dauphin county 50plus senior news december 2012

Postcard collector Bob Sallade preserves images

of days gone by in dozens of binders stored at his home.

Welcoming the

New Year

page 10

Vaccination Options

for Seniors

page 14

Inside:

By Chelsea Shank

Bob Sallade loves the thrill of the hunt.

And as a deltiologist—that is, someone who collects postcards—he takes

every opportunity that he can to hunt for postcards to add to his collection.

Sallade, 63, has a collection of between 4,000 and 5,000 postcards.

Collecting postcards is tied with coin collecting as the second most popular

hobby, next to collecting stamps, said Sallade.

He started his collection about six years ago.

“I went to flea markets for other reasons and I picked up five old

postcards … and that’s what started it,” Sallade said.

As a native of Central Pennsylvania, he takes a personal interest in the

history of the area and enjoys finding postcards featuring old buildings that

are no longer around and others that are still standing.

“My thrill is getting different scenes,” said Sallade.

He has postcards of a former recreational facility called Playland, which

had a roller skating rink and swimming pool where Sallade spent time as a

teenager. There are others in his collection of an old judicial center, the

Wrightsville Bridge, and hotels and motels that are no longer in operation.

“That’s the interesting part—seeing what your town used to look like,”

said Sallade.

please see MEMORIES page 16

Local History Preserved in

Vast Postcard Collection

Memoriesin the Mail

Dauphin County Edition December 2012 Vol. 14 No. 12

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

{strength}Dedicated joint replacement experts help patients gain the strength andmobility to return to their normal, daily activities. Rest assured our team hasthe expertise to help you regain your active lifestyle. It’s why we’re here.

PennStateHershey.org/boneandjoint

DEFINED

Ruth from Harrisburg

U.Ed. MED 13-7516 HVI

I am Renee and I have been a caregiver to the elderly

for over 15 years and have been awarded the National

Best Caregiver Quarterly award.

I provide non-medical services in clients’ homes or in

an assisted living facility. My services include, but are

not limited to:

I am available days, evenings, and weekends.

Certified Nursing Assistant – References available upon request.

Call Renee at 315-3101 for more information.

Serving Dauphin & Cumberland Counties

WWee aallll nneeeedd aa lliittttllee hheellpp ssoommeettiimmeess…… II ccaann hheellpp..

Housekeeping • Travel Assistance • Companionship

Errands • Personal Care • Transportation • Food Preparation

Gene Alexander, 88, of

Hummelstown, who served in

both the Merchant Marine and

U.S. Navy during World War II,

volunteered for service transporting

Jewish refugees from Europe to Palestine

after the war.

“When I was back in civilian life and

at the beach, I met a girl who found out

I was a marine engineer and I learned she

was connected to the Haganah, the

Jewish Palestinian secret service.

“Next thing I knew, I was in contact

with the local headquarters and on my

way to pick up a ship. It turned out to be

an old decommissioned U.S. Coast

Guard cutter, the Ulua. We spent a

month getting her ready for duty, then

set sail on the Atlantic.”

Alexander said they ran into a heavy

storm but made it to the Azores. After

refueling, they reached Marseilles,

France, where they spent a month

putting bunks and toilets in the hold.

Then they traveled up the coast of

Europe to the southern coast of Sweden.

“We docked there and picked up 700

young Jewish girls who had been rescued

from the

concentration

camps by the

Swedes.” Before

establishment

of the State of

Israel in 1948,

Palestine was a

British

protectorate,

and Jewish refugees were denied

admission to the Holy Land.

“As we headed south to the

Mediterranean, we ran into the mother

of all storms. We made it through the

storm with seasick passengers. However,

the ship was leaking steam, so we had to

pull into a cove on the coast of North

Africa. It took six hours to fix the

engine.” The next stop was Italy, where

they picked up 600 more passengers who

had survived the Holocaust.

Before reaching Haifa, Palestine,

Alexander’s ship

was intercepted

by five British

patrol boats.

“Our crew

captured the

first boarding

party of British

Marines. One

ship got in

front of us but we rammed her—luckily,

we had an ice-breaker bow. The next

British boarding party took over the ship.

I was hit on the head with a club and

they threw tear gas at us. I was knocked

out and ended up with a deep cut on my

head.

“They rammed our rudder and we hit

a reef and ran aground in the Haifa Bay.

I posed as one of the passengers. They

put us on a prison ship to the Cypress

detention camps. On the way, a British

doctor stitched my scalp. After about a

month in the camps, I escaped with the

help of the Haganah. Two months in a

kibbutz in Palestine and I was sent back

to France.

“As soon as I got there I was assigned

to the Pan York, a ship the Haganah had

bought from the United Fruit Co. We

spent a month in Marseilles retrofitting

her; then we sailed to Constanta,

Romania, on the Black Sea.”

There Alexander was transferred to the

Pan Crescent, sister ship of the Pan York.

They spent two months to retrofit both

ships.

“Then we got word that the

Romanians would not let us take anyone

from their country but they had no

objection if Jews boarded the ships in

His Postwar Mission:Taking Jewish Refugees to Palestine

Beyond the Battlefield

Alvin S. Goodman

The Coast Guard ship Ulua

prior to being decommissioned.

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

Auer Cremation Services of PA(800) 722-8200

Zimmerman Auer Funeral Home, Inc.(717) 545-4001

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, Inc.(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

Lincoln Heritage(484) 945-3213

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 Directors

Floor Coverings

Emergency

Cremation

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.

Bulgaria, so they were taken by train to a

Bulgarian port for transport.

“I don’t know how we managed it, but

we got 7,000 people aboard each ship!”

In the Mediterranean, a British cruiser

and several destroyers confronted them.

The skippers made an agreement with

the British to proceed directly to

Cypress.

“We unloaded the passengers, who

were taken to detention camps. We

anchored the ships in the bay and I and

a small crew were allowed to stay aboard

to keep the auxiliary equipment

running.”

After a month, Alexander was relieved

of the ship and the Haganah sneaked

him into Palestine. From there he made

it to France and then the U.S.

Although he did not achieve his

objective to reach Palestine, Alexander

was glad that he was able to save

thousands of European refugees from

the horrors of the Holocaust, and they

eventually made it to the Promised

Land.

When home he attended City College

of New York, finished off his

engineering credits, and forwarded them

to the Merchant Marine Academy,

where he received a B.S. in marine

engineering.

He then got a B.S. in psychology

from CCNY. He spent a year in Detroit

studying child psychology, received an

M.S. in clinical psychology at the

University of Connecticut, and, six years

later, a doctorate in psychology from the

University of Michigan.

During this time, Alexander spent

two years as a hospital psychologist in

Virginia and six years as a school

psychologist in suburban Detroit.

“After my doctorate, I taught two

years at Indiana State University and

then came to Harrisburg in 1964 to

become director of a mental health

center. I finally ended up teaching

psychology at Shippensburg University

for 27 years.”

Alexander retired at age 70, but five

years later worked part-time as a

geriatric psychologist, finally retiring in

his early 80s.

“Somehow I managed to marry five

times!” He has four children and five

grandchildren. “I enjoy my present wife

Christie’s family. We spent two weeks

teaching English in Spain. We rented an

apartment in Paris and took a 60-foot

houseboat up the canals from

Whitchurch, U.K., to Wales.”

Alexander summed up his vast

experiences by saying, “It has been an

interesting life.”

If you are a mature veteran and have

interesting or unusual experiences in your

military or civilian life, phone Al Goodman

at (717) 541-9889 or email him at

[email protected].

In honor of

World War II vets ...

and in memory of the

attack on Pearl Harbor


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

Karla Back

Angie McComsey Jacoby

Valerie Kissinger

Ranee Shaub Miller

Lynn Nelson

Sue Rugh

SALES & EVENT COORDINATOR

Eileen Culp

CIRCULATION

PROJECT COORDINATOR

Loren Gochnauer

ADMINISTRATION

BUSINESS MANAGER

Elizabeth Duvall

Winner

Member of

Member of

Q: I have begun developing my family

genealogy, and in going online, I

found someone with a common

ancestor. This researcher, who is

evidently related to me, has an

extensive family tree for that ancestor,

going back to a king of Persia in 1300

AD. How do I know whether this is

accurate, and if I am descended from

that king? – O.K., Illinois

A: I’m generally wary of such

claims. It is true that if anyone

traces his lineage back 20

generations or so, the odds of

finding a “noble” ancestor increase.

