MatureTimes, March 26, 2013

7/28/2019 MatureTimes, March 26, 2013

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FINANCIAL

Best ways to do business with

Social Securityby Tony Williams

Page 4

ELDER LAW

Insuring the care of your lovedones with special needs

by Linda KnappPage 16

INSIDEBetween the Dashes Al and Cindy Snell

By Midge Rothrock

Bruce Karl Snell, described as a gen-tle man of elegance and grace whoselife touched the many he loved andfaithfully served died of asudden heart attack in lateSeptember, 2012. Brucewas 55 years old, slim, t,handsome, successful.He was a husband, son,

brother, father, nancialmanager, and best friend.

His brother, Aikenite AlSnell, is that best friendmentioned above. Alshared more about whatwent on between thedashes of his brotherslife, at a recent gathering ofchurch leaders. The poemHow Do You Live Your

Dash, reprinted at theend of this article, was partof Als tribute that recentnight. Al also has a young-er Yankee sister, Gayle,who resides with her husband DavidPotter in Old Lyme, Connecticut. Ina recent family picture, those piercingeyes and ready smiles veried a familywho found joy in being together.

Just over ve months ago, Al, hisbrother Bruce, sister Gayle, theirspouses and bountiful, extended fami-lies gathered at Bruce Snells hometo celebrate the 92nd birthday of their

mother, Margaret Fulmer Snell. Bruceand Al had transported their motherMargaret, now in a wheelchair, fromher current residence at the NationalHealth Care Nursing Home in Colum-bia. Margaret continues to be a fash-

ionista, with a former career in retailsales and a love of clothing and acces-sories. In fact, Al and his wife Cindyreport that Margaret might just be theonly resident of her facility who is still

a brunette! In additionto having her hair coifedweekly, and perfectly man-icured nails, her jewelry isabundant, oversized, andmust match her color-

ful outts. Certainly, thisbirthday occasion was noexception!

The pictures on AlSnells Facebook pagefrom this birthday partyshowed a happy gather-ing, celebrating with thismatriarch, her children,grandchildren and theirchildren in abundance. It

was a special day, indeed.Ironically, it was also thelast time Al and Bruce sawone another. Who wouldexpect someone so young

to be rst to go, just days later? Yearsago, this family had lost a brother,aged 3. Their father died after a longlife in 2004. But Bruce? It was such ashock.

Al and Cindy Snell at ACTS recent volunteers appreciation dinner.

See Dashes page 10


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2 Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Spring into our new SeniorNet

Courses and WorkshopsMarch 2013Our classes for the spring

term of 2013 start next week, andthough registration has closed forthe courses beginning the weekof April 1st you still have time toregister for SRN101 Beginning

Computer, that will begin May 1stand meet each Wednesday from9:30 to 11:30am. This course isfor students with no computer ex-perience and includes an optionalfree Mousing Workshop on FridayApril 26th. We also offer SRN102Computer Basics to beginnerswho know how to use the mouse,cut-and-paste, drag-and drop, andopen programs and applications.Classes start April 29th and areheld each Monday from 9-11amfor eight sessions. The courseincludes le management, using

WordPad, working on the Internet,using e-mail, and other commoncomputer applications.

Many computer users have spe-cial interests about various com-puter topics that may be needed toimprove computer user skills. Thisis why a Spring session Senior-Net computer workshop is moretempting than ever to try! Eachworkshop is only 2 hours in length,and each is taught on a specic

Friday morning from 9 to 11 a.m. inthe McGrath SeniorNet LearningCenter on the campus of USC-Aik-en. The cost for each is only $20,and in most workshops there is aninformative, instructive handout totake home so you can review orpractice what you have learned inthe workshop. Here is the lineupfor this term:

April 5th

Exploring Skype Learn to use the Internet-based, visual telephone systemthat enables you to talk withpeople around the world. Coverssetting up the software, creating aphone book, and learning to talk

to anyone in the world with nolong distance charges.

April 12th

Computer

MaintenanceLearn to keep your hard drive

clean and fast, use a USB to

drive to back up your data, installmemory, replace CD/DVD drives

and video cards, and more.

April 19th

Backing up your

ComputerComputers fail and les can

be accidentally erased. Whateverthe cause of a problem, backingup the data on your computer iseasier and less painful than tryingto nd it and re-enter it. Learn

how to protect your les and data

by simple techniques for backing

up your data.

April 26th

Computer SecurityLearn about protecting your

identity and computer from virus-es, worms, adware, spyware, andmalware. Free security tools will

be covered.

May 3rd

The World of Windows 7 Learn about Windows 7, thenew taskbar, window manage-ment, le management, and the

need to upgrade.

May 10thIntroduction to the iPad

and Android TabletsThis workshop will provide

participants with a basic under-standing of tablets, including howto surf the web, send and receiveemails, take and send photos,and understand the growing

world of tablet applications. Youwill have an opportunity to askyour own questions about what-

ever is puzzling you.

May 17th

The World of

Windows 8Learn the features of Micro-

softs newest operating system,Windows8. The features to becovered include the status bar,toolbars, windows management,and how to nd and use the fea-tures that you liked in XP, Vista,and Windows 7.

If you have questions aboutany workshop, you are welcometo come to the Learning Cen-ter any Wednesday afternoonbetween 3 and 5 during April andMay to get more information, orgo to our website www.aikense-niornet.com and click on Work-shop Descriptions on the rightside of the screen. This site also

has other information about ourcourses, and the location of theLearning Center on the USCAcampus.

