Dec - Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan

Tribal Observer | December 1, 2012Page 7 | NiizhwaaswiAt-Large Member SpotlightMIKKI MARCOTTEContributing WriterEach month the At-Large programwill spotlight an At-Large memberwho is employee of the Tribe. If youknow any At-Large member employees,please nominate them to be spotlightedon the At-Large page in theTribal Observer.December 2012 At-Large TribalMember Employee Spotlight isTeresa Bailey.Teresa has been a Professor atFerris State University College ofPharmacy since 2001. View her bioat: www.ferris.edu/HTMLS/colleges/pharmacy/staff/faculty/TeresaM-Bailey-Pharm.D.-FCOP.htm.She also works part time atHometown Pharmacy in Lawtonas a pharmacist. Before coming toFerris she was an Assistant Professorat University of Iowa College ofPharmacy from 1996 – 2001. Teresahas also worked as a pharmacist atPunches Pharmacy, Perry Drug Storeand Children’s Hospital of Michiganin Detroit.Teresa lectures to pharmacystudents on topics regarding women’shealth such as contraception andosteoporosis and on dietary supplementsand vitamins. She also haspharmacy students spend six weeksat her clinic ProMed Family PracticeClinic in Portage, where they counselpatients about their medications andmake sure the patients are not experiencingside effects or drug interactions.The latest project that studentsare helping with is assessing whetherpatients are ready to quit smokingand if so, helping the patients decidewhat tools to use to quit smoking.Teresa was born and raised inClare and graduated from Clare HighSchool in 1987. In 1992 Teresa earnedher Bachelor of Science in Pharmacyat Ferris State University. She thenwent on to get her Doctorate ofPharmacy at Wayne State Universityin 1995. Teresa feels very fortunateto have been able to use the IndianTuition Waiver as she was getting herDoctorate.Teresa’s parents are Tom Baileyand Glenda Bailey. Her Grandparentsare Willie and Daisy Bailey theylived right on the corner across fromthe casino. She has a sister, ColleenI’m No June Cleaver and Proud of ItDENISE PELCHERContributing WriterThe shopping, the wrapping, the baking,the planning, the cooking, theentertaining, the decorating, the holidayparties somewhere in there, everythingstarts to become a blur and thingsstart to get stressful.Growing up I had the kind of motherthat always decorated to the hilt, alwaysmade two or three different types ofChristmas cookies, not to mention allof the Christmas candy. The tree wasalways perfect on Christmas day withthe presents perfectly wrapped.Somewhere along the line when Isuddenly had a family of my own, Istarted to feel inadequate as a mother.I felt like I should try to do everythingthat she did, all while working a fulltime job too. Not to mention the stressof trying to make parents and in lawsall happy about when they got to celebrateChristmas with our new family.Then throw a divorce in the mix, andthen you really have to do a jugglingact according to the court orders andwho has the kids on which holiday.As I get older and my kids havegone their own ways and are startingto have families of their own. Ihave decided that I don’t want to getall stressed. I put a tree up but don’tget all stressed about decorating therest of the house and baking a bunchof stuff that I don’t need anyway. If itgets done it gets done, and if it doesn’tthat is okay too. I know it’s Christmasand I don’t need a perfect poinsettiaor mistletoe hanging over my head toremind me. I have decided to focus onthe more important things like beingwith my family and not making theirlives any more stressful.There are ways to make your livesless stressful at Christmas here area few that my coworkers and I haveadopted.Shop online- The beauty of this iseverything is delivered right to yourdoor and you don’t have to go out inthe cold and fight the crowds or put gasin your car.If you don’t know what to getthat person don’t worry what personcouldn’t use a little cash or a gift cardto their favorite store? Besides thatthen you don’t have to worry aboutwhether you got the right color or size.Make yourself a list and a budgetand follow it, trust me you will thankyourself when you get your credit cardbills in January.When at all possible don’t use yourcredit