May Means Another Busy AARP Month
The beautiful, wqrm month of May will hold at least two important events for me:
First, I will miss the AARP monthly meeting on Monday, May 16. My wife, Kathi, is due for a knee replacement operation that day, so I’ll be at her side in Mary Washington Hospital instead of meeting and greeting you-all as usual at the LOW Clubhouse.
Award-winning Chapter Vice President Dick Bradie will again run the meeting in my place. As you heard at the April meeting where Dick served in my Shore-vacationing place, Dick and Kathleen Bradie received “Volunteers of the Year Awards” from Virginia AARP. Board Member Pierre Payette made the presentation. Congratula-tions, Dick and Kathleen! You both certainly deserve the recognition for all the time and effort you give in helping others.
And second, we have our Chapter’s Annual Day of Service on Thursday, May 19. This year’s volunteer effort is again in the very capable hands of Bob Johnson, who has been working hard to make our 2011 effort “bigger and better than ever.”
If you haven‘t volunteered yet to help our Chapter assist local and area charity groups for a few hours on May 19, please give Bob a call at 972-4358 or email bjohn913@ Comcast.net to have your name added to the lists. It will only take a few hours of your time…and you will be repaid with a feeling of deep satisfaction for helping others who are less fortunate.
Finally, Roxanne Kessler will replace the to-be-hospitalized Kathi Martin in leading the May 24-26 Chapter bus tour up to Amish-land in Pennsylvania. The last time our group did this trip, they spotted a hand-painted sign on the back of one of those Amish horse-drawn carriages. The sign read: “Energy efficient vehicle—Runs on oats and grass. Caution: Do not step in exhaust.
Dick Martin, President
Freedom Honor Team to Perform at May Meeting
Carolyn Wray, Publicity
The Enduring Freedom Honor Team from Faith Baptist School in Fredericksburg will be performing at our May l6 meeting. The select 12-member high school ensemble, clad in vintage WWII uniforms, together with Greg Reed, Music Director (who plays trumpet and six other instruments) will entertain us with an eclectic repertoire consisting of patriotic, classical and current melodies. The band’s instruments consist of clarinets, trumpets, drums, flute, tuba, saxophone, trombone, and euphonium. The group has played at the Pentagon, the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, MD, McGuire Hospital in Richmond, and Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington, DC.
Mr. Reed has a BA and MA in music education from Spring Arbor University and George Mason University respectively. He draws his musicians from Faith Baptist School’s concert band which has won five first-place awards and three seconds in national competitions over the past eight years.
The meeting will start at 9:30 AM with sweets and coffee followed by the program at 10 AM. This will be a very special program with a talented group of students from Faith Baptist School.
MAY BIRTHDAYS
(Taurus and Gemini)
Patricia Batten, Pat Bisset, James Buongiovanni, Diana Calegari, Evadine Cooper, Joe Diamonstein, Larry Eiben, John Gamble, Alice Grgas, Gloria Hutt, Ramona Lamon, Arthur Lieb, Rani Manhard, Harvey Miller, Linda Ogletree, Zoila Ortega, Pierre Payette, Val Protiva, Edwin Roessler, Barbara Rueckert, Kathy Saladino, Doris Scoon, Michele Smith, Robert Spencer, Lillian Thompson, Lucille Tompkins , and Susan Wright.
SUNSHINE REPORT
by Carolyn Durphy
Get well cards were sent to Carolyn Lewis, Boyd Bowers and Vi Liberti.
If you know of a member who needs cheering up, contact Carolyn Durphy at 972-3306.
NOTES, BITS AND PIECES
Silent Auction
by Patti Batten
We need new or gently used items that are clean with no stains or tears. Some suggestions: Kitchen items, small hand tools for garden and household use, dishes, pottery, framed pictures, just to name a few. If you need the items picked up, you may call Jean at 972-7866, Ruth at 540-423-7274, Diane at 972-2078, Margaret at 972-5540, Karen at 972-7866, or Sharon at 972-1666, or you can bring them to the meeting.
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 Lucy Churchill at the May meeting.
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 eight-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
The same virus that causes chicken pox stays in your body and can surface in later years as shingles. There is now a vaccine that may stop shingles from occurring. ZOSTAVAX is recommended for anyone over 60 who ever had chickenpox. While it does protect most people, it does not protect everyone from getting Shingles. There is a theory that it does make the shingles less severe and less painful. This vaccine is a one-time injection. You should not get this vaccine if you are allergic to gelatin, neomycin, have a compromised immune system or take high doses of steroids. Your doctor should be informed of all medications you are taking as other medications or conditions may prevent you from receiving the vaccine. Your doctor is the best person to advise if this vaccine is right for you. Possible side effects include: redness, warmth or bruising at the injection site, itching, a mild rash, or headache. Since this vaccine contains a weakened chickenpox virus, you should stay away from newborns, pregnant women who have not had chickenpox or those with compromised immune systems until the vaccine has taken effect. Now for the bad part: This vaccine is costly, over $200, and is not covered by Medicare at this time. If you have secondary insurance provider, check with them to see if they might cover it. For further information see web sites on shingles vaccine or Zostavax and the 2011 Medicare manual.
Legislative News
Various pieces of new federal legislation address both personal health care and related financial issues. One of interest to members of Chapter 5239 is a provision under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act which will protect you against the denial of health insurance coverage. The Government Accounting Office reports that coverage may be denied due to billing errors, eligibility issues, or even a determination that a charge is not appropriate. In the case of a billing error, often the denial is issued because of duplicate claims or missing information. For example, in 2007 Maryland reported that 32 percent of denials occurred due to duplicate claim submissions.
There are several actions you can take to dispute a denial. First: you can file an appeal with your insurer. Second: if the appeal is denied, you can request that it be reviewed by the Virginia Bureau of Insurance (within 30 days after your initial appeal to the insurer is exhausted) acting as an external party. And finally, you can file a complaint with the Commonwealth of Virginia through the Bureau of Insurance. For information go to www.scc.virginia.gov and select the tab for “Insurance”.
If you need help in dealing with your private insurer, contact the nonprofit Patient Advocate Foundation (www.patientadvocate.org). The lesson for the day is that if you are denied coverage, don’t give up. File an appeal.
Attribution: Washington Post, March 24, “The Color of Money,” Michelle Singletary
Highlights of April Meeting
by Pam Nalls, Secretary
Dick & Kathleen Bradie have been awarded the AARP National Chapter Community Service Award for 2011. Pierre Payette presented the Bradies with an AARP certificate and pin in recognition of their exemplary volunteer work in our community.
Bob Johnson gave an update on the AARP’s Day of Service scheduled for 18/19 May. Sign-up sheets are available at the monthly meetings and more volunteers are needed.
Patti Batten provided the Silent Auction results and estimated that the intake from this month’s auction would be close to $100.
Paul Tobin conducted the 50/50 drawing; the winner of $56 was Boyd Bowers.
Also, Joe Wascalus had the winning ticket for a gift certificate from LOW Hair Studio.
You won’t want to miss the next meeting on Monday, May16, 2011, when our program will feature The Enduring Freedom Band.