Generally, registration for aworkshop remains open up toone week before the date it is

scheduled. You must, however,pay the registration fee before thedate of the any given workshop.Please be aware that the spaceis limited in each workshop. Ifyou want to know whether thereis space available in a particularworkshop, call Laura in the USCAContinuing Education Ofce

641-3563.


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Tuesday, March 26, 2013 3

Tips to stay safe and secure while traveling this SpringSpring travel can offer a much-

needed cure for cabin fever.

Whether youre planning to head to

the closest national park or sunnybeach, or youre trekking around the

globe, theres no question that tech-

nology has made traveling easier

than ever before.

What many travelers dont know,

however, is that the technology they

use in the vacation planning stages

or on the trip itself can actually put

them at risk for cybercrime or even

identity theft. These days, keeping

yourself protected means more than

ust wearing sunscreen.

People can use mobile alerts

to nd ash sales on ights and

resorts, and their PC to book vaca-

tions without the extra expense of a

travel agent, says Marian Merritt,

Internet safety advocate for Norton

by Symantec, global leaders in on-

line security. But, in the excitement

of planning a vacation, security can

often be an afterthought.

Offers for free airline tickets on

social media sites, phony (phish-

ing) emails about how to earn more

frequent yer mileage, or offers for

discounted excursions are all ways

cybercriminals try to lure you in so

they can steal your personal infor-

mation.

At rst glance, any of these

scams can look entirely legitimate,

so before you click a link in an email

or on a social network, take the ex-

tra step to verify the offer by visiting

the company website.

One of the most used digital de-

vices on vacation is the smartphone

-- you use it to take pictures, search

for the best places to eat and to nd

your way around with GPS. But, if

your phone goes missing, it can be

a bigger headache than the security

line at the airport.

Merritt recommends installing

security software like Norton 360

Multi-Device before you hit the road,

so if your phone or tablet is lost or

stolen, you can remotely locate it or

even temporarily lock it to prevent

anyone from accessing it until you

get it back.

If youre going to be spending

time in the sand or out on an excur-

sion, leave your phone locked up in

the hotel room safe for the day. Not

only is it likely to be a distraction

from the fun, but bringing it every-

where increases your risk of loss

or theft. And, considering all of the

apps, photos and private informa-

tion that live on your phone, losing

it is probably worse than losing your

wallet.

Finally, while it may be tempting

to make purchases while lounging

by the pool or to check your bankaccount balance while waiting at the

gate for your ight, unsecured pub-

lic Wi-Fi hotspots can be a virtual

paradise for cybercriminals.

Let yourself really unwind and

wait until youre on a protected

network at home before conducting

potentially sensitive activities, or

consider using a virtual private net-

work (or VPN), like Norton Hotspot

Privacy to surf securely and without

leaving a trail of your personal data.

Make your spring vacation

memorable for all the right reasons

and dont let digital security risks

stand in your way.


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Best ways to do business with social securityMany people save time by go-

ing online to take care of everyday

tasks. For example, they shop

online to avoid going to crowded

malls or stores. They pay bills andcheck their account balances on-

line to save a trip to the bank. Its

true of Social Security business,

too. You can save a lot of time by

visiting www.socialsecurity.gov.

Here, you can handle much of your

Social Security business quickly

and securely from your home

or ofce computer. At the SocialSecurity website you can

create a my Social Security

account for quick access to your

information;

get an instant, personalized

estimate of your future Social Se-

curity benets;

apply for retirement, disability,

spouses, and Medicare benets;

check the status of your ben-

et application;

change your address and

phone number, if you receive

monthly Social Security benets; sign-up for direct deposit of

Social Security benets;

use our benet planners to

help you better understand your

Social Security options as you plan

for your nancial future;

request a replacement Medi-

care card; and

apply for Extra Help with yourMedicare prescription drug costs.

Looking for more Social Secu-

rity information? Go online to nd

out almost anything you need to

know about the Social Security

program. Information is available

on subjects ranging from how to

get a Social Security number for a

newborn to returning to work while

receiving disability benets.

If you need to reach us by phone,

you can call us toll-free at 1-800-

772-1213. We treat all calls con-

dentially. We can answer specicquestions from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.,

Monday through Friday. Gener-

ally, youll have a shorter wait time

if you call during the week after

Tuesday. We can provide informa-

tion by automated phone service

24 hours a day. (You can use our

automated response system to

tell us a new address or request areplacement Medicare card.) If you

are deaf or hard of hearing, you

may call our TTY number, 1-800-

325-0778.

No matter how you choose to

contact us, Social Security is here

to assist you. We encourage you

to give our website a try. Youll get

fast, convenient service by going

to www.socialsecurity.gov.

Tony WilliamsSocial Security

Public Affairs Specialist

in Aiken, SC


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6 T d M h 26 2013


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Hospice Care of South CarolinaNamedSmall Business of the YearSpartanburg, S.C. (Feb. 28, 2013) Hospice Care of South Carolina

(HCSC) was honored by the Spartan-burg Chamber with the 2013 JamesB. Thompson Small Business of theYear award. The ceremony was heldat the Spartanburg Chambers AnnualMeeting, the Chambers most pres-tigious event of the year, where themany accomplishments of the Upstatecommunity are recognized.

As a Spartanburg-based business,

we are extremely honored to berecognized by the chamber with thisaward, said David Powell, interimCEO of HCSC. Receiving awards ofthis kind only conrm our passion forexcellence and community buildingthrough our expert services.

