The Best Times January 2015

Volume 33 No. 1

New exercise: It’s hard to beat

Drums Alive program keeps participants on the move. 0

www.jocogov.org /thebesttimes

Publication of Johnson County Government www.jocogov.org

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Flu: It’s nothing to sneeze at Exhibit: It’s aboutWilliam Strang Jr.

Advice helps to keep cold and flu season in check. Pages 20-21

Major flood in 1903 led to creation of Overland Park.

Page 25

theJanuary 2015

All aboard! Traincollector keeps his hobby on track

Pages 16-17

Johnson County Manager’s Office111 S. Cherry Street, Suite 3300Olathe, KS 66061

Best TimesINFORMING & SUPPORTING JOHNSON COUNTY’S 60+ ADULTS

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the editor’s view

Letters to the editor

DEADLINE FOR EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING COPY IS THE 8TH OF THE

MONTH PRECEDING PUBLICATION

Best Times

the

THIS & THAT

The Best Times, a monthly publication of Johnson County Government, is mailed without charge to Johnson County residents who are 60 years of age and older. Subscriptions are available for $15 annually for those who do not qualify to receive it. If you are interested in receiving The Best Times, call 913-715-8930.

Mission: The Best Times is a monthly magazine provided for all Johnson County residents age 60 and older, publishing articles that inform, challenge, support, entertain, and persuade.

Contributions to support the mission of The Best Times should be made payable to The Best Times and mailed to the address below, or online at www.jocogov.org/thebesttimes.

Publishing of letters from readers, opinion columns, or advertising does not constitute agreement or endorsement by this magazine or Johnson County Government.

Interim Director of Public Affairs and Communications: Jody Hanson 913-715-0423 email: [email protected]

Editor: Gerald Hay, 913-715-0736 email: [email protected]

Circulation: 913-715-8930

Advertising Sales: Che’rell Bilquist, 913-715-8920 email: [email protected]

111 S. Cherry Street, Suite 3300 Olathe, KS 66061 913-715-8930800-766-3777 TDD

On the CoverLouis Seibel, Olathe, has more than a thousand pieces in his model train collection, including a model train his father used to set up around the Christmas tress when he was a child.

Cover story photos by Paul Andrews

Volume 33, No. 1 January 2015

ByGerald Hay, editorThe Best Times

The first Amendment is very dear. My editor’s view offers a viewpoint each month.

And, The Best Times also welcomes your letters to the editor as well.

Here are the main points of The Best Times’ letter policy in brief: • Letters need to be 200 words or less

and refer to an article published in The Best Times over the last three months.

• All content in submitted letters has to have something to do with Johnson County and be written by a Johnson County resident.

• We require a full name and address as well as a phone number for verifi-cation on all letters considered to be published. The name of writer and city of his/her residency will appear with the letter; the full address and phone number will not.

• Letters are subject to editing and are not guaranteed to appear in The Best Times.To learn about the various ways you

can submit a letter to the editor and to

review all of our policies and guidelines, please visit www.jocogov.org/thebest times or call 913-715-8930. (Ad on page 31 provides more information.)

Since assuming editorship of The Best Times, I have found out Johnson County residents care about their com-munity, have strong beliefs, and are not afraid to express them. That was clearly proven in October when both sides of the Health Care Compact Bill were included in the magazine. One view was from the Johnson County Commission on Aging; the other was an op-ed submission signed by 23 lawmakers from Johnson County.

Open and honest exchanges of ideas are what democracy is all about. Letters to the editor allow for a more diverse number of voices in our publication and include more of the community in our discussions. It is our policy to print all opinions, ones we agree with and ones we do not, and not just the popular ones or from one side or the other.

The views expressed in the letters to the editor are those of the writer only (within 200 words, of course) as long as it is not libelous and you sign your first and last name.

Letters to the editor represent the voice of our readers, and like the editor’s view, are expressions of opinion. That’s our shared right as Americans.

We believe in free speech above all else.

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Best Times offers a unique opportunity on a monthly basis to gain valuable exposure in a steady and growing Johnson County market.


Johnson County Area Agency on AgingPaid for by Old Americans Act funding

The Johnson County Area Agency on Aging (AAA) serves as your local host for the Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs).

The centers, located throughout the state, are visible and trusted places where people can turn for information, assistance, and a sin-gle point of entry to public long-term support programs and benefits. The statewide call center can be reached at 1-855-200-ADRC (2372) to initiate assistance anywhere in the state of Kansas.

What is an ADRC?ADRCs provide unbiased, reliable

information and counseling for those 65+ (or persons with a disability) who are looking for long-term care support options regardless of income level.

What happens when I contact the ADRC?Initial calls to the ADRC can inform an information spe-

cialist of a person’s needs, and start a process where resources and options to meet those needs are addressed. Information specialists can provide information and referral to community resources, an overview of eligibility criteria for public pro-grams, and perspective on the process that is involved to get assistance.

Information critical to a person’s specific needs is gath-ered during the initial contact. Clients may be provided infor-mation and referral, or in-depth options counseling, and/or an

assessment intake for services. How does the ADRC concept work in Kansas?

The state of Kansas, through the Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services, is entered into an agreement

with the Southwest Area Agency on Aging (SWKAA) (a representative entity for the AAAs serving all 105 Kansas counties). Through this agreement, ADRC services are provid-ed throughout the state. Other AAAs (including the Johnson County Area Agencies on Aging) are subcontracted with the SWKAA to provide statewide ADRC coverage.

Information, referral, and assis-tance, as well as options counseling, is

available to assist and direct the general population to benefits and services. Functional assessments are provided for Med-icaid waiver programs for the Frail Elderly (FE), Physically Disabled (PD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and Nursing Facility Level I CARE customers (a preadmission assessment program for individual entering a skilled nursing home).

Where do you go for Kansas ADRC services?By contacting the ADRC at 1-855-200-ADRC (2372),

you will be connected to the Johnson County AAA if you are seeking services in the county. There are 11 “walk-in centers” throughout the state, including one located in Johnson County at 11811 S. Sunset Drive, Suite 1300, Olathe.

ADRC: A trusted source of information, assistance

The staff of the Johnson County Area Agency on Aging wish you a happy and healthy 2015!

- hosts for your local Aging & Disability Resource Center

Approach the New Year with resolve to find the opportunities hidden in each new day. -Michael Josephson

Kansas Silver Haired Legislature filing date, election set for 2015

Elections for the Johnson County Silver Haired Legis-lature (SHL) are scheduled for March 10, 2015 from 11 a.m.- 2 p.m. at the Sunset Drive Office Building at 11811 S. Sunset Drive in Olathe.

Johnson County is represented in the Kansas Silver Haired Legislature (KSHL) by six at-large legislators. Elections will be held if more than six candidates apply. If less than six apply, additional representatives will be appointed. Membership in the KSHL provides an invaluable experience in the political process and the opportunity to advocate for legislative issues important to seniors.

Each October, 125 KSHL delegates meet in Topeka for a three-day session in which they debate and vote on measures passed by various committees. Bills that pass the full house are presented to the Kansas Legislature and the Governor as rec-ommendations for state policy. Read more at http://www.kdads.ks.gov/advocacy_legislation/legislative/silverhairlegi.htm. County residents age 60 and over who are registered voters may vote for the candidate of their choice. Eligible voters who

Continued to next page


Johnson County Area Agency on Aging

Eating is so much more fun

with friends!Join old friends and make new ones by lunching at one of the six SENIOR DINING SITES available in Johnson County. The Nutrition Program of the Johnson County Area Agency on Aging, 913-715-8888, serves nutritious meals Monday through Friday at 11:30 a.m. for those 60 and older, and offers fellowship, recreation, and educational programs. The meals are provided through the Older Americans Act. A suggested donation of $3.00 is requested. To reserve a meal, just call the center of your choice by 10:00 a.m. one day in advance. Menus for meals provided through the Nutrition Program are available at http://www.jocogoc.org. We hope to see you there soon!

De Soto Neighborhood CenterDe Soto Community Center

32905 W. 84th St. • 913-585-1762Gardner Neighborhood Center

Gardner Community Center128 E. Park • 913-856-3471

Lenexa Neighborhood CenterLenexa Senior Center

13425 Walnut • 913-888-6141Merriam/Shawnee Neighborhood Center

Merriam Community Center5701 Merriam Drive • 913-677-2048

Overland Park Neighborhood CenterMatt Ross Community Center

8101 Marty St. • 913-648-2949Spring Hill Neighbors’ Place

Spring Hill Civic Center401 N. Madison • 913-592-3180

CHAMPSS ProgramSenior dining at select Hy-Vee’s

913-715-8894

Home Plate Nutrition ProgramSeven frozen meals following

hospital discharge913-715-8810

Paid for by Old Americans Act funding

By Gordon L. Davis

Nutritionists have long agreed that breakfast is the most im-portant meal of the day. Now the recipients of a new and

innovative program of Johnson Coun-ty Nutrition’s Meals on Wheels program will enjoy a breakfast program to get their days off to a healthy start!

The exciting offering began on Dec. 9. A cold breakfast is available to clients on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday only, which is delivered the same time as the regular hot noon meal. Menus are provided to clients, and the meals are appropriate for diabetic clients as well.

The breakfast pro-gram will initially contin-ue for six weeks follow-ing the start date. At the end of this time period, clients will have the op-portunity to continue re-ceiving the breakfast meal three days per week. While there is no fee for this breakfast meal, donations are accepted. A suggested donation for two meals per day is $5. No one is denied services for the inability to donate.

On the three designated delivery days during which both breakfast and lunch meals are served, the meals pro-

vided to Meals on Wheels recipients will provide 2/3’s of the Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) recommended for older adults. A serving of 1 percent milk will be delivered with each meal.

On holiday weeks, breakfast meals will be delivered on Mon-days and Tuesdays only.

Johnson County Area Agency on Aging (AAA) staff hope recipients are as excited as they are about this new program, and recognize the health benefits of receiving breakfast. If you have any questions about the breakfast program spe-cially, call 913-715-8891.

Seniors who eat at the Nutrition Centers will have the option to order a breakfast when making a lunch reservation.

The Meals on Wheels program, a service of the Johnson County AAA, delivers meals Monday through Friday to senior adults (60+) who are

homebound through a network of dedi-cated volunteers. To inquire about ini-tiating Meals on Wheels service, please call 913-715-8861. Gordon Davis is an information specialist with the Johnson County Area Agency on Aging.

New program offers breakfast to Meals on Wheels recipients

Jasen Mangrum, Olathe, was among the volunteers who helped launch the Meals-on-Wheels break-fast program on Dec. 9.

Kansas Silver Haired Legislature election setContinued from page 5are not able to make it to the election sites on March 10 may request an absentee ballot on or before February 20th. Candidate information will be available at the election site and posted at http://www.jocogov.org/hsd prior to the election.

Seniors may file for election to KSHL by February 10th Johnson County residents who are at least 60 years old on or before March 10, 2015 and registered voters may file to be a candidate for election to the Johnson County delegation of the KSHL. Nomination is secured by an intent form and a $25 filing fee made out to “KSHL” or the intent form and a petition signed by 50 county residents age 60 or older. For a candidate registration packet, please call the Area Agency on Aging office at 913-715-8860. Petitions or filing fees must be received by the end of business day on February 10, 2015.


By Gerald Hay

The need for volunteers to deliver meals for the Johnson County Meals on Wheels pro-

gram and to provide transpor-tation to citizens through the Catch-a-Ride service, seems to be endless.

