VOLUME 18 ISSUE 1

JULY 2013

Ogemaw Commission on

The Senior Observer

Carol Gillman, Director

(989) 345-3010 ext. 1807

Jennifer Raymond, Assistant

Director/In-Home Services. Coor-

dinator (989) 345-3010 ext. 1806

Janith Mayhew, Nutrition Coor-

dinator (989) 345-3010 ext 1803

April Zettel, In-Home Service

Assistant (989)345-3010 ext.

1804

Sharon Burdine, Activities Coor-

dinator (989) 345-3010 ext. 1802

Mary Jones, Program Assistant

(989) 345-3010 ext 1809

Deana Nichols, Acting Coordina-

tor Adult Day Services (989)345-

3010 ext 1810

Ogemaw Commission on Aging

1528 S M-33 West Branch, MI 48661

The big news this month is PARKING LOT! Isn’t it a beautiful sight? So

much more convenient and easier for you folks to get into our building. Not to

mention the diminished tracking in. So many of you have already helped to

make this possible by donating to our fund, this is so appreciated. We do hope

you will continue to do so far into the future to help us pay off the loan. Park-

ing Lot Donation total on the board in the lobby has grown to $3958.50!

Karen and Charles Munday reported to me that they took friends and went to

ride the AuSable Valley Train in Fairview this month. They had so much fun

that the friends are coming back to take part in the July 4th activities being of-

fered by the Railroad! That’s good news for us because its nice to know that it

is for adults too! Now I’m really looking forward to our COA trip there in Oc-

tober. It should be a beautiful Fall color tour also.

Be sure to check out the bulletin board in the entrance lobby! We try hard to

keep it current and updated with information from Board Minutes, fundraisers,

local events, items for sales, new businesses, etc.

Also, Donna accepts and clips any coupons and files them for you to easily ac-

cess and use. The drop bag and coupon box are on the brochure table in ‘My

Place’.

We also collect aluminum can tabs and have a container for them also.

HERE’S OUR WEBSITE!

www.ogemawcoa.org

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

JULY 17TH SUMMER PARTY

HERE AT MY PLACE

‘DOWN ON THE FARM

COUNTRY PICNIC’

OCTOBER 30TH

HALLOWEEN PARTY

DECEMBER 11TH

CHRISTMAS PARTY

Reservations needed for all parties.

It’s a ‘Down on the Farm” Country Ice Cream Social!

(Homemade Ice Cream)

. . . .The Sheep's’ in the Meadow the Cows’

in the Corn!

JULY 17th 11:00-3:00PM Reservations Required: Call Sharon at 345-3010 ext. 1802

Music by McCarn Entertainment

Dancing, Good Food & Lot's a Fun!

Put on your barn clothes and come on down!

ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION (N. MI. Alzheimer’s Association

989-356-4087) The Compassion to Care,

the Leadership to Conquer

OGEMAW SUPPORT GROUP

MEETS FIRST THURSDAY OF EACH MONTH

2:00 PM AT

WEST BRANCH REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER

Contact Marcie or Lucinda at

989-345-3138

Come & see what a little bit of support can do!

BREAD SALES

We SELL our delicious Cracked Wheat Bread!

Order and prepay Sharon throughout the week

and on Fridays after 11:00 pick it up. $2.50/loaf.

Let us know ahead and we will slice it for you.

ASPHALT SALES: As of June 30TH we have made

$3958.50 in Square Yards of Asphalt sold on the

poster board in the lobby of My Place. It is so wonder-

ful of all of you to participate!

Rods & Relics came back in April and are meet-

ing here at ’My Place’ on the 3rd Wednesday of

each month at 5:00 PM. We look forward to

viewing those antique/classic cars on occasion

this summer.

FUTURE TRIPS

July 19th AuSable River Queen/Lumberman Monument

$40 Includes Lunch ( Stop at Dairy Queen too,

but on your own )

August 29th Little River/Manistee ( Casino ) $30

October 12th AuSable Valley Railroad/Amish Country

Store/Hartwick Pines. Includes Lunch

See or call Sharon at 989-345-3010 ext 1802 to sign up for

your trips. Make checks payable to North Country Tours.

DID YOU KNOW?

