50plus Senior News Dauphin County July 2012

By Megan Joyce

Most of us have encountered tough times in our lives where we were

encouraged to heed the old adage of “dusting ourselves off ” or “picking

ourselves up by our bootstraps.” We fall; we rise up; we move forward,

bruised but vertical.

These days, Vickie Kissinger’s bootstraps hang firmly hinged on a treble

clef and a cluster of eighth-notes.

The newly named 2012 PA STATE SENIOR IDOL and New Holland-area

resident is a lifelong music lover, having started on the organ at just 5 years

old.

“My grandparents actually got me started in music. My grandmother in

particular always had a love for music, and they took me for organ lessons,”

Kissinger recalled. “That was just always a dream of hers: She wanted me to

learn to play the organ.”

As she grew up, her musical studies expanded to include piano as well,

and by age 13 she was playing the organ in church; by 15, she was

substituting for two different local churches. By high-school graduation,

Kissinger was offered an organist position at a church in Akron.

As a teenager, Kissinger had become interested in singing, and her jazz-

piano teacher at the time encouraged her to embrace her voice. After she

2012 PA STATE SENIOR IDOL Vickie Kissinger performing “At Last” by Etta James.

Power Reigns Supreme

at Senior Idol

page 10

Is the Only-Child Trend

Desirable?

page 14

please see IDOL page 18

Inside:

Dauphin County Edition July 2012 Vol. 14 No. 7

Self-MadeSenior Idol

2012 Talent Competition Winner

Earned Music Degree at 45

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

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atter swings like a rusty gate.”

That was me—I didn’t

need the other team to

remind me that I was what baseball

scouts call “good glove/no bat.”

But this rusty gate never lost his

enthusiasm for the game. Besides

marveling at how batters slam a wooden

cylinder against a speeding orb, I love the

cerebral aspects of baseball. Games turn

on strategies

that work (or

don’t).

Here are a

few of

baseball’s

lesser-known

fundamentals

that might

enhance your

appreciation

for the game.

Wasting apitch. Rarely

do you see a

three-pitch

called

strikeout.

When a batter is behind with a no-balls,

two-strikes count, he is prepared to swing

at almost any pitch that’s not over his

head.

The pitcher intentionally throws out

of the strike zone hoping the batter will

“go fishing” and either miss for strike

three or hit a harmless roller. If you want

to see the epitome of rage, check out the

manager after his pitcher gives up an 0-2

homerun.

A hallowed baseball story tells how an

old-time manager vowed to fine any

pitcher $50 who didn’t waste a pitch. In

one game, after the umpire called an 0-2

offering “strike three,” the pitcher came

running in from the mound yelling,

“That was a ball!”

Curve versus slider. The classic

curveball breaks vertically from 12 to 6

on the clock. Batters tend to swing over it

unless it’s a “hanging curve” that takes

too long to break and sits there like an

apple on a branch.

Sliders break sideways, low and away

opposite the pitcher’s arm. Therefore, a

right-handed slider breaks into a left-

handed batter or away from a right-

handed batter.

Breaking balls are thrown with a

twisting wrist that makes them slower

than fastballs, so a breaking ball that

doesn’t break is easy pickings for the

batter.

Fair versus foul. All four bases are in

fair territory. Home plate has the V-

shaped base because it nestles in the

confluence of

the right and

left foul lines.

Balls that

hit the “foul

line” are fair.

Balls that hit

the “foul pole”

or its extension

screen are

homeruns.

A runner on

third takes his

lead in foul

territory lest he

get called out

for interference

by getting hit

by a fair ball.

Considerate umpires on the first and

third base lines position themselves in

foul territory because they are “in play”

and when hit by a fair ball might affect

the outcome of the play.

Alas, left-handers. In the Big Leagues,

left-handed throwers play only five of the

nine defensive positions: three outfielders,

first base, and pitcher. That’s not a rule.

It’s due to the counterclockwise nature of

the game.

You’ll understand immediately if you

pretend you’re a second baseman fielding

a grounder and throwing to first—see

how you must make an extra turn if you

throw left-handed? All those runners who

are thrown out by a step would be safe

against left-handed infielders.

Conversely, a left-handed first baseman

is in a better position to throw to second

and doesn’t have to sweep the glove across

his body to tag the diving runner on a

pick-off play. The theory against left-

handed catchers is that they’re out of

position on steal attempts to third and

that, with most batters being right-

handed, they must maneuver throws

Some Finer Pointsof Baseball

Silver Threads

W.E. Reinka

“B

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

Central PA Poison Center(800) 521-6110

Dauphin County Office of Aging(717) 255-2790

Gipe Floor & Wall Covering(717) 545-6103

Neill Funeral Home(717) 564-2633

Zimmerman Auer Funeral Home(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

Central Penn Nursing, Inc.(717) 361-9777(717) 569-0451

Home Instead Senior Care(717) 540-5201

Safe Haven Quality Care(717) 238-1111

Visiting Angels(717) 652-8899

Dreammaker Bath & Kitchen(717) 367-9753

Senior Home Repair(717) 545-8747

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

Keystone Elder Law PC(717) 691-9300

GSH Home Med Care(717) 272-2057

The Center for Advanced Orthotics &Prosthetics(800) 676-7846

CVS/pharmacywww.cvs.com

Spring Creek Rehabilitation & HealthCare Center(717) 565-7000

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

Wheelchair Getaways(717) 921-2000

Travel

Transportation

Toll-Free Numbers

Services

Rehabilitation

Orthotics & Prosthetics

Medical Equipment & Supplies

Legal Services

Insurance

Housing Assistance

Housing/Apartments

Home Improvement

Home Care Services

Healthcare Information

Health & Medical Services

Funeral Services

Floor Coverings

Emergency

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.

As of May 2012, a new Medicare

card scam has been brought to the

attention of the Pennsylvania Senior

Medicare Patrol (SMP) and the Center

for Advocacy for the Rights and

Interests of the Elderly (CARIE).

Residents from all over Pennsylvania

have received calls from scammers

claiming to be “from Medicare.” The

scammer states

that Medicare is

sending out new

cards and then

instructs the

beneficiary to

give the

scammer their

checking

account number

in order to

receive the new

card.

In at least

two cases, the

scammer already

had the

beneficiary’s

address, bank name, and bank routing

number.

Remember: Medicare will never call

to sell you anything and will never ask

for your checking account number. To

report a similar scam or other Medicare

fraud, please call the Pennsylvania

Senior Medicare Patrol at (800) 356-

3606.

“Medicare will never call

to sell you anything and

will never ask for your

checking account

number.

“

Beware of New Medicare Card Scam

around batters on steal attempts to

second.

A few baseball theorists even prefer

right-handed leftfielders on the theory

that, on throws to the plate, their tosses

tend to bounce to the right (into the

waiting catcher) rather than away from

the play.

