June 2013 - Outreach NC
Transcription
June 2013 - Outreach NC
utreach NC OutreachNC • June 2013 Outre ac r v ic e s Aging JUNE 2013 1 Vol. 4 Issue 6 Navigating all your lifestyle choices A Passion for Music An Evening with Harry Connick Jr. at Booth Amphitheatre www.OutreachNC.com h Se 2 OutreachNC • June 2013 www.OutreachNC.com OutreachNC • June 2013 www.OutreachNC.com 3 OutreachNC • June 2013 er J From the Editor une means summertime is here. Vacations, backyard barbecues and swimming pools all beckon for your attention, so we thank you for spending some of your time with us! If a summer concert is part of your plan, look no further than Cary's Booth Amphitheatre on July 9 to spend "An Evening with Harry Connick Jr." The talented pianist and composer is bringing some old and new tunes. He shares the inspiration for his latest album as well as his love for his family and his passion for music. WIOZ 550 AM's Billy Bag-O-Donuts has a love for doo-wop and wakes up listeners weekday mornings in the Sandhills. We sit down with Billy for a Carolina Conversation to learn more about the man behind the microphone with a heart for his community. One place you can find community spirit is at your local farmers market. We'll introduce you to farmers from Wake, Montgomery and Moore counties, all of whom harvest the freshest bounty (as seen above). At Paradox Farm in West End, we learn the finer points of using fresh goats' milk for cheese and fudge from an attorney and physical therapist, who still work full-time and are discovering what's next for them down on the farm. No homegrown cucumbers are required for the growing sport of pickleball. We'll show you how this Photo by Carol Wilson game played on a badminton-sized court with a net, paddles and a wiffle ball is all the rage and has courts sprouting up across the region. It wasn't a court but a baseball diamond where Fayetteville's Jack McGinley pitched the 1955 Wake Forest Demon Deacons to a Collegiate World Series championship, a feat never repeated since in the Atlantic Coast Conference. In Game On, we catch up with one special boy of summer. The summer reading season is here, so we have the pleasure of learning about the latest from bestselling author Mary Kay Andrews. She makes stops in Southern Pines, June 8, and Raleigh, June 17, to kick off a book tour for her new novel, "Ladies' Night," and shares an excerpt just to entice you into wanting more. Our yearlong tour of historical places continues with a stop at the Town Creek Indian Mound in Mount Gilead. We'll tour the ceremonial site of the Pee Dee and see what archaeologists have uncovered over the years. Time and years may not be so kind to our bodies, making accessibility an issue. As our Aging in Place series continues, we meet one Carthage couple who had the future in mind when they built their dream home using universal design. Until next month... —Carrie Frye www.OutreachNC.com utreach NC Outrea v ic e s Aging ch S 4 Navigating all your lifestyle choices PO Box 2478 676 NW Broad Street Southern Pines, NC 28388 910-692-9609 Office 910-695-0766 Fax PO Box 2019 101-A Brady Court Cary, NC 27512 919-909-2693 Office 919-535-8719 Fax info@outreachnc.com www.OutreachNC.com facebook.com/outreachncmagazine Follow us on Twitter @OutreachNC OutreachNC is a publication of Aging Outreach Services, Inc. Editor Carrie Frye Advertising Sales Shawn Buring 910-690-1276 shawnb@outreachnc.com Michelle Palladino 910-639-9964 mpalladino@outreachnc.com Marketing & Public Relations Susan McKenzie The entire contents of OutreachNC are copyrighted by Aging Outreach Services. Reproduction or use, without permission, of editorial, photographic or graphic content in any manner is prohibited. OutreachNC is published monthly on the first of each month. OutreachNC • June 2013 Inside this issue Ask the Expert.......................6 Town Creek Indian Mound page 18 Belle Weather by Celia Rivenbark................8 Consumer Beware.................7 Farmers Markets page 54 Cooking Simple...................37 Eye Health: Cataract Surgery.................33 Grey Matter Games.............48 AM 550's Billy Bag-O-Donuts page 50 Hospital Health...................27 Law Review..........................17 Pickleball page 30 Game On page 24 Life's Journey.......................53 Learning Changes Everything...........................13 Goat Farm page 34 Literary Circle........................9 Money Matters....................22 Over My Shoulder................58 Planning Ahead...................14 Pet Tales...............................15 Senior Moments..................16 5 Mary Kay Andrews page 10 Senior Shorts Guest Writer Mary Kay Andrews excerpt from "Ladies' Night" ..........................................12 Sentimental Journey..........47 Spirituality.............................29 Volunteer Opportunities.......28 Harry Connick Jr. page 38 www.OutreachNC.com Aging in Place page 42 6 Ask the Expert OutreachNC • June 2013 Q : My mother is 90 years old and has mild dementia. I am her live-in caregiver and am faced with many decisions regarding her care. My siblings do not always agree with the decisions I make and are especially disagreeable with decisions related to a living will. How do we approach this topic and ensure my mother’s wishes, not our own, are honored? Our experts will answer any aging questions you might have. Fax your questions to 910-695-0766 or e-mail them to info@outreachnc.com. donna brock, CMC Geriatric Care Manager A : Assuming that your mother is still capable of making her own decisions, a conversation needs to take place between the family and your mother to talk about what she wants regarding her care. This is not an easy conversation but should take place as soon as possible. As an adult child, it is very difficult to see your parent in a position where she may not be able to care for herself. Some people have more difficulty accepting these changes than others. It is very important that she feels comfortable talking to all her children about her medical care. It is up to her adult children to create an environment where she feels safe and free from pressure to make decisions based on her desires instead of her children's. 910-692-0683 • 919-535-8713 donnab@aoscaremanagement.com As the primary caregiver, you have an opportunity to have these conversations with your mother on a day-to-day basis. Listen to your mother when she tells you about her desires to limit care or even seek care when her health declines. It is not advisable to wait until a crisis arrives, as the adult children may not agree on what they feel is the appropriate care for her. Schedule an appointment with your mother’s physician who can provide valuable insight in this matter. The physician can offer realistic expectations and confirm your mother’s ability to make these decisions even with mild dementia. Next, schedule an appointment with an elder law attorney and have a living will completed. Allow the attorney to ask your mother about her choices in different scenarios. Before signing the document, your mother can meet with you and your siblings and inform all of you of her decisions. If your mother feels pressure from her children, the attorney can be helpful in offering her the opportunity to speak for herself and provide an objective opinion to the adult children. Elizabeth Zager, an associate attorney with Senter, Stephenson, Johnson, PA in Fuquay-Varina, also advises it is equally important that your mother appoint a Health Care Power of Attorney. This person will be given the authority to make health care decisions for her when she is no longer able to do so. This person will have the information from the living will and the authority to make decisions accordingly. Your mother should choose the person she feels is the most trustworthy and able to enforce her wishes even when others may try to intervene. This is not an easy role to play when siblings are involved, but with the proper planning and conversations, all matters are discussed beforehand and arguments can be avoided in the future. www.OutreachNC.com The new C-Note T he $100 bill is the most frequently counterfeited currency of all the bills in circulation in the United States (now you have an answer to a "Jeopardy" question). The high quality counterfeit $100 bills found are being produced in North Korea and have been given the name Super-Notes by U.S. officials. These Super-Notes are made with the highest quality ink and paper and designed to recreate the various security features of United States currency. Most counterfeit bills can be divided into three categories. The first category is offset lithography, and the second is high-tech digital scanners and printers. Counterfeit currency in both of these categories is relatively easy to spot because they lack the raised ink feel of genuine bills. Super-Notes are more deceptive and are printed on cotton fiber paper using the same expensive intaglio printing presses used by the government, which is what makes this the third category of counterfeit bills. An intaglio press creates tiny ridges on a piece of paper by forcing it into the inkfilled groves of an engraved plate at very high pressure. That is what gives real U.S. paper currency and Super-Notes their unique feel. The $100 bill is the largest denomination paper U.S. currency that has been printed since July 13, 1969. Prior to this date, $500, Consumer Beware $1,000, $5,000 and $10,000 bills were being printed. The new $100 bill was slated to be rolled out in 2011 but the U.S. Treasury experienced problems with the printing press in producing the new security features embedded in this bill. It is now on track to be rolled out for circulation on Oct. 8, 2013. The new security features on this bill include a blue ribbon woven into the fabric, an image of a bell and a large “100” on the face of the bill that will change in color from copper to green when tilted. Ben Franklin will still be prominently displayed on the front of the bill, but his image will have an additional security strip near his head that can be seen when holding the bill up to the light. The old style $100 bills will still be valid and can be used. For those of you who are bill collectors, you may want to put a few of the current style bills away since the older bills will be destroyed as they pass through the Federal Reserve System. The average life of a $100 bill in circulation is 90 months, or 7.5 years. Knowing about these new security features can help you identify a real $100 bill from a Super-Note. For additional information, contact the Community Services Unit of the Southern Pines Police Department at 910-692-2732. www.OutreachNC.com OutreachNC • June 2013 7 www.capefearvalley.com cardiac surgery H H H 3 Star rating from the Society for Thoracic Surgeons, the highest rating possible in the U.S. Heart disease affects more people than any other medical condition. Put your heart in CAPEable hands at Cape Fear Valley Heart & Vascular Center. We’re capable of saving lives without missing a beat. ..... Cardiac Surgery affiliated with Cleveland Clinic, voted #1 in heart programs for 15 years running by U.S. News & World Report ..... Nationally accredited Chest Pain Center ..... 24-Hour Cardiac Catheterization Labs ..... Electrophysiology Lab to diagnose and treat patients with abnormal heart rhythms ..... Mission Lifeline member, statewide network, for immediate care for heart attack patients ..... Cardiac & Pulmonary Rehabilitation Programs to help you heal quicker 8 OutreachNC • June 2013 H Every 17 years, hideous hordes descend ere in my home state of North Carolina, we're accustomed to the sweaty dread that comes with the annual announcement that it's almost hurricane season. This is the kind of state where no one seems to find it odd to host a hurricane expo with light refreshments as though anyone would be in the mood for lemon thins after a rousing talk about the distinct possibility of deadly weather. But, then, it is the South and we tend to mark every occasion with food no matter how terrifying. I have personally witnessed mourners idly gnawing on chicken drummettes while looking at a body laid out in a casket in the living room. Comfort food indeed. That said, the latest fearful prediction for our state has completely destroyed my appetite. In numerous news accounts, each more alarming than the one before it, we are told that 2013 is the summer of the SEVENTEEN YEAR CICADA. Entomologists say characteristics include big, black and orange bodies, bulging red eyes and a distinct "whee-oh, whee-oh" mating call coupled with linedancing moves. But enough about my ex. Let's talk about the SEVENTEEN YEAR CICADA. I have to type it like that because it is so terrifying to think that these noisy fornicators are going to swarm for a "monthlong mating spree" that extends from my state as far north as New York this summer. When they arrive, they will be so loud that it will sound "like a spaceship landing in your back yard," predicted one entomologist, who added that you'll know they're here just by driving with your windows down. Note to self: Glue car windows shut. The cicadas are so noisy that a Washington, D.C., bug expert noted that they Belle Weather completely drown out beltway traffic once they INVADE. So how many are we expecting to host here on the East Coast this summer? Billions, with a B. They will emerge from underground to "date, mate and die" all in less than four weeks. Meanwhile, the dowdy regular cicadas that are here all the time can only hiss among themselves about all the action the new kids are getting. "Sure, they're flashy and all but, at the end of the day, we're not going anywhere except sticking to the side of this tree and blending in just like we always have and always will," said longtime resident of my back yard Eunice Cicada. In my imagination. And like hurricanes, there's nothing we humans can do to stop this invasion. They will crawl out from underground where they have been hiding for almost two decades, much like those people who still pine for a Wham! reunion. My only encounter with cicadas is when I mow the yard and run into a creepy carcass. They are huge insects, so huge that people in some parts of the world actually eat them, preferring the females because they're "meatier." Or as Eunice would prefer, "big boned." Rivenbark is the New York Times best-selling author of the upcoming etiquette manual, "Rude Bitches Make Me Tired." Visit www.celiarivenbark.com. Distributed