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Transcript of June Mature Times
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Summer Series onVolunteering in Aiken Area
By Midge Rothrock
This series started out to be an inter-view of Naval Captain George and
Barbara Zirps about their generousvolunteering efforts, and neighborlygestures extended to Kashy Floresand others. As you can see, it hasturned into a much larger exploration.Why people give of their time and tal-ents, as well as some best momentsin doing for others in these ways isa feature encouraged by the Zirps.Like so many who are humble ser-vants, the Zirps were attered to be
asked, but did not perceive their livesto be that unusual. Are they right?This is one amazing place! In fact,the Zirps were adamant that it is Mar-sha Mikes who is to be commendedfor all she does to make Kashys lifeeasier. All they do, they say, is taketheir friend Kashy to church and outfor occasional meals. This friendlywoman is blind, recognizing peopleby touch. The Zirps are not thatunique, they insist? Well, how aboutsticking by a stranger who has nofamily around, while she endureddeep worries, a hospital stay, trips forfollow up, and connecting throughouther recuperation?
George Zirps hails fromimmigrant parents who created a bigNew York state family. They oftenshared the abundant hospitality oftheir home to as many as 50 peoplefor meals, usually featuring spe-
cialty dishes prepared by his talentedsisters. His older brother rose frstto the rank of Captain, USN; makingthat two exceptional military leadersfrom this one family. Barbarafaithfully donates every Friday to herdesk at ACTS, where she is often
accompanied by George, giving ofhis time there too. George andBarbara are a joy to be around. Wittyand youthful for their ages, Barbarasmiles as George talks of his Navydays lightheartedly, teasing abouttimes of iron men andwooden ships! Hardly that long ago,but this couple knows the secret toassuring good days in their maturetimes. For them, it seems to bequietly giving back.
So many people choose to be partof volunteer teams who make thisAiken area such a marvelous place tolive. Elliott Levy, a breath of fresh air
since his arrival for the Aiken CountyHistorical Museum, was called onone detail. He wanted to make surereaders valued the docents, especial-ly touting the dedication of folks fromCedar Creek community, stating, Wecould not run without these docents that is a fact!.
How often is heard, Oh, I mayhave been doing a little somethingto help out, but in the end, I was the
one who truly beneftted. There is asimilar below the radar styleexhibited by each of these featuredin this series on volunteers. They areoften not the ones in charge, seldomeven the one touted inmedia reports. These are the steady,dependable volunteers in the middleof great need. Some would call themmarathoners.
This time, they are GOING to getsome recognition, even though thisclearly is far from their motivation fordoing what they do. This does noteven scratch the surface of generouspeople known by many readers. Thegamut in this summer series rangesfrom proud veterans, hourly work-ers, medical professionals, a banker,musicians and retiredcorporate executives: each willing todo any task. All had to be coaxed toshare their story.
ELDER LAW
Retiring EarlybyLinda Farron Knapp Page 3
INVESTMENT
Retirement StrategybyCarl Smith
Page 10
INSIDE
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2 Tuesday, June 25, 2013
SeniorNet Answers the QuestionWhat can I do this summer?June 2013
The McGrath SeniorNetLearning Center on the campus ofUSCA has just completed its 14thsuccessful year! Each year ourorganization recognizes one ofour volunteers for his or hercontributions during the year. Allour volunteers contribute, but
every year someone stands outfor his or her dedication andparticipation above the call of duty.For 2013 our Volunteer of the Yearis Carolyn Heh--her name joinsthose of previous awardees on aplaque, which is displayed in ourLearning Center! Check it out thenext time youre there! Our Spring classes haveended. Your next opportunity to
register for classes will comewhen the Fall catalog is published
in August. If you would like to beplaced on the mailing list for thecatalog, send an email containingyour name and street address tous at [email protected] watch for our catalog to bepublished in the Aiken Standardin early August. After the catalogis published, you may register forclasses. Visit our website(www.aikenseniornet.com) for
registration options. Come join usand improve your computer skills!
As we prepare for our 15thyear, Art Smith will again be ourCoordinator and Sam Lightnerour Education Chair. During theirsteering committee and educationcommittee meetings, theyre busyreviewing comments made by bothvolunteers and students during theyear, and revising course materialsas needed to keep them accurate
and current.
A PAIR OF THINGS TO DOTHIS SUMMER:
1) Practice at home using themousing exercises we use inclass. Are you a beginner studentwhen it comes to computers? Oneof the challenges a seniorbeginner faces is using the mouse
to control actions on the screen.Our hand-eye coordination is notquite as good as it was when wewere twenty and it is a challenge tolearn to move the mouse and clickthe buttons smoothly and withoutfalse clicks.
To address this challenge, weoffer a Mousing Skills workshop.The workshop is free if you are aregistered student in our SRN101Beginning Computer course and
meets on the Friday before the rstclass. We use publicly-availableexercises to learn to use themouse, and youll nd links to allthe exercises we use on ourwebsite.(www.aikenseniornet.com)2) Check out TUG at the Learn-ing Centersomething BRANDNEWand FREE!!
Youve seen them everywhere..
tablet computers. The comingthings in consumer computeruse, tablets are wireless portablepersonal computers that utilizea touchscreen or a stylus pen toaccess or process information.Most do not require a keyboardor a mouse and are generallylightweight devices that allow forgreater mobili ty.