Outfield arms. The pariah right

fielder of Little League transforms into a

respected player in the Bigs. Teams put

rifle arms in right and weak arms in left

because the throw from right field to

third base is a full 90 feet longer than the

throw to third from left.

3-foot line. That mysterious line that

extends to the right and parallel to the

foul line in the last half of the distance

from home to first base is the 3-foot line.

A runner who strays to the left of the

foul line or to the right of the 3-foot line

may be called out if he interferes with

the fielder taking the throw at first. The

runner is allowed to run outside of the

channel to avoid interfering with a

fielder making a play.


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

Lori Lampert

Angie McComsey

Ranee Shaub Miller

Sue Rugh

SALES COORDINATOR

Eileen Culp

CIRCULATION

PROJECT COORDINATOR

Loren Gochnauer

ADMINISTRATION

BUSINESS MANAGER

Elizabeth Duvall

Winner

Member of

Member of

Dear Savvy Senior,

What can you tell me about restless

leg syndrome? I’m 58 years old, and

my wife thinks I may have it because I

sometimes wake her up at night

kicking my legs. – Restless Larry

Dear Larry,

If an irresistible urge to move your

legs has you kicking in your sleep,

you may indeed have restless leg

syndrome (RLS), a

common, under-

diagnosed condition

that affects around 10

percent of Americans.

Here’s what you

should know.

Do You Have RLS?

RLS is a

neurological disorder

that causes

unpleasant sensations

in the legs (usually in

the calf area) and an

irresistible urge to

move your legs when

resting or sitting still,

and the symptoms usually get worse

with age. The main complaint with

RLS, other than it being

uncomfortable, is that it disrupts

sleep.

While researchers have yet to pin

down a specific cause of RLS, they

do know of various conditions that

are linked to it, including: genetics

(it often runs in families), anemia,

kidney problems, peripheral

neuropathy, diabetes, attention

deficit disorder, and even pregnancy.

Do you have RLS? If you answer

yes to most of these questions, you

probably do.

• When you sit or lie down, do

you have a strong desire to move

your legs?

• Does your desire to move your

legs feel impossible to resist?

• Would you use the words

“unpleasant,” “creepy-crawly,”

“electric current,” “itching,”

“tingling,” “pulling,” or “tugging” to

describe your symptoms?

• Does your desire to move often

occur when you are resting or sitting

still?

• Does moving your legs make

you feel better?

• Do these symptoms bother you

more at night?

• Do your ever have involuntary

leg movements while you are awake?

Tips and Remedies

While there’s no cure for RLS,

there are some things you can do to

alleviate the symptoms. Depending

on the severity of your case, here are

some tips and remedies that may

help:

• Get a blood test: Studies show

that an iron or vitamin deficiency

can cause or worsen RLS. Your

doctor can easily check this with a

simple blood test and may

recommend supplementing your diet

with vitamin E, iron, vitamin B12,

or folate.

• Check your meds: Certain

drugs that treat high blood pressure,

heart conditions, nausea, colds,

allergies, and depression can make

RLS worse. If you take any of these,

ask your doctor if something else

can be prescribed.

• Watch your diet: Pay attention

to what you eat to see if it may cause

or increase your symptoms.

• Limit caffeine and alcohol: Both

of these can make symptoms worse.

• Stretch: A good calf stretch and

a strong massage may provide some

relief.

• Take a bath: For some people, a

hot or cold bath can help, or try

using a heating pad or ice pack.

• Try compression: Wrapping ace

bandages or

wearing

compression

support stockings

around the

problem area have

also been known to

help.

• Exercise:

Moderate exercise

(20 to 30 minutes

three or four times

a week) can also

relieve symptoms

and help you sleep

better. Exercising

late in the evening,

however, can

induce symptoms.

• Reduce stress: Stress can

aggravate RLS. Meditation and yoga

are good relaxation techniques you

may want to try, especially before

going to bed at night.

Treatments

If the tips or remedies don’t

improve your condition, prescription

medications may help.

Requip (or its generic Ropinirole)

and Mirapex are two drugs approved

by the FDA to treat RLS, but there

are several other drugs that treat

other conditions (dopaminergic

agents, sedatives, anticonvulsants,

and pain relievers) that have also

been found to be helpful.

Talk to your doctor about these

options, or consult an RLS specialist

(see rls.org to locate one) or a sleep

specialist (see sleepcenters.org).

Jim Miller is a regular contributor to the

NBC Today show and author of TheSavvy Senior Book. www.savvysenior.org.

Tips and Treatments forRestless Leg Syndrome

Savvy Senior

Jim Miller


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Steven Wilsbach, Supervisor3501 Derry Street

Harrisburg, PA 17111717-564-2633

ROLLING GREEN CEMETERY

1811 Carlisle Road Camp Hill, PA 17011

717-761-4055

NEILL FUNERAL HOME, INC.

Kevin Shillabeer, Supervisor3401 Market Street

Camp Hill, PA 17011717-737-8726

Sept. 19, 2012 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.York Expo Center

Memorial Hall–East • 334 Carlisle Avenue, York

www.50plusExpoPA.com717.285.1350

Oct. 23, 2012 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.Carlisle Expo Center

100 K Street, Carlisle

Nov. 6, 2012 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.Lancaster Host Resort

2300 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster

By Doris Brookens

Question: Recently, I was told Ishouldn’t be carrying my SocialSecurity card around. Is that true?

Answer: We encourage you to keep

your Social Security card at home in a

safe place. Do not carry it with you

unless you are

taking it to a job

interview or to

someone who

requires it.

Identity theft is

one of the fastest-

growing crimes in

America, and the

best way to avoid

becoming a victim

is to safeguard your

card and number.

To learn more, visit

our Social Security

number and card page at

http://www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber.

Question: My father receives SocialSecurity retirement benefits, and I willbe in charge of his estate when he dies.Should that occur, do I need to reporthis death to Social Security or willbenefits automatically stop?

Answer: When your father dies, please

notify Social Security as soon as possible

by calling us at (800) 772-1213. Another

person, such as a spouse, may be eligible

for survivors benefits based on his record.

Also, we might be able to pay a one-

time payment of $255 to help with

funeral expenses. We suggest reading a

copy of our online publication, How

Social Security Can Help You When aFamily Member Dies, at

www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10008.html.

Question: I have been getting SocialSecurity disability benefits for manyyears. I’m about to hit my fullretirement age. What will happen tomy disability benefits?

Answer: When you reach “full

retirement age,” we will switch you from

disability to

retirement

benefits. But you

won’t even notice

the change

because your

benefit amount

will stay the same.

It’s just that when

you reach

retirement age, we

consider you to be

a “retiree” and not

a disability

beneficiary.