card, pay with cash.If you want all of those cookies butdon’t want to spend hours on end baking,organize a cookie exchange withyour coworkers or family.If you are buying gifts, use thefree wrapping service in the center ofthe malls. Don’t get bogged down onChristmas Eve and be up till midnightwrapping gifts.If you’re making a meal for yourfamily have everyone bring something.Don’t try to do it all yourself itcan be exhausting, and where is the joyin that?Don’t try to do everything yourself.If you need help, ask for it. Most peoplehave kids or grand kids that wouldbe more than happy to help you.Lower your expectations, you don’thave to be June Cleaver or MarthaStewart your family will still love you.Draw names instead of trying to buyfor everyone. Doing this saves moneyand time.Don’t get caught up in all of the holidayhoopla.Don’t forget about yourself. Taketime to do something that you enjoy,like treating yourself to a pedicure,massage or maybe something as simpleas a warm cup of hot chocolate.At-LargeUpdateVasher, and many Aunties andUncles who are Tribal Members.Currently Teresa lives in Portagewith her three children and their petgecko, Izzy. Teresa’s children arethirteen year old, Sarah Klepser, nineyear old Rachel Klepser and sevenyear old, Andrew Klepser, who allattend St. Michael Lutheran School.Teresa doesn’t have much freetime between teaching, working andtaking care of her family. Normallyyou can find her being a taxi forthe children, driving them to variousextracurricular activities. Sheadmits to being addicted to Wordswith Friends and other games on heriPhone. She likes to knit small projectssuch as scarves and watchingolder movies especially from 1930-1950s. Teresa enjoys shopping andgetting bargains, never paying fullprice for something. Traveling to seeother parts of the world to experiencedifferent food, music, cultures is onher list of past times. Her last tripwas in 2011 with a group of pharmacistsfrom the United States toBeijing and Shanghai to exchangepharmacy ideas.Before Teresa’s last two kidsarrived, she enjoyed volunteeringfor the At-Large Program. She metsome really fun people and learnedmore about tribal ideas and concerns.It didn’t really take that much timeand effort and Teresa feels that whenher life with kids slows down again,she will volunteer again for anothertribal committee. Teresa encouragesother tribal members to volunteeronce in a while if they aren’t doingso already and thanks the memberswho are already volunteering. Teresainvites you to contact her at teresabailey@ferris.edu.Tips to Help Avoid Medicare FraudGLYNIS LANZETTAContributing WriterHello, I am calling from Medicare.The Medicare card has been updatedand we are sending them to everyonewho has Medicare. We need to verifyyour Medicare number and bankaccount number.”Sound familiar? If you are onMedicare, it could. Or maybe you gota call that goes like this:“Hello, I am calling from Medicare.I see that you are on Medicare and youhave diabetes. I am calling you aboutyour Medicare benefits. You are eligiblefor free test strips! I just need toverify your Medicare number.”Medicare beneficiaries, pick yourscam. What happens when you cooperateand give your Medicare numberand bank account info? Here’s whatcould happen:• Your Medicare number could besold and used to pay for someoneelse’s care. Your Medicareaccount will be charged.• You could receive those teststrips, thousands of them. Youdon’t need them and can’t stopthem from coming. Medicarewill pay for them.• The thieves could drain yourbank account. It’s happening toothers.• These scams have been goingon for a while. The warningsremain the same:• Don’t’ give your Medicare numberaway.• If you receive a call fromsomeone claiming to be fromMedicare, hang up! Medicaredoes not call people.• Do not tell telemarketers anythingabout you, no matter whothey say they are or what theywant to know.• Review your Medicare statements.Make sure you got thecare or supplies as shown.If you need help, or think youhave been scammed, call theSenior Medicare Patrol, 1-800-803-7174. They are with MMAP,the Medicare Medicaid AssistanceProgram. MMAP provides freecounseling services to people withMedicare. The At-Large Programhas trained MMAP counselors onstaff—1-800-884-6271.