BAND

PrimeTimes 

For 55 or better in Northern Michigan June 2008 

PUBLICATIONS 

A View from the 45th Parallel - News You Deserve 

STRIKE UP THE 

BAND 

The Alpine Kitchen Band 

P. 10 

MORE INSIDE 

4 Things to make you smarter p. 5 Brightman, a shining light p. 4 

Pick your brain historical trivia p. 4 Discover a ‘grand family’ p. 6

General Manager:. .........................Marilyn 

Kaczanowski 

Online Media: 

Manager/Editor: ................Peter Comings 

Assistant Manager: ............Darren Hardy 

Gaylord Herald Times 

Editorial Staff: 

Editor:. ................................Chris Grosser 

News Editor: .......................Cathy Landry 

Sports Editor: .....................Jeremy Speer 

Design Editor: ...................Frank Michels 

Writers: ...........................Michael Jones, 

Jil Schult, Chris Engle 

Editorial Support: ...................Kurt Kolka 

Chief Photographer: ..............Bill Serveny 

Advertising: 

Advertising Sales 

Manager: ............................Kim Ballard 

Classified Advertising Manager/ 

Asst. Advertising Sales 

Manager: ....................Kathleen Murray 

Sales Staff: .......Karen Gregor, Ben Teeter, 

Beth Anderson 

Sales Associate: ........Adele Woskobojnik 

Graphic Arts: 

Graphic Arts Manager: ..........Matt Smith 

Artists: ...............Todd Pfaff, Jami Stinnet 

Page Coordinator:. ....Erica Wescoat-Large 

Business: 

Office Staff: .................... Gina DeForge, 

Vicky Plummer, Linda Lyons 

Prime Times is published monthly by 

P.O. Box 598, Gaylord, MI 49734 

2058 S. Otsego Ave., Gaylord, MI 

(989) 732-1111 • FAX: (989) 732-3490 

www.gaylordheraldtimes.com 

e-mail: pub@gaylordheraldtimes.com 

Otsego County Herald Times, Inc. 

Copyright 2006. All rights reserved. 

ACTIVITIES CALENDAR p. 14 & 15 

Collisons form 

‘grand family’ 

Story on p. 6 

Gaylord with 1 traffic light p. 12 

Pick Your Brain Trivia 

p. 4 

LET THERE BE 

MUSIC 

Alpine Kitchen Band 

celebrates 

25th anniversary 

p. 10 

INSIDE STORIES 

• Brightman, a shining light 

Column by Julie Kettlewell p. 4 

• 4 things to make you smarter 

Tidbits to get you thinking p. 5 

• Grand family 

Raising grandchilden 

keeps Collisons young p. 6 

• Charlie Brightman 

A volunteer who makes 

community brighter p. 13 

Aspen Ridge Retirement Village 

Celebrates Father's Day 

Fantastic fathers 

at Aspen Ridge share 

their fondest memories 

of raising children… 

Don Desautels 

(pictured with Don, Jr.; Rita; Brian; and Jim) 

“It was very important to me that my three boys did well in Boy Scouts because I thought 

it would develop character in them. I’m proud to say they all went on to become Eagle 

Scouts. We did a lot of camping together while the boys were growing up. That’s what 

life is all about- understanding humans and nature working together. It gave them a 

good perspective on the world. I am so proud of them today for everything they’ve 

accomplished.” 

Melvin Baker 

(children pictured are Paul, Jerry, Karen, Patrick & Bonnie) 

“When my children were young, I just wanted to make sure 

everyone got along well together. My family was close then, 

and it’s still close today. It makes me proud that they have all 

amounted to something, and are still so good to me. There’s 

going to be ups and downs when you’re raising a family, but it’s 

always worth it in the end.” 

“Aspen Ridge...where your family becomes our family.” 

1261 Village Parkway • Gaylord • (989) 705-2500 

Nestled in the heart of the Alpine Village, Aspen Ridge is an assisted 

living facility that also offers Alzheimer’s and dementia care. Please 

call Beth Konieczny at 989-705-2500 for more information or availability. 

2 • June 2008 • PrimeTimes A Gaylord Herald Times publication

aetrex, 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Gaylord Herald Times publication PrimeTimes • June 2008 • 3

Times gone by ... HISTORICAL TRIVIA 

Brightman, a shining light 

Pick 

your 

BRAIN 

And win a prize! 

What was this? 

Photo courtesy of Jim Jozwiak 

If you think you know the answer, e-mail 

frank@gaylordheraldtimes.com, or send it to P.O. Box 598, 

Gaylord, MI, 49734. Those submitting a correct answer will 

be entered into a drawing for a $20 gift certificate for BJ’s 

Restaurant from the Gaylord Herald Times. When you write, 

please include your name, address and telephone number. 

Limit one win per person every six months. 

LAST MONTH’S ANSWER: 

Lem Noirot correctly identified this photo of his band playing at Snow 

Valley (now Beaver Creek Resort), a popular ski resort in the 1960s. 

“John Wynn stands at the left with his clarinet, Larry Givens sits at 

the piano, there I am with my trumpet, and Don (can’t remember 

his last name) at the drums. We all were wearing red hunting gear,” 

remembered Noirot. 

Each month I go out and interview 

people and sort out my notes and 

write a story based on the information 

I’ve been given. I have the 

opportunity to meet a lot of interesting 

people with interesting stories 

to tell, and I always manage to 

learn something. 

And every so often I meet someone 

who leaves a lasting impression, 

someone who prompts me 

to take a closer look, to ask more 

questions. This month I met someone 

like that. 

His name is Charlie Brightman, 

and he is remarkable, not so much 

because of what he does, but 

because of what he thinks and how he feels 

about what he does. Charlie volunteers 

at the Otsego County Food Pantry, and 

although there are many great volunteers at 

the pantry, it is perhaps Charlie’s spirit that 

sets him apart. 

You see, Charlie has terminal cancer. He 

has known this for four years, and if doctors 

had been right, he would have been 

gone two years ago. But he is still here, and 

he spends much of his time thinking about 

ways to make life better for everyone. 

I met with Charlie to talk about his work 

at pantry, but instead Charlie veered off 

to talk about his theories on more efficient 

forms of energy, and about his relationship 

with God, about quality of life, and about 

life after death. Yes, said Charlie, there must 

be a conscious existence after death. If not, 

then nothing we are doing here now would 

matter anyway. 

And Charlie believes everything matters 

– everything we do, everything we say, and 

every act of humanity we perform. It all 

matters. Charlie worries about the energy 

crisis, and about how people are going to 

live, and how they are going to eat, and 

Julie Kettlewell 

will they freeze to death because they can’t 

buy fuel, or will they die because they 

must choose heat over needed medications. 

Charlie truly worries about those things and 

about the welfare of others. 

So there I was, sitting down 

with Charlie to talk about his volunteer 

work at the Food Pantry, 

and Charlie talked more about his 

relationship with God. I wondered 

at one point how I would sort out 

all of the different thoughts in order 

to write the story that I set out to 

write. Charlie and I seemed to be 

focused on two different things. 

Then later, as I read over my 

notes, I realized Charlie and I were 

not talking about two different things at all. 

To Charlie, his work at the pantry and his 

passionate faith are one in the same. 

I thought pretty hard about my meeting 

with Charlie. He had gotten my attention. 

While the rest of us are running around complaining 

about our lives or our jobs, screaming 

about gas prices and crying about our 

problems, Charlie’s trying to find solutions 

to the problems. Here he is, a man with terminal 

cancer living on a fixed income, his 

illness robbing him of vital energy, and on 

any given day wondering how many more 

days he will have. 

Yet still he spends his own dollars to 

drive into town to help ensure the shelves 

at the Food Pantry are well stocked. He is 

worried about the people with whom he 

shares this life, and he won’t have them 

going hungry. 