Question: I’m on SupplementalSecurity Income (SSI) and live with mytwo brothers in an apartment. My SSIpayment is cut by one-third becausethe Social Security office says I don’tpay enough of the household expenses.How much of the expenses must I payin order to get the full SSI rate?

Answer: Under the rules of the

program, you must be paying an equal

share of the expenses. Because there are

three of you in the household, you must

pay one-third of the expenses. If you are

not paying an equal share of the rent,

utilities, groceries, and other household

expenses, your SSI payment must be

reduced.

Doris Brookens is the Social Security office

manager in Harrisburg.

“Do not carry your

Social Security card

with you unless you

are taking it to a job

interview or to

someone who

requires it.

“

Q&A’s for July

Social Security News

“Knock on wood”

This phrase may have originated

during the Middle Ages, when pieces of

the cross on which Jesus was crucified

were supposedly in circulation.

Touching one of these was supposed

to bring good luck.


Dauphin County

Calendar of Events

Dauphin County Library Programs

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

July 12 and 13, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. – Mohler Senior Center, 25 Hope Drive, Hershey, (717) 533-2002

Dauphin County Department of Parks and Recreation

July 8, 10:30 a.m. to noon – Flower Walk: Still More Blooms, Wildwood Park

July 11, 6 to 7:30 p.m. – Stress Relief Walk, Wildwood Park

July 21, 8 to 10 a.m. – Wandering Wildwood with Photographer Phil Lloyd, Wildwood Park

Programs and Support Groups

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

Elizabethville Area Library, 80 N. Market St., Elizabethville, (717) 362-9825

July 26, 6 to 8 p.m. – Friends of the 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) 566-0949

July 10, 6:30 p.m. – Novel Thoughts Book Club

July 17, 1 p.m. – Novel Thoughts, Too!

Free and open to the public.

Senior Center Activities

Sundays through August, 10:30 to 11:45 a.m.Free, Nondenominational Public Cruise

Pride of the Susquehanna Riverboat

107 North St., Harrisburg

(717) 234-6500

www.harrisburgriverboat.com

July 1, 1 to 4 p.m.Book Signing: Florence Ditlow and Les SchmidtTransit News, Harrisburg Transportation Center

Fourth and Chestnut streets, Harrisburg

[email protected]

July 21, 10 a.m.Teamster 776 Retirees Monthly Meeting

Union Hall

2552 Jefferson St., Harrisburg

(717) 233-8766

July 24, 6 to 7:30 p.m.Parental Loss Support Group

AseraCare Hospice

75 S. Houcks Road, Suite 101, Harrisburg

(717) 541-4466

July 31, 6 p.m.Susquehanna Rovers Volksmarch Walking Club

Gander Mountain

5005 Jonestown Road, Harrisburg

(717) 991-5232

If you have an event you would like toinclude, 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

July 24 – “The Amazing History of Ordinary Things”

July 26 – Pianist Gabe Freedman

July 31 – “The Great American Drive-In”

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.org

Wednesdays, 12:15 p.m. – Free Aerobics

Steelton Senior Center – (717) 939-0693

Just a snippet of what you may be missing …

please call or visit their website for more information.

AARP Driver Safety Programs


Locations in Dauphin, Lancaster & York counties

4601 Devonshire Rd., Suite 100, Harrisburg, PA

1-800-676-7846

Hey ...nice legs!

• 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!

Online 24/7 at whylradio.com

Are you 62+

or Older?

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B’NAI B’RITHAPARTMENTS

130 South Third Street • Harrisburg

(717) 232-7516

Visit Our

Website At:

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Central Pennsylvania’s Award-Winning 50+

Publication

The United States Census has been

taken every 10 years since 1790.

It is used by the federal

government for a variety of reasons, the

primary one being to establish

Congressional districts according to

population. For protection of privacy, the

census is not made public until 72 years

after it is taken.

Thus, this is the first U.S. census in

which my name appears, as well as the

names of many 50plus Senior News

readers. Publication of the 1940 U.S.

census has been a highly anticipated

event by genealogists. It has also sparked

an awareness in those who may not be

that interested in the history of ancestors

they never knew—because they can now

find information they may not have

known about their parents or even

themselves.

The 1940 census was the first taken

after the start of Social Security, the first

after the Great Depression, and the last

before the nation’s entry into World War

II. It holds many nuggets of information

about the “Greatest Generation.”

Many of the questions on the 1940

census are the standard ones: name, age,

gender, race, education, and place of

birth. But the 1940 census also asked

many new questions. The instructions

directed the enumerator to enter an X

after the name of the person furnishing

the information about the family;

whether the person worked for the

CCC, WPA, or NYA the week of

March 24-30, 1940; and income for the

12 months ending Dec. 31, 1939.

The 1940 census also has a

supplemental schedule for two names on

each page. The supplemental schedule

asks the place of birth of the person’s

father and mother; the person’s usual

occupation, not just what they were

doing the week of March 24-30, 1940;

and for all women who are or have been

married, if this woman has been married

The 1940 Census

The Search for Our Ancestry

Angelo Coniglio

please see CENSUS page 17


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John W. Berglund saw plenty of

action in the Marine Corps before

the A-bombs, mercifully, ended

WWII in the Pacific. But he all but

missed the whole thing.

When Pearl Harbor was attacked, he

wanted to enlist in the Navy, even

though his father tried his best to get

him to finish his senior year at Rutgers

University. But his vision was bad

enough to cause the Navy to decide that

they could fight the war without him.

Learning from that, he adopted

another tactic as he next tried the Marine

Corps. He simply memorized the eye

chart … and passed with flying colors.

Because of his years of college, he was

sent to Officer’s Candidate School at

Quantico, Va., where he earned his

commission.

He then shipped to Camp Pendleton,

Calif., where he was assigned to the 1st

Battalion, 12th Marines. He soon was on

his way to New Zealand,

aboard a Liberty ship that

he says “made maybe 10

knots when they pushed

it.”

With a deckload of oil

and gasoline, and with

500 tons of high explosive

in the hold, they were

lucky to avoid attack

during the 22 days it

took them to reach New

Zealand.

After five months

there, they were sent up

to Guadalcanal, which had been declared

secured—the fighting over.

“Unfortunately,” he notes, “nobody

had told the Japanese Air Force. They

used to bomb us every night, although

our biggest problem was the shrapnel

from our own antiaircraft that fell all

around us.”

He explains that,

unbelievably, they trained by

firing on themselves.

“We spent a day in the

jungle, digging splinter-proof

shelters. We then crawled in

and called in fire from our 75-

millimeter pack howitzers, one

round at a time, until we heard

fragments crashing into our

shelter.”

They then shipped to

Bougainville, where they were

strafed as they landed.

“Our antiaircraft were using

proximity fuses that would go off when

15 yards from any target,” he says. “That

permitted me to once see five Japanese

planes in flames at the same time.”