See SeniorNet page 19
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Tuesday, June 25, 2013 3
Boomer BriefingsQ. After a recent cut in workhours, Ive been thinking of
changing directions, retiring inmy early 60s and starting myown business. I see you alsoadvise smallbusinesses. Suggestions?
A. Many Baby Boomers haveworked enough years to beeligible for retirement, but havebeen either hit by the recessionor dont want to endlessly swingin a Palmetto hammock. Some
of my clients work part-time intotheir 80s at jobs they found afterthey retired. And since they lovewhat they are doing, they donteven consider it to be work. Oneman and his wife became houseippers and made a small fortunebuying at tax sales, being theirown general contractors and evendoing some owner nancing.
While Boomers bring a wealth ofexperience to the table,
entrepreneurship is not foreveryone. Here are my
suggestions:1. Before you move too farahead with your bright idea, besure your health and that of yourspouse is sufcient for thedemands and challenges ofstarting and running a business.Even a sedentary job while notphysically demanding, can be verystressful when there aredemanding clients, time
constraints and you have to do oroversee everything.
2. Take the time to reallydevelop your business conceptincluding a written business andmarketing plan with all thenumbers. Run your idea pastsome professionals and reallylisten to what they tell you. If thecompetition is erce locally try
visiting a similar business somehours away and talk with the
owner. Write down your questions.3. Are you prepared to take big
nancial risks? I do notrecommend putting the bulk ofyour retirement nest egg into thebusiness. So talk with a nancialplanner now about what you reallyhave for assets and what you stillneed to live comfortably on. If youdo go forward with thebusiness get a line of credit upfrontfor the business so you have acash source, if needed, and can
minimize your personal fundsbecoming business funds.
4. Be sure to include your ownsalary in the business plan. Howmuch could you be earningworking for someone else? Notthat there arent rewards frombeing your own boss, but no onefeels successful when he or she isworking for free.
5. Choose a form of doingbusiness that will protect your
personal assets. Spend themoney upfront to learn about anLLC or S corp. Select anaccountant and a good accountingprogram that matches yourbusiness needs.
See Boomer page 4
Attorney Linda Farron KnappA member of the National
Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
4 T d J 25 2013
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A well known volunteer in Aiken area,Marilyn Sackett primarily serves as aStephen Minister and Stephen Leader, atFirst Presbyterian Churchdowntown. Having had a career in nurs-ing, the skills of nurturing others waspart of her life all along. Marilyn feels so
lucky to have known Gods love, and feelscalled to pass it along when she can.
Citing a quote from author ShirleyWells, in part, she shares this: I am whoI am not because of me, but because ofwho God is in my life. I am who I ambecause of others who have loved andnurtured me, even through the most dif-cult of times.Recently, several new Stephen Ministers
nished their training, held in a joint session with St. Johns UMC, atFirst Presbyterian. After passing an initialscreening, the training requires some 50 hours of study, while learn-ing to follow the Stephen Ministry way of listening to adults whorequest their skills. By design, this is a quiet ministry, walking side byside and under the radar, always one-on-one.
4 Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Continued from Boomer page 3
6. You have to be able to graspand understand new ways of doingbusiness like using PayPal and an Ipad, and social media. Take someclasses now while you are stillworking. Whatever you learn now will
help you later.7. Plan from the beginning how
you will exit the business. Its not aquestion of if, only when you leaveand you need to be ready to shutdown, sell at some point or involveanother generation of familymembers.
8. Be very, very careful who youhire as your rst employee.
9. Studies show that older personsstarting businesses do not make thesame mistakes as the young, butthey still make mistakes. Learn fromthe mistakes you made when youwere young and from those of othersand they wont become yourbusiness mistakes. 10. Check out all the local andstate licenses and regulations youmust comply with and keep an active
notebook of what you need to bedoing and when.
Marilyn Sackett
Call 648-2311 to advertise in
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This elegant woman keeps herselft, through a dedicated commitment toexercise. She volunteers at St. JohnsUMC as a substitute receptionist andfor various ofce tasks as needed. Forthe past seven years Gloria has been apink lady at Aiken Regional
Memorial Center. In January of 2013,she began volunteering as agrandparent in the nursery schoolprogram. Her focus is with the3 4 year olds, which gives thisgrandmother great pleasure, as hergrandchildren live out-of-state.
Husband Jim Owens is aknowledgeable gardener. Recently,
they have been helping with the harvesting of vegetables fromAmericas Gardener Rev. Jim Bennetts large garden. Along withother volunteers, they gather the produce which Jim so generouslydonates to ACTS, so that ACTS clients can enjoy seasonal freshvegetables. Gloria agrees she has helped, but insists her husbandis the real gardener in their family.
Her reason for her outreach? By volunteering I get to meet peoplefrom various walks of life. Also, it makes me feel good to give backto my church and community.
This well respected RN is known tobe someone who really gets thingsaccomplished. Whether pitching in tohelp organize a golf tournament,gathering folks with similar interests tofellowship or to enjoy the largesse ofher home-cooked meals, she is always
an asset, and fun to be around, as well.Her canning kitchen in the lower levelof her home is fascinating, and getsgood use. While Bevs career as well asher personal travel has taken her to somany places around the globe, she is asdown to earth as any person who livesnext door and shares homemadechicken noodle soup when she learnsthis might be just what you need.