by MCT Information Services. www.OutreachNC.com OutreachNC • June 2013 Book Reviews: The Secret Keeper & The Shoemaker's Wife K ate Morton's “The Secret Keeper" is my kind of book. Although long, it united the worlds of 1930, ‘60 and ‘80 with a story that involved a wonderful family of four daughters, one son and parents set on a farm in Literary Circle England. The oldest daughter, Laurel Nicholson, has a successful acting career. She also carries the family secret around in her heart for many years, sharing it with only her younger brother, and finally solving it as her mother lies dying at age 90. In an attempt to identify people from her mother Dorothy’s past, she learns Dorothy was closely bound by two friends, Jimmy and Vivien, during World War II in London. It is a book about love and loyalty, one of Morton’s finest novels. The plot must not be given away, so read it. “The Shoemaker’s Wife” by Adriana Trigiani is an epic novel that spans almost 500 pages and tells the story of two boys, Ciro and Eduardo, orphans whose mother left them with nuns in the Italian Alps. She was not physically or financially able to care for them. Her husband, who went to America to work in the mines, was never heard from again; thus, the boys spent their youth with the nuns until they were banished by the priest. You must read this novel. Several years ago, I came upon Trigiani in the Southern Pines Library by chance and read her trilogy on Big Stone Gap, Va. I have been a fan since reading “Very Valentine,” “Lucia, Lucia” and “Rococo.” www.OutreachNC.com 9 10 OutreachNC • June 2013 Next chapter for author holds new books and beach house By Melanie Coughlin Special to OutreachNC PHOTOGRAPHY BY A SARA SPEERT uthor Mary Kay Andrews has written a juicy new book that just begs to be read beachside. Set on Florida’s Anna Maria Island, “Ladies’ Night” revolves around lifestyle blogger Grace Stanton and starts off at full pace. The book has Grace finding her husband cheating with her assistant in chapter one. “Her marriage goes up pretty flamboyantly, and her husband locks her out of her former lifestyle,” Andrews says of Grace. Enraged, Grace drives her husband’s $175,000 Audi into their pool, an act that lands her in courtmandated therapy. There, Grace meets three other women who have been betrayed, and they form a bond based on a quest for revenge. “‘Ladies’ Night’ starts with revenge, but you figure out that revenge doesn’t heal the hurt,” says Andrews. The idea for her book was hatched during a writer's retreat at Mary Kay Andrews begins Southern Pines’ her book tour for "Ladies' Weymouth Center Night" in perfect timing for the Arts and to kick off the summer Humanities. reading season. Andrews “I had several has signings at Country ideas I’d been Bookshop in Southern Pines tinkering with, on Saturday, June 8, at 10 but none captured a.m., and at Quail Ridge my imagination. I read an article Books and Music in Raleigh about the book, on Monday, June 17, at 7:30 ‘101 Uses for p.m. See "Ladies' Night" My Ex-Wife’s excerpt on page 12. Wedding Dress,’ and that just sort of tickled something in my imagination,” Andrews says. “What if I wrote about a group of people whose only bond is that they’ve all been betrayed?” www.OutreachNC.com continued page 11 OutreachNC • June 2013 I read an article about the book, "101 Uses for My Ex-Wife’s Wedding Dress," and that just sort of tickled something in my imagination. This is the second time Southern Pines has played into the New York Times bestselling author’s work. The book she released last year, “Spring Fever,” was based in the fictional town of Passcoe, N.C. which was inspired by Southern Pines. In “Ladies’ Night,” Grace continues to blog, primarily about a run-down beach cottage that she is renovating. Ironically, Andrews was renovating a Tybee Island, Ga., beach cottage at the same time she was writing about Grace’s project. Andrews and her husband had been looking for a second beach house because quarters had grown tight at their existing Tybee Island property, thanks to the addition of two grandchildren. Andrews found a house she liked last October, and she snatched it up even though she knew it would require a lot of work while she was still writing “Ladies’ Night.” “We only had about two months to do everything, including decorate it. I would wake up in the middle of the night freaking out because I had to finish the book and the house,” Andrews says. “It was crazy, but it was worth it.” Andrews kept her fans up to date on the property she named Ebbtide through her website and Facebook page, posting furniture finds and decorating themes. “I’m kind of a frustrated lifestyle blogger myself,” says Andrews. In addition to “Ladies’ Night,” Andrews has several other books hitting the shelves this fall. Beginning in October, her publisher is re-releasing four books in the Callahan Garrity series, all of which Andrews wrote under the name Kathy Hogan Trocheck. Also out in October will be a new book, “Christmas Bliss,” that brings back Weezie Foley and BeBe Loudermilk, two of her readers’ favorite characters. Andrews heads out June 4 for a book tour that includes two stops in North Carolina. The first is June 8 at the Country Bookshop in Southern Pines. The second is June 17 at Quail Ridge Books and Music in Raleigh. For more information, visit www. marykayandrews.com and click the "events and appearances" tab. ■ —Mary Kay Andrews www.OutreachNC.com 11 OutreachNC • June 2013 12 Senior Shorts Fiction Excerpt from "Ladies' Night" I f Grace Stanton had known the world as she knew it was going to end that uneventful evening in May, she might have been better prepared. She certainly would have packed more underwear and a decent bra, not to mention moisturizer and her iPhone charger. But as far as Grace knew, she was just doing her job, writing and photographing Gracenotes, a blog designed to make her own lifestyle look so glamorous, enticing, and delicious it made perfectly normal women (and gay men) want to rip up the script for their own lives and rebuild one exactly like hers. She peered through the lens finder of her Nikon D7000 and frowned, but only for a moment, because, as Ben had told her countless times, a frown was forever. She made a conscious effort to smooth the burgeoning wrinkles in her forehead, then concentrated anew on her composition. She’d polished the old pine table to a dull sheen, and the available light streaming in from the dining room window glinted off the worn boards. With her right hand, she made a minute adjustment to one of the two deliberately mismatched white ironstone platters she’d placed on a rumpled—but not wrinkled— antique French grain-sack table runner. She replaced the oversized sterling forks, tines pointed down, at the edge of the platters. Should she add knives? Maybe spoons? She thought not. Spare. The look she was going for was spare. Edit, edit, edit, she thought, nodding almost imperceptibly. Less was more. Or that’s what Ben always claimed. Now. About that centerpiece. She’d cut three small palmetto fronds from the newly landscaped driveway … No, she corrected herself. The builder’s website referred to it as a motor court. The palmettos were giving her fits. She’d arranged them in a mottled, barnacle-crusted pale aqua bottle she’d plucked from a pile of random junk at the flea market the weekend before. They should have looked great. But no. They were too stiff. Too awkward. Too vertical. Grace replaced the palmettos with a cardboard carton of lush red heirloom tomatoes. Hmm. The vibrant color was a good contrast against the nubby Mary Kay Andrews After a brief hiatus in Raleigh, New York Times bestselling author, Andrews and her husband moved back to their old neighborhood in Atlanta. She now divides her time between Atlanta and her restored beach cottages on Tybee Island, Ga. For more information, visit www.marykayandrews.com. linen of the runner, and she loved the lumpy forms and brilliant green and yellow stripes on some of the irregularly shaped fruits. Maybe, if she placed the container on its side, with the tomatoes spilling out? Yes. Much better. She grabbed a knife from the sideboard and sawed one of the tomatoes in half, squeezing it slightly, until seeds and juices dribbled out onto the tabletop. Perfect. She inhaled and clicked the trigger on her motordriven shutter. Click. Click. Click. She adjusted the focus so the pale gel-covered seeds were in the foreground. Now, she zoomed out, leaving the tomatoes as red blurs, so that the old ironstone platters were in focus, their age-crazed crackles and brown spots coming into sharp relief. “Very pretty,” a voice breathed in her ear. Grace jumped. Ben rested a hand lightly on her shoulder and studied the vignette. “Is that for tomorrow’s ‘Friday Favorites’ post?” he asked. “Mm-hmm,” Grace said. “I tried the palmetto fronds and, before that, a basket of seashells, and then some green mangoes, but I think the tomatoes work best, don’t you?” He shrugged. “I guess.” “What?” Grace studied his face, as always, craving his approval. “The tomatoes don’t work for you?” “They’re nice. In an artsy-fartsy kind of way,” he said. She pushed a strand of light brown hair off her forehead and took a step back from the table. She’d spent an hour putting the table together, and she’d been fairly pleased with the effect she’d achieved. But Ben didn’t like it. “Too country-cutesy?” she asked, glancing at her husband. Ben’s trained eyes missed nothing. He’d been in the ad business forever, and no detail was too small or too insignificant. It was why they made such a great team. “It’s your blog,” he reminded her. ■ © "Ladies' Night" by Mary Kay Andrews, St. Martin's Press. www.OutreachNC.com Technology courses empower students of all ages D ave Bartlett, a technology instructor at Sandhills Community College and founder of "Dave's Geeks," earned this term of endearment by a network of students of all ages who have followed him through a sequence of courses. Bartlett utilizes applicable situations to pique the interest of students. "For example, in a file management class, I ask students to begin by taking an inventory of household items for insurance purposes. We then structure their information into a filing system, making it not only a learning process but an applicable and worthwhile exercise," says Bartlett. "Students are encouraged to assist each other, making the process fun for adults and creating a network of friends." Technology Training in Continuing Education attracts all types of students. Laura Todd, coordinator of Technology Training for over 14 years, researches, coordinates and hires for the program. She also spends a good deal of each day teaching Apple courses. OutreachNC • June 2013 13 Learning Changes Everything "My passion is teaching," says Todd. "Confident in the use of technology, I am able to extend that confidence to my students who are many times a little timid about using technology." Some students may not necessarily need college credit but want to make sure they stay abreast of our changing world, Recent reports investigate a fear of social exclusion where such advances in technology and the ability to stay in touch for those who may be homebound or restricted in some way may heighten the possibility of loneliness and less human interaction. With these studies in mind, the college is organizing an advisory committee consisting of community representatives to enhance offerings and perhaps gain perspective on new class areas. If you think you would be a good candidate to serve, contact Todd at 910-695-3925. For more information, call 910-695-3980 or visit www.sandhills.edu/coned. Fee waivers may apply for registration fees. www.OutreachNC.com 14 OutreachNC • June 2013 The Financial Burden of Alzheimer’s A pproximately every minute, someone in the United States develops Alzheimer’s disease, the brain disease that causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. Alzheimer’s has recently become the sixth leading cause of death in America, and statistics show it will become even more common. Symptoms usually develop slowly and worsen over time, becoming severe enough to interfere with daily tasks and most other intellectual and functional abilities. In 2013, the direct costs of caring for those with Alzheimer's in the U.S. will total an estimated $203 billion, and this cost is projected to increase to $1.2 trillion annually over the next 30-40 years. It's important to explore the options that are available to cover these costs, including retirement benefits, personal savings, disability insurance from an employer or personal policy, group health plan or retiree medical coverage, cash-value life insurance, long-term care insurance, Medicare, Medicare Supplement/Medigap and Medicaid. Keep in mind that after symptoms of Alzheimer’s appear, it is no longer possible to purchase many types of insurance; and in regard to qualifying for Medicaid, a spend-down of personal assets may be required to qualify. Alzheimer’s disease is not just a normal part of aging. In its early stages, memory loss is mild and can be quite manageable. What makes Alzheimer’s and other types of dementias cost Planning Ahead more is that a person can live as long as 20 years with the disease, depending on their age at onset and other health conditions. Providing the level of appropriate care for a person over a two-decade time span can certainly make managing finances and health care a challenge. This progressive disease becomes more pronounced over time so the type and level of care a person needs will increase. There may come a time when patients with Alzheimer's can no longer make decisions for themselves. This can create a hardship for a caregiver trying to conduct financial transactions and make medical decisions. There are several types of legal documents that can be written before they are needed to try to prevent legal pitfalls from making a difficult time for families even worse. Any advance planning that can be done to help the patient with Alzheimer’s and his or her loved ones make proactive, informed decisions, not just about health care, but in regard to legal and financial matters, will ease the emotional burden as well. Estate-planning attorneys are specifically trained and licensed in the areas of eldercare, Medicaid planning and veterans' benefits. Once symptoms appear, dementia makes the planning process more complex. It causes a specific set of challenges that also must be considered when deciding what the next steps will be. Among these are safety issues specific to those with Alzheimer’s, working with caregivers and case managers who understand how to respond effectively to the patient, medical providers and medications that may add to the cost of care as well as activities and socialization that provide a positive stimulus to the patient. I encourage people to be proactive with their planning and not wait until they have a crisis on their hands to seek qualified assistance. For support, resources and information, you can also contact Alzheimer’s North Carolina at 800-228-8738 or www.alznc.org. Donner, CRPC®, is a Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor, has a bachelor of science in nursing, is licensed in LTC and is NAIC Partnership Certified. She can be reached at 919-460-6076 or Beth@DiversifiedPlanning.com. www.OutreachNC.com OutreachNC • June 2013 The Power of No N o, don’t jump. No, don’t bark. No, don’t pull on the leash. NO, NO, NO, NO. Does this sound all too familiar when you are training your dog? “No” can be a powerful word in dog training, but only if it is reserved for the moments that require immediate and strong corrections. When a person is irritated or angry with their dog's behavior, "no" is the very common "go to” word. However, “no” is not a command and should be reserved for the worst behaviors or for safety issues. When the word “no” is used constantly, the dog will habituate to the word “no." Think about when someone nags you. Sometimes, selective hearing takes over, and you don’t even hear what they are saying anymore. It is the same with dogs; however, there is an opportunity to train in order to correct the dog's behavior. 