It was also in Bougainville that the

Japanese plane dropped the 500-pound

bomb that landed 10 yards from where

he was.

“Yeah, it narrowly missed me,” he

says, “and dug a hole that was 26 feet in

diameter and 10 feet deep. As the round

came in, I could hear the click of the fuse

arming. Scared? I was so shook up that it

took me half an hour before I could light

a cigarette.

“I was then loaned to the 3rd New

Zealand division, where my job was to

supply them with naval gunfire to allow

them to get their artillery ashore on

Green Island. That was to take a few

hours but wound up taking five days.

“One of those days, I was working

with a Navy lieutenant, trying to dig a

foxhole into the coral. In two hours, we

made it 9 inches deep. He was a bitter

man. He had enlisted in the Navy, where

he would sleep between sheets and enjoy

a hot shower. And now here he was with

the Marines in the mud.

“The New Zealanders were trying to

flush out the last of the Japanese troops

The Japanese Plane Dropped a 500-Pound

Bomb that Landed 10 Yards from HimRobert D. Wilcox

Salute to a Veteran

Captain John W.

Berglund in 1945, newly

back from the Pacific.

Have you photographed

a smile that just begs

to be shared?

Have you photographed

a smile that just begs

to be shared?

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grandchildren, friends, even your “smiling”

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

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on the island. A day after I left, I learned

that they had found about 80 of them

and in 40 minutes of fighting had wiped

them out, while losing only four of their

own men. Typically, the Japanese had

fought to the last man.”

When Berglund left Green Island, he

found that he had been chosen by lottery

to go back to the States to form a new

division. When he got there, though, he

was sent to Fort Sill to take a course in

sound and flash ranging before being

returned to the Pacific, to the Corps

Artillery of the 5th Amphibious Corps on

Hawaii, the big island.

He was reunited there with a buddy

named Rick Ostrom, who had been in

class with him at Fort Sill and was a

privileged member of the Walker family,

one of the five families who had originally

owned all of the Hawaiian Islands.

When Ostrom called Mrs. Walker to

tell her he was there, he and Berglund

were promptly invited to come out to

her palatial home in the beautiful

Nuuanu Valley, to find that, because of

the war, they were reduced to having

only five servants.

“Some sacrifice,” notes Berglund drily.

On another occasion, they were

having cocktails with the Walkers when

some guests arrived. They turned out to

be Admiral Nimitz and an Admiral

Lockwood.

Berglund says, “You never saw two

lieutenants get sobered up so fast in your

life. After dinner, we played nickel-and-

dime poker with the admirals, and I won

the last hand from Admiral Nimitz. Mrs.

Walker asked that we not tell anyone

about that, and I couldn’t help

wondering, ‘Who’s going to believe us?’”

Then it was to Iwo Jima, where he

landed on D-Day plus two and saw our

flag flying from Mount Suribachi. His

unit coordinated all the fire of 14

battalions of artillery. He was on orders

to be in on the invasion of Japan, when

we dropped the A-bombs, and the war

was over.

After he was discharged in 1969, he

entered the Lutheran Theological

Seminary. After being ordained, he

served the Grace Lutheran Church in

Philadelphia and came to a retired living

community in Elizabethtown, Pa., in

1987 to enjoy his retirement.

Colonel Wilcox flew a B-17 bomber in

Europe in WWII.

Property Tax/Rent Rebate

Deadline Extended

The deadline to

apply for

Pennsylvania’s

Property Tax/Rent

Rebate Program

for older adults

and residents with

disabilities has

been extended

from June 30 to

Dec. 31.

The rebate

program benefits

eligible

Pennsylvanians

age 65 and older; widows and widowers

age 50 and older; and people with

disabilities age 18 and older.

The income limit is $35,000 a year for

homeowners and $15,000 annually for

renters, and half of Social Security

income is excluded.

The maximum standard rebate is

$650, but supplemental rebates for

qualifying homeowners can boost rebates

to $975.

As of May 31, the Revenue

Department had received 529,023 rebate

applications.

As specified by

law, rebate

distribution

began on July 1.

After June 30,

rebates were

distributed as

claims were

received and

processed.

Applicants may

obtain Property

Tax/Rent Rebate

claim forms (PA-

1000) and related

information online at

www.revenue.state.pa.us or by calling,

toll-free, (888) 222-9190.

Forms and assistance also are available

at Department of Revenue district offices

(listed in the government section of

phone directories), local Area Agencies

on Aging, senior centers, and state

legislators’ offices.

Claimants who already applied for

Property Tax/Rent Rebates may check the

status of claims online at

www.revenue.state.pa.us or by calling,

toll-free, (888) PA-TAXES.


By Megan Joyce

Early on in the performance lineup for the seventh

annual PA STATE SENIOR IDOL finals competition, a

recurring theme became audible: power.

Out of the seven years of finals-night performances,

2012’s roster included more than a dozen musical

dynamos whose notes could likely hit the ceiling even

without the sonic aid of a microphone or the buoyancy

of dinner-theater acoustics.

Produced by On-Line Publishers, hosted by the Dutch

Apple Dinner Theatre in Lancaster, and emceed by

Diane Dayton of Dayton Communications, the 15

semifinalists for the evening’s show were culled from

nearly 100 contestants who auditioned at regional

tryouts in late April and early May.

Both the sold-out crowd and the panel of local

celebrity judges—RJ Harris of WHP580, Adrian

“Buddy” King of the former Magnificent Men, Valerie

Pritchett of abc27, and Janelle Stelson of WGAL-8—

were treated to almost three hours of impressive musical

talent, lively laughter, and powerhouse performances.

And Deb Olsen of Manheim got the night started

with a bang—many of them, in fact. The only drummer

ever to make the SENIOR IDOL semifinalist cut, Olsen set

what was to become the powerful tone for the evening as

she thundered through The Bee Gees’ “You Should Be

Dancing.”

“People don’t know how to judge drummers,” noted

King. “Basically it’s a matter of what you feel, and it felt

really good.”

Second in line was Margie Sheaffer of New

Providence, who tipped her fedora and added a few well-

placed pouts while performing “Makin’ Whoopee” by

Eddie Cantor.

“It’s always important to choose the right song here,

and I think you made a good choice,” said King. “You

communicate the song very well.”

“We’re off to a great start here; we’re going to have a

tough time [judging],” Harris predicted.

Third to the stage was Vickie Kissinger of Gap, whose

voice ran the gamut from gentle to formidable during

Etta James’ “At Last.”

“It’s one thing to have a good voice; it’s another to

know how to use it. Your dynamics are sensational,”

declared King. “You know how to build it, you knew

how to maintain it.”