This is because of the huge number

of ancestors any person has in his

20th generation back, and the fact

that if we go that far back in

time, the total number of

people living was much

smaller than today.

1300 AD could be 25

generations or more ago.

You (and I, and everyone)

had about 30 million

ancestors who lived 25

generations back, or about

10 percent of the world’s

population! There probably

was a noble or two in that

group of ancestors, but the

problem is proving it.

Such claims are further lessened

by the fact that in most countries

800 years ago, detailed records

simply didn’t exist, and in fact

many of the countries (or political

boundaries) that existed in 1300 are

no longer here. “Nobles” did keep

better track of lineage than

common folk (or someone kept it

for them), and well-documented

and reliable family trees may exist

for some noble families.

But in this instance, as well as in

more mundane cases where

someone claims to know the names

of, and pertinent information

about, your great-great-

grandparents and their ancestry, the

key question to ask is, “What are

the researcher’s sources?”

Before I went to the trouble of

adding voluminous information to

my family tree from another tree, I

would want to be sure that every

relationship in someone else’s

genealogy database had been

confirmed to my satisfaction.

Consider some types of sources,

from the most reliable to the least:

Primary Records: Your great-

grandmother’s birth record from her

town of birth. Your aunt’s birth

certificate, filed with a local

governmental office. A church

record of your parents’ marriage.

These are all primary records, made

at the time of the specific event they

document. Some, for example, a

marriage record, may be primary

records of one event and secondary

records of another. See below.

Secondary Records: Your great-

grandfather’s tombstone gives his

birth date as Jan. 1, 1898. Your

mother’s marriage certificate says

she was born on June 12, 1950.

Your father’s Army discharge papers

report his birthday. These are all

secondary records of the events I

have noted.

However, the information in

question may be included in a

primary record of another event.

For example, a marriage certificate

is a primary record of the marriage,but only a secondary record of the

births of the bride and groom. Some

information on any sort of record

may be hearsay.

Hearsay: Your father says his

father was born in 1921 in

Belgium. A neighbor of your

grandmother’s tells you that one of

your uncles was married three

times. Your mother says she was

married on April 10, 1972. All of

these are hearsay. The person

conveying the message may be

reliable or not, but the information

they convey is not backed up by a

document (not that you would ask

your mother to prove that she had

been married!).

A good researcher not only

records the names and dates

associated with subjects of a

study, but also documents the

sources of the information, so

that others can decide for

themselves how reliable the

information may be. Such

documentation of sources

may say “personal

conversation with so-and-so,”

which is hearsay; or “birth date

given on death certificate No.

27168, Erie County, N.Y.”

(primary for the death date,

secondary for the birth date); or

“1889 Serradifalco, Sicily, birth

record Number 158 for Gaetano

Coniglio,” a primary record of birth.

Most genealogy software allows

entry of source information, and I

try to include a source for every

important bit of information I

record. If others doubt any

information I have online, they can

usually go to the same source I cite

and check it out. In the case of the

above letter writer, I would suggest

he contact his “relative” and ask:

“What are your sources?”

Angelo Coniglio encourages readers to

contact him by writing to 438 Maynard

Drive, Amherst, N.Y. 14226; by email

at [email protected]; or by

visiting www.conigliofamily.com/

ConiglioGenealogyTips.htm. His new

historical fiction novel, The Lady of theWheel, is available through

Amazon.com.

‘Noble’ Ancestors

The Search for Our Ancestry

Angelo Coniglio


• 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

• Independent Living Apartments

• Personal Care Residence

• Skilled Nursing Care

999 West Harrisburg Pike, Middletown, PA(717) 944-3351 • www.middletownhome.org

The Middletown HomeAn Odd Fellows Home of Pennsylvania

Come visit &tour our campus

Friendship Love Truth

Making a difference in the livesof our very dear residents, families & staff

Monthly Social Security and

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

benefits for nearly 62 million Americans

will increase 1.7 percent in 2013, the

Social Security Administration

announced recently.

The 1.7

percent cost-of-

living adjustment

(COLA) will

begin with

benefits that more

than 56 million

Social Security

beneficiaries

receive in January 2013. Increased

payments to more than 8 million SSI

beneficiaries will begin on Dec. 31, 2012.

Some other changes that take effect in

January of each year are based on the

increase in average wages. Based on that

increase, the maximum amount of

earnings subject to the Social Security tax

(taxable maximum) will increase to

$113,700 from $110,100.

Of the estimated 163 million workers

who will pay Social Security taxes in

2013, nearly 10 million will pay higher

taxes as a result of the increase in the

taxable maximum.

Information

about Medicare

changes for 2013,

when announced,

will be available at

www.medicare.gov.

For some

beneficiaries, their

Social Security increase may be partially

or completely offset by increases in

Medicare premiums.

The Social Security Act provides for

how the COLA is calculated. To read

more, please visit www.socialsecurity.gov/

cola.

“Increased payments to

more than 8 million SSI

beneficiaries will begin

on Dec. 31, 2012.

“

Benefit Increase Announced,Office Hours Reduced

Social Security News

***

Effective Nov. 19, all Social Security

offices are open to the public Monday

through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.—a

reduction of 30 minutes each weekday.

In addition, beginning Jan. 2, 2013, the

office will close to the public at noon

every Wednesday.

While agency employees will continue

to work their regular hours, this shorter

public window will allow them to

complete face-to-face interviews and

process claims work without incurring

the cost of overtime.

The significantly reduced funding

provided by Congress under the

continuing resolution for the first six

months of the fiscal year makes it

impossible for the agency to provide the

overtime needed to handle service to the

public as it has done in the past.

Most Social Security services do not

require a visit to a local office. Many

services—including applying for

retirement, disability, or Medicare

benefits; signing up for direct deposit;

replacing a Medicare card; obtaining a

proof of income letter; or informing us

of a change of address or telephone

number—are conveniently available at

www.socialsecurity.gov or by dialing the

toll-free number, (800) 772-1213.

People who are deaf or hard-of-

hearing may call the TTY number,

(800) 325-0778. Many online services

also are available in Spanish at

www.segurosocial.gov.

Never Miss Another Issue!

Subscribe online at

www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com


Bethany Village —Maplewood325 Wesley DriveMechanicsburg, PA 17055717-766-0279www.bethanyvillage.org

100 � 100 � � ��

1-bedroom suites;secured memory

support neighborhood;skilled nursing –

The Oaks.

Brandywine Senior Livingat Longwood301 Victoria Gardens DriveKennett Square, PA 19348484-734-6200www.brandycare.com

70 ��

At Brandywine SeniorLiving – life is

beautiful!

Garden Spot Village433 South Kinzer AvenueNew Holland, PA 17557717-355-6272www.gardenspotvillage.org

86 ��

Ideal for people whorelish independenceyet welcome caringassistance. Live with

Opportunity.

Homeland Center1901 North Fifth StreetHarrisburg, PA 17102-1598717-221-7727www.homelandcenter.org

50 ��

Exemplary care in acaring, beautiful

environment has beenprovided for more than

140 years. Ourcontinuum includes a

hospice program.

Mennonite HomeCommunities1520 Harrisburg PikeLancaster, PA 17601717-393-1301www.mennonitehome.org

165 ��

Supportive,encouraging

environment. Variousroom types and suites

available. Securememory care offered.

The Middletown Home —Crescent View Personal Care999 West Harrisburg PikeMiddletown, PA 17057717-944-3351www.middletownhome.org

64 ��

Visit us to see thebeauty of our campus,

our staff, and ourextended family. All

levels of care providedin a caring setting.

Normandie Ridge SeniorLiving Community1700 Normandie DriveYork, PA 17408717-764-6262www.normandieridge.org

55 ��

Private or shared livingin spacious rooms withprivate baths. Friendly

staff assist whereneeded to help maintain

your independence.Convenient indoor

access to numerouscampus amenities.