15 When working with dogs, remember that dogs do not speak English; therefore, it is critical to use very few words and be extremely clear in our communication. The Pet Tales inflection in our voice says more than the word. This is the same for dogs. “No, don’t chew on the wall" but instead, “Yes, here is your bone for you to chew on." "No" does not teach your dog a new behavior. In that moment when you have the temptation to say, “no,” try to turn it around to a training opportunity. Replace it with "sit," "off" or "quiet," to teach your dog the alternative behavior you are looking for instead. This will help you to redirect your dog, teach the correct behavior and then praise and reward. Now you will be teaching your dog to have better manners, impulse control and to become a more well-balanced companion. Ganin-Toporek, owner of Sandhills Dog Training, can be reached at 910-673-0074 or sandhillsdogtraining@gmail.com. www.OutreachNC.com 16 OutreachNC • June 2013 B OutreachNC • June 2013 Guns or butter? Butter! ack to the land of men doing strange things with guns. Two new news stories emerge. The first is the tale of Dale and the mouse in his house. Can’t you just tell this isn’t going to go well? Dale is Canadian, and I’m not sure why that is important except perhaps it means since Canada has far fewer guns than we do that he wasn’t as well-versed in their use as Americans are. Ordinarily, going after a mouse with a rifle would be like trying to kill an elephant with a SAM (surface-to-air) missile, but Dale had a powerful fear of mice, especially those in his house. And so totally without thinking or bothering to purchase a mouse trap, he grabbed his weapon. Continuing the whole not-thinking thing, he turned the barrel toward himself and slammed the stock down, hoping to crush the mouse in the process. Mice are really fast and, therefore, the mouse left the scene of stupidity hysterically laughing and unscathed. Not so for Dale, who managed to shoot himself in the head. Why am I not surprised? The good news is the bullet merely grazed him; the bad news is he was charged with “careless use of a firearm;" and the really bad news is his full name made it into the newspapers. Our second tale involves Alfredo and the heartbreak of lost love. Not Canadian, Alfredo hails from Pennsylvania and is a guard at the local prison and should have known better on account of his being a guard at the local prison. But the alcoholic beverages he’d consumed clouded his judgment, and the spirited argument with his wife over a fleeting affair didn’t help either. When push came to shove, Alfredo turned all drama-king. To hurt his wife’s feelings and vowing to rid himself of his wedding ring, he shot it with his service revolver, expecting it would skid, like greased lightning, off his finger. The bad news is he blew his finger to bits instead, leaving the ring intact; the good news is his finger can be rebuilt; and the really good news is while Alfredo’s full name was in the newspapers, his wife’s name was Senior Moments not. I’m seeing a pattern here: men using guns as a multi-purpose tool. Men use knives as toothpicks, wrenches as hammers, screwdrivers as pry-bars, so perhaps the next generation of guns should include attachments. Vacuum cleaners come with attachments: upholstery brush, super-sucker wand; Why not guns? Instead of an improvised exploding-ring-remover, how about a tiny acetylene torch nestled along the revolver’s barrel ready to melt wedding rings and other metals at a moment's notice? Or rifles with dust wands to get at those hard-to-reach places like ceiling fan blades. Maybe a hairdryer and revolver in one, eliminating the need to carry both when traveling. And for the seniors among us, a combination walking cane-shotgun. I can see the ads for this: “Keep your heat handy! The three-legged ring around the barrel’s bottom provides walking stability while the stock’s comfort grip leaves your trigger finger always at the ready. Don’t buy a walking cane-rifle! When using lead shot, the walking-shotgun eliminates the need for timeconsuming aiming, and the semi-automatic model means no more manual chambering of a round.” Trust me, this is going to be the next gun fashion trend. Until then, a few words for Alfredo and Dale: butter and mouse traps. Cohea can be reached at a37_tao@hotmail.com. www.OutreachNC.com Health Care Powers of Attorney & Living Wills Fourth article in Estate Planning Series T his series has discussed important components of a basic estate plan. So far, I have covered the Last Will and Testament, which distributes your property after your death, and a Durable Power Law Review of Attorney, which names another individual to help with financial matters. The final crucial pieces of a basic estate plan are three documents, which deal with health care decisions. These documents are a Health Care Power of Attorney (HCPOA), a Living Will and a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Release. A HCPOA is a legal document in which the principal (you) gives an agent (another person) broad medical powers and permits the agent to make a wide range of medical decisions on behalf of the principal in the event the principal is unable to make his or her own medical decisions. When the principal is going in and out of consciousness, the doctor will allow the principal to make decisions when he or she has the ability and then will rely on the agent when the principal is not able to make his or her own decisions. It is important for you to talk with your agent about your wishes regarding your health care treatment. When completing a HCPOA, I advise clients to name one individual to serve as the primary agent and then a back-up in the event the first individual cannot serve or is unavailable. I strongly recommend against naming two agents to make health care decisions as it can make the decision process much more difficult. A Living Will is a written statement detailing a person's desires regarding his or her medical treatment in certain circumstances. The North Carolina Living Will covers the following three scenarios: When a patient has an incurable or irreversible condition that will result in death within a relatively short period of time; 1 2 3 When a patient is unconscious and, to a high degree of medical certainty, will never regain consciousness; and When a patient has advanced dementia or any other condition resulting in the substantial loss of cognitive ability and that loss, to a high degree of medical certainty, is not reversible. In each of the above scenarios, you can indicate if you want the doctors to withhold or withdraw life-prolonging measures, including whether you want artificial hydration or artificial nutrition. A final document that rounds out the health care portion of basic estate planning documents is a HIPAA Release. HIPAA protects patient privacy by limiting who can view a patient’s medical records. A HIPAA Release can specifically authorize doctors and other medical professionals to share your medical records and history with your named health care agent. If you have questions regarding any of the documents discussed above, or the other pieces of a basic estate plan, contact an elder law or estate planning attorney near you. Zager is an associate attorney with Senter, Stephenson, Johnson, P.A., practicing primarily in the areas of elder law and estate planning. She can be reached at 919-552-4707 or ezager@ssjlaw.net. www.OutreachNC.com OutreachNC • June 2013 17 18 OutreachNC • June 2013 Digging into North Carolina's Native American heritage By Maryelle Hunter Special to OutreachNC photography by kathleen massie wells H Town Creek Indian Mound is one of the most visited state historical sites as well as an archaeological site of the Pee Dee Native American culture and heritage. Located at 509 Town Creek Mound Road in Mt. Gilead, the site welcomes visitors Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, call 910-439-6802 or visit www.towncreekindianmound.com. www.OutreachNC.com ave you ever wondered what life was like in central North Carolina before the arrival of English settlers several centuries ago? The Town Creek Indian Mound in nearby Montgomery County brings alive a rich cultural heritage from the buried prehistoric past. Archeologists have called the people who lived in the area from the 11th to the 14th centuries the Pee Dee. Theirs was a complex society, a regional variation of the South Appalachian Mississippian culture. They built earthen mounds for their spiritual and political leaders, engaged in widespread trade, supported craft specialists and celebrated a new kind of religion. A trip to the Town Creek Indian Mound site is a worthwhile adventure because it is the most popular state historic site dedicated to the American Indian heritage, and it is also a National Historic Landmark. The Town Creek site, whose main features are a platform mound with a surrounding village and palisade, is situated on a low bluff where Town Creek joins Little River, near Mt. Gilead. continued page 20 OutreachNC • June 2013 www.OutreachNC.com 19 20 OutreachNC • June 2013 continued from page 18 In addition to being a major center of Pee Dee habitation, the Town Creek site served as a place for discussion of matters important to the collective clans of the tribe. It was the setting for significant religious ceremonies and feasts, which often lasted several days. Many of the highest-ranking members of the tribe lived, died and were buried there. Rich Thompson, at left, the historic site manager at Town Creek, points out that the Pee Dee left no written record so that archeology was imperative in uncovering the history of the tribe. Excavation began at Town Creek around 1927 on an amateur basis as local residents who had knowledge of the site collected arrowheads and other relics. Then in 1937, L. D. Frutchey allowed exploratory work to begin by professional archeologists as part of the efforts of the Works Progress Administration, and he subsequently donated the mound and an acre of ground to the state of North Carolina. University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (UNC-CH) archaeologist Dr. Joffre Coe and his associates directed most of the research at Town Creek. Though UNCCH has curatorial responsibility for archaeological collections excavated at the site, the state’s Department of Cultural Resources retains permanent stewardship of these collections and provided the impressive interpretive exhibits contained in the Town Creek Visitors Center. By use of a photo mosaic of the entire area, created and digitized in 2000 by Coe, study continues on the overall site by graduate and undergraduate students at UNC-CH in anthropology and archeology. Between 18,000 and 25,000 people visit the site each year, of which about 30 percent are school groups, according to Thompson. “One of the most interesting things that people comment about is the technology that the Pee Dee tribe incorporated into their lifestyle of more than 600 years ago and the use of elements much less primitive than were originally imagined. It is challenging to explain the facts to schoolchildren who visit, because life 600 years ago is a foreign concept to them with their computers and video games. We try to give them an understanding of what they would do if they were in that situation," says Thompson. Leading from the visitors center to the actual mound area is terrain that has been restored with grasses and plants that were native to the site in the time the Pee Dee people occupied the land. As a result, wild turkey, quail, deer, possums and even foxes on occasion have been attracted to this level plain. The reconstruction of the mound and the other buildings within the palisade or stockade that marked the limits of the settlement began in 1956. The guard towers on the north and south sides of the stockade were originally constructed to keep enemies outside the palisade and were a primary defensive measure. For instance, the passages through the stockade to the site allow only room for one person at a time to gain entrance. Little River functioned as an interstate highway for the Indians who lived in the area, according to Thompson, since it ultimately joins the Pee Dee River on its way to the coastline. He notes that the stockaded site overlooking the river has a steep bank down to the water’s edge, serving as an additional defense. www.OutreachNC.com continued page 21 OutreachNC • June 2013 A round building is a reconstruction of a burial house built on the location. The outer walls were made of upright posts covered with wattle and daub. The roof was made of poles lashed together and covered with straw thatching on the outside and river cane on the inside. A small central hearth provided light