Though Kissinger was an admittedly tough act to

follow, York’s Tom LaNasa did so with confidence and

finesse for Dean Martin’s “Bumming Around.” LaNasa’s

plaid sport coat and straw hat were appropriately “bum

chic,” his ensemble punctuated by a red handkerchief

sack tied to a stick.

“You can tell you’re a performer,” said Harris. “You

had a lot of fun up there and I think that was the best

part of your performance.”

Both power and control were evident in Lynn

Henderson Payne of New Freedom, who soared through

“Someone to Watch Over Me” by George Gershwin.

“The control in your voice is phenomenal, and

hanging on those notes—spectacular,” Pritchett

enthused. “That takes a lot of breath control.”

Pritchett also praised Lancaster’s Larry Gessler for his

vocal quality after his rendition of “A Nightingale Sang

in Berkeley Square” by Mel Torme.

“It was a very tender approach, and a very difficult

song for intonation purposes,” King agreed.

Jeff Mumma of York Haven brought forth another

kind of power—patriotic power—for “Where the Stars

and Stripes and Eagles Fly” by Aaron Tippin. And once

he conquered his nerves after the first few lines, his vocal

power was apparent as well.

“Once we got to your voice, we know why you got

here,” said Harris. “You have a great, smooth voice and a

passion for country music in particular … you can tell

it’s not a karaoke thing you did here. You really are good.”

Reading’s Mark Ettaro earned high marks for his

Sinatra-esque tones during “I’ve Got You Under My

Skin,” but it was also his comedic power that had the

judges and audience applauding. Ettaro frequently name-

dropped Stelson into the song’s lyrics and, during the

song’s instrumental interlude, he introduced the four

Power Reigns Supreme at Senior Idol

Strong Performances a Hallmark of Competition’s 7th Year

CChheerriiCCoolleemmaannCCaammppbbeellll

MMaarrkk EEttttaarroo

FFrraannkk FFeeddeellee

NNiicckk FFeerrrraarroo

CCoonnssttaanncceeKKuubbaa FFiisshheerr

LLaarrrryy GGeesssslleerr

DDaann KKeellllyy

TToomm LLaaNNaassaa


invisible members of his onstage “band”: the evening’s

judges.

“You have a really good voice, all joking aside,”

Stelson said. “And of course I’m susceptible to hearing

my name in a love song, but it was such a pleasure; it

was really smoothie-smooth.”

Power came back onstage in the guise of Cheri

Coleman Campbell of Coatesville, belting out the

gospel song “My Tribute” by Andrae Crouch. The

judges and the audience were moved by not only her

vocal power, but also her spiritual power—as Campbell

focused her eyes and voice on a higher power.

“You are one of these people who is just lit from

within,” Stelson said. “And I think that’s where your

music is born, too. And I don’t know what you’ve been

through in your life, but you’re obviously praising for

something, and I think you’re giving as good as you’re

getting.”

Harrisburg resident Nick Ferraro had a

commanding stage presence coupled with a robust

voice—even during the high falsetto notes of Jay & the

Americans’ “Cara Mia Mine.”

“That’s a tough song to sing, and a lot of nerve it

takes hitting those falsetto notes,” said King. “I know

what it’s like because I used to sing a lot of falsetto,

and man, you can’t fake those.”

Victoria Newcomer of Mount Joy rocked through

KT Tunstall’s “Black Horse and the Cherry Tree.”

Once again, the judges noted the power behind the

performance.

“I love that song, and you came out here and you

crushed it!” exclaimed Harris.

Stelson then observed that power can come in the

seemingly straight-laced visage of a suit and tie after

Philadelphia’s Dan Kelly used his theater chops to roar

through “Mack the Knife” by Bobby Darin.

“I liked the way you used the stage, and I really

liked your energy in your singing,” Pritchett said.

Next, Don “Duke” Larson showed that a powerful

stage presence isn’t dampened by age—in fact, it can

enhance it. At age 76, Larson’s voice soared confidently

through “That’s Life” by Frank Sinatra, his fine suit

and fedora completing the effect.

“You are impeccably tailored; everything was

perfect,” said Stelson. “You look the part. That was a

great story to tell, and you know what? You kind of

have to be in your 70s to tell it.”

Constance Kuba Fisher of Mechanicsburg worked

the stage performing Jo Dee Messina’s kiss-off anthem,

“Bye Bye.” Her love of performance and her plentiful

stage experience helped carry her through the feisty

tune.

“You have a lot of soul and a lot of heart,” Harris

observed.

The evening’s last semifinalist to take the stage,

Frank Fedele of Williamsport crooned “Walk Away” by

Matt Monro, a performance Stelson called “very

natural and very comfortable.”

“I like the smoothness of your voice, and I also like

the flow. It’s so rhythmic,” complimented Pritchett.

After a brief intermission during which the four

judges’ scores were tallied, all 15 semifinalists lined up

on the stage … and Deb Olsen, Cheri Coleman

Campbell, and Vickie Kissinger were named the night’s

three finalists.

For their second selections, Olsen drummed “Dance

to the Music” by Sly and the Family Stone; Campbell

performed “The Lord’s Prayer”; and Kissinger sang

“My Heart Will Go On” from the movie Titanic.

The judges as well as the audience then voted for

their favorite, and after a brief intermission, Kissinger

was named the 2012 PA STATE SENIOR IDOL. This time,

it was the audience’s turn to exude some power as the

theater exploded in applause.

“I can see you have some training,” King said to

Kissinger, “but even all the training in the world

doesn’t make all that big a difference. It’s knowing how

to sing—and honey, you know how to sing.”

As the winner, Kissinger will receive a limousine trip

for two to New York City for dinner and a Broadway

show. Kissinger later said she was “floored” by her win,

even as she stepped forward to sing “At Last” one more

time.

“Now I know how some of these people must feel

on American Idol,” she laughed. “You’re enjoying the

moment, but you’re not quite sure you’re really in it. It

was exhilarating, actually. It really was.”

For more information and highlights from the 2012

PA STATE SENIOR IDOL finals competition, visit

www.SeniorIdolPA.com.

And a special thank-you to our sponsors!

Media Sponsors Brought to you by:

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While the number of families in

the United States continued

to grow in the period from

2000 through 2008, the share of families

with no children increased from 52 to 54

percent.

Among families with children, the

percentage of those having only one

child increased sharply from 41.4 percent

in 2000 to 47.8 percent in 2008,

according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Census Bureau found that

between 1976 and 2004, the percentage

of women aged 40 to 44 with only one

child almost doubled to 20 percent.

Should these trends be worrisome?

Does it suggest tomorrow’s seniors will

be given less personal care by their sole

offspring? Might it suggest that the only-

child trend will lead to a nation of more

adults who had been pampered by

permissive parents?

If an only child marries an only child,

their children have no cousins. Without

siblings and an extended family, how

does an only

child develop

rivalry skills and

interpersonal

peer

relationships

prior to school

years?