So Charlie Brightman will help to fill 

empty tummies because that, as he so gently 

reminded me, is what Jesus did when he 

was here. And that, Charlie told me, is what 

he will do while he is here. 

Like I said, some people make a lasting 

impression. 

What’s So Great About 

Getting A Good Night’s Sleep? 

Not getting enough good sleep 

is associated with a higher 

risk of heart attack, heart 

irregularities, stroke, 

more problems with 

control of blood pressure 

and blood sugars. The 

metabolism changes 

to favor weight gain. 

Memory and concentration 

suffer without good sleep. 

Mood is affected with 

more irritability and it is 

difficult to enjoy the day. 

Antidepressants don’t work 

as well when good sleep is missing. 

• Do you snore? 

• Are you told you quit breathing in your sleep? 

• Are you restless at night? 

• Do you wake up frequently? 

• Do you feel refreshed in the morning? 

• Do you dose off easily during the day? 

• Do you have the energy you use to have? 

• Does tiredness make you less productive? 

• Have you changed your plans or are you too tired to enjoy things? 

Margaret Moen, M.D. 

Board Certified Sleep 

Medicine Specialist 

Personal and Individualized Care 

Comprehensive evaluation 

long term management 

We Accept Most Insurance 

231-935-8889 

1-866-875-3379 

3537 W. Front St., Traverse City, MI 49684 

by appointment only in Cadillac, Manistee, Gaylord & Grayling 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bob Skoric has provided 

counseling for hearing 

 

difficulties for over 20 years. 

 

 

 

 

We Are Not 

Just Another 

Hearing Aid 

Company. 

We truly care about your hearing! 

Our thorough exams, precise explanations 

and total education concerning your 

hearing problems are addressed for your 

complete understanding. 

Call for your completely FREE 

one-on-one examination today. 

We also service any make 

or brand of hearing aid. 

(989) 793-7620 

 

 

 

 

Call 1-800-352-4816 for Service Centers in 

West Branch, Gaylord, Clare, Mt. Pleasant, Midland, 

 

Alma 

 

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529 S. Wisconsin Ave. 

Gaylord, MI 

49735 

(989)732-3035 

(Across from Big Buck Brewery) 

FirstLine Therapy is a registered trademark of Metagenics, Inc. 


Prime 

part-time jobs 

1. 

If you are retired, semi-retired, 

or suffering from empty nest syndrome, 

a part-time job could help 

fill some of your time. But how do you find 

a job that will fit your lifestyle and allow 

you some freedom? According to an article 

from CareerBuilder.com, following are the 

top 10 part-time jobs that are most likely 

to offer good pay, flexibility, and expanded 

possibilities in the next 10 years. 

Pharmacy technician 

Tax preparer 

Dental assistant 

Personal and home-care aide 

Receptionist 

Clerical library assistant 

Demonstrators and product promoters 

Childcare worker 

Fitness trainer or aerobic instructor 

Physical therapist aide 

To read more about these jobs and 

what they might entail, visit msn.primecb. 

com) 

(Source: msn.primecb.com) 

5 

4 things to make you smarter 

What’s that 

you say? 

So your hearing is failing and 

you don’t want to pay the high 

price of hearing aids, let alone 

put the unattractive devices in your ears. 

What do you do? It’s simple. Get yourself 

a DUMB BO, a dandy little hat with giant 

plastic curved flaps on either side that 

resemble elephant ears (see diagram), 

hence the 

catchy name 

of this invention 

that 

was patented 

in 1993. 

Apparently the 

giant plastic 

flaps or wind 

tunnels or 

whatever they 

are somehow 

capture spoken 

words and bounce those words directly into 

the wearer’s ears. 

Now even if this invention really 

did work the way the inventor intended, 

it is hard to imagine someone opting to 

make this particular fashion statement as 

opposed to wearing a couple of hearing 

aids. But the fashion faux pas isn’t the only 

issue here. It’s highly possible those wide 

word-catching flaps might also catch other 

things, like insects or small birds. Which 

poses the question: Is the DUMB BO for the 

words, or for the birds? 

(Source: totallyabsurd.com.) 

Speaking 

of words 

2. 3. 4. 

Ever wonder about the origin 

of silly or unusual words that have 

infiltrated our language? Author 

Charles Earle Funk highlights hundreds of 

old, odd and everyday words in his book, 

Horsefeathers & Other Curious Words. Here 

are some to ponder: 

Whippersnapper: The word is a balanced 

extension of whip-snapper, or “one 

who cracks a whip.” It is most often used 

in the sense of “one who cracks a whip 

loudly to make a fearsome noise because 

he himself would have no attention paid 

to him otherwise.” In other words, a whippersnapper 

is an insignificant, impudent 

nobody. 

Hogwash: This is not slang, nor is it a 

recent coinage, according to Funk. Five 

hundred years ago it was the common term 

for the swill fed to swine. Curiously, the earliest 

instance of its use traced by the Oxford 

English Dictionary, dated around 1440, 

reads, “They in the kechyn, for iape, pouryd 

on here hefd hoggyswasch” (translated 

“They in the kitchen, for jest, poured hogwash 

on her head.”). Some joke, says the 

author. In figurative contemptuous usage 

the term dates to the early 18th century. 

Thingum, thingumajig, thingumbob, 

thingummy: meaningless extensions of 

the word thing in its special use as a term 

to denote an object or person which the 

speaker cannot or will not name specifically. 

Thingum was first recorded in the late 17th 

century, with the other forms following in 

the 18th and 19th centuries. 

(Source: Horsefeathers & Other Curious 

Words by Charles Earle Funk, copyright 1958) 

Miss Manner’s 

table manners 

Here are some helpful hints to 

help out any harried hostess, compliments 

of Miss Manners. 

Dear Miss Manners: Where exactly 

does the salad bowl go? 

Gentle Reader: Directly under the salad. 

Dear Miss Manners: Is it considered 

bad manners to take a sip of your drink at 

dinner, before everyone has been served 

food? 

Gentle Reader: It is considered an act 

of survival. 

Dear Miss Manners: When is a napkin 

a “serviette”? 

Gentle Reader: When it is trying to 

show off. 

Dear Miss Manners: How do you eat 

cake? 

Gentle Reader: So that you can have 

it, too. This is done by cutting a bite-sized 

piece with the end of the fork and lifting it 

up to the mouth in such a way that crumbs 

drift down and lodge themselves in the shirt 

front. These may be furtively picked up and 

eaten later. 

Dear Miss Manners: What is the proper 

way to eat potato chips? 

Gentle Reader: With a knife and fork… 

For pity’s sake, what is this world coming to? 

Miss Manners doesn’t mind explaining the 

finer points of gracious living, but feels that 

anyone who doesn’t have the sense to pick 

up a potato chip and stuff it into his mouth 

probably should not be running around 

loose on the streets. 

(Source: Miss Manners’ Guide to 

Excruciatingly Correct Behavior by Judith Martin) 

 

 

 

 

 

Hospice of Michigan surrounds Molly with 

the things that matter most. Her family, 

her friends, and her favorite flannels. As a 

palliative care provider, Hospice of Michigan 

provides comfort and improves the quality 

of life for those with life-limiting illnesses 

and their families. If you or someone you 

love is living with a terminal illness, call 

Hospice of Michigan. 

SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1985 

1723 W. M-32, Ste. B, Gaylord 

(989) 732-2151 / WWW.HOM.ORG 


The grand family includes Tom and Debi Collison and their granddaughters Bethanie (l) and Nastassia. 

GRAND FAMILY 

Raising grandchildren keeps Collisons young 

Tom and Debi Collison of Gaylord 

are no different than other 

couples of their generation. 

They have worked hard all 

their lives and have been looking ahead 

to retirement when their time would 

be their own and they could do as they 

please. 

But life has taken a new turn for this 

couple: They now find themselves in 

the position of raising their two granddaughters. 