Enjoy what Bev Gillette has to say: First of all, Im honored thatyou would even think of me for this article. Ill give it a go. My mottofor living is as you sow so shall you reap and hence volunteeringfalls into that category. I volunteer at ACTS; Banksia; Relay for Life;and St Paul Lutheran Church. I really enjoy the outreach becauseof the diversity of the volunteering. I have met so many wonderfulpeople and learned so much about the Aiken community. For me,Aiken is the most caring and giving community I know. The bestmoment was a local mission trip by our church to refurbish an elderlyladys homeit enriched her life.
6 Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Bev Gillette Gloria Owens
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Ann Kelty is a dedicated advocate forRelay for Life. Also retired from IBM, Annand her husband Phil Stack are committed tokeeping issues of importance highly visiblewithin our community. This grandmotherbelies her age, with dedicated exercisingthrough walking, running, and golf.
Anns comments here:Cancer takes too many of our loved
ones and it is a disease that is difcult to livethrough and with and it seems that istouching so many of us. As part of our Relayteam, we are dedicated to the mission ofRelay which represents the hope that thoselost to cancer will never be forgotten, those
who have cancer are supported and that one day, cancer will beeliminated.
It is motivating and heartwarming to work with others who feel the
same way and are committed to making a difference the strides madeby the American Cancer Society in nding targeted treatments andpreventive measures are phenomenal and impact us all.
The best moment is hard to pinpoint but the moments thatmean the most are those times when a survivor or someone currentlyundergoing treatment tells me about how they got help from calling theAmerican Cancer Society 1-800-227-2345 number which is available24/7 with answers, advice and connections to resources!
Currently serving as President of theProperty Owners Association of CedarCreek, Phil Stack comes to this role withplenty of experience. Cedar Creek is arelatively new community, lled with manyvery active retirees. Opinions are strong,and passion runs high on some topics. Philhas handled effectively the issues and
growing pains, even accepting a secondterm. He volunteers countless hours onissues of importance to this vibrantcommunity. (He will, however, take breaksfor Iowa Hawkeye sports, as well as a solidround of golf!).
I was asked to comment about why Ivolunteer for community boards. Here goes:
I started my career as a high school teacher helping kids understand allelements of Mathematics. After I left teaching, I spent the next 32 yearsworking for IBM, starting as a Programmer and ending up as a BusinessTransformation Consultant. These jobs took me all over the world and
led me to being a manager at many levels. Also at every one of my manyIBM assignments, I found myself teaching either directly or indirectly asI did my job. Teaching has been in my blood for all these years and nowin retirement my way of teaching is to be part of the Boards that help runour community. I feel I can contribute because of my extensivebackground and also because I like working with all parts of thecommunity. To me there is a lot of similarity between being in front of aclassroom and leading a Board meeting with 50-60 people in theaudience. I always feel good when someone comes up to me after ameeting and says it was a good meeting and you answered all of thequestions. I know it is impossible to get all 1000 people in our community
to agree on all issues, but I try to listen to all the issues and come upwith a fair decision just like I did when I was teaching.
y
Phil Stack Ann Kelty
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George Montgomery is a busy guy with alot of interests! When contacted to share hisreasons for volunteering, he apologized forbeing delayed in responding. Why? Georgewas busy as a rules ofcial assisting with thePalmetto Amateur golf tourney for severaldays. He walked with the leader, which was aplus for this good golfer. And, he followed up
this tournament with another stint as avolunteer the next week for the South CarolinaJr. Championship at Lexington Country Club.
Always a man of a few words, he offersliterally just a few, when asked why he shareshis time and talent to Clemson MasterGardeners, as a Rules ofcial at golf
tournaments, teaching CPR for his community and a member of theLandscape Committee for Cedar Creek, as well as an organizer of a funcouples golf league called Creaky Cedars.
His responses are these: I feel that life has been good to me and
volunteering is one way to reimburse others as a lot of people helped mealong the way. A best moment is when people walk up and shake yourhand and express thanks for volunteering. It is especially a good momentwhen people do this without any coaching from anyone.
George spent his working years after the military with DuPont, but notin Aiken. Some memorable career years were spent in Brazil, for thisPhD with a specialty in plant sciences. This voracious reader with such aquick mind is especially interested in military history, sharing generouslythe books he devours. But, the thing many would agree George and hisdelightful wife Judy are best at is at cultivating true and caring friendships.
Coconut Oil as a weight loss aid?Im getting more and more
inquiries about the use of coconutoil as a substitute for butter as aspread, or in cooking in the place of
oil or solid fats. Others have askedif it can help them lose weight orlower cholesterol because of recentpopular diet trends and articlesfound on the internet. There haveeven been claims that this naturalfat has antibacterial, antimicrobialand antiviral properties and can beused to treat colds, u, cold sores,yeast infections and even sexuallytransmitted diseases.
Truth is, there is little if any
substantiating evidence that any ofthe above is true.