The award is named after James B.Thompson, former vice president ofthe Spartanburg Area Chamber ofCommerce, and honors his vision and

tenacity for bringing positive change

to the Spartanburg Community. Eachyear, the Chamber chooses one local

small business that shows a servantleader spirit towards its home com-munity. Other requirements includehaving operated for at least ve yearsand qualifying as a small business bythe Small Business Administration.Co-founders Todd Picou and DavidNiday were present at the ceremonyto accept the award.HCSC was also recently presented

with the 2012 Bronze AchieverGovernors Quality Award from theSouth Carolina Quality Forum for thecompanys innovation and leadershipin the state. HCSC is the rst hospicecare provider to ever win this award.HCSC, founded in 1997, is the onlyhospice provider in South Carolinawith faculty trained to teach End ofLife Nursing Education Consortium(ELNEC), a nationally accreditedcourse. It was also the rst hospice

provider in South Carolina to be

named Employer of the Year by the

National Certication Board for Hos-pice and Palliative Nurses.

Hospice Care of South Carolinais South Carolinas leading hospiceprovider with 34 local ofces thatserve all 46 counties. For more than15 years, HCSC has been devoted toenriching life and making a differencefor every patient that is touched byadvanced illness. HCSC is the only

South Carolina hospice provider thattrains other providers in every curricu-

lum of the End of Life Nursing Educa-

tion Consortium (ELNEC), a nationallyaccredited course in all areas (CORE,Critical Care, Geriatric, Veteransand Pediatrics). In 2012, HCSC wasnamed Employer of the Year by Hos-pice and Palliative Nurses Associationfor Board Certication for employing37.5 percent of all Certied Hospiceand Palliative-care Licensed Nursesand 34.65 percent of all NationalBoard for Certication of Hospice and

Palliative Nurses in South Carolina.

Tuesday March 26 2013 7


7/20

If you are gardening in a small space,

have mobility issues, or dealing with sub-standard soil in your yard, container gar-

dening may be ideal for you. Containers

are portable, take up little space, and can

add color to a patio or neglected space.

And if you cant get down to the soil,

bring it up to you! They can be tended

from a seated or standing position with

less bending and kneeling. According to

Clemson Extensions online Home and

Garden Information Center (HGIC), an-other advantage is that using clean (new)

potting mix ensures that youll eliminate

dealing with soil-borne diseases and

nematodes, and therefore have healthier

plants. Success with containers will en-

able you to enjoy beautiful ornamentals

where you want to see them, and can

give you the opportunity to grow your

own food, a practice that is becoming

increasingly popular.

The rst thing youll need is a contain-er. Terra cotta pots are popular because

their porous surface allows for the air

circulation that plants need, and over-

watering is less likely to occur. However,

they are not frost tolerant, and require a

move indoors in the winter. Plastic pots

can be a good alternative, but the risk

of over-watering is higher (check pots

for drain holes before purchasing). This

is your chance to be creative! Use anold boot, an old teapot, a bird bath, or

whatever else comes to mind. You may

need to add drain holes to some objects

or pots. Another alternative is to use an

Earth Box, or another type of self-water-

ing container, so you can save yourself

time and trouble by giving your plants

roots a consistent supply of water.

Next, you will need to purchase pot-

ting soil. Use the best potting mix you

can afford; it needs to drain well, so a

fairly lightweight potting mix is needed.

Packaged potting soil available at local

garden centers is relatively lightweight

and may make a good container me-

dium. (Test the lightness of bagged

potting soil by lifting the bag and compar-

ing it to a bag of top soil. The potting

soil should be much lighter than the top

soil.) You could also try mixing yourown potting soil by using one part peat

moss, one part garden loam, and one

part clean, coarse (builders) sand, and

a slow-release fertilizer (14-14-14) mixed

in according to container size. Some

gardeners place empty plastic bottles

in the bottom of extra-large pots to take

up excess space without adding extra

weight. (Hint: When working with extra-

large containers ll them with soil at their

nal location in the landscape moving

them after they are full and heavy may

be impossible.) The soil line should be

one inch from the top of any container to

provide a reservoir for adequate water-

ing.

Now its time for some fun! Gather

plants with similar sun and water re-

quirements to place in your container. If

youre putting together an ornamental

container, consider some simple designfactors. Youll need three types of plants

a tall focal point (the star plant of the

container), some ller plants to show off

the focal point and ll the pot, and some

trailing plants to anchor the container.

You can use complimentary colors (red

and green, orange and blue, yellow and

purple) to make a striking combination.

These colors used together will appear

more vibrant, and give you good con-

trast. If you use an evergreen plant as

a focal point, you can change the llers

and trailing plants with the seasons to

give you year-round interest. Remember

that simple plants show off an ornate pot

and amboyant plants are showcased

by simple pots. Ornamental container

gardens are the perfect place to experi-

ment and have fun! Use whatever plants

you enjoy.Many vegetables also grow well

in containers. Create a small lettuce

garden by growing a variety of colorful

and tasty lettuce varieties in a container.

Try a Mesclun mix that will include red

and green lettuces, a treat for the eyes

and also the palate. Herbs do well in

containers; you could put together either

a culinary mix or a medicinal mix. Many

people prefer to grow tomatoes in pots

because the fresh soil insures that the

plants will have less disease. Be sure

that the container you choose is large

enough to grow your chosen plants

to maturity. A cherry tomato plant will

require a smaller pot than a beefsteak

tomato plant.

It is very important to water container

plants regularly (dont wait until they start

wilting). The volume of soil is relatively


Container Gardeningby Pam Glogowski

and Michaela Berley

See Gardening page 8

8 Tuesday March 26 2013


8/20


small, so containers can dry out very quickly.