There are

many examples

of celebrities

without siblings

who rose above

the tumultuous

circumstances of

childhood.

Rudolph

Giuliani’s father served time in Sing Sing

prison and, after his release, became an

enforcer for his brother-in-law’s crime

gang.

Alan Greenspan’s parents had a

troubled marriage, divorcing when he

was 5 years

old. The father

became

estranged from

the son and

ex-wife.

Cary

Grant’s parents

quarreled

often, causing

the son to seek

escape in

Saturday

afternoon

movies. His

mother was

committed to

a mental institution when the boy was

10 years of age.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt was cared

for by a governess and tutored at home

until he was 14 years old, then sent off to

a boarding school.

These are examples from past

generations. What can be expected from

the adults of the Me Generation (the

1970s) and the Y Generation (1982-

2002)?

One writer characterized the Me

Generation as having an apparent

empathy deficit. In 2008 the TV show

60 Minutes had a program on the Y

Generation describing them as “cynical,

unaccustomed to hard work, and having

fragile egos because their childhoods were

filled with trophies and adulation,

unprepared for the cold realities of

work.”

Is there a cause-effect relationship

between the only-child trend and the

narcissistic sense of entitlement

attributed to the “Me” and “Y”

generations? We know an only child can

be hardworking and empathetic, but if

substantial numbers of them are not so

oriented, they can stigmatize their entire

generation and stunt a nation’s progress.

Our nation seems to be confronted

with conflicting values. While

overpopulation is a concern, having only

one child may create its own undesirable

effects.

There are several reasons why the one-

child trend has emerged. Economic

uncertainty, divorce, and the high costs

of childrearing are among them. The

percentage of U.S. children raised by one

parent (25.8 percent) is higher than any

of the 26 other industrialized nations.

Their average was 14.9 percent,

according to a study by the Organization

for Economic Cooperation and

Development.

One clear advantage of having an only

child is that it avoids the problems

associated with primogeniture—that is,

the age-old practice of giving the bulk of

one’s estate to the eldest son.

Walt Sonneville, a retired market-research

analyst, is the author of My 22 Cents’ Worth:The Higher-Valued Opinion of a SeniorCitizen, a book of personal-opinion essays,

free of partisan and sectarian viewpoints. AMusing Moment: Meditative Essays on Life andLearning, was released in January 2012.

Contact him at [email protected].


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Is the Only-Child Trend Desirable?

My 22 Cents’ Worth

Walt Sonneville


1. Large, imposing house6. “Lake” in France9. “Que ____,” sang Doris Day13. Unwritten exams14. Spermatozoa counterparts15. Hollywood legend quality?16. Laker great17. Judge on Dancing with the Stars18. L on clothes19. The Big Sleep leading lady21. He played Spartacus23. Before, old English24. Ancient Greeks’ harp25. Cattle prod28. “For” in Spanish

30. “Louie, I think this is the beginningof a beautiful friendship,” inCasablanca, e.g.

35. Port of Yemen37. Comedy Central’s 1990s animated

series Dr. ____, Professional Therapist39. Country singer _____ Tucker40. Irritate41. _____ of parsley43. What Perkins did in the shower in

Psycho44. Accord or comport with46. Yugoslavian communist47. Location of Dante’s nine circles48. Eastwood’s Josey Wales, e.g.

50. 2009 Daniel Day-Lewis musical52. Charlotte of Facts of Life fame53. First, second, or third in baseball55. Follow ems57. Last name of two female legends61. He called for Stella64. Relating to axis65. Second person of “be”67. Unbearable Lightness of _____69. Pulitzer winner _____ Cather70. Decorate cake71. Dam72. Flower holder73. Once around74. Undo

1. Garland to Minnelli2. United ____ Emirates3. Hindu serpent deity4. New York is famous for it5. Protective embankment6. Be lazy or idle7. ____ Maria8. Canadian funnyman9. Ore smelting byproduct10. Basketball great ____ “The Pearl”

Monroe11. Capital of Latvia12. Greek god of war15. Like a native speaker20. Accidental holes

22. Mine deposit24. Soldier’s bathroom25. Famous for her low, husky voice26. “Farewell” from Catherine Deneuve27. Blue and white pottery style29. Wholly engrossed31. 100m ____32. Prefix for “among”33. African antelope34. He said, “Frankly, my dear, I don’t

give a damn.”36. A Broadway legend, given name38. Tubular pasta42. One who’s doomed45. Singular of tabulae

49. It engulfed the world in the 1940s51. Render capable54. Escargot56. Express contempt57. Hems and ____58. Sign of escape59. Arrange in a stack60. Healing ointment61. Road Runner sound62. Cher or Celine Dion?63. Dollar bills66. AV manufacturer68. “____ whiz!”

(StatePoint)

Across

Down

WORD SEARCH

Solutions for all puzzles can be found on page 18

Would you like to see your ad here? Sponsor the Puzzle Page!

Please call (717) 770-0140 for more information.


Thank you, sponsors and volunteers!The 50plus EXPO is FREE to the community due to the generosity of our sponsors.

Proudly Sponsored By:

Gold:

By Megan Joyce

As event staff and vendors alike found themselves

dashing to replenish their stock of supplies and

handouts, one thing became abundantly clear: the

13th annual Dauphin County 50plus EXPO brought

out more boomers, seniors, and caregivers than many

had anticipated.

It was, of course, a nice “problem” to have.

Held recently in the Hershey Lodge in Hershey,

the 50plus EXPO was presented by On-Line

Publishers, Inc., publishers of 50plus Senior News,

and the Dauphin County Area Agency on Aging.

This free, one-day event hosted more than 90

exhibitors displaying products and services in the

areas of travel, housing, medical services, nutrition,

home improvements, finances, healthcare, and more.

The day began with the opening ceremony,

featuring remarks by Donna Anderson, president of

On-Line Publishers; George Hartwick and Mike

Pries, Dauphin County commissioners; and Valerie

Pritchett, abc27 news anchor and the EXPO’s

honorary chairperson.

Pritchett presented the 2012 Dauphin County

Outstanding Senior Award to Henry and Diane

Lewis of Harrisburg. The Lewises are well known in

their community for their generous donations of

food, time, services, and personal support.

“I’d like to thank those that have chosen us for this

award. We’re just so thankful to be here today and to

all those who played any part in making this event a

success,” said Henry Lewis. “We just thank each and

every one that’s here today, and we thank you for this

[award].”

Visitors also had the option of attending a free

seminar: “What Do the President and Congress Have

in Mind for You?” was presented by RetireSafe.

Barbara and Allen Jacobs of Middletown said it

was their fifth or sixth visit to the EXPO, and this

time, they had a specific information-gathering goal

in mind.

“I have a mother who we’re thinking about putting

in nursing home, and I wanted to get some

information about all the different nursing homes,”

said Barbara Jacobs.