and warmth for visitors to the burial house. Excavations revealed that the actual mound itself at Town Creek was constructed over an early rectangular structure known as an earth lodge. The walls of the structure were formed by individual posts set in holes. Dirt was then piled in an embankment around the walls and over the roof to create the lodge. Eventually, this structure collapsed. Its remains and the surrounding area were covered, creating a low earthen mound that served as a platform upon which a temple was erected. This structure was later destroyed by fire. A second structure was built atop the new mound. An east-facing ramp provides access from a central plaza to the top of the mound The hearth in the center of the structure sheltered a constantly burning fire. It was thought to be the earthly representative of the sun, and as long as it burned brightly without interruption, no harm could come to the tribe. The fire symbolized unity among the Pee Dee tribe, making them the “people of one fire.” Thompson observes that although the Pee Dee didn’t have a calendar, they could keep track of the seasons by consulting the position of the sun shining through the opening in the roof where the column of smoke escaped. “In the equinox—spring and fall—the sun shone directly on the altar; on the first day of winter, it shone on an adjacent post, and in summer, the sun shone on a particular spot near the altar. In that way, they knew when to plant and reap their crops, and to be ready for the change of season," he says. Another lodge at the site is built in a square shape, which was unusual because most of the housing was considered easier to build in circular form. It is directly across the plaza from the central meeting place or mound, so it is thought that an influential member of the tribe may have occupied it. In a particular effort to give the traditional culture of the Pee Dee Indians new meaning to today’s society, special events are scheduled throughout the summer on the second Saturdays of June and July at the site. On June 8, a program called “Fiber, the Tie that Binds” will demonstrate prehistoric and contemporary methods of fiber manipulations. Visitors can learn how the Pee Dee culture used fiber to hold their world together, and see how modern artists use fiber to create attractive pieces of work. Handson activities are available for the young and young-at-heart. Coming up on July 13 is the celebration of the birthday of the late Dr. Coe, “Godfather of North Carolina Archeology.” The program includes facts about the science he taught and practiced and features games and activities for kids, living history demonstrations and arts and crafts vendors. Both the June and July events are free and open to the public as is admission to the site, although donations are accepted. ■ For a more in-depth pictorial tour, visit www.OutreachNC.com and click on the Town Creek Indian Mound Photo Gallery. www.OutreachNC.com 21 22 OutreachNC • June 2013 Building a bubble O ne common factor of any financial bubble is the increased purchase of an overvalued asset. As long as the purchasing continues, the price of that asset will stay stable even if it’s overvalued. Eventually, it will self-correct, at which point the bubble pops and creates a downward spiral where people see the price drop so they sell, which then drops the price further. Eventually, the supply and demand balance out, but the emotional side of investors tends to worsen the problem before it gets better. Government Spending The current version of quantitative easing, which has been in effect for several months now, consists of the federal reserve increasing monetary supply by purchasing $40 billion of bonds each month. The increased supply of money keeps the economy running more smoothly because the price to borrow money (interest rate) is low. In turn, this does help the stock market continue its upward movement— and eventually the stock market may experience a downturn when the quantitative easing ends, but the stocks aren’t the most susceptible to being the next bubble. When spending stops, interest rates will increase and since they're so low, they can increase very significantly. Where is the Bubble? Bonds have been a historically stable asset class— one often used by retirees to create income from their savings while not taking on much risk. The most common risk for bonds is interest rate risk: When interest rates increase, the price of bonds decreases because investors can now buy more attractive, higher interest rate bonds, so the preexisting ones are less attractive. In addition to the pending interest rate increase, the government buying $40 billion of bonds each month is making bonds more expensive, and once the spending stops, they will drop back to a realistic value. The Pop Either factor mentioned above can begin the pop. It’s the downward spiral that creates the real “bubble” popping effect. As investors see their assets drop in price, many people sell and therefore drive the price lower. In addition, inflation may be a hidden risk since it doesn’t directly affect the price but it does decrease your buying power. Money Matters Seeking Safety There are several ways to weather this potential bubble. First, bonds have a set price and payment schedule: if held to maturity, the issuing company will pay out that exact price as well as any interest earned along the way. So although the price of that bond may look like it’s gone down based on your monthly investment statements, holding on to it can be more valuable than selling. The most important thing now is to buy quality bonds. Short-term bond prices will fluctuate less, but don’t sacrifice quality because holding to term may not have the same benefits if the company can’t pay its debts. Luckily, bonds are rated on a scale where AAA or Aaa are the highest ratings. Once the bond gets to the C ratings, it may be a good idea to seek alternate options. If you’re unsure of your current bonds' ratings, any financial advisor can look up the information and give you an idea of their safety. Also review your mutual funds that invest in bonds. Although you may not be able to find the individual holdings’ ratings, there will be an average quality rating. Bond mutual funds also do not have their own set term, value or interest rate, so you will not have the option of holding to maturity, which is a good reason to review those investments now. While the government spending does help the economy in the short run, its long-term effects may backfire. Being aware of the potential decrease in prices can save you from losing some of those hardearned dollars. Clement is a financial planner with Clement Capital Group. She offers securities and advisory services as an investment adviser representative of Commonwealth Financial Network®, a member firm of FINRA/SIPC a Registered Investment Advisor. She can be reached at 910-693-0032 or taylor@clementcapitalgroup.com. www.OutreachNC.com OutreachNC • June 2013 www.OutreachNC.com 23 24 Game On OutreachNC • June 2013 McGinley's arm keyed Wake's national title W ake Forest is the only Atlantic Coast Conference school to win a national championship in baseball. The Deacons have a place in history, in large part, because of a skinny pitcher who went on to become a school teacher and administrator in Fayetteville. Wake Forest won the 1955 College World Series behind a miraculous pitching performance by Jack McGinley, a sophomore from New Jersey, who blossomed into a star when it mattered most. McGinley, who still lives in Fayetteville, had a 3-2 pitching record during regular season. But then the right-hander put together a postseason of which dreams are made. It was simply unbelievable. He was the winning pitcher in three of the Deacons’ five College World Series victories and won two additional games in the regional playoffs, giving him a 5-0 record in postseason. He finished 8-2 for the 1955 season with a team-leading 2.52 earned run average over 90 and a third innings. “It was kind of amazing how it all worked out,” says McGinley of his sensational stretch run. “I don’t know exactly how I got to start all of those big games or how I was able to pitch as well as I did. I guess I just got hot at the right time.” An understatement to be sure, but then, those who know the retired school principal would tell you he is a master of minimizing his own accomplishments. Here is what McGinley did in the Deacons’ dash to the national title: Getting the start in Wake Forest’s opening game of the first round of the playoffs, he pitched a complete game as the Deacons defeated West Virginia, 5-1, in Morgantown, WV. Again starting the opener in the second round, he shut out Rollins, 4-0, in Orlando, Fla. Most of the Wake players made their first airplane trip as they traveled to Nebraska for the College World Series in Omaha. McGinley once again got the ball for the opening game, and he pitched a masterpiece, blanking Colgate, 1-0, on four hits. By Thad mumau Special to OutreachNC PHOTOGRAPHY BY carol wilson “That was quite a day,” McGinley says. “We had been told to expect terrible heat in Omaha, but it was anything but. It was freezing cold, it rained and it hailed. The game was stopped for about an hour.” Following the delay – and unlike today’s baseball philosophy, which usually dictates removing a pitcher after a long stoppage of action – McGinley returned to the mound and picked up where he left off. “It didn’t bother me,” he says. “I got to rest and I got to warm up again. So I was fine.” www.OutreachNC.com continued page 25 Game On OutreachNC • June 2013 He was also fine in pitching Wake to a must-win over Western Michigan, which had sent the Deacons into the losers’ bracket. McGinley carried a 10-3 lead into the seventh inning before the bullpen hung on for a 10-7 victory. Another Wake Forest win set up a rubber-game showdown with Western Michigan, that one to decide the NCAA championship. The Deacons were out of arms. Lefty Davis, the team’s leader in wins with 10, was at Wake Forest (where the campus was located, 15 miles from Raleigh). He had been sent back for summer school after he threw a shutout in the second game of the CWS. By the time the finale rolled around, almost everyone else on the Deacons’ pitching staff was long on innings and short on rest. Wake coach Taylor Sanford decided to go with Bill Walsh, a senior, who had hurt his arm early in the season and had not pitched since. He lasted two and two-thirds innings, and Buck Fichter threw one inning. With two outs in the fourth, the bases loaded, and Western Michigan leading, McGinley was summoned from the bullpen. He had just one day of rest between appearances. “When Coach Sanford called me to warm up,” McGinley recalls, “I was surprised. My arm was really stiff, and I didn’t have a thing. My arm was killing me. And I really didn’t have time to get loose. I had thrown seven or eight pitches when the phone rang, and the bullpen coach said, ‘You’re in there.’ www.OutreachNC.com continued page 26 25 26 OutreachNC • June 2013 continued from page 25 “I bounced a couple of my warm-up pitches, and Sanford came out to ask our catcher, Linwood Holt, how I was looking. Linwood said, ‘I don’t know, Coach, he hasn’t gotten one to the plate yet.’ “I was not throwing hard; I just got the ball over the plate, and our fielders did the rest. In between innings, our trainer was rubbing that Atomic Balm on my arm.” McGinley slammed the door. He allowed no runs, only three hits and walked no one in five and a third innings of sparkling relief. Meanwhile, the Deacons’ bats came alive and they rallied to win, 7-6, and take the national championship. McGinley was the winning pitcher for the third time in the College World Series. “It was fantastic,” he says, describing the euphoria that reigned after the final out. “I threw my glove in the air, and we did a dog pile on the field, with me on the bottom. “The feeling was like nothing I have experienced since. We all felt that way. Our third baseman, Billy Barnes, went on to play on an NFL championship team, and he later said the feeling of doing that didn’t compare with what he felt being a part of Wake Forest’s College World Series champion. “Over the years, our team has been recognized numerous times,” McGinley says. “It is always greatly appreciated by all of us, and it is always special to get together again. “Wake Forest has honored our team three times, and the school even gave us rings in 2000, 45 years after we won the national title. That was nice. In fact, it is always nice to be remembered.” www.OutreachNC.com McGinley stays in touch with several of his old teammates. “I talk with John Stokoe every month or two. He lives in New Hampshire. Harold Moore is in Asheville, and we play golf together once or twice a year. Buck Fichter was my roommate for three years, and we talk often. Coach Sanford has died, and Lefty Davis was killed when hit by an automobile. “But a lot of us are still around, and we are good friends,” McGinley says. “Of course, when we get together, we always talk about Omaha. We replay the games and tell the same stories we have told before; they just get a little bigger and a little better each time we tell them. “It’s good to remember the past, but we haven’t dwelled on it. “Baseball is a grand game. There isn’t any sport like it. I still love it, and I was fortunate to have the chance to play, especially with such a great bunch of guys. “I am blessed and have been blessed in many, many ways. I had a wonderful wife and friend, Helen, who died in 2005. We were married 44 years. My son, Jack, lives in Fayetteville. My daughter, Maria, and my three grandchildren are in Raleigh. “I am in good health,” McGinley says. “I get out and walk when the weather is good, I’m a fair golfer (6 handicap – there’s that understatement again), and I have a lot of friends I enjoy. Life is really super. The Lord has been very good to me.” ■ Hospital Health T OutreachNC • June 2013 27 Valve Clinic opens in Reid Heart Center he human heart has four chambers, each with a valve that directs the forward flow of blood and prevents backward leakage. When a valve doesn’t work properly – when there isn’t an opening for blood to flow through or if it leaks—for example, a person may experience symptoms ranging from weakness or dizziness to palpitations to chest discomfort. Treatment will depend on the type and severity of the problem. An interventional cardiologist and two heart