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Jeanine Cox has been selected by AARP to receive the 2013 AARP Wyoming Andrus Award

for Community Service -- the As-sociation’s most prestigious and vis-ible state volunteer award for commu-nity service.

Named for AARP founder, Ethel Percy Andrus, the award recognizes out-standing individuals who are making a powerful difference in their communi-ties in ways that advance AARP’s mission, vision, and commitment to volunteer service and that in-spire others to volunteer.

Cox was selected for her re-markable service which has greatly benefited the Rock Springs and Green River communities and inspired other volunteers.

She champions important educational opportunities so that aging members of her communi-

ties receive the information and knowledge they need to make good decisions about issues such as social security, technology, and

the new healthcare law. Cox is also an AARP Driver Safety instructor and a member of the emergency op-erations team in her community.

She has helped get essential legisla-tion passed such as the Uniform Adult Guardianship Act,

secured funding for Senior Pro-grams, the Wyoming Home Ser-vices program, and the Aging and Disabled Resource Center (ADRC).

The award was presented to Cox during AARP Wyoming’s volunteer recognition banquet at the Petro-leum Club in Casper in October.

“AARP has long valued the spirit of volunteerism and the important contributions volunteers make to their communities, neighbors, and

the programs they serve,” says Tim Summers, AARP Wyoming State Director.

“Jeanine’s giving spirit and work ethic is contagious. She inspires others to get involved and to be a team player,” he said. “She is a champion for positive social change and she accomplishes those changes through her work as an advocate, organizing educa-tional forums, and reaching out to community and state leaders.

“Wyoming is fortunate to have such a wonderful treasure such as Jeanine,” Summers said.

In This Issue...

Local volunteers recognized - Healthcare scams - Outdoor living - And much more...

Wyoming Volunteers Recognized for

Community Service AARP Wyoming recognized ten volunteers for their continued exceptional support of the 50+ population in Wyoming. To read more about those awards winners from across the state of Wyoming, go to page 10.

Rock Springs volunteer receives Wyoming Andrus Award

December 2013

AARP Wyoming

NewsPublished by:AARP Wyoming2020 Carey Ave.Cheyenne, WY82001

Reach us at...1-866-663-3290www.aarp.org/wywy@aarp.org

Copyright 2013:Please contact AARP Wyoming for permission to reproduce content contained herein.Volume 1: Issue 2 Editor: Tim Lockwood

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Every two or three years, AARP conducts a survey of

Wyoming members to see what is on their minds and what they would like to see us work on.

It’s a good way to make sure that we are listening to you and cover the issues that are impor-tant to the 50+ population in Wyoming.

In June of 2013 AARP began sending out the sur-vey to a random sampling of 2,000 AARP members in Wyoming. The sample was also proportionally divided among three main age seg-ments: 50 to 59 years, 60 to 74 years, and 75+ years.

We had a 36 percent response rate, which as surveys go, is a pretty good return rate. The survey has a margin of error of ±3.6 percent. Survey responses were weighted to reflect age, geography and gender among AARP Wyoming member-ship.

Top 10 ConcernsWe asked a total of 25 questions

ranging from utilities to long-term care.

Usually, on the first question we give members a list of concerns that have been expressed by Wyo-ming’s 50 plus population in the past and ask them to rate their own levels of concern for these issues. The following are their top 10 con-cerns.

(1) Making sure your retire-ment savings and/or pension benefits are safe and secure; (2) Having Social Security as a base for retirement income; (3) Having access to affordable prescription drugs; (4) Staying mentally sharp;

(5) Having Medicare as a base for retirement health care coverage; (6) Having enough money to meet daily expenses; (7) Staying physically fit; (8) Having af-fordable and reliable utility services and rates; (9) Hav-ing high quality long-term care for you or a family member; and (10) protect-

ing yourself from consumer fraud and abuse.

Interestingly, in our 2010 AARP Wyoming membership survey, brain health was the number one concern, followed by Medicare, Social Security and health care coverage. Prescription drugs were ranked 6th. So Wyoming concerns have changed a bit over the last three years. It seems as though retirement security issues have become the top-of-mind concerns among Wyoming members.