The Collisons have joined the ranks 

of the nearly 2.5 million grandparents 

in this country who are raising their 

children’s children, blending the older 

and younger generation into what is 

known as a “grand family.” 

Though they have assumed the roles 

of mom and dad to Bethanie, 8, and Nastassia, 

4, those are not the roles Tom and 

Debi would have chosen for themselves 

at this stage in life. But when their adult 

daughter abandoned Bethanie and Nastassia 

last year, Tom and Debi stepped in 

to take responsibility for the girls. 

“THEIR DAD got in some trouble, 

and he is in prison,” Tom explained of 

his former son-in-law, “but he has been 

moved to a work camp and goes before 

a parole board in June. Hopefully, he 

will get out.” So in May of last year, with 

their daughter’s whereabouts unknown 

and the girls’ father incarcerated, Tom 

and Debi’s options were limited. 

“When it happened, we said, ‘What 

are our options?’ There were no other 

options,” Tom recalled. “The only other 

option would be for protective services 

to put them in some other foster home, 

so for us, this was the only solution.” 

More info about grand families 

For grandparents who find themselves in the position of parenting 

their grandchildren, there is help out there. General information 

about “grand families” can be found at www.aarp.org. 

Locally, information and resources are available through the 

Michigan Department of Human Services located on Walden Drive 

in Gaylord, 989-732-1702, as well as through the Otsego County 

Commission on Aging located on Grandview Boulevard in Gaylord, 

989-732-1122. 

Although Tom and Debi provided 

a solution to the problem of placement 

for the girls, the last few months have 

presented many new challenges. 

“I come home at night, and I am so 

tired,” said Debi, who works a full-time 

job outside the home. But there is no 

time to be tired, she explained, as the 

girls have a great deal of energy and 

are involved in activities that keep Debi 

on the go every day. That, she said, has 

been the biggest challenge for her. For 

her husband, who also works long and 

sometimes unpredictable hours, the loss 

of freedom is the hardest adjustment. 

“We knew what it was like to take 

off when we wanted to. The loss of that 

has been the biggest thing,” said Tom, 

who loved to spend his free time riding 

around with Debi on their motorcycle. 

Now there is precious little time for 

recreation. 

Tom and Debi have made many 

sacrifices, and their dual roles as Grandma/Mom 

and Grandpa/Dad have worn 

them thin. But for this couple, parenting 

their grandchildren is truly a labor of 

love. 

THE GIRLS are happy living with 

Grandma and Grandpa, and have 

adjusted well, Debi and Tom noted. For 

Nastassia, living with her grandparents 

is all she really knows, as she has spent 

most of her young life with them and 

has no recollection of a different life, 

Debi explained. However, older sister 

Bethanie does remember living with 

her mom and dad, and often asks tough 

questions about what has happened, 

which Debi and Tom try to answer as 

best they can. 

“We have been honest with the girls,” 

remarked Debi. “Bethanie wants to 

know what’s going on, and if she wants 

to know I’m going to tell her. I let her 

know what’s going on.” Debi worries 

more about Bethanie who, unlike 

her younger sister, harbors resentment 

toward her mother. 

“She wants to be with her parents,” 

explained Debi, despite everything that 

has happened. “She sees other kids with 

their moms and dads, and it has really 

taken a toll on her.” For that reason and 

others, Debi takes both girls regularly to 

see a play therapist, which gives them an 

opportunity to vent frustrations and gain 

some understanding of their circumstances. 

ALTHOUGH Tom and Debi acknowledge 

the difficulties of the situation, 

they also do not hesitate to appreciate 

all of the goods things that have 

come from having their granddaughters 

with them. 

“It keeps you young,” Debi laughed. 

“We love watching them grow up, and 

they are so funny. They put on dances 

for us and do little cheers… They keep 

us entertained.” Tom smiled his agreement, 

and both talked of the love they 

have for their grandchildren, and of the 

desire to ensure their happiness and well 

being. 

But amid the love and laughter, a 

dark cloud occasionally falls over the 

Collisons. 

“We keep asking ourselves, ‘What 

have we done wrong?’,” said Debi, who 

often wonders if things would be different 

had they done things differently with 

their daughter. Fortunately for Debi and 

Tom, their friends have been supportive, 

and assure them they are not to blame. 

“People who know us tell us it’s nothing 

we did,” Debi said. “We did everything 

we could; we did our best, and it 

cont’d on next page 

Story & photos by Julie Kettlewell 


Grand family faces challenges 

cont’d 

just didn’t work. Our 

riends know what we went 

hrough, because they went 

hrough it with us. They tell 

s, ‘You can’t look at it that 

way. You just have to go 

forward’.” 

AND that is what this 

grand family tries to do 

every day as they face new 

challenges and jump new 

hurdles. 

Debi is particularly 

grateful for the support she 

receives from her mother, 

who has been a good listener 

and a source of strength. 

But Debi also knows that 

her husband is her most 

important support person, 

and vice versa, as they give 

each other the help – both 

physically and emotionlly 

– that is needed to get 

hrough this new childrearng 

phase of their lives. 

Debi also noted that, 

because the State of Michian 

placed the girls with 

her and Tom, the state takes 

care of needed daycare services 

and provides financial 

assistance, as well, in the 

form of a Bridge Card. This 

assistance, intimated Debi, 

is very helpful, but there is 

an emotional downside to 

receiving the aid. 

“The thing that really 

bothers me is when you 

go shopping and you go to 

check out,” Debi explained, 

“and sometimes the clerks 

are all nice until they see 

the Bridge Card come out. 

That burns me, because I 

am busting my butt to raise 

these kids, and I’ve got 

somebody treating me like 

a welfare case. I feel like I 

have to explain myself,” she 

said with frustration in her 

voice. “That hurts me that 

people think I am taking 

advantage of the system. 

They have absolutely no 

clue.” 

DEBI and Tom realize it 

is hard for people to understand 

what they are going 

through unless they have 

been through it themselves. 

“Lots of times we have 

felt like we were all alone 

in this,” said Debi. But 

she and Tom try to keep a 

positive attitude, and Debi 

was happy to be a source of 

support to a friend who had 

recently taken in her own 

grandchildren. 

“She called and asked 

me, “What do I do? I don’t 

know what to do.’,” Debi 

recalled. 

“So I told her, you just 

gotta love ‘em,” Debi 

smiled. “That’s all you can 

do. Just love ‘em.” 

Bethanie (l) and Nastassia entertain Tom and Debi with an impromptu dance. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sodas, Sundaes 

& Phosphates 

Deli Style Stacked & 

Specialty Sandwiches 

Hearty Home 

Made Soups 

& Salads 

 

Bottle-Cap 

Museum 

Northern Michigan’s largest 

privately owned collection of Coca Cola 

memorabilia with a rotating exhibit of 

over 9,000 pieces. 

 

 

 

231 E. Michigan Avenue 

Grayling, Michigan 

989-348-2111 

www.bottlecapmuseum.com 

GANNON BROADCASTING 

Bringing to Northern Michigan music and 

information listeners can use at home and at work. 

Decades 101.1 FM WQON 

YOUR 

WQON 

101.1 FM 

Y-100.3 FM WGRY is a 

Modern Country format with 

a blend of new stars and 

seasoned performers giving 

listeners a full spectrum of 

country music, not just the 

top 20 hits. 

Y-100.3 FM WGRY 

Decades 101.1 FM WQON is an 

Adult Contemporary format 

spanning the decades with 

top 10 hits from the 70’s, 80’s 

and 90’s along with the best of 

today’s light rock. 

Music of Your Life 1230 AM WGRY 

Music of your Life 1230 

AM WGRY is an Adult Pop 

Standards format featuring 

legendary personalities to 

entertain listeners with a 

dazzling kaleidoscope of 

music that reflects the best 

of older standards of the 

30’s, 40’s, 50’s and 60’s. 

