation, and an herbal

medicine museum.

But my favorite moments occur when

we mingle with ordinary folks, like the

76-year-old woman who hosts us for

lunch. She shows us her home, which is

in a hutong, one of Beijing’s fast-

disappearing old neighborhoods.

The next day we visit a park where we

see seniors doing tai chi, dancing,

fencing, and matchmaking. Their

children, explains our guide, work such

long hours that they don’t have time to

search for a spouse. Therefore, the

All-Important China

The Forbidden City was home to

24 emperors during the Ming and

Qing dynasties.

The Great Wall was built

to protect China from

nomadic tribes to its north.

Students welcome American

visitors to their classroom.

please see CHINA page 14

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Esther Boldes, 86, of suburban

Harrisburg, was a member of the

British Army during World War

II, the Palestinian underground prior to

1948, and the Israeli Defense Force after

the establishment of the State of Israel.

A native of Frankfurt, Germany,

Boldes attended a large, accredited Jewish

school. In 1936, Boldes’ older sister

immigrated to Palestine. Two years later,

her father lost his job with a Jewish scrap

metal company that was taken over by

the Germans.

Unable to find another job in

Germany, he, along with his wife and

daughter, made plans to move to Prague,

Czechoslovakia, where the rest of his

family was living.

Before they could leave, German SA

came to take her father to a

concentration camp. Boldes’ mother told

them they were not German but Czech

and showed them their Czech passports.

The police

believed her story

and did not arrest

him.

Once in Prague,

Boldes’ father,

along with other

Jewish transplants,

had to be

retrained. An

accountant in

Germany, he was

trained to repair

shoes. His plans

were to go to

Palestine to join

his eldest daughter.

Boldes’ cousin

encouraged her to

join a Jewish

youth group to

help pass the time.

She couldn’t go to

school because she

could not speak

Czech. As the

Nazi regime

spread throughout

Europe, including

Czechoslovakia,

Boldes’ parents

decided to get to

Palestine right

away. When

Boldes’ visa was

approved before

her parents’, they

took her to the

German

Occupation Office

in Prague to get

her passport

stamped.

“All Jews had a

big J stamped on

the outside of it.”

In July 1939, Boldes’ parents brought

her to the train station, where she met

other children bound for Palestine. The

train took them to Genoa, Italy, where,

after staying in a youth hostel, they

boarded The Jerusalem, the last legitimate

ship to transport youth from Prague to

Palestine.

Boldes’ parents never made it to the

Holy Land. She and her sister received a

postcard from the Red Cross informing

them that their mother had died of

cancer in a Prague hospital. They do not

know what happened to their father, who

was last known to have been in a ghetto

in Poland. All other members of their

mother’s family died in concentration

camps.

Boldes joined her sister in Herzliya,

Palestine. Since she had learned Hebrew

and English at her school in Germany,

Boldes was able to converse with the

locals. The youth in the village

She Served in the British, Israeli Armies and

Palestinian Underground

Beyond the Battlefield

Alvin S. Goodman

Boldes, left,

on a train

bound from

Cairo to

Tel Aviv

on leave.

Esther Boldes in the Israeli Army.


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introduced her to the “underground,” a

group formed to defend themselves

against the Arabs, although she added

there were Arab neighbors who were very

nice and generous.

The new settlements were always

being attacked by Arabs, and the only

guns they had were British World War I

issue, all others having been confiscated

by the British. Everyone was required to

do night patrol.

The unmarried youth of the country,

both native-born “sabras” and

immigrants, joined the underground.

They later formed the elite Palmach

Force of the Israeli Defense Force (IDF).

They learned how to send signals by

Morse code and semaphore flags and

how to identify night noises they heard

while on patrol.

After graduating from school, Boldes

volunteered with the Auxiliary Territorial

Service (ATS), the female branch of the

British Army out of Palestine.

“I was 17 at the time and lied about

my age,” she said.

Her main job was driving all types of

trucks, from pickups and jeeps to 3-ton

British trucks.

“Those large British trucks were hard

to maneuver, especially in the narrow

streets of Cairo,” she said, adding that

she ended up in the sand twice during

early training.

In addition to

being a driver, she

was trained in

vehicle

maintenance and

repairs. Her routes

covered Alexandria

and Cairo, Egypt,

to Haifa,

Palestine, which

took two to three

days.