Attitudes about MedicaidIn addition to asking members

what their top concerns were, we asked several specific questions on current Wyoming issues to gauge their interest and opinions. Among these questions, we wanted to know what Wyoming members

thought about Medicaid and what direction the State of Wyoming should take with the state Medic-aid program in the future.

We were surprised by the results showing that over half of AARP Wyoming members say they or someone they know are extremely or very likely to need Medicaid coverage at some point in the future (56%). And that nearly three in four say that Medicaid services are extremely or very important.

Two in three members say they support expanding Wyoming’s Medicaid program to cover single adults with low incomes and no children.

Three in four members would also support an increase in the state tax on cigarettes if it were used for Wyoming’s Medicaid program – of these supporters, nearly half (45%) would support an increase of $1.50 per pack.

Telephone and InternetWe have always known that

AARP Wyoming members put a great deal of emphasis on utility is-sues. It’s been in the top 10 issues ever since we opened an office here in 2002.

In fact, Wyoming members have voiced more of a concern over utilities than most other AARP state memberships.

So, it was really of no surprise when we saw a great deal of con-cern voiced over current proposals that would deregulate Wyoming’s

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We are listening to what you have to say

telecommunications industry. Here are some interesting tele-communications results from the survey:

• Three in four Wyoming mem-bers say they currently have traditional telephone service at home.

• Nearly half (45%) oppose the deregulation of traditional telephone service in WY.

• Nine in ten members have a working cell phone, and 36% of these members also have a smartphone.

• Eight in ten have access to the Internet at home – while 19% do not. And 24% of members 65+ do not have Internet at home.

• Two in three say the amount they pay for telephone and In-ternet services is “too much.” Only 10% say their telephone and Internet services are “ex-tremely” reliable. However, over half (56%) say they are “very” reliable.

Long-Term CareThis has always been one of

the top ten concerns in Wyoming, but it has fallen a bit since the last survey.

Here are some key facts:• Nearly nine in ten say that if

they or a family member need-ed long-term care services, it is extremely or very important to have services that help to stay in their homes for as long as possible.

• Very few members say they are extremely or very confident in their ability to pay for long-term care for a year received in the home (18%), received in an assisted living facility (13%), or received in a nursing home (10%).

• Three in four would support shifting some of Wyoming’s long-term care funds so that more is spent on care pro-vided in the home and com-munity.

Health CareAbout 72% of members are

extremely concerned or very concerned about finding afford-able, high quality health insurance (which ranks as the 11th top con-

cern in Wyoming). Nearly half (48%) of members

say it is extremely or very impor-tant that Wyoming eventually runs its own health care exchange instead of letting the federal gov-ernment run the exchange.

Thanks to this survey, we have a pretty clear road map as to what issues we need to work on.

AARP Wyoming members feel strongly about retirement security issues, prescription drugs, brain health, Medicare, keeping more of your hard-earned money to pay for daily expenses, staying physically fit, keeping utility rates affordable (including telephone services), quality long-term care options and avoiding consumer fraud.

You can bet that we will be working on many of these issues during the Wyoming Legislature’s 2014 budget session and into the 2015 general legislative session.

If you would like more informa-tion on the 2013 AARP Wyoming membership survey, please go onto our website at www.aarp.org/wy or by calling toll free at 1-866-663-3290.

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It doesn’t matter if you just go out on your front porch, or if you make your way out to your garden. Maybe you even go out to a park, or farther yet, into the wilds of a state park or national forest.

The important thing is to get away from the confines of the indoors and get out where the air is fresh and the sunshine can find you.

Study after study has shown that the benefits from any activity are magnified when you do it outside. Taking a walk? Do it in the park, rather than on a treadmill. Reading a book? Again, sit on a porch swing before you dig into that mystery novel. I don’t know what the reason is, but it’s been proven that you get a better workout, you retain more information, and you simply have a better overall health benefit when you get outside.

But that’s something many of us have known for years, even if we couldn’t prove it. I know when I’ve had a chance to get outside and do some fishing, hunting, or just hiking the trails in Curt Gowdy State Park, I feel better. I have more energy, I’m happier, and I sleep better.

And there’s plenty to do outside, especially in Wyoming.