JULY IS SARCOMA AND BLADDER CANCER

AWARENESS MONTH.

THANK YOU TO AMERICAN LEGION POST 370 SKIDWAY LAKE

FOR REMEMBERING US AND DONATING SO GENEROUSLY TO OUR PARKING LOT

PAVING FUND

PLEASE REMEMBER THEM WHEN YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A GOOD PLACE TO EAT OUT!

THEY OFFER TO THE PUBLIC:

PASTIES EVERY WEDNESDAY $3.50 (4-7:00 PM) DINNER EVERY FRIDAY $8:00 (5-8:00 PM)

We will celebrate JULY birthdays on the 26th

Sarah, Paul, Arnold, Herb

Summer Step-Up Blood Drive

Saturday;, July 20th, 2013 9:00 am—2:00 pm at

Michigan Works, 2389 S. M-76, West Branch

To make an appointment call: 1-866-MIBLOOD

( M ichigan Works Youth Programs will earn $10.00

for every registered donor! )

. *ALL MEALS SERVED WITH FAT FREE MILK *ALL MEALS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE

FOR RESERVATIONS CALL SHARON 345-3010 (ext. 1802) or MARY HDM 345-1710

$2.00 REQUESTED DONATION FOR SENIORS OVER 60 $3.00 FEE FOR GENERAL PUBLIC UNDER 60

OGEMAW COA ~ July 2013 ~ ‘MY PLACE’

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri

1

Honey BBQ Riblet Peas/Carrots

Creamy Cole Slaw Cracked Wheat Bread

Jello/Mixed Fruit

2

Ranch Seasoned Chicken

Sweet Potatoes Wax Beans

Cracked Wheat Bread Peaches

3

Fresh Tomato Soup Tuna Salad Sandwich

Creamy Cucumber Salad

Mandarin Oranges

4

Center Closed

5

Turkey Noodle Casserole Tossed Salad

Cracked Wheat Bread V-8 Fusion Juice

Mixed Fruit

8

Sloppy Joe Roasted Potatoes

Fire Roasted Corn and Black Beans Apple Sauce

9

Herb Seasoned Baked Chicken Potatoes

Mixed Vegetable Cracked Wheat Bread

Fresh Grapes Juice

10

Beef Stew Carrots and Potato

Cracked Wheat Bread Blueberry Crisp

11

COOK’S

CHOICE

12

Spaghetti w/Meat Sauce Tossed Salad Green Beans

Cracked Wheat Bread Mixed Fruit

15

Chicken Chop Suey Rice

Chinese Vegetables Cracked Wheat Bread

Mandarin Oranges Fortune Cookie

16

Meat Loaf Corn

Creamy Cucumber Salad Cracked Wheat Bread

Apple Sauce

17

Summer Picnic Koegel Vienna Hotdogs

Roasted Corn & Black Beans Pasta Salad Watermelon

18

Fish Potato Wedges

Cole Slaw Cracked Wheat Bread

Jello/Fruit Cocktail

19

Grilled Hamburger Lettuce,Tomato,Onion

Potato Salad Watermelon

22

BBQ Chicken Sweet Potatoes

Broccoli Cracked Wheat Bread

Apple Sauce

23

Ham Potatoes

Cauliflower Corn Bake

Pear

24

Taco Salad with Chicken

Cracked Wheat Bread Apple

25

Roast Beef Scalloped Potatoes Italian Blend Veg.

Cracked Wheat Bread Fresh Grapes

26

Boneless Pork Chops Mashed Potatoes

Carrots Cracked Wheat Bread

Fruit Salad

29

Potato Crusted Fish Carrots

Cole Slaw Cracked Wheat Bread

Pineapple

30

Ranch Baked Chicken Sweet Potatoes

Corn Cracked Wheat Bread

Blueberry Crisp

31

Turkey Mashed Potatoes

Carrots Cracked Wheat Bread

Banana Pudding

Dessert can be Healthy, and Delicious

Cutting out sugary junk food does not mean that you have to cut out all desserts. We all enjoy sweet treats, so it

is important to know how to include scrumptious, healthy, and affordable desserts in your menu. Instead of ex-

pensive, processed desserts packed with sugar, such as cakes, cookies, pastries, and muffins, try ending a meal

with delicious fresh fruit or by making your own healthier and more affordable desserts.