“At first, Egypt

sympathized with

the Axis countries

and Egyptian villagers

harassed us. Some

Egyptians would

chase our slow-

moving trucks and

steal equipment and

supplies from them.”

After two months

she was transferred to

Camp Mena Four,

not far from a hotel

where President

Roosevelt and Prime

Minister Churchill

met.

In 1944, she was stationed in Haifa,

Palestine. She was discharged from the

British Army in

1946 and the

British paid for

her schooling to

become a

pediatric nurse,

after which she

worked in a

hospital and a

refugee camp for

babies and

children from

Cypress in 1947

and 1948.

Everyone was

getting ready for war

after the UN

approved the

establishment of

Israel in 1948, and

Boldes took a first

aid course, where she

met her future

husband, Heinz,

who was the

instructor. When

Israel was attacked

by its Arab neighbors

in May 1948, she

knew she might be

drafted into the

Israeli Army.

They were married that year, and

Boldes enlisted in the army rather than

be drafted since she preferred driving

trucks to being assigned to a medical

unit. She drove a pickup truck that

supplied the front lines and, after her

marriage, drove a staff car for a captain

in charge of civil defense in Chadera.

When she got pregnant, Boldes was

assigned to desk duty until she was

discharged in 1949. Her husband was a

major in the Israeli Army in charge of a

specialized medical unit that could build

a field hospital in 20 minutes. He

traveled the entire country training

people in first aid.

The Boldeses came to the U.S. in July

1957, first to Philadelphia, where a

cousin lived, and then to Harrisburg in

1964. After retirement, they enjoyed

traveling throughout the U.S. and other

countries. Heinz Boldes died in 1999.

They have a daughter, Naava; a son,

Eitan; three grandchildren; and six great-

grandchildren.

In 2010, Boldes wrote to the U.K.

War Office in London and Queen

Elizabeth inquiring about medals earned

for her service in the British Army. She

received two medals from the United

Kingdom: a World War II Victory Medal

and a Distinguished Service Medal.

“I was surprised when I got them,” she

said.

Photo by Al Goodman

Esther Boldes today.

Boldes drove big rigs like this one in the

British Army during WWII.


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CHINA from page 9

parents must help. They make big signs

proclaiming their child’s attributes and

network with other parents.

If the seniors spot a potential match,

they arrange a date for their children. It’s

a low-tech eHarmony.

My husband and I deliberately chose

an itinerary that included two free days

for personal exploration. In Beijing we go

to the Art District, where world-class

galleries occupy Communist-era factory

buildings. One heart-stopping exhibition

focuses on prostitution; another has a

disturbing display of soldiers toting

machine guns camouflaged by flowers.

There’s no thought suppression here.

In Shanghai, the energy is palpable.

We walk along the riverfront, through a

shopping thoroughfare, and over to a

public park that has carnival-style rides.

After visiting a market, we go to an

acrobatic show. Our days are packed.

During our free day, we explore two

contrasting neighborhoods: a working-

class area filled with small, slightly grubby

shops and the French Concession, which

has upscale boutiques and trendy

restaurants.

Our guides are remarkably

forthcoming. They criticize their

government but at the same time make

clear that they admire it. They say that a

U.S.-style democracy could never work in

China because there are too many people.

They speak to us about China’s one-

child policy, religion, education, medical

care, the lack of a social safety net, and,

most of all, how hard they have to work

in order to survive.

“We work much harder than people

in America,” says Chang.*

We’re amazed at their misconceptions.

Chang owns a condominium, can afford

to fly his family from his village on the

Yangtze to Shanghai for a holiday, and

has a car that he bought new two years

ago. His daughter has a new iPad as well

as an iPod.

I tell him that this is more than many

people his age in the United States can

afford, and yes, they work as many or

more hours than he does.

Another guide dreams of living on

Wisteria Lane, the home of ABC’s

Desperate Housewives, and we realize how

television shapes Chinese views of the

United States as well as our views of

China. This, says my husband, is why it’s

important for people to travel, to see

things for themselves.