ExerciseThere’s been a big

push to get people off

their couches and into the gym in the last several years, and it’s making a difference. The United States had the dubious honor of being the most obese nation for many years, but in recent months, it has slimmed down a

little. We’re now No. 2, behind Mexico.

Much of the credit for our country’s increased fitness is a strong exercise movement. You don’t have to run a marathon

or become the next Mr. Universe to jump on the bandwagon. Just take a walk around your neighborhood or through your favorite park.

You also could strap on some hiking boots or running shoes and take a hike or a run on a forest trail. If you go early in the morning or later in the evening, toward sunset, you might even see some wildlife.

FishingAs Anne Ritchie said

back in the mid 19th century, “Give a man a fish, you’ll feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish, and you’ll feed him for a lifetime.”

There’s not as much need these days to know how to fish in order to keep food on your table, but fishing is an enjoyable way to pass the time. It’s also a great way to spend quality time with loved ones. Some of my favorite memories

of my formative years involved my grandfather, his boat, a pond, and a couple of fishing rods.

Grandpa and I fished for bass on his little farm pond nearly every time I visited him. We didn’t always catch any fish, but we always had great conversations. I felt like the king of the world, having my grandpa to myself for a few hours, and judging from the look on his face, I’m pretty sure he felt the same.

Now that I have children of my own, I have an inkling of the feeling my grandfather likely experienced. There’s very little in this life as satisfying as seeing the look on a youngster’s face when he realizes he has a fish on his line, and knowing you had a part in helping that kid catch it.

The open-water fishing season is nearing its end, but the ice fishing season isn’t far off.

HuntingMany of the hunting

seasons are now over for the year, but waterfowl and small game seasons are still going strong. It might be cold, so bundle up; but like fishing, hunting is an activity that is enjoyable whether you get what you’re after or not.

Hunting also is best when there’s someone to share it with. I can’t even begin to put a value on the time I spent with my dad down on the Wind River near Riverton, waiting for the ducks to come in to our decoys. We talked about what the future might hold for us; we reminisced about hunts from earlier years; he pointed out the flora and fauna and explained the delicate balance of all living things in the ecosystem. But above all, we spent time together, and we became more than just father and son; we became best friends.

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Don’t just sit there - Get outside and do something, anything

In the coming issues, I hope to bring you stories in this space that will encourage you to get outside. I plan to talk to a man who has had knee- and hip-replacement surgeries, and who is once again able to scale mountains in pursuit of bighorn sheep and mountain goats.

I’m trying to track down a 95-year-old Kansas man who comes to Wyoming every year to hunt elk in our national

forests – and seldom goes home empty-handed.

And I’m looking forward to telling you about others who find peace, exercise, and brain health through their journeys into Wyoming’s wild lands.

I’d love to hear from you. If you have a story about Wyoming’s outdoors you’d like to share, please email me at wy@aarp.org. Maybe it’ll be featured here in an upcoming issue.

Your Outdoor Stories

Wyoming Congressman Lummis took time out

of her busy schedule to join in a discussion about unique financial challenges facing Boomer women during an AARP forum at the end of September in Washington DC.

She joined AARP Financial Am-bassador and personal finance ex-pert Jean Chatzky, leading women Members of Congress, and business leaders in a robust conversation about public, business and indi-vidual actions to improve financial security for women.

“Aging is a bipartisan issue – we all grow older at the same rate. Our constituents face the same chal-lenges,” Lummis said. “Congress needs to find bipartisan solutions that ensure retirement benefits are available not only to the retiring boomer generation, but to our chil-dren and our children’s children.”

“Women today have opportuni-

ties most of their mothers never had, yet they still face challenges that stand in the way of living their best lives,” said AARP President-Elect Jeannine English. “That’s why AARP is shining a light on the issues facing Boomer women as they ap-proach retirement, and leading the conversation to find solutions.”

In opening remarks at the “Financial Security and Boomer Women” forum, AARP Executive Vice President Nancy LeaMond noted that women face tough finan-cial prospects as they get older, due in part to several trends, including that women live longer than men and life expectancy is increasing; workforce participation and entre-preneurship among women is on the rise, but women are still paid less than men; and women are 85% more likely to be the primary caregiver for an aging parent, often leading to reduced work hours and

lost wages. Chatzky moderated two panel

discussions around the issues women face as wage earners, as entrepreneurs, and as caregivers.