What we know for sure is thatcoconut oil, like palm oil is a highlysaturated, albeit naturally occurringplant fat. Historically, saturated fatshave been linked to heart diseasebut we are now getting a closer lookat the real causes of heart disease,and we know that inammation maybe more of an issue than cholesterol
level and furthermore, saturated fatdoes indeed plays an important role
in a healthy body. Trouble is, weAmericans eat far more saturatedfat (and far less naturally occurringunsaturated fat) than is benecial
for us and it is probably the ratio ofsaturated to unsaturated fat (eatenin the typical American diet) thatcauses the trouble.
Science hasnt taken us, yet, toa clear understanding of the rolecoconut oil plays in raising orlowering cholesterol levels. Thereare a few studies that have shownthat plant saturated fat raises bothHDL (good cholesterol) AND LDL(bad cholesterol). And then there
are studies that have proven thatsome unsaturated plant fats lowerLDL. Other unsaturated plant fatsactually lower LDLs and raise HDLs.(Examples of unsaturated plant fatsinclude polyunsaturated oils such assafower and sunower andmonounsaturated oils such as oliveand canola) The confusing part isthat there are cultures in the worldthat consume great amounts of
coconut oil that do not have highrates of heart disease (the
Polynesians for example). But ofcourse Polynesians dont eat theprocessed food that we eat, either.
Dr. Andrew Weil, MD, Director of
the Program in Integrative Medicineat the College of Medicine,University of Arizona states that theclaims that coconut oil may helpwith weight loss are exaggerated.According to Dr. Weil, coconut oil ismostly composed of the type oftriglycerides that go directly fromthe intestinal tract to the liver where, it is believed, they are burned asfuel rather than being stored asfat. However, the few studies that
looked at this have been small, withonly a few participants for only a fewmonths. His conclusion is that usingcoconut oil does not lead tosignicant weight loss. Moreresearch needs to be done beforeI will recommend coconut oil as aweight loss aid.
My recommendation is thatuntil there is more evidence basedscience behind the regular use of
coconut oil, we should view coconutoil and palm oil as we would other
saturated fats such as butter, beefand whole milk dairy. Those withheart disease or elevated lipidsshould be extremely cautious andthe rest of us should consume thembut with a great deal of moderation.
For more information on
saturated fat, preventing heart
disease via diet or to make an
appointment, Cyndi may be reached at
803-642-9360 or at [email protected].
You may visit her website atwww.cynthiacattsrd.com.
Cynthia F, Catts, RD, LDMedical Nutrition Therapist in
Private Practice
George Montgomery
10 Tuesday, June 25, 2013
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The 4 Cs to Establish a Retirement StrategyQ: Is postponing my retirement
date a viable retirement strategy?A: Not always. Here are the 4 Cs
to help establish a secure retirementstrategy.
ClarityComfort
Cost of LivingCertainty
ClarityClarity is the underlying
foundation. Every retiree needs tobe brutally honest with themselvesabout their current nancial position.An in-depth, introspective, detailedreview of all aspects of retirement
needs to be thoroughly reviewed,documented and then regularlyrevisited to ensure accuracy.
One of the services we providefor our clients at The Smith Groupis our Life Legacy, Guidebook. Wereview all aspects of our clientsnances and document them ina Guidebook personally made foreach client: included is everything
from your last will and testament toyour safety deposit combination.
ComfortWhat comfort level do you need
or aspire? What is the level ofcomfort you would accept? Is it 1/2of your current income? 1/3? 1/10?
A step-by-step analysis of whereyou see yourself in 3, 5 maybe15 years down the road is critical.Items to consider: car paymentsor maybe car repairs. What if yourhome needs a new roof in 10 years?
What percentage do you expectyour Social Security to play into yourretirement? If there was a hugepush to balance the Federal budget,could you survive a cut in Social
Security benets?Cost of livingCost of living adjustments an areawhere so many people mis-forecast.Even though we have been in aperiod of lower ination, what if thecost of your healthcare jumped 45%with the impending Health Carerevisions? Those of youapproaching retirement easily
remember the gas embargo of the1970s and the 16-17% interest
rates on homes in the 1980s.A concerted effort with your
nancial planner needs to be takento project, as accurately as possible,how a dramatic upswing in ination
could impact todays planning onyour ability to maintain the Comfortlevel you desire.Certainty
There is only one certainty in lifeand until scientists gure out a wayto keep us alive in perpetuity, wereall going to leave this earth.However, there are somecertainties in nancial planning. Ifyou own a whole life insurance
product, you might not, but yourbeneciaries will derive guaranteedbenet from it. There are numerousinsurance products, such as xedindex annuities, that provide greatsecurity in troubling nancial times. *Investment Advisory Servicesoffered through Prosperity Capital Advisors (PCA),an SEC registered investment adviser with its principalplace of business in the State of Ohio. Carl Smith isan Investment Advisor Representative in the state ofSouth Carolina. The Smith Group and ProsperityCapital Advisors are not afliated entities.
149 Crepe Myrtle Court Aiken, SC 29803803.649.6645 www.tsgwealth.com
Carl SmithPresident of The Smith Group,
is an Investment Advisor
Representative. He has been a
member in good standing with
MDRT since 2007 in the Ed
Slott IRA Advisor Group.
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Camellia DazeJaponicas were not the only species
of Camellia that came from China
and Japan. The more tree-like camel-
lias called reticulata were brought to
England in 1820 from Canton, China.
Sailors from the East India Company
carried many different species of
plants, animals and foods to England.