surgeons with the FirstHealth Valve Clinic have developed a team approach to care that includes prompt evaluations and expert treatment options for patients with valve disorders. When patients are referred to what is essentially a one-stop Valve Clinic, specialized testing is centrally located for patient convenience and all requests for previous diagnostic tests and subspecialty appointments are arranged for them. The multidisciplinary professional team then meets to evaluate test and examination results and to recommend a treatment plan that is specific to the patient. Treatment options may include medical management, conventional surgery or the latest minimally invasive options for disorders such as aortic stenosis, aortic regurgitation, pulmonary stenosis, mitral stenosis and mitral regurgitation. “We want to encourage patients to explore the full spectrum of therapeutic options,” says interventional cardiologist Steven J. Filby. The Valve Clinic team includes cardiothoracic surgeons Peter I. Ellman and Art T. Edgerton, as well as Filby. As coordinator of the Valve Clinic, Dona Baker, R.N., BSN, coordinates patient appointments with physicians as well as the procedures that are required for a patient evaluation. She also serves as the central contact for patients and families. For more information on referrals to the FirstHealth Valve Clinic, visit www.firsthealth.org/valve or call 800-213-3284. www.OutreachNC.com 28 OutreachNC • June 2013 Volunteering: find your niche A lmost every volunteer’s story of how he or she began volunteering is different. For many years, I was one of the many people who worked fulltime (weekends for me were mandatory). So I didn’t feel I had time to dedicate to volunteering. It wasn’t as though I was a bad person; I had strong beliefs in several causes. I would donate money when I could and go to fundraising events and so forth, but for some reason, it never occurred to me to actually do hands-on help. Then, a sudden career change caused me to re-think some things in my life. Now I had lots of time on my hands. So I began researching places to volunteer in the county. One of the obvious places was the hospital, and it was first on my list to contact. About the same time, I asked my wife what she wanted for her birthday. She had just read an article in the newspaper seeking volunteers to help at a local animal rescue. She said, “I want us to volunteer next Volunteer RSVP weekend washing and grooming dogs that need adopting.” I was hesitant, but I had asked her what she wanted. So we did. Now, two years later, not only am I volunteering on a regular basis for different animal causes in our area, but I am also the volunteer director for a program with more than 500 volunteers. So if you’re thinking of volunteering or already volunteering and want to try something new, here are a few things to consider: What are your interests or what is a cause you really believe in, e.g. ending homelessness, teaching children, assisting the elderly, planting gardens? Whatever you can think of, I can almost guarantee there is a volunteer opportunity locally. If you know someone, a friend, relative or neighbor, who already volunteers, ask them about what they do and find out about their road to volunteerism. You may also be able to go along with them as they volunteer to see what it’s like firsthand. Once you decide on a place to volunteer, start out with a reasonable commitment. Be honest with yourself about your time constraints. We are always excited at first and want to do as much as possible, but as you progress, you will see the ebb and flow of the organization and can take on new assignments as you go along. If you're still not sure about where to volunteer, call 910-215-0900, and I can give you lots of volunteer opportunities. Now as I look back, I could have been volunteering all along. With most organizations, their schedules are very flexible and do not require a minimum hour commitment. 1 2 3 4 Deese, Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) director with the Moore County Department of Aging, can be reached at 910-215-0900 or tdeese@moorecountync.gov. RSVP volunteers, Bryan Rainbow on ladder, Greg Sasser and Heather Funk at a community park project in Robbins. www.OutreachNC.com For goodness' sake D uring this month especially I seem to think a lot about my grandmother, maybe because this is her birthday month. Even though she died when I was just 10 years old, my memories Spirituality of her are strong. She is a guiding force in my life even now, and I remember many things about her. One of the things she did was sew quilts. She made them of material left over from the dresses she made for herself. I have one of her quilts, and I can look at it today and remember the dresses she wore. There were everyday dresses and Sunday go to church dresses, and those for one occasion were not worn for the others. She also loved to plant things and to watch them grow. She had many favorite flowers and a real green thumb with them all. She had a stroke at one point, and while she became limited with what she could do, she continued to give life her all even as her all changed direction. We had a cat named Whiskers that used to sit in her lap and she would rub his head with an arm and hand that had been left compromised. I watched as she did exercises to regain movement and strength. She did not quit on any part of life. She was one of those people, who really knew how to love. Whether plants, pets or people, she loved them all, and everybody loved her. She had a wonderful way of welcoming folks, and I never remember hearing her say a bad word about anyone. Her love was unconditional, and you felt wanted and deeply cared for in her presence. Every member of her family at one time or another would declare to be the most like her, claiming all her goodness as our own. I know I want to be like her in every way I can. I continue to be glad to consider what her thoughts might have been about whatever life brings my way today. She was born in 1881 and died in 1965 with so many changes over the course of her life. She lived through horse-and-buggy days with no running water and cooking on a wood stove to days of indoor plumbing, electric stoves and television. In every way, she embraced life with joy and a sense of wonder. To paraphrase a quote, she didn’t tell me how to live; she lived, and let me watch. I am thankful for her and those like her who so graciously help shape this world and all we know in it, those who carefully plant seeds of clarity, courage and compassion. I hope and pray for us all that we might claim such goodness as our own. Hudson, senior development officer at The Foundation of FirstHealth, can be reached at 910-695-7500 or email phudson@firsthealth.org. www.OutreachNC.com OutreachNC • June 2013 29 30 OutreachNC • June 2013 Serving up a game of pickleball O n a breezy spring day, the thwack of the wiffle ball could be heard on the pickleball courts at Pinehurst No. 6. A crowd had gathered to participate in the newest sport on the Senior Games circuit - pickleball. Pickle-what? This is no joke. If you haven't already heard, the great sport of pickleball is sweeping the nation. Across our region, people from 18 to 80 years old are getting in on the relatively new sport of pickleball. Watch them play for a few minutes, and it's easy to get caught up in the sounds of sneakers squeaking on the courts mingled with a whole lot of laughter. Pickleball is a racquet sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis. The sport was invented in 1965 outside of Seattle, Wash. as a game that could appeal to people of all ages. The inventors, Congressman Joel Pritchard, William Bell and Barney McCallum, wanted something to keep the kids engaged through the lazy days of summer. By lowering their backyard badminton net and handing the kids ping-pong paddles and a wiffle ball, they created a game that caught on quickly with friends and neighbors. The ground strokes and volleys are similar to tennis, but the court is smaller and the ball is more affected by the wind because it is lighter. Although originally invented as a backyard pastime, pickleball is now an organized sport represented by national and international governing bodies. The number of sanctioned courts is steadily rising, especially in places with large retirement communities like Florida and Arizona. www.OutreachNC.com OutreachNC • June 2013 By michelle goetzl Special to OutreachNC PHOTOGRAPHY BY carol wilson 31 Players of all ages are taking to pickleball courts across the region including outdoor courts at Pinehurst No. 6 in Pinehurst and indoor courts at the Five Points Center for Active Adults in Raleigh. In our region, we are fortunate to have courts in Apex, Cary, Pinehurst and Raleigh. The game was brought to the region by people who had played elsewhere, often Florida, and wanted to enjoy the sport in their hometowns. The sport has grown quickly, mainly by word of mouth. When pickleball first came to Pinehurst a little more than a year ago, about six people showed up to the first roundrobin. A week later, their numbers had ballooned to 30. According to Larry Cox of Pinehurst, there are now between 50 and 70 regular players who come out every week, and pickleball is currently “the only growing sport in Pinehurst.” The same is true in Cary. According to Sam Trogdon, of the Bond Park Community Center, “pickleball is one of the fastest-growing open gyms” they have. The two biggest factors in pickleball's popularity seem to be that it is easy to learn and great for people at various levels. Most mention that pickleball is great because it is very similar to tennis, but it is not as strenuous due to the smaller court size and shorter games. Don Woodfield, the pickleball coordinator for the Pinehurst Tennis Club, explained that a number of their regulars are “former tennis players who can't play at the same speed that they used to.” Pickleball allows them to stay in the action and keep their minds and bodies active. Richard Meister of Fuquay-Varina makes the drive to the Five Points Center for Active Adults in Raleigh to play. www.OutreachNC.com continued page 32 32 OutreachNC • June 2013 continued from page 31 "I have had some medical problems and needed help with endurance, and this is really helping with my endurance, and it is a lot of fun. I can't play tennis anymore, but I play pickleball almost every day. It only takes 10 to 20 minutes to play a game. It's social, it's fun and it's good exercise," says Meister. Pickleball isn't just for tennis aficionados. Many of the players have a background in tennis, but it is also a great sport for those just looking for something new. “Playing five rounds of golf per week gets old fast. With pickleball, give us 20 minutes and you'll be hooked,” says Cox. Vicki Hancock is one of the regular players in Pinehurst. She was smitten when she first saw people playing pickleball a year ago. "It's wonderful aerobic exercise and a great social game because it's short," says Hancock. In the popular round-robin style of playing, people are able to play a 20-minute game, then socialize for five to 10 minutes before going back to play another game. There is a great sense of community among the regulars, and it is easy to see how much fun they are all having. It is a great way for varied generations to play. In Cary, Sam Trogden finds that “once people get in and play, they really enjoy Apex Community Center, apex it.” Trodgen has seen father/son First and third Wednesdays: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. teams play together and just had Bond Park, Raleigh their first “learn to play” clinic Tuesdays: 12:30-3 p.m. for teenagers. Fridays: 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. The largest group with piqued Brier Creek Community Center, interest in the sport is those in raleigh their younger 50s and up, but as Mondays: 6:30-8:30 p.m. word spreads, so does the span of ages interested. Cox likes to Five Points Center for Active Adults, Raleigh play pickleball with his 10-yearWednesdays: 1-3 p.m. old grandson, and according to Woodfield, there were “half Herbert C. Young Community a dozen people in their 80s Center, cary signed up” at the recent Senior Wednesdays: 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Games in the Pines. Moore County Senior Courts around the region are Enrichment Center, Pinehurst filling up with players. All of Call for court availability: 910-215-0900 the locations welcome new Optimist Park & Community players. Low-end paddles are Center, Raleigh also available to borrow at most Tuesdays & Thursdays: 12:30–2:30 p.m. locations. There are pickleball Pinehurst No. 6, Pinehurst games happening nearly every Mondays & Wednesdays: 10-11:30 a.m. day of the week, so go ahead Fridays: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and join in the fun. ■ Play Pickleball www.OutreachNC.com Latest innovation in cataract surgery reduces complications C linical data was presented by OptiMedica at European Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgeons in Milan, Italy, to confirm the unparalleled performance of the Catalys Precision Laser System for cataract surgery. The subject of multiple presentations at the meeting, Catalys was shown to deliver dramatic improvement in the precision, effectiveness and ease of performing cataract surgery. Carolina Eye Associates, based in Southern Pines with seven other locations in North Carolina, was the first on the East Coast and only the second in the United States to offer cataract surgery using the Catalys Precision Laser. “We chose Catalys because it allows us to provide leading technology in efficacy, safety and comfort for our patients. The Catalys laser enables us to offer the most precise visual outcomes,” says Anna Fakadej, a cataract surgeon at Carolina Eye. This laser system enables removal of the top layer of the cataract without manual involvement, by providing custom control of size, shape and position; precise lens fragmentation, including the softening and segmentation of the actual cataract prior to removal by the surgeon. This new technology OutreachNC • June 2013 33 allows for much less energy to be applied to the eye during cataract removal, thus reducing the chance of complications. It is a more precise procedure and should enable cataract surgeons to more accurately position the lens in the patient, which is key in visual outcomes. For information about