“This is such an important conversation to be having today,” Chatzky noted. “We’ve come a long way over the years, but there are still so many questions to be asking. What are the best ways for women to take charge of their own retirement security? What tools and resources can help women manage the demands of caregiving?

How can boomer women make more progress scaling the corpo-rate ladder? And how can we foster greater awareness of those opportu-nities?”

The wide-ranging conversation explored many possible solutions, including:

• increasing participation and savings in employer-sponsored retirement savings plans, especially by using automatic enrollment and automatic escalation;

• improving opportunities and access to capital for women entrepreneurs;

• expanding support for family caregivers through informal networks, flexible workplace policies and national support programs; and

• fighting age and gender dis-crimination in the workplace.

“There are many common sense steps that can be taken to improve financial security for Boomer women, both before and during retirement,” LeaMond concluded. “AARP will continue to engage with elected officials, business leaders, our members and all older women to advance solutions that will ben-efit women and their families for generations to come.”

Congressman Lummis discusses financial security at AARP forum

You’ve earned responsible solutions, not harmful cuts.

Join the fight to keepMedicare and SocialSecurity strong forgenerations to comeat earnedasay.orgRight now there ’s an important debate going on about the future of Medicare and Social Securit y. While some politicians in Washington are pushing harmful cuts, AARP is fighting for responsible solutions that keep the promises we’ve made to current seniors and keep the programs strong for our kids and grandkids. Politicians are talking, but it’s your voice that needs to be heard to keep Medicare and Social Security strong.

facebook.com/AARPWY

@AARPWYaarp.org/wy

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“Don’t miss out on this opportunity to increase

your savings rapidly!” That was one of many sales pitches for what was purported to be a new wind energy farm in Natrona County.

Investors turned to the Internet to find out more about it, where they found the company’s website to be professional and informa-tional which gave the appearance of legitimacy.

“We want people to understand things aren’t always as they seem,” says Karen Wheeler, the Wyo-ming Secretary of State’s Office – Compliance Divi-sion Director.

In this case, despite the “charming” salespeople and the professional-looking website, the wind farm in question didn’t exist.

The Secretary of State’s Office was first contacted in December 2009, when one of the individuals who was approached to invest in a company called Mountain State Power, contacted the Compliance Division to find out if it was a legiti-mate investment.

“That person did the right thing by calling us to check the validity,” Wheeler says. “Anytime someone calls us and says, ‘I was just pitched this; does it look real?’, it’s our duty

to check it out.”That phone call set the investiga-

tive wheels in motion. The Secretary of State’s Office

is part of a federal white-collar fraud team. The investigative team on this case included the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Se-cret Service and Postal Inspection Service.

The first red flag for the team

was the high-pressure sales pitch. “They used all the key words,” Wheeler said. “They said, ‘you have to move fast,’ ‘there are only so many chances,’ ‘we’re shutting this down soon,’ ‘there will be high returns for your investment.’ They also played a lot into President Obama’s tax incentives for wind farming.”

Those sales pitches, Secretary of State Max Maxfield says, should be a warning to anyone who is cold-

called. No matter what they claim, don’t give them any personal or financial information.

“Call our office at 307-777-7370 or go to our website at www.Wy-InvestorAwareness.gov before you invest any money,” he says. “Some people don’t question it. Then we get a call two or three years after-ward, when the scam artists won’t answer calls, won’t answer emails,

the website has been shut down, and there’s no way to track them down.”

In those cases, there’s also little chance of recouping any money that was lost on these bogus investments.

But in the Mountain State Power case, as well as many others each year, the scam was discovered when there was still time to catch those respon-sible.

After doing a little digging, the investigative team found that all the investors were given a pro-spectus, as well as packets of other official-looking documentation. Those who bought in were given a password to get them to a secure side of the website, too. All of this made it seem like a real invest-ment.

But as the team dug deeper they found that the property where they claimed this wind farm was going to be wasn’t even zoned for a wind

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Investor Protection - The wind farm that wasn’t

©iStockphoto.com/thebroker

Karen Wheeler, the director of the Secretary of State’s Office –

Compliance Division, says retirees are often targeted by scam artists because they often have money to invest, and they can be more vul-nerable than younger people.