That’s because Human Services’ cadre of dedicated, enthusiastic volunteers is constantly changing. Some drivers pack up their cars and head for Florida or Texas before the arrival of winter. Others become less predict-able because they are uneasy driving in the challenging weather. Still others take a temporary break from their volunteering.

With the start of the New Year, the call for new volun-teers again is being heard for both full-time and substitute drivers—now.

Johnson County Meals on Wheels is a service of the Johnson County Area Agency on Aging, providing nutritious meals delivered by volunteers to county residents who are 60 or older; home-bound; unable to drive, shop for groceries, or cook their

own meals; or have no one to assist with meal preparation.

Meals are delivered 10:45 to 11:45 a.m. Monday through Friday throughout Johnson County, but indi-vidual volunteers typically choose one day each week to deliver. Some deliver more often. Others make them-selves available as substi-tutes. Meals on Wheels has a special need for volunteers in Merriam, and for substitute

volunteers in Overland Park. Meals on Wheels may

be delivered by individuals, families, civic groups, faith-based community teams, and employee teams. Children are welcome to accompany a parent on the route. The pro-gram is funded by the Older Americans Act.

Catch-a-Ride, a transpor-tation service, is a completely volunteer-based program in which senior adults, people

with a disability, and peo-ple in a major life transition are given rides to medical appointments, grocery stores/food pantries, and social service agencies. Clients are people who cannot drive themselves and do not have a network of people who can drive for them.

Volunteers can drive “anytime, anywhere” or only at certain intervals or in certain areas of the county, depending on the volunteer’s needs and schedules. Catch-a-Ride has a special need for drivers in rural areas such as Gardner, Spring Hill, and De Soto.

If interested, Human Services asks all new volun-teers to attend an orientation training prior to volunteer-ing. Orientations occur twice a month. All sessions take place at the Sunset Drive Office Building, 11811 South Sunset Drive, Olathe.

To volunteer or for more information, contact Brandy Hodge, Volunteer Coordi-nator: Call 913-715-8866 or e-mail [email protected].

Make a resolution to volunteer in 2015!

Join our dedicated group of Human Services’ volunteers in the New Year and be of service to others. Among those sharing of themselves through the Meals-on-Wheel pro-gram in Overland Park this past year were Rose Diederich (left); Thomas Parks, Johnson County Library staff; and Sherry Diederich.

Johnson County Area Agency on Aging

Kansas Legal ServicesSeniors receive legal consultation and representation, education, and

assistance with civil cases and access to public benefits, including issues such as housing, Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid, powers-of-attorney, living wills, and consumer advocacy. Services are provided by Kansas Legal Services on a donation basis. To be eligible for legal services, a client must live in Johnson County and be 60 years of age or older.

To schedule an appointment with Kansas Legal Services, contact the center you wish to visit. Be sure to provide the name of the client, not the name of the person making the appointment. Funding for Kansas Legal Ser-vices for older adults (60+) is provided through the Older Americans Act and private contributions. Clients are not billed for services, but contributions are greatfully accepted.

To apply for Kansas Legal Services, call 913-621-0200 or a central intake line at 800-723-6953.

Sunset Drive Office BuildingThursday, Jan. 89 a.m. - 1 p.m.

11811 S. Sunset Drive, Olathe913-715-8860

Matt Ross Community CenterWednesday, Jan. 21

9 a.m. - 4 p.m.8101 Marty Street, Overland Park

913-642-6410

Helping older adults to live in the community with independence and dignity.

Information & Referral . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 913-715-8861Senior Health Insurance Counseling for Kansas (SHICK) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 913-715-8856Volunteer Services line . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 913-715-8859Commission on Aging meetings will be held from 9-10 a.m. the second Wednesday of each month in Room 1070/1075, Sunset Drive Office Building, 11811 S. Sunset Drive, Olathe. Regularly scheduled meetings will resume on January 14, 2015. The meetings are always open to the public. For more information, call 913-715-8860 or 800-766-3777 TDD.AAA programs are funded by the Older Americans Act and state funds through the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services, Johnson County government, agency matching funds, and individual participant donations.Johnson County government does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, or disability in employment or the provision of services.

Paid for by Old Americans Act funding

Aching back: Rooting out gardening toil


the extension connection

By Dennis Patton

Let’s face it we are all getting older. The drive, energy and zest to accomplish tasks are just not what it used to be. As I have aged I look for ways to work smarter, not harder. How can I do the things I like to do while

decreasing the amount of labor it takes?It will come as no surprise to you that I love to garden. I

enjoy getting outside tending the plants and take great pride in the beauty it creates. But I must admit that every once in a while I catch myself looking around the backyard and mut-tering these words, “What have I created!” Did my youthful passion overtake my sensibility for the future?

I know some of you don’t think of gardening as fun. Some of you think it is a necessary evil to help maintain property values and “fit in” with the neighbors. But whether you love gar-dening or not, we all look for ways to have a beautiful landscape with less work.

There are simple ideas that can be incor-porated so that we can have the beauty we desire while reducing the work. We just need to think smarter and make the work easier.

It goes without saying that there is no such thing as a maintenance free landscape. But the best place to start is with a smart design. Often we create more work that is not necessary. Simply put, we make it harder than it needs to be.

Follow KISThe best piece of advice for reducing the maintenance is

to follow this approach which can be applied to many areas of life. That is to use the concept of KIS: keep it simple. The more features the more work. For example, formal hedges require shearing; get rid of them. Fences require edging when mowing. Water features require maintenance.

Keeping it simple does not mean it has to be dull and boring. Another tip is to locate the higher maintenance fea-tures closer to the home. The higher maintenance plants tend to have more color and impact. We all tend to walk more often around the home, exiting the front door or relaxing on the pa-tio. Being close to the home means we are more likely to care for it routinely and with less effort. How often do many of us go to the back corners of the yard? If it involves watering that means dragging a hose. Often these areas get forgotten, grow out of control and then take more energy to rein back in.

Less maintenance in mindDesign your landscape with less maintenance in mind.

The best tip is to group your plantings into beds. Get rid of scattered, randomly placed plants. By grouping into beds with sweeping edges we decrease work. The plants create the im-pact and the mowing is reduced. The flowing edges allow for the mower to easily move around the bed. Scattered plantings increase the mowing and trimming time as you start and stop more to mow around objects. When the plants are placed in beds, whether islands in the yard, borders along the property line or around the foundation, it makes more impact with less.

We all love flowers, but face it they are higher mainte-nance. Annuals and perennials require yearly care, planting, dividing, water, fertilizing. I am not saying get rid of them but

use them sparingly and in high impact areas. Remember the tip above: place higher maintenance plants closer to the house. Use them as spot color at the entry and around the patio, if desired.

I know in my own personal garden this is one of the tips I am incorporating. I have been removing the perennials that spread and need constant divisions. I now only grow “clump-ers” that rarely need divided. I am replacing them with shrubs that flower to add spot color.

Mulch curtails weedingWeeding the garden is a chore no one likes. Your best

friend in decreasing work is mulch. Mulch provides many benefits; let it be the workhorse in the garden. Mulch controls weed growth, conserves moisture, reducing water, and adds

that finishing touch. All it takes is a two-to-three-inch layer evenly covering the bare soil. I know mulching seems like work, and it is. But think about all the time and energy it saves later. It is worth the effort.

The last tip, which I have taken to heart, is to invest in an irrigation system that does the work for you. I struggled for years watering a back bed. I followed all the other rules, large sweeping bed, easy to mow around, low maintenance plants, but watering was a chore. This past spring I solved the issue for less than one hundred dollars. I installed a simple drip irrigation system that puts the water right at the root zone. No dragging hoses or setting sprinklers. Just turn it on for a few hours and pouf, the area is watered.

As you can see it only takes a little brain power to figure out ways to have a beautiful landscape without all the work. Just follow the keep-it-simple approach and utilize a few tips to help you work smarter not harder. Now that monster I creat-ed seems a little more manageable.Dennis Patton, horticulture agent at Johnson County’s K-State Research and Extension Office, can be reached at 913-715-7000 or [email protected].


Volunteer drivers sought for JET ExpressBy Ruth Baum Bigus

Internist Mel Glazer retired from his medical practice several years ago after a lengthy career helping others. However, the doctor was not content to sit back, play an occasional game of golf and stop his helping ways. So Dr. Glazer took on a new

role, one he says is easy to fulfill – that of volunteer driver with JET Express.

A program of Jewish Family Services, JET (Jewish Elder Transportation) Ex-press provides rides for older adults (65-plus) who no longer drive, taking them to the plac-es they need to go.

Whether it’s to the doctor’s office, shop-ping, to synagogue or church, or to meet a group of friends for a social outing, JET Ex-press is helping older adults stay independent longer, and the volun-teers who help them feel like they make a difference in someone’s life.

Jewish Family Services, located at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City, 5801 West 115th Street, Overland Park, provides services regardless of religion, race, or economic status.

“People are so grateful,” Dr. Glazer said. “It’s such a positive thing … and it’s one that fits with anyone’s schedule.”

Dr. Glazer, who is Jewish, provides rides for Charlie Carpen-ter, a blind man who lives alone with his beloved dog. He is not Jewish. They go to the grocery store to shop and gently bicker over what items to buy. Because of their rides together, the two men have become the best of friends.

JET Express needs more volunteer drivers for the program. Expanding the cadre of volunteer drivers is crucial. During one

month, 77 rides were cancelled because there were not enough volunteers to take them. Becoming a volunteer is convenient, flexi-ble, and rewarding—and anyone can participate regardless of their religious affiliation.

Volunteer drivers choose when, where, and who they drive. Using a simple computer program, volunteer drivers log in to choose how often they want to provide rides whether it’s once a month or every week.

It’s easy to become a JET Express driver. Qualifications in-clude:• You must be at least 21 years of age; • You must hold a valid driver’s license and have current auto

insurance coverage; and,• You must use your own vehicle.

Volunteer drivers must take part in a brief, one-hour train-ing session. If you’re interested in volunteering for JET Express, please call 913-730-1410.

Since the service began in 2008, JET Express has provided 11,940 rides to 401 riders! That adds up to more than 10,701 vol-unteer hours donated with 148,213 volunteer miles driven. There are now 170 active older adult riders in the program.

Potential riders should call 913-981-8877 for membership forms and information.

Another volunteer for JET Express is Debbie Sosland-Edel-man. Despite working fulltime as the executive director of a local foundation, Sosland-Edelman finds the time to drive Ruth Johnson, an active 91-year-old woman. Sosland-Edelman, who is Jewish, drives Johnson, who is not Jewish, to a number of her activities at church. The two have come to share more than rides.

“Our driver/passenger relationship has grown into a deep and abiding friendship with mutual respect for our individual tradi-tions,” Sosland-Edelman said.

Dr. Glazer and Carpenter have become friends, too, thanks to JET Express.

“Charlie’s quite a guy,” Dr. Glazer said. “He knows I’m a doctor, so he challenges me on health issues all the time. We enjoy being together.”Ruth Baum Bigus is community relations director at Jewish Family Services.

Debbie Sosland-Edelman, left, is shown with Ruth Johnson.

New fee affects walk-in renewalsof motor tags

Beginning January 1, 2015, residents who re-new vehicles in person at the Mission Motor

Vehicle Office, 6000 Lamar, or Olathe Motor Vehicle Office, 782 N. Ridgeview Road, will be charged an additional fee of $5 for each vehicle tag renew-al.

Residents can renew their vehicle(s) online at kswebtags.org or by mail to avoid pay-ing the additional $5 fee per vehicle.