We’re aware that we saw only two

cities, and we spoke with only a handful

of people. We didn’t visit the

countryside, which, despite China’s rapid

urbanization, is still home to the

majority of the population. We didn’t

visit the factory towns that are churning

out goods that are flooding the world’s

markets. That will have to wait until

next time.

But in the meantime, we treasure the

glimpse we got of a country that is, and

will continue to be, a major player on

the world’s stage.

Photos © Irv Green; story by Andrea Gross

(www.andreagross.com).

*Name has been changed

Shanghai’s Nanjing Road attracts a

humongous number of shoppers,

especially during weekends and

holidays.

Shanghai’s waterfront is the face of modern China.

Beijing’s streets are a mix

of old and new.


1. Rushed6. Church seat9. Paddington Bear’s homeland13. Convex molding14. Popular activity at Heavenly in CA15. Harold & _____ Go to White Castle16. Army aid17. Precedes senator18. Circular gasket19. Drum sound21. Willy Wonka’s heir23. Longest division of geological time24. Pinocchio dreamed of becoming

this type of boy25. He floated like a butterfly?

28. Network of intersecting nerves30. Middle Eastern confection35. Like boys that lived in Neverland37. Lacking sensation39. “_____ the day”40. International Civil Aviation

Organization41. Attempts43. Small ladies’ handbag44. Deep opening46. To strike a piece of stone sharply47. Deep-red variety of chalcedony48. Stay clear of50. Clobber52. Big Island flower necklace

53. Of the highest quality55. 2000 lbs.57. Flying nanny61. Aunt Polly’s wayward nephew64. Fully informed65. Type of brew67. County across Golden Gate Bridge69. A pariah avoided by others70. To Kill a Mockingbird author71. “_____ and well”72. A cold ____ of weather73. “____’s the word”74. Having no cover

1. Read-only storage2. Affirm3. Musical finale4. Like last eight in college basketball5. Dolittle’s title6. Attention grabber7. Increase8. Make face in pain9. Make like a cat10. Astrid Lindgren’s ____ of

Lonneberga11. Raja’s wife12. Strong desire15. Eucalyptus-loving marsupials20. Beside, archaic

22. Exclamation of suspicion24. What prompter does25. She followed the white rabbit26. Lakes in Scotland27. Asimov or Mizrahi, e.g.29. Syrian neighbor31. Plural of #70 Across32. ____ signs33. Light shade of blue34. Girl from the Swiss Alps36. Comedy Central’s ____.O38. Corduroy, e.g.42. Phlegms45. Strong point49. Who ___ the prize?

51. Robin Hood or Eragon, e.g.54. Bible song56. African antelope57. Toot and Puddle or

Frog and Toad, e.g.58. ____ & Mzee: The True Story of a

Remarkable Friendship59. Bear with the biggest chair60. Pre-college school61. Appear62. Viking name63. Tear violently66. Romanian money68. Flanders of The Simpsons

Across

Down

WORD SEARCH

Solutions for all puzzles can be found on page 16

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Please call (717) 770-0140 for more information.


Pu

zzle

s sh

ow

n o

n p

age

15

Puz

zle

So

luti

on

sGARDEN from page 1

She has very fond memories of those summers,

including times picking blackberries that would later be

used to make baked goods. It is from her experiences on

her brother’s farm that McNichol believes her interest

in flower gardening comes.

After their marriage, McNichol and her husband,

Bill, lived in an apartment, which limited McNichol’s

ability to garden. Eventually, they moved into a house

on the south shore of Long Island, where McNichol

was able to put in an expansive garden that included

flowers, vegetables, and grapes.

“People would come by and remark that I had a

beautiful garden,” said McNichol.

When the company that Bill had worked for in New

York went bankrupt, the couple relocated to

Pennsylvania, where McNichol became involved with

the local garden club—and she was no ordinary

member. McNichol has held almost every position

available at the club, from secretary to vice president.

“You name it, I did it,” McNichol said.

What makes McNichol such a valuable asset to the

garden club is her ability to organize and champion

many of the group’s largest initiatives.

In the winter of 2010, an area company that has

produced gardening tools since the 1700s, asked for

help with a community garden project. The company

had $100,000 and a 1.7-acre plot of empty land next to

its temporary headquarters.

The CEO of the company at the time had

envisioned using the money and the land to establish a

community garden that the garden club would then

manage and maintain.