“The retirees are the ones with the funds,” Wheeler says. “They’re the ones who have the money for investments. They also are more likely to be receptive when people call and talk to them.”

In the case of Mountain State Power, the callers were very

friendly, and Wheeler says they were very easy to trust.

Furthermore, the prospect of investing in a green energy project was another hook. The perpetra-tors found victims who liked the idea of renewable energy.

To keep your savings safe, visit the Compliance Division’s website at www.WyInvestorAwareness.gov, where you can find information and tools to help you spot illegiti-mate investments.

For instance, the Protect Your Nest Egg section teaches you to

avoid becoming a “courtesy vic-tim,” stay in charge of your money, watch out for salespeople who prey on your fears, and monitor your investments and ask tough questions, along with a host of other valuable tips.

Before you send any money or personal information to a sales-person, call the Compliance Divi-sion at 307-777-7370 or visit the website.

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farm. It was zoned for residential housing.

The team also discovered Mountain State Power was a shell company with no ties to Wyoming, other than a post office box in Cheyenne.

“It was like peeling the layers on an onion,” Wheeler says. “The more we looked into it, the more we found that wasn’t what it appeared to be.”

As more informa-tion was gathered by this white-collar fraud team, the U.S. Attorney’s Of-fice began preparing to prosecute the case.

The perpetrators were cagey, though, says Kelly Vierk, Securities Compli-ance Auditor with the Secretary of State’s Office – Compliance Divi-sion.

“In early 2011, when they start-ed to feel the pressure, they shifted from the wind farm in Natrona County to one they claimed they were building in South Dakota,” she says. “They even changed their

name to Sovereign Energy Part-ners.”

The first arrests of the people involved in the scam took place in March of 2012. The sixth and final arrest was in January of 2013.

“They were sentenced in August and September 2013,” Wheeler says. “All six were charged with

conspiracy to commit wire fraud, mail fraud and money launder-ing, and they eventu-ally pled guilty and were sentenced. One person was sentenced to almost 13 years in prison; an-other got six years, the third received four years, and the final three were sentenced to two years each.”

Secretary of State Max Maxfield applauded the work of the compli-ance division and the white-collar fraud team.

“Federal law enforcement has been great to work with on these cases,” he says. “It takes many resources to protect Wyoming’s citizens from these types of scams.

I am pleased that our agency can participate as an active member of this team.”

Although bank accounts were frozen and many assets were seized and will be sold to repay the victims, it’s unlikely they’ll all get back what was taken from them.

“There were people who invest-ed $25,000 at one shot,” Wheeler says. “Some paid $250,000. Many were retirees hoping for the promised high returns. A good 80 percent or more were of retire-ment age. In all, victims paid these people $4.5 million.”

Once again, Maxfield stresses the importance of calling the com-pliance division before making any investment.

“Investigate before you invest,” he says. “Your first step should always be to call us. It’s our job to look into every investment op-portunity and make sure it’s legiti-mate.”

And if it isn’t, the compliance division will do everything it can to make sure nobody else is harmed by it.

Keep a close eye on your nest egg

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The Tech Corner -Common shortcuts to save time

Looking to save some time as you are working on

your computer. These small combinations of keystrokes when used at the right time can significantly simplify several different Windows tasks.

The following three combinations are probably the most often used shortcuts in programs.

The first step is to use your mouse to highlight the selection or text you want to copy or cut in the document, email or webpage.

• Copying: Hold down the CTRL (control) key and press the letter “C” — this will Copy the highlighted selection to the clipboard.

• Cutting: Hold down the CTRL key and press the letter “X” — this will “cut” the highlighted selection and move it to the clipboard

• Pasting: Place your cursor in the appropriate place, hold down the CTRL key and press the letter “V” – this will paste the copied or cut selection where your cursor is located.

Five other keyboard shortcuts worth knowing:

• <Ctrl> – A – selects the entire current document or web page

• <Ctrl> – Home – Moves the cursor to the beginning of the document

• <Ctrl> – End – Moves the Cursor to the end of the document

• <Alt> – Tab – Switches between open Windows

• <Windows Logo Key> – D – Shows the Windows Desktop

Enrollment in the Affordable Care Act’s Health Insurance

Marketplace began Oct. 1. With this new law comes new opportunities for people to steal your money or your identity. Avoid becoming a victim of these scammers.

