Volume 1 Number 2 March 1983

The Magic of Dinner TheatreIt was a cold, rainy winter afternoon when the

first of 130 Hawthornites began boarding three sleek,shiny buses across from the Marina.

Dressedto the teeth, happy faces smiling in antic-ipation, they defied the weather. And why not? Theywere headed for St. Petersburg's Country DinnerPlayhouse and an enchanting evening with an Ara-bian Nights musical called "Kismet."

The buses were scheduledto leave at4 p.m. In bus No.3Jim Hambleton kept checkingand re-checking his passengerlist. At 3:55 he announcedthat everyone was on board.Then, through the rain-splashed window, we spottedRon Collier headed for theclubhouse. In a few minuteshe was back.

What had happened? Twopeople who had signed uphadn't shown up. So Collierphoned them at home. Theyhad thought the departuretime was 4:30. Five minuteslater they arrived, and wewere off.

We tooled on down thepike through beautifuldowntown Okahumpka andacross glistening rain-drenchedCentral Florida countryside as the sun peekedthrough the clouds. By the time we went up the In-terstate 75 ramp the roads were almost dry.

Hambleton took the mike:"Anybody have a birthday today?" he asked.

Nobody. "Anybody have an anniversary?" No luck."There goes our cake," he sighed. (Dinner theatershave been known to acknowledge anniversaries).

At 6 we pulled into the Gateway Mall. After adrink and a tasty dinner, we were treated to thebaubles, bangles and beads of a bubbly, bouncy andboisterous show. The cast, a large one with excellentvoices, was in the last week of a two-month run; ithad had plenty of time to hone its performance ofsuch musical gems as "Stranger in Paradise" and"My Beloved."

On the way homeHambleton recalled how heand Paul Gentry had come upwith the idea of a dinnertheater.

"We figured if we got 100people interested, we'd be inbusiness," he said. "Wedecided on a $5.00 member-ship fee so we'd have moneyto buy tickets and rent buses.Now we have over 800members. When one moves,his $5.00 goes back into thegeneral fund; when one dies itgoes into the memorial fund."

There have, of course,been some unscheduled per-formances. Such as the timetwo buses went toHawthorne, Florida instead ofour Hawthorne.

"We called Orlando forreplacements," Hambleton explained. "But while wewaited, everyone gathered around the clubhousepiano and sang songs for an hour. We had a greattime!"

That's Dinner Theatre for you. People who preferliving, breathing, chest-heavingactors on a real stagetotelevision and movies don't mind a little delay or two.

That's the magic of the theater.- Don Dornbrook

Carolyn'sColumn

"Atrophy: an award given to those who do notexercise." Pamela L. Hughes.

Some changes attributed to aging are caused byinactivity and could be corrected, according toWalter M. Bortz II, M.D., Palo Alto Medical Clinic.He adds that exercise could prevent some age-related disabilities.

Hawthorne residents are offered a wide variety ofexercise. You may "recall your body" with BodyRecall; "move that body" in Exerciseto Music; "getphysical" with the men's or women's physical fitnessclasses; or if you prefer to remain "wet behind theears", join the Aquacising group.

For those who are good sports: "tee off" with theGolf Club, "spike one" with the volleyball team,"have a ball" with the softball team, or "shuffle" onout to the cou rts. And let's not forget the many danceactivities - everything from square to round, includ-ing tap and contra.

Whichever physical activity you choose, keepthese important points in mind:

1. Very few people are incapable of participatingin any type of physical fitness program=- some arejust more limited than others.

2. Choose an activity you enjoy, so that you willcontinue it. Physical fitness is a lifetime proposition,not an overnight, once-a-week endeavor.

3. If you have been inactive for a long time, take iteasy at first! You may even wish to check with yourphysician first.

4. If you're not limited by any physical handicap,plan to advance your physical fitness program to thehighest degree possible. This takes time, effort,dedication, and the want to be physically fit.

s. If you're overweight, check with your physi-cian first. Usually if a sensible diet (three balancedmeals a day) is followed, with a sensible and pro-gressiveexercise program, an overweight person canachieve top physical condition within a reasonableamount of time.