Carolina Eye or Catalys laser cataract surgery, call 910-295-2100 or visit www.carolinaeye.com. www.OutreachNC.com 34 OutreachNC • June 2013 Down on the goat farm S ometimes there's a story behind a name. "One night about four years ago, we must have had a little too much wine,” is Sue Stovall’s answer when asked why she started a goat farm, named Paradox. “At least that’s our story and we’re sticking to it.” The name part for the farm in West End is easier to explain as both Sue and her husband, Hunter, have doctorate degrees‒Sue’s in physical therapy, with her own practice in Southern Pines, and Hunter’s in law, with his own office also in Southern Pines. Neither had ever lived on a farm or done any work on a farm, and they did not have a lifelong dream to be farmers. So the name is perfect on two levels: a pair of docs, and becoming working farmers is quite different and unexpected for the couple. They are full partners in the work, sometimes milking together, taking care of the animals, doing the hard work of hauling hay for feed. Sue credits Hunter as “the marketing person. He just loves to go out and talk about the farm.” www.OutreachNC.com By ann robson Special to OutreachNC PHOTOGRAPHY BY john gessner Hunter and Sue Stovall are not the average goat farmers. Both still work full-time in careers unrelated to farming. They may retire to full-time farming in the future, having perfected making and selling their cheese and fudge made from the milk of the goats raised on their farm in West End. OutreachNC • June 2013 OutreachNC • June 2013 The goats that call Paradox Farm home are healthy and happy. At bottom right, Sue Stovall gives Rhett Morris, our Cooking Simple columnist, a tour of the farm and a lesson in milking. Look for the Blueberry Goat Cheese Tarts recipe on page 37. The couple have three grown children who “thought we were crazy” when they told them their plans for a goat farm, Sue notes. However, they have come around to appreciate and support their parents. Their son is working with the Peace Corps in Peru. "They are busy with their own lives," says Sue. For assistance with the routine daily chores, Sue hired teenagers in the area who are good at the work and appreciate having a job. The Stovalls didn’t just dive into this project either. They studied and researched. Sue took a special course offered by North Carolina State University to learn the finer points of tending to a herd of milking goats. The lower fat content of goat's milk and cheese appealed to them. Some suggest that goat's milk products may be an alternative for those who are lactose intolerant. The Stovalls bought their first two goats, Thelma and Louise, and a llama to start. Then a third goat was added. That was four years ago. As of April, they had 68 goats of various breeds and genders. As I drove up the lane to their home, they had 70 goats but by the time I got out of the car, they had sold a pair to a family. continued page 36 www.OutreachNC.com 35 36 OutreachNC • June 2013 continued from page 35 “It’s hard work,” Sue admits. She also loves it. When she is milking the goats at 6:15 in the morning, she gazes out over the land, watches the sun come up and enjoys the different landscapes that appear every day. In the evening when she is milking, she sees that same sun set. The pattern of life plays out before her each day. The life patterns of the goats are another part of the work that she enjoys. She has named most of the goats and calls them by name. Some names have meanings, and Sue has a tale to tell about each of them. Their sounds are very similar to a baby’s cry, with different pitches for what they need. Between the morning and evening milking, she works full-time at Southern Pines Physical Therapy. For the past several months she has been taking care of her granddaughter, toting her around in a backpack for babies two days a week. Together, they do the milking and chores before going to work. “She’s getting a little more active now,” Sue says, wondering how she’ll handle a toddler. Sue is an innovative doer; thus, she’ll have a solution before long. Sue is also a multitasker. During our interview, she was making a large batch of cheesecakes for Southern Whey in Southern Pines, one retail shop where her products are sold. The Stovalls hosted a mulit- course dinner at Southern Whey last month, where a variety of their cheeses were used to make the appetizers, salads (seen above), entrees and desserts. Nature’s Own is another outlet that carries their products in Southern Pines. Rhett’s Restaurant features her cheese in select menu items as well. Meanwhile, Sue was keeping her eye on the machine that cools the fresh milk, dashing between the industrial-size refrigerator, trying to make adjustments to the cheesecake recipe to fill many baking tins, baking the cheesecakes in batches, watching the cooking time, while deftly answering questions. After starting slowly and gradually building their reputation and herd size, Paradox Farms became officially recognized by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture (NCDA) last April. The NCDA does periodic inspections to check that the Stovalls are still in compliance, which they continue to be. “As baby boomers, we are starting to think about the future, and the farm seemed to be a good way to prepare,” Sue says. When they stop doing their regular jobs, they have the farm to keep them going. “We’d like to build this business to the point where someone in the future might be interested in buying it.” In addition to the goats, the Stovalls have 40 laying hens and 24 pullets. Now that she has gotten used to fresh brown eggs, she wonders how she ever ate others. Some of the eggs were used in the cheesecakes she was making, giving a warm soft yellow color to the cakes. “This is real,” Sue says, smiling as she surveys their animals and land and what’s needed to keep things going on the farm. Hunter shares Sue's sentiments about the farm saying, "There's something new every day." ■ www.OutreachNC.com Blueberry Goat Cheese Tarts 4 sheets of puff pastry, cut into 4 x 4 inch squares 1 cup goat cheese ¼ cup honey 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon vanilla ½ teaspoon dried thyme 1 pint fresh blueberries, rinsed powdered sugar for sprinkling Makes 4 tarts Mix goat cheese, honey, thyme, lemon juice and vanilla, and then fold in the fresh blueberries. Fold each side of the puff pastry in to make a ledge all the way around and place on a sprayed baking sheet. Put filling, equally divided, into the puff pastries. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and enjoy! Torres, executive sous and pastry chef at Rhett's Restaurant, can be reached at 910-695-3663 or marsha@rhettsinc.com. Cooking Simple www.OutreachNC.com OutreachNC • June 2013 37 38 OutreachNC • June 2013 A Passion for Music By carrie frye OutreachNC Staff Writer W ith just a few notes on the piano and an unmistakable voice crooning “It Had To Be You,” it has to be Harry Connick Jr. That famous song penned in 1924 came to life yet again as part of the 1989 movie soundtrack to “When Harry Met Sally.” That was just the beginning for Connick’s Grammy Award-winning career making beautiful music. Connick’s latest album, “Every Man Should Know,” is available June 11, bringing his fans some new original songs to enjoy and providing an opportunity for Connick to kick off a summer tour. “I can’t wait. I love touring, and I really love introducing new music to people,” says Connick, 45, who is bringing his 15-member band of horns, rhythm and strings to Cary’s Koka Booth Amphitheatre on July 9. www.OutreachNC.com OutreachNC • June 2013 "Being a dad is paramount, so everything else falls into place." — Harry Connick Jr. “I like to mix it up and play some new songs and play some older tunes. I’m excited to sing these new songs since I haven’t sung these songs to an audience, just in the studio. It’s like learning a monologue as an actor and committing it to memory. I enjoy learning the songs and going through that process on tour.” Connick, too, enjoys the process of writing and never knows when inspiration may come, like the title cut, "Every Man Should Know," which he performed on mentor night on Fox’s "American Idol" last month. “Some of the songs are personal,” explains Connick. “I was with my friend George, who is a carpenter, and we were building a workbench, or I guess I should say, he was building a workbench, and I was more watching. He is a master craftsman, and it was fascinating. I started to feel inadequate. So I started thinking of all the things I didn’t know how to do well and then about all the things that I did know how to do, like loving my family. My wife comes first, and that feels very natural to me to be able to say things that are loving to my wife. You may not be able to build a house, but every man should know how to care and how to love.” With 12 original songs on this album, it has variety from jazz to country. “I hope the fans know that this CD is really personal. There’s no real agenda, that it’s almost a stream of style. These are songs that I really wanted to write. Every record is like that. I didn’t even think about making a record. Sometimes it all comes from a place of rhythm and passion,” says Connick. Recording in Nashville, Tenn., Connick brought the songs to the recording sessions looking forward to what professional musicians like Bryan Sutton would add, which is exactly what happened for his song “Love My Life Away.” “That tune is actually not about me. It’s a complete fabrication,” he says. “It’s about the awful feeling of losing someone to a disease, about a guy who is dying of cancer. He’s at the end of his days, mourning his last days. He knows the end is coming, and as he drifts in and out, he knows he wants to spend the rest of his life loving this woman." www.OutreachNC.com continued page 40 39 40 OutreachNC • June 2013 continued from page 39 "The musicianship on that tune is so special. I sat down with Bryan in Nashville, a great guitar player, and he said, 'So what are we playing about?’ I told him, and it completely changed the way they played it. I sang it while they were playing. Every note Bryan played on the guitar was directly affected by the story behind the song. I love that.” Connick’s love for music began early in his native New Orleans where he began playing piano and singing at the age of 5 continuing through his teens under the tutelage of jazz greats James Booker and Ellis Marsalis. His Louisiana roots keep him grounded and fueled his desire to be part of the reconstruction of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Connick and his friend and fellow musician Branford Marsalis have been active raising funds and awareness and building homes with the New Orleans Area Habitat for Humanity, creating the Musicians Village, which provides housing for displaced local musicians. “Music is healing, and it is great, but it is a necessity to bring the musicians back to New Orleans and make sure that there were homes for them,” says Connick. “It’s hard work, and we continue to work hard. It has been amazing with the Ellis Marsalis Center for Music in the Ninth Ward.” The center, located within the Musicians Village, is the centerpiece, harvesting the many talents from music, theater, dance and film through instruction and education and is just one of Connick’s passions. When he’s not composing music, Connick might be pursuing another passion of his like acting. With big-screen roles in “Memphis Belle,” “Hope Floats,” “P.S. I Love You” and “Dolphin Tale” to notable roles on TV’s “Will & Grace” and most recently on “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit," Connick has even taken to the Broadway stage. www.OutreachNC.com “I love films, and Broadway is so much fun. Fortunately, I really don’t have to pick. Music is what I’d pick. It’s the common denominator,” he says. As for reprising his role on “Law and Order: SVU,” Connick offers that he would like to, but has no plans as of yet. His research for his character, executive assistant district attorney David Haden, included taking tips from his father, a former district attorney in New Orleans. Connick knew from a young age he would never follow his father's footsteps in pursuit of a law career. His heart was always in music. “I knew when I grew up I wanted to play with a lot of amazing musicians. I have never really had expectations like letting people know about my music. That’s never motivated me. It’s about making the music I want to make. It is about the body of work. If you start chasing rainbows…,” he says, laughing. There’s no time for Connick to chase rainbows with a busy family life. Married to former Victoria's Secret model Jill Goodacre for 19 years, the couple have three daughters, ages 17, 15 and 10. “Being a dad is paramount, so everything else falls into place,” says Connick. “If there is a birthday or school event, I am there. And at the same time, I love being on the road and touring, and my family is so supportive of that. With Skype and the latest technology now, there is an accessibility.” Connick hits the road for his new tour June 19 in Baltimore, Md., traveling across New England, the Southeast and Midwest before wrapping up in Vancouver, British Columbia, in mid August. “I spend a lot of the time on the road writing,” says Connick. “I write anywhere, any time. Little ideas pop into my head, a feeling or thought, and I go with it. It always trumps whatever else is going on. There is no rhyme or reason to it. Music for me is every day. You’re humbled and you learn. That is what growing up a jazz musician has taught me. The results come from hard work.” ■ OutreachNC • June 2013 www.OutreachNC.com 41 42 OutreachNC • June 2013 By thad mumau Special to OutreachNC PHOTOGRAPHY BY diana matthews A dream home of accessibility Editor’s note: For 2013, we are featuring an Aging in Place series with a piece each month to take a serious look at all the aspects of creating a plan to age in place. For previous articles from this Aging in Place series, visit www. OutreachNC.com and click on previous issues. M att and Ali Northen are not just planning for the future. They have built for the future. And in many respects, the future is now, which is why the couple have designed and constructed a house suitable for folks who are “aging in place” despite the fact that both are only in their mid-40s. “But my joints are much older,” says Matt, who made more than 200 