• Do not give out your social security number, date of birth, street address, credit card numbers, or any financial information over the phone unless you initiated the call to a trusted source - even if the person says he or she is with the government.

• Do not rely on caller id to confirm someone’s identity. Scammers can fake the phone number that they are calling from.

• Do not believe an unsolicited caller who says that he or she is just calling to “verify” your information.

Do not be bullied into acting immediately. Scammers want you to think you have to “act now” or face dire consequences. This tactic keeps you from being able to find out whether they are lying to you.

• Do hang up on anyone trying to pressure you into providing personal or financial information.

• Do be cautious when dealing with anyone who calls you out of the blue. Typically, the exchange of information related to the Health Care Marketplace will occur online, through the mail, or by you initiating the call.

• Do contact the Health Care Market Place if you have any questions or think someone is trying to scam you. You can visit www.HealthCare.gov or call 800-318-2596 (open 24 hours a day).

• Do report suspected scammers. You can file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov or by calling 877-FTC-HELP (877-382-4357).

• Do contact the Wyoming Department of Insurance at 307-777-7401 with any complaints or questions related to insurance.

Scammers know that this law is confusing to many people, and they are already taking advantage of this confusion.

Do not be pressured into acting before you arm yourself with knowledge of the new law and the resources that are available to help you.

If you are not sure whom to reach out to, you can also call the Consumer Protection Unit of the Wyoming Attorney General’s Office at 800-438-5799.

Watch out for new healthcare law scams

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The 2013-2014 influenza season

is quickly approaching, so don’t forget to be “flu smart” and do your part! The best way to protect yourself and those around you is to get immunized – so be proactive, get your vaccination today.

During the 2011-2012 Wyoming flu season there were just over 1,000 confirmed cases of influ-enza, last year this num-ber increased drastically to almost 4,000 cases! In addition to this dramatic increase, there were 14 influenza-associated deaths during the 2012-2013 season, the highest number reported in recent Wyoming history.

You can help make this flu season better by:

1) Washing your hands or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer frequently, especially after sneezing, blowing your nose or being in close con-tact with others.

2) Staying home when you are sick so you don’t get others sick and so you can get well!

3) Getting immu-nized to protect yourself and those around you that you love and care for!

By being “flu smart” you can help protect more than just yourself this influenza season. So get immunized and remind others to do the same.

Information cour-tesy of Mountain-Pacific Quality Health – Wyo-ming & the Wyoming Department of Health.

Be Flu SmartAARP Wyoming narrows legislative focus

The following is a list of priorities for

AARP Wyoming during the 2014 legislative bud-get session.

Wyoming Home Services Program Funding (formally the Community-based In-Home Services Program): AARP remains strongly committed to making sure that the Wyoming Home Services program is available to seniors and their families throughout Wyoming. The Program is the most cost-effective and efficient home and community based ser-vices option in Wyoming. AARP supports the elimi-nation of the wait list for this cost-saving program.

Funding for Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs): ADRCs offer accurate, un-biased information and assistance to the public on most aspects of life re-lated to aging and/or liv-ing with a disability. They provide personalized and consumer friendly assis-tance empowering Wyo-ming residents to make informed decisions about their long-term care ser-vice options.

Senior Center Fund-ing: Wyoming’s 40 senior centers are on the front lines of providing high quality, cost-effective services for Wyoming’s nearly 96,000 residents 60

and older (U.S. Census). Wyoming senior centers are often the first point of contact seniors and their families encounter in the continuum of long-term care services and as a result, end up saving the state millions by keep-ing seniors in their own homes and communities and out of costly nursing homes.

AARP supports con-tinued state funding for Wyoming’s highly effec-tive senior centers.

Tax Rebate to the Elderly and Disabled: The tax Rebate to the Elderly & Disabled Pro-gram provides Wyoming’s low-income seniors with a yearly rebate check of about $500 to $600 to compensate for state sales, property and reg-istration taxes that they may have incurred dur-ing the year. The program pays out about $4 million annually. AARP opposes proposals that would eliminate the rebate.