Daily watering may be necessary for contain-

ers in full sun when temperatures are above

ninety-ve degrees here in Aiken. (If your

plants require watering more than once daily,

then they are pot bound and need to be re-

potted in a larger container.) Apply water until

it runs out the drainage holes at the bottom

of the pot. Small pots tend to dry out more

quickly than larger ones. On a hot patio, you

might consider putting containers on pallets

or other structures that will allow air move-

ment beneath the pots and prevent direct

contact with hot cement. Check containers

once a day, feeling the soil to determine

whether or not it is damp.

If you use a soil mix with fertilizer added,

then your plants will have enough nutrients

for eight to 10 weeks. If plants are grownlonger than this, add a water-soluble fertilizer

at the recommended rate. Repeat every two

to three weeks. An occasional dose of sh

emulsion or compost will add trace ele-

ments to the soil. Do not add more than the

recommended rate of any fertilizer, since this

may cause fertilizer burn and kill the plants.

Container plants do not have the buffer of

large volumes of soil and humus to protect

them from overfertilizing or over-liming. Just

because a little is good for the plant does not

guarantee that a lot will be better.

Gardening Tips

Garden smart! Warm up your muscles be-

fore gardening and take frequent breaks to

get out of the sun and to get a drink of water.

Wear a hat, protective shoes, lightweight

comfortable clothes that cover exposed skin,

and gardening gloves. Apply sunscreen

frequently, and limit sun exposure by workingin the garden early in the morning or late in

the day.

Plan to attend the Aiken Master Garden-

ers Spring Education Day, Plant Sale, and

Perennial Exchange on April 20, 2013 from

8 a.m. to noon at the Aiken Farmers Market.

Gardening demonstrations will include small-

space composting, year-round planters,

drought tolerant plants, re ant control, and

many more. Beautiful plants will be for sale

at reasonable prices, and you are invited

to bring a plant to trade at the perennial ex-change. Participating organizations include

the Blue Bird Society, Beekeepers, Camellia

Society, Orchid Society, Rose Society, and

CoCoRaHS (Community Collaborative Rain,

Hail and Snow network).

Pam Glogowski is an Aiken Master Gar-

dener, and Michaela Berley is a Certied

Horticultural Therapist who works at Cold

Creek Nursery. If you have questions for the

authors, please send an email to pamg85@

gmail.com

Gardening... from page 7



9/20

y, ,

Craft ideas to transform your homeWhen it comes to home dcor,

consider crafting your own objects of

beauty.

Personalization adds a unique

and elegant touch to your home.

And with a little ingenuity, even

items youd normally throw away like

candy wrappers and old magazines

can be transformed into spectacular

vases, gifts and jewelry.

Grab a sheet of paper and holdit in your hands. Think of all the

things you can do with it: Crumple it,

fold it, rip it, paint it, weave it, stitch

it, tear paper into strips to make

papier-mch or cut it into intri-

cate designs. Each sheet of paper

contains endless possibilities, says

Kayte Terry, visual merchandising

manager for Anthropologie stores

and author of Paper Made, a newcrafting book full of project ideas

made from every day materials.

Heres a project you can try at

home, that just takes 10 steps. Terry

is offering directions for a Ring

Around the Rosey Vase, so you can

give your plants a unique home:

1. Use a craft knife, ruler, andcutting mat to cut magazine pages

into 600 1/4 inch strips.

2. Use cylindrical object of dif-ferent sizes as rolling instruments.

Roll the strips around the object

once, then brush glue on the next

section of the strip and roll again.

Dab glue at the end of the strip to

seal the coil.

3. Brush each roll with decoup-age medium and set aside to dry.

4. Trace the bottom of the jaronto the cardboard with pencil. Add

1 to the diameter, and use a craft

knife to cut it out. Cut a magazine

page in a circle 2 inches larger in

diameter than the base.

5. Brush one side of the card-board circle with white glue and

center and press it facedown onto

the magazine circle. Use the craft

knife to cut slits 1 inch apart from the

edge of the magazine circle to the

edge of the cardboard circle.

6. Brush edges of the maga-zine circle with glue and wrap each

1 inch tab around the edge of the

cardboard circle.

7. Brush glue along the outeredge of the circle and attach a row

of paper coils around the base. Vary

the size of the coils, making sure

that each coils edges touch the

next.

8. Continue gluing the papercoils, stacking them in uneven rows.

Every three rows, brush the insideand outside of the vase with decoup-

age medium and let dry. Leave more

space between the coils as the rows

stack higher.

9. Check the height of the vaseby placing the jar inside it. Add

paper coils until they rise about 1

above the glass jar.

10. Remove the jar. Brush theinside and outside of the vase with

decoupage medium and let dry com-

pletely before replacing the jar.

You dont need to spend a for-

tune on crafting supplies. By res-

cuing materials from your recycling

bin, you can transform your home

with unique colorful objects.



10/20

Dash...from page 1

With an age difference of ten years,these brothers were not always thebest of pals as they became adults.However, they grew very close overthe years. With over 800 in at-tendance at Bruces visitation and

funeral, Al heard many wonderfuland comforting comments about hisbrothers life.

Since Bruces death, many thingshave changed for Al. Keeping a prom-ise made to Bruces widow, Dr. CindySnell, Al proceeded with a medicalanalysis of his own heart, as well asa relook at his own end-of-life docu-ments, so that his wife Cindy will havewhat she needs. (Yes, both brothers

have wives named Cindy Snell, ironi-cally, along with the names Margaretand Samuel repeating often throughthe generations).

Currently, at St. Johns United Meth-odist Church where Al and Cindy aremembers, there is an exciting programled by Stephen Lathrop, president ofthe United Methodist Men, called Let-ters from Dad. More than two dozen

men are participating, writing lettersto the people who mean so much intheir lives. Fortunately, Bruce Snellhad already done something similarfor his four children, ranging in agefrom 24 to six. It was Bruces habitto write sticky notes to tuck insidelunch boxes, as well as letters to eachchild for every birthday and individualChristmas card. There was even afathers rehearsal dinner speech fromthe wedding of Bruces oldest son. Dr.