Being in good condition also includes not abusingyour body; eliminiating (or decreasing) stress; andchecking your wellness. Don't smoke; drink inmoderation' or not at all; be careful not to abusedrugs (both prescription and over-the-counter); learnhow to handle stress; and have regular medicalcheckups.

March is Living Well in Florida month. Let'sdesignate March asthe first month of the rest of yourlife to live well.

Remember: "Use it or lose it."

. Poet's Corner

Overcoming WHATlI wonder if I'll ever hear

A quiet, pleasing to my ear.A quiet ... no orchestral din

Assaulting ears, both out and inAt factories and shopping malls -

Along the street - along the halls.In terminals and every store

MUSAK grinds on, with more and moreIncreasing decibels of noise ...

(Do they hire only deaf employees,Who, unlike customers like me -

Though captive listeners - are not freeTo take their purse and shopping list

And leave the place - not even missed?)What did I come for to this store?

I'll try to concentrate some more ...In Doctors' clinics though I try

To wait two hours with patience, ICannot enjoy old magazines

While overdosed with MUSAK'S screams.In basement levels - sky-rise tops -

In offices and beauty shops -MUSAK blasts on ... It is no use -

I can't negotiate a truce!Must MUSAK "overcome all noise"

By robbing me of peace and poise?Don't get me wrong - I truly like

Good music on a soft-tuned mike ...Buy why must I my freedom lose

Of where - and when - and what to choose?Oh MUSAK! Listen to my plea,

For all you've "overcome" is ME!- ©1982 Ruth Campbell

Hawthorne Happenings

Published monthly by the Hawthorne ResidentsCooperative Association of Hawthorne-at-Leesburg

Editor Don DornbrookAssociate Editor Carolyn OrmePhotographers John Tienken,

Don Comunale, Nat BodingerStaff Writers Elnora Bolan,

Anna K. Merlino, Marie Richardson,Edith Schipper, Rosalind Sykes

Golf Suits Her to a TeeVerna Stone, Hawthorne's own golf champion,

has resided here for a year. She certai nIy adds lusterto our women golfers.

Verna was rather precocious when she startedout. She tells it this way:

"I began caddying for an 'elderly gentleman'when I was only seven years old on the public golfcourse in Louisville, Kentucky. I kept the job until Iwas almost 14."

This unusual man didn't start playing golf until hewas 56 years old. Then he went on to make five holesin one when he was in his seventies. It was he whogave her her f rst set of golf cIubs and allowed her topractice hitting whenever she had a free moment.

"I still have the cut-off clubs with wooden shaftswhich he bought me when I was only seven," sheadded.

Verna had a chance to watch many players and toget pointers from the champs. She won her first tour-nament when she was barely 14. Her prize?

"A silver tray engraved with my name as the clubchampion golfer," she recalls. "I still have it someplace among my trophies."

She won a number of tournaments between 1941and 1946. She became a state champion at 19, andwon again in 1948. Before she was 21 she won theWestern Open in Evanston, Illinois. She also came offwith a win in Maryland.

Her golfing was interrupted by school teaching,military service and matrimony while she was in theservice. She has a bachelor of science degree inPhysical Education and a master's in Guidance,Counseling and Library Science.

Laughing MatterIn a mobile home, there's a place for everything.

But nothing is ever in its place.

* * *

When someone says he has a clear conscience,watch out. He may just have a poor memory.

* * *

Daughters are inclined to marry men like theirfathers. That's why so many women cry at weddings.

* * *

In a small town, all you have to do to get crosstown is cross the street.

Verna enlisted during the Korean Conflict andcame out a second Lieutenant. She was custodian ofthe officer's golf course at Andrews Air Force Base,Washington, D.C. She went "pro" in 1950-1951,teaching golf to officers' wives and children at FortKnox, Kentucky.

Verna has traveled widely, winning trophies inScotland and England and meeting such golfcelebrities as Patty Berg and the well-loved star,"Babe" Zaharias."