6514 Old Lake Road • Grayling, MI 49738 

Business Line: (989) 348-6171 

Fax Line: (989) 348-6181 

www.gannonbroadcasting.com 


IN-HOME SERVICES 

Providing assistance for older 

adults with activities of daily 

living. Services include personal 

care, homemaking, and the 

provision of respite care for 

families of Otsego County. 

We Help. 

We Care. 

OCCOA 

OTSEGO COUNTY COMMISSION ON AGING 

989.732.1122 • www.OtsegoCounty 

MEAL PROGRAM 

OCCOA provides nutritious meals 

for older adults in congregate 

social settings and to 

home-bound older adults. 

Mission Statement 

Our mission is to coordinate, provide and initiate programs, 

and promote the independence and well-being of senior citizens of Otsego County. 

ACTIVITIES 

Enjoy a variety of social 

education recreation 

opportunities that add to the 

diversity of our program. 

Arnie Morse 

EXECUTIVE 

DIRECTOR 

Suzanne 

Bannister 

MEAL PROGRAM 

COORDINATOR 

Pamela 

Carlson, RN 

MEDICAL 

RESOURCES 

COORDINATOR 

Michelle 

Dunkelberg 

SPECIAL EVENTS 

COORDINATOR 

Eileen Godek 

RESEARCH 

COORDINATOR 

and VOLUNTEER 

COORDINATOR 

Christine 

Holewinski 

ADULT DAY 

SERVICES 

COORDINATOR 

Cindy Lemke 

CUSTOMER SERVICES 

COORDINATOR and 

PROJECT FRESH 

COORDINATOR 

Jacalyn 

Marshall 

IN-HOME 

SERVICES 

COORDINATOR 

Annie 

Mayer 

ACCOUNTANT 

Loretta 

Miller 

ADVOCACY 

COORDINATOR 

Claudia 

Pettis 

ADMINISTRATIVE 

and OPERATIONS 

COORDINATOR 

Dona Wishart 

DIRECTOR and 

AGING SERVICES 

SPECIALIST 

VOLUNTEER 

OPPORTUNITIES 

Join the efforts in “helping and 

caring” for older adults. Volunteer 

to enhance and expand services 

through the gift of your time and 

expertise. Your capacity to care 

gives life its deepest meaning. 

Are you a family care giver 

needing help? We provide Adult 

Day Services, Monday through 

Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. 

Board of Directors 

Jack Thompson ............President 

Mary Sanders ...... Vice President 

Mary King ...................Secretary 

Richard Beachnau ......... Member 

James Camiller .............. Member 

Joe Duff ......................... Member 

Rudi Edel ...................... Member 

Jim Mathis .................... Member 

Margaret Richards ........ Member 

Pat Slominski ................ Member 

Lee Olsen ..Otsego County Board 

Of Commissioners 

Representative 

Arnold Morse ............. Executive 

Director 

Dona Wishart .........Director and 

Aging Services Specialist 

Services for 

Older Adults 

Eldercare Locator 

800.677.1116 

Medicare/Medicaid 

Assistance Program 

800.803.7174 

Michigan Peer Review 

Organization (MPRO) 

800.365.5899 

Social Security 

Administration 

(SSA) • 800.772.1213 

State Long-Term Care 

Ombudsman Program 

(SLTCOP) • 800.292.7852 

US Department of Veterans 

Affairs • 800.827.1000 

Organizations 

for Specific Health 

Conditions, Medical 

and Supportive Care 

Alzheimer’s Associaton 

800.337.3827 

American Heart Association 

800.557.9520 

Arthritis Foundation 

800.968.3030 

Chronic Illness Coalition 

734.266.2422 

MI Parkinson Foundation 

313.745.2000 

Hospice Link • 800.331.1620 

Library of MI ~ Services for 

the Blind and Physically 

Handicapped • 800.992.9012 

Independent Living 

Resources 

American Association 

of People with Disabilities 

www.aapd.com/ 

MI Disability Rights Coalition 

www.copower.org 

MI Dept. of Community Health 

www.michigan.gov/mdch 

National Institute of Health 

www.nih.gov 

Michigan Works! 

www.michworks.org 

Centers for Medicare 

and Medicaid Services (CMS) 

www.cms.hhs.gov 

Social Security • www.ssa.gov 

US Postal Service • www.usps.gov 

120 GRANDVIEW BLVD • GAYLORD, MICHIGAN 49735 • FAX: 98 

• June 2008 • PrimeTimes 

A Gaylord Herald Times publication

9.731.2739 • WEEKDAYS 8:00am TO NOON & 12:30 TO 4:00pm 

A Gaylord Herald Times publication PrimeTimes • June 2008 • 9 

Upcoming Events For June 

OLDER ADULTS OF OTSEGO COUNTY AND FRIENDS... YOU’RE INVITED! 

COA.org • Advocacy 989.732.9977 

OTSEGO LAKE SEA 

PLANE SPLASH-IN 

SATURDAY, JUNE 14th 

10:30am to 3:00pm 

$10 ~ Includes Box Lunch 

Bus departs from and returns to 

Gaylord Senior Center (Alten Zimmer). 

• • • • • • • 

“SENIOR” PROM 

FOR “YUNGUNS” 

AT HEART... 

SATURDAY, JUNE 21st 

7:00 to 11:00pm 

Seniors $3 • Non-Seniors $5 

Gaylord Senior Center 

Music by the “Lucky Stars” 

• • • • • • • 

JORDAN VALLEY STOMPERS 

Come Enjoy Some Line Dancing!! 

MONDAY, JUNE 16th 

12:15pm • Gaylord Senior Center 

• • • • • • • 

YOUNG AT HEART 

EXERCISE CLASS 

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 

10:30 to 11:30am • PowerHouse Gym 

$3 Per Session • Funding available 

GYM MEMBERSHIP NOT REQUIRED 

• • • • • • • 

DINE IN!! CARRY OUT!! 

HAMBURGER 

TUESDAY 

Second Tuesday of Each Month! 

TUESDAY, JUNE 10th 

Gaylord Senior Center (Alten Zimmer) 

11:00am to 12:15pm 

$2.50 Seniors • $3.50 Non-seniors 

Sign-up required. 

• • • • • • • 

TAKE A TRIP 

BACK IN TIME AT... 

WELLINGTON FARM 

WHERE ITS ALWAYS 1932! 

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11th 

Grayling • 10:30am to 3:00pm 




• • • • • • • 

GOOD NUTRITION AND 

EXERCISE IS AN 

IMPORTANT PART OF 

SUCCESSFUL AGING! 

FISHING FUN! 

DROP A LINE... 

Fourth Tuesday of Each Month! 

TUESDAY, JUNE 24th 

Otsego Lake State Park 

10:00am to 1:30pm • $5 Per Trip 

Bus departs from and returns 

to Gaylord Senior Center. 

• • • • • • • 

WALKING 

WONDERS 

Mondays • Aspen Park 

10:00 to 11:00am 

Bus departs from and returns 

to Gaylord Senior Center 

• • • • • • • 

REMINISCENCE 

FOND MEMORIES... 

“Grandparents” 

FRIDAY, JUNE 13th 

“Ice-Boxes” 

THURS, JUNE 26th 

10:30 to 11:30am • Gaylord Senior Center 

• • • • • • • 

GAYLORD 

AIR FAIR 

CONNECT WITH LIVING 

PIECES OF HISTORY 

SATURDAY, JUNE 21st 

Gaylord Regional Airport 

10:00am to 2:00pm 




• • • • • • • 

CAREGIVER 

SUPPORT GROUP 

EDUCATION AND INFORMATION 

FOR CAREGIVERS 

SATURDAY, JUNE 14th 

10:00am • University Center 

• • • • • • • 

PARKINSON’S 

SUPPORT GROUP 

EDUCATION AND INFORMATION 

ABOUT PARKINSON DISEASE 

THURSDAY, JUNE 26th 

2:00pm • University Center 

• • • • • • •

HT - Bill Serveny 

WASHTUB BASS player Ken Mudget, 90, of Vanderbilt is the sole-survivng member of the original 

band. Mudget says music is the universal language. 

