Omaha Lifestyles Magazine

© 2011 Hathaway Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, Hathaway Publishing, Inc.
June 2011 • Vol. 2 Issue 8 • Free Publication
Gary Sadlemyer
Reflects on Huskers,
Fans and Football
John Wayne:
The Man, The Movies,
The Exhibit
Local Author
Writes a Must-Read
For History Buffs
© 2011 Hathaway Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, Hathaway Publishing, Inc.
© 2011 Hathaway Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, Hathaway Publishing, Inc.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
June 2011
Omaha Lifestyles
Features
Gary Sadlemyer on Huskers,
Fans and Football
3
By: Leah Parodi
A New Trend: Home Staging
4
By: Kristy Brannen
Omaha Gold: Local Author Creates
A Must Read For History Buffs
5
By: Leah Parodi
Anne Fenner:
Making You Look and Feel Good
7
By: Leah Parodi
Your Financial Picture
9
Mark Brungardt - Heritage Financial Services, LLC
Diabetic Retinopathy
10
A Fond Farewell to The Fifties
11
By: Midwest Eyecare
By: Perry Block
www.OmahaSeniorLifestyles.com
Omaha Lifestyles 50+
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Supporting A Charity Can Make You
You Feel Better
17
By: Pam Dillon
John Wayne: American
Making A Difference:
Barb Grabowski - Coleman
21
23
By: Kristy Brannen
Monthly Calendar
Be sure to visit
www.OmahaSeniorLifestyles.com
25
2
© 2011 Hathaway Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, Hathaway Publishing, Inc.
Gary Sadlemyer on Huskers, Fans and Football
By: Leah Parodi
nize him for his voice,
not by his face.
Recently, Gary was notified that he will be
inducted into the Nebraska Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame
in August of this year.
To which he responds
with a smile; “shouldn’t I
be dead or retiring first?”
But this is an apt and fitting award for the once
“voice of Huskers football” and all around nice
guy.
Pictured: Gary Sadlemyer
A
s a transplant from back east I
have become a student of many
things Omaha. For example, I learned
quickly that the best time to do pretty much anything on a fall Saturday
is when the Huskers are playing football. But we have now become Big
Red football fans and have been accepted as such by friends and neighbors, no matter what our point of
origin. That brings me to my next
lesson learned; people in the Heartland are very, very nice.
And Gary Sadlemyer is no exception. As we have lunch in a popular
Dundee eatery, Gary is amiable as
fans and friends approach the table
to say hello and shake his hand. He
laughs at the thought of his role as
a longtime Omaha radio legend, still
admitting surprise when fans recog-
Gary is originally from
Minnesota where he
studied broadcasting
at Concordia College in
Moorhead. After graduation Gary was placed
with KRGI radio station in
Grand Island, NE. “When
I was being placed I said
that I would go anywhere,” says Gary. “I was
lucky to get KRGI. Usually you start out someplace small.” At KRGI Gary
played records and reported the
news. In 1976 Gary moved to Omaha and to KFAB and has been there
ever since. “Stability is unheard of in
radio and I didn’t want to move anymore,” he says. “The next thing you
know its 34 years later.”
In 1982 KFAB obtained the rights to
broadcast the Nebraska Cornhusker
football games. Gary started out
doing game day traffic and sideline
reports before he moved up to the
booth for color commentary in 1985.
“I played football in high school
and college, it’s my passion. Then I
moved to Nebraska, are you kidding
me?” Gary was thrilled to be in the
booth and called the games on KFAB
through the 1995 season.
Gary considers himself both a Minnesotan and a Nebraskan, so that
and his football background make
him the perfect person to explain
the Husker fan phenomenon. “It’s
about excellence,” he says. “You have
to understand that it’s not a sports
phenomenon, it’s a cultural phenomenon. And it doesn’t hurt that
people here like sports, like football.”
“There are also socio-economic
advantages when there is a home
game. Even when we went through
bad years we would sell out, we drew
numbers, they didn’t diminish. Even
then game day was still huge. There
was a rocky time for football until Bo
Pellini became head coach in 2008.
Now we are good again.”
Gary says that the fan phenomena
can also be credited for causing Nebraskan State unity as the Nebraska
Cornhuskers are the only division
one football team in the state. And
then there are the fans and the unity
because of Bob Devaney and Tom
Osborne.
“Tom Osborne is a football genius. It
was such a thrill watching him coach.
Watching him on the sidelines, he
was stoic. He was always 2, 3, 4, 5
plays ahead of the coach across the
field. What a brilliant guy.”
As for the next season, with Nebraska’s move to the Big Ten Conference,
Gary sees it as a positive one. “Once
the Texas faction took over the Big
12 Conference, it wasn’t great for Nebraska anymore.”
“The fans reactions have been really
positive. We get to play new opponents like Ohio State, Michigan and
Penn State.” Gary recalls when, in
1982, he had an opportunity to interview legendary Penn State coach
Joe Paterno. “I called his house and
his daughter answered the phone,”
he laughs. “I called during his dinner
and he was apologizing to me. He
was as nice as could be and as gracious as possible.”