The garden contains 127 raised beds and is outfitted

with hoses, connected to the water lines of the

corporate office building, and a gardening shed filled

with all the tools a gardener could possibly need.

Community gardeners, therefore, need only bring

their seeds and a willingness to work to have a

successful plot.

A set of rules and regulations was established and

gardeners signed up for a specified plot. In addition, she

helped organize bimonthly gardening talks, inviting

local gardening experts to give lectures and hold

discussions for the community garden members.

“It turned out to be an incredible success,”

McNichol said. “We had no idea we would be able to

fill [all the plots] up. We opened up May 1, and by

May 31, there was not a plot left in the garden. As of

now, we have a three-year waiting list.”

After her success with that garden project, McNichol

was asked to act as chairman for the garden club’s

Junior Gardening Committee. McNichol agreed, on the

condition that she could establish a garden at a

community nonprofit organization so she could work

with inner-city youth.

McNichol worked with the staff at the nonprofit

organization to apply for funding for the garden. After

receiving a private family donation, they were able to

put in a number of garden plots, surrounded by a split

rail fence with rabbit proofing. McNichol and her class

of 30 students, ranging from kindergarteners to sixth

graders, tend the plots.

In addition to gardening, McNichol’s students are

exposed to a world of information about the

environment and how it works. Their projects have

included building birdhouses and maintaining a worm

farm and compost pile to help fertilize the garden plots.

Thanks to some shelving donated by Home Depot,

the class was able to begin growing plants indoors over

the winter of 2011 and has since moved them outside.

“They made wonderful arrangements out of greens

and flowers that they brought home during

Christmastime,” McNichol said.

The students also received information about

nutrition from Giant Foods’ nutritionist. They even had

a class dedicated to sampling fruits and vegetables,

many of them unique and new to the children. The

students were asked to close their eyes and eat a piece of

the fruit or vegetable, focusing on the texture and taste.

They then wrote poems about the experience.

The class has also been enjoying the fruits of their

labor.

“The children have already been eating what they

have been growing,” McNichol said.

She is very proud of her class and all that they have

learned, including the basic principles of permaculture

(a method of sustainable living that can be applied to

countless aspects of human life).

McNichol receives the loving support of her

husband, Bill, and son, Tim. Tim is a professional

beach volleyball player who has inherited his mother’s

love of flowers. McNichol is certain that when he settles

down and marries, he will have a beautiful garden of his

own.

YWCA Junior Gardeners showing the fruits

(or veggies) of their labor at the

Ribbon Cutting Day ceremony in June 2012.

Flowers and vegetable plants coexist happily at the

Penn-Cumberland Garden Club’s community

garden at the Ames True Temper site.

The garden is outfitted with hoses that are connected to

the water lines of the corporate office building, which

help the gardeners enjoy prolific yields from their plots.


Dauphin County

Calendar of Events

Dauphin County Library Programs

Dauphin County Department of Parks and Recreation

Aug. 8, 6 to 7:30 p.m. – Stress Relief Walk, Wildwood Park

Aug. 11, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Volunteer Work Day, Wildwood Park

Aug. 12, 10:30 a.m. to noon – Heat-Tolerant Plants, Wildwood Park

Programs and Support Groups

East Shore Area Library, 4501 Ethel St., Harrisburg, (717) 652-9380

Elizabethville Area Library, 80 N. Market St., Elizabethville, (717) 362-9825Aug. 30, 6 to 8 p.m. – Friends of the Elizabethville Area Library Meeting

Harrisburg Downtown Library, 101 Walnut St., Harrisburg, (717) 234-4976

Johnson Memorial Library, 799 E. Center St., Millersburg, (717) 692-2658Aug. 18, 10:30 a.m. – Discover Duct Tape

Kline Branch, 530 S. 29th St., Harrisburg, (717) 234-3934

Madeline L. Olewine Memorial Library, 2410 N. Third St., Harrisburg, (717) 232-7286

McCormick Riverfront Library, 101 Walnut St., Harrisburg, (717) 234-4976

Northern Dauphin Library, 683 Main St., Lykens, (717) 453-9315

William H. & Marion C. Alexander Family Library, 200 W. Second St., Hummelstown, (717) 566-0949

Aug. 4, 11:30 a.m. – Discover Duct Tape

Aug. 7, 6:30 to 8 p.m. – Novel Thoughts Book Club

Aug. 21, 1 p.m. – Novel Thoughts, Too!