Robert L. Halter, D.O. 

Louis Habryl, D.O. 

Angus Goetz, D.O.** 

Gilbert A. Noirot, 

M.D. 

BOARD CERTIFIED ORTHOPEDIC SURGEONS 

Serving the area for 29 years. 

Disorders of the 

Musculoskeletal System 

Fracture Care 

TWO OFFICES TO BEST SERVE OUR PATIENTS. 

GAYLORD 

Orthopedic Surgery 

• Arthroscopy - Knee, ACL reconstruction, 

shoulder, ankle and hip 

• Hand surgery - open, mini-incision and 

endoscopic carpal tunnel release 

• Shoulder surgery - Arthroscopic rotator 

cuff repairs 

• Foot and ankle surgery - bunions 

• Hip and knee replacements and revisions 

• Minimal invasive hip & knee surgery 

OVER 300 JOINTS REPLACED 

ANNUALLY BY OUR PHYSICIANS. 

• Sports Medicine, arthritis 

• Evaluation, treatment, x-rays, therapy, orthotics 

• Bracing, splints, casts, surgery 

**FELLOWSHIP TRAINED IN TOTAL JOINT ARTHROPLASTY 

GRAYLING 

2147 Professional Drive • 989-732-1753 1200 N. Down River Road • 989-348-2896 



MEMBERS OF THE Alpine Kitchen Band celebrated the 25th anniversary of the band’s founding last month. Band members include (front row, l-r): Ellen Palm, Ray Mackowiak, Ken Mudget, Ilene Dombrowski, 

Diane Akins and Patty Doll; (middle row, l-r): Jim Nasto, Donna Nasto, Sue Nobach, Rose Phelps, Audrey Flores, Jean Pashak and Pearl Nowak; (back row, l-r): Ray Engel, Garry Freeland, Andy Francis, Louie 

Flores and Pat Daniel. 

Strike up the Alpine Kitchen Band! 

Members of the Alpine 

Kitchen Band 

celebrated the 25th 

birthday of the band 

uring the the month of May, 

008. 

The original Kitchen Band 

was organized by the late Happy 

Doerr of Johannesburg in May, 

1983. 

The band consisted of 13 

members, all retired seniors, 

who played a variety of kitchen 

utensils. 

The original band was also 

directed by Happy Doerr for 

several years. 

TODAY the band is still alive 

and well, with 21 active members 

who play and sing at several 

different locations throughout 

Otsego County each and every 

month. 

Over the years the Kitchen 

Band has had several different 

names and several different 

directors. 

THE FIRST BAND was called 

the Otsego Kitchen Band, later 

it was the Gaylord Kitchen Band 

and now it is the Alpine Kitchen 

Band. 

The Kitchen Band has a new 

and different program every 

month, but they still play and 

sing many of the old all-time 

favorites that the original band 

started out with 25 years ago. 

The present band director is 

Patty Doll of Gaylord and the 

band’s music director is Ellen 

Palm of Gaylord. 

The only surviving member 

of the original Otsego Kitchen 

Band is Ken Mudget, age 90 of 

Vanderbilt. Ken still plays the 

same “wash tub” that he has 

played for the past 25 years and 

still enjoys it very much. 

Ken says that music is the 

universal language that everyone 

understands. He also says 

that everyone, young and old, 

needs music, melody, harmony 

and rhythm in their lives. Everyone 

needs to keep a “song in 

their heart.” 

Anyone interested in more information 

on the Alpine Kitchen Band 

can call Ellen Palm at (989)731- 

4931. 

Thank You 

•• ALPINE KITCHEN BAND •• 

For rekindling childhood memories 

of going to Mom’s kitchen cupboards 

for a pot or pan to make music with... 

and for creating new joyful memories of 

kitchen band music across Otsego County. 

Happy 25th Anniversary! 

OCCOA 


Trusted Advice For 

Families as they Mature 

• Legal Planning for Family Health 

and Economic Issues 

Karen E. 

Wells-Krusell 

Attorney at Law 

Family Law 

• Adoption • Divorce • Custody • Juvenile • Wills 

• Probate • Real Estate • Personal Injury Referrals 

New clients welcome with no charge for initial consultation! 

Call Today 

732-9488 

111 W. Mitchell • Suite C • P.O. Box 1603 

Gaylord, MI 49734 • Fax (989) 731-3594 

www.gaylordfamilylaw.com 

kwellskrusell@hotmail.com 

Wednesday is 

Senior Citizen’s Day 

10% Discounts 

on all sales! 

(Excluding sale items) 

Gaylord Ace Hardware 

1961 S. Otsego Ave. 

Corner of McCoy & S. Otsego 

Gaylord 

989.732.1394 

Services Available 

• Transfer Station 

Open Monday - Friday 9-5 

• Containers 

• Commercial Dumpsters 

• Residential (Otsego County) 

Discounts 

for seniors! 

JUST CALL 989-732-4243 


Remembering Gaylord with 1 traffic light 

By Jil Schult 

Staff Writer 

GAYLORD — 

She lives independently, 

studies 

genealogy, traveled 

by airplane alone to 

ew York City three years 

go and volunteers for her 

hurch, United Methodist 

hurch and Retired and 

enior Volunteer Program 

RSVP). 

While June (Haefelin) 

trappazon turns 90 on June 

3, she is not slowing down. 

She grew up as an only 

hild in Yorkville, Ill. approximately 

40 miles west 

f Chicago, to a traveling 

alesman father and a 

other who was frequently 

n poor health. When 

epression hit, her father 

ost his job and started an 

utomobile transportation 

business. 

STRAPPAZON graduated 

from Fairfield High 

School in 1935. She went to 

work, doing the books for 

her father’s business. 

“I wanted to go to college 

but we couldn’t afford 

it,” said Strappazon from 

her home in Gaylord. 

Through friends, she met 

her husband the late Leo 

Strappazon. They married 

in 1942 and had two children; 

Linda and Gary. 

During World War II, 

she went to work at a candy 

store and her husband 

worked in accounting for a 

JUNE STRAPPAZON looks 

through her scrapbook. 

Strappazon 

and her late 

husband 

moved to 

Gaylord in 

1962 and 

purchased the 

Alpine Motel, 

which they 

operated for 

6 years. 

firm in Detroit in the process 

of taking out manufacturing 

machinery and putting in 

machinery for the war. 

When the company 

went out of business, Strappazon 

was left looking for 

new work. 

“HE and my father 

thought it would be a good 

idea to buy a motel up 

here,” she said. “They didn’t 

consult me.” 

They moved to Gaylord 

and ran the Alpine Motel on 

Old 27 South for six years. 

“My, how Gaylord has 

changed since then,” said 

Strappazon. 

“There was one stop and 

go light,” she continued. 

“Most stores downtown 

were empty; merchants 

were upset that I-75 didn’t 

go through the middle of 

town. 

“When they built that 

new high school, I couldn’t 

believe Gaylord was big 

enough,” she stated. 

They sold the motel in 

1968 when her son went off 

to college. 

After being busy for 

years, Strappazon soon 

needed to find something to 

do to busy herself. 

“I DECIDED I needed 

something to do so I went 

into the library and asked 

Mary Jane Jehle if she 

needed any help. 

The following week she 

went to work at the library. 

“That was the most fun 

job I’ve ever had,” she said. 

Leo Strappazon worked 

at the Gaylord Herald 

Times; was a bookkeeper 

and office manager for 

Johnson Oil, and sold 

homes for Bob’s Modern 

Homes. 