One such transplant was called Cap-
tain Rawes reticulata camellia, named
for a skipper of this trading company.
Strangely this reticulata camellia did
not come to America until 1948 when
it was introduced by Descano Nursery
in California. In fact, there is a large
specimen of Captain Rawes here inAiken at a private residence. It is
about 15 feet tall and has been in that
yard in a greenhouse for decades.
Captain Rawes is a very large mid-
season bloom. It is bright rose colored
semi-double fower with wavy irregular
petals. Its golden anthers tend to turn
black very quickly when the bloom
is picked. This small tree has leaves
that are larger and thicker with deeply
etched veining than regular japonica
leaves. But even though this camellia
grows into a tree and has big blooms
and leaves, it is not as cold hardy
as most japonicas. So here in South
Carolina, it needs to be grown in a
protected area in your yard or in a
green house. Its unique character-
istics make it an interesting plant for
your yard. And dont bother asking
your kind neighbor for a cutting, most
likely he doesnt have one or likewise
the big box stores. Youll have to
search the internet for a source or try
Nuccios Nursery in Altedena , Califor-
nia. Heres hoping to see you along
the Camellia Trail.Rio Grande Dave
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Doing What Comes NaturallyYou have your coffee, your
glasses and the paper. Youve justbegun reading this article when in
bursts a relative who announces Itis time for you to move. Move?Yes. Relocate. Sell your house.Move to a home where there arelots of people your age.
What on Earth? Well we areafraid you will fall, break a hip orsomething.
Know what day this is? This is
the day a relative decided you areold.
It is this simple: Senior livingis routine, outpatient living. Eachof us would do well to learn thisbecause knowing this makes the resteasy.
Old and new are relative terms.
When does a new car stop beingnew? Hard to answer. So when
does a person become old? Theolder I become, the youngereveryone else seems to be. What is
the new old?
Psychologists have found that,for adults, old tends to be thirteento eighteen years more than the ageof the person defining it. The closerone gets to an age, the less that ageseems to be old.
For most people, it isnt aboutageit is about ability. And no one
is pretending abilities dont declineover time. But who moves whenthey dont have to?
Less than one in five seniors willever live in any sort of facility.According to AARP, less than onein five ever wants to live anywherebesides home.
Living at home is normal, nearlyas normal for an eighty year old as
it is a forty year old. In home careallows for the opportunity to stayhome longer or to never leave at all.
Certainly there are challengesthat come with age. And just ascertainly we know how to meetthem. Completely customizable,uniquely flexible, in-homecaregiving from DayBreak fits thesolution to the need.
Home is the state-of-the-artsenior living option and probably
the best one for you. Youve beendoing it all your lifenaturally.
Chrissa Matthews, MA, CCC/SLP, is a native CSRA resident andthe owner of DayBreak Adult CareServices, Inc, Aiken, SC.
Chrissa Matthews, MA, CCC/SLP, is an Aiken resident and the
owner of DayBreak Adult Care
Services, Inc, Aiken, SC
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Motherly advice from MaeLerner has certainly been followedby Doris Baumgarten. Her mother,
at age 101, imparted this to Doris,on the day Doris lost her belovedPeter Baumgarten: Every day, goout the door! Even if it is just for aloaf of bread, or to greet a neighborat the mailbox, get up and go out.
Peter and Doris had alwaysbeen active. When ProfessionalEngineer Peter was brought byDuPont to this area, more than 20years ago, Doris realized the AikenCounty Historical Museum might be
a good place to start learning about
this town, while her husband wasbusy doing what ChemicalEngineers of merit were broughthere to do. Together, they alsovolunteered with Aiken LandConservancy (was Aiken CountyOpen Land Trust in 1990 when theybegan, with major efforts then to
save Carolina Bays and Whitney-Field). When 200 soccer teamsdescend upon Aiken each year,this Whitney Polo feld is much indemand!
All these years later, Doris hasbeen a faithful Docent, serving onetime each week, on Thursdaymornings. She describes herefforts as enjoyable, and notes thatin recent weeks she met peoplefrom Great Britain, as well as a
gentleman from China who was inAugusta on business, and wantedto learn more about this city Aikenhe had read about. With his perfectEnglish, they shared an upliftingvisit.
Doris has high praise for theother Docents, mentioningparticularly a neighbor from CedarCreek, Richard Smoot. Shecommends Executive Director Elliott
Levy, as well as Mary White
(Education, Trunk Shows), andBrenda Baratto (Outreach,Connections, Reclaiming Aikenobjects), the Assistant Directors.Seeing people understand, connectand recognize is the real treat forDoris in this work.
A self-described perpetual
volunteer, Doris has a Mastersdegree in Psychology. With threedaughters, much of her time whilethey were growing up wasdedicated to their interest in GirlScouts. She served in allcapacities, including as aninstructor for leaders.
At Aikens 175th anniversary, themonthly theme for February washistorical buildings. 1000+ visitorscame through to enjoy this glimpseat the past. Doris is very active inAdath Yeshurun Synagogue.Being a part of these tourscombined her two primary current
interests. At her synagogue,another major event she helpedorganize was the visit of a rabbiwho opened the 100-year oldscrolls at Adath Yeshurun.