Ass

iste

d L

ivin

g R

esid

ence

Per

sonal

Car

e Hom

e

Priva

te

Sem

i-priva

tePriva

te P

aySSI Acc

epte

dShort

-ter

m L

ease

Entr

ance

Fee

/Sec

urity

Dep

osi

t

Par

t/To

tally

Ref

undab

le

Outd

oor

Are

as/F

itnes

s Cen

ter

Med

icat

ion M

anag

emen

t

On-c

all M

edic

al S

ervice

Hea

lth F

ee-for-Ser

vice

Ava

ilab

le

Alzhei

mer

’s C

are

Res

pite

Car

eSoci

al P

rogra

ms

House

keep

ing/L

aundry

Ser

vice

Tran

sport

atio

n (Sch

edule

d)

Per

sonal

Car

Per

mitte

d

Pet

s Per

mitte

d

AdditionalComments

This is not an all-inclusive list of agencies and providers.

These advertisers are eager to provide additional information about their services.

The listings with ashaded background

have additionalinformation about

their community in adisplay advertisement

in this edition.

Tota

l AL

and/o

r PC B

eds

Assisted Living Residences/Personal Care Homes

My husband, Bob, attracts

lunatics. One is a stand-alone

screwball. Hey, I heard that!

It’s not me. It’s our 6-year-old cat,

Murphy. Of course we adore him, and

he’s the happiest being we’ve ever

known.

Murphy’s not just dimwitted; he’s also

a thief. But he swipes things that no cat

with even half a brain would want. Well,

I’m not being fair. Murphy doesn’t have

half a brain.

There should be a sign over his head

that reads: “Vacancy.”

He’s lightning fast. One night, in a

flash, he jumped on the table, grabbed

an entire crown of broccoli that was

twice the size of his head, and raced

away with it, all the while scarfing it

down so that none of our other cats

could have what every cat dreams of

(sarcastic): broccoli.

His favorite food group? Dust balls.

Yes, we vacuum. They appear out of

nowhere like Bob’s ex-brother-in-law

who’s suddenly in our living room

wanting to borrow more cash.

Murphy has an incessant desire to rip

tape off UPS boxes. When I extract the

tape from his throat, he doesn’t notice.

Can you imagine sticking your fingers 3

inches down your cat’s throat without

him even caring you’re doing it?

Murphy’s race to eat everything

recently took a disastrous turn on a late

Sunday night. Bob put a pill on the

counter for our dog, Gracie. This pill is

so bitter that no pet will take it unless

owners disguise it in something tasteful.

But Murphy made a beeline to it and ate

it.

We called a poison hotline. We were

told he needed to get to a 24-hour

emergency veterinary hospital

immediately. I’m disabled and can’t move

late at night. Bob rushed Murphy to the

vet.

We figured they’d pump his stomach

and send him home. We were wrong.

Bob called me from his cell after the

vet saw Murphy.

“He has to stay here three days. They

made him vomit, but the toxin is still in

his system.” He was sobbing. “He could

lose all kidney function.”

“Did the vet say he could die?”

“Yes.”

I felt as

much

anguish for

Bob as I did

for Murphy.

He went on,

“Murphy’s

so

innocent,”

he said,

crying

harder. “I

hate myself

for letting

this

happen.”

“Oh,

Sweets, you didn’t mean for this to

happen. I wish I was sitting next to you.”

We cried without speaking. Then I said,

“Don’t drive. Not when you’re like this.”

Then I called the vet. I asked her for

emotional guidance for Bob.

She said, “This happens all the time.

It happened with me and my cat. He

needs to forgive himself. It’s impossible

to prevent these things 100 percent. Plus,

I’ve never heard of a cat who’d want to

eat a pill, especially one that tastes so

awful.”

“Bob’s in your parking lot. Would you

please go to him and tell him what you

told me?” And she did.

Three days later, Murphy came home

happy and healthy. When the vet called

and asked about him, I incorrectly

assumed she knew about Murphy’s

insane antics.

“He’s back to normal. He just

presented me with a dust ball the size of

a Burger King Triple Whopper! Isn’t that

great?”

“What?”

“Don’t worry,” I said, and then

cemented myself as a bonehead.

“Nobody’s getting near my broccoli

again!”

She asked to speak to Bob. I said,

“He’s busy. UPS came. Bob’s racing like a

cyclone, ripping tape off the boxes before

disaster hits. You know what he’s like

around UPS tape.”

She sounded confused. “Bob?”

I laughed, “Not Bob—”

Before I could explain she interrupted,

“Please have him call me.”

Bob’s role as a caregiver is not a role

he asked for,

but one he

feels blessed

to have.

He takes

care of me

with my

spinal cord

issues, our

old pet duck

who’s

arthritic, our

young border

collie who

can never

run again

because of a

genetic spinal problem, and our very sick

cat, Josie, to whom Bob administers IV

fluids daily.

“How could I be so lucky?” Bob says,

every single day of his life.

Yesterday at dawn, as the light gently

filled our bedroom, I slowly turned over

to see which of Bob’s brood was in the

protection of his arms. He was cradling

beautiful Murphy, who was sound asleep

on his back in the crook of Bob’s armpit.

Bob’s eyes were open but I didn’t say a

word. I knew he was preserving the

precious moments for as long as he could

before Murphy would wake up.

I watched as Murphy opened his eyes

then curled his paw under his chin. I

heard him purr when he closed his eyes

again, preferring to remain in the safety

of Bob’s arm for just a little while longer.

And so, snuggling next to Bob, I

closed my eyes again too.

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].


Broccoli and Happy Endings

Such Is Life

Saralee Perel

Murphy

Have you photographed

a smile that just begs

to be shared?

Have you photographed

a smile that just begs

to be shared?

Send us your favorite smile—your children,

grandchildren, friends, even your “smiling”

pet!—and it could be 50plus Senior News’ next

Smile of the Month!

You can submit your photos

(with captions) either digitally to

[email protected] or by mail to:

50plus Senior NewsSmile of the Month

3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512

Digital photos must be at least 4x6'' with a

resolution of 300 dpi. No professional photos, please.

Please include a SASE if you would like to have your

photo returned.


Thank You, Volunteers!On-Line Publishers, Inc. and 50plus Senior News

would like to extend a heartfelt thank-you to all of

the individual and senior group

volunteers who donated their time

and efforts at our 2012 50plus EXPOs.

Because of your assistance, we

were able to bring the contents and

the mission of 50plus Senior News

to life for the residents of

Central Pennsylvania!

Are you 62+

or Older?

COME

LOOK US

OVER

Look at all we have to offer...

Meal Programs, Beauty Shop,

Grocery Store and More...

Give us a call and check out

our fabulous facilities

B’NAI B’RITHAPARTMENTS

130 South Third Street • Harrisburg

(717) 232-7516

When you

patronize our

advertisers,

please let them

know you saw

their ad in

Who Do I Look Like?

Older But Not Wiser

During the past year I have been

told several times by people

younger than me that I look like

someone.

No, not the same someone, many

different someones. I’ve been told I look

like Billy Graham, Billy Crystal, Hugh

Hefner (even though I don’t wear

pajamas in public), Bob Dylan, Tony

Bennett, and Ed Koch (the former mayor

of New York).

In addition, just the other day I had

an extremely weird conversation with a

middle-aged guy at the checkout line at

the supermarket.

“You look like that actor,” he told me.

“What actor?” I asked.

“You know, that actor.”

“Oh, him.” At this point I just wanted

to get out of the supermarket and away

from this guy. However, he was

relentless.

“He’s in a lot of comedies but he also

does serious pictures, you know, with

heart.”

“So he has a lot of range,” I said.

“Exactly. You look like the actor with

a lot of range.”

“OK, great,” I replied. “I’ll make sure

I see the next picture he’s in.”

“I’m pretty sure he’s dead.”

“So I looked like him before he passed

away?” I asked.

“Yeah, he probably doesn’t look too

good now.”

At first this whole series of “lookalike”

events was kind of amusing to me, and

then I realized what might be happening.

It’s not that I look like a celebrity, even

though I’d love to go on tour as Bob

Dylan.

It’s that people younger than us think

that we seniors all look alike. All they see

is the gray hair and the wrinkles. They

probably also see the turkey neck, but

let’s not dwell on that.

Or maybe, and this is even worse, as

we get older we do all start to look alike.

We become kind of … a generic version

of what we once were. I guess if this is

true, there’s one semi-positive side

effect—all the cool guys I envied in high

school now look like me.

Ironically, when I was a teenager I

desperately wanted to look like

everybody else. I just wanted to blend in.

However, now I wanted to fight this

anonymity.

I started to think of ways to make

myself stand out. I was thinking of

wearing something all the time, like a

scarf, that would become my trademark.

But then I would be known as “the guy

with the scarf ” and I don’t want to take

second billing to an article of clothing.