In 1982, after an absence .of 33 years, Vernareturned to the scene ofher first triumph in Louisvilleto win another first at the age of 55.

She is entered in the National Senior AmateurChampionship Tournament in Philadelphia - soyou can see that there's still a lot of go If in her future.

Verna enjoys our local courses too, namely RoIl-ing Hills and Continental Country Club. But she can'twait to get back to enjoy what she calls "total relaxa-tion" at Hawthorne.

I'll tell you a secret. Verna's handicap is 13!- Elnora Bolan

Vema Stone gets into the swing

"RDUND

By Don Dornbrook

Thanks to everyone for the kind words and com-pliments that greeted our first edition of HawthorneHappenings. Your enthusiasm made Volume 1Number 1 a truly memorable Hawthorne Happening.

My thanks, too, to the wonderful, cooperative,dedicated staff that did such a yeoman job of produc-ing a quality product on such short notice. SpecificallyElnora Bolan, Anna K. Merlino, Marie Richardson,Edith Schipper, Rosalind Sykes, Carolyn Orme, JohnTienken, Don Comunale and Nat Bodinger. All per-formed like the professionals they are.

Nor must I forget the good people at Tech Spec,our printer, without whose cooperation and expertisethe whole project could have collapsed. So orchidsto Ginger Gehrke, the capable shop superintendentwho hovered over our baby like a mother hen. AndJayne Fischer, the artist who gave our logo and headssuch a bright, clean look.

Take a bow, folks. It was you who made it allpossible.

* * *

ANOTHER EXHIBITOR was Bill Lacy who had aone-man show of 41 watercolors at Citizens BankinFebruary. Among our favorite eye-catchers were"The Way It Was," a pair of orange streetcars;"Spider View," the way the world looks to a spider;"Washday," a big-city alley-dweller's view of washon the line; and "Talladega, Ala.," a close-up ofworkworn hands filling a water pail in front of atumble-down shack.

Speaking of Lacy, how many of you managed tocatch his appearance with Malcolm Pidgeon onEleanore Pierce's Channel 4 program? It was a gasser,Dad! Sample dialogue:

Bill: Why do tickets to everything cost $4?Eleanor: It's a nice round figure.Bill: We've got a lot of those in the park.

THE PARKJOTS AND DOTS: Those new pink street lights

are part of Florida Power's 10-year-program tochange about 66,000 Central Florida lights to sodiumvapor from mercury vapor. They use half as muchelectricity to produce as much lightas the older mer-cury lights ... those clever sketches that accompanysome of the stories written by Rosalind Sykes are thework of the author ... A funny thing happened at the8th annual Commodore's Ball of the HawthorneBoat Club at Silver Lake Golf and Country Club:Retiring Commodore Richard H. Ray received twoidentical plaques of appreciation. "That's the resultof two different groups working in absolute secrecy,"said Joseph P. Richardson, new commodore, as 76jolly party-goers roared with laughter .

* * *

Geb Gebler was walking downHawthorne Boulevard when he passeda woman on the other side and wavedto her. He thought it was odd when shedidn't wave back. "But then she musthave felt an explanation was called for,"he said, "because she yelled 'If I wave,I'll falloff my bike.'"

* * *

Bob Hickey, keeper of the canes

Dr. Adolfo Ham, Presbyterian minister from Cuba, and his wifeenjoyed Hawthorne hospitality with Henry and Louise Bucher before the UN meeting here

THE LOAN CLOSET, which provides orthopedicaids and appliances to Hawthornites recuperatingfrom injuries and strokes, had an average of 45 itemson loan each day in 1982, reports John Tienken,adding:

"It's far better to know about us and not need usthan to need us and not know us. This service wasstarted about eight years ago with just two foldingwheelchairs, some walkers and a few canes andcrutches. We now have seven wheelchairs, eightwalkers (both rigid and folding), many quad canes,scads of canes and numerous pairs of crutches, andrelated items.