Snell, their mother, says what a greatcomfort these saved snippets of writ-ten words have been for their children,as each grieves in different ways.Al and Cindy Snell have spent their

youth, and again since 1990, in SouthCarolina. Celebrating 42 years ofmarriage, and residing in Houndslake,this couple is always a welcome ad-dition to any gathering, for their joyful

ways. They met at Lominicks DrugStore, in Newberry, SC, where bothworked as soda jerks during theirschool years. Als family moved fromColumbia to Johnston, relating to hisfathers work with PARGAS when Alwas ten. Ironically, both Cindy and Alhad three siblings, growing up. CindySnells maiden name was Lominick.Her father was the pharmacist andmanaged the Lominick Drug Storein Newberry, while his cousin ran the

one in Aiken. Al attended NewberryCollege, and Cindy got her undergrad-uate degree from Columbia College.Cindys father really liked Al, whichwas a plus in beginning their relation-ship.

Upon his graduation, Al spent 22

years in The U.S. Army, retiring as aLt. Colonel from his last assignmentat Fort Hood, Texas. A job offer camefrom Savannah River Site, underWestinghouse. This location pleasedthem both, bringing them closer totheir families, and back to SC. Alworked for an additional 17 years atthe Site. Cindy enjoyed the life of amilitary wife, mostly, and thought theopportunity to travel was a great fea-ture, for this small-town girl. Having

spent time in many locations aroundthe US, and three years in Germany,the Snells agree, made their two suc-cessful daughters more outgoing andindependent.

Cindy began her career after col-lege as a rst grade teacher. Shepreferred the school library environ-ment, where she applied her degree inElementary Education and Library Sci-

ence. Throughout their military yearsand those with SRS, Cindy taughta bit, but mostly worked in libraryenvironments. One exception whichwas particularly enjoyable includedher time working with GIs in Frankfurt,Germany, assisting them with readingskills.

At one point, Al says all three of hisladies were in college at the sametime! Cindy decided she would like to

return for a Masters in Library Infor-mation Science at USC, while Mollywas at the College of Charleston, andSara followed to her mothers almamater, Columbia College, in SC.

Daughter Molly Jones currentlymanages the downtown branch of TDBank in Aiken. Molly and DeWaynehave two incredible sons, Sam, 9,and Luke, 6. DeWayne has more

than one business pursuit. JonesEquipment and Repair is unique inthat he comes to the owners home orgrounds if need be, to x large farm orlawn equipment and engines. This isespecially helpful for polo eld own-ers, for example. His other pursuit isadvertised on a two-sided businesscard, namely: Buckwheats BBQ (ca-sual), and Allen Collins Catering (moreformal and varied menu). His BBQmeals are incredible! This fact will

soon be veriable by those attendingthe upcoming fund raiser for the Fel-lowship of Christian Athletes, Horsinand Hoggin, on March 30. The Bar-beque Cook-Off where DeWayne istempting our noses and palates will beheld in downtown Aiken on NewberryStreet. In fact, if you want to place a

pre-order for this delicious feast, evengetting a whole Boston butt, contactDeWayne Jones at 803-599-8303. Itis for a good cause, and will be anoth-er fun Aiken event for the family, thatsfor sure! Check the Aiken Standardfor time and cost details.

Younger daughter Sara is marriedto Tripp Johnson, a graduate of theCitadel. He is a nancial analyst forBlue Cross/Blue Shield, with one son,

Zimmy, 5. Sara is Executive Direc-tor of Alumnae Relations at ColumbiaCollege.

Al and Cindy call these grandchil-dren a true joy, and they prove it,by their frequent involvement in theactivities of these busy boys. Cindyassists three hours each week at Mill-brook each Monday, before headingto her volunteer activities with ACTS.

Reading to the younger students orassisting in talented teacher LeahLewis room suits this retired teacher/librarian just ne.

Grandsons Luke and Sam, parentsand grandparents went on Disneylandand a Disney Cruise a couple of yearsago. Al and Cindy are going backto the Disney Cruise with just Lukeand Sam this year. After all, Luke,then aged four, reminded these dot-

ing grandparents, There were somethings I didnt get to do!Al and Cindy have always been

involved in their church life. Theyattribute their delightful and gener-ous ways to gratitude for their manyblessings. Now, they have time for avariety of pursuits in their retirement.Al walks in the area woods with agroup of guys three times a week. On

Thursdays, he enjoys a round of golf,which he only took up after retiring.Fridays are reserved for their faithfulvisits with Als mom, Margaret. Thereare also visits with Cindys sisters on aregular basis. Al always liked garden-ing, and now has the time to enjoybeing a Master Gardener. Both arewilling to step up to leadership roles,whether it be with United MethodistWomen, St. Johns Church Council,Sunday school and Bible studies,

planting and pruning activities on thegrounds, or just offering a pair ofhands. Cindy also enjoys any kind ofbridge, reading, playing bells, and hernewest pursuit, Mahjong.

That twinkle of mischief is return-ing to Als expressive blue eyes, as

he uses the lessons learned from alife well lived by his beloved youngerbrother, gone too soon, to remindother fathers how to leave a legacy.Bruce Karl Snell most certainly did.other fathers how to leave a legacy.Bruce Karl Snell most certainly did.

HOW DO YOU LIVE

YOUR DASH

Joan Beall

I read of a man who stood to speakAt the funeral of a friend.