Then I thought of maybe getting a

tattoo. I’ve seen guys with Chinese

lettering tattooed on their arms or neck. I

could have a have tattoo that says AARP.

I have a feeling no one’s ever done that.

And then, all of the sudden, the

insanity stopped. I’d like to think that it

was a sudden burst of maturity on my

part, but actually it was the fear of the

tattoo needle that brought me to my

senses. I realized that if some younger

people can’t tell us apart, that’s their

problem. We seniors are definitely

unique individuals with unique looks.

I, for example, am just a regular guy

who happens to look like Cary Grant.

Hey, the guy at the supermarket couldn’t

remember the actor’s name, so I get to

fill in the blanks.

Note: If you’re looking at my picture

now and trying to figure out who I really

look like—it was taken seven years ago and

in the right light (semi-darkness).

Sy Rosen


Life at Home is theKey to IndependenceSM

Licensed • Insured

BondedAll caregivers are checked using

an industry exclusive background

screening process.

Providing excellent, professional,

and compassionate care

regardless of sex, race, sexual

orientation, age, gender identity,

or disability.

Each CareMinders® Home Care office is

independently owned and licensed to operate

under the franchise agreement.

Our staff is dedicated to enhancingthe quality and security of your life

by providing in-home servicescustomized to your needs.

• Personal Care

• Dementia Care

• Respite Care

• Hourly/Live-in

• Nursing Care

• Preventative Care

• Medication Management

• Concierge Services

CareMinders has been awarded the highest achievement for quality in the

industry, the gold seal of accreditation from the Joint Commission.

217 West Penn Ave.

Cleona, PA 17042

Phone: (717) 454-0159

Fax: (717) 450-5976

www.careminders.com

As On-Line Publishers, Inc. sees the conclusion of yet another year,

we are grateful to our dedicated staff, loyal readers, and supportive

advertisers who have all enabled us to continue to grow in our mission

to serve the mind, heart, and spirit of the 50+ community.

We wish to thank each of you for helping to make 50plus Senior News

a fun, interesting, and unique source of information and entertainment

for our readers in Central Pennsylvania.

At this special time of giving thanks and reminiscing, the staff of

On-Line Publishers wishes you, our friends, warmest holiday wishes.

Happy Holidays!

Book Review

Afascinating psycho-biography,

Jackie O: On the Couch takes

readers into the mind of

Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy Onassis

through a first-person, autobiographical

narrative. The book delves into Jackie’s

childhood and helps the reader

understand how and why she became the

person she was. It also explores JFK’s

background and the ways it affected his

marriage.

Jackie’s deep love for Jack, the cat-and-

mouse game he played before their

engagement, his early inattentiveness, the

difficult years they spent together, along

with details of his outrageous

womanizing and their happier times at

the White House late in the marriage—

all are viewed through her

eyes. A poignant

description of Jack’s

assassination and funeral

is recounted.

The book also looks

into the widow Jackie’s

need for Aristotle

Onassis. She debunks the

idea that she married Ari

purely for his money. The

joyful early years and the

gradual collapse of the

marriage are described, as

is Ari’s death.

Jackie’s successful entry into the

publishing world, and how the work

helped to define her, follows. A new

Jackie emerges, who is

probably closer to the one

she would have become

had she not been first

lady.

Her new persona allows

her to form the best

relationship of her life,

with the elderly, stout,

and adoring Maurice

Tempelsman, who gave

her the love, devotion,

and constancy she never

received from her two

husbands.

The book also carefully follows the

progress of the non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma

disease that led to Jackie’s death at age

63—from her fierce denial to the gradual

acceptance that she would not survive.

Jackie O: On the Couch is available

from Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, and

directly from Bancroft Press at

www.bancroftpress.com.

About the AuthorAlma H. Bond received her Ph.D.

from Columbia University and became a

highly successful psychoanalyst for 37

years in New York City. Jackie O: On the

Couch, the first of her On the Couch

series to be published, received a

Pinnacle Book Achievement Award and

Finalist International Book Award. She

has also had 19 other books published.

She lives in Carlisle, Pa.

Jackie O: On the CouchInside the Mind and Life of Jackie Kennedy Onassis

By Alma H. Bond, Ph.D.

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].


(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

Friendly faces, helping hands, warm hearts.

That’s what we at Safe Haven bring to our clients.

24/7/365

“Providing quality care you can

depend on at prices you can afford.”

Providing skilled nursing& non-medical in-home support

Skilled Nursing • Personal Care • Homemaking

Respite Care • Errands • Chores • Companionship

Medicare Certified

~ Free Consultations ~

phone:

717-582-9977

Caregivers aresupervised, licensed,bonded & insured

www.safehavenqualitycare.com

Safe Haven Skilled Services LLC

Safe Haven Quality Care LLCServing Cumberland, Dauphin, and Perry counties

55443355 JJoonneessttoowwnn RRdd..

HHaarrrriissbbuurrgg

554455--66110033GGiippeeFFlloooorrAAnnddWWaallllccoovveerriinngg..ccoomm

1100%%

SSeenniioorrDDiissccoouunntton materials only

SShheeeett VViinnyyll •• FFlloooorr TTiillee •• CCaarrppeettCCeerraammiicc TTiillee •• HHaarrddwwoooodd FFlloooorriinngg

FLOOR & WALL COVERING

PA009846

HHoouurrss::MMoonn..--WWeedd..:: 99--55;; TThhuurrss..--FFrrii..:: 99--55 && 66--99;;

SSaatt..:: 99--33

When you

patronize our

advertisers,

please let them

know you saw

their ad in

Traveltizers Travel Appetizers: Stories that Whet the Appetite for Travel

By Andrea Gross

The clock strikes midnight.

Fireworks explode. Confetti fills the

air. And I get a chance to make a

whole new set of resolutions, some of

which I may even keep. How can I

not like New Year’s Eve and New

Year’s Day? What’s more, if

celebrating once is nice, wouldn’t

twice be even better?

Squeezing two such festivities into

one year takes planning, but it can be

done. First, welcome the new year on

Dec. 31 and Jan. 1, the dates set by

the internationally accepted

Gregorian calendar.

Then, several weeks later, partake

in a traditional Chinese New Year’s

celebration, the date of which is set

according to the age-old Chinese

calendar. (In 2013, Chinese New

Year will fall on Feb. 10.)

Here, two places that celebrate the

new year in very different ways.

Savannah, Ga.As midnight approaches, people

make their way to the upper deck of the

three-tiered riverboat. They’ve been

partying for more than three hours—

dancing to live music, feasting on hors

d’oeuvres and a buffet of elegant

offerings. Now, as fireworks from

nearby Tybee Island color the sky, it’s

time to welcome the new year.

On shore, Savannah’s famed City

Market, a four-block area of restored

buildings, is filled with landlubbers who

are enjoying the city’s biggest street

party. Some are dining in one of the

many restaurants; others are enjoying

the free entertainment outside.

Then the countdown begins, and a

man lifts his son to his shoulders for a

better view of the fireworks. Another

man lifts his drink as the band strikes

up “Auld Lang Syne.” The new year has

officially begun.

The next day, more than 2,000

people, presumably recovered from the

previous night’s revelry, gather on Tybee

Welcoming the New Year with Double the Fun

Photo courtesy of tybeevisit.com

More than 2,000 people partake in a

New Year’s Day Polar Plunge near

Savannah.

Lion dancers provide

entertainment during

New Year’s Day festivities.

Photo courtesy of Savannah Riverboat Cruises

Traditional stern-wheel

riverboats offer a unique

party spot for New Year’s Eve

revelers in Savannah.


June 6, 20139 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Church Farm School1001 East Lincoln Highway, Exton

May 28, 20139 a.m. – 2 p.m.Hershey Lodge

West Chocolate Avenue& University Drive, Hershey

Date and location

to be announced

717.285.1350717.770.0140610.675.6240

Limited SponsorshipOpportunities Available

Island for the Polar Plunge, an event that

raises money for a local charity. In

addition to swimming caps, which range

from ordinary-plain to frivolously freaky,

they are outfitted in glittery capes,

feather boas, bathrobes, PJs, and,

occasionally, regular old bikinis and

briefs.

At noon they race for the water,

emerging a few minutes later, shivering

and smiling.

“I’ve washed off the sins of the past.