parachute jumps during a military career that included deployments in Kuwait, Afghanistan and Iraq. “Doctors are already talking about replacing both of my knees, and I have back, neck and shoulder problems as well. Arthritis is spreading all over my body. Most of my trouble is linked to all the jumps I made.” www.OutreachNC.com OutreachNC • June 2013 Part 6 of 12 Part Series Like her husband, Ali is retired from the military, each with over 22 years. “I’m not having the problems Matt is having,” she says, “but my knees bother me some, and I know they will only get worse. We wanted a house that would make it easier to get around, one that would be more accessible than houses normally are.” The Northens were living in Atlanta where Ali was working with the U.S. Army. Right after being hired for that job, she learned she would be transferred to Fort Bragg as part of the Base Realignment and Closure move. Well in advance of that move, they started scouting for a place to live in North Carolina. continued page 44 www.OutreachNC.com 43 44 OutreachNC • June 2013 continued from page 43 They looked for property on which to build, since buying a house and renovating it would require too many changes. They wanted to live in Moore County where they would be in proximity of Fort Bragg without the hustle and bustle of Fayetteville. They checked out every listing in Moore County, going back and looking a second time at some, before a 25-acre piece of land became available. They purchased it and came up with their own house plans. “None of the ones we looked at were what we wanted,” Ali says. “Matt and I did a rough sketch and found an architect, and he came back with three floor plans. Then we did some tweaking and plugged in details, basically coming up with our personal floor plan. “We decided right off the bat that we did not want to have stairs in the house. There is only one step in the whole place, and that is from the garage entering the house. “Matt’s parents are older, and we didn’t want them to have to worry about climbing or stepping up and down when they came to visit. We wanted to make getting around easier for them. We wanted the same for us – right now and with an eye on the future, too. “There are very few impediments in our home for people in a wheelchair or using a walker. We have a walkway around the entire house for a wheelchair.” Among the features of the Northens’ house: • no steps entering the showers or bathrooms; • all hallways and doorways are wider; • numerous open spaces allow easier movement; • faucets are designed to be triggered by motion; • all doors have latches rather than knobs; • kitchen cabinets have sliding drawers; • floors are all hardwood, which are easier on joints and also better than carpet for navigation by wheelchairs and walkers; • every closet has levels, the lowest convenient for someone in a wheelchair; • the refrigerators both have freezers at the bottom, making them easy to reach. continued page 46 www.OutreachNC.com OutreachNC • June 2013 www.OutreachNC.com 45 46 OutreachNC • June 2013 continued from page 44 “This is a custom-made home,” Matt points out. “I was on hand for all of the work, from the clearing of the first tree until the last nail was driven.” And numerous trees had to be cleared. Ground was broken in early March of 2011. “I rented a home a couple miles from here,” he says, “and could get back and forth in a few minutes. Ali was still in Atlanta. Everything in this home was hand-picked – the lights, the stone, the cabinets, the fixtures … everything. She did most of that. She bought a lot of it in Atlanta and had it shipped here. My wife is very detail-oriented. “My father’s builder was my builder. We have known each other over 20 years. He came up from Florida, and he and I framed this house. Then he went back, and I hired all of the sub-contractors. After everything else was done, the man returned from Florida, and he and I put down the hardwood floor. That took both of us working seven days, 10 hours a day.” From the day the first tree fell to the conclusion of the whole project took eight months, with the actual building taking six months and 11 days. “Ali and I spent our first night here on Veterans’ Day 2011,” Matt says. “That meant a lot to us, having both served in the military.” The couple has named its place Northen Pines. The landscaping is beautiful as is the home’s interior, and as a bonus, there are great neighbors. “We really love it,” Ali says, "everything about it. It’s wonderful coming home after work every day. We love to entertain and do quite a bit of that, and this is a great place for it.” “It is gratifying,” Matt says, “that together we planned every aspect of the house and that I was able to be involved in the building. I was here for every bit of work that was done and did a lot of it myself. This is a dream house.” “And one," says Ali, "we can comfortably grow old in together." ■ www.OutreachNC.com Music transcends time "Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag and smile, smile, smile." I keep the Sirius satellite radio station Sentimental Journey "40s on 4" playing in my car whenever I take a client to an appointment. Something about the old familiar tunes seems to put them at ease, and we end up singing along and sharing memories and having a good time. The other day, the song "Pack Up Your Troubles" came on, and it gave me pause to think. Why do the songs of the 1940s hold such an appeal to my clients? Is it because there is an air of familiarity? Is it because the songs have words you can understand? I actually came up with a different thought as to why these songs and lyrics still have such an impact. Many of the songs have themes relating to preservation, optimism, self-reliance and a patriotic spirit. They are filled with words of wisdom. "Accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative and don't mess with Mr. In-between," "pack up your troubles in your old kit bag and smile, smile, smile," "praise the Lord and pass the ammunition," "count your blessings instead of sheep," "blue skies" and "God bless America" are just a few that come to mind. These songs transcend time. As the children of the 1930s and '40s grew up and are now growing old, they face challenges that need the reassurance of those optimistic songs. When facing transitions to communal living facilities, difficulties in walking, loss of independence in driving and a different life as we knew it, we can draw on the wisdom and inspiration of songs that got us through the Great Depression and World War II. Sometimes we need the gentle nudge to remember we are stronger than we think. So "pack up your troubles in your old kit bag and smile, smile, smile." What songs help give you a boost to realize you are capable, strong and resilient? I'd love to know. Share your musical memories with Pollard by emailing jenniferp@ aoscaremanagement.com. www.OutreachNC.com OutreachNC • June 2013 47 48 OutreachNC • June 2013 Grey Matter See Grey Matter Puzzle Answers on Page 56 Across 1. Semester’s last exams 7. Right 13. Not using liquid 15. Small particle 16. Government income (2 words) 18. Abbr. after former colonel’s name 19. Expire 20. “Dear old” guy 21. Film crew member 23. Bursting at the ___ 24. Angler’s hope 25. Embryonic sacs 27. Diminished 28. Having an unusual power to attract 34. “Star Trek” rank: Abbr. 35. Arab League member 36. “Comprende?” 39. CPR maneuvers 41. Inside info 44. Believe in 45. Baylor’s home 46. Extract 51. Carve in stone 52. “A jealous mistress”: Emerson 53. Run down 55. Clod chopper 56. House salesperson (3 wds) 59. Drift June Word Search Alto sax Anvil Banjo Bell Bin Bugle Cello Chang Chanter Cheng Cittern Crwth Cymbal Drum Fife Gong Harp Keyboard Klavier Lute Lyre Melotron Moog Oboe Organ Piano Pipe Quail Rattle Rebec Regal Santir Saxhorn Shawm Tabor Tambour Traps Tuba Ukulele Vihuela Vina Viola Violin Zither 60. Implement 61. Bad looks 62. The Rolling ___, band Down 1. A legitimate object for ridicule (2 wds) 2. Heart, mind or soul (2 wds) 3. Openwork fabrics 4. “___ we having fun yet?” 5. “___ of the Flies” 6. Trig functions 7. Iron 8. All-night party 9. “___ moment” 10. Learned person 11. Solution resulting when one material is extracted from another by a solvent 12. Thatched 14. Small freshwater fish, e.g. carp or minnow 15. Fat unit 17. Grassland 22. A.T.M. need 24. Aircraft compartment 26. “Belling the Cat” author 27. Great time 29. Actor Arnold 30. Babysitter’s handful 31. “Wheels” 32. A pint, maybe 33. Sue Grafton’s “___ for Lawless” (2 wds) 36. ___ hospitality 37. Settle snugly 38. Those with great sensitivity to beauty www.OutreachNC.com 39. Bill and ___ 40. Anger 41. Grassy surface of land (pl.) 42. Swerve while in motion 43. Organ stop 46. Adam and Mae 47. Miles per hour, e.g. 48. Victorian, for one 49. Locale 50. Numbers between 12 and 20 53. Become tiresome 54. Batty 57. Deception 58. Baby’s first word, maybe OutreachNC • June 2013 www.OutreachNC.com 49 50 OutreachNC • June 2013 OutreachNC • June 2013 Carolina Conversations with AM 550 WIOZ's Billy Bag-O-Donuts By jennifer kirby Special to OutreachNC PHOTOGRAPHY BY diana matthews B illy “Bag-O-Donuts” Brown hosts AM 550 WIOZ's “Sunrise in the Sandhills” program each weekday from 6-9 a.m. An Ohio native, he moved to North Carolina after retiring from IBM in New York. Fullfledged retirement wasn’t in the cards, though. Here, Brown talks about landing a radio job, living in the South and why he loves “Jeopardy.” ONC: Where did the nickname “Billy Bag-ODonuts” come from? BB: When I first started working here, I used to stop at Granny’s Donuts and I would bring in a bag of doughnuts. And so they started calling me Billy Bag-o-Donuts. Pretty simple. www.OutreachNC.com OutreachNC • June 2013 ONC: How long have you lived in North Carolina? BB: I moved here in September of 1997. I had retired from IBM and gotten divorced, and my brother got divorced around the same time that I did. He had to rent a house after his divorce and I was going to move to either Texas or Florida or someplace cheaper than New York, and he said, "Why don’t you just come down and we’ll share a house here, and see if you like North Carolina." After a year of living in Sanford, he bought a house in Sanford, and I liked Pinehurst because it reminds me of a New England town, so I bought a house in Pinehurst. ONC: Is there anything you miss about living up North? BB: No. A friend of mine died in 2009, and I went back up there for his funeral and it was like, "Oh my God, how did I ever live here?" It was so crowded, and everything was different and all built up. I lived in Westchester County, just about 30 miles north of New York City, and I’m perfectly happy here. It took me a long time to get used to living in North Carolina, but I’ve done it. ONC: What were some of the things you had to adjust to? BB: The pace of darn near everything. New York is different than North Carolina. They move a little bit quicker up there, and there’s a lot of pressure that you don’t have down here. ONC: You’re married now, correct? BB: I got married – it was a year March 10. ONC: How was that? BB: She didn’t do well – her knees buckled – and of course I didn’t do well either. She had been coming in on a regular basis on Wednesdays, but I brought her in on a Monday, and she talked about St. Joseph of the Pines. Eventually, I told her, "That’s not really why I brought you in here. I said, 'I brought you in because I wanted to know if you’d marry me.'" And I put the ring up on the desk, and she said, "Oh, Billy!" And I said, "No, Ellen, will you marry me?" And she said, "It’s beautiful!" And I said, "No, Ellen, this is a yes or no, Ellen!" And you can hear my voice cracking. So she said, "Yes!" And I said, "All right, that was the right answer." ONC: When you moved here, you were retired. How did you wind up hosting your own radio show? BB: I know an awful lot about music, and my brother was encouraging me to do something with my knowledge. And I’m like, "What am I going to do with it? It’s all trivia, it’s nothing really important." But I did meet somebody that worked here and asked, "If I wanted to get into radio, how would I do that? Would I go to broadcasting school? Get voice lessons?" And they said, "Come on in!" So I did. They were getting a new computer system, and I learned the new computer system, and a memo came out that said “Anyone with questions on the new computer system, see Rich or Billy.” And I said, "Billy doesn’t even work here." So they said, "Well, maybe we should hire you." So they did … She’s from Long Island. ONC: Did you meet her down here? BB: I did. She is the director of sales and marketing out at St. Joseph of the Pines, and they were a morning show sponsor, and I proposed to her on the air. We have it on a CD. www.OutreachNC.com continued page 52 51 52 OutreachNC • June 2013 continued from page 51 I did the FM on STAR 102.5 on Saturday afternoons for a while, and then I left and was gone for a couple of years. Then they asked me if I wanted to do the morning show when that opened up about five years ago and I said, "Sure." ONC: How do you know so much about music? BB: I’ve always been interested in music. I played in a band for awhile when I was much younger, and I’ve done some singing – I still sing with the Swing Street Band here once in a while. And for some reason I always remembered, like, who’s the main singer of The Dubs, and what his hat size was, just stupid stuff like that. But it always stuck with me. ONC: So are you good at all kinds of trivia? Do you like “Jeopardy”? BB: I love “Jeopardy.” “Jeopardy” is about all I watch on television. Then it’s bedtime right after that because I get up at 3:30 in the morning. ONC: What do you do between waking up at 3:30 and going on the air at 6 a.m.? BB: I print out the AP (Associated Press) wire for both the AM and the FM stations to get the news stories. I check the weather and give that to the FM as well. I may load PSAs (public service announcements) or put in the religious programming for the week. I record the weather for the day. I get here about 4:30 a.m. or so and there’s enough to keep me busy until just about a quarter 'til 6. ONC: Are there any special segments on your show? BB: I do a special music feature at 7:15 a.m. – it’s a 15-minute presentation. For example, tomorrow I’m featuring Vaughn Monroe and Bobby Vinton, because Vaughn Monroe did songs in 1945 and Bobby Vinton did the same songs in 1964, and I’m doing a comparison between the original song and the popular song that went to No. 1 20 years later. ONC: Do you choose the songs you play? BB: Yes, I do. There is a log that brings songs up, but I have the choice to either play them or delete them and make a selection from the system. I try to do a wide variety. I do some big band stuff, and I may play the Glenn Miller Band and then follow them with the Eagles. Rarely anything past the ’70s. ONC: You do a lot of after-hours work as a representative of the station – serving as emcee for community events and things like that. Do you enjoy that aspect of the job? BB: I do indeed. I guess I don’t have much of an ego because I’m amazed, No. 1, that people listen to me, and No. 2, that they have a good time listening to me. I hear, "Oh, you do so much for the community." And I'll say, "Really? … I’m glad to do it. And it’s an awful lot of fun." ■ www.OutreachNC.com Ask the hard questions now to be prepared for later W ith the focus of health care not only on curative treatment of disease but also treating pain and symptoms Life's Journey of disease, physicians and other health care practitioners want to involve patients in choices about their health. End-of-life issues involve making personal decisions about life while still healthy. Patients can make choices for themselves regarding cardiopulmonary resuscitation, use of ventilators, nutritional hydration, dialysis and other advance directive options. Patients can advise others what they want in the event that they cannot make decisions for themselves. Some questions to ask yourself in making these decisions are: Who do I want to make decisions regarding my health care if I can no longer make them? Do I want to have a feeding tube inserted if I can’t receive adequate nutrition by mouth? Do I want cardiopulmonary resuscitation used after my heart stops beating? Do I want to be placed on a ventilator to maintain my breathing capacity if I am unable to breathe on my own? Do I want all my family members knowledgeable about my choices if I am unable to make them? Do I want to experience a comfortable dying process if possible? 