Popsicles. Freeze your own 100% fruit juice popsicles. If you don't have a Popsicle tray you can use an ice-

cube tray and freeze with small plastic spoons as handles.

Home baked items. Oatmeal cookies with rolled oats (whole grains) are a good example of a healthier, home

baked dessert. Try reducing the amount of sugar any recipe calls for – many desserts taste just as good with less

sugar.

Yogurt. Buy a large container of plain yogurt and make each serving unique by adding a little sweetener such

as honey or seasonal fruit. You can even make your own frozen yogurt, too.

Frozen treats such as fruit, yogurt, and smoothies. Try freezing grapes or berries or cutting bananas or peaches

into pieces and then freezing. For an amazing dessert pour a little dark chocolate sauce over the frozen fruit.

Chocolate. Many of us have chocolate cravings. Dark chocolate is actually quite high in anti-oxidants so enjoy

the occasional square of dark chocolate (70% or higher is best) as a wonderful treat. Summer is a great time to take advantage of all the delicious fruits that are in season. Skewer up some tasty

fresh fruit kebobs. Big, juicy chunks of pineapple, mango, banana, grapes, strawberries, blueberries. What's

not to like about fruit for dessert? You've got "something sweet" and at the same time you're getting a serving

of fruit, complete with fiber and health-promoting vitamins and phytochemicals. But how often do we sit

down to just a bowl of fruit for dessert? We do like our fruit, but we love it dipped in chocolate, topped with

ice cream or whipped cream, or layered with pastry crust or cake. The good news is that there are some easy

ways to instantly make your favorite fruit dessert recipes healthier. Check out some of these ingredient

switches:

Make your dessert "a la mode" with a cookie scoop (1/4 cup) of light or low-fat ice cream instead of a 1/2-cup

scoop of full-fat ice cream. You'll save 130 calories, 10.5 grams fat, 6.6 grams saturated fat, 59 milligrams cho-

lesterol, and 8 grams carbohydrate.

Add a small dollop (1/8 cup) of light whipped cream instead of a big plop of heavy whipping cream (1/2 cup).

You'll save 162 calories, 17.5 grams fat, 11 grams saturated fat, and 65 milligrams cholesterol.

Serve your fresh fruit atop a slice of angel food cake (weighing 50 grams per slice) instead of buttery pound

cake (85 grams per slice). You'll save 95 calories, 14 grams fat, 3.5 grams saturated fat, 80 milligrams choles-

terol, and 16 grams carbohydrate.

When your pie recipe calls for dotting butter or margarine on top of the filling or on top of the crust, just skip

this step. You'll save 100 calories, 11.5 grams fat, 7 grams saturated fat, and 30 milligrams cholesterol for every

tablespoon of butter you leave out.

Reduce the sugar called for in any fruit dessert recipe by 25%. Sometimes you can cut the sugar even further,

by 1/3 or half, depending on the recipe. You'll save 49 calories and 12.5 grams carbohydrate for every table-

spoon of sugar you cut.

Don't add oil or melted butter to cake mixes. There's already about 4 grams of fat per serving of dry mix. Add

something liquid but low in calories instead, like fat-free sour cream, applesauce, strong coffee, or light yogurt.

You'll save 54 calories, 6 grams fat, 0.5 grams saturated fat per serving (if the cake mix calls for 1/3 cup of oil

and makes 12 servings).

Instead of a two-crust pie, opt for a fruit crisp topped with an oatmeal crumb mixture. You'll save 100 calories,

10 grams fat, 2.5 grams saturated fat.

Nutrition Education July 2013

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri

1

12:40 Penny Bingo by

Dave H

2

12:40 Bingo by Deryl B

3

12:40 Euchre hosted by

Gloria T.

4

CLOSED FOR

THE HOLIDAY

5

12:40 Bingo by Bev

W.

8

12:40 Penny Bingo by

Dave H

9 12:40 Bingo by Deryl B

10

12:00 Churchill Men for

lunch

12:40 Euchre hosted by

Gloria T.

11 12:40 Pinochle by Bev W.

12

12:40 Bingo by Bev

W.