State Retirement Sys-tem: We will continue to oppose any proposal that would change Wyoming’s defined benefit system into a defined contribu-tion model (similar to a private accounts-based 401K system). AARP will monitor all retirement system proposals to make sure our members and the 50+ who have been, or are currently state

employees, have strong pension protections.

Health Care Issues: AARP Wyoming will closely monitor any legis-lation or budget item that impacts the access to, and affordability of health care in Wyoming, includ-ing attempts to reduce Medicaid funding. Also, we will continue to moni-tor health care exchange implementation issues.

Medicaid Expan-sion: AARP supports the expansion of Medicaid through the Wyoming Coalition for Medicaid Solutions. We will work with the coalition to build a strong grass roots cam-paign.

Utility Issues: AARP will closely monitor Cheyenne Light, Fuel and Power’s large rate case in Laramie County. We are also likely to be involved in Rocky Mountain Power’s next rate increase request coming up in the spring of 2014.

We will monitor any utility legislation that may impact residential util-ity rate payers (including attempts to deregulate Wyoming’s telecommu-nications industry).

We will work to assure that adequate funding for the Wyoming Low Income Energy Assis-tance Program (LIEAP) is maintained.

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Wyoming is fortunate to have the type of culture and

communities where helping others and supporting your neighbor is second nature.

Each year, we take the opportu-nity to celebrate some of our great-est volunteers and people we get to work with. Following is the nine Community Service Awards beside the Andrus Award that we handed out at our annual volunteer ap-preciation banquet in Casper this October.

Community PartnerMarilyn Connor - Casper

Connor has served as the Executive Direc-tor of the Central Wyoming Hos-pice Center for the past ten years.

She began working with

AARP to introduce legislation for a Medicaid hospice room and board benefit in Wyoming after observing numerous seniors who were opting for costly, less desirable end-of-life care options because of financial constraints.

Connor is the AARP Community Contact for Casper and helped re-cruit key speakers for the 2013 brain health workshop in Casper.

She brings a background in both nursing as well as in organizational management to her current posi-tion.

Connor is a member of Reveille Rotary, a civic organization focusing on the needs of the senior popula-tion in Casper.

She also volunteers as a peer mentor for Serve Wyoming, work-ing with new non-profit directors and for Girl Scouts of Montana and

Wyoming where she serves on their fund development task group.

AdvocacyLynn Achter - Cheyenne

Achter was instrumental in the passage of Wyoming’s new Adult Guardian-ship Law.

It was her knowledge and experience both personally and professionally that allowed for the success of this legis-lation.

She has spent the majority of her working career in the disability field. First, as an educator, then as an admistrator and advocate for disability issues.

She was also a small business owner specializing in mediation, facilitation and training.

Two years ago she retired to focus on the work of being guard-ian for her disabled brother and to travel.

Wadda Community ServiceGary Collins - Fort Washakie

Collins, an enrolled member of the Northern Arapaho Tribe who lives on the Wind River Reser-vation, has been an AARP Com-munity Contact

since 2007 and has always been a champion for the 50+ population.

He provided AARP with guidance for a series of listening session din-ners held on the Reservation.

He has participated in AARP’s Community Presence training and provided other AARP state office

staff with tips on working with Na-tive Americans. Collins is currently working on getting a Medicaid Expansion pilot project for tribal members on the Reservation.

Collins is the Tribal Liaison for the State of Wyoming’s Planning Of-fice as a policy advisor to the Gover-nor and his staff.

He is also a member of the Wyo-ming Multicultural Health Advisory Council.

Driver SafetyJackie Martin - Cody

Martin has gone above and beyond in mak-ing sure individu-als have access to the AARP Driver Safety course in north western Wyoming.

She retired and moved to Cody in 2008 after a 25 year career as a Master Officer with the Indiana State Excise Police.

In addition to law enforcement duties, she was a Certified State Instructor and Chief Negotiator for the union representing three state police agencies.

Within three months of arriving in Cody, Jackie and husband Steve were elected as State Directors of Wyoming Good Sam, a North Amer-ican Camping Club, and served in that position for the next four years.

It was while planning an event for Good Sam that she initially con-tacted AARP Wyoming for literature to hand out.