The additional fee applies only to in-person renewal transactions.


inside story

By Gerald Hay

Johnson County is cel-ebrating the New Year with a new exercising program that lets par-

ticipants exercise to the beat of their own drums – literally.

Sponsored by the John-son County Park and Rec-reation District’s 50 Plus Department, the Drums Alive classes combine traditional aerobic movements with the powerful beat and rhythm of drums. Instead of beating on a drum, however, participants will whack a large exercise ball with a pair of drumsticks, similar to drumming, and perhaps unleashing their inner rock stars. Or, as Sonny and Cher once noted: The beat goes on.

The new 50 Plus class is a low-intensity workout that improves memory, motor skills, and coordination. Drums Alive begins January 13 at the Matt Ross Com-munity Center, 8101 Marty, Overland Park.

According to Debbie Shearer, class instructor, the beauty of the class is that anyone can do it, regardless of age, fitness level, or phys-ical limitations. Drumming in a group also fosters a sense of community and helps to release any inner aggression.

“Some people are in-timidated by movement that they don’t think they can do; anybody can beat on a ball,” Shearer said.

The drum sticks, she said, are the means to an end.

“You’re using the sticks as a mechanism to keep moving, and there’s constant movement,” Shearer said.

Unlike other exercising classes that require a certain level of fitness or experience, Drums Alive doesn’t require

any musical experience or skill.

“I’m not a drummer,” Shearer said with a smile. “It’s not about drumming. It’s about coordinating the body to do many things at once.”

Drums Alive basically gets participants to move, bend, and stretch, which some probably desperately need, to improve their health

or physical condition. The 50-minute workout is de-signed for cardio improve-ment along with exercising biceps and tri-ceps, chest and back muscles, and shoulders and some lower body as well as hand-eye coordination.

Participants will be seat-ed during most of the class, but some exercising will involve standing, if partic-

ipants are able. It will be a multi-level class with various sizes of balls, depending on the capabilities of the par-ticipant. Large balls will be easier to hit; smaller balls more challenging.

The class is not simply a matter of hitting a ball with drumsticks. Routines will en-hance body motions by clicking drumsticks overhead and on both sides with stretched arms, bending to hit the balls on each side, dancing around the balls, or doing squats and lunges.

As in any other group fitness class, Shearer offers direction, telling participants when to pound on their exer-cise balls, when to click their sticks, and when to drum on a neighbor’s ball.

She plans to provide background up-tempo music from the 1950s and 1960s as part of the class environment. Tempo will range from about 120 to 180 beats per minute.

“You can be as wild and crazy as you want,” she quipped. “It’s an exercise that’s hard to beat.”

Two classesset in 2015

Two Drums Alive classes are scheduled in early 2015 at the Matt Ross Community Center, 8101 Marty, Overland Park.

One session begins on January 13; the other on March 10. Both will take place from 2-3 p.m.

The cost for the class is $52 for Johnson Coun-ty residents or $57 for non-residents for eight classes.

Call 913-642-6410.

Debbie Shearer is instructor of the Drums Alive classes.

New exercise: It’s hard to beat


Monthly Social Security and Supple-mental Security Income (SSI) benefits for nearly 64 million Americans will increase 1.7 percent in 2015, according

to the Social Security Administration.The 1.7 percent cost-of-living adjustment

(COLA) will begin with benefits that more than 58 million Social Security beneficiaries receive in January 2015.

Increased payments to more than 8 million SSI beneficiaries began on December 31, 2014.

The Social Security Act ties the annual COLA

to the increase in the Consumer Price Index as determined by the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Some other changes that take effect in January of each year are based on the increase in average wages. Based on that increase, the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax (taxable maximum) will increase to $118,500 from $117,000. Of the estimated 168 million work-ers who will pay Social Security taxes in 2015, about 10 million will pay higher taxes because of the increase in the taxable maximum.

Theatre in Park lists 2015 shows

A full lineup of family-friendly shows is planned for The The-atre in the Park’s 2015 season at Johnson County Park and

Recreation District.The musical productions will in-

clude: • “The Wiz” (June 5-7 and 10-13), • “West Side Story” (June 19-21 and

24-27), • “The Secret Garden” (July 3-5 and

8-11), • “Annie Warbucks” (July 17-19 and

22-25), and• “Shrek” (July 31 - August 2 and Aug.

5-8).“West Side Story” is the only pro-

duction rated PG while the other four are all rated G. “West Side Story” is also the only show in the lineup which has been performed at The Theatre in the Park (TTIP) before, most recently in 2005.

After a successful collaboration with The Jewish Community Center of Kansas City’s White Theatre in Overland Park on “Hairspray” in 2013, the 2015 production of “Shrek” will also be a collaborative effort with the community center. The show will appear at the White Theatre July 11-26.

Cast auditions are tentatively set for Saturday, March 28, and Sunday, March 29, at a location to be announced. To be notified of TTIP auditions and other up-coming events, visit the theater’s website at www.theatreinthepark.org.

It is anticipated the Movies in the Park program, which was introduced in 2013, will return in 2015, but this season’s films will probably not be announced until April or May.

The Theatre in the Park is located in Shawnee Mission Park at 7710 Renner Road, Shawnee.

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elder law

New resource for divorce filingBy Alexandra R. English

There is a new resource to assist you with filing for divorce in Johnson County. You can make use of it whether you are 19 or 90. It’s called the Johnson County Help Center, and it is located in the basement

of the Johnson County District Courthouse in downtown Olathe. So what is it?

If you want to file for divorce pro se (mean-ing you represent yourself in a divorce case against your spouse), the Help Center has com-puters and forms available for your use, free of charge. It is a one-stop shop. The Help Center is staffed by several full-time district court clerks.

If you need guidance in filling out the forms (not legal advice), a clerk can assist you. A clerk can also file your paperwork once it is complete and assist you in scheduling your first court date. The goal is to make the process easier for individuals who either choose not to hire an attorney or who cannot afford to hire an at-torney. It also facilitates a more effi-cient court system because the proper forms are being completed and judges are spending less time with parties who do not know the correct procedure.

Sometimes, despite the fact that you have filled out your forms with the assistance of a clerk, there are issues that a clerk cannot resolve. The clerks are not allowed to give you legal advice. So while they can tell you where you are supposed to list your income on a particular form, they are not allowed to answer questions about how you specifically should calculate your income for maintenance (previously known as alimony) purpos-es. Accordingly, Kansas Legal Services has just been given a grant by the Johnson County Bar Foundation that allows us to have an attorney present at the Help Center two days a week to review pro se divorce documents (among other things) as well as provide parties filing for divorce with legal advice.

Some restrictions in assistance There are some restrictions to receiving this assistance.

You must qualify for our services: your income must be below a certain point and you must either be a citizen of the United States or a permanent resident. We must not have assisted your adverse party previously, otherwise that would create a conflict of interest.

All of the services we provide through the Help Center have a limited scope. This means that we will not be able to accept your case and represent you in court. Rather, we review legal documents and give you legal advice about how to proceed.

If you are interested in seeing if you qualify, be sure to fill

out an application at the Help Center. It is also useful to make an appointment to see the attorney, rather than showing up and expecting to see the attorney on the spot. Currently we have an attorney at the Help Center every Tuesday and Friday, though this could always change. People with appointments are given priority. If you do not have an appointment, there is no guarantee

that an attorney will be able to assist you immediately and you can expect to wait or possibly not be seen at all.

What happens if you do not qualify for Kan-sas Legal Services at the Help Center? You will be

provided with a list of private attorneys who take cases on a limited scope basis. While

you will have to pay for these attorneys, they all provide lim-

ited scope services, meaning that they will review your legal documents, give you legal advice about how to

proceed, and possibly even draft some of your

documents for you. If a private attor-ney takes a case

on a limited scope basis, they will not

charge you as much as they would if you hire them to represent you in your case. Hiring an attorney on a limited scope basis is a great way of ensuring that you are getting your simple divorce off to the proper start.

Filing for divorce is a complicated matter. It is always my recommendation that if you can afford an attorney, that you should hire one to represent your interests in a divorce. This is especially true if there is high conflict in the case, if there are assets and retirement plans to be divided, if you are requesting maintenance, if you are fighting for custody of minor children, or if the case is in any other way high stakes for you.

Even if it is a simple divorce and you lost track of your spouse 20 years ago, navigating the rules and requirements to publish notice of the divorce in the newspaper is cumbersome. Having an attorney represent you in court will save you many headaches and possibly thousands of dollars by fighting for your rights in division of marital property. While it may be cheaper for you to file for divorce at the Help Center, you might not real-ize you are entitled to maintenance or half of a $100,000 pension if you do not consult with an attorney. Accordingly, if you can afford an attorney, get one!

If you cannot afford an attorney, the Help Center is a great starting point for you. You will find out what resources you qualify for and get a good start to your divorce. To contact the Help Center, call 913-715-3385. You could also go in person. It is open during normal courthouse hours. For the time being, the Help Center is only for domestic and family law cases. Alexandra R. English is an elder law attorney with Kansas Legal Services, Inc.


New study urges removing dentures while sleeping

Senior adults who wear their dentures when they sleep are at increased risk for pneumonia, according to new research.

The study included 524 men and women, average age about 88, who were followed for three years. During that time, there were 28 hospitalizations and 20 deaths from pneumonia.

Among the 453 denture wearers, the 41 percent who wore their dentures when they slept were about twice as

likely to devel-op pneumonia as those who removed their dentures at night, according to Toshimitsu Iinuma of Nihon University School of Dentistry

in Japan, and colleagues.According to the researchers, the risk

of pneumonia associated with wearing dentures at night is comparable with the high risk of pneumonia linked with mental impairment, history of stroke, and respiratory disease.

They also found that seniors who wore their dentures while sleeping were more likely to have problems such as tongue and denture plaque and gum in-flammation.

The implications of the study find-ings are straightforward – seniors should be told not to wear their dentures while they sleep, Frauke Mueller, of the Uni-versity of Geneva in Switzerland, wrote in an accompanying commentary.

The study was published in the Jour-nal of Dental Research.

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inside story

New book focuses on JoCo namesakeBy Joe Henderson

No history of Fairway and Johnson County could be written without including the Rev. Thomas Johnson who founded the Shawnee Indian Mission in Fairway and for whom Johnson County is named.

“Fairway was not incorporated as a Kansas municipality un-til 1949 but the tiny 1.1 square miles it occupies was the location of many historic events 200 years ago,” said Joe H. Vaughan in his recently published book “Thomas Johnson’s Story and the History of Fairway, Kansas.”

“None of those events resulted in longer or more lasting significance than the life and times of the Rev. Thomas Johnson between 1830 and his mysterious murder in l865,” Vaughan said.

Vaughan, 66, grew up in Kansas City, Kan. and lives in Prairie Village. He is an historian and author of several books on histories of Johnson and Wyandotte counties including “Images of Kansas City, Kansas,” “KC Media: A History of KCKN Ra-dio,” and “Historic Merriam.” He is a past president and historian of the Native Sons and Daughters of Greater Kansas City.

His well-illustrated book traces Fairway’s beginning from the founding of the Shawnee Indian Mission by Johnson, a Methodist minister, to pres-ent-day Fairway, one of the area’s prosperous suburbs.

Johnson, a native of Virginia, was sent to the Kansas Territory by the church to found a mis-sion and educate the area’s 27 Native Indian tribes in English and Christianity. The mission was first located in the Turner area in Wyandotte County in 1830 then moved by Johnson to 2,200 acres in what is now Fairway in 1839.