15

12:40 Penny Bingo by

Dave H

16

11:00 Blood Pressure

by Jill of Hospice of

Helping Hands

12:40 Bingo by Deryl B

17

“DOWN ON THE

FARM ICE CREAM

SOCIAL PARTY”:

Music and Lot’s of Fun

& Games!

11:00-3:00

18 12:40 Pinochle by Bev W.

19

10:00 AU SABLE

RIVER QUEEN

CRUISE! 12:40 Bingo by

Bev W.

22

12:40 Penny Bingo by

Dave H

23 12:40 Bingo by Deryl B

24 12:40 Euchre hosted by

Gloria T.

25

12:00 Churchill Ladies

for Lunch

12:40 Pinochle by Bev W.

26

12:40 Bingo by Bev

W.

29

12:40 Penny Bingo by

Dave H

30 12:40 Bingo by Deryl B

31

12:40 Euchre hosted by

Gloria T.

JULY 21st: DON’T FORGET THE DANCE!

MUSIC IS BY JOEL SHELTROWN COME ON

OUT DANCING AND DINING. DANCE STARTS

AT 4:00 POTLUCK AT 5:00 . IT’S A NICE

AFTERNOON OF SOCIALIZING AND

ENJOYING MUSIC.

Activities July 2013

JULY BIRTHSTONE: RUBY AND JULY FLOWER IS LARKSPUR

JULY EVENTS & MEETINGS HERE AT “MY PLACE”

JULY 5TH and 24th at 10:00AM “Healing Together” (Grief Support) sponsored by Hospice Advantage

Call Karen at 343-2470 JULY 11th—Parkinson Support Group Meeting 1:00 PM. Conference Room. Come for Lunch at 12:00 Noon and stay for the meeting. JULY 16th—11:00-12:00 AM Blood Pressure Clinic by Jill of Hospice of Helping Hands JULY 17th—PARTY! PARTY! PARTY! 11-3:00 ‘Down on the Farm’ Picnic & Ice Cream Social. Be sure to register with Sharon at 345-3010 ext. 1802 JULY 19th—10:00AM the bus leaves for AuSable River Queen Cruise. (See notice on this page) Come join us! JULY 21st—Community Dance/Potluck—4:00-7:00 Music by Joel Sheltrown. Potluck is served at 5:00 Come on out for a lovely afternoon of music and dining.

JULY 25th— at 10:00AM—Foot Clinic/Care by Inita Burmudz $15 for 30 minute appointment. Inita is certified and licensed. Bring your own towel please. Appt. needed, call Sharon 989-345-3010 ext. 1802

FOOT CLINIC July 25 (Thurs)

Inita Burmudz does foot clinics here now once a month. Her fee is $15 for a 30 minute session which includes a soak and trimming your nails. She is certified and licensed. Please call Sharon 345-3010, Ext. 1802 for an appointment and re-member to bring your own towel.

AUSABLE RIVER QUEEN! July 19th, 2013 (Friday)

NORTH COUNTRY TOURS AND OGEMAW COA PRESENT:

RIVER QUEEN CRUISE AND STOP AT LUMBERMAN’S MONUMENT (Dairy Queen stop on the way home!)

Pick up at West Branch COA (My Place) 10:00 AM

Cost is $40/person (Due by July 8th to Sharon or North Country Tours)

Trip cost includes: Round trip transportation + AuSable River Cruise + Boxed Lunch

Sign up with Sharon 989-345-3010 ext. 1802 or

Directly with North Country Tours at 1-888-396-9580

Thank you!

A big thank you goes out the to Wood Carvers who come every Wednesday morning.

They have been sharpening our kitchen knives!

They do such a great job, And it makes the cooks work so much easier.

Thanks again, Bob, Mike, Jim, Fred & John.

We appreciate having you guys around.

Next Dance is Sunday, July 21st! MUSIC PROVIDED BY JOEL SHELTROWN

DONATIONS WELCOME

For All Music Lovers

Musical Afternoon and Potluck at “My Place”

Ogemaw Commission on Aging We Invite & Welcome all Dancers & Music Lovers to Come and Join Fun!

When: JULY 21ST 4:00 PM

Where: Ogemaw Commission on Aging’s “My Place”, 1528 S M-33, West Branch, MI 48661

(One mile North of the intersection of M-33 & M-55 also the southwest corner of Finerty

Road)

Time: 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM Potluck will be served at 5:00PM during music break.