Now I’m ready to enjoy the new year,”

says one woman. She wraps her arms

about herself, smiles, and disappears into

the crowd of cold, but cleansed, folks.

www.savannahvisit.com

Richmond, British ColumbiaThree thousand miles away, people in

Richmond, British Columbia, have just

finished packing away the piney boughs

and glass ornaments that represent the

Western holiday season when they begin

preparing for the traditional Chinese

New Year’s celebration.

In Richmond, this second welcoming

of the new year is a very, very big deal.

This isn’t surprising, given that the city

boasts North America’s highest

percentage of people of Chinese heritage

outside of China.

Walking the streets of the area known

as the Golden Village—a four-square-

block enclave that is home to more than

400 Asian restaurants and three Asian-

themed malls—it’s easy to believe you’re

in China, except that there’s no smog,

the water is safe to drink, and most

people understand English.

Festivities begin approximately two

weeks before New Year’s Day, as malls set

up special booths where vendors hawk

elaborate flower arrangements and

special holiday treats. At Landsdowne

Mall, women make paper fish and

lanterns; children perform dances and

demonstrate their skill in martial arts;

and expert calligraphers make banners

that are used to decorate homes and

public places.

On New Year’s Eve, restaurants serve

multicourse feasts where each food has a

special meaning. Since pork symbolizes

good luck, Shanghai River Restaurant

prepares bamboo baskets filled with xiao

long bao (steamed dumplings filled with

minced pork and jellied broth).

“These are packages of good fortune,”

says the waiter.

Seafood dishes are supposed to bring

prosperity because in ancient times only

the wealthy could afford such treats,

while eating long, uncut noodles foretells

a long life. Sweet, sticky rice is served as

a reminder that families should “stick

together” and support one another.

After dinner, many folks go to the

Aberdeen Mall, where the new year is

welcomed with speeches, lion dancing,

and lots and lots of confetti. Others go

to the Kuan Yin Temple of the

International Buddhist Society, which is

modeled in part after the Forbidden City

in Beijing. It is considered by many to

be one of the most magnificent Buddhist

temples in North America.

There, they greet the new year with

prayer, many even staying overnight in

order to be among the first to receive

blessings in the new year. By noon on

New Year’s Day, thousands of folks have

congregated at the temple for a prayer

ceremony and vegetarian lunch.

“Yes,” I say to myself as I munch on

some bamboo shoots, “it’s definitely nice

to celebrate twice.”

www.tourismrichmond.com

Photos © Irv Green; story by Andrea Gross

(www.andreagross.com).

Hot pot dinners are favorites

throughout the year.

Elaborate flower booths

are set up in malls.

Young dancers prepare to

entertain people who are

shopping for holiday presents

at a Richmond mall.


PPlleeaassee ssttaarrtt aa ggiifftt ssuubbssccrriippttiioonn ffoorr::

Beginning (month) _________________________

Name ___________________________________

Street ___________________________________

Apt. ____________________________________

City/State ________________________________

Zip _____________________________________

SSiiggnn ccaarrdd ffrroomm::

Your name _______________________________

Street ___________________________________

Apt. ____________________________________

City/State ________________________________

Zip _____________________________________

Your phone number ________________________

PPaappeerr ((oorr ppaappeerrss//$$1100 ppeerr eeddiittiioonn))::

� Chester � Cumberland � Dauphin

� Lancaster � Lebanon � York

EExxppiirreess 1122//3311//1122

Get a 12-month subscription to 50plus Senior News for just $10.Mail form to: 50plus Senior News,

3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512

Give someone you lovethe gift that entertains,informs, and inspires,month after month!

Or renew an existing subscription!

50plus Senior News continues to bring important information as well as

entertaining articles to the 50+ community. We at On-Line Publishers

would like to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation to the

editorial contributors of 50plus Senior News:

It is through the varied interests and considerable talents

of our contributors and freelance writers that such a range

of informative and entertaining content is available to read each month.

The pages of 50plus Senior News are enriched by your contributions.

Thank You, Columnists!

AAnnggeelloo CCoonniigglliioo (The Search for Our Ancestry)

WWeennddeellll FFoowwlleerr (Preventive Measures)

AAll GGooooddmmaann (Beyond the Battlefield )

AAnnddrreeaa GGrroossss (Traveltizers)

DDrr.. LLoorrii (Art and Antiques)

GGlloorriiaa MMaayy (NurseNews)

CCllyyddee MMccMMiillllaann--GGaammbbeerr (The Beauty in Nature)

JJiimm MMiilllleerr (The Savvy Senior)

CCaannddaaccee OO’’DDoonnnneellll (Balancing Act)

VViiccttoorr PPaarraacchhiinn (Fragments of History)

SSaarraalleeee PPeerreell (Such is Life)

DDrr.. LLeeoonnaarrdd PPeerrrryy (The Green Mountain Gardener)

WW..EE.. RReeiinnkkaa (Silver Threads)

TTeedd RRiicckkaarrdd (The Squint-Eyed Senior)

SSyy RRoosseenn (Older But Not Wiser)

PPaatt SSiinnccllaaiirr (Recipes for Two)

WWaalltt SSoonnnneevviillllee (My 22 Cents’ Worth)

RRoobbeerrtt WWiillccooxx (Salute to a Veteran)

JJuuddiitthh ZZaauussnneerr (Creativity Matters)

Along with festive sights, a major

part of the holidays is aromatic

smells. From evergreens to the

holiday meal, the holidays offer a feast

for the eyes and for the nose.

Some of the most popular scents

derive from holiday decorations like fruit

wreaths, citrus pomanders, and evergreen

garlands. The models for these luscious

holiday elements all have roots in art

history.

Renaissance WreathsThe works of art by the Renaissance

artisan and master Luca della Robbia

served as the impetus for today’s version

of the holiday fruit wreath. Aptly called

the della Robbia wreath, fruit wreaths

decorate homes and hearths all over the

world.

Della Robbia’s 15th-century

architectural medallions were oftenhighlighted with fruit wreaths and

decorative garlands of green and red

apples, berries, pineapples, lemons, limes,

and oranges. Based on these Renaissance

decorations, the della Robbia-style

wreath was reintroduced during the late

1800s in a time period known as the

Renaissance Revival.

Traditionally, fruit wreaths were

lovingly hung on the exterior doors of

homes at holiday time. Fruit wreaths

gave the winter greenery a bright,

colorful contrast. Fruits often appear in

the paintings, prints, architectural, and

furniture designs of the 18th and 19th

centuries based on Renaissance

iconography.

The type of fruit chosen for such

living wreaths was symbolic. For

instance, ornamental apples symbolized

the family, and this fruit played a major

role in holiday decorations. Apple ring

wreaths were associated, at

Christmastime, with the holy family and

the nativity.

Other related wreaths featured fruits

Holiday Fruits in Home Décor

Art and Antiques by Dr. Lori

Dr. Lori

Photos courtesy of Staff of www.DrLoriV.com

A traditional della Robbia-style fruit

wreath featuring symbolic holiday fruits.

Fruit wreath sculpture by Luca della

Robbia, circa 15th century, from the

collection of the Hermitage Museum,

St. Petersburg, Russia.


(717) 285-1350 • (717) 770-0140 • (610) 675-6240 • www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com

Media Division, Magazine

Fall 2011

Article:

“Boomers on the job hunt sparkthe ‘re-’ generation”

BY KIM KLUGH

Article:

“A Voice forCentral PA’s Pets”

BY MEGAN JOYCE

Thank you for reading ouraward-winning publications.On-Line Publishers, Inc. was recently honored with four national awards.

Media Division

Article:

“Inspired byForgiveness”

BY KATIE WEEBER

such as lemons, pineapples, and oranges.

Wreaths made of whole lemons

symbolized friendship and were typically

hung on doors at the back of homes

(where close friends enter), rather than

on front doors. For the holidays, fruit-

inspired decorations remind us of the

bountiful harvest and the joy of sharing

with family and friends.

Also, pineapples were symbolic fruits

associated with the holiday season. The

pineapple represented the tradition of

hospitality at holiday time and all year

long. The hospitable pineapple form was

typically carved into Chippendale and

Federal furniture, including bedposts,

mantles, dining room sideboards, etc.

Today, pineapples are the fruit of

choice for home décor items ranging

from silver candelabras to front porch

welcome mats.

Fancy FruitLike fruit wreaths, fruit pyramids and

aromatic pomanders dating back to the

Colonial period were among the delights

of a holiday home.