"Many of the items have been donated byresidents who no longer have use for them. But wehave had to purchase additional wheelchairs andwalkers with proceeds from breakfasts or card par-ties. Since there's no charge made for the use ofloaned items, we welcome donations from residents.All we ask is that loan closet items which are housedin the First Aid Room be checked out properly andreturned as soon as possible."

* * *

With Shenandoah to the north of usand Pelican Isle Mobile Home Estates tothe south of us, they're going to run outof names for new parks. How aboutMobile Mansions - for big wheels?

OUR QUEEN OF HEARTS has got to be VirginiaSimon. Not only did she observe Valentine's Day bysinging love songs in the Lime Room, she exhibitedantique valentines designed by her mother, luviaJohnson, in the Leesburg Public Library.

It was refreshing to see these sweet cherubs withtheir pastel colors and benign faces smiling from theirred post cards. We especially liked the little boy andgirl and their message:

"Oh, sweetheart, how my spirits riseWhen I see the love light in your eyes."

* * *

FEBRUARY BROWN BAG hit the jackpot withsome 600 kaffeeklatschers tu rning out for CarterRandall, senior vice president of Sun Banks andpanelist on TV's popular Wall Street Week. Theywere joined by a battalion of bank officials and MarieBolles, assistant to the publisher of the LeesburgCommercial.

"I've been a stuffy, pin-striped banker for over 35years," Randall greeted his audience. "But I haveprided myself in being able to help people par-ticipate in the economic system under which welive."

"When I heard you give the pledge of allegianceto the flag, it made me think that every once inawhile we should pledge allegiance to the capitalistsystem."

Cris and Ken" Have a lot of Input"When Melva Boughton was describing her trip

to Lapland," James(Cris) Criscimagna says, "she toldme that while she was there in July the sun neverset."

That remark reminded Cris how interesting thesun's movements are and he decided to formulate acomputer program on the subject. Now he "enters"the program, adds a specific latitude, longitude anddate and can see graphically duplicated on hiscomputer video screen the sun's movement abovethe horizon at any given time and place in the world.

Kenneth Mowen heard a talk aboutbiorhythms - a term used to describe the ebb andflow of an individual's energy - and envisioned atool that might add to a person's knowledge of hisown life rhythm. He composed a computer programthat graphically illustrates the ups and downs ineveryday life according to the theory of intellectual,emotional, and physical cycles.

And the computers not only display the informa-tion on the screen but on command will produce"printouts" (copies) for circulation to interested per-sons.

These are random examples of the dozens of pro-grams written by Ken and Cris, two of severalcomputer-competent Hawthorne residents. Kentaught art in secondary school in Ohio and is aretired U.S. Army officer with 32 years of combinedactive and reserve service. He became interested incomputer studies when he discovered that his grand-children were pursuing the subject in and out ofschool. He wanted to be able to speak the samelanguage.

Cris, a former director of high-school science inRockford, Illinois, grew bored with relaxed retire-ment and was looking for something not to occupyhis time but to stretch his mind. When he delved intocomputers and computer programming he knew hehad found what he was seeking.

James Criscimagna at his keyboard.

Cris and Ken's more commonplace computerprograms, useful in almost anyone's everydaybusiness and social life, include mathematical opera-tions; lists of address - of club or. committeemembers or organizations, for instance; records ofbusiness transactions; copies of letters and otheritems; bookkeeping, simple and sophisticated; clubor association minutes; labels and tickets.

Both men incorporate design into their programs,so that the information printed out on paper is wellspaced and clearly and attractively arranged. Theyhave also programmed special graphic designs.

One of Ken's designs is a very familiar picture. Tomake it, the computer, on command, takes 28 dif-ferent steps, moving swiftly around the screen to endup with a color reproduction of the Hawthorneemblem.

"Our Flag," by Cris, is a similar operation. In lesstime than it takes to write this, our nation's flag isoutlined on the screen, the field, complete with thecorrect number of stars, is filled in, and the al-ternating red and white stripes indicated.