The advice of her wise mothercontinues to be followed by thisperpetual volunteer.Doris Baumgarten
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This is one busy lady! LyndaPlatt gets things done. When othersare talking about what they might do,and how to go about it, Lynda isalready working away. (To learnmore about her and her equallyactive husband Jerry, search for theMature Times feature about them,from a few months ago).
This time, the concentration ison current interests. Lynda hasmany. One in particular is TheLydia Project, where Lynda hasserved on the Board of Directorsand as the Aiken Area Coordinator
for seven years. She says this, Icant cure cancer, but through mysewing abilities I can bring amoment of joy to a woman whoreceives a Lydia tote, knowing thatmany, many volunteers are prayingfor her during the difcult journeyahead.
A good memory is that ofreceiving the Volunteer of the YearAward for 2011 because it was
recognition of the talented anddedicated volunteers from Aikenwho produce 35% of all the Lydiatotes (over 6,000) distributed eachyear. It was really an award forall of us, Lynda says with typicalmodesty.
In Relay for Life, Lynda is amember of the Cedar Creek team,appointed as the creativity chaireach year. She is tasked to comeup with the theme and yard art
which encourages neighbors tosupport this event. This yearsRelay received raves from so manyof the grateful attendees. Lyndaorganized a mens chorus of SouthBoundary members and men from
the community to sing at this rstannual Cedar Creek Light Up theNight with Hope event at WaltonHeath Park (within Cedar Creek).
The reason Relay matters somuch to Lynda is because she isparticipating for her brother JimKing. He has been ghting cancerfor ve years, with recent Hospicecare. Her best moment came whilewatching her brother Jim participate
in the Survivors lap.As a member of the Aiken
Womens Heart Board, Lyndaserved as CorrespondingSecretary and Costume Chair for2013 benet. She was active intheater throughout high school andcollege and had always hoped topursue this interest afterretirement. In 2004, while attendingher rst Heart Board Show, she wasso impressed. Lynda admired the
women who organized the event ,as well as the talented performerswho put on such a great showevery year. It thrilled her to beinvited to join the Board in the Fallof 2012. Both of Lyndas parents
died from heart disease. Servingmakes her proud to be a part of anorganization raising tremendousamounts of money every year forheart disease research. Seeingthe standing ovations at the end ofeach performance makes it aworthwhile adventure.
Also, Lynda serves SouthBoundary, doing publicity/photography/wardrobe
coordination. While claiming she isunable carry a tune, Lynda livesvicariously through the fabulousmusic these guys produce! Its anactivity shared with husband Jerry,who sings with the group and hasbeen elected President of SouthBoundary. Lynda surmises shejust got promoted to First Lady!
No matter what is going on inher life, listening to good musicalways makes Lynda feel better.
Lynda Platt
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While this outstanding community citizendoes not meet the age limit of individualstypically featured in Mature Times, he doescare about and give of his time and talents toseveral organizations which benet Aikenites ofevery generation. Frank has been in thebanking and nancial services business for 28years and is currently the Aiken County
President for Southern Bank & Trust, a divisionof Georgia Bank & Trust. This life-long Aikenresident is married 22 years to wife, Beth. Theyhave four children Frank (20), Pinckney (17)and twins Wallace and Wright (13).
Frank holds current board positions withCommunity Care & Counseling, SC BankersAssociation, and Friends of the Animal
Shelter. He has served previously as a board member and treasurer of MeadHall School, and as a Vestry member of St Thaddeus Episcopal Church; aswell as a previous st int as board member of Aiken Area Council on Aging andthe Wyndham House.
Frank offers these words on why he gives of his time in so many ways: Ifeel like each of us, while on this Earth, are called to serve in some way. Myparents set ne examples of this and I see how much it has blessed theirlives. I think it is my responsibility to give some of my time to help others, lessfortunate. Further, Frank shares a thought about a particularly successful (and livelyin debates!) fundraiser, as follows: While Ive enjoyed every organizationand ministry that Ive been involved in, my fondest memory is the time spenton the Council on Aging and the very successful Steel Magnolias calendarfundraiser. It got a lot of public attention, both positive and negative, but theoverwhelming success allowed the Council on Aging to meet the needs of so
many more seniors in our area.
This busy gentleman is seldom seen without his favorite
caps usually a red one - and seldom at rest except tostop and enjoy a strong cup of coffee. Willie Green andhis wife Sara have been active in their church,Friendship Baptist, for as long as he can remember. Heserves as a Deacon, and Sara as a Deaconess. He is apopular man, as witnessed at a milestone birthdaycelebration which included several hundred guests. Whatmakes him so joyful to be around? Willie Green attributeshis attitude and outreach to this: I love working for theLord, working with people, and with the music. At St. Johns annual Apple Fest, the community is
treated to the Friendship Mens Chorus most years, thanks to Willie making thearrangements to get them all to brighten the day with their close harmonies andexuberance. Willie is always humming some favorite hymn, as he does his work.