Free and open to the public.

Senior Center Activities

Sundays through August, 10:30 to 11:45 a.m.Free, Nondenominational Public Cruise

Pride of the Susquehanna Riverboat

107 North St., Harrisburg

(717) 234-6500

www.harrisburgriverboat.com

Aug. 3, 4:30 to 10 p.m.Cultural Fest

Corner of Market and Second streets, Harrisburg

Aug. 18, 10 a.m.Teamster 776 Retirees Monthly Meeting

Union Hall

2552 Jefferson St., Harrisburg

(717) 233-8766

Aug. 28, 6 p.m.Susquehanna Rovers Volksmarch Walking Club

Gander Mountain

5005 Jonestown Road, Harrisburg

(717) 991-5232

Aug. 28, 6 to 7:30 p.m.Parental Loss Support Group

AseraCare Hospice

75 S. Houcks Road, Suite 101, Harrisburg

(717) 541-4466

If you have an event you would like toinclude, please email information to

[email protected] for consideration.

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releases so we can let our

readers know about

free events occurring in

Dauphin County!

Email preferred to:

[email protected]

(717) 770-0140

(717) 285-1350

Let

Help you get the word out!

Bistline Senior Center – (717) 564-5633

Edgemont Senior Center – (717) 236-2221

Friendship Senior Center – (717) 657-1547

Heinz-Menaker Senior Center – (717) 238-7860

Highspire Area Senior Center – (717) 939-4580

Hoy/Latsha Senior Center – (717) 939-9833

Hummelstown Senior Center – (717) 566-6855

Jewish Community Center – (717) 236-9555

Lick Towers Senior Center – (717) 233-0388

Lykens Senior Center – (717) 453-7985

Millersburg Senior Center – (717) 692-2657

Mohler Senior Center – (717) 533-2002www.hersheyseniorcenter.com

Royalton Senior Center – (717) 944-4831

Rutherford House – (717) 564-5682www.rutherfordhouse.org

Wednesdays, 12:15 p.m. – Free Aerobics

Steelton Senior Center – (717) 939-0693

Just a snippet of what you may be missing …

please call or visit their website for more information.

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Last time, I covered the 1940 U.S.

census. I have, in an earlier

column, also discussed the 1920

U.S. census. This month, I want to cover

the intermediate one, the 1930 U.S.

census. I’ll continue this discussion into

next month, as well.

The 1930 census had some basic

information consistent with others that

were taken since the first one in 1790.

This included surname or family name,

gender, and address. Some of the other

questions were unique, and responses to

them can be valuable in finding further

information about the family.

For example, there is a column headed

“Relation – Relationship of this person

to the head of the family.” This may be

answered “head,” “wife,” “son,” or

“daughter” but also may contain other

descriptions.

The surname of the wife is usually not

shown, or it may be written in as the

same as the husband (or late husband).

However, if the name of a mother-in-law

or other in-law of the male head is given,

that surname could also be the maiden

name of the wife.

If the “Relation”

column shows

stepson or

stepdaughter, that

obviously indicates

that the “head” had

been previously

married. If the

stepchild’s surname

is different than

that of the head,

that’s a clue to the

child’s natural

father’s name. A

person may be identified as a “boarder,”

meaning the family augmented their

income by renting space in the home.

Next is a column headed “Home

Data,” containing four sub-columns:

“Home owned or rented,” filled in with

an O or an R; “Value of home, if owned,

or monthly rent, if rented,” filled in with

a dollar amount; “Radio set,” filled in

with an R if the

family had a radio,

left blank if they

didn’t; and “Does

this family live on

a farm?”

The answers not

only tell something

about the financial

status of the family,

but if the property

was owned, it may

also be possible to

find land or

probate records that further elucidate the

family’s life or give names of relatives not

living with the family at the time of the

census.

As an aside to the “radio set” question:

On the 1930 census page where my

family appears, there were seven

households. Only one (not my parents’)

had a radio. The question was designed

to measure the extent of the nation’s leap

into new home-appliance technology.