These Hawthorne computer enthusiasts obvious-ly enjoy their fascinating machines, including thegames that can be played on them. Computershowever, are not toys, they both emphasize. This canbe readily understood after a glance at the instructionmanual for the new model Ken recently purchased. Itis more tha 11;4inches thick!

Computer usage is expanding at a rate that dizziesthe minds of most of us. But soon computer ter-minology will be in everyone's vocabulary. Then wewill be able to use such words as bits and bytes,memory, input, binary system, software and hard-ware, CPU, and peek and poke and have a two-wayconversation with Hawthorne's computer experts likeCris and Ken.

- Marie L. Richardson

Ken Mowen is ready to sign on

Mr. and Mrs.Alumni

"Is this the Gosselink residence? This is the CentralCollege Alumni Office representative. I have a pleasantassignment. I have been asked to tell you that you havebeen named Mr. and Mrs. Alumni 1982, to be honored athomecoming weekend at Pell, Iowa, October 22-24. Youwill be guests of your college and all travel expenses willbe paid."

Bob and Mae Gosselink had just returned home from10,000 miles on the road. Bob had just sighed to Mae,"let's not go on any more trips for awhile." And, then,the telepho-ne rang! Needless to say, they repacked theirbags for the trip to Iowa.

Happy memories of their hometown college filled theirheads: their many undergrad dates in Bob's 1920s FordCoupe (featured in a newspaper photo); their mathstudies with honored Dean Pietenpol; Bob's familymembers who have thronged through Central to earn atotal of25 degrees in two generations; members of Mae'sfamily who also studied at Central; and their grand-daughter, Amy Gooters, now a junior at that same college.

They smiled at memories of daughter judy GosselinkGrooters' graduation in 1960. (Naturally, she married aCentral grad). And son, jack, was graduated in 1963. He'snow Professor of Music at Iowa State.

Following graduation from Central, Mae and Bob hadmany satisfying years in Hull, Iowa, where Bob wassuperintendent of schools for 15 years. They then movedto Chicago where he was principal of Chicago ChristianHigh School for 25 years. Mae taught Latin in that sameChicago School for 19 years.

Upon arrival in Pella, they stopped to visit Mae'ssister's family, where they learned that they have been in-vited to accompany Mae and Bob to the festivities. Young

Bob and Mae Gosselink smile at the pictureof their "courtin' car," a 19205 ford coupe

Amy flew north from her Texas home to accompany hergrandparents, as a college guest.

All in all, Mae and Bob were honored at the board oftrustees luncheon, the president's dinner, the home-coming football game, the alumni banquet and thechurch convocation. At the alumni banquet, they weregiven four large watercolors of Central Campus. And theywere asked to speak at the alumni banquet and at thehomecoming game.

"Standing on the 50-yard line on the football field wasquite an experience," Mae said. "You hear your voiceecho from goal to goal. When I said "thank you," I couldhear it bounce back to me three times!"

The Gosselinks enjoy round dancing, square dancing,Hawthorne Chorus and steering committees for BookReview and Brown Bag. Bob is a deacon at Leesburg'sFirst Presbyterian church and Mae is a chairman inW.O.c. there.

Their home is embellished with Virginia Lee Thorntonpastel portraits of all five of their grandchildren.

- Rosalind MacRae Sykes

Of Soy Beans and Boy BeansThis is the time of the year when the first balmy days

bring nostalgia for spring, little creeping things and plants.I'm like Ogden Nash who said he didn't know a stringbean from a soy bean, or a girl bean from a boy bean.Anyway it is fun to grow flowers and vegetables.

The first seed catalogs are out. Back home, my hus-band and I would be planting a rose garden already (fromour comfortable chairs, of course). The Paul Scarlets werefive feet tall and climbing up the back fence in our imag-ination.

He wanted to plant johnny jump Ups and SweetWilliams because he said there were too manv prissy"girl" flowers like Margaritas and Black Eyed Susans. I, in

turn, thought it was risky to plant dogwood trees too closeto the catnip plants.