Faith Allman, who lives just north of Steelton,

frequents the various 50plus EXPOs and finds them a

great informational resource.

“Things change drastically through the years … I

come to find out what I can find out,” Allman said.

“That’s what I like: the information that you get [at

the EXPO]. I try to keep up with the times, which is

hard to do.”

Health screenings were both free and plentiful

throughout the day and included tests for blood

pressure, alpha-1, glaucoma, osteoporosis, hearing,

and more.

Debbie Peters of Hummelstown and her husband

sat down for a spinal x-ray exam, where a small

device scans the neck and produces a digital image on

a computer screen.

“She said I had some moderate issues here in my

neck that I was not aware of,” Peters said, adding that

the screening also verified some spinal issues of her

husband’s that they had known about.

Music was a constant presence during the five

hours of the EXPO. Horn quintet Vintage Brass

played during the early morning, followed by a

Zumba demonstration set to lively dance music.

Finally, Peggy Kurtz Keller, 2011 PA State Senior

Idol, performed.

In addition to free health screenings, door prizes,

and dozens of exhibitors, the 50plus EXPO held

delights for the eyes as well as the ears.

hhgregg displayed three flat-screen televisions, on

which staff demonstrated built-in webcam and Skype

capabilities. They also conducted demonstrations of

Xbox Kinect, a gaming system that detects the user’s

body movements and responds to voice commands.

Though she hadn’t tried out the technology

herself, Allman was impressed by the fitness

possibilities she saw for her peers.

“The TVs—that’s incredible,” she said. “It’s

wonderful exercise for seniors.”

On-Line Publishers’ 50plus EXPOs will return in

fall 2012: on Sept. 19 at the York Expo Center, York;

on Oct. 23 at the Carlisle Expo Center, Carlisle; and

on Nov. 6 at the Lancaster Host Resort, Lancaster.

For more information, call (717) 285-1350 or visit

www.50plusExpoPA.com.

50plus EXPO an Informational – and Sensory – Experience

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Breakfast:

McDonald’s

Lunch:

Olive Garden

Dinner:

Progress Grill

Ethnic Cuisine:

Hibachi Grill & Buffet

Celebrating:

Felicita Resort

Bakery:

Alvaro Bread & Pastry Shoppe

Coffeehouse:

Dunkin’ Donuts

Fast Food:

Wendy’s

Seafood:

Red Lobster

Steak:

Texas Roadhouse

Outdoor Dining:

Morgan’s Place

Romantic Setting:

Alfred’s Victorian

Smorgasbord/Buffet:

Old Country Buffet

Caterer:

Strictly Catering

Winner of $50 Giant Food Stores Gift Card:Cathy Witmer of Newmanstown

Congratulations!

Who Has the Best Bitesin Central PA?

50plus Senior News readers have spoken!

Here are the Dauphin County

dining favorites for 2012!

CENSUS from page 7

more than once and age at first

marriage.

The 1940 census is available online at

several sites, including the free National

Archives (NARA) (www.archives.gov/

research/census/1940); the free LDS site

(www.familysearch.org/1940census); and

the subscription site Ancestry.com.

The demand for the NARA site has

been so great that the 1940 census has

been unavailable at the site while it was

being reposted. It may be available by

press time. Currently, all three sites are

working feverishly to “index” the 1940

census: that is, to digitize the

information so that users may search

those databases by using the name of the

person they are researching. Before that

work is completed, the records must be

“browsed,” or reviewed, page by page.

That is not as daunting as it sounds,

since federal censuses are recorded in a

very organized manner, by state, county,

town, and census “enumeration district”

(ED). “Fine,” you may say, “but how do

I know what enumeration district my

parents lived in when I was born?”

The task is made easier by that great

friend of genealogical researchers,

Stephen Morse. He has created a page

(www.stevemorse.org/census/unified.html)

that will help you find any enumeration

district, if you have at least some idea of

the address you’re researching.

For researchers who have knowledge

of the enumeration district of their

ancestors in the 1930 census, it can be

entered, and the 1940 ED will be

returned. Otherwise, it allows you to

enter a state, county, city or town, and

then house number and street. This may

result in several enumeration districts,

but the search can be narrowed if you

enter the “bounding streets”; that is, the

streets that define the city block for the

searched-for address.

If you’re not sure of the bounding

streets, use a service such as Mapquest

or Google Earth to find the street

address, and then make a note of the

streets that define the surrounding city

block. Then enter them on the Stephen

Morse site. An enumeration district

number will be shown as a “live” link.

Click on that link, and you will see

links for five sites at which the records

can be viewed, including the three

mentioned above.

The resulting ED may have 20 to 30

census pages that must be browsed until

you find what you’re looking for—not

really that boring a task, as you’re likely

to awaken fond memories when you see

the names of nearby families, including

those of neighborhood kids you knew as

a child.

Readers:: I’m excited to announce that

my first published book, The Lady of the

Wheel (La Ruotaia), is now available. It’s

historical fiction based on my

genealogical research of Sicilian

foundlings. See my page about it at

www.bit.ly/ruotaia.

Angelo Coniglio encourages readers to

contact him by writing to 438 Maynard

Drive, Amherst, NY 14226; by email at

[email protected]; or by visiting

www.conigliofamily.com/ConiglioGenealogy

Tips.htm. His new historical fiction novel,

The Lady of the Wheel, is available through

Amazon.com.

VolunteerSpotlight!VolunteerSpotlight!

Time is aPriceless Gift

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.


Pu

zzle

s sh

ow

n o

n p

age

15

Puz

zle

So

luti

on

smarried, Kissinger took a hiatus from her musical

pursuits for a few years to concentrate on her family,

but a series of church positions soon had her back in

the organist fold.

Her love of vocal performance still lingered as well,

so much so that Kissinger quit her job at a car

dealership, went out and bought herself musical

equipment, and started a “very busy” schedule of

playing “all over the place” at local gigs such as

restaurants, banquets, and clubs.

“Performers will tell you this: You get out on stage

and you kind of get the bug, and you love it,”

Kissinger said. “Then you go back the next time,

and you get nervous and say, ‘What was I thinking?’

You do know why you’re doing this—because you

love it.”

At the time, Kissinger even flew to Nashville and

auditioned for a cable talent-search show. But four

weeks later, the show was suddenly canceled.

“It’s my way to express who I am,” she said of

performing. “I get to express me.”

It was in 1991 that Kissinger’s life screeched to a

halt when her husband was killed in an auto

accident. In the aftermath, Kissinger stayed home to

focus on raising her daughter.

“My life changed drastically. I didn’t sing for two

years,” she said.

It took another six years before Kissinger grabbed

tenuous hold of those proverbial bootstraps by

enrolling at Millersville University in pursuit of a

degree in music education.