According to the 1930 census, the total

U.S. population at the time was

122,775,046, and only 12 million

people, or less than 10 percent, had

access to radios.

Under “Personal Description,” in

addition to “Sex” and “Color or race,”

was the sub-column “Age at last

birthday.” Take this into consideration

when calculating a birth year. For

example, the census was taken on April

12. My father’s age was given as 40, but

his birth year was not necessarily “1930

minus 40 equals 1890.” He may not

have yet reached his 41st birthday on

April 12. Other information confirms

this, as he was born on April 26, 1889.

The remaining two sub-columns under

this category were “Marital condition”

and “Age at first marriage.” The condition

column was marked M for married, S for

single, or W for widowed. The age at first

marriage can be used with other

information on the census to determine

whether the person was married before or

after immigration to the U.S.

Under “Education,” the census asked

whether the person had attended school

or college since September 1929, and

whether he or she was able to read and

write.

The “Place of Birth” columns are

headed “Person,” “Father,” and “Mother,”

with the description “Place of birth of

each person enumerated and of his or her

parents. If born in the United States, give

State or Territory. If of foreign birth, give

country in which birthplace is now

situated. Distinguish Canada-French

from Canada-English, and Irish Free

State from Northern Island.”

Usually, only the country or state is

given; however, sometimes the name of a

city or county is given. Don’t overlook

the part about “country in which

birthplace is now situated.” National

boundaries in Europe were anything but

fixed during this time, so, for example, a

place may have been called Prussia when

a person was born in 1890 but Germany

in 1930.

Next time, I’ll discuss the remainder

of the 1930 census questions and explain

how to interpret the information to

uncover other information about

ancestors.

Angelo Coniglio encourages readers to

contact him by writing to 438 Maynard

Drive, Amherst, NY 14226; by email at

[email protected]; or by visiting

www.conigliofamily.com/ConiglioGenealogy

Tips.htm. His new historical fiction novel,

The Lady of the Wheel, is available through

Amazon.com.

The 1930 Census

The Search for Our Ancestry

Angelo Coniglio

“Some of the questions

on the 1930 census

were unique, and

responses to them can

be valuable in finding

further information

about the family.

“


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Ms. PA Senior America Chosen

Linda Bullock, 65, of Berks County

was recently chosen Ms. Pennsylvania

Senior America at the Elks Lodge in

York.

Bullock was chosen out of six

contestants who competed for the title

to compete in the national Ms. Senior

America competition in Atlantic City

at Harrah’s in October. The

competition is open to women over

the age of 60 who are U.S. citizens.

Each contestant is expected to

speak, sharing her philosophy of life;

appear in an evening gown; and

present her special talent for the

audience.

Bullock volunteers her time to

Alzheimer’s patients. Her duties for the

next year in Pennsylvania will be to

entertain and work with the Ms.

Pennsylvania Senior America

organization. Under the direction of

two state directors, the Ms.

Pennsylvania Senior America

organization prepares programs for

senior centers, nursing homes, and

assisted living facilities in Pennsylvania.

For further information, visit:

www.mspennsylvaniasenioramerica.com

or call Doris Ulrich, MSPA 2007 and

co-director, at (717) 926-1322 or

email [email protected].

Standing, from left, Marie Tennant, 2010 state winner; Inge Richard Kiebach, contestant;

Peggy Pablon, contestant; Ilene Gentzler, state first runner up;

Willie Breeze, contestant; Patti Kuhn, 2006 winner; and Barbara Ann de Leon,

co-director and 2011 state winner.

Seated, from left, Nannette Swanson, 2011 state winner; Kimberley Moore,

Ms. Senior America 2010; Linda Bullock, 2012 state winner; Shirley Karinch,

2001 state winner; and Doris Ulrich, co-director and 2007 state winner.

“In the red”In medieval times, the church, being the only

center of literacy and learning in the West,maintained meticulous accounting records. Inkwas rare and expensive. When monasteriesand far-flung churches had little money andthey could not afford ink, domesticatedanimals were bled to provide a substitute inthe dipping wells.

As a result, poor financial records wereusually written “in the red.”

dauphin county 50plus senior news august 2012

Documents

herchildhood home

healthcare services

garden page

rock garden

rose garden

bed community garden

traditional funeral

francesca mcnichol