Johnson was a dominant, enigmatic figure, who used the mission as his personal power base. He was praised by some, disliked by others, because of his handling of the mission’s finances that made him wealthy. He soon established himself as the most powerful man in the area.

Johnson appointed himself to a legislature existing with little authority that “elected” him to the U.S. Congress in Washington, D.C. Although he was not permitted to take a seat because his election was determined to have been “irregular” he remained in Washington until passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act that set statehood boundaries for the two territories.

When Andrew H. Reeder, the first territorial governor of Kansas, arrived in 1854 he made the Indian Mission his head-quarters. Johnson was elected to the council and subsequently became president. He at first objected to the governor’s use of the mission saying “it would disturb classes.”

A year later, in 1855, the county was formed and officially named for Johnson. He received 1,900 acres of land that in-creased his already substantial wealth.

“Johnson was the logical man to be honored by having the county named for him. He was the most powerful man in the area,” Vaughan observed. “There are reports that Johnson was embarrassed by the attention and thought the county should be

named Shawnee for the predominate Indian Tribe in the area.” Though he continued to operate the mission until 1862

when the government closed it in 1858, Johnson moved his large family to a 600-acre farm located at the present intersection of 35th Street and Agnes Avenue in Kansas City, Mo. They lived in a large Colonial-style mansion said to be the best known home in that part of the city and was frequently visited by prominent Kansas Citians. He became associated with the Union Bank at 4th and Main streets in Downtown Kansas City further increas-ing his wealth.

When Kansas was granted statehood in 1861 and the Civ-il War broke out Johnson publicly condemned the secession movement by the South and asserted his loyalty to the Union. He offered the mission for use as barracks for Union soldiers.

But because Johnson was a native of Virginia and reportedly kept slaves at the Mission and his mansion there was a belief

that in reality he was a Southern sympathizer. There also were reports he’d used the mission as headquarters for the pro-slavery party in Kansas.

“What those reports may illustrate is that 18th Century public figures, similar to 21st Century public figures, often wafted back and forth from one opinion to another,” Vaughan wrote.

“Not unlike today’s politi-cians,’’ he added with a laugh.

The public uncertainty of Johnson’s true feeling about the war may have contributed to his murder at his mansion in the early morning hours of January 2, 1865.

The family was awakened by a commotion in the front yard. When Johnson opened the door he was confronted by a gang of armed men who started shooting at him.

He tried to slam the door but was hit in the heart, collapsed, and died in his wife’s arms. When they learned Johnson was dead, the men mounted their horses and rode away.

His murder remains a mystery. Some historians believe he was killed by bushwhackers thinking he was a Southern sympathizer. Others think the men believed Johnson kept at least $1,000 in the house, a sizable amount in that era, and the motive was robbery.

Vaughan says he leans toward the robbery theory, but leaves readers with this thought: “new information will likely be revealed by future generations of curious historians and researchers caught up with the insatiable desire to determine what really happened and why.”

“As for the history of Fairway, it will continue to be a chang-ing and fascinating suburban community as far into the future as anyone can imagine,” Vaughan concluded.

When Fairway was being developed by the J.C. Nichols Real Estate and Development Company it was surrounded by golf courses. Vaughan speculates that because of the course’s many grassy fairways city planners said “name it Fairway.”Joe Henderson was a federal court reporter with The Kansas City Star for 40 years and is now a freelance writer. He lives in Overland Park.

Joe Vaughan relaxes in his Prairie Village home.


Silver Haired Legislature lists 2015 priorities

shadow.indd 1 5/1/12 3:22 PMshadow.indd 1 5/1/12 3:22 PM

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Fun is important To receive a free copy.

By Alfie Thompson

The Kansas Silver Haired Legislature (KSHL) has endorsed three bills and four resolutions for consideration in 2015 by the Kansas Legislature.

A resolution is informational and en-courages legislators to support or provide continuing support for the issue. The purpose of a resolution is to let legislators know what the KSHL and seniors consider high priority without money requests attached.• The Kansas Legislature

established and funded the Kansas Senior Care Act and the SHL wants them to continue to provide adequate funding of Kansas Depart-ment for Aging and Disability Services to serve the long care needs of seniors.

• SHL encourages the Kansas Legislature to enact legislation ending payday lend-ing practices, which prey on those who can least afford them. Payday loans are known for extremely high interest rates that compound drastically when the bor-rower doesn’t pay the full loan in a short period of time.

• The SHL urges its members and seniors throughout the state to personally con-tact their elected representatives and encourage the reauthorization of the Older Americans Act of 1965. Additional funding is needed for the growing popula-tion of older Americans to allow them to lead productive and independent lives in their communities without risk of abuse, neglect, or exploitation.

• The SHL of Kansas recommends the Kan-sas Legislature to continue transportation services for the elderly, especially in rural transportation areas.A bill is submitted to the Kansas Legisla-

ture by a state legislator with encouragement from the Silver Haired Legislature to consider

its passage. The SHL supports:• A bill which requires insur-ance companies to put in writing, what vehicles are insured and un-der what circumstances. It would also require that insurance com-panies clearly inform the insured of the limits and protections and accurately reflect limit liability adjustments for inflation. • A bill to limit payday loans to $1,000 or less and limit the inter-

est charged to 15 percent maximum. The bill requires that loan terms can be no less than 13 days and no more than 120 days and limits the borrower to two loans at one time and prohibits the lender divid-ing the loan to increase the fees paid.

• A bill that adds acts which will be consid-ered a crime against an elderly or depen-dent person and increases the penalties for such crimes. It requires tracking indi-viduals convicted of crimes against such persons and requires licensing of persons serving them. The 2015 session of the Kansas Legisla-

ture begins January 12 in Topeka.Alfie Thompson is a member of the Johnson County delegation to the Kansas Silver-Haired Legisla-ture.

Legislativehotline startswith session

Johnson County Government again will offer a tollfree hotline to the Kan-

sas Legislature during the upcoming 2015 session.

By dialing the coun-ty’s main switchboard at 913-715-5000, callers can be connected to the Kan-sas Governor’s staff and to the offices of members of Johnson County’s leg-islative delegation in both the State House of Repre-sentatives and the Senate.

The hotline only oper-ates during the legislative session - from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays.

Another toll-free hotline is offered by the Legislative Reference Section of the Kansas State Library, provides access to state legisla-tive activity, messages to legislators, status of bills, voting records, and other important documents and information. That number is 1-800-432-3924.

Coffee with Birdsbegins January 6

A free Coffee with the Birds program begins January 6 at the John-

son County Park and Recre-ation District’s Ernie Miller Nature Center, 909 N. Kan-sas-7 Highway, Olathe.

Participants are invited to come sit, visit, and drink free coffee in an indoor wildlife viewing room and watch birds at the nature center’s feeders from 9 to 10 a.m. on Tuesdays through February 24.

No registration or reser-vations are required. Partici-pants can come and go as they please. For more information, call 913-831-3359.


cover story

All aboard: By Andy Graham

You’re never too old to play with trains.

Olathe resident Louis Seibel recalls

the model train that his father used to set up around the Christmas tree when he was a child.

“It was the same train my father had when he was five,” Seibel said. “A stan-dard gauge train from the late 1800s, before there was Lionel.”

He now has more than a thousand pieces in his model train collection that not only includes his father’s old set, but all the track and acces-sories necessary to construct many different displays and layouts. And between the time he dedicates as a member of the Turkey Creek Division of National Model Railroad Association and other such organizations, the collection is frequently put to good use.

Seibel claims that he’s now busier in retirement than when he was employed full-time. Sure, he also keeps oc-cupied with many other civic responsibilities, including as manager of Johnson Coun-ty Health and Environment Department’s WIC (Wom-en, Infants, and Children) garden at the Sunset Drive Office Building in Olathe. But involvement in model rail-roading keeps him plenty busy these days.

So what is so special about model railroading that a retired man would dedicate so much time (between 500-600 hours each year just work-ing on Union Station’s grand holiday display) and energy to a hobby once thought of as a child’s pastime?

“It’s a way of demon-strating your skill at building things,” Seibel said. “Building a town, building the scenery, upgrading the technology.”

He’s not alone. There are more than 195 members of all ages in the Turkey Creek Division, and that’s just one of many model railroad clubs in the region. The hobby is so popular that there are several area stores dedicated to supplying enthusiasts with the necessary supplies and equipment and, especially during the holidays, there are

frequent model train shows and expos all over the place.

On December 12, Seibel was busy setting up for the Great Train Expo at the Over-land Park International Trade Center. The convention hall was abuzz with railroaders fit-ting track, constructing scenes and building miniature worlds for the trains to explore. They Continued to next page

Train collector keeps his longtime hobby on track

Louis Seibel, Olathe, now has more than a thousand pieces in his model train collection. He can construct many different displays and layouts, including a town or a village. His collection includes a model train that his father used to set up around the Christmas tree when he was a child.


cover story

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Continued from page 16came from as far away as Texas and Iowa. Groups from Manhattan, Kan., and church groups also had trains set up and ready to wow.

It’s estimated that more than 1,000 visitors stopped by the Great Train Expo over the weekend to experience the wonder of these elaborate model train layouts.

Model train enthusiasts possess the varied skillset of an electrical engineer, artist, stationmaster, and construction foreman all rolled into one. Seibel claims not to have any one favorite train car or piece of equipment. The joy for him comes in the creation of a place – the trains are secondary.

Some build military installments; one guy built a circus, complete with an elephant that shot water out of its trunk. Seibel considers himself to be more of a city planner.

“It’s about being able to set up a town or village and do what you want,” Seibel said. “You have to use your imagina-tion and make it whatever you imagine it to be.”

He’s got a basement full of gear, including a 9-by-12-foot track layout. His wife is so supportive of her husband’s hobby that their living room is decorated with a train motif. People

at the hobby shops know Seibel by name, and while setting up at the Great Train Expo, men would frequently stop by for a handshake and to ask about other national train meet-ups.

Yeah, he’s a little bit of a celebrity in model train circles. One time a guy from the Netherlands came to Kansas City to interview him for a Dutch hobbyist rag. Do a Google search for “Seibel” and “trains” and all kinds of mentions are out there. He’s free to admit that while he might not have a favorite boxcar, there is

something other than building towns that keeps him so inter-ested in the model train world.

“It’s a fun way to make friends,” he said. “And I love pro-moting the hobby at events. Talking to kids and their parents about how to get started with model railroading is the great part.”

It all comes back to the childhood memories of the train around the tree, a way to stay young and active; a way to spread the joy to others. Andy Graham is a public information officer at the Johnson County Manager’s Office.

Train collector keeps hobby on track

Track layout uses imagination and attention to detail in a town.


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The Johnson County Sheriff’s and District Attorney Offices are warning residents of

two bogus phone scams where the caller claims to be from their offices.

Several citizens have reported receiving phone calls threatening arrest by the Sher-iff’s Office for failure to appear for jury duty in Johnson Coun-ty. Residents are warned by the caller to give varying amounts of funds utilizing a Green Dot Money card or warrants will be issued for arrest. This scam ap-pears to be targeting the elderly.

The District Attorney’s Office has also had an assistant district attorney impersonated in a similar fashion for the same scam involving the accusation of failure to appear for jury duty. The caller says the only way to avoid impending arrest is to transfer funds utilizing a pre-paid debit card. The Dis-

trict Attorney’s Office warns residents not to provide these fraudsters money under these false pretenses.

Neither the DA’s Office nor law enforcement will call residents asking for your per-sonal information or for money if you have missed jury duty. Fraudsters can make legitimate numbers appear on your Caller ID to trick you into thinking legitimate agencies are calling you when they are not.