“When you go to school at 41, it’s a little tough

having a teenager at home too,” she laughed. “I thought

I wanted to be a teacher, but I didn’t care to be in a

classroom so much, so I opened my private studio.”

Kissinger teaches piano and voice as well as beginner

strings to a wide range of students: her youngest is a

first-grader and her oldest is in his 70s. Her private

studio also includes a concentration on special-needs

students, a specialization that grew after Kissinger

received two phone calls from parents of blind and

autistic children.

“How sad, I thought, that they wanted to learn

music and no one to teach them,” she said.

Kissinger then took workshops on autism and read

everything she could about learning disabilities. She

now uses a rote approach, where these students learn by

ear, and has taught voice and piano to students with

blindness, ADD, ADHD, Aspberger’s disorder,

pervasive developmental disorder, and mental

retardation.

“Over the past 15 years I have learned more from the

students than I think they learned from me,” Kissinger

said. “Most music teachers won’t teach special-needs

students. They are afraid to because they don’t know

how.”

It was for this reason that Kissinger was a featured

clinician at Penn State at the Pennsylvania Music

Teachers Association Conference in 2005, where she

lectured on “The Fear of Teaching Special-Needs

Students.”

But the teacher is still a student, too. Although her

vocal training didn’t start in earnest until she studied for

her college degree, Kissinger, now a classically trained

mezzo-soprano, has been a student of renowned master

voice teacher Dr. Thomas Houser for the last nine

years.

“You have to stay on top of your art; you have to

stay on top of your vocal technique,” she explained.

“You have to keep your instrument in good shape.”

As for her personal taste in music, Kissinger said she

enjoys all types and has performed everything from

Patsy Cline country songs to arias and oratorios like

Handel’s Messiah. For listening, she likes Luciano

Pavarotti, Andrea Bocelli, Celine Dion, and Whitney

Houston.

“I like the big voices, the people I see really sing

with their soul,” she said. “I like listening to the

powerhouses.

“What I really like to sing is what you heard last

night [at Idol],” she added. “That’s where I feel my

heart and soul.”

The judges and audience at the PA STATE SENIOR

IDOL finals competition would likely group Kissinger

herself in with the powerhouse performers. Her

rendition of Etta James’s “At Last” prompted Adrian

“Buddy” King of The Magnificent Men, a seven-year

SENIOR IDOL judge, to call Kissinger “one of the best

[he’s] heard on this stage.”

It had been the prompting of friends and family

that finally got Kissinger to try out for the talent

competition, now in its seventh year. Backstage

during finals night, Kissinger enjoyed the quick

camaraderie that developed amongst the 15

semifinalists.

After she was named one of the evening’s three

finalists, Kissinger performed “My Heart Will Go

On” from Titanic for her second song.

“It’s a very powerful song,” Kissinger said. “And

many people can relate to it, and that’s what you

want for your audience: You want your audience to

feel what you feel.”

And what she was feeling that night, after her

win was announced, was exhilaration.

“I was shocked, and it was a surreal experience, it

really was. I let out a holler,” she recalled, laughing.

“It was one of those kinds of moments.”

Looking ahead at her upcoming year as the reigning

PA STATE SENIOR IDOL, Kissinger is eager to perform,

hoping many singing engagements come her way as a

result of her win. But even as she begins to look

forward, she still glances back at the rough road she

has traveled and is grateful for the place in which she

now finds herself—or, as those who know her would

likely say, the place in which she has put herself.

“Obviously, I do have my grandparents to thank,

and my family, my daughter, and my friends have just

been the ultimate support system for me. They have

been just wonderful,” Kissinger said.

“I really do praise God for the blessings and thank

him for the gift he’s given me. I really do, because

that’s where it comes from. I don’t take the credit; I

just get the guidance from my teachers—and I

practice.”

IDOL from page 1

The three finalists react as Vickie Kissinger is named

2012 PA STATE SENIOR IDOL. From left, Deb Olsen, Kissinger,

and Cheri Coleman Campbell.


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Celebrate Our Independence

at the MoviesWhen the fireworks are over and

you’re out of hot dogs, what better way

to celebrate the Fourth of July than with

a good movie?

Match the following quotes to the

famous patriotic movie they’re from:

1. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

2. Independence Day (1996)

3. The Patriot (2000)

4. Yankee Doodle Dandy

(1942)

5. Born on the

Fourth of July

(1989)

6. 1776 (1972)

A. “Whenever

we get too

high-hat and

too

sophisticated

for flag-waving,

some thug nation

decides we’re a

pushover all ready to be

blackjacked. And it isn’t long

before we’re looking up, mighty

anxiously, to be sure the flag’s still waving

over us.”

B. “I have come to the conclusion that

one useless man is called a disgrace; that

two are called a law firm; and that three

or more become a Congress!”

C. “People say that if you don’t love

America, then get the hell out. Well, I

love America.”

D. “We are fighting for our right to live.

To exist. And should we win the day, the

Fourth of July will no longer be

known as an American holiday,

but as the day the world

declared in one voice:

‘We will not go quietly

into the night!’”

E. “Liberty’s too

precious a thing to

be buried in books,

Miss Saunders. Men

should hold it up in

front of them every

single day of their lives

and say: ‘I’m free to

think and to speak. My

ancestors couldn’t, I can, and

my children will.’”

F. “A shepherd must tend his flock. And,

at times, fight off the wolves.”

Answers: 1 (E); 2 (D); 3 (F); 4 (A); 5

(C); 6 (B)

The Origin(s) of a

Summertime TreatAmericans love hot dogs. Every year

we eat about 7 billion of them between

Memorial Day and Labor Day alone.

And the typical American eats about 60 a

year.

Where do hot dogs come from (aside

from ballpark

vendors, of course)?

Some sources say

they date back to

the first century,

when the Roman

Emperor Nero’s

cook first

experimented with

stuffing the intestines of pigs with spiced

meats.

The word “frankfurter” comes from

Frankfurt, Germany, where pork sausages

in buns are said to have been served in

the 15th century; “wiener” is from Vienna

(Wien), home to pork sausages originally

called “wienerwurst” (Vienna sausage) in

the 1800s.

In the United States, a German

immigrant named Charles Feltman is

credited with selling sausages in rolls

around the year 1870 in Coney Island,

N.Y. Another German

native, Antoine

Feuchtwanger, is said

to have sold sausages

in St. Louis at around

the same time,

offering a split bun to

hold them, at the

suggestion of his wife.

And the term “hot dog” itself?

According to one of the more popular

tales, a newspaper cartoonist in 1900

drew a picture of a frankfurter with legs,

a tail, and a head, but unable to spell

“Dachshund,” he dubbed it a “hot dog.”

The story is disputed, however.

50plus Senior News Dauphin County July 2012

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Transcript of 50plus Senior News Dauphin County July 2012