We were practical too, when we decided to planttomato vines. There was an 8-by-1O-inch glossy photo of ahandsome Senor Tomato which made me a tomato fan. Icould see myself gathering baskets of vegetables.

Our neighbor sneered at us because he thought wewere upstarts at raising tomatoes. He had a crop everyyear propped up on the other side of our hedge inciden-tally.

At any rate, this is the stuff that dream gardens aremade of, with the help of a catalog and a comfortablearmchair. - Elnora Bolan

Will the Real BubblesStand Up?

As we entered Hawthorne Auditorium on BookReview night, we were instantly transported to themake-believe realm of opera.

To the strains of "Lucia di Lammermoor" wefloated to our seats. Then followed more operas sungby the inimitable Beverly Sills, "one of America's na-tional treasures," as Gwen Black calls her.

Sunddenlya woman was standing on the stage, awoman with red-gold hair nonchalantly discardingher bridal veil and rhinestone tiara in the grand man-ner of Sills. She wore a rose chiffon and rose velvetGrecian gown, authentic for Beverley's role inRossini's "Seige of Corinth."

Could it be Bubbles herself?For a moment we thought we were in New York

City being captivated by the beloved Beverly Sills atthe Metropolitan Opera House.

Then we realized it was our own Gwen Blackstanding there. What a striking resemblance to theopera star! Gwen was ready to review "Bubbles,"the autobiography of Beverly Sills.

It is a fascinating story, and Gwen told it well,pretending all the while that she was the star herselftelling her life story.

Gwen told of Beverly's 43 years of hard work andself-discipline before reaching stardom, her humble

Is it Bubbles, or is it Gwen?beginnings, and how she memorized 22 arias fromrecords as a child. She recalled how her mothermade many of her costumes from discarded clothingand how Sills wowed a Major Bowes Amateur Houraudience with an aria from "Rigoletto" when shewas only seven years old.

"For years my mother had used three parts ofgold bleach and two parts of red rinse on my hair,"said Gwen in her role of narrator. But my chaperonemistakenly reversed the formula. I appeared withbeautiful red hair from that time on!"

As we left the hall after a magic night at the opera,we felt we had experienced the triumphs and despairof an opera star with the great Beverly Sills.

- Elnora Bolan

St. Patrick Saw Snakes, Too!St. Patrick was a gentleman

Who through strategy and stealthDrove all the snakes from Ireland.Here's a toasting to his health -But not too many toastings

Lest you lose yourself and thenForget the good St. Patrick

And see all those snakes again.- An old toast

* * *

An now that March 1'7 - St. Patrick's Day - isupon us, would you like to know how he got rid ofthose beasties? Here's how it happened, accordingto Robert J. Myers in his book "Celebrations":

"Accompanied by the furious rat-a-tatting of a bigdrum, St. Patrick arrived at the hill from which hewas going to banish the reptiles. The people who hadgathered to watch the spectacle cried out when thedrum broke because they believed St. Patrick'smagic power was dependent on it. A huge blacksnake slithered down the hill, laughing to see the

saint so powerless. But just then an angel appearedand mended the drum. The drum was sounded andSt. Patrick preached the sermon that drove thesnakes and vermin from Ireland.

"Two stories are told about the last snake inIreland. An old serpent who lived in Lake Dilveengave St. Patrick such trouble that he was left in thelake with the promise that the bishop would return'on Monday' to destroy him. St. Patrick entireiyforgot about him and the serpent is said to still bealive in Lake Dilveen. Every Monday he comes to thesurface, looks about questioningly, and says, 'It'sbeen a long Monday, Patrick,'"

"According to the other story, the last snakerefused to be driven away. St. Patrick had a boxmade and told the serpent to get in. 'No,' said theserpent, 'it's too small.'"

"'Nonsense,' said St. Patrick, 'it's just your size,try it and see.'"

"'Very well,' said the serpent, 'I'll show you it'stoo small.' So he crawled in and sly St. Patrick snap-ped the lid shut and plunged the snake into the sea."

- Don Dornbrook