Gary reflects on the upcoming season and is looking forward to new
and some not so new opponents.
“The Ohio State game will be cool.
We played them in the 1950’s a couple of times. They are kind of like
how we are with a huge and loyal fan
base, no jerks,” he says with a smile.
Gary, who is going on his 35th year
with KFAB, is both a Good Morning
Show Host and Program Director
and is not quite ready to retire. “Its
fun, just as much fun as it was in the
beginning,” he says. “When I’m at
work, it doesn’t feel like working. Besides, the ratings are good and they
keep paying me.”
Gary and the KFAB morning show
runs from 5am to 9am and has
weather, traffic, news and sports as
well as topical discussions peppered
with humor and frankness. “Our fans
are loyal; they listen to KFAB all day
long. We’ve had tremendous success here.”
“We are the go-to source for news
and severe weather. We have to be
there especially for people that are
not home, so when they go to KFAB
we better be there.” For more information on the shows at KFAB, visit
their website at www.KFAB.com.
Congratulations, Gary, on your well
deserved award from the Nebraska
Broadcasters Association and your
induction into the Broadcasters Hall
of Fame. And thanks for talking football with an east coaster, if I wasn’t
an official Husker fan before, I sure
am one now.
© 2011 Hathaway Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, Hathaway Publishing, Inc.
A New Trend: Home Staging
By: Kristy Brannen
I
f you are one of the
many homeowners who
are trying to sell their
home right now, staging
might be the solution.
With so many houses
for sale, it’s important to
make potential buyers
take notice and staging
does just that.
“Professional
staging
is more than walking
through a house and suggesting how to get the
house ready to sell,” said Beth Lube,
an associate broker with RE/MAX Real
Estate Group in the Omaha area. She
has more than 30 years of experience
and is an accredited and certified staging professional. She believes staging
is about making the home appeal to
the most buyers for a faster sale and
at top dollar. “Staged homes sell faster
and for more money,” she said.“Hands
down. Period. It’s a win-win for everyone.”
What’s involved in staging your
home?
Lube explained that staging is not
decorating. It is about helping potential buyers picture themselves in that
particular home. What’s involved in
staging a home varies greatly on the
individual home, but Lube said a professional can help identify problems
and create solutions.
Like many stagers, Lube has her own
warehouse of accessories that include
dishes, placemats, candles, new towels, lamps, plants and more. What
started as a few carts full of accessories has led to a supply large enough
to fully stage 50 to 60 houses.
Adding accessories may be enough
to add appeal, but it also might take
more drastic measures. Neutralizing
things such as paint and wallpaper
may be necessary. Lube works with
a crew of three to help stage homes.
Typically, she will provide the seller
with a list of things they can do to
help prepare the home for staging.
Once that is done she requests half
a day in the home without the homeowner present to work. “We move
stuff around, figure what looks best
and have a great time,” she said. “We
might move a lamp five times before
we get it right.”
Often times Lube and her crew use
the homeowners’ pieces and simply
showcase them in a different way. It
simply depends on the home. The
key, she said, is bringing the house
into the 21st century with accessories
that keep within the home’s décor.
“I am not an interior designer, but I
know what sells houses,” she said.
A new trend
“Staging is definitely new,” Lube said.
“Helping sellers get their houses
ready to sell is old. In past markets,
we walked through houses and told
sellers to clean, de-clutter and paint.
Now, we are in a beauty contest with
lots of competition so we have to figure out how to make our homes look
the best.”
Lube received her Accredited Staging Professional Certification in 2006.
She attended a three-day course in
Minneapolis where she learned the
basics of staging in order to receive
Cont. on page 24
© 2011 Hathaway Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, Hathaway Publishing, Inc.
Omaha Gold: A Local Author Creates A Must Read for All History Buffs
By: Leah Parodi
As a grade school student many, many years ago,
I really did not have much appreciation for history
classes of any kind. However, as I have gotten older and wiser, the history of this wonderful country
has captured my attention and living in Omaha
provides more than enough historical material.
And I am not alone. Lawson McDowell, a long time railroad employee and enthusiast also shares
in the love of Heartland history, so
much so, that he has written a novel
that combines historical fact with a
fascinating fictional story. His book
is a must read not only for history
buffs, but for anyone that lives in
and loves Omaha.
Lawson has been working with
Union Pacific Railroad for nearly 40
years and is the Director of Network
Operations – Automotive Premium
Operations. His division oversees
the transportation of auto products
making sure that parts get to plants and finished
vehicles get to distribution points. Lawson is also
responsible for seeing that other imported goods
and products make their way from ship yards to
designated points across country.
Lawson has done just about every job on the railroad that one can imagine and has lived in cities
all over the United States. “I came up the ranks,”
he says. “And I even met my wife through the
railroad.” Lawson and his wife, Virginia have been
married for 33 years. They live in Omaha and have
two sons.
Lawson has always had a love of history and living
in Omaha with his railroad background, he hit pay
dirt for a significant part of our country’s growth
and legacy. But what prompted Lawson to write
a book was a chance meeting with a stranger.