This retired corporate exec and ghter pilot(Colonel in rank) humbly says about his volunteerwork: God has been very good to me so I feel that Ishould do what I can to serve Him by volunteering toserve others. Some of the wonderful opportunitiesto serve that the Holy Spirit has opened for me at St.Johns include: helping build houses at Habitat forHumanity, helping build wheelchair ramps, helpingwith the Monday Church maintenance crew, helping
serve breakfast to the less fortunate at Grace Kitchen,helping administrative efforts for the Missions ImpactCelebration and the Health Expo. On many of these,I only do a small amount but I hope that small amounttruly brings happiness to other people. We have a lot of
fun working together as we serve others.One of the rst wheelchair ramps that I helped with was for a wonderful
90-year-old lady. She had been unable to leave her house for the prior threemonths since she could no longer get down the steps. When we nished thewheelchair ramp, she came outside and had a huge smile on her face whatwonderful blessing for her and for the entire group that helped with the ramp!
Leroy Farr
Willie Green
Frank Townsend
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An exceptionally organizedvolunteer who inuenced SharonSmoots choice of efforts is LuanneLangmo. Lu offers this word ofcaution to all who volunteer: I thinkthese days, where you spend yourextra time, efforts and dollarsmatters. Our sorority does duediligence when it comes to charity.We make sure the group actuallydoes what you think they do and that
the dollars actually get where theyre
supposed to. We just need to becautious and do our homework. Sharon Hanrahan Smoot andLuanne Langmos ngerprints areall over many things in our town andCedar Creek neighborhood. But, aparticular passion is Epsilon Sigma
Alpha (ESA), a 40-year old
international philanthropic sorority,whose charter is to support St. JudesChildrens Research Hospital. ESAwas personally asked by DannyThomas in 1972 to support thishospital. And, did they ever! ESAhas donated over $164 million, andis the largest non-prot donor to thehospital. Chapters focus on raisingmoney by cash donations, answeringphones at radiothons (like telethonsbut via various radio stations),Give-Thanks-Walks and other events.The hospital has gone from 4% to a94% cure rate for childhood cancerand willingly provides cancer cureformulas and information with otherhospitals and doctors. Sharon feels we all clearly needto expand giving back beyond locally.She nds volunteering answereda lack of fulllment that came from
just going on outings and lunch. Like
many others, she thinks involvement
in community and donating time ispart of her familys DNA. Sharonnow has the best of both worlds:varied and focused donations of timeand money, learning new things, andspending time with others who feelthe same way. Sometimes they stillmake time to enjoy lunch! It is fun
for all. An opportunity presented itselfto get involved with St. Judes whenLuanne Langmo brought her over30 years of ESA experience fromMichigan to Aiken, and involved twoothers, Sue Podewils and IreneHawley. A former ESA college mem-ber contacted us while her husbandwas stationed at Fort Gordon (theyhave since moved to Brussels, andthen England; but, Aiken ESA stillkeep in touch). Over nine years, this
Aiken ESA chapter has added eightmore sisters, as they pursue ways togive back that touch their hearts.ESA examples of their generosityinclude sending almost 100 boxes ofwelcome items to active duty maleand female soldiers. Another way isby helping locally, making anddonating 25 no-sew eece blan-kets to Helping Hands in Aiken.ESA
started recycling in Cedar Creek and
collecting worn American ags inCedar Creek and Houndslake.Sharon shares a particularly
remarkable moment of going with achapter sister, Barb Taylor, for therst time to join 200 othersisters tovisit St.Judes Hospital inMemphis, TN last year.Expecting to be saddened by theseailing children, instead the sororitysisters were amazed by the spirit ofhospital staff and children alike, in
this child-friendly place.
Luanne Langmo Sharon Smoot
Bill Riehl has done so much in ashort time, for music lovers in thiscommunity. Not only have his SouthBoundary Singers, an a capella allmens chorus, become part of thefabric of Aiken ne arts, but they havegone on to create and encouragemany boys groups to take up singing
as a potential lifelong activity.Further, Bill has formed a womensgroup which is gaining in reputationfor their excellence as well.
When asked why he devotes somuch to this, Bill says that he has thetime and talent to encouraging acommunity to sing. Further, he ad-mits to an enlightened self interest,
saying he get great pleasure seeingothers get great pleasure from doing things that he enjoys. A moment which particularly stands out in recent memory is that of see-ing a young singer from Chukker Creek respond Wow to atumultuous standing ovation from a large and enthusiastic audience at theEtherredge Center. (This was very early in the development of our SouthBoundarys boys choir program, now in full swing). Bill is off to New York, the Adirondacks, for the summer, but will belooking to grow the numbers in his boys choir business upon his return.Whether it is Hopelands Garden, an area assisted living facility, inKentucky, or in a hallowed setting in Scotland, Bill is ready and willing tolead and participate in the creation of pleasing sounds.
Bill RiehlGene Wilson
For approximately 25 years,Gene Wilson has been a volunteerfor English as a Second Language.Working with adults as they learnthe intricacies of our complicatedlanguage has been something he
obviously cares deeply about. Nowretired for 30 years, including manyof them with Kimberly-Clark, Genefeels as though he is contributing,while staying busy. Besides, hesays, it is fun! The best part is when Gene runsinto someone he has gotten to knowthrough ESL, and he reconnects,
learning of their lifestyle and positive changes since their time to-
gether. In December, this trim and witty gentleman turns 90 years old.He says his secret is to keep moving. In fact, every morning, evenbefore he eats breakfast, his ritual includes an hour of vigorous ex-ercise. He does this inside his home, even running in place. Geneknows this works, as he declares himself unique in his family for thiscommitment to an exercise regimen, and also declares himself thelongest living member this Wilson clan has ever had to its name!