IN 1979 the couple 

moved to Joliet, Ill., where 

Leo Strappazon was diagnosed 

with Alzheimer’s 

disease. Their son wanted 

them to move back to Gaylord 

to be closer to him. 

“We moved back here 

and I’m so glad,” she said. 

“This is a wonderful 

town for getting help and 

the caring people... I had a 

lot of church friends.” 

Strappazon became an 

RSVP volunteer after her 

husband died in 2000. 

She has three grandchildren; 

Rena Ceron of New 

Leo and June 

Strappazon 

moved to 

Gaylord in 

1962 after 

purchasing the 

Alpine Motel, 

which was 

located on Old 

U.S. 27 south 

of town. 

Courtesy photo 

York City; Gary Strappazon 

II and Doyle Strappazon, 

both of Montrose. Gary 

Strappazon resides in 

Frankenmuth and Linda 

Strappazon lives in New 

York City. 

June Strappazon is a 

member of the United 

Methodist Church; the 

United Methodist Women; 

and the Otsego County 

Historical Society, where she 

volunteered in 1996. 

Join Strappazon in celebration 

of her 90th birthday, 

Sunday, June 22 at the 

United Methodist Church, 

located at 215 South Center, 

following the service. 

Contact Jil Schult at 748-4518 

or jil@gaylordheraldtimes.com. 

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Difficult and 

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1001 Gornick Ave., Gaylord, Michigan • 989-732-1533 

KEVIN WESTCOTT 


Brightman shines light in the community 

By Julie Kettlewell 

The thought of 

people going 

hungry is something 

Charlie 

Brightman can’t sit still 

for. So he doesn’t sit still. 

For the past two and a half 

years Charlie has been 

driving his truck into town 

and heading straight for 

the Otsego County Food 

Pantry, where he volunteers 

his time to unload the 

trucks that carry the food 

that fill the shelves that 

feed the people. 

And for Charlie, this 

work is more than just 

something to pass the 

time; it is a mission of 

sorts. Charlie Brightman 

was diagnosed with 

cancer in 2003. In 2004 was 

told he was terminal and 

that his chances of living 

another two years were 

slim. 

“Since I am facing 

death, I have contemplated 

death,” Charlie 

emarked. In doing so, he 

has contemplated life, and 

ites his faith in God as the 

basis for his daily thoughts 

nd actions. 

“My faith has been a 

olid rock to me,” Charlie 

aid with a peaceful smile. 

nd this faith, he believes, 

has kept him going beond 

doctors’ projections. 

Since he received the 

prognosis that his life 

would be shortened, Charlie 

began rearranging his 

life and his priorities. He 

left his job to spend more 

time with Teresa, his wife 

of 31 years, and their 2 

daughters and four grandchildren. 

At the same time, 

Charlie also began his 

work at the Food Pantry. 

“One thing Jesus did 

was feed the people,” 

Charlie said.” People have 

to eat. When I am working 

at the pantry, it’s not me 

doing it, it is God working 

through me.” 

An aircraft mechanic 

in Flint for many years, 

Charlie moved his family 

to Gaylord in 1995 to take 

a job outside that field, 

primarily to be closer to 

his wife’s family in Mackinaw 

City. After working 

a couple of different jobs, 

Charlie ended up stocking 

shelves at night at 

Walmart, a job which he 

enjoyed, yet found ironic 

at the same time. 

“My first job in high 

school was as a stock 

boy. Now my last job is 

as a stock boy,” he said 

with slight grin. Whether 

he was referring to the 

shelves at Walmart or the 

shelves at the food pantry, 

only Charlie knows, but 

he is amused that his life 

came full circle, as such. 

And it seems his experience 

in the area of stocking 

inventory has come in 

pretty handy at the Food 

Pantry. Pantry board member 

Jerry Coger expressed 

true appreciation for 

Charlie’s ongoing efforts, 

in spite of the illness that is 

weakening him. 

“Because of his background, 

he has been very 

helpful,” Jerry remarked. 

“Charlie helps me out just 

about every time I call 

him. He helps me unload 

Senior’s Feet Need Extra TLC To 

Keep Them Smiling. 

Call today and make an appointment. 

Dr. Thomas B. DeKorte, D.P.M. 

Podiatric Physician & Surgeon 

Member American - Michigan Podiatry Association 

Gaylord Foot Clinic • 1662 S. Old 27 Hwy. • Gaylord, MI 49735 

(989) 732-6565 

Serving the Gaylord area for over 20 years. 

a truck twice a month, 

and he also helps distribute 

food. He’s got good 

ideas and he thinks things 

through,” added Jerry. 

“He’s just a good guy.” 

But Charlie doesn’t do 

his work at the pantry for 

thanks or applause. He 

does it simply because it is 

the right thing to do, and 

it is an important thing 

to do. Charlie admits he 

is fearful of the direction 

in which this society is 

heading, and worries that 

people are really going to 

suffer. 

“The cost of goods 

and services is going up, 

but wages are not going 

up enough. There are the 

rising energy costs, and 

people losing their jobs,” 

Charlie said, concern in his 

voice. “People will have 

to make a choice. ‘Do I 

pay for heat? Medicine? 

Gas?’. People are going to 

lose their homes, they are 

going to starve and freeze 

to death.” 

That is why, even 

though his strength is 

waning, Charlie continues 

Charlie 

Brightman can 

often be found 

volunteering 

at the Otsego 

County Food 

Pantry helping 

people in need. 

Caring people caring 

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24-Hour Skilled Nursing Facility 

Offering rehabilitation, ventilator unit, special 

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For more information or to schedule a 

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508 Random Lane • Gaylord 

www.tendercare.net 

(989) 732-3508 

LumbAr Yard 

3589 S. Straits Hwy. 

P.O. Box 184 

Indian River, MI 

49749 

231-238-0199 

Ron Vance 

Physical Therapist 

Vance’s 

Rehabilitation 

Center 

609 N. Court 

Gaylord, MI 49735 

989-732-4753 



to do whatever he can to 

help make life a little better 

for those that are hurting. 

He sees the reality and 

truth in life – the blessings 

and the hardships – and 

strives to strike a balance. 

“Understanding the 

fundamentals of life and 

the universe determines 

how you live your life,” 

Charlie remarked. “You 

can spin it any way you 

want, but the truth is the 

truth. When you learn to 

deal with the truth, you 

think different and you 

act different,” he added. 

“That’s part of who I am 

and why I do what I do.” 

For Charlie, that philosophy 

and that outlook 

help to make the good 

times just a little better, 

and the bad times not so 

bad. 

That outlook is what 

he takes with him each 

time he drives into town 

to unload the truck that 

carries the food that fills 

the shelves that feeds the 

people. 

And all the while, hoping 

it will be enough. 

P 

‘Since I am facing 

death, I have 

contemplated death. 

My faith has been 

a solid rock to me.’ 

— Charlie Brightman 

T 

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MUNSONHEALTHCARE.ORG

AARP survey: 

66 percent of seniors less likely to support 

officials who vote to raise Medicare premiums 

LANSING, MI — A 

new AARP survey reveals 

that older Americans 

are extremely concerned 

about their skyrocketing 

health care costs and they 

are less likely to support 

lawmakers who raise 

those costs even higher. 

The poll of adults 50-plus 

finds 81 percent oppose 

additional increases to 

Medicare premiums and 

66 percent are less likely 

to vote for an elected official 

who supports those 

increases. 

“It's time for Congress 

to stop treating the 

symptoms and find real 

solutions to our skyrocketing 

health care costs," 

said AARP Executive 

Vice President Nancy 

eaMond. “Americans 

0-plus want lawmakers 

o fix the problem, not just 

aise their premiums.” 

NEXT month, Congress 

will decide whether to 

add another increase to 

Medicare premiums to 

cover the cost of paying 

doctors more. Lawmakers 

have consistently used 

this “Band-Aid” of higher 

premiums to patch the 

flawed physician payment 

system, raising premiums 

even more than usual each 

year. Eight in ten survey 

respondents opposed raising 

premiums even higher 

instead of looking at other 

recommended ways to 

lower health care costs. 