The Sheriff’s Office pro-cedure for contacting those with warrants does not include a demand for immediate bond payment. There is a resource for the public to check on outstand-ing warrants out of District Court at www.jocosheriff.org.

Anyone concerned that he or she has fallen victim to a scam should contact local law enforcement to file a police report or contact the DA’s Consumer Hotline at 913-715-3003.


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In 2015: Plan your year, hit your targets

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By Gene Meyer

An all-time high 54 percent of us re-solved to save more, cut debt, and watch

our spending in 2014, poll-sters for Fidelity Investments, the mutual fund giant, report-ed a year ago.

Maybe six in 10 of us who made those New Year’s resolutions actually stuck with them – again an increase from earlier surveys – the survey found. We increas-ingly save to meet practical goals such as saving for retirement, college or to build an emergency stash than for luxuries. And nearly a third of us, 29 percent, made those decisions jointly with a spouse or loved one.

So, how do you improve your chances of meeting your financial goals for 2015?

First, be flexible, said Todd Minear, a financial planner at the Bank of Kansas City in Kansas City.

“As you go through the year, different financial issues are going to come up. You may need remodel-ing work on your house or to replace a car,” he said. “Be ready to deal with those things. Make a plan. Know the steps.”

Another early step, if you haven’t taken it already, is to take a realistic look at your monthly income, your ex-penses and how they balance, other financial planners say. And there are new tools to help if you’ve had trouble doing that before.

“Force yourself to learn a new technology,” said Sandi Weaver, head of Financial Security Advisors, a Prairie Village financial planning firm.

Excel spread sheets that are part of the basic package on many Windows systems are an excellent way to track your finances, Weaver said. But if you want something

more user-friendly, programs such as www.mint.com or www.youneedabudget.com work too.

Look at what you are spend-ing money on, too, not just how much is coming in or going out, Weaver said. This can be partic-ularly important if you are trying to top off retirement savings or some other long term goal.

“You may find you are spending money on things that aren’t really important to you,” she said. “You can change that.”

January often is an ide-al time to take these financial readings, said Barbara McMa-

hon, head of Innovest Financial Partners in Kansas City.

“Financial services compa-nies are sending out tax state-ments, so everything you need to review is there and fresh in your mind,” McMahon said.

Winter holidays also are a natural time for many of us to think about changes in our families during the past year and think about whether estate planning and succession plans still do what you want them, too, she said.

January also is a good month to review cash flow changes for

the whole year, said Randy Ge-rard, head of Creative Financial Services, an Overland Park finan-cial planning firm.

But remember anytime is a good time to run your numbers, Gerard added.

“It’s good to focus New Year’s resolutions on your per-sonal finances, but those should be an affirmation of your broader financial plans for the whole year,” he said.

The Fidelity survey also reported that the biggest reason many of us fear we might not hit our targets for the coming year is uncertainty about the future path of markets and the economy. But planners say we can make those more manageable too.

Start by checking the invest-ment in in your portfolio.

“We’ve had three good years in the market, and that makes it a good time to make sure you aren’t too heavily invested in particular types of stock,” Weav-er said.

“After all, we aren’t done with bear markets yet.”Gene Meyer, a Fairway resident, is a former staff reporter at The Wall Street Journal and The Kansas City Star.


Cold, flu season: Nothing to sneeze atto your good health

By Lisa Taranto Butler

Sniffles, aches, pains, and runs – perhaps in more plac-es than one. These classic cold weather symptoms can leave us feeling down-and-out for a few days or even a few weeks.

It’s very likely that most of us will attract a cold, flu, or fever for a few days or even longer during the winter months. But how can we delay or even combat the cold and flu bugs that seem to be infecting us with their yuck?

Here are a few ways to sanitize and keep your sanity at the same time.

The Flu - Debunk the Junk• Get a flu shot. It is the number

one prevention method for the flu and so easy to get these days. Flu shots are typically offered until December, but get one anytime, as most cas-es happen from late Decem-ber to early March.

• Wash your hands. No matter what you do – retired or working – if you come in contact with people who are contagious, you have to wash your hands again and again. Scrub for 20 seconds or more with basic soap and water. If it is easier for you (or for kids or grandkids) to remember, then sing “Happy Birthday” through twice while getting sudsy. This gives you plenty of time to wash away those germs. And if you are visiting a hospital or a home where someone is sick, be even more diligent about disinfecting later.

• Use hand sanitizer. Keep alcohol-based hand sanitizer in your car, purse, and gym bag when you are on the go. Make sure bottles are handy in certain areas of your home where you may not have access to water such as the ga-rage, basement or office.

• Greet someone with a warm, “Hello. It’s nice to meet you,” instead of shaking hands. These days most people understand this cautious salutation in the winter months. This keeps transmission of colds and flu down.

• Stay home if you are sick. This goes for work and social events. Nobody likes to be next to a Nosey Rosy at work, but Runny Nosey is not popular either. Even if you feel pretty good, germs can still spread. Be considerate to those around you.

• Keep it Tidy. Keep your surroundings clean and neat. More surface area means easier cleaning. Start your morning off by wiping a disinfecting wipe along your workspace or area where you will be most of the day. Use wipes for phones, purses, computer keypads, and desks.

• Keep allergies in check. When your allergies are out of control, then your upper respiratory track is already irri-tated, which can lead to getting a virus.

• Probably the most important component of staying healthy is to lead a healthy lifestyle in the first place. Get enough sleep, don’t smoke, eat nutritious foods, and exercise.

Hone a healthy lifestyle and you’re bound to feel better and look better, too.

Shoveling Snow - A Pain in the BackWinter illness is not the only thing that can

leave you laid up. Excess or unsafe snow shoveling can

leave you achy or even bedridden. Make sure to keep your core strong and ready for the weather that lies ahead. Consistent core (abs and back) work throughout the year is key, but remember a few simple tips just before grabbing that shovel.• Warm up – do a few minutes

of light exercise like jogging in place or lifting knees before you go outdoors. Shoveling is physi-cal and serious. • Use a shovel that allows you to keep your back straight while lifting. Bend your knees and don’t bend at the waist.• Pace yourself. Don’t go too fast. If you experience light headedness or shortness of breath, then stop. Drink water before and after. •Use light loads – don’t overdo it and try not to twist as you dump

the snow. This strains the back. In the depths of winter, the battle with nasty flu bugs and

snowy driveways seems dauntless. But armed with a consis-tent, healthy lifestyle and a few tips and tricks, those winter months won’t seem so long, and you’ll be feeling fantastic before the first few signs of spring. Lisa Taranto Butler is triple-certified by the American Council on Exercise as a personal trainer, lifestyle, and weight management coach, and group fitness instructor. She is the owner of FitChix KC in Leawood.

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Immunizations are best safeguards against fluBy Shari Tedford

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) warns that this year’s vaccine may not offer “full pro-tection from flu.”

• All flu seasons are hard to predict. CDC is seeing four strains of flu with the biggest being A (H3N2). Half of the H3N2 strains they are seeing are in this year’s vaccine; the other half are the drifted version which this year’s vaccine does not protect against.

• Also seeing Flu B and some H1N1. But H1N1 is the lowest. It is still hard to predict which strain will end up being the main one in any giv-en year. After all, flu seasons with a major H3 virus tend to be harsh and cause more hospitalizations and deaths.

• Flu shots are still the best guard. Get your flu shot. If ill, see your doctor and get anti-viral medicine at once. Practice good hand washing and stay

home when sick.• Those who are very ill or who are

at high risk for flu-linked problems should start anti-viral treatment within 48 hours if they have flu symptoms. Doctors should not wait for flu test results to give anti-virals. Doctors should treat if indicated.

• The drifted virus started to appear in March of last year, but the numbers were not big to call for being includ-ed in this year’s shot. It was around September when CDC noticed a spike in drifted virus. It was then too late to include in the flu vaccine for this year.

• CDC does not predict any shortage on anti-viral drugs or flu shots.

• Anti-virals are not miracle drugs, but they are very helpful treatment if given early (within 48 hours of get-ting symptoms). They will cut length of illness and help lessen disease.

Shari Tedford is Senior Wellness coordinator at the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment.

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All faiths or beliefs are welcome.

L et it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

Leave the work and worry of taking care of a home behind and trade it in for getting more out of life.

Living here opens up a world of possibilities, without having to lift so much as a snow shovel.

To learn how you can get more out of life, call Kelsie at (913) 780-9916.

Grandfathers have a special, important roleBy Sunie Levin

“Tell me how it was when you were little gramps?”

Eight-year-old Tom-my, with his freckled nose

and lopsided grin, looks into his grand-father’s face with that total intensity that only a child can have.

“Wow,” grandpa thinks, “what a question! Excellent! He’s asked for it! I can tell him all my geezer stories. I can tell him how tough it was in my day – no computers, no television, no central air conditioning. He’ll never believe it! I can even tell him how his great-grandpa Jake used to play football for Minnesota – back in the days when Minnesota was a power-house.”

Storytelling is an invitation to share memories with a grandchild, an unparal-leled bonding mechanism, an unbeatable way to change you from a distant figure into someone akin to a friend and confi-dant.

Grandfathers can become important in their grandkids’ lives in ways that are very different from the days when they them-

selves were children.With most moms now working outside

the home and half of marriages ending in divorce, a grandfather can fill a void that rarely existed in times past. He can become more than someone who picks up kids from school or takes them to the doc-tor’s office or after-school activities.

He can become a sorely-needed role model, a surrogate parent, someone who gives his grandchild a feeling of ground-ing and security. He can be someone in the child’s world that actually cares, that

is truly interested in who he is and what he does.

One thing is time, a commodity of which a grandfather, if retired, has suf-ficient. He can take the time to teach the child skills – how to throw a base-ball, how to make salami and eggs, how to dance, how to play checkers or chess, how to do card tricks.

Even more important is spontaneity. Kids can tell when you’re doing some-thing that you genuinely enjoy.

Time passes swiftly. As kids approach their teens, they may no longer be inter-ested in spending time with grandpa, and the opportunity and meaningful impact on their lives is missed. It is pleasant to be able to think that, perhaps, once one is gone, the grandkids will shed a tear and have fond memories of the man that helped give structure to their lives.Sunie Levin of Leawood holds degrees in psychology and education, has held work-shops around the country, appeared on radio and TV, and written several grandparenting books. More information: www.makenewfriend-slivelonger.com.


Cane Fu class starts January 5

Cane Fu, a self-defense class using a cane as a weapon, begins at

2 p.m. January 5 at the Matt Ross Community Center, 8101 Marty Street, Overland Park.

Sponsored by the 50 Plus Department of the Johnson County Park and Recreation District, participants will learn basic fitness moves which can strengthen their body and pre-pare it for self-defense.

The cost for eight 50-min-ute sessions is $56 per person for Johnson County residents. For more information, call 913-831-3359.

Day trip headsto ‘Chicago’

Beat the winter blues with a red-hot night on the town!

Residents are invited to join a day trip on January 21 to enjoy the award-winning musical Broadway production of “Chicago” in the Muriel Kauffman Theatre, Kansas City Mo. The activity is sponsored by the 50 Plus Department of the Johnson County Park and Recreation District.

Cost is $89 (no meal).Participants will leave

Antioch Park, 6501 Antioch Road, Merriam, at 6 p.m. and return at approximately 11 p.m. More information is avail-able by call 913-826-3030.

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Johnson County K-State Research and Extension is accepting applications for the 2015 Master Food Volunteer training program.

