OP_110719

OPPrairiedaily.com life & Arts
the orland park prairie | November 7, 2019 | 21
Passport to Wellness makes healthy living a trip
Laurie Fanelli
Freelance Reporter
Getting a passport
stamped can represent a
lot more than vacation
destinations, as each mark
symbolizes new experiences
and lessons learned.
On Saturday, Nov. 2,
the Orland Fire Protection
District invited area seniors
to its Administration
Headquarters for the latest
Coffee and Conversation
event, at which attendees
traveled to booths hosted
by health vendors during
the first Passport to Wellness
Health Fair.
Aishling Companion
Home Care — which cohosts
each installment of
the Coffee and Conversation
series — the Orland
Park Police Department,
Will County Veterans Assistance
Commission, and
many more organizations
and businesses shared
information about everything
from estate planning
to home health care
to reflexology. Free blood
pressure checks and flu
shots also were available.
At each booth, attendees
received a stamp,
and those who filled their
passports were entered in
raffles to win additional
prizes and giveaways.
Betsy Dine, Orland
Fire’s fire and life safety
education coordinator,
and Aishling Dalton-
Kelly, owner of Aishling
Companion Home care,
explained the health fair
was designed so that attendees
could engage in
in-depth conversations
with vendors.
Orland Park resident
Carol Schlender and her
husband, Bob, always enjoy
attending the Coffee
and Conversation events
Attorney Eileen Kerlin Walsh chats with Passport to
Wellness Health Fair attendees Paul and Jeanette Hiller,
of Orland Park.
not only to learn helpful
advice for themselves but
also to bring information
back to their neighbors.
“We started coming to
the Coffee and Conversations
in May, and we
came to a presentation by
Mark Levy from Senior
Solutions about housing,”
Carol said. “He got us
thinking, because we’re
looking into other housing
for the future. We started
coming every month. This
is our fifth outing, and
we’re looking forward
to the Christmas party
next month. It’s always a
good educational event.
It’s free, and they always
have the fire [district]
talk about something,
also.”
Information about ambulance
rides, fire safety
advice and smoke detector
tips are among the
subjects Orland Fire has
covered this year.
Anna Minkina, a benefits
specialist with Healthcare
Solutions Team, used
Passport to Wellness to
notify seniors about open
enrollment for Medicare
as well as changes that
can be expected to the
program in 2020.
“Today, I’m working
on the Medicare market,”
Minkina said. “In 2020,
the Part B deductible is
going up about $8.80, and
people who become eligible
after Jan. 1, 2020, are
not able to get the Plan F
supplement. If they have
it now, they can keep it,
but if they become eligible
after 2020, then they
are unable to get it. There
are other options available.
I don’t want them to
worry that there’s nothing
else out there.”
Event organizers Dine
and Dalton-Kelly said
they were grateful that
vendors, firefighters,
members of the community
and area businesses
worked together to make
Passport to Wellness a
success.
Lunch was provided by
Winston’s Market, and
dessert came compliments
of Nothing Bundt Cakes.
The next Coffee and
Passport to Wellness Health Fair co-organizers Betsy Dine (left) and Aishling Dalton-
Kelly pose for a photo on Saturday, Nov. 2, during the inaugural Passport to Wellness
Health Fair in Orland Park. Photos by Laurie Fanelli/22nd Century Media
Bob Wisniowicz, of Orland Park, gets health information from CVS of Orland Park
pharmacist Jennifer Brandon.
Conversation event is
slated to take place on
Nov. 21 in the Orland Fire
Protection District’s Administration
Board Room
at 9790 W. 151st St.
For more information
about upcoming events,
visit www.orlandfire.org.