Scents of fresh fruit and spices

lingered from the tabletop fruit

pyramids suggesting architectural

examples in miniature. In the 19th

century, sweet-smelling fruit pomanders

had yet to be relegated to the hall closet,

but instead they were prominently hung

front and center in a Victorian home’s

entry foyer.

Orange, lime, or lemon pomanders,

enhanced with whole cloves, were

suspended over doorways and in

stairwells to give busy areas of a home a

lovely scent. Made by pushing cloves

into whole oranges or other citrus fruits,

a pomander was a welcomed and

popular hostess gift. They were used in

the 1700s and 1800s to ward off foul

odors that were thought to bring illness

into a home in wintertime.

In Colonial America, fruit wreaths,

pyramids, and pomanders were popular

in holiday homes. These antique holiday

handicrafts not only smelled delightful

with the scents of apple, clove, and

citrus, but they were also pretty, natural

additions to the interior decor.

The pleasing aroma of the fruit

decoration allows the pomander to

maintain a prominent place among

holiday decorations. Happy holidays!

Ph.D. antiques appraiser, author, and award-

winning TV personality, Dr. Lori presents

antique appraisal events nationwide. Dr. Lori

is the expert appraiser on the hit TV show

Auction Kings on Discovery channel, which

airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. Visit

www.DrLoriV.com, www.Facebook.com/

DoctorLori, or call (888) 431-1010.

December 2012 will have something very new,

No, not a special gift that Santa will bring for you,

You can never again have this as long as you live,

Everyone will receive it, and it’s nothing you can give.

Take your calendar for this year and you will see,

What this “once in a lifetime” surprise will really be,

Count the number of Saturdays and Sundays there will be for you,

Yes, you will find a total of five weekends—too good to be true!

This is your surprise—five weekends to get everything done,

They will be filled with Christmas and New Year’s with all of their fun,

Enjoy it! It will never happen for you again for your happy cheers,

As such a very special December happens only once every 823 years.

The Big Surprise of December 2012

Written and submitted by Erla Z. Stump

Jingle All the Wayto Some Holiday Fun!

4500 Oakhurst Blvd. • Harrisburg, PA 17110

717-540-1895 • www.themanoratoakridge.com

Saturday, December 1

11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Holiday Crafts — need to do some last-

minute shopping? Stop by and avoid the

mall crowds!

Thursday, December 6

6:45 p.m.

Hershey Christmas Lights — take our van

to visit the Hershey lights. Seating is

limited. Call today!

Sunday, December 9

2 p.m.

Chris Poje, PA State Senior Idol, will

perform. He’s wonderful and handsome

too, so please join us! Refreshments will

be served.


2 p.m.

Musically Yours Christmas Show — come

celebrate the season with us and enjoy

some hot chocolate too!

Monday, December 17

2 p.m.

Christmas Carols “Where Do They Come

From” presented by Dr. Koones, followed

by a sing along to “Mitch Miller.”

Refreshments will be served.


10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Christmas Open House — tour any time

and take home some holiday goodies.

Friday, December 28

3 to 5 p.m.

Year-End Lock in Your Savings Happy

Holidays Social. Join us for eggnog &

hors d’oeuvres and some year-end fun!

RSVP to any event

by calling 717-540-1895

today!

Dear Savvy Senior,

Are there any new or different types of

vaccines being recommended to seniors this

flu season?

– Health-Conscious Carol

Dear Carol,

There are actually several different

types of flu shots available to seniors this

year, along with a new FDA-approved

shot for pneumonia. Here are your

options.

Flu ShotsJust as they do every year, the CDC

strongly recommends a seasonal flu shot

to almost everyone, but it’s especially

important for seniors who are more

vulnerable. The flu puts more than

200,000 people in the hospital each year

and kills around 24,000—90 percent of

whom are seniors.

This year, all seniors 65 and older

have two flu vaccine options from which

to choose: a traditional flu shot or a shot

of Fluzone High-Dose. The high-dose

vaccine contains four times the amount

of antigen (the part of the vaccine that

prompts the body to make antibody) as a

regular flu shot does, which creates a

stronger immune response for better

protection.

And if you’re under age 65, your two

options are a

regular flu

shot or a shot

of Fluzone

Intradermal.

The

intradermal

vaccine uses a

shorter,

thinner

needle to

inject the

vaccine just

under the

skin, rather than deeper in the muscle

like standard flu shots. If you’re

squeamish about needles, this is a nice

option.

You also need to be aware that if

you’re allergic to chicken eggs or if you

have had a severe reaction to a flu

vaccine in the past, you should not get

vaccinated without consulting your

doctor first.

To locate a vaccination site that offers

regular, high-dose, and intradermal flu

shots, ask your doctor or pharmacist or

check the online flu-shot locator

(www.flu.gov). Most chains like CVS,

Walgreens, Safeway, Kmart, Walmart,

Rite Aid, and Kroger offer all types of

shots.

You’ll also be happy to know that if

you’re a Medicare beneficiary, Part B will

cover 100 percent of the costs of any flu

shot. But if you’re not covered, you can

expect to pay around $25 to $35 for a

regular or intradermal flu shot or $50 to

$60 for a shot of the high-dose.

Pneumonia VaccineThe other important vaccination the

CDC recommends to seniors—especially

this time of year—is the pneumococcal

vaccine for pneumonia and meningitis.

Pneumococcal diseases hospitalize around

300,000 U.S. seniors each year and kill

around 5,000.

The CDC currently recommends all

seniors 65 or older get a one-time-only

shot of the vaccine Pneumovax, as well as

those under 65 who smoke or have

chronic health conditions like asthma,

lung and heart disease, diabetes, or a

weakened immune system.

Pneumovax, which protects against 23

strains of the pneumococcal disease, is

also covered

100 percent

under

Medicare

Part B, and

you can get

it on the

same day

you get

your flu

shot. If

you’re not

covered by

insurance,

this vaccine costs around $45 to $85 at

retail clinics.

You also need to know that this year,

there’s an alternative pneumococcal

vaccine available to people age 50 and

older called Prevnar 13. This vaccine,

which has been available to children for

several years, may provide seniors longer-

lasting and better protection against

pneumonia than Pneumovax.

Talk to your doctor to determine

which pneumonia vaccine is best for you.

Prevnar 13 is also covered by most

insurers, including Medicare Part B, but

if you aren’t covered, the shot runs

between $100 and $150.

Jim Miller is a regular contributor to the

NBC Today show and author of The SavvySenior Book. www.savvysenior.org.

Vaccination Options for Seniors This Flu Season

Savvy Senior

Jim Miller


THERE’S NO NEWS LIKE

Help yourself to a

50plusSenior News

and a shopping basket.

Now there are even more places to get

your FREE copy of

50plus Senior News!!!Check out your local

CVS/pharmacy stores

and look for

this display.


WORD SEARCH

SUDOKU

Solutions for all puzzles can be found on page 18

Your ad could be here! Sponsor the Puzzle Page!

Please call (717) 285-1350 for more information.

1. Texas shrine

6. History

10. Punches

14. Famous prize

15. Folk singer Guthrie16. Orem location

17. Dispensed, with “out”

18. Tidy

19. Showy flower

20. Sampras of tennis

21. Bonanza’s Blocker

22. Bites

23. Ocean

25. Little piggies

27. Fragrances

31. Rooms at the top

35. Ripped

36. Attributes

40. Pecan, for one

41. Swear

42. Coffee holder

43. Old hairstyle

44. Nourished

45. Go to a meeting

48. Mexican money

49. California city

51. Worshipped

53. British school

55. Altar words

56. Ivy, for instance

58. Possess

60. Stumble

64. Fireplace need

65. Long story

66. Fatigued

68. Fem. suffix

69. Plateau

70. Make happy

71. Forest denizen

72. Consumes

73. Thick

1. Joiner

2. Fastener

3. Competent

4. Encounter

5. Most elderly

6. Chinese zoo attraction

7. Domain

8. Bias

9. Small child

10. Magistrate

11. Upon

12. Freshwater fish

13. Haggard novel

22. Fishing aids

24. NY summer hrs.

26. Food grain

27. Office workers

28. Lid

29. Wear away

30. Modern

32. Gather

33. Jinx

34. Remained upright

37. Furrow

38. “___ we there, yet?”