He referred to the dates on his tombstoneFrom the beginning...to the end.

He noted that first came his date of birthAnd spoke the following date with tears.

But he said what mattered most of allWas the dash between those years

(1916-2004)

For that dash represents all the timeThat he spent alive on earth...

And now only those who loved himKnow what that little line is worth.

For it matters not how much we own;

The cars...the house...the cash,What matters is how we live and love

And how we spend the dash.

So think about this long and hard...

Are there things youd like to change?For you never know how much time is left,

That can still be rearranged

If we could just slow down enoughTo consider whats true and real,

And always try to understandThe way other people feel.

And be less quick to anger,And show appreciation more

And love the people in our livesLike weve never loved before.

If we treat each other with respect,And more often wear a smile...

Remembering that this special dashMight only last a little while.

So, when your eulogys being readWith your lifes actions to rehash...

Would you be proud of the things they say

About how you spent your dash?



11/20

When good enough isnt good enoughLet me engage you in a little

game of imagination. Lets pretend

you are studying shoppers in a

grocery store and have decided to

follow me to see where I spend my

time.As you review your ndings you

see there are some places in the

store I zoom through and other

places where I spend more time.

The spice aisle, for instance, is a

place that requires no time for me.

If I am buying salt it is simple; I am

buying sodium chloride. NaCl. The

chemistry doesnt change. I am notfussy about the brand on the label;

salt is salt.

The fresh sh counter is a whole

differentwell - kettle of sh - you

might say. I spend a lot more time

there. On any given day the tilapia

may look slightly wilted while the

salmon appears fresh from the net.

Choosing well here matters for here

there is a difference.

Flash forward to the day you are

seeking in-home care for one or

both of your parents. You are not

buying salt here. To a great degree

the caregiver is a reection of the

company that employs him or her.Oh! Surprised I said him? It hap-

pens nearly every time I mention

that DayBreak has male caregivers

for those who are just more com-

fortable with one. That is just one

aspect of the DayBreak Difference.

As I was saying you will nd that

the agencys commitment to your

loved ones care is reected in thecaregiver. Take, for example, the

industry average turnover rate for

in-home caregivers. Turnover is

a whopping fty percent per year!

This number alone tells you some-

thing about commitment and job

satisfaction among caregivers.

DayBreak has an exceptionally

low turnover rate that puts us in the

top tier of in-home care companies.

Our caregivers have the servants

heart. Our caregivers are happy in

their jobs. Our caregivers are far

less likely to disappear when mom

or dad need them most.

Speaking of when they needthem most, many DayBreak care-

givers have already passed the

screening criteria for residential fa-

cilities in Aiken. Should your loved

one requires admittance to such a

facility, in many cases our caregiver

can go with them.

DayBreak caregivers have been

specially trained to provide excel-lent in-home care and tips. They

can survey the home and volunteer

suggestions to improve mobility and

safety inside the home; things that

make a remarkable difference in life

quality.

Happy, committed, well-trained

caregivers do make a difference.

Experience the DayBreak Differ-

ence.

Chrissa Matthews, MA, CCC/

SLP, is a native CSRA

resident and the owner of

DayBreak Adult Care

Services, Inc., Aiken, SC.



12/20

Sequestration cuts could hurt South Carolina seniors

Washington sequestration cuts are

now expected to take away an estimat-ed $1.5 million from senior programsin South Carolina. This is the type ofsituation that occurs as across-the-board cuts combine the good with thebad. Hurt the most in this state will bethe funding that provides services forsick and homebound senior citizens.Such home and community-basedservices commonly include a meal aday delivered to senior citizens and

vulnerable adults who are unable tocare for themselves. Oftentimes, vol-unteers who deliver these meals maybe the only contact that some of therecipients have with the outside world.These are people who have worked allof their life and simply need a helpinghand in their golden years. Theynever busted the budget, yet theyrethe ones getting busted by the lack ofleadership in Washington. Yes, we need to stop the decit

spending. Washington needs to bal-ance its budget like we do in SouthCarolina. However, to balance it on thebacks of people who have paid theirdues and helped this country move

forward over the decades is unaccept-able. Let me paint a picture of reality.South Carolina has one of the fastestgrowing senior populations in the na-tion. Currently, our senior populationis over 900,000 and is projected tonearly double by the year 2030. Evenwithout factoring in the discussion overrecent sequestration cuts in Washing-ton, our state doesnt have enoughmoney to cover the people who cur-rently need services. Over 8,000 areon a waiting list. As my ofce continues to ask theSouth Carolina General Assembly todo more with state resources in orderto close this gap, blows by the federalgovernment are preventing us fromreaching our goal of helping moreseniors and vulnerable adults. Theseare people who need a meal a day ora trip to a doctors ofce so that theycan avoid the transition to a more

expensive Medicaid nursing bed. Theyare not looking for handouts - just ahelping hand - so that they can remainindependent and on their own. The ev-idence is overwhelming that home and

community-based services are bothcost-efcient and the most produc-tive way for us to meet the challengeat hand. To see Washington goingin the opposite direction because oftheir failure to control their spending isjust at wrong. It shortchanges these

folks who cannot help themselves.Washington should help itself and thiscountry by steering our nation forward,targeting the cuts based on meritrather than jeopardizing the future ofour hard-working citizens.

Runaway spending has to stop. Ourleaders in Washington must learn toprioritize, which means making difcult

choices in order to save taxpayer dol-lars while keeping benecial programs

aoat. These cuts on senior services

will slash straight through a programthat will help our state and nationsave money and avoid a future humancalamity. Our home and community-

based programs have been proveneffective, and they cost our state 40times less money than a Medicaidnursing home bed. Yet, our leaders inWashington continue to dump mil-

lions more of our tax dollars into theMedicaid program without reform whilea program that delays people fromMedicaid gets hacked. Whether or notour state accepts the federal fund-ing, the massive Medicaid program ascurrently structured is not sustainableover the long term.

