February has gone out cold and windy and March started off with snow. Let us hope that the March winds will blow in the warmer weather. March not only brings spring but our first silent auction. After you sign in and pay your dues (if not already paid), go check out the wonderful items up for bid. The auction table will be set up behind the speaker’s area. The bidding will close at 10 AM and the winners will be announced just before the 50/50. So get there early.
I am please to say that Roxanne Kessler has agreed to be the AARP Day of Service Chair and Sybile Jenks has offered to help her. Thank you both so very much. The first sign--up sheets for the May 14 Day of Service will be out at the meeting. The precise service projects may not be listed, but the categories will be. More information will be available at the meeting, but mark you calendar now so that you will be able to participate.
We still need someone to help Dick Martin with the video taping at the meetings. It is an easy and fun way to learn how to run a video camera and if I can do it anyone can.
The Frank Walker lecture series has been well received and there are still three more lectures in March. Please note that there is no March 14 lecture as the room was not available.
I hope you enjoyed playing in the snow and I will see you at the meeting.
Carla Wascalus, President
Wives of Civil War Generals
by Carolyn Wray, Publicity
Robert Wilson, Ph.D, will be the guest speaker at the March 16 AARP Chapter 5239 meeting at the Lake of the Woods Clubhouse. A Professor Emeritus, University of Maryland, Dr. Wilson received his Doctorate from University of Pittsburgh. He served four years in the USAF. He spent eight years as a member of the traveling Civil War Round Table and traveled to nearly every Civil War site east of the Mississippi River. His first interest in Civil War history began at nine years old when his father took him to visit Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. His in-depth interest in the Civil War was generated by studying the literature from state historical societies and the National Archives, and information from Civil War battlefield historians and numerous individuals he met along the way.
His program will focus on the role wives of generals played before, during, and after the War. Their roles received little recognition in past literature. He will bring out these wives and their deeds to your attention. Many of the wives attempted to help the image of their men by writing and speaking after the Civil War. Mr. Wilson has written a book entitled Wives of Civil War Generals, which will be available at the meeting.
BIRTHDAYS FOR MARCH (Pisces and Aries)
Joan Bealby, Ken Boheim, Francis Buttimer, Joann Buttimer, Daine Capps, Pete Cassese,
Arlene DeSimone, Norma Ervin, Kathy Fisher Peggy Grella, Thomas Hamilton, Joyce Haring, Anne Hartzel, Gale Henderson, Lee Huminik, Phyllis Jones, Robert Jones, John Lacey, Bill Lanier, Violet Liberti, Phillip McCann, Maurice Moody, Karen Mueller, Pam Nalls, Joe Nolan, Millie Nowers, Jim Ogletree, Doris Parmelee, Shirley Pfile, Linda Philpott, Phyllis Pulice, Barbara Ridge, Joseph Sandleitner, Elizabeth Scheuermann, Haag Scott, Robert Sherba, Gary Sibley, Sue Simmons, Elsie Smith, Janet Terry, Corky Thomas, Paul Tobin, Ralph Watterworth, Audrey Weeder, and Joe Wright
NEW MEMBERS
Welcome to the following new members:
Evadine Cooper, Margaret (Marge) A. Meskunas, Thomas E. Plummer, Sr.
SUNSHINE REPORT
Get-well cards were sent to Boyd Bowers, Gilbert Churchill, and Jim Danoy.
Thinking of You cards to Joan Bassford, John & Trish Campbell, and Joe Diamondstein
If you know of a member who needs cheering up, contact Carolyn Durphy at 972-3306.
Notes, Bits and Pieces
Mini White Elephant Silent Auction to Begin at the March Meeting
At our regular monthly AARP meetings we will begin having Mini-White Elephant Silent Auctions. The success of these will depend on you, the AARP members, who will be both donators and buyers. We ask you to please go through your cabinets and storage closets and select gently used, nice treasures that you no longer use or really want and give them to this project.
Roxanne Kessler at -8364 and Carla Wascalus at -3436 will accept your donations. We will pick them up or you may bring them to the AARP meetings. Items and bid sheets will be on display during the social part of the meetings. Winning bids will be announced at the end of the meetings and you may then pay and take your new treasure home with you. Check will be accepted.