39. Lodge

43. Military address inits.

45. Poker stake

46. Also

47. Parent

50. Return to ___

52. Line type

54. Slangy negatives

55. Peruvian indians

56. Cast a ballot

57. Tiny amount

59. Like an owl

61. Agitate

62. Persia, now

63. Dogs and cats, e.g.

64. Spider’s home

65. Flightless bird

67. A Summer Place starSandra

Across

Down

CROSSWORD

Many people he shows his collection

to do not know that when Milton

Hershey first started manufacturing

Hershey’s chocolate bars, he included

postcards with them as a way to

advertise, Sallade said.

“There are a total of 78 different ones

and I have 77,” he said. “I’m missing one

but it is hard to locate.”

Besides finding the last of the

postcards from Hershey’s chocolate bars,

Sallade said that he has no set goal or

finish line in sight for his postcard

collection. Selling postcards is a popular

way to regroup collections and make

room for more, or to simply make a

profit, but for now his collection remains

a hobby that he enjoys.

Sallade has been retired for five years

from his job as a florist. His grandfather

started the business in 1898 and Sallade

said he worked there since he could hold

a broom in his hand. He majored in

horticulture at Ohio State University

before returning to the family business.

Since retiring, Sallade and his wife,

Caryn, have had more time to travel to

places like Canada and Ireland, and he

purchases postcards everywhere that he

goes.

He has paid as little as 10 cents for a

postcard and as much as $250, he said.

Looking for them at flea markets is more

fun and the price is usually better as well,

said Sallade.

But sometimes postcards he finds for

sale online are only a few dollars.

“It is something that varies

considerably,” Sallade said.

While the bulk of his postcard

collection is from what Sallade calls “the

golden age of postcards,” between 1900

and 1915, he certainly does not shy away

from new postcards.

“I buy new ones too, because some

day they are going to be old,” he said.

He stores the postcards in notebooks

that have plastic liners to protect each

card and has the chance to display the

cards at his postcard club’s monthly

meetings.

Sallade is president of the club. He is

also one of the youngest members, with

the average age of the 45 club members

being between 65 and 70 years.

The club has been around for more

than 30 years and meets monthly at a

local church.

“We welcome anybody to come to

visit,” said Sallade. “We have a speaker

every month or sometimes we do a

display. This month everyone will be

displaying their Thanksgiving or

Christmas postcards.”

Sometimes the club holds events

where vendors come to purchase

postcards from the club members. He

said there are postcard clubs that meet in

York, Lancaster, and Carlisle.

And although so much of the world is

switching to digital, postcard collectors

like Sallade say that the postcard is

something that will always be around.

“I think there is always an interest in a

postcard of some place where someone

went to visit,” said Sallade.

MEMORIES from page 1


VolunteerSpotlight!VolunteerSpotlight!

Time is aPriceless Gift

Submissions should be 200 words or fewer and

photos are encouraged. Email preferred to

[email protected] or mail nominations to

50plus Senior News, Volunteer Spotlight,

3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512.

Do you know a 50+ volunteer who gives selflessly to

others? Tell us what makes him or her so special

and we will consider them for 50plus Senior News’

Submissions should be 200 words or fewer and

photos are encouraged. Email preferred to

[email protected] or mail nominations to

50plus Senior News, Volunteer Spotlight,

3912 Abel Drive, Columbia, PA 17512.

LIHEAP Now OpenEligible Pennsylvania residents are

encouraged to apply for the Low-Income

Home Energy Assistance Program

(LIHEAP), which helps low-income

people pay their heating bills through

home energy assistance grants and crisis

grants.

Cash grants are awarded based on

household income, family size, type of

heating fuel, and region.

Crisis grants are provided in the event

of a heating emergency, including

broken heating equipment or leaking

lines that must be fixed or replaced, lack

of fuel, termination of utility service, or

danger of being without fuel or of

having utility service terminated.

In most counties, assistance with

home heating crisis situations is available

24 hours a day.

The Department of Public Welfare is

sending all LIHEAP clients who applied

online last year a postcard notice

encouraging them to reapply online. In

the past, the department sent only paper

applications to all prospective clients,

even if those individuals applied online

the previous year.

Prior applicants who did not apply

online last year will still be mailed paper

applications.

By way of the new postcard, clients

will be provided with a preregistration

number, giving them access to an online

application that has already been filled

out using last year’s data. Clients will

simply have to ensure online

information is correct and update

anything that may have changed, such as

an address.

All online applications are sent

straight to the county office to

determine eligibility, thereby eliminating

mail and hand processing time.

For more information or to apply

online, visit www.dpw.state.pa.us.

Household sizes and maximum

income limits for LIHEAP’s

2012-13 season:

1 person – $16,755

2 people – $22,695

3 people – $28,635

4 people – $34,575

5 people – $40,515

6 people – $46,455

7 people – $52,395

8 people – $58,335

9 people – $64,275

10 people – $70,215

(For each additional person, add $5,940.)


Dauphin County

Calendar of Events

Dauphin County Library Programs

Dauphin County Department of Parks and Recreation

AARP Driver Safety Programs

For a Safe Driving Class near you, call toll-free (888) 227-7669 or visit www.aarp.org/findacourse.

Nov. 3 and 10, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Mohler Senior Center, 25 Hope Drive, Hershey, (717) 533-2002

Nov. 7 and 8, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. – West Hanover Rec. Center, 628 Walnut St., Harrisburg, (717) 540-6076

Nov. 13, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Susquehanna Township Parks & Recreation Building, 1900 Linglestown Road,

Harrisburg, (717) 909-9228

Programs and Support Groups

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

Elizabethville Area Library, 80 N. Market St., Elizabethville, (717) 362-9825Dec. 27, 1 to 2 p.m. and 6 to 7 p.m. – Monthly Book Drop-Off

Dec. 27, 6 p.m. – Friends of Elizabethville Area Library Meeting

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

Johnson Memorial Library, 799 E. Center St., Millersburg, (717) 692-2658

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) 566-0949Dec. 4, 6:30 p.m. – Novel Thoughts Book Club

Dec. 4, 6:30 p.m. – Friends of the Alexander Family Library Meeting

Dec. 18, 1 p.m. – Novel Thoughts, Too! Book Club

Free and open to the public.

Senior Center Activities

Dec. 8, 10 a.m.Teamster 776 Retirees Christmas Party

Union Hall

2552 Jefferson St., Harrisburg

(717) 233-8766

Dec. 14, 6 to 8 p.m.Live Nativity

Ecumenical Retirement Community

624 Wilhelm St., Harrisburg

(717) 561-2590

Dec. 19, 1:30 p.m.Parkinson’s Support Group on East Shore

Jewish Home

4004 Linglestown Road, Harrisburg

(717) 441-8627

Dec. 20, 1:30 p.m.Hershey Area AARP Meeting

Spring Creek Church of the Brethren

335 E. Areba Ave., Hershey

(717) 832-3282

If you have an event you would like to include, please email information to [email protected] for consideration.

Give Us the Scoop!

Please send us your press

releases so we can let our

readers know about

free events occurring in

Dauphin County!

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) 533-2002,www.hersheyseniorcenter.com

Royalton Senior Center – (717) 944-4831

Rutherford House – (717) 564-5682,www.rutherfordhouse.orgWednesdays, 12:15 p.m. – Free Aerobics

Steelton Senior Center – (717) 939-0693

Please call or visit the centers’ websites for additional

activities.

Weekends through Dec. 16, 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. – Festival of Trees, Fort Hunter Tavern House

Weekends through Dec. 16, 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. – Toy Train Exhibit, Fort Hunter Centennial Barn


Pu

zzle

s sh

ow

n o

n p

age

15

Puz

zle

So

luti

on

sThe Christmas Tree:

An American Tradition

Fragments of History

Victor M. Parachin

In 1851, Mark Carr, a logger from

New York’s Catskill Mountains,

created the first Christmas tree lot.

In order to make a little extra money

over the holiday, he rented sidewalk

space in New York City. His rental

expense for the season was a mere $1.

Day after day, he sold his cut trees to city

dwellers.

Over the years, Carr’s concept of

placing a holiday tree inside the home

would expand across the country, making

the Christmas tree an American

tradition. One poll reveals that nearly 85

percent of all American homes contain a

decorated tree at Christmastime, totaling

between 80 and 90 million decorated

trees.