1 2 3 4 5 6 Making individual choices about end-of-life care for yourself helps others who love and care about you understand your desires when this time comes. If you have not completed advance directives regarding your end of life wishes, consider doing so to help yourself and those who care about you. For further information, visit wwww.secretary.state.nc.us/AHCDR. Foushee, LCSW, a medical social worker with First Health Hospice and Palliative Care, can be reached at 910-715-6000 or RFoushee@firsthealth.org. www.OutreachNC.com OutreachNC • June 2013 53 54 OutreachNC • June 2013 Homegrown goodness always in season A s spring melds into summer, North Carolina’s farmers markets abound with a magnificent display of produce. The state is blessed with a profusion of markets. They are ideal places to buy healthy food direct from the grower, support local farmers and make new friends. “There’s a pretty good little crowd here today,” says Ronnie Best, manager of State Farmers Market in Raleigh, as he leads the way down the bustling thoroughfare of the Farmers Building. Row upon row of stalls offers a bountiful crop of local produce, plants and flowers. It’s a feast for the senses. Every www.OutreachNC.com stand is bright with color. Fruit scents mingle with the perfume of lilac and geranium from the plant stalls at the eastern side of the building. “Everyone wants local right now, and that’s good," says Best, moving from stall to stall, greeting vendors, sharing stories and sampling produce. Everything sold in the Farmers Building is grown in North Carolina. Best and his team inspect the farms and verify that they are doing the growing. He is proud of the farmers’ diligence and their ability to work to the needs of their customers. “They really do a wonderful job of growing what people want,” says Best. OutreachNC • June 2013 OutreachNC • June 2013 By serena brown Special to OutreachNC PHOTOGRAPHY BY carol wilson The producers occupying the stalls change as different produce comes into season. A handful of farms stay yearround. “We’re here seven days a week,” says Jeff Allen of Beth Moore’s Produce. ‘It gets tiring sometimes, but it is a fun way to make a living.” Allen recognizes the market’s importance in maintaining a healthy and sustainable lifestyle. "We need to keep the farms growing," Allen says. “Food doesn’t grow in a can. It has to come from somewhere.” Since 1991, the State Farmers Market has been located adjacent to Lake Wheeler Road and Interstate 40. The wholesale and retail markets share the 75-acre campus. The wholesale concerns operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The public gates are also open every day, Monday to Saturday from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. The public retail side of the market is predominantly in the areas of the Farmers Building, Market Shoppes and Market Imports. There’s an events center with a commercial kitchen for food demonstrations. Those who have worked up an appetite have a choice of three onsite restaurants: the Seafood Restaurant, Market Grill and State Farmers Market Restaurant. continued page 56 www.OutreachNC.com 55 56 OutreachNC • June 2013 continued from page 55 The Market Shoppes building stands across from the Farmers Building. “It’s like a giant country store,” says Best, “with oldfashioned candy, drinks, coffee, jams, jellies, cheese, fudge and North Carolina wines. We have a wide array of things here.” There are coolers for meats and cheeses. The seafood stall is stocked with the freshest catch from the North Carolina coast and open Thursday through Sunday. The Market Grill sells food for simultaneous walking and eating. There’s even a picture framer. Crafts are available next to the Seafood Restaurant. Around the corner is the Nahunta Pork Center, catering to a pork lover’s every need. For gardeners, there’s a Super Sod outlet, and Market Imports offers over two acres of architectural and decorative items sourced from all over the world. The State Farmers Market is a year-round destination for everybody, whether planning a day out or dropping in to stock up on North Carolina produce. From a large to a small scale, farmers markets are the best way to come to know local farmers. In turn, the markets enrich their communities with fresh, homegrown food in convenient locations. “We’re not here to compete with the big stores," says Lynn Epps of the Troy Farmers Market. "We’re here for people who want something else.” The Troy Farmers Market nestles on Main Street, in the heart of the town. It’s a cozy market whose size belies the available variety of local produce, meats, plants, goat cheese, baked goods, handmade soaps, crafts and wine. “Our market offers something for everyone,” says Epps. “The farmers rotate according to what they grow and what’s in season.” Lynn and her husband Donny Epps own Whipowill Hill Farm, where they specialize in pasture-raised pork and poultry, goats, poultry products and also livestock for those who wish to produce their own food. “You can raise healthy animals and have healthy food – happy animals too,” says Donny, who favors heritage breeds. A strong respect for tradition runs through the market. Soaps at A Wing and A Prayer Farm are handcrafted using rainwater. Delicious Creations’ jams and jellies are made from family recipes. “I tend to do things the old-timey way, which means they take a little bit longer,” says Sheila Menendez of Hope Farms. “I try to avoid any synthetic materials. I grow 90 percent of my produce from seed. The other 10 percent, the cold crops, are grown from seedlings. She laughs and adds, “I have a slight love affair with seeds.” “The farmers market made us all get to know each other," says Lynn Epps. "We try to look out for one another. If we don’t have something, we point customers to the next table. We want everyone to succeed.” Shawn Dezern helps the Epps on their farm when they need an extra pair of hands. “We’ll go and trade work with each other, back and forth,” says Dezern, whose Dezern Farms stand is a gorgeous host of plants, flowers and herbs at the Troy market. “Here, customers turn into really good friends,” says Lynn Epps. “It’s turned into something more than being out here selling.” Grey Matter Answers www.OutreachNC.com continued from page 57 OutreachNC • June 2013 That sense of camaraderie is Saturday mornings in downtown in season at the Moore County Southern Pines. The Thursday Farmers Market. morning market runs year round, “I buy from everybody,” says the others from spring to fall. With Sara Webster of Millstone Farm the three locations, market-goers and Gardens. "We all support can visit the closest location. each other." “They can walk and bring Established in 1976, the Moore their dogs and push their baby market is a trailblazer for farmers carriages,” says Harry Webster, markets in the region. It has market manager of the Moore become a keystone to the area. market. “We have a lot of the same At the Saturday market, there’s people every week. This is their live music, corn hole and hula market. We like growing for hoops. Local chefs give regular people who really like to eat cooking demonstrations using good food. They the fresh offerings appreciate what of the market. we do,” says “We try to Jackie Sherrill of keep a variety, so David’s Produce there’s a little bit in Ellerbe. of everything for "Everything at the customers,” this market has says Sara Webster, to be made here who coordinates (within a 50-mile the nearly 40 radius), so it’s a vendors. “Some very local market,” come to all three explains Amy —Shannon Thompson markets, some to Sugg of Bonlee two, some to one.” A Wing and A Prayer Grown Farm. “It’s With pastureTroy Farmers Market like, ‘Get to know raised meats, your farmer.’” baked goods, Sugg sells plants and flowers plants and produce, the Moore grown on the farm, and pickles, market offers furniture, jewelry, relishes and jams homemade pottery, all-natural beauty from Bonlee’s own produce. products and wares for the In a reflection of the diversity garden. that characterizes this market, Sharon Thompson of Hilltop she also makes and sells Angus Farm has a sideline in homemade essential oils and witty totes made from feedbags, skin preparations. which are perfect vessels for The Moore County Farmers market shopping. Market operates three days a “We enjoy it,” says Sara week in different locations: Webster. “We get to meet a lot Monday afternoons at First of people. The rewarding thing Health in Pinehurst, Thursday is that they enjoyed what they mornings at the Southern Pines bought – and if they come back Armory Sports Complex and to you, you know it was good.” ■ “I need a shirt that says, ‘I meet my best friends at the farmers market.’ There’s something different about this one – we’re like a family.” To locate the nearest farmers market, visit www.ncfarmfresh.com/farmmarkets.asp www.OutreachNC.com 57 Restaurant, Personal Chef & Catering Fresh. Local. Southern Gourmet. Celebrate Summer with our Courtyard Dining Winner Best Dish NC 2012 Lunch Entrees: Curried Fettucini Salmon Burger Dinner Entrees: Shrimp & Grits Rhett’s Signature Trout Southern Cordon Blue Crab & Avocado Salad N.C. Ribeye Lunch: Monday - Saturday 11am to 2:30pm Happy Hours: Wed-Sat 3 to 5pm Dinner: Wed-Thurs 5 to 9:30pm ׀Fri-Sat 5 to 10pm 132 W Pennsylvania Ave Belvedere Plaza ׀Southern Pines 910.695.3663 | RhettsInc.com 58 OutreachNC • June 2013 Thanks, Dads; Good Luck, Grads T his is Dads’ and Grads’ month. They are closely related as without Dads’ support through the years, there would be fewer Grads. The importance of Dads doesn’t seem to get the credit deserved. We make a huge fuss for Mother's Day with all kinds of praise and gifts. It is well earned. But Dads are not to be forgotten. They often shy away from emotional displays and likely wouldn’t know what to do with flowers and flowery verse. Fortunately for our culture, we are seeing more involvement in family life by Dads. Some of this is out of necessity—as our economy tanked, mothers were able to get jobs but Dads had a harder time. Role reversal became part of life. Mom would go to work and Dad stayed home, looked after the kids, (perhaps) cleaned the house. They learned quickly how to cook and do laundry. Dads’ groups have been formed in many areas. They need to talk about their lives with Over My Shoulder fellow Dads. We are lucky to have Dads willing to become a more integral part of their families’ lives. I salute the men who are willing to change a diaper, burp the baby, take little Susie to ballet and Tim to soccer practice. I am grateful for the Dads who love us, teach us how to drive, forgive our youthful mistakes and show us how to become worthwhile members of our society. These are the Dads that give us our Grads. Dads know that a college education will help Grads have better lives—not just financially but spiritually, mentally, philosophically. At a graduation at Tulane University, the year after Katrina, CNN’s Anderson Cooper was the speaker. One of his first remarks was, “If you haven’t already done so, look your parents in the eyes, hold them close and thank them for their sacrifices. As hard as you worked to get here, they have worked even harder.” I don’t know about you, but I can’t remember one word of my graduation speech. It was a sweltering hot day. Many of my family were present, relieved that after a break from education I had finally gone back, taken a course or two a semester (never in the winter in northern New York) and added a BA cum laude to my Ontario teaching certificate. The Dad I have to thank for that graduation was my husband, who had to do a lot of “women’s work” – it was the 70s, after all – so I could get to class and do my homework. This year’s graduates are facing a shaky world. We’re counting on them to help make things right again. We’ll help, but what we’ve been doing needs a boost. In 1980, Alan Alda told the graduating class at Connecticut College, “You have to leave this city of comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. You can’t get there by bus, only by working hard and taking risks and by not quite knowing what you’re doing.” Grads, you’re not alone, your Dads have your backs. Good luck to all...and, thanks, Dad. www.OutreachNC.com OutreachNC • June 2013 www.OutreachNC.com 59 60 OutreachNC • June 2013 www.OutreachNC.com