April Newsletter

Thursday, May 19: Annual “Day of Service”
AARP Chapter 5239’s Annual “Day of Service” has been set for Thursday, May 19. This is in response to National AARP’s request that local chapters “create a day of service to organize members to work on local projects to assist organizations that provide services to the community or senior citizens.” Bob Johnson, who guided last year’s award-winning effort, will again lead our Chapter’s event this year. Bob’s outstanding 2010 report to Virginia AARP was so compre-hensive in detailing “Day of Service” advance planning and project execution, that they distrib-uted the report to area chapters and to National AARP as a guide on “what to do.” Last year, 69 volunteers worked at 11 locations in Orange, Fredericksburg, and Culpeper, racking up some 295 hours of service. More specific details for this year’s “Day of Service” are elsewhere in this issue of Perspectives. Please select a charity of your choice and then volunteer to spend a few hours on May 19 to help others in need. On a different front, several members asked recently if they could attend an upcoming Chapter Board Meeting. Yes, absolutely! All AARP Chapter 5239 Board Meetings are open to all members. Board Meetings are held at the Wilderness Library Meeting Room, starting at 10 AM. Meetings usually end before noon. Remaining meeting dates this year are Monday: May 2; July 11; September 12; and November 7. Chapter members who attend Board Meetings can express their views and comment on any subject under discussion, but only Chapter Officers and Directors can make motions for action and vote on motions. Finally, three Senior Citizen guys are out for a walk. First one says, “Windy, isn’t it?” Second one says, “No, it’s Thursday!” Third guy says, “So am I. Let’s go get a beer.”
Dick Martin, President
Obesity and Diabetes to Be April Topic

by Carolyn Wray, Publicity, AARP Chapter 5239

The next Chapter meeting will be held on Monday, April 18, at the LOW Clubhouse. The speaker will be Linda Weller, a Registered Dietitian and a Certified Diabetic Educator. She will discuss the fact that obesity and diabetes are enormous health problems and how to address them. Ms. Weller is currently employed by Culpeper Family Practice and Multispecialty Health Group at Spotsylvania Regional Hospital. She has earned a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degree, and had to complete over 1000 hours of training to be able to take the diabetes educator examination. She has been a practicing registered Dietitian for 25 years. Working with Culpeper Family practice for past six years, she has provided one-on-one medical nutrition therapy and diabetes education. This practice has four physicians and four nurses who refer their patients to her for education. She has also worked in long-term care at the Culpeper Baptist Retirement Community since 1996 assessing the nutritional needs and planning menus. The meeting will begin at 9:30 AM with sweets and coffee, followed by the program at 10 AM. This should be another very interesting program that will address the health needs of our senior citizens.

March BIRTHDAYS (Aries and Taurus) Kris Aamou, Ginny Bayer, Betty Danley, Peggy Dowd, Judy Fahy, Richard Getman, Alfred Grella, Joyce Hardman, Paula Hornaday, Marge Howard, Frank Jacobeen, Terri Kalbacher, Adamou Kirk, David LeMay, Carolyn Lewis, Maynard Matthies, Joseph McEuen, Bob McFarland, Dwight Mottet, Sheri Petersen, Noah Rakes, Joyce Richter, Sue Silliman, Karl Staab, Jane Tobin, Ruth Wallace, David Witmer, and Jennifer Zukowski.

SUNSHINE REPORT
by Carolyn Durphy Sympathy card were sent to Donna Stanford on the loss of her father and to the family of Rose Bianco. Get well cards were sent to Grace McEuen and Sandie Frame. If you know of a member who needs cheering up, contact Carolyn Durphy at 972-3306.