AARP’s poll also 

found that a vast majority 

of 50-plus Americans 

are concerned about 

their current and future 

out-of-pocket health care 

costs (80 percent and 88 

percent, respectively). 

Concern over Medicare 

premiums even extends 

to those not yet in the 

program. Among those 50 

to 64, 86 percent are concerned 

about what their 

premiums will be when 

they become eligible for 

Medicare. 

“We know health care 

costs are rising for everyone, 

but older Americans 

in particular have been 

shouldering the burden 

of a broken system for too 

long. Congress needs to 

find a solution that’s fair 

for all of us,” LeaMond 

added. 

AARP has been working 

to keep premiums fair 

and improve Medicare’s 

low-income programs, 

including the Part D 

Low-Income Subsidy 

and Medicare Savings 

Programs. The grassroots 

effort has already generated 

more than 205,000 

signed petitions as well as 

25,000 calls and 100,000 

e-mails to Senate offices. 

Television, print and 

online ads ran in major 

markets around the country. 

The poll was conducted 

for AARP via telephone 

by ICR, an independent 

research company. 

Interviews were conducted 

from April 24 – May 4, 

2008 among a nationally 

representative sample of 

1,038 respondents 50-plus. 

For a complete copy 

of the poll, please contact 

AARP Media Relations at 

202-434-2560. 

AARP is a nonprofit, 

nonpartisan membership 

organization that helps people 

50+ have independence, 

choice and control in ways 

that are beneficial and affordable 

to them and society as a 

whole. 

June 1 

Gaylord— 6 p.m. Chit chat 

group 

June 2 

Gaylord— 9 a.m. Petoskey 

hearing; 9:30 a.m. Garden program; 

10 a.m. Walking program; 

10:30 a.m. Powerhouse-Young at 

Heart; 1 p.m. Game day, Kitchen 

Band practice; 7 p.m. Bridge 

Johannesburg— 12:30 p.m. 

Play board games 

June 3 

Gaylord— 10 a.m. Free 

shopping Tuesday; 2 p.m. Senior 

movie matinee; 6 p.m. Smokefree 

bingo 

June 4 

Gaylord— 10:30 a.m. 

Powerhouse-Young at Heart; 

11 a.m. Free blood pressure 

clinic; noon, Foot care clinic by 

appointment, volunteer shopping; 

12:45 p.m. Pinochle; 1 p.m. 

Commodities distribution; 2 p.m. 

Massage by appointment; 6 p.m. 

Chit chat group 



Vanderbilt— 1 p.m. 

Commodities distribution; 6 p.m. 

Smoke-free bingo 

June 5 

Gaylord— 10 a.m. Catholic 

communion; 1 p.m. Party bridge, 

Bible study/Pastor Joe; 2 p.m. 


Square dancing 

Elmira— 10 a.m. Cards 

Vanderbilt— noon, Birthday 

celebration 

HAPPENINGS THIS MONTH 

June 6 


Powerhouse- Young at Heart; 

12:45 p.m. Euchre; 6 p.m. Chit 

chat group 

June 7 

June 8 


group 

June 9 

Gaylord— 9:30 a.m. Garden 

program; 10 a.m. Walking program; 

10:30 a.m. Powerhouse- 

Young at Heart; 11:30 a.m. 

Special music, Kitchen Band; 1 

p.m. Game day 



June 10 

Gaylord— 10 a.m. Free shopping 

Tuesday; 11 a.m. Hamburger 

Tuesday (by reservation); 2 p.m. 

Senior movie matinee; 6 p.m. 

Smoke-free bingo 

June 11 


Powerhouse-Young at Heart, 

Wellington Farm trip; ; noon, 

Volunteer shopping, ice cream 

social by Kiwanis (Otsego Haus); 

12:45 p.m. Pinochle; 6 p.m. Chit 

chat group 



Vanderbilt— 6 p.m. Smokefree 

bingo 

June 

Activity 

sites 

• Events listed as 

“Gaylord” begin at 

the Alten Zimmer, 120 

Grandview Blvd. 

• Elmira events are at the 

Elmira Township Hall, 1445 

Mt. Jack Rd. 

• Johannesburg events are 

at the Charlton Township 

Hall. 

• Vanderbilt events take 

place at the Elkland Senior 

Center, 7910 Arthur St. 

• Powerhouse Gym is at 

1044 W. Main in Gaylord. 

• The University Center is 

at 80 Livingston Blvd. in 

Gaylord. 

• Diocese of Gaylord 

events are at 611 W. North 

St. 

• Otsego Haus is at 95 

Livingston Blvd., Gaylord 

We have so much to offer for 

those needing skilled services 

in our community 

331 Meadows Drive, Grayling 

(989) 348-2801 

This monthly menu sponsored by: 

Grayling 

Nursing and 

Rehabilitation Community 

Professional Care, Personal Caring 

Meals served at the location under the day and time stated. 

SUNDAY 

1:00 p.m. 

Gaylord 

MONDAY 

12:00 p.m. 

Johannesburg 

Gaylord 

TUESDAY 

12:00 p.m. 

Elmira 

Vanderbilt 

WEDNESDAY 

12:00 p.m. 

Johannesburg 

Gaylord 

Vanderbilt 

THURSDAY 

12:00 p.m. 

Elmira 

Vanderbilt 

Gaylord 

FRIDAY 

12:00 p.m. 

Gaylord 

SATURDAY 

1 

Stuffed peppers, 

mashed potatoes, 

Key West blend, 

applesauce 

2 

Macaroni & cheese, 

stewed tomatoes, 

mixed vegetables, 

fresh orange 

3 




fresh orange 

4 

Veal parmesan, rice, 

Sicilian blend, salad, 

pears 

5 

Chicken breast, 


corn, fresh apple, 

grape juice 

Birthdays - Vanderbilt 

6 

Taco salad, 

mandarin oranges 

7 

8 

Lasagna, broccoli, 

cauliflower, 

tropical fruit 

Reservations Needed 

9 

Salisbury steak, rice, 

Malibu blend, apple 

juice, fresh banana 

10 

Salisbury steak, rice, 

Malibu blend, apple 

juice, fresh banana 

11 

Kielbasa, roasted 

red-skinned potatoes, 

green beans, salad, 

mandarin oranges 

12 

Chicken salad, 

broccoli salad, 

grape juice, fresh 

apple 

13 

Tilapia, Yukon Golds, 

coleslaw, fresh 

orange 

14 

15 

Pork chops, baked 

potato, peas & 

carrots, fruit cocktail 


16 

Chef salad, corn 

muffin, breadsticks, 

fresh orange 

17 

Chef salad, corn 

muffin, bread sticks, 

fresh orange 

18 

Baked chicken, rice, 

brussels sprouts, 

salad, peaches 

19 

Hot dog, baked 

beans, pears, 

grape juice 

20 




apricots 

21 

Dance 

22 

Meatloaf, mashed 

potatoes, corn, 

strawberries 


23 

Lasagna, brussels 

sprouts, baby carrots, 

fresh banana 

Birthdays - Joburg 

24 

Lasagna, brussels 

sprouts, baby carrots, 

fresh banana 

25 

Pork roast, mashed 

potatoes, Malibu 

blend, salad, 

applesauce 

26 

Sweet & sour chicken, 

rice, Kyoto blend, 

pineapple 

Birthdays - Gaylord 

27 

Tilapia, Yukon 

Golds, coleslaw, 

fresh apple 

28 

Pizza 

29 

Salisbury steak, 


red cabbage, 

tropical fruit 


30 

Stuffed peppers, 


California blend, 

fresh apple 

June 


HAPPENINGS THIS MONTH 

June 

June 12 

Gaylord— 9 a.m. Foot care 

clinic by appointment; 10 a.m. 