Fundraisers for the Sheriff’s Office
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office Citizens’ Police Academy will be having three fundraisers to fund the classes. The Sheriff’s budget has been cut. The Academy is free and open to all Orange County residents. The next class begins March 17 and applications may be picked up at the Holcomb building or by calling the Sheriff’s Office. The three fundraisers are:
· March 21, a basketball game between the Sheriff’s Office and the Orange County High School teachers at 7pm at the high school.
· May 11, A golf tournament at MeadowsMay 16, A free shredder event to be held at the Locust Grove Town Center parking lot (donations accepted).
TRIPS AND TOURS
Pentagon Tour/Viewing of Cherry Blossoms—April 7. $46 includes R/T bus transportation, tour of Pentagon and 9/11 Memorial Park, stroll through cherry blossoms, lunch on your own at Union Station. Bus leaves from lover level CH parking lot at 8 AM; returns at 4 PM. Info: June Romedy at 972-2409 for security requirements.
VA International Tattoo—May 3. Ceremonial marching bands from eight countries, Scottish pipes and dancers. $79 includes R/T bus fare, and ticket. Lunch is own your own at Mac Arthur Shopping Center. Bus leaves from lower level CH parking lot at 9:30 AM; returns 7:30 PM. Info: June Romedy at 972-2409.
A Day at the Greenbriar—May 21. $82 includes R/T bus fare, a tour facility, incl. the Bunker, and a 3-course luncheon. Bus leaves from lower level CH parking lot at 7 AM; returns 6 PM. Be pampered for a day. Info: Ruby at 727-7579.
Country Christmas Nashville & Gatlinburg—November 20-24. $745 includes R/T bus fare; 4 nights lodging, breakfasts and dinners; performances at Smith Family Theatre, Radio City’s Christmas spectacular. Louise Mandrell show; admission to Dollywood, Treasures for the Holidays, and Ice! At Opryland; guided tours of Nashville and Smoky Mountains. $50 deposit with signup. Info: Ruby at 727-7579.
Coming in 2010: Oberammergau Passion Play; Tour of Germany and Austria. $2,759 pp/double
HEALTH CARE NEWS
by Patti Batten
HB2200—Breast & Cervical Cancer Preventive & Treatment for Underserved & Uninsured women of Virginia, passed House and Senate on February 17, 2009 and approved by the Governor effective July 01,2009
HB2396 Advanced Medical Directives----revises this act to clarify the process to make it a class 2 felony to deface, cancel or willingly destroy the written document, when it directly causes life prolonging procedures to be withheld or withdrawn and death is hastened. Passed by Senate on February 24 and placed on House calendar
Rising Health Care costs are the Nations’ single most pressing fiscal challenge. President Obama’s first budget will seek 634 billion over 10 years as a down payment on Health Care reform. We will hope to see changes that will give thousands of uninsured a little hope.
In the meantime, stay healthy; get you prescriptions filled; get regular check ups by a health care provider; and make sure you keep healthy teeth and gums. Here in LOW, we are extremely lucky to have many opportunities to participate in group activities, which is one of the ways to stay healthy.
LEGISLATIVE REPORT
by Pat Berry
National—Penalty waived for retiree’s age 70½ or older for mandatory withdrawals from retirement savings accounts in 2009.
Virginia—New identify theft law allows individuals to restrict access to their credit report and lock out anyone seeking to open an account or fraudulently establish new credit in their name. Contact information for the three credit agencies and more detailed information can be found by going to www.aarp.org and typing in credit report in the search bar.
HB 1938—Livable home tax credit. Increases the individual tax credit limit from $500 to $2,000 and the 25 percent amount for retrofitting to 50 percent for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2010.
In committee in the VA General Assembly:
HB 1009—Real estate taxes, Includes language to permit taxpayers to defer a portion of the increase in real property taxes on the primary dwelling until the property is transferred or until the taxpayer’s death. Passed in the House; now in Senate Finance Committee.
HB 2009—Proposal to create a toll road authority encompassing the City of Fredericks-burg and the County of Spotsylvania to improve traffic conditions in the region.
SB 1010—Absentee voting: persons age 65 and older may vote absentee. Passed by Senate; now in House Committee.