AARP Plans Day of Service

by Bob Johnson, Volunteer Coordinator

Thursday, May 19, is “Volunteer Service Day.” First, thanks to all of you who volunteered over the past few years. You have made a big, positive impact on our community; not to mention awards for our President among other Virginia AARP clubs! Our goal is 10% of over 450 members in the chapter. Consider giving anywhere from two to six hours of your life to help with the project. For those projects that will span the lunch hour, the chapter will provide a sack lunch (just like good old Mom made when you were in school) and bottled water. The projects are designed so everyone can participate. Some are inside and provide much-needed assistance for those jobs that don’t seem to ever get done. Some require skills (painting, plumbing, minor carpenter work, etc.)
. Some require physical exercise such as yard work etc. Examples of the projects we intend to support are:
· Orange and Fredericksburg nursing homes (inside) to assist residents, to attend social activities, read to, write letters for, or just visit.
· Sheltering Arms inside—organize kitchen pantry, straighten out the linen closets, etc. Outside—touch-up painting, trim bushes, rake and pick up yard debris.
· Orange County Animal Shelter—dog walking or providing TLC.
. Orange County Historical Society—(outside) trimming and spruce up · TRIAD—(inside) assembling material for distribution.
· Wilderness Exhibition Shelter—(outside heavy) clearing debris and cutting vines. Some projects will be done on Wednesday 5/18 because it is better for all concerned. · Services to Abused Families (SAFE) – maintenance tasks.
· Wilderness Food Pantry: organize material for Thursday customer day. Some projects will be during the week because special approval is needed to volunteer Mary Washington Hospital We need volunteers to build lunches early on Thursday 5/19 at Bonnie Boelke’s house. We have “official” photographers, but feel free to bring a camera to help document our success. I will have sign-up sheets at the April 18 and May 16 meetings. If you know of other organizations we could help or if you can’t make a meeting to sign up, contact Bob Johnson at 972 4358 or e-mail bjohn913@comcast.net

DUES—DUES— DUES!!

If your address label is any color other than white your 2011 dues are overdue. If you think you have paid, then please contact Dick Durphy at 972-3306. Otherwise mail your check ($7/person) to AARP, PO Box 945, Locust Grove, VA 22508.

NOTES, BITS AND PIECES New Members
We welcome Charles and Helen Brewer who joined as new members in February.

Silent Auction

by Patti Batten

We had a great sale in March and now we need more of the new or gently used items for our silent auction in April. Items must be clean, no spots or tears. Remember our auction proceeds go to local charities, through our local AARP chapter. My thanks to Jean Molinari, Sharon Webb, Diane Weller and Margaret Thode for their assistance in pricing, setting up, and arranging tables. The members of the committee for the month of April will be: Ruth Wallace at 540-423-7274; Karen Kovarik at 972-7866; and Margaret Thode at 972-5540. To donate items, please call these members, or Patti at 972-1370 if you need the items picked up, or you may bring them to the meeting. Please consider items that are suitable for Eastergifts to: grandchildren, mothers, grandmothers, etc. Easter is on April 24. We received a large donation of beautiful costume jewelry. We could use more, if you have jewelry that you no longer need or want. The pieces would make an interesting Sale Table for our “Spring Has Sprung” at the April meeting.I also want to thank all of our members for their suggestions, donations, and for their purchases from the auction. It is great fun, isn’t it?? The March meeting earned $109 toward our charity donations.

Refreshment committee needs bakers for the May and July meetings. Since June is our annual picnic there will be no sign-up sheet available then. Thanks for all your past delicious goodies. See Alice Grgas at the April meeting.

AARP Tax-Aide Program

by Donna Jackson

Tax time is quickly coming to a close. Free tax preparation and E-filing through the AARP Tax-Aide Program will be available at two Orange County locations through April 18, 2011. This service is open to everyone as there is no age restriction. Call for an appointment for one of the sites listed below. LOW Holcomb Building at 540-972-0350 or Orange Extension Office at 540-672-1361

TRIAD
by Dick Bradie

TRIAD announces its annual EXPO will be held at the Gordonsville Fire House on May 17. This year we will showcase some new exhibitors relating to seniors and their caregivers—come on down to check them all out. Lunch will be served (made in the FH kitchen by the Gordonsville FD Ladies Auxillary) and is free to all. We will have speakers on topics germane to our senior population. The Mayor of Gordonsville is the featured speaker, and others are being lined up as this is written. There will be lots of door prizes and give-aways. The event starts at 9 AM and ends around 2 PM. Let's get some car pools set up so more of our folks can come and learn and enjoy.