Regardless of which side of theissue you nd yourself, across-the-board cuts equate to poor politics - notgood policy. Congress cannot remainon the same path year after year whileexpecting different results. Until lead-ers in Washington begin to focus onsolving our nations lingering problemsinstead of worrying about the nextelection, the process will continue tohave damaging and lasting effects.Threatening essential services forseniors and vulnerable adults in ourstate is not only dangerous, but it isalso irresponsible.

Editorial by:

Glenn F. McConnell

Lieutenant Governor



13/20

The event will be held April

11, 2013 in downtown Aiken on

and off of Laurens Street and will

include visual artists displaying

and selling their artworks in the

Alley, a parade featuring deco-

rated golf carts, various equine

disciplines including carriages and

other entries showcasing Aiken.

The parade will begin at 6:30 pm.

The Grande Finale will include

performing artists on stage from 7

pm - 9 pm.

The event was created by the

City of Aiken Arts Commission in

order to give the visiting Masters

guests and the locals something

to do during masters week as well

as to promote the arts, equine and

golf communities and showcase

downtown Aiken.

Aiken is a very diverse com-

munity and offers unique shop-

ping and culinary experiences.

Aiken also lays claim to one of

the oldest golf courses in the

United States, is well known as

an equine community and has an

ever growing community of artists.

The second-ever Horses &

Courses promises to be the

event during Masters Week.

Second annual Horses and Courses event



14/20

Camellia Daze

Another unique variety of ca-

mellia blooms is one known

as Les Marbury. This is a

small pink and white striped

red formal double bloom. The

solid red bloom of Les Marbury

is pictured here showing theunusual form of petals stacked

up on each other. Les Marbury

was named for a past president

of the American Camellia Soci-

ety. Originated in 1985 by Dr. J.

M. Hubble of Suffolk, Virginia,

from a chance seedling, Les

Marbury is a 3 inch wide by 2

inch high bloom made up ofabout 50 petals. Its very cold

and heat resistant and blooms

from February to April making

it a good plant for the South

as well as the Northeast. Its

dark glossy leaves and rapid

growth habit makes it an at-

tractive plant for your garden.

One of the draw backs for this

bloom, especially if you love the

striped form, is that it may loseits stripes and revert back to a

sold colored bloom whenever it

wants. Because it is a fairly new

variety, your kind neighbor prob-

ably does not have it in his yard.

Searching the internet would be

the most likely place to fnd one.

Good hunting. Heres hoping

to see you along the CamelliaTrail.

Rio Grande Dave



15/20

Aiken Center for

ACTIVE SENIORS

We had a wonderful time celebrating one of our seniors birthday!

We shared laughs, cards and cupcakes. Our seniors enjoyed end-

ing the party with dancing to 70s Disco, we boogied the day away

at the Aiken Center for Active Seniors.



16/20

Boomer Briefngs. My grandson was just diagnosedith ASD. What can I do to ensure he is

rotected today, tomorrow and beyond

y life?

Today you can love him and reach outo his parents to let them know they haveour full support. One in 88 children born

in the U.S. or 1 in 54 boys has an autismspectrum disorder or ASD.i These childrenhave special needs, but also have a widerange of abilities. At rst and along the way

hese needs can be quite overwhelming.iiDramatic improvement can come with earlyintensive behavior intervention. Therapy

and intervention later in life can furtherdecrease symptoms.

I remember shortly after our secondgrandson was born, his older brother wasdiagnosed at age four. Our daughter im-mediately announced they were movingback to South Carolina because theyneeded help more hands, understand-ing hearts, and sincere emotional support.Unaccepted at preschool and then kinder-garten our daughter and son-in-law started

o home school their son. Loud noises and

crying babies would set off the holding ofears and a tantrum, so they avoided publicplaces and tried to always have someone

ready to hold the baby. Eventually ourgrandson was able to attend public schoolwith an adult shadow, but his parents werecalled almost daily over some behaviorincident, many that required sensitivediscipline and special in school training.But I want you to know our grandson hasa unique perspective on the world and wehave laughed far more than we wanted tocry. One year I gave my grandson a JohnDeere video. Like many high functioning

ASD children he obsessed over objects,but quickly learned and had an amazingrecall of minute details. One day he wan-dered away from his mother when she wasat Lowes. Knowing of his inability to inter-act with strangers, she was relieved to nd

him caressing a green riding lawn mowerand reciting the model numbers and detailsof the antique tractors he had memorizedfrom the video as several elderly gentle-men nodded approvingly nearby. After

some moments he sighed, placed his head

lovingly on the hood and said, a JohnDeere. You will still have treasured mo-ments and successes to celebrate.

Today our grandson is doing well inschool and even able to ride the schoolbus, sing in his church choir, perform smallroles in plays and run distance races withhis dad. Alongthe way weve helped with care, transporta-tion, backup, being a sounding board andsometimes money. Like most grandpar-ents of ASD children, our family is undoubt-edly closer and more caring because thisgrandson required all our efforts and so

deeply touched our hearts.While all parents should designate

guardians for their children in a will, this isespecially important for parents of specialneeds children. A gift card for legal ser-vices may be unusual, but a sensitive andwise birthday present for your child. Ad-ditionally, parents need to create a writtenplan to pass on key information to an alter-nate caregiver in the event of the parentsdisability, incapacity or untimely death.