Bring: A main dish to pass or snacks, non-alcoholic beverage, or dessert—The point is to share

music, food and talent! Ice is available.

Donations: Donation this month will be directed to Ogemaw Commission on Aging for the generous

use of their building as a location for these dances! 50/50 Raffle

So you can dance relax or just enjoy area musical artists!

Questions: Call Sharon @ 989-345-3010 ext 1802 or Claudette @ 989-944-1555

*This event is put on by a group of people who just want to meet to dance and enjoy music! Not a COA Event.

Ogemaw COA provides the use of the facility because seniors appreciate and enjoy this event!

Laundry Soap

1/3 bar Fels-Naptha Soap 1/2 cup washing soda 1/2 cup Borax Powder

Grate soap and put it in a saucepan. Add 6 cups of water and heat until soap melts. Add washing soda

and borax until dissolved. Remove from heat. Pour 4 cups of hot tap water into a bucket, add soap mix and stir. Then add 6 cups of cold water and stir. Let set for

24 hours & it will gel. Use 1/2 cup per load. It’s a low suds soap so you won’t see suds but it will be doing its job. This really works and will save you a ton of money!

To Keep Berries fresh longer—use 1 part white vine-

gar, 10 parts water. Soak berries, leaves and all for a few minutes. Drain them in a colander until dry. Store uncovered in the refrigerator.,

For all you Butch Heath Fans!

He will be appearing at the

Ogemaw County Fair

this year with the

Country Reunion Band

on Tuesday, August 13th at 7:00PM

FROM THE DESK OF THE DIRECTOR:

Dear Seniors:

Well this has been a wonderful month, on June 4th. we attended “Older MIchiganians Day” in Lans-

ing, This was to advocate for our seniors, asking that no more cuts be made to the funding that pro-

vides the services needed to assure that our people live with dignity and respect, and may remain in

their homes for as long as they choose, and are able. We had private meetings with Senator John

Moolenar, and Representative Bruce Rendon both of whom assured us they would do all in their

power to protect the funding for services that impact the senior population. We were also asking that

funding be returned to the level it was in 2008, not sure that will happen, however they did return the

funding for Home Delivered Meals. All in all we believe it was a fruitful day!

And seniors as you are all well aware our Parking Lot is Paved! Isn’t this Wonderful?

I want to thank all the staff, and our seniors for accepting the inconvenience so well. It was a couple

of hectic days, directing traffic, trying to figure out what was going to happen next, but it all came to-

gether, and we are all so pleased. No more Pot Holes, no muddy shoes, and dirty floors. It will take a

bit of time to pay for but with your help we will do it! We have received so many generous donations,

and remember parking squares are still available to purchase; when this is complete we will have a

special tribute posted with the names of all who helped.

I’m sure you have all noticed our Sign, made by Burt, John, and Lin. Remember to thank them! Now

people going by know who we are, and those looking for us can find us. We will be making a planter

around the sign which will add to eye appeal.

Our next big project will be the Acoustics in the Grand room, this will take a little time as everything

has to be budgeted for and not infringe on the services we provide. I however think we have been

moving right along with our projects, and our to-do list is growing shorter. Once all has been com-

pleted we can then work on our Want List! Never forget, the work we do, the services we provide are

all for the senior population of Ogemaw County, and we have worked hard to provide this location,

and building, so no one can doubt the dedication we at the Ogemaw Commission on Aging have for

the past, present, and future senior population of Ogemaw County.

Again if you have any questions feel free to contact me at (989)345-3010 ext.1807

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!

Senior input:

“Jack and I would like to thank not only the Staff and Volunteers but the seniors themselves. We really enjoy ‘My Place’ and everyone here makes it enjoyable to come to visit, play games and enjoy each other’s company. We appreciate all of you!

Jill Roark

Free Basic Computer Class Available Thru Michigan Works

Tuesdays and Thursday

Starting: July 9th

10:00 AM to 12:00 PM

At Michigan Works Office

2389 S M-76 West Branch

Call (989) 345-1090 to register

Seating is Limited

Not a COA Sponsored Event

SENIOR PROJECT FRESH 2013

Michigan Fresh Fruit and Vegetables will be available soon.