She then was approached to be-come a Community Contact volun-teer, a Driver Safety Instructor and eventually, a member of the AARP Wyoming Executive Council.

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AARP recognizes dedicated volunteers for service

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Retired EducatorMary Lou Derby - Sheridan

Derby started teaching school in rural Nebraska at the age of 16.

At the age of 20, she taught in a town school in Laramie. It was there that she met her husband, Dell. She taught second grade at Whiting Elemen-tary for seven years, and then went back to teaching in two different rural schools south of Laramie for three years.

In 1965, Derby moved to Lander, where she taught second grade until 1971. She then left teaching and became the librarian at the Lander school, until she retired in 1994.

In 2000 she joined Wyoming Re-tired Education Personnel (WREP) and served as President for four years. She is now in her second year as the WREP as Secretary.

Spelling BeeDave Lerner - Cheyenne

Lerner has been the pro-nouncer for the AARP National Spelling Bee since 2004, and for the Wyoming State Spelling Bee for the past four

years. He competed in the AARP Na-

tional Spelling Bee in 2003 and came in second.

Before pronouncing words for other people to spell, Lerner was a television and radio anchor and journalist for 25 years, and learned how to pronounce the names of Asian countries with at least seven syllables.

Tax AideMary Alice Teague - Cheyenne

Teague came to Wyoming in 1976 and started working as an accountant with CBS Signs.

Since that first endeavor, she has also worked as an accountant for H&R Block, McGhee Hearn & Paiz, and had her own business for a while.

She retired in 2001, and for the past eight years has been volunteer-ing with the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide program.

Teague has served as the local Tax-Aide coordinator for the past seven years, and the state tax ad-ministrative assistant for four years.

She keeps track of all the state Tax-Aide volunteers to ensure they are current on their certifications.

In each position, Teague eagerly accepts and completes additional responsibilities with grace and ease.

She accomplishes all this, as well as volunteering her time as the trea-surer in her church.

Chapter LeaderGenevieve Roan - Newcastle

Roan has lived her whole life in Wyoming. She was born in Hor-ton, which was north of Newcas-tle. She attended nursing school in Deadwood, South

Dakota, graduating in 1937 as a Registered Nurse.

While working as a nurse in Wheatland, Roan met Jarvis Judd and they were married in 1938.

She had five small children and the youngest was six months old when her husband was killed near

Laramie in 1946. She got a job in Billings, Montana and was mov-ing her family there, when their car broke down in Newcastle.

Roan couldn’t afford to fix the car and to go on. So, she and her five children settled in Newcastle, where she met Ralph Roan. She and Ralph were married in 1950; they had one son.

Ralph passed away in 1985. She retired from nursing in 1979.

Roan has been actively involved in numerous organizations and ac-tivities all these years. She doesn’t know how to say no when someone needs a volunteer.

She became a charter member in 1976 of local AARP Chapter 2488. She served in the various offices and taught the Drivers Safety course for three years.

Genevieve Roan turned 99 on September 28, 2013 and is still an active member of her chapter.

Lifetime AchievementBill Marsh - Torrington

Marsh is a past president of AARP Wyoming. Bill currently serves on the AARP Wyoming Executive Council and also heads the AARP Wyo-

ming Utility Rapid Response Team. He was recently appointed by

Governor Matt Mead to the Wyo-ming Senior Services Board for the second time.

Prior to retiring and serving with AARP, Marsh worked as Dean of Students at Eastern Wyoming Com-munity College for 20 years.

He was a coach and teacher for many years, and holds a masters degree in education from Ohio University.

-By aaRP sTaff

This program is supported by a generous grant from Toyota to AARP Foundation.

When you become an AARP Driver Safety volunteer, you help make our roads safer. The AARP Driver Safety course teaches safe driving strategies so drivers can maintain their confidence behind the wheel and their independence on today’s roads. We’ll provide all the training you need to succeed. Volunteer today and help make a difference in your community.

Sign up at www.aarp.org/dsvolunteers

DRIVEN BY Helping OtHers

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We have AARP Driver Safety volunteer openings for Coordinators:

Recruit and supervise instructors, plan and conduct instructor training workshops, and work with local sponsors.