The application deadline is January 15. Training begins Feb. 18 and runs until March 12. There are eight training sessions held at the Johnson County office from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. The fee is $75.

The Master Food Volunteer program utilizes the expertise of nutritionists, registered dietitians, food scientists and culinary experts to train volunteers in the areas of nutrition, cook-ing, food safety, and preservation. Trainees who complete the Johnson County program require-

ments become part of a volunteer team to assist Crystal Futrell, Family and Consumer Sciences agent, with community outreach.

All activities are geared toward the single purpose of educating the public, and enhancing health and well-being. Teaching classes, leading school programs, staffing the rapid response hotline, leading grocery store tours, creating meal plans for families and creating educational displays are some of the activities requiring Master Food volunteers.

Applications, requirements and a list of training dates are available at the Extension of-fice, 11811 S. Sunset Drive in Olathe, 913-715-7000, or online at www.johnson.ksu.edu.

Extension seeks applicants for Master Food program

Master Food Volunteers, left to right, Anne Byrd, Joyce Christo-pher, and Gerry Buehler were hon-ored for their 2014 volunteer efforts.

Green tea: Miracle in a cupBy Crystal Futrell

For centuries, cultures have boasted the miraculous curing effects contained in green tea. But recent scientific studies show that the legends behind green tea

might be more than mythical folklore.Drinking green tea has been linked to

many health benefits including fighting viruses, slowing the aging process, lowering LDL cholesterol, strengthening weak immune systems, and helping to eliminate bad breath, to name just a few.

It’s also been suggested that green tea helps you lose weight. Compounds in the tea help to increase the metabolism. They also encourage the body to release carbohydrates more slowly. This prolongs and increases energy, but also helps to inhibit the movement of glucose to storage units in the body and prevents the energy from being immediately stored as fat. This could explain why regular green tea drinkers are so slim.

Secret of GreenSo how can one teaspoon of tea leaves pack so

much punch? The secret lies in a powerful anti-oxidant called epigallocatechin gallate, or EGCG. While all tea contains some measure of health benefits, only green tea contains the potent EGCG that’s responsible for its broad scope of medicinal attributes.

Green tea comes from the same camellia sinen-sis plant that produces black and oolong tea leaves. But black and oolong teas are processed differently. These teas are allowed to dry and ferment after picking. Green tea leaves are steamed. This steam-ing process allows the green tea leaves to retain their nutrients.

For some, green tea is an acquired taste, but

there are many options on the market that can tempt almost any palette. If new to the green tea world, I’d suggest starting with a fruit-enhanced version like a peach or mango infused variety. This will add pleasant flavor and curb the “grassiness” of the green tea, but it won’t disturb the nutritional content.

Preparing Green TeaTea experts claim that the secret to good green

tea lies in the preparation process. Experts suggest that you start with cold, fresh

water. Bring the water to a boil then let it sit and cool for three minutes. The water temperature should be between 180 and 200 degrees Fahrenheit. (Traditional black teas should steep at 212 Fahr-enheit degrees.) Pour the cooled water over the tea leaves or bag and let it steep for three minutes.

After three minutes, remove the tea leaves or bag and let the tea cool for another three minutes. It’s a lengthy process, but the potential health bene-fits are well worth the effort.

Despite its potency, drinking a cup of green tea once a week will not produce a bounty of health benefits.

To be truly effective, it’s recommended that four to six cups of green tea be incorporated into a daily regimen. It shouldn’t be looked on as a cure-all elixir but rather an additional supplement to an already healthy lifestyle.

And, be careful how you sweeten each cup. All the goodness sought in green tea can quickly be undone with too much added sugar, honey or milk. But adjusting your palette to accept a less sweeter taste with tea is doable. You’ll just need to pull back the sweet a little at a time to give your taste buds a chance to adapt.Crystal Futrell, Johnson County Extension Agent in Fam-ily and Consumer Sciences, can be reached at 913-715-7000 or [email protected].

Recipeof MonthFruit-oatmealbar provideshealthy snack1 cup quick cooking oat-meal1 cup whole wheat flour, or 1/2 cup white flour and 1/2 cup whole wheat flour2/3 cup packed brown sug-ar (can reduce to 1/2 cup)1/4 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon baking soda1/4 cup canola oil3 tablespoons apple, cran-berry or orange juice1 cup (about a 10 ounce jar) of “all-fruit” preserves such as raspberry or apricot1. Preheat oven to 350°F and coat an 8x8-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.2. Place oatmeal, flour, brown sugar, salt and bak-ing soda in a medium size bowl. Using your fingers, work the mixture together until no lumps of brown sugar remain. 3. Drizzle oil and fruit juice over the oat/flour mixture and mix with your fingers until evenly moist-ened and crumbly.4. Remove 1/2 cup of this mixture for the topping.5. Press remaining evenly into the bottom of the pre-pared baking dish, pressing down to form a crust.6. Spread the fruit pre-serves over the top and sprinkle with the reserved oat/flour mixture.7. Bake about 30 minutes, until golden. Let cool and cut into 15 bars. Store at room temperature in an air-tight container or refriger-ate until ready to serveMakes 15 bars (serving size one bar).Source:Adapted from Eating Well Dessert Cookbook


to your good health


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Scan this code with your smartphone to download winter safety tips for seniors!

By Suzee SoldanEls Oberg

A special exhibit, entitled “A Place of Peace, Comfort, & Plenty,” is ringing in the New Year

for the Overland Park Historical Society,

Located at the society’s Blue Valley branch office at Historic Stanley Bank Building, 7590 W 151st Street, the exhibit focuses on the first 20 years of Overland Park’s history and the story of the interurban railroad that ran between Kansas City and Olathe. The interurban railroad, com-monly referred to as the Strang Line, helped to build the commu-nities in Johnson County that it touched.

Designed by award-win-ning museum consultant, Jean Svadlenak, the exhibit tells the story of Overland Park and the Strang Line that began when the builder of both, William B. Strang Jr., made a trip to the area in 1903. A set of circumstances that involved a big Kansas City flood, Strang’s widowed mother, the farm of George Metcalf, and Strang’s international experience building short-line railroads all came together when the vision of what was to become Overland Park occurred to Strang.

The flood, ending in May 1903, covered a goodly part of what was then Kansas City, turn-ing the rivers into an inland sea.

The successful Strang, who lived on Park Avenue in New York City with offices on Wall Street, was contacted by his mother and asked that he come and get her out of her home in Kansas City. He arranged to take her to his friend’s farm located along the old Military Road in Johnson County at what is now 75th Street and Metcalf.

While camping there on George Metcalf’s farm, his 69-year-old mother, Catherine, spoke of the clean air and how nice it was to get away from the odors and grime of the city.

That was all it took for Strang to see and seize the oppor-tunity in front of him to develop a cleaner place to live for any Kansas City working man and his family. Using his railroading

experience, he envisioned a plan for an interurban to carry that man quickly back and forth to his city job.

He promptly acquired 600 acres from several farmers surrounding what is now 80th Street and Santa Fe. That point was said to be the same distance south as Swope Park and 126 feet higher than any point in Kansas City, an important fact to a flood conscious Strang. He then proceeded to plat a town and design the interurban line, keeping it on high ground to avoid flooding.

Strang had a vision of “A Place of Peace, Comfort, & Plenty” and that quote attributed to him is the name of the 2015 exhibit with photo panels, inter-active displays, and artifacts.

The exhibit features fabric photos showing historic figures strategically placed in the front windows facing 151st Street along with several walls of pho-tographs of the early Blue Valley area and schools.

Although the exhibit is designed to be portable for showing in other venues, the so-ciety plans on showing it at the Historic Stanley Bank Building through 2015.

There is plenty of seating for questioning or visiting with a volunteer. (The society always needs volunteer greeters).

The society also offers its latest book, Images of America, Overland Park, several pam-

phlets, and other books and the DVD, Rails to Suburbia, for sale as well as free handouts about historic subjects. Suzee SoldanEls Oberg is president of the Overland Park Historical Society.

About the exhibit

The special “A Place of Peace, Comfort, and Plen-ty” exhibit by the Over-

land Park Historic Society will be on display throughout 2015.

The hours for the Historic Stanley Bank Building, which is housing the exhibit, are from 1-4 p.m. on Wednesdays through Saturdays or by ap-pointment. Call 913-381-8150 for information.

The exhibit is free, but donations are welcomed.

The public is also en-couraged to visit the society’s Downtown Overland Park Office in the Historic Strang Carriage House, 8045 Santa Fe Drive, where other memorabilia and photos are kept. Call 913-381-8867 for information and a list of meetings and programs scheduled for 2015 or visit: www.ophistorical.org.

New exhibit focuses on early Overland Park

Jean Svadlenak designed ‘A Place of Peace, Comfort & Plenty.’

Census: 10% of grandparents now living with a grandchild

Of the 65 million grandparents in the United States in 2012, seven million, or 10 percent, lived with at least one grand-

child.That’s the finding in a new report,

Coresident Grandparents and Their Grandchildren: 2012, by the U.S. Cen-sus Bureau. According to the report, the percentage of children who lived with a grandparent in 2012 was also 10 per-cent, rising from seven percent in 1992. About three percent of children lived in grandparent-maintained households in 1970.

About 4.2 million households, or three percent of all households, con-tained both grandchildren under 18 and their grandparents in 2012. More than 60 percent of these households were maintained by a grandparent and about one in three had no parent present.

In 2012, 2.7 million grandparents in the U.S. were raising their grandchil-dren. About 39 percent of these grand-parent caregivers have cared for their grandchildren for five years or more.

“Recent trends in increased life expectancy, single-parent families and female employment increase the poten-tial for grandparents to play an import-ant role in the lives of their grandchil-dren,” said Renee Ellis, a demographer in the Census Bureau’s Fertility and Family Statistics Branch. “Increases in grandparents living with grandchildren are one way that the grandparent role has changed.”

Coresident Grandparents and Their Grandchildren: 2012 uses data from the 2010 Census, the American Community Survey, the Current Population Survey, and the Survey of Income and Program Participation to examine historical changes in coresidence of grandparents and characteristics of grandparents and grandchildren who live together. The report, for the first time, compares coresident grandparents with grandpar-ents who do not live with their grand-children.

Other findings: Grandparents who lived with a

grandchild in 2012 were younger, had lower levels of education, and were more likely to be in poverty than those who did not live with a grandchild.

Two percent of grandparents who lived with a grandchild were age 30 to 39, while the highest percentage was for those age 50 to 59 (34 per-cent). Those age 80 and over made up only 4 percent.

Women comprised 64.2 percent of grandparents who lived with their grandchildren.

Forty-nine percent of children in grandparent-maintained house-holds lived with both grandparents compared with only 19 percent of children in parent-maintained households.

Since 2007, about one-third of chil-dren who lived with a grandparent also had two parents present.

A farewell reception is sched-uled on Thursday, January 8, in honor of Johnson County’s First District Commissioner Ed

Peterson whose term ends with the start of the New Year.

Peterson, a resident of Fairway, is leaving the Board of County Com-missioners in January after serving 12 years.

The public event in his honor will take place from 3 to 5 p.m. in the John-son County Administration Building, 111 South Cherry Street, in downtown Olathe.

The public inaugural ceremony for

newly-elected commissioners Ron Shaf-fer, Prairie Village, representing the First District, and re-elected Chairman Ed Eilert, Overland Park, and Fifth Dis-trict Commissioner Michael Ashcraft, Olathe, is planned at 9 a.m. Monday, January 12. The event will take place in the Board’s Hearing Room located on the third floor of the Administration Building.