Although the Christmas tree is

associated with a major Christian holiday

celebrating the birth of Christ, the origin

of placing a festive tree in the home goes

back to the Vikings. In Scandinavian

countries, winter was cold and bleak, and

days were short. In some areas, the sun

disappeared for weeks at a time, creating

a perpetual night. Every community

experienced the death of several villagers

and many animals.

Yet, the Vikings found a point of hope

and comfort in the evergreen tree. They

noted that the evergreen not only

survived one harsh winter after another,

but also continued to grow and thrive in

spite of the season. Consequently, the

Vikings began to cut down evergreens

and place them in their homes. There,

the tree would be a daily symbol of hope.

Along with the Vikings, other

Europeans were intrigued by the mystery

of the tree that stayed green throughout

the winter. Many of them included the

evergreen as part of their pagan religious

practices. It is through those pagan

customs that the evergreen made its way

into Christianity.

There are various legends that offer

explanations for the origins of the

“Christmas tree,”

as it came to be

called.

One of those

legends involved

St. Boniface (675-

754), a British

monk who traveled

across Europe as a

missionary. One

Christmas Eve he

came across some

German-speaking

people who were

preparing a human

sacrifice before an oak tree. According to

legend, he struck the oak a single blow

with his axe and felled the tree.

Impressed by his miraculous powers,

the people abandoned human sacrifice

and embraced Christianity. Boniface

pointed to a small evergreen fir tree,

instructing them to make that tree a

symbol of their new faith and to use it

when celebrating the birth of Christ.

Another legend about the Christmas

tree is tied to Protestant Reformation

leader Martin Luther (1483-1546). On

Christmas Eve, he was walking through

the woods when the beauty of the stars

shining through the branches of the fir

trees moved him deeply. An idea came

to his mind. He quickly cut down a

small tree and brought it home for his

family.

Luther covered it with lit candles and

then used the tree as an object lesson to

explain the faith. He taught his family

that the tree, whose evergreen color

never faded, was like God’s love, which

would never fade

away no matter

what life’s

circumstances

were. The lit

candles were

representative of

Jesus Christ, who

was the “light of

the world.” For

Luther, the tree

was symbolical of

the entire Christian

faith and not just

Christmas.

It is in Germany where the earliest

historical reference to a Christmas tree

first appears. In 1561 at Alsace a law

was passed limiting each “burgher” or

resident to only one Christmas tree. The

law further stipulated the tree could be

no more than “eight shoes” in height.

Evidently, the custom of bringing a live

tree into the home was so popular that

deforestation was becoming an issue.

From Germany the custom of a

Christmas tree spread all over western

Europe. By 1837, a Christmas tree was

being used in France. In 1840 England’s

Queen Victoria and her German-born

husband-to-be, Prince Albert, celebrated

Christmas with a decorated tree.

In the United States, the first

Christmas trees were introduced during

the American Revolution by German

mercenaries fighting for the Colonial

army. The concept of using a live tree at

Christmas did not catch on with the

early Americans, and the tree returned

to Germany with the mercenaries at the

conclusion of the Revolutionary War.

Around 1820, German immigrants to

Pennsylvania brought the tree back, and

this time it caught on. By the 1840s, the

Christmas tree was widely known in the

United States. An 1845 children’s book,

Kriss Kringle’s Christmas Tree, helped

further propel popularity of the tree.

The earliest American trees were

short and small, often displayed on

tables. Americans gradually switched to

larger trees placed in stands on the floor

because they had an ever-increasing

variety of ornaments to place on them.

Those early trees were decorated with

gingerbread, pretzels, cookies, apples,

lemons, oranges, figs, strings of

cranberries or popcorn, candy, dolls,

paper roses, glass balls, and ornaments

made of eggshells or cotton.

As the Christmas tree made its way

into American homes and hearts, some

clergy voiced opposition to what they

declared was originally a pagan custom.

However, the Christmas tree began to

appear in churches during the holiday

season.

From its humble beginnings as a

symbol of hope and strength for the

ancient Vikings, the Christmas tree has

evolved to become the central symbol of

the world’s most celebrated holiday.


� Provider and leader of quality

healthcare in Central PA for more than

145 years.

� 50 renovated Personal Care Suites.

� Applications being accepted for a

limited number.

� Skilled Nursing Care Unit

accommodates 92, including a

21-bed Alzheimer’s Unit.

717-221-79021901 North Fifth Street

Harrisburg, PA 17102

www.homelandcenter.org

� Respectful, considerate, heart-felt care

for those with a life-limiting illness.

� Providing care for hospice patients in

the setting they consider their home.

� Clinical and bereavement staff provide

support for the patient and family before

and after the death of your loved one.

� Providing service in Cumberland,

Dauphin, Lebanon, Perry, and York

counties.

717-221-78902300 Vartan Way, Suite 115

Harrisburg, PA 17110

www.homelandhospice.org

“A Continuing Care Retirement Community.”

(717) 285-1350 • (717) 770-0140 • (610) 675-6240 • www.onlinepub.com

On-Line Publishers, Inc.& 50plus Senior Newsjust earned 6 national awards!

First Place – Profile“A Voice for Central PA’s Pets”by Megan Joyce

Second Place – Personal Essay“The Medium is in the Message”and “One Night Only”by Candace O’Donnell

Third Place – General Excellence

First Place – Feature Layout“Healing Foods for a Healthy Life”by Victoria Shanta

Second Place – Profile“Around the World and Back Again”by Lynda Hudzick

Third Place – General Excellence

Essex House Hosts Halloween Bash

Holiday Program HelpsStruggling Seniors

If you have local news you’d like considered for

Around Town, please email [email protected]

Photo courtesy of E.W. Hollinger

Middletown’s Essex House residents council sponsored a Halloween party

on Oct. 31, with music by Scott Fagan and The MAAC Island Band.

The event was coordinated by June Turns with Martha Hernandez,

Margaret Tippitt, Betty Miller, and Sandy Warner.

With so many older adults living

alone and in poverty, some

Cumberland and Perry County seniors

will undoubtedly be struggling to

make ends meet this holiday season.

That’s why the area Home Instead

Senior Care office has partnered with

retailers and community organizations

to make sure isolated seniors receive

gifts and companionship through the

Be a Santa to a Senior program.

With the support of the

Cumberland and Perry County offices

of aging, the Super Secret Santa Squad

of the Dauphin County Courthouse,

local nursing homes with residents

who are financially challenged, and

area retailers, volunteers, and

members of the community, the

local Home Instead Senior Care

office is collecting gifts to seniors

who might otherwise spend the

holiday alone.

Community members are asked

to take an ornament off one of the

Be a Santa to a Senior trees in

Cumberland County locations of

Kmart, Members 1st Federal Credit

Union, and Drayer Physical Therapy,

as well as Bethany Village and

Odyssey Hospice. After purchasing

the gift, return it to the tree with the

ornament attached.

Volunteers are also needed to help

wrap the gifts received. Wrapping event

dates, times, and locations can be

found at http://homeinstead.com/242.

The Home Instead Senior Care office

will then enlist the volunteer help of

its staff, senior-care business associates,

and others to distribute the gifts.

From left, Jen Robertson, Members 1st

Federal Credit Union; Connie Kay,

BASTAS coordinator; Kendra Koser,

community liaison; and Lynne Kay,

marketing manager, at the Members 1st

Federal Credit Union on Carlisle Pike in

Mechanicsburg.


pinnaclehealth.org/vision2017

Spine, Bone & Joint Institutes: for a quicker response to your orthopedic and spine needs Designed by patients and caregivers, ournew Spine and Orthopedic unit at HarrisburgHospital offers the most advanced, sophisticatedtechnology in a comfortable, patient-focused,family-oriented environment. Everything, fromthe spacious rooms with flat-screen TVs to aninnovative call button system, was created to getyou back on your feet as quickly as possible.

Experience and Skill

Pennsylvania hospital

surgery

certification in Spine Surgery from the JointCommission

Know us before you need us.

An active, pain-free future is waiting for you.

The NEW Spine and Bone & Joint Institute floor at Harrisburg Hospital features the latest in patient care and comfort, including a special areafor family members, inpatient rehabilitation right on the unit, and spacious rooms to include everything you need for a quicker recovery.

dauphin county 50plus senior news december 2012

Documents

chelsea shankbob sallade

postcard collector bob

available days

old judicial center

old buildings thatare

ccaann hheellpp

local history

imagesof days