Catholic communion; 1 p.m. Party 

bridge, Bible study/Pastor Joe; 

6:30 p.m. Coin & stamp collecting 

June 13 


Powerhouse- Young at Heart, reminiscense 

group, “Grandparents”; 

12:45 p.m. Euchre; 6 p.m. Knitting 

and crocheting 

June 14 

Gaylord— 10 a.m. Caregiver 

Support Group, Otsego Lake 

Splash-In seaplane trip; 7 p.m. 


June 15 


group 

June 16 




Young at Heart; noon, Jordan 

Valley Stompers/line dancing; 1 

p.m. Game day 


Game day 

June 17 

Gaylord— 10 a.m. Free shopping 

Tuesday; 2 p.m. Senior movie 

matinee; 6 p.m. Smoke-free bingo 

June 18 


Powerhouse-Young at Heart; Noon, 

Volunteer shopping; 12:45 p.m. 

Pinochle; 6 p.m. Chit chat group 




bingo 

June 19 


communion; 1 p.m. Party bridge, 

Bible study/Pastor Joe; 2 p.m. 



June 20 


Powerhouse- Young at Heart; 

12:45 p.m. Euchre; 6 p.m. Knitting 

and crocheting 

June 21 

Gaylord— 7 p.m. Dance, 

“Senior Prom,” Gaylord Air Fair 

trip 

June 22 


group 

June 23 




Young at Heart; 1 p.m. Game day 

Johannesburg— noon, 

Birthday celebration; 12:30 p.m. 


June 24 

Gaylord— 9 a.m. Foot care 

clinic by appointment; 10 a.m. 

Fishing program, free shopping 

Tuesday; 10:30 a.m. Powerhouse- 

Young at Heart; 2 p.m. Senior 

movie matinee; 6 p.m. Smokefree 

bingo 

June 25 


Powerhouse-Young at Heart; noon, 

Volunteer shopping; 12:45 p.m. 

Pinochle; 6 p.m. Chit chat group 




bingo 

June 26 


communion; noon, Birthday celebration; 

1 p.m. Party bridge, 

Bible study/Pastor Joe; 2:30 p.m. 

Parkinson’s Support Group 

June 27 


Powerhouse- Young at Heart, 

reminiscence group, “Ice Boxes”; 

12:45 p.m. Euchre; 6 p.m. Chit 

chat group 

June 28 

Gaylord— noon, Pizza 

Saturday; 12:30 p.m. Grocery 

bingo; 7 p.m. Square dancing 

June 29 


group 

June 30 



10:30 p.m. Powerhouse- 

Young at Heart; 1 p.m. Game day 



20 

50 

6 

15 

20 

40 

6 

42 

2 

30 

6 

6 

20 

25 

6 

75 

20 

20 

6 

6 

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OCCOA 


Eileen Godek 

RESEARCH & 

VOLUNTEER 

COORDINATOR 

120 Grandview Blvd., Gaylord, Michigan 49735 

Expand family communications by 

participating in an exciting research study! 

In the last issue of Prime Times, readers had the opportunity to complete a “Survey of Technology Use by Older 

Adults.” For those who missed it in the May edition of Prime Times, the survey was also published last month 

in the Gaylord Herald Times and the Weekly Choice. Yet other distributions took place around Otsego County, 

including to the three senior centers and to various other groups and apartment complexes. The purpose of the 

survey was to gather basic information about technology use by older adults who live in Otsego County, so that 

the Otsego County Commission on Aging (OCCOA) and its partners might design a new program to enhance the 

quality of life of the older adults living here. 

The idea for the survey and the new program first came about in October 2007 when Paul Freddolino, Professor and Coordinator of 

Distance Education for the School of Social Work at Michigan State University, and a colleague noticed that research had not yet been 

conducted to measure the effects on older adults’ health when guidance in the use of technologies within a case management setting 

was provided. Both were aware of the negative effects of isolation and loneliness on the health of older adults. At the same time, they 

also knew that social support reduces loneliness and depression. Why not provide this social support of families and friends through 

the use of technologies such as e-mail available on computers? 

Freddolino and his colleague knew that the research to validate the need for such social support would require funding and the establishment 

of cooperative partnerships. In checking into funding for the research, Freddolino discovered that a grant might be available 

through FACT (Families and Communities Together). According to their website, www.fact.msu.edu, FACT is a multidisciplinary 

coalition based at MSU which links the university’s researchers and resources with community partners and initiatives. FACT’s goal 

is to support the health and well-being of Michigan’s children, families, and communities. 

Although Otsego County had not previously received FACT funds, Freddolino knew that MSU had been successfully running programs 

here since 1994 with MSU Extension and later with the University Center. He contacted University Center Director Jack Thompson, 

who arranged a meeting that was to include Freddolino, Thompson, and OCCOA Director Dona Wishart. This initial group, with the 

addition of a few more members, became known as the Aging and Technologies Advisory Board. Members of this board include staff 

from OCCOA, the MSU School of Social Work, the University Center in Gaylord, and the MSU Extension. This past winter, the group 

put their heads together to come up with an outline and abstract of the project that was submitted in a grant proposal to FACT. They 

recently received word that grant funds for the research have been approved. “It was a good idea at the right time with the right 

partners!” Freddolino noted enthusiastically. 

The first phase of the research, distributing and receiving completed surveys, will continue until enough have been collected. Freddolino 

is hoping to collect an additional 175 surveys to add to the 125 that have been collected to date. The advisory board is also 

searching for an Aging and Technologies Coordinator to oversee the research in Otsego County. 

Freddolino shared, “After this first phase has been completed, those older adults (60 or older) who expressed an interest in continuing 

in the study will be contacted and given an opportunity to be placed in either a control group or an experimental group.” He added, 

“The experimental group will consist of three types of older adults – those who have never used a computer, those who have some 

experience, and those who have advanced skills. Members of this group will be given access to computers (if needed) and provided 

with guidance in using them in accordance with their needs. Follow-up surveys and interviews will later be used to assess the impact 

that computer usage has on their lives.” 

Freddolino shared, “Through this research model, we hope to develop a program that could be administered with the help of organizations 

and agencies, such as OCCOA, that will help older adults establish technology-based social support networks that will help them 

to feel less isolated and, thereby, less prone to depression.” If successful, the model could be used in other communities throughout 

Michigan. 

From her perspective, OCCOA’s Wishart noted, “Technology is certainly part of our world today. It will 

become ever more important for people of all ages, including older adults, to know how to access and use 

technology to meet their needs.” She continued, “This grant-funded research project will provide some 

older adults in our community with an opportunity for training and support.” She cautioned, “Participating 

in this research is both a LIMITED OPPORTUNITY and a CHOICE. We don’t expect everyone to be 

interested. We do hope that those who are interested will find satisfaction in sharing their opinions by 

completing the survey, and if they are selected for the research project, participating in the second phase 

of the study.” 

Anyone who is interested in completing a survey should call OCCOA at 732-1122. 

The survey can also be downloaded from OCCOA’s website, www.OtsegoCountyCOA.org. 

Just go to the Aging and Technologies page on the website and click on the link. 

Those interested in applying for the Aging and Technologies Coordinator position should 

request an application and submit their resume on-line at occoa@occoaonline.org. 

JOE LLANO, AGE 66, RECENTLY COMPLETED THE AGING AND TECHNOLOGY SURVEY. HE ENJOYS 

USING THE COMPUTER TO STAY IN TOUCH WITH FRIENDS AND PLAY COMPUTER GAMES. 

989.732.1122 • www.OtsegoCountyCOA.org • Advocacy 989.732.9977 

Fax: 989-731-2739 • occoa@occoaonline.org • Weekdays 8:00 am to Noon and 12:30 to 4:00 pm 

120 GRANDVIEW BLVD. GAYLORD, MICHIGAN 49735

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