A reception follows the ceremony.Eilert is returning to the Board for

his second term as chairman after serv-ing the Fourth District for four years. It’s also Ashcraft’s second term.

All will serve four-year terms.

Receptions set for county commissioners


in cooperation with Americans Remembered

JOHNSON COUNTY’S

VETERANSA SALUTE TO

The Best Times features veterans each month. Some vets outside Johnson County are featured when their family members are Johnson County seniors. To suggest a vet’s name, including yours, contact Gary Swanson: call 913-744-8282 or email [email protected].

Clyde AckermanOverland Park

Korea, Army, 534th Transportation Com-pany, 64th Battalion, attached to Marines, PFC, truck driver and mechanic, Pusan to Seoul to 38th Parallel. Served 1948-1951, four Battle Stars.

Dwight BorgerLenexa

Cold War, Army, stateside, corporal, maintained Hercules Missiles at training site, Ft. Bliss, Texas. Served from 1957-1960.

Harry Hutsell(recently deceased)

Overland ParkWW II, Marines, Pacif-ic, corporal, machine gunner, Guadalcanal, lst Marine Div. D-Day Tarawa, 5th Marine Division D-Day at Iwo Jima. Injured D + 21, one year in hospital, one of two in squad to survive.

Gary TalbertWestwood

Korea, Naval Air Corps, served 1955-1967, stateside, aviation me-chanic, Seabees, Sea-bees instructor, recruit-er for Naval Aviation Cadets, Submariners, Seabees.

Floyd DannerStilwell

Vietnam, Army, lieu-tenant/platoon leader, 18th Combat Engineer Battalion, Infantry Support Heliport Con-struction, Bronze Star, Purple Heart.

Having just completed my first term on the Board of County Commissioners, I will readily confess that I have learned a lot

about how this, our largest, local govern-ment in Kansas, works.

We are served by a wide variety of en-ergetic and dedicated public servants and volunteers. So as we enter the New Year, I want to acknowledge and commend their efforts, their integrity, and their dedica-tion. I am proud to work with all of them.

Johnson County staff and volunteers provide many services that most of us never even see.

Of course, we often hear about the good work our Sheriff ’s deputies or our Med-Act professionals do and many of us know of the great services that our Library, and Parks and Recreation staff offer. But there are many others though that we, the general public, seldom see. These quiet, unseen professionals and vol-unteers make significant contributions to the quality of life of a number of discrete, special populations.

I want to take a moment and talk about our devoted public servants and vol-unteers who help some of the most vulner-able people who live in our community.

Of course, I’m referring to what the professionals call the IDD population – people with intellectual and developmen-tal disabilities. These individuals have intellectual and/or other developmental disabilities, many times coupled with physical disabilities, requiring support to live their lives to their fullest abilities.

As we enter another new year, many communities, including Johnson County, have made significant progress integrating our IDD neighbors in the fabric of daily life.

Our school districts encourage main-stream programs, more and more em-ployers are stepping up, and altruistic community leaders like “The Mission Project” are embracing the needs of our IDD neighbors.

Our employees have helped the fami-lies of IDD members make great progress. But there is an underlying fear that weighs on us all. Many IDD citizens rely upon family members for their health, happi-ness, and wellbeing. But, as we all know, we are all getting older.

I personally struggle with the realities of our time. In Johnson County, we have a stated goal of building a “Community of Choice.”

While I believe our intentions are true, the fate of our IDD citizens weighs heavily on me. If we do not step up our efforts to address the plight of these citizens more directly and more immedi-ately, then as their parents, guardians, and caregivers’ age, our community will face the potential of a significant humanitarian crisis within a generation. That crisis will befall our IDD citizens who have little voice, little political clout, and little abil-ity to sway opinion leaders and decision makers.

Our employees and the many volun-teers and caregivers understand this fear, but there are many other interests that attract attention and lobby for the time, talent, and treasure that is Johnson Coun-ty.

At the risk of sounding pensive, I would suggest that there are any num-ber of special interests that make valiant cases for more parks, more libraries, more roads, more courtrooms, more equipment, more buses, and even more museums.

The merits of these “wants” all have strong, articulate advocates, but as I enter my second term on the Board, my filter will be through the lens of whether these “wants” are more important than the “needs” of our IDD community. Some may very well be, but some may not.

Personally, I believe that Johnson County is wealthy enough, smart enough, and able enough to meet all of the needs of our community.

The question will be, “Are we wise enough to set priorities based on needs and not just wants?”

That’s “How I See It” as we enter 2015. Have a great New Year!

By Michael AshcraftCommissionerDistrict 5

“as I see it ...”


Your Chairman

Chairman Ed Eilert Phone: 913-715-0500

Email [email protected]

Your Commissioners

C. Edward Peterson 1st District

Phone: 913-715-0431 Email

[email protected]

Jim Allen 2nd District


[email protected]

Steve Klika 3rd District


[email protected]

Jason L. Osterhaus 4th District


[email protected]

Michael Ashcraft 5th District


[email protected]

John Toplikar 6th District


[email protected]

The weekly public business sessions of the Johnson County Board of Commissioners begin at 9:30 a.m. on Thursdays in the Johnson County Administration Build-ing, 111 S. Cherry Street, in downtown Olathe. Live coverage of the meetings is viewable each week over the Internet through the county’s main website at www.jocogov.org.

Resolving IDD needs


Johnson County Library is one of the most-used and best-loved county services.

The Library provides access to ideas, information, experiences and materials that support and enrich the lives of Johnson County residents. The Library circulates more than 6.5 million items every year, and hosts more than 2.3 million visitors to the 13 coun-ty-wide locations. We are so dedicated to providing great service that even if you are unable to visit your neighbor-hood branch, the Library can come to you.

With Internet access you can download a wide variety of eBooks to your personal reading device from the Library’s on-line catalogue. When you need help downloading eBooks or eAudiobooks onto your tablet or smart-phone, we can walk you through the process. Call the Library at 913-826-4600 and select Option 3. You’ll need a library card/PIN and an active email address to use this free service.

HomeConnect is an additional service that delivers library materials directly to your home, if you are unable to get to us. The HomeConnect Appli-cation permits you to indicate reading interests, favorite authors, and subjects. Once your application is approved, any Library item that normally circulates is available. Best sellers in large print, CD audio books, downloadable music CDs, movies, television series and documen-taries on DVD are mailed to you with return postage. Easy as that!

Circumstances that qualify John-son County residents for HomeConnect service include illness, disability, visual impairment and lack of transportation. The application must be completed by a health care professional or professional caregiver detailing the circumstances preventing your access to one of the Neighborhood Libraries.

The application for our HomeCon-nect service may be found at www.jocolibrary.org/homeconnect. To ask ques-tions, register for HomeConnect service or to request an application form, call 913-826-4600 and ask for HomeConnect. Please leave a slow, clear voice message with your

name and phone number and your call will be returned promptly. Email: [email protected]. If you have an Olathe address, please call the Olathe Public Library at 913-971-6843 or email [email protected] for Homebound Service.

Wherever you are, the Library is not far away! Let us know how we can connect you with Johnson County Library.Submitted by Lynn Wild, Senior Services librarian, and Melody Kinnamon, reference librarian, at the Johnson County Library.

library connection

HomeConnect: Bringing library services to eligible homes

Discover how Aberdeen Village is the perfect fit for you now and in the future. Call us at (913) 599-6100 to schedule your personal visit.

Independent Living-Assisted Living Memory Care-Skilled Nursing

Where Community Means More Than Just a Place To Live.

Be sure to attend the January 20th Just Ask presentation at 2 pm by CMS (Centers

for Medicare & Medicaid Services) on insurance options before open enrollment closes.

17500 W. 119th Street, Olathe, KS 66061

(913) 599-6100 AberdeenVillage.com

A proud member of Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America, a not-for profit leader in

residential living and senior care for 65 years.


your January classifieds

Yard Work Planting Weeding Pruning

Trimming Shrub Removal Yard Cleanup

House Cleaning Window Cleaning

Organizing Junk Removal Moving Help

Interior Painting Odd Jobs & More

Help From A Friend

Helping Older Adults with the Most Common Improvement Maintenance & Repair Services

25% - 50% Less Than Typical Service Providers

Lawn Mowing Gutter Cleaning

Leaf Cleanup Lawn Care

Lawn Renovation Mulch / Edging Topsoil / Sod

Aerating Verticutting

Power Raking Seeding

Fertilizing Lawn Patching Weed Control

A+ Rating HelpFromAFriend.com 913-980-8686

Classified ads must be submitted in writing and with payment by the eighth day of the month for the following month’s issue. The rate is $30 for up to 20 words and $.55 per additional word. (Minimum, $30).

To have your business card included in this advertising section, busi-ness cards must be submitted by the eighth day of the month for the following month’s issue.

To either place a classified ad or insertion of your business card:

Email: [email protected]

Visit: www.jocogov.org/thebesttimes

Call: 913-715-8920

Publishing of classified advertising does not constitute

agreement or endorsement by this magazine or

Johnson County Government.

SERVICES PROVIDED

ARE YOU A SENIOR? AND YOU HAVE A COMPUTER? WANT TO LEARN HOW TO REALLY USE IT? SenCom (Senior Computer Users) can help. We have courses paced for Seniors, taught by Seniors. Informative monthly meetings & Special groups ( genealogy, senior techies and a monthly Q&A luncheon).Check class schedules on Internet (www.kcseniors.net), or call Teresa at 913-620-1240. Our regular meeting on January 9th is titled: “The iPad: What’s it all about?” We will meet at the Shawnee Civic Centre, 13817 Johnson Drive at 1:30 p.m.

Johnson County Home Service Plumbing Company. Free service call for any plumbing in your home with this ad! Servicing Johnson County for over 50 years. JCHS is a division of Reddi Root’r Systems. Trust earned the old-fashioned way! Angie’s List Super Award winner. Member of the Better Business Bureau. www.jocoplumbing.com or 913-439-1700.

Swalms Organizing and Downsizing Service. Reduce clutter and enjoy an organized home! Basement, attic, garage, shop, storage rooms—any room organized. Belongings sorted, boxed, and labeled. Items hauled for recycling, items donated, trash bagged. For before-and-after photos, please see www.swalmsorganizing.com. Over 20 years of organizing experience, insured. Call Tillar: 913-375-9115.

KEEP YOUR MONEY IN YOUR POCKET. Are prescription drugs costing too much money each month? Now is the time to curb your expenses for 2015. 1RXPlace can help with your brand name drugs, if you qualify. Approved for Medicare as well as those underinsured. Call Beth at 913-787-5917 to learn how much you can save.

Caregiving - We provide personal assistance, companionship, care management and transportation to the elderly and disabled in their home, assisted living or skilled nursing facility. We also provide respite care for main caregivers needing some personal time. Call Daughters & Company at (913) 341-2500 and speak with Laurie, Debbie or Gary.

WRITE YOUR LIFE STORY WORKBOOK. Learn how to start, organize, and finish writing your life story. Order: www.angelinyourinkwell.com and click on Buy Here. Or send $15 plus $5 shipping to Carol Newman, PO Box 480835, Kansas City, MO 64145-0835. Questions: call Carol 913-681-1168.

MG Home Repair and Improvement. All around the home repairs. Carpentry, lighting, plumbing, concrete repairs, deck and fence repair, power washing, staining and sealing, interior and exterior painting. Experienced, quality workmanship; senior discounts; free estimates; insured. Call Michael in Shawnee, 913-486-9040.