Help for Alzheimer Caregivers

If your family has a member in stages of Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia, Aging Together, serving the Orange County area, has an 8-week in-home training program that supports caregiving families. Called “Connections,” the goal of the free program is to improve the quality of life for persons with Alzheimer’s and family care-givers. “Connections” teaches caregivers ways to get their family member involved in interesting activities in the home, lessens stress for the caregiver, and increases social opportunities for the person receiving care. Info: Aging Together at 825-3100. Buy a 9/11 T-shirt 9/11 T-shirts are on sale to benefit Sheltering Arms. In honor of the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attack, “In Remembrance” T-shirts are on sale for $15 each by the New York Picnic Committee. Contact John at 972-4883 or at JoJanT@verizon.net

Medical News

by Sandie Frame

Pneumonia Vaccine: The latest statistics show that only about six out of every ten Americans over 65 have received the pneumococcal vaccine. This vaccine reduces death from the leading cause of bacterial pneumonia in older adults. Everyone 65 and older should be vaccinated, as should younger people with certain diseases, such as diabetes, lung or heart disease, or cancer, as well as smokers. You need the vaccine only once, unless you got it Medicare does pay for this vaccination. If you have not received this vaccination yet, please talk to your doctor to see if you should be receiving it.

March Newsletter

March is the Cruelest Month As we enter the month of March, most people swing between feelings of elation and gladness that cold winter is on its way out and then despair as yet another blast of ice and snow proves that winter is still around. Some people actually like winter. Our neighbor says she loves winter because she can then stay indoors without feeling guilty. The changeable weather of March at least proves one important point: that weather forecasting is still a few hours behind arthritis. March has many significant events. First, Sunday, March 13 is when Daylight-Saving Time begins. For days ahead, the argument rages over what to do with your clock! Is it “Spring a leak, Fall down” or “Spring like a lion, Fall like an apple”” or “Spring ahead, Fall back”? Divorces have resulted from such confused debates. Some people don’t like daylight-savings. They say, for example, what does daylight-savings really mean to people living in Seattle? One extra hour of rain? Another March milestone is Thursday, March 17—St. Patrick’s Day. (We omitted March 15, “the Ides of March”, out of homage to poor Julius Caesar!) St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated each year by nearly everyone, with food (corned beef and cabbage), drink (green beer), and jokes. Like, two Irishmen were coming out of a bar. It could happen. Sunday, March 20, will be the first day of spring. We then discover that March’s “windy” reputation doesn’t actually mean that winter is really blown away—it’s “washed away” by spring rains. Is this what they mean by “March Madness”? Dick Martin, President Supervisor Frame to Speak to AARP by Carolyn Wray, Publicity The April meeting scheduled for Monday, March 21, will feature District 5 Supervisor Lee Frame. Lee is currently Chairman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors. He has a broad and varied background, which includes career military service, Federal civil service, and service in local and county government. Lee earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Michigan, a Master of Science degree from the University of Southern California, and is a graduate of the Senior Executive Fellows Program of the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Locally, Lee has also served in numerous programs, including serving as a board member and president of Lake of the Woods Association, serving on the Orange County Planning Committee, and volunteering for the Rescue Squad. His main points of discussion will be the impact of the recent Walmart decision to discontinue pursuit of construction at the intersection of Routes 3 and 20, redistricting of the local election districts, and the Orange County budget. Join us at 9:30 AM for coffee and sweets. These are difficult times and you need to be informed. Everyone is invited to attend. March BIRTHDAYS (Pisces and Aries) Joan Bealby, Francis Buttimer, Joann Buttimer, Diane Capps, Arlene DeSimone, Jeanette Embrey, Norma Ervin, Kathy Fisher, Peggy Grella, Thomas Hamilton, Joyce Haring, Anne Hartzel, Gale Henderson, Lee Huminik, Phyllis Jones, John Lacey, Bill Lanier, Violet Liberti, Sally Lyddane, Philip McCann, Jean Molinari, Maurice Moody, Karen Mueller, Pam Nalls, Joe Nolan, Millie Nowers, Jim Ogletree, Doris Parmelee, Shirley Pfile, Phyllis Pulice, Elizabeth Scheuermann, Haag Scott, Robert Sherba, Sue Simmons, Nora Simpson, Stephanie Sloan, Janet Terry, Paul Tobin, and Ralph Watterworth SUNSHINE REPORT We were all pretty healthy in February. No cards were sent. If you know of a member who needs cheering up, contact Carolyn Durphy at 972-3306. NOTES, BITS AND PIECES New Members There were no new members in February. Silent Auction We need new