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To stay or to goBy Liz Neal
Senior Care Specialist /
Cumberland Village Administrator
The benets of moving into a se-
nior living communityLets face it; no one really ever
wants to leave their home. Movinginto a senior living community canbe hard for older adults, especially
if they are accustomed to beingself-sufcient and maintaining
their own homes. The thoughtof leaving a beloved home that
holds many years of memoriescan bring sadness and grief. The
decision to choose a senior com-munity can be just as hard for thechildren as it is for their parents.
Many children have a hard timeaccepting their parents are aging
and others are saddened by givingup the family home lled with their
childhood memories. There arenumerous reasons to stay put:
however there are many, manygreat benets to moving into an in-dependent senior living community
such as Cumberland Village.Safety: Senior communities are set
up to provide a safe, comfortable
environment for their residents andCumberland Village is no excep-tion. We have an emergency alert
system in all apartments and patiohomes and 24-hour staff so thatour residents feel safe at all times.
Whether the need be minimal orlife-threatening our staff is always
here to provide support.Meals: Appetites can diminish as
we age along with the initiative tocook. Many seniors living at home
often have microwave meals orsnack all day instead of prepar-ing a nourishing meal. One of the
major problems with processed orprepackaged meals is the high so-
dium content. Sodium is a leadingcause of elevated blood pressure
and swelling in seniors. Cumber-
land Village offers a variety of well-
balanced, chef prepared meals for
breakfast, lunch and dinner in ournewly renovated dining room.
Transportation: No car, no worries- transportation for doctors ap-
pointments, community events andshopping is provided. The conve-
nience of our courtesy transporta-tion allows residents to come and
go without the feeling of burden-ing a loved one. Whether it is an
individual needing to run errandsor a group looking to travel, Cum-berland Village has transportation
for all needs.Maintenance Free Living: Even
renters have to actively contacta landlord if there are plumbing
or other problems in their apart-ment, and often they must follow
up on repairs. For homeowners,it's worse. Seniors can be takenadvantage of by unscrupulous
contractors and repair people.They tend to be trusting and this
makes them vulnerable. At Cum-berland Village they don't have to
worry about repair responsibilities.If something doesn't work properly,they simply alert the front desk
(where someone is on duty 24hours a day, 7 days a week) and
the problem will be xed.Socialization. Socialization is per-
haps the most important reasonwhy many people who are reluc-tant to leave their homes end up
thriving in a senior living communi-ty. Many seniors too often they rely
on the TV or radio for company.
When not actively used, socialskills can decline, causing anxi-ety when seniors are in social
situations. Depression can set in,furthering their reluctance to besocially active. Seniors without so-cial exposure can become virtualhermits. Family visits are usually
fun but can also be a source ofstress. We all need our own peer
groups to maintain a proper men-tal balance.
There is never a dull moment atCumberland Village! Our residentsenjoy many life enriching moments
such as playing cards, listeningto live music or theatrical perfor-
mances. We also offer a varietyof physical exercise classes such
as yoga, ex and stretch or wateraerobics in our heated indoor pool.
Many residents stay on the go still
enjoying community events suchas plays and concerts, day tripsto the beach, destination citiessuch as Charleston and Savan-
nah or maybe just a quiet ride tosee the peach trees in full bloom.
And dont forget lively games ofWi-Bowling (we have an award-
winning team), Bingo, poker,
scrabble and many others to keepour residents mentally stimulated.
When compared to the cost ofhome repairs and maintenance,
insurance, taxes, utilities and allother associated costs of maintain-
ing a home, you may nd living atCumberland Village is quite af-
fordable. It is certainly much lessexpensive than bringing someoneinto your home to oversee the careof yourself or a loved one. And you
cant put a price on the benet ofsocialization with ones peers and
life enriching memories you willmake while spending your golden
years at Cumberland Village.Living at Cumberland Village is apositive life changing choice, one
that is waiting for you to experi-ence and enjoy.
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Continued from page 2
You may already use one of
these tablet PCs. If so, what
operating system does it use?
Android? iOS? Windows? How big
is its screen? 7 inch? 10 inch?What brand is it? Galaxy? Nexus?
iPad? Microsoft?
Maybe you are considering
buying a tablet, or maybe you just
have tablet questions. Do you
have some Tuesday afternoons
free from July 16 until August 27?
Yes? Read on for an exciting
opportunity just forYOU!
At McGrath SeniorNet, we havebeen planning how to bring you
information about using your tablet
effectively. The variety of brands,
models, and operating systems
make teaching about tablets a
real challenge, so were trying
something different. Beginning
in mid-July, SeniorNet will host a
Tablet Users Group (TUG) at our
Learning Center on the campus of
USCA.
The debut of this Tablet Users
Group will be Tuesday, July 16
from 1-4 p.m. The meetings will
run on Tuesday afternoons through
August 27. Some of the things you
might want to know:
Its FREE!
If you have a tablet, bring it!
All types of tablets are
welcome (Android, Apple, other)
Tablet users will help other
tablet users
If youre thinking of buying a
tablet, join us to ask questions of
people who have them.
Mousing and TUGging.. we
cant think of more productive ways
to spend part of your summer!!
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