Adult painting classes now forming. Have fun while making new friends in a small creative painting environment designed for all skill levels. No prior experience necessary, contact Carole, at 913-825-1307. Visit my website at caroleabla.com.

Doggie Day Care and Boarding at All Things Dogs KC. Pets are not caged and they stay in a home atmosphere that’s on two acres fenced. Call Kim at 816-719-1339.

WRITING/EDITING SERVICES: Your life story is unique. Your book lies before you. Let me help you write your story for family, friends, associates. I have a degree in journalism and 30 years of writing experience. Together we can make it happen. I’ve made it happen for others. Contact David W. Swafford 816-229-2042 or [email protected].

AM/PM Technology DAY/NIGHT PC, Apple and Android Service (including computers, tablets and smart phones.) We come to your home. Same low rates and senior discounts for all services. 913-385-2676. For 19 years we have been the #1 resource for helping seniors in Johnson County to install new PCs, get rid of viruses, resolve e-mail issues, repair equipment, set up wireless networks and handle related issues. To learn more, schedule a visit or ask for free advice, call Joe, Doug or Patrick at 913-385-2676. “We speak English.”

HANDYMAN PRO, LLC - Repair, Remodel, Renew. Bathrooms, painting, decks, yard work, sheetrock repair, grab bars, ramp building. Call Tom for free estimate. 913-488-7320. Handymanprokc.com.

Prescription Drug SAVINGS! See www.LSRXCare.org/99622. Patient Advocacy Group helps those qualified to save on name brand drugs. I can help, if you are uninsured, or have Medicare Part D, Obamacare or private insurance. Join us and save! Call Beth at 913-787-5917.

at your service


All classes and events require registration unless

otherwise indicated.

January 2 China Painting. 9 a.m. Roeland Park. $46/$51 three 3 hour classes. No painting skills necessary.

January 5Movie Monday: “The Gabby Douglas Story”. 12:15 p.m. Lenexa Senior Center. Free. Optional lunch at 11:30 a.m. Call 913-888-6141 between 9-10 a.m. 24 hours in advance for lunch reservations.

January 6*Tuesday Tunes with Betse Ellis. 6:30 p.m. Olathe Public Library. Free.

50 & Beyond Potluck. Noon-2 p.m. Sylvester Powell. Free. Register and bring your favorite food dish to share with the group.

January 7-8AARP Smart Driver Course. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Towne Village Leawood, 4400 West 115th Street. $15/$20. 913-491-3681.

January 7Winter Wonderland Bingo. 1:30 p.m. at Matt Ross. $5. Twelve games of Bingo. Register one week in advance.

January 8*Chapter Chat Book Club. 1 p.m. Southridge Presbyterian, 5015 Buena Vista Street, Roeland Park. $5/$6. Participants bring their own book, “Still Life with Bread Crumbs,” by Anna Quindlen. Come prepared to discuss. Call 913-826-3160 for information.

Bingo: Snowflake. 1:30 p.m. Irene B French. $3 for 3 cards at door.

January 9*Family History Friday. 9 a.m. Olathe Public Library. Free.

January 12

Movie Monday: People’s choice. 12:15 p.m. Lenexa Senior Center. Free. Optional lunch at

11:30 a.m. Call 913-888-6141 between 9-10 a.m. 24 hours in advance for lunch reservations.

January 13

50 & Beyond Matinee: Elsa & Fred (PG). 12:30 p.m. Sylvester Powell. $1.00. Popcorn, coffee and water provided. Preregistration highly recommended.

Fish Tales. 2:30-3:30 p.m. Uncle Buck’s at Bass Pro, 12051 Bass Pro Drive, Olathe. A Reminiscence and discussion for individuals with earlier stage dementia who enjoy the outdoors. Call 913-831-3888 for reservations.

January 1450 Plus Art Show. 2 p.m. Matt Ross. Free. See amazing art. You can also show off your artwork, just drop it off with table top easel from 8-11 a.m. day of event.

Supper: Hot Chilis & Stews. 6:30 p.m. Extension. $25. Enjoy dinner-sized samples while volunteers demonstrate how to prepare the dishes.

January 15Lunch Bunch: “KC Joes” (“Oklahoma Joe’s). 10:30 a.m. Lenexa Senior Center. Cost of meal + $8 for transportation.

January 17Scrapbook Crop. 8:30 a.m. Roeland Park. $11/$12 for 8-hour session. Gather your scrapbooking tools for a day of uninterrupted social interaction, and artistic inspiration.

Transitions. 9:30-10:30 a.m. Alzheimer’s Association Education Center, 3856 W. 75th St. Free. Call 913-831-3888 for reservations.

January 18Art: Brunch Painting Party. 10 a.m. Mill Creek. $55/$61 Brunch and Painting supplies included in price.

January 19*Legal Issues. 5:30-8 p.m. Alzheimer’s Association Education Center, 3856 W. 75th St. Free. Explore legal concerns and needs throughout the disease. 913-831-3888.

January 20-21AARP Smart Driver Course. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Matt Ross. $15/$20.

January 21DIY Lawn Care. 7 p.m. Extension $10. Basic rules of lawn care.

January 22

Breakfast with the Birds. 9 a.m. Ernie Miller Nature Center, 909 Kansas 7 Hwy. $14. Pancakes, sausage, juice and coffee, an excellent bird presentation and a wander around the nature trail. 913-826-2851.

Bingo: Frosty and Friends. 1:30 p.m. Roeland Park. 1-2 hour event $5/$6 at door. Includes 12 games, food and prizes.

*Hooked on Books Club. 1 p.m. Lenexa Community Center. Bring your own book for discussion, “All Quiet on the Western Front” by Erich aria Remarque.

Pickle ball Lessons. 9 a.m. Matt Ross. $7/$8 Make reservations at least one week in advance.

*Jam Session. 1-2 p.m. Alzheimer’s Association Education Center, 3856 W. 75th St. Free. Jam session for musicians with early stage memory loss and musicians who are caregivers. 913-831-3888.

Chicago at Kauffman Center. 6 p.m. departure Sylvester Powell. $80/person. A musical tale of murder, greed and corruption. 7:30 show, returning at approximately 10:30 p.m.

China Painting. 9 a.m. Roeland Park. Three 3 hour classes $46/$51. No painting skills necessary.

50 & Beyond Matinee: The Two Faces of January (PG-13). 12:30 p.m. Sylvester Powell. $1. Popcorn, coffee and water provided. Preregistration highly recommended.

SERVICES PROVIDED Larry Laney Construction Co. Specializing in Kitchen / Bathroom Remodeling and Home Renovation. Finish Carpentry, Painting, Electrical, Plumbing, Drywall and Tile. I’m an Honest, Hardworking , Dependable and Very Skilled Licensed Contractor, Insured with References . Call Larry at 913-963-3434.

House Need a Face Lift? I’m a painter and wallpaper hanger. I also do light construction, hang sheet rock, lay tile and wood work and do electrical and plumbing work. Call Tom Barnekoff at (913) 722-5562.

The History of Me, author of 10 romances and 3 non-fiction books on writing will teach fiction techniques for writing your memoir and making it as interesting and unique as your life. Starts February. $10 week for 12 weeks. Class size limited. Call (913) 856-8521 or visit www.thehistoryofme.com for info.

PROVIDING: Bookkeeping, Accounting, Payroll, Quarterly Returns and Tax Preparation. Experience. (913) 579-6345.

RESIDENTIAL LIFTS. Buy, sell, trade. Stair lifts, porch lifts, ceiling lifts, elevators. Call Silver Cross at 913-327-5557.

Time flies! Start planning now to get more than you pay for in an affordable, faith-friendly home. Now accepting applications for our waiting list: Olathe Towers and College Way Village. 913-782-6131. Equal Housing Opportunity. All faiths or beliefs welcome.

Part-time position for mature male in specialty food store. Honest, reliable, able to lift 50 pounds, computer literate, good organization skills, neat, good with people, passion for good food. E-mail [email protected] or call Jeanne at 913.991.3350.

ITEMS WANTED

HOUSING

your January classifieds

HELP WANTED

January 23

January 27

your January calendar


Superbowl Bingo. 1 p.m. The Atriums, 7300 W 107th St. $5. Twelve games of Bingo. Register one week in advance by calling 913-642-6410.

Cards: Learn to play Pinochle. 1 p.m. New Century Fieldhouse. $5/$6. 913-826-2851.

AARP Smart Drive Course. 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sylvester Powell. $20/$15.

AARP Smart Driver Course. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Olathe Community Center, 1205 E.

BLUE VALLEY REC.: Blue Valley Recreation Activity Center: 6545 W. 151st St., Overland Park, KS 66223; 913-685-6000; www.bluevalleyrec.org.

CENTRAL RESOURCE LIBRARY: 9875 W. 87th St., Overland Park, KS 66212; 913-826-4600 and Press 3 for all Johnson County Library reservations.

EXTENSION: Johnson County K-State Research and Extension, 11811 S. Sunset Drive, Olathe, KS 66061; 913-715-7000; www.johnson.ksu.edu/classes.

INDIAN CREEK: Indian Creek Branch Library, 12990 Black Bob Road, Olathe, KS 66062; 913-971-6888.

IRENE B. FRENCH: Irene B. French Community Center, 5701 Merriam Drive, Merriam, KS 66203; 913-322-5550.

LENEXA SENIOR CENTER: 13425 Walnut St., Lenexa, KS 66215; 913-477-7100.

MAHAFFIE STAGECOACH STOP AND FARM: 1200 Kansas City Road, Olathe, KS 66061; 913-971-5111.

MATT ROSS: Matt Ross Community Center, 8101 Marty St., Overland Park,

KS 66212; 913-642-6410.

MILL CREEK: Mill Creek Activity Center, 6518 Vista, Shawnee, KS 66218; 913-826-2950.

NEW CENTURY: New Century Fieldhouse, 551 New Century Parkway, New Century, KS 66031; 913-826-2860.

OLATHE PUBLIC LIBRARY: 201 E. Park St., Olathe, KS 66061; 913-971-6850; to register, 913-971-6888.

PRAIRIE VILLAGE: Prairie Village Community Center, 7720 Mission Road, Prairie Village, KS 66208.

ROELAND PARK: Roeland Park Community Center, 4850 Rosewood Drive, Roeland Park, KS 66205; 913-826-3160.

SHAWNEE CIVIC CENTRE: 13817 Johnson Drive, Shawnee, KS 66216; 913-631-5200.

SHAWNEE SAFETY CENTER: SenCom computer lab, lower level, 6535 Quivira Road, Shawnee, KS 66203; 913-631-5200.

FACILITY LOCATIONS

January 3 17 January 28

your January calendar

The Best Times Letters to the Editor Guidelines

Due to space limitations, we cannot publish all letters. We will not publish letters that: have foul language, are potentially libelous or malign a specific person or organization, are disrespectful of anyone’s ethnicity, gender, religion, culture, sexual orientation or race, and serve as an endorsement for a product or service.

Ways to Submit a Letter E-mail to [email protected]. (Please do not include attachments.), go online at ww.jocogov.org/thebesttimes or mail to: The Best Times Letters to the Editor, 111 S. Cherry Street, Suite 3300, Olathe KS 66061

Must be 200 words or less to be considered. Refer to an article that was published in The Best Times within the last three months, and include a viewpoint or opinion on the topic. Include the writer's name, full address, email address and daytime phone number. No form letters or copied material will be used. Anonymous letters are not accepted. Names and home towns will be printed. Writers may not have a letter published more often than once every six months. Letters are subject to editing for length and grammatical errors.


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