or gently used items that are clean with no stains. Ask your friends and neighbors to donate their items while they are spring cleaning. Spring and Easter are just around the corner. Think of the items that you will not use, such as small hand tools for the garden or household use, kitchen items, and knick knacks. Call Jean at 972-8310 or Margaret at 972-5540 or Patti at 972-1370 for pick up or bring them to the meeting. At the March meeting we will have a $20 certificate to LOW Hair Studio. We welcomed two new volunteers to our committee: Karen Kovarik at 972-7866 and Ruth Wallace at 540-423-7374. Thank you for volunteering. Be sure to come early and browse the tables at the Silent Auction. The February meeting earned $78 toward our charity donations. Free Income Tax Filing Assistance by Donna Jackson, AARP Tax-Aide Program Free tax preparation and E-filing through the AARP Tax-Aide Program will be available at two Orange County locations through April 18. 2011. This service is open to everyone as there is no age restriction. Call for an appointment for one of the sites listed below. LOW Holcomb Building through April 16, 2011. Appointments for either Friday from 10 AM to 2 PM, or Saturday from 9 AM to 2 PM may be made by calling 540-972-0350. Orange Extension Office, 146 Madison Road, Suite 102, Orange (Across from McDonald's), through April 14, 2011. Appointments for either Wednesday from 10 AM – 2 PM or Thursday from 1 to 5 PM may be made by calling 540-672-1361. Requirements include: Social Security card(s) or appropriate alternatives(s), an official ID with picture, ALL W-2s and 1099 Forms, Social Security, and any other 2010 tax-related material as well as a copy of your 2009 tax return. Help Needed for LOW Event Planning LOW’s Community and Youth Activities Committee is looking for volunteers to help promote more events within Lake of the Woods for all age groups. Committee Chair Karen O’Donnell says “We are currently working toward planning Poker Night, Battle of the Bands, Community Days, and a Turkey Trot. There is potential for many other events that will utilize the facilities and talent we already have in Lake of the Woods, but we need people and contacts to help us put it all together.” If you’d like to help make Lake of the Woods an even more vibrant community for all its members, join the Community and Youth Activities Committee. The Committee meets the 4th Wednesday each month at the Community Center at 7 PM. To volunteer or to get more information, contact Karen O’Donnell at 972-0572 or email mailto:Odonnellake@Comcast.net . “I Can Break Into Your Car in 20 Seconds!” Thieves are resorting to new technology to get into your “locked” car, to loot whatever’s of value inside (cell phone, laptop, GPS navigator, briefcase, etc.)—or to steal the car itself. There is a device that robbers are using now to clone your security code when you lock your car doors using your key-chain locking device. When you push the “lock” button as you walk away from the car, it sends a code through the airwaves—where it can be instantly stolen. The crooks sit with their decoding device a distance away, and watch you go into the store or restaurant. They now have your unlocking code and several minutes to get into your car to steal and run. The answer? Manually lock your car door by hitting the lock button inside the car as you leave. It sends no signal. Use the “Clear” Button at Gas Pump Scam guru Dick Bradie advises members to use the “Clear” button on the gas pump after receiving your credit card payment receipt. The button is located on the bottom left side of most pump key pads. If you don’t hit the “Clear” button, your credit information is available to anyone in the gas station office, and could be used for illegal purchases by them. Pressing the “Clear” button after your gasoline is paid for will wipe out your card information. Medical News by Sandie Frame Handbag Advice for the Ladies: While large handbags seem to be making a comeback for carrying all of our items, if they are too heavy they can put your back out. Try to choose from among the following carry-all big bags or travel bags. Shoulder bags: Choose one with a wide strap that you can adjust so that the bag does not hang below your waist. Stand straight without leaning to the side or hunching your shoulders. Messenger-style bags that sit across your chest, and ergonomic-style bags can be more comfortable. Changing the side the bag hangs on also helps reduce the strain. Backpacks: A backpack-styled bag distributes the weight more evenly if it fits properly and if you use both shoulder straps. Look for wide, padded straps and a padded back. Bigger backpacks should have a hip belt. The bottom of the backpack should not hang below the waist. Wheel it: If you have to carry a heavy load on a regular basis, consider a bag with wheels. Highlights of February Meeting by Pam Nalls, Secretary · Terri Miles, Orange County Project EXCEL Coordinator, is seeking more volunteers to tutor students. For more information, contact Miles at ctmcc_us@yahoo.com or 661-7055. · Paul Tobin conducted the 50/50 drawing. The winner of $47.50 was Jean Molinari; Jean donated her winnings to the AARP. · Our next meeting will be Monday, March 21, 2011.