Coupons and Applications for the program are available at

Ogemaw Commission on Aging

Coupons for Project Fresh are ready to be distributed. If you have completed your application and have

taken a class previously you can stop by the Commission and get your coupons and information pack-

ets.

If this is your first time receiving Project Fresh coupons you must take the class. If you've had a class

and just want to take a refresher course, Helen Deflorio, Family Nutrition Program Instructor for

MSU will be giving the class. She will be here Thursday July 11th, class will be held at 11:00 to noon,

and Thursday July 25th at 11:00 to noon. After the class you will be issued a $20.00 set of coupons to

be used at participating Farmers Markets.

Contact Janith Mayhew, NPC @989-345-3010 ext. 1803 to set up your class enrollment or if you have

any questions regarding this program.

Remember: To be eligible for coupons you must be at least 60 years of age and meet the income guide-

lines, which are based on 185% of the Federal Poverty Income Guidelines during the current fiscal year

and live in Ogemaw County. Your signature indicates that you have been given a copy of the current in-

come guidelines for the fiscal year. For 1 person: not to exceed $21,257, for two people: not to exceed

$28,694.

Sometimes the Staff of COA just can’t help themselves!

Don’t forget about GREAT LAKES SECURE SHREDDING!

They have generously placed a receptacle in our cloak room for the convenience of seniors to safely dispose of sen-sitive paperwork and prescription bottles (not the drugs,

only the bottles).

If you have large volumes of paperwork at home or for a business, be sure to call them for their pickup service! And please recommend them to your friends and relatives, they

are a bunch of great guys!

THANK YOU TO GLEN’S MARKET Glen’s Market of West Branch has donated baked goods to us for several years. This makes it possible for us to put out the treats that you folks so enjoy in the morning with your coffee. Thank you Glen’s, we appreciate you and we know the Seniors of Ogemaw County do too!

NEXT SENIOR COMMODITY DATE

Thursday, July 25th Available to pick up at Holy Family Church at 402

W Peters Road, West Branch MI Pickup 10:00AM-12:00PM

Call 1-866-270-0685 w/Questions (You must return the empty CSFP Box

at the next pickup)

WOMEN’S HEALTH CARE PROGRAM District Health Department #2’s Program for Women Ages 40-64

Breast & Cervical Cancer Screening Program Colorectal Cancer Screening Program

WISEWOMAN Program which includes free choles-terol, glucose, & blood pressure screenings

EARLY DETECTION IS YOUR

BEST PROTECTION

Clinics located in: Iosco, Alcona, Ogemaw & Os-coda Counties. To find out if you qualify call DHD#2

1-800-822-0264

FREE LEGAL SERVICES FOR SENIORS over 60 1-888-356-9009 www.ISNMiRP.org

David Bisgrove

(No Criminal Cases)

DANCE AT THE COMMUNITY CENTER BEHIND

MAPLEWOOD MANOR

JULY 12TH 7:00-10:00PM

(Always on the 2nd Fri)

OLD TIME COUNTRY MUSIC

Call: Clyde at 989-545-9997 (cell) (Donations Appreciated)

Not just for seniors, all ages welcome.

FREE NOTARY PUBLIC SERVICE FOR SENIORS (Over 60) AT OGEMAW COA

Our Mary Jones is now a Notary Public on Staff

Here at My Place and we are happy to offer this service to our Seniors at no charge. Call Mary at

989-345-3010 Ext 1809. (There will be a $1.00 fee for those under 60).

West Branch Parkinson Support Group

At the Ogemaw Commission on Aging Building

1528 S M-33 West Branch, MI 12:30 - 2:00

(Meet for lunch at Noon in the Dining Room)

All Those with Parkinson Disease, Their Loved Ones,

Or Anyone Interested in Learning More Are Welcome to Attend.

Please call Carol at 989-345-3010 Ext 1807

For more information.

Next Meeting: July 11th

Anyone out there who has an email address that they have not yet given me: It’s a great way to re-ceive this newsletter “The Senior Observer” ! My email is: activities@ogemawcoa.org Send me yours or feel free to email me anytime with any question, even your reservations for dinner, parties, trips,