Most ASD children would benet greatly

by a grandparent creating a special needstrust to ensure the childs future. A trustcan be created now and funded with anannual gift tax exclusion, currently up to$14,000 per year could be gifted with notax implications. If your income and assetsare more modest, a special needs trust canbe created in a will and funded

Attorney Linda Farron KnappA member of the National Academyof Elder Law Attorneys

See Boomer page 18



17/20

One year ago, Dr Oz dubbed redraspberry ketone the "Number 1miracle in a bottle to burn your fat".I thought like many fad weight losssupplements, the fervor for redraspberry ketone (RK) would diedown and we could all go on with theunderstanding that there is no magicbullet when it comes to achieving ahealthy weight. That is, until earlierthis month when my computer was

hacked and hundreds of my clientswere suddenly getting emails fromme urging them to buy the product!Of course, most of my clients wouldknow that I don't endorse any particu-lar brand or product but unfortunately,some of my faithful clients fell preyto the scam. At least the stuff is notoutrageously expensive but I willagain, publicly this time, apologizeto all of those who gured "if Dr. OzAND Cyndi recommend it, it must besomething worth trying!"

So the ood of phone calls andemails I received about the productprompted me to do my own in-depthstudy on what research actually hasbeen done on the product so I couldgive denitive answers to those whoquestion it's efcacy.

The claim made by the producers ofthe product is that with no negativeside effect, RK helps the body burnfat. Proponents of the product basetheir claims (studies done on malemice) on the compound's ability toincrease blood levels of adiponectinwhich is a hormone that is naturallyput out by fat cells. High levels of thishormone are found in healthy peopleof normal, healthy body weight. Lowlevels are associated with obesity,elevated insulin levels and elevatedtriglyceride levels known to indirectlylead to metabolic syndrome and car-

diovascular disease.

Early studies on humans revealedthat good old fashioned weight lossvia a healthy diet and exercise willboost adiponectin levels. Despitethis, we live in a culture where snakeoil and magic bullets for weight lossare feverishly sought after. Thus thepopularity of RK as an over the coun-ter supplement.

So, currently we can say that thestudies on the fat male mice arepromising, but no studies examiningRK in humans exists. And of coursewhat happens in a mouse isn't neces-sarily what will happen in a human.

Currently RK is approved as safeby the FDA as a food additive, we'llhave to wait for studies assessing thesafety of the higher amounts found inthe supplements, however. Besides,some RK supplements also contain

other additives such as bitter orange,

caffeine and hoodia. Even the RKitself may have stimulant like effectsso I do caution my clients with heartdisease, high blood pressure andglaucoma to avoid them. What'smore, there have been reports thatthere is a possible drug interactionwith blood thinners like Coumadin

(Warfarin) and is therefore contra-indicated in people who take thesemedications.

While I wait for more research that in-cludes long term human studies, I'msticking with the good old fashionedrecommendations for losing weight.For more information on that topic, Ican be reached at 803-642-9360 orat [email protected]

Red Raspberry Ketone:

From Dr. Ozs Lips to Your EarsCynthia F, Catts,

RD, LDMedical Nutrition

Therapist in

Private Practice


Boomer from page 16


18/20

Boomer...from page 16

with life insurance. Leaving monies in a

will without a trust could jeopardize the

ASD childs public benefts and some

adults with special needs are not able to

manage funds or would be easy prey to

the dishonest. The old idea of just leav-

ing the special needs childs share out-right to a sibling is fraught with problems

because siblings can get divorced, get

sued, misuse the funds, become incom-

petent, or simply fail to carry out their

responsibilities. A well-meaning relative

can sabotage a well-crafted legal plan so

be sure to let your family know of your

trust so they can coordinate donations or

bequeaths into the trust.

Take a deep breath and know your life

will be different because of this grandson.

Both your life and his will be meaning-

ful and rich as you embrace his unique

journey. And thank you for reminding me

to tell my readers about WADD, World

Autism Disorder Day on April 2nd. There

are wonderful resources online and sup-

port groups to help your family.



19/20

Where the Young at Heart Gather

and Blossom is more than a tag line.

Its the philosophy we live by at Aiken

Center for Active Seniors. Days at the

center are designed so that seniors

enjoy a wide variety of fun and meaning-

ful programs including garden and pet

therapy, personalized tness and daily

Celebration of Life parties. ACAS

caters to seniors with mild to moder-

ate dementia and provides them with a

safe, loving atmosphere where they can

socialize with friends. The center also

cares for seniors with limited mobility

and urinary incontinence. Aiken Center

for Active Seniors is located under the

blue awning at 690 Medical Park Drive.

Please visit us on Facebook, online at

www.aikenactiveseniors.com or call

226-0355 for more information.

Active Seniors Mardi Gras walk

How to brew theperfect cup of coffee

Its not magic. Brewing the

perfect cup of coffee can take

place in your own kitchen!

As with any recipe, fresh,

high-quality ingredients mat-

ter. Start with fresh, cold

water. If you dont like thetaste of your tap water, use

ltered water for better avor.

Remember, grinding coffee

in advance of brewing means

loss of avor. So invest in a

coffee grinder for a fresher

brew.

Not all coffee beans are

created equally -- rely on a

coffee with distinctive avor

proles and consistent roast-

ing, such as Portland Roast-

ing Coffee, named by Roast

Magazine as the 2012 Roast-

er of the Year.

Use 2 tablespoons of

ground coffee per 6oz of

water. Make sure your brew-

ing device reaches between

195F-205F to extract maxi-

mum avor.



20/20

MatureTimes, March 26, 2013

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Transcript of MatureTimes, March 26, 2013