“There was an older gentleman in the parking lot
(of Union Pacific),” he says. “I thought he was lost
but he said he came to see the old railroad, the
site of the transcontinental main line. And that
piqued my interest so I did a little research and
found out, wow! Not just the railroad came
through here, but historic figures came too,
people like U.S. Grant and William Sherman.”
“Many people in Omaha do not know how
Omaha played a pivotal role in the Western Expansion,” says
Lawson. “Omaha and
the railroad became
the nation’s best hope
for healing and reunification after the Civil
War.” Lawson decided
to write his book, not
for anything else, but
to share what he was
learning about our
area.
Omaha Gold was released last June and
tells parallel stories of
Omaha past and present. Hours and hours
of research intertwined with rich story telling
make this book a source of knowledge as well as
entertainment. “History tells us what happened,
historical fiction tells how it felt,” says Lawson.
Omaha Gold tells the present day story of a young
man, Steve, who finds a brass box along the
shores of the Missouri River, a box filled with gold
belonging to someone from the past. As Steve
tries to uncover the origins of the box he is faced
with public officials, crooked cops and would-be
thieves who want the box and its contents. Lawson uses local points of interest and landmarks to
connect the reader to Omaha.
As for the past, Omaha Gold takes us back one
hundred and forty years to America’s pioneer
days and the construction of the transcontinental
railroad. Lawson’s main character from the past is
Gene Davenport, a disabled soldier who is caught
between doing his duty and fighting the corruption he faces while working for an unscrupulous
employer. And while Gene may be a fictional
character, Lawson has him intermingled with the
Pictured: Lawson McDowell
very real Abraham Lincoln, U.S. Grant and Omaha’s very own nemesis, the very unethical Doctor
Durant.
Lawson took great pains to ensure that all of his
history was factual and took no liberties there.
“The history in Omaha Gold will withstand scrutiny,” says Lawson. “This is dead-on.” Lawson saw
fit to include historical photos and maps as well
as drawings that were created by one of Lawson’s
sons. All help the reader become immersed in the
story as well as in the history of Omaha.
Lawson’s desire for factual accuracy took him to
historically rich sources like the Herndon House,
Douglas County Historical Society and Creighton University, just to name a few. And Lawson’s
historical accuracy is so impressive, that Omaha
Public Schools has approved Omaha Gold for use
in their high school classrooms. “Omaha Gold is
a good cross-over book,” he says. “It’s good for
teens and adults because it puts the reader right
© 2011 Hathaway Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, Hathaway Publishing, Inc.
June 2011
Omaha Lifestyles 6
in the action of the construction era.
It’s not about dry statistics, you see
how it felt. You have a first person inside look at things going on; the Civil
War, Lincoln, the railroad.”
As much as Lawson enjoys writing, he
also enjoys speaking to groups about
Omaha Gold and the unknown bits
of historical facts that helped shape
the book. “Its one of the things I enjoy doing; presenting the railroad’s
story and Omaha Gold,” he says. “And
so as a locally published book, I get
to speak to book clubs and other
groups.” Lawson has presented his
power point presentation to many
local groups like the Douglas County
Genealogy Society, local schools and
book clubs.
Omaha Gold is available for purchase
on Amazon.com and Kindle as well as
local book stores and can be found at
your local library. For more information on Omaha Gold visit www.OmahaGoldNovel.com. For more information on a presentation by Lawson
McDowell call RAWR Publishing Company at (402) 391-7649 or contact
them at publisher@omahagoldnovel.
com.
I am now, officially, a history buff due
in part to Lawson McDowell’s great
read. And though my passion for history has been a few years in the making, I would say it was well worth the
wait. But I cannot help but wonder
that if I had a fun, exciting and factual account of historical events like
those found in Omaha Gold, I may
have done much better in my history
classes.
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Anne Fenner: Making You Look and Feel Good...On the Inside and Out
By: Leah Parodi
Y
ou only get one chance to make a first impression. And while we all know that you can’t
judge a book by its cover, first impressions do
seem to make a big impact. Anne Fenner is an
image consultant who realizes that there is power
in perception and has spent the past thirty years
helping people not only dress for success, but fine
tune their approach and attitude to create a better you; on the inside and out.
Anne Fenner Image Management is dedicated to
helping individual clients and businesses be their
best through appearance, behavior and etiquette.
Whether someone is looking for a wardrobe update or lesson in social skills for personal upkeep
or business advancement, Anne’s business is able
to help.
Anne began her career in image consulting when
she took a career development class with the Junior League of Omaha. “I was an at-home-mom
with two children,” she says. “And I knew it was
time for me to go back to work.” Through the
classes at the Junior League, Anne realized that
one of her strengths was that she was adept at
both right and left brain thinking. In short, she is
both creative and organized.
At the same time Anne was aware of the nationally syndicated news paper column and Dress for
Success books by John Molloy. “He called himself
a wardrobe engineer,” laughs Anne. “That got me
thinking that no one in Omaha was doing this
type of consulting.”
Anne says that she wanted a job that would fill
a need in Omaha, but did not want it to feel like
work to her. “I thought; if I can do anything and
not get paid for it, what would that be? I wanted
people to feel comfortable about themselves.” In
1981, Anne began consulting and started by giving free talks on what colors look good on what
types of people and soon got her first client, who
is still a client to this day.
Today, Anne has many more clients, including
several businesses in Omaha and Lincoln that
hire her for what she calls Style Development that
helps clients discover, manifest and maintain their
look. Anne does this though a series of steps.
First, Anne will Analyze, with the client. This is
done by taking a verbal and/or written inventory
of values, wardrobe and lifestyle needs and uses
a detailed questionnaire (which can be found in
Anne’s book). “This is the first step, we size up the
situation.” Anne takes time to get to know the
personality of her clients as well as surmises body
type, color palette and work needs.
Next, Anne will Apply, or take what she and her
client learn from the initial Analyze process and
use it for the client’s present life and business
situation. “We then Apply the colors and styles
needed for that particular person and situation to
the wardrobe hanging in their closet. I teach the
client where to shop and give them a list of stores
or go shopping with them.”
Anne uses her first client as an example. “She was
a very busy person with a high profile volunteer
job.” Anne says that her client wanted to dress
and look better and had Anne help her figure out
what her style was. “We went through her closet,
kept the best of what she had that worked for her
and got rid of what didn’t. We mixed and matched
what she already had and then added certain
staples to make her wardrobe complete. I would
then shop for her and then take her with me to
check out the items that I had found.” Anne says
that in addition to adding new wardrobe pieces
for your image makeover, it is also important to
get rid of items that do not work.
The last step is to Act by taking action and change
© 2011 Hathaway Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, Hathaway Publishing, Inc.
June 2011
how clients dress and shop. But this last step goes
a bit further in that it incorporates the most important part of the wardrobe: self confidence.
“When you don’t feel that you look good, you act
the same,” says Anne. “I had a client in Des Moines
who worked in a bank. She did the questionnaire
and we applied that information to her then present wardrobe. We then picked out an outfit for a
blind date that she had. Well, she ended up marrying him! And she is still married to him! I attribute that to confidence.”
In addition to Style Development for individuals
and businesses, Anne also offers:
Head-to-toe Critiques: conversation on details of
dress for office, memos and other business related
issues.
Color Consulting: that helps clients choose colors
that enhance them and their environment.
Coaching: by working along side of clients as they
work to achieve goals in work and in life.
Workshops: to teach how to make the best possible first impression.
Anne has also taken her experience and knowledge and put it in a book entitled: Dress Smart.
Now in its 2nd edition, Dress Smart features the
drawings and insights of Anne’s good friend Sandi
Bruns. The book helps readers navigate their individual fashion needs with a very in detailed questionnaire, diagrams and do’s and don’ts when it
comes to fads and fashions.
Anne’s book, published by Fairchild Books out
of New York City, has been picked up by various
Community Colleges as a text book for learning
how to become an image consultant. Dress Smart
is a workbook that encourages readers to docu-
Omaha Lifestyles 8
ment and take notes, learning about themselves
and their individual sense of style.
Anne is available for individual consulting as well
as for businesses and other groups wanting to
brush up on their etiquette, style and confidence.
Anne has also worked with schools helping students with basic manners and etiquette techniques.
For more information or to contact Anne, visit
www.annefenner.com or call (402) 598-4898.
Dress Smart can be purchased online though
Fairchild Books, Barnes and Noble and Amazon.
And while you truly cannot judge a book by its
cover, it does happen. But with the help of Anne
Fenner, you will certainly look like a great read.
© 2011 Hathaway Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, Hathaway Publishing, Inc.
© 2011 Hathaway Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, Hathaway Publishing, Inc.
© 2011 Hathaway Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, Hathaway Publishing, Inc.
A Fun Fond Farewell to The Fifties
By: Perry Block
Ozzie and Harriet, Zorro, Speedy Alka-Seltzer. Just reading these names
and so many others from the 1950s,
we feel pretty nostalgic for the salad
days of our youth. Perry Block felt the
same way, and went to the trouble
of writing a fun Fond Farewell to the
Fifties.
I realized then that the era of my
youth, the 1950s, was submerging
faster than Lloyd Bridges’ character
Mike Nelson in Sea Hunt. Time to
take stock of a few lingering memories, I figured, before the likes of Jack
Benny and The Lone Ranger also sink
fully ‘neath the waves:
beyond, and made a full-fledged star
out of cookie-cut Troy Donahue.
“Dobie! Wants a girl who’s dreamy.
Dobie! Wants a girl who’s creamy.”
And what a creamy, dreamy cast of
supporting characters The Many
Loves of Dobie Gillis had: beatnik
Maynard G. Krebs, proof positive that
Bob Denver was a talented comic actor before he set sail for a three hour/
life-long trashing of his career; Thalia
Menninger, which was our first panting look at the incredibly
gorgeous Tuesday Weld;
Herbert T. Gillis, Dobie’s
lovable but blowhard dad,
a proud veteran of “WWII,
the Big One!”; spoiled rich
kid Chatsworth Osborne
Jr.; even Warren Beatty
as a proto-Chatsworth in
the early episodes. Yes,
Dobie— in the person
of Dwayne Hickman—
wanted a girl to call his
own, and boy oh boy so
did we. And even as Dobie Do (as Chatsworth called him)
fades away, a lot of us still Dobie-Do!
Like 77 Sunset Strip. It was a cool
L.A. private-eye show, or at least as
cool an L.A. private-eye show as you
could have starring Efrem Zimbalist
Jr. . It did have a sense of fun, however, as well as some slicker elements
in the character Jeff Spencer, played
by Roger Smith (later to be AnnMargret’s husband), and Ed “Kookie”
Burns, whose “Kookie, Kookie, lend
me your comb” greasy hair set off a
national craze, even if we laughed at
it a decade later. But 77 Sunset Strip’s
greatest cool was in spawning a
spate of cookie-cutter follow-ups, all
from ‘the Studios of Warner Brothers,’
which planted cookie-cutter private
eyes in Hawaii, Miami, and points
There were many jingles too, from
“Plop, Plop, Fizz, Fizz” to “Kerplunk
Go the Tablets”… but only one
Speedy Alka-Seltzer. In that sugarsweet voice all his own, the little boy
with the chest made of an Alka-Seltzer tablet and a shock of brown hair
tumbling out from under an AlkaSeltzer hat sang the praises of the
relief–giving tablets all throughout
the 50s. In those days before Gumby
roamed the earth, the stop-action
technology that breathed life into
Speedy seemed incredible, rendering him a favorite with us children
and with the adults who actually
used the fizzy stuff many a morning
after one highball too many. Speedy
It was the second time in just a few
months that the hard truth smacked
me right in the face!
First, a 30-ish-year-old woman I know
confused American comedy legend
Jack Benny with less than legendary
(to me) British comedian Benny Hill.
Then the even bigger blow: my 15year-old son had no idea who The
Lone Ranger was.
seemed so real, you just wanted
to cuddle him, to make him your
own special playmate. But as we
grew older, Speedy didn’t, and
with a barely audible “plop, plop”
in the early 60’s, kerplunk went
Speedy— only to be tentatively
resurrected, more or less, just the
other day!
Then, in the not-even-yet wee
hours of the morning, there was
the Indian Head Test Pattern, flittering across our TV screens in the place
of today’s diet of Letterman, Leno,
Conan, Kimmel, Ferguson, Fallon et
al. and often more entertaining than
the whole lot of them. There was
no such thing as all-night TV, oh my
children. The three (count’ em three!)
networks all went early to bed and
not so early to rise. In their place,
and all through the night, was an
oddly designed screen with a series
of circles and adorned with an Indian
Head, as we called it in those days.
Why did the test pattern feature the
head of a Native American? Could it
be that because we took their land,
they got us back good by taking our
TV?
was oddly named, a program about
the unadventurous couple next door
that claimed to offer Adventures. Yet
though none of the Nelsons solved
crimes or explored the untamed
West, Ozzie and Harriet did possess a
certain quirkiness not found on most
other “just dropped by to borrow a
cup of sugar” shows. For one, we were
never enlightened as to what Ozzie
did for a living; I seem to remember
he was a band-leader, which might
explain why he was home all day
every day. But it was not very clear;
he might have been with the CIA,
or sold drugs, or been the Hubcap
King of Santa Monica. Harriet for her
part sometimes exhibited an offbeat
sense of humor, and son Ricky began as a scrawny kid who picked up
a guitar and wound up a full-fledged
rock legend, complete with untimely
death. Ozzie and Harriet can also bid
fair to be our first brush with Reality TV; as the kids grew and married,
they married their real-life wives on
the show. Recently, the last of the
brood, David Nelson, passed away at
age 74. 74!!!!! I kind of miss his family’s Adventures.
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet
Zorro, in the sanitized Disney tradi-
© 2011 Hathaway Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, Hathaway Publishing, Inc.
June 2011
to the basic lameness of the show,
the lightning strike at the opening
and the very “Z” that Zorro carved
were obviously animated. Still, Zorro
and his brocade-clad alter ego were
suavely played by Guy Williams—
later to go mustache-less on Lost in
Space— and for little kids not used
to much sophistication in the 50s,
Zorro-Zorro-Zorro was fun-fun-fun!
tion, was a light-hearted look at a masked, mustachioed, caped crusader of Old California, whose
adventures exuded no sense of danger whatsoever. Talk about suspension of belief: Don Diego de
la Vega looked, spoke, and comported himself so
exactly like the alleged scoundrel Zorro that it was
impossible to believe even the doltish Sergeant
Garcia couldn’t figure out who he was, let alone
the general populace of the future state. To add
Brylcreem promised us guys that “a
little dab would do” us and cute-asall get-out women would fall into our arms. Brylcreem certainly helped Ed “Kookie” Burns make
a career for himself, but I’m not sure the gooey
stuff otherwise lived up to its rep. “Watch out,
the girls’ll all pursue you, they’ll love to get their
fingers in your hair” warbled an all-male choir on
the omnipresent commercials in which male and
female puppets found romance when the male
puppet’s hair went from shaggily disheveled to
Omaha Lifestyles 12
gloppily sheveled. Maybe wooden puppets and
ultra-cool 50s dudes achieved feminine fingers in
their hair, but all I got was a greasy pompadour—
until one day the Beatles came along and washed
it all away.
Imagine the questions you’d get if you were introducing the Hula Hoop to the world today: “How
much RAM do you need? Is there an app for it on
the iPhone? How voluminous are the operating
instructions?” Well, the instructions were simply to
wrap the plastic hoop around your middle, jiggle
a bit, and have yourself some fun. In many ways
the 50s were less than ideal, with blatant discrimination, no Civil Rights Act, and an environment
in which you and I could be unfairly rejected for
a job easy as Mom’s apple pie. But when it came
to sheer satisfaction in the simplicity of the Hula
Hoop, the Fabulous Fifties were just fine!
And to them, I bid a fond farewell!
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.
© 2011 Hathaway Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, Hathaway Publishing, Inc.
How Work Can Affect
Your Social Security
By: Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior
I’m looking at retiring sometime this year and starting my Social Security
benefits, but would also like to work part time. Will this affect my benefits, and
if so, how much?
Social Insecurity
Dear Insecurity
You can collect Social Security retirement benefits and work at the same time,
but depending on how old you are and how much you earn, it can cost you
temporarily. Here’s what you should know.
Working Rules
Social Security says that if you’re under your full retirement age (which is 66 if
you were born between 1943 and 1954; if not, see ssa.gov/pubs/ageincrease.
htm to find your full retirement age) and are collecting benefits, then you can
earn up to $14,160 in 2011 without jeopardizing any of your Social Security if
you don’t reach your full retirement age this year. But if you earn more than the
$14,160 limit, you’ll lose $1 in benefits for every $2 over that amount.
In the year you reach your full retirement age, a less stringent rule applies. If
that happens in 2011, you can earn up to $37,680 from January to the month
of your birthday with no penalty. But if you earn more than $37,680 during
that time, you’ll lose $1 in benefits for every $3 over that limit. And once your
birthday passes, you can earn any amount by working without your benefits
being reduced at all.
Wages, bonuses, commissions, and vacation pay all count toward the income
limits, but pensions, annuities, investment income, interest, and government
or military retirement benefits do not. To figure out how much your specific
earnings will affect your benefits, see the Social Security Retirement Earnings
Test Calculator at ssa.gov/OACT/COLA/RTeffect.html.
Temporary Loss
It’s also important to know that if you do lose some or all of your Social Security
benefits because of the earning limits, they aren’t lost forever. When you reach
full retirement age, your benefits will be recalculated to a higher amount to make
up for what was withheld. For details and examples of how this is calculated, see
ssa.gov/retire2/whileworking3.htm.
Tax Factor
You also need to factor in Uncle Sam. Because working increases your income, it
might make your Social Security benefits taxable. Here’s what the IRS says. If the
sum of your adjusted gross income, nontaxable interest, and half of your Social
Security benefits is between $25,000 and $34,000 for individuals ($32,000 and
$44,000 for couples), you have to pay tax on up to 50 percent of your benefits.
Above $34,000 ($44,000 for couples), you could pay on up to 85 percent, which is
the highest portion of Social Security that is taxable. About a third of all people
who get Social Security have to pay income taxes on their benefits.
Savvy Tips: For more information on how working can affect your Social
Security see ssa.gov/retire2/whileworking.htm and ssa.gov/pubs/10069.html,
or call the Social Security helpline at 800-772-1213 and ask to receive a free
copy of publication number 05-10069, “How Work Affects Your Benefits.” And
for information on Social Security taxes call the IRS at 800-829-3676 and ask for
their free publication 915, “Social Security and Equivalent Railroad Retirement
Benefits,” or see www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p915.pdf.
Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070,
or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and
author of “The Savvy Senior” book.
© 2011 Hathaway Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, Hathaway Publishing, Inc.
Supporting A Charity Can Actually Make You Feel Better
By: Pam Dillon
Neuroscientists and researchers
spend no small amount of time poking, prodding, and peering into the
human brain. This three-pound organ, mostly made of water, is also
comprised of about 100 billion neurons linked by trillions of neurotransmitters. Yes, there is a lot going on
in there. Advances in neurochemistry, genomics, imaging, analysis
and molecular biology have made
a real difference in recent years in
the understanding of brain- and human functioning. And most of us are
hoping these people in the labs with
microscopes and high tech wizardry
will keep right on prodding and discovering how the brain functions. In
some cases, the neuro-exploration
involves figuring out the basis of
what is already widely recognized.
And this is what we do know for sure:
Giving makes us feel good.
It seems like a contradiction. Isn’t the
economy of the entire western world
fueled by getting? Aren’t we evolutionarily hard-wired to take, to stock
up and store and acquire in survivalof-the-fittest fashion?
That may be true to a certain extent. However, it would seem that
our brains are also configured to allow us-even prompt us- to pass it
on. Perhaps it dates back to the era
when Betty, Barney, Wilma, Fred and
the rest of the cave dwellers went out
with their clubs and rocks, tracked
down some meat and dragged it
home to share. Regardless of the
history and the evolution in human
functioning, the fact remains true
today. Altruism makes us happy. It
gives us a real sense of satisfaction.
In fact, we’re motivated to help others. Consider the Golden Rule: Treat
others as you want to be treated. Our
human capacity for empathy means
we can imagine how it feels to be
in somebody else’s circumstances.
We can “feel” for somebody else. As
a result, philanthropy, volunteerism, kindness, our instincts to be
good Samaritans and to help
those in need are an innate part
of our humanity.
subjects with the highest rating also
had the
It’s scientifically proven that
altruism gives us satisfaction.
There’s science to prove it. According to NINDS (the National
Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke), a couple of studies
have looked at how and where that
feeling good message originates in
the brain. A 2007 report called Inner Workings of the Magnanimous
Brain by Daniel Stimson, Ph.D. offers
some insight into why we want to
give and to do good things for others. Stimson notes that one study, on
record in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, charted
brain activity when subjects were
given the option to give to charities
or receive money. It turned out that
a similar pattern of brain activity was
seen when subjects chose either to
donate or take a payoff. Both types
of decisions were associated with
heightened activity in parts of the
midbrain, a region deep in the brain
that is known to be involved in primal desires (such as food and sex)
and the satisfaction of them. This result provides the first evidence that
the “joy of giving” has an anatomical
basis in the brain- surprisingly, one
that is shared with selfish longings
and rewards.
Scientist Jordan Grafman, Ph.D. led
the work and when he and his team
asked the same people to rate their
everyday charitable involvement,
Stimson’s report says they discovered
highest level of activity in the
prefrontal cortex. Dr. Grafman, a senior investigator
in the intramural research
division NINDS, is quoted as
saying, “There’s a lot of controversy
about what the prefrontal cortex
does. “We’re interested in how this
uniquely human part of the brain
represents and processes information.” Meanwhile, Stimson’s report
also mentions a study in Nature Neuroscience has linked altruism to another part of the brain called the posterior superior temporal cortex. It’s in
the upper back part of the brain and
it allows us to perceive goal-directed
actions by somebody or something
else. Basically, thanks to this part of
your brain, you are able to recognize
that other people or organizations
have goals and when you give or
contribute to those goals, your actions will have positive consequences. While the workings of the brain
are still largely a mystery, undoubtedly there are a number of areas and
processes involved in our desire to
give. What’s more, when we anticipate something good, such as do-
nating,
giving a gift
or helping others, other brain mechanisms come into play and, in the
real world, there is a payoff: we feel
good even in planning and preparing for our good deeds.
There is a real-world payoff when
we plan to make a gift.
Those are some of the countless
benefits of planning giving. Making the choice to support a charity
or non-profit organization as part of
your estate plan can actually make
you feel better. And you don’t have
to be a neuroscientist to understand
that there’s a great deal of contentment and satisfaction in knowing
you’re doing your bit to help make
the world a better place.
(Reprinted with permission of Fifty-Five
Plus Magazine)
© 2011 Hathaway Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, Hathaway Publishing, Inc.
The Secret to Satisfying Donations
Bev Carlson, APR Director of Public Relations –
Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska
Kristy says, “If it weren’t for this
program, I’m sure I would be
fighting the state for custody of
my kids right now.”
Jen says, “This program kept me
from having to choose between
putting gas in the car or diapers
on my baby…”
Carol says, “It’s because of this
program that I have my family
back…”
At Lutheran Family Services of
Nebraska (LFS), the reasons for
giving are as varied as the people
who give. But in most cases, the
donor ultimately wants to know
they’ve contributed to a program
that has helped someone else:
Someone who needs help learning
to parent. Someone who needs a
hand up to take care of their child.
Someone in crisis who needs help
to see a way out.
The expanse of LFS’ varied
programs – over 30 at last count
— all focus on one thing: building
and strengthening individuals,
families
and
communities.
Whether it’s helping a foster
child locate a permanent home, a
refugee family discover its place in
America, providing therapy for a
sexually abused child, or helping a
traumatized soldier find the peace
of recovery – everything is focused
on the wellness of the person, the
family, and society.
“Not everyone is blessed with
a healthy home,” says Ruth
Henneman,
Vice
President
of Development for LFS.
“I
consistently hear from our major
donors – they want to make a
difference for people who are
hurting. And they know we [LFS]
are right in the middle of the
messiness of life, working to help
others who need to heal – one
person and one family at a time.”
Most of LFS’ donors give because
they believe in this mission and
they want to be part of it. They will
also tell you they appreciate the
organization’s strategic business
model and operational efficiency.
And there are those who give
because it is an important part of
their spiritual life.
Henneman also points out
that donors like the longevity
of the organization. Lutheran
Family Services of Nebraska is
preparing to celebrate 120 years
of service in 2012. What started
as two orphanages in Fremont
and Omaha – has now grown to
include a full spectrum of services
for children, new communities,
and those with behavioral health
needs.
To learn more about
being part of LFS’ work, email
[email protected].
Thank you for your support of
Lutheran Family Services
of Nebraska.
Your gift is making a difference
in the lives of children and
families EVERY DAY.
We know you can’t see it, but we wish
you could. We can see it in their eyes:
a traumatized soldier finally at peace –
an abused and neglected child
thriving in her new, adoptive family –
a young mother gaining the
confidence to parent with love.
Thousands of lives changed
every year simply because you
cared enough to help.
We see the impact of your
generosity every day.
You have created a future of hope.
www.LFSneb.org
“I tell you the truth, whatever you
did for one of the least of these
brothers and sisters of mine,
you did for me.”
—Matthew 25:40
© 2011 Hathaway Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, Hathaway Publishing, Inc.
Caregiver Column
June 2011
too much for some of these individuals to bear.
Pictured: Stacy Randels, Senior Living Counselor
Heritage Ridge Retirement Community
W
orking in the senior living industry brings
many caregivers my way. A lot of the time
they come to me with a less than ideal situation.
The stress of being the caregiver can be almost
It’s important for me to focus on the person in
need of care but it’s also important for me to
focus on the caregiver. When I ask the question,
“When’s the last time you have done something
nice for yourself?” I usually get a puzzled look
because most people don’t think about it. They
know they are stressed but don’t have the time to
think about what it is doing to them. Most people
can’t respond to this question because they don’t
know. I have a lot of people tell me that when they
do get a break, they are too physically or mentally
exhausted to do anything. This is obviously not
healthy and can ultimately take a huge toll both
physically and mentally!
Omaha Lifestyles 19
member or a neighbor to take over your duties for
awhile and then make the most of it!!
• Take a nap or get a massage
• Go for a brisk walk or to the gym
• Pray or meditate
• Talk to friends or join a support group
• Go for a long drive
• Rekindle an old hobby or find a new one such as
fishing or scrapbooking
And remember, when it’s all said and done, you
can’t be a good caregiver if you can’t care for
yourself first!!
I have some good tips that I like to share with
caregivers. Asking for regular and scheduled help
is at the top of the list. Ask a sibling, another family
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© 2011 Hathaway Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, Hathaway Publishing, Inc.
E
lite Group Tours has been providing quality
bus tours at incredibly affordable prices out
of Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska,
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We assure our customers of comfort, luxurious
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Upcoming Tours Departing From Omaha
July 12th Jamesport Missouri (2 days): Highlights include Amish Country Side Tour- Tour an
Amish Farm to observe life without modern conveniences. Visit the workshop and quilt shop, and
then visit H&M Country Store. Enjoy a buffet lunch
at the Gingerich Dutch Pantry in the renovated
dining room. Harley Davidson Tour- Start with an
introductory video, then continue to the production floor seeing the manufacturing and assembly
processes. Then finish your visit in the gift shop.
Cost: $144.00 *Single occupancy price is $179.
July 20th Washington, DC (9 days): Highlights
include Guided Tour Gettysburg, PA. Take a tour
of Gettysburg, see the Gettysburg Battlefield.
Guided Tour of Washington
DC. See many of the attractions below with a knowledgeable guide. Tour of the
Capitol, Library of Congress
& the Supreme Court Tour
the buildings that make up
the core of the United States
Government. Washington,
Lincoln, Jefferson, Vietnam Veterans Wall & WWII
Monuments. Tour all of the
major monuments by day
and take a tour of the illuminated monuments at night.
Arlington National Cemetery. Visit the cemetery and
the tomb of the unknown
soldiers. Union Station. With over 100 places to
drink, eat and shop, Union Station is a favorite
stop for many. Smithsonian Museums. Spend the
day in the many museums the Smithsonian offers.
National Archives. Visit the Rotunda to see the
Constitution, the Bill of Rights, the Declaration of
Independence and more. Mt. Vernon. Visit George
& Martha Washington’s Plantation. Cost: $864.00.
Single occupancy price is $1,099.
July 22nd Northern California (10 days): Highlights include Winery Tour and Tasting .Visit California’s State Capitol-The Golden State’s dazzling
white capitol, in Sacramento, was built in 1869 and
renovated in 1976. Its dome -- which looks like a
Fabergé egg from inside -- and original statuary
along its eaves remain, and antiques from the original offices furnish its historic rooms. Guided Tour
of Monterey - Visit Cannery Row, Old Fisherman’s
Wharf, and
take the
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drive, including
Carmel
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guide. Visit
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birds, sea
lions, leopard
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harbor
seals. Monterey Aquarium - Visit nearly 200 galleries and exhibits with 550 different species of animals and plants. Guided Tour San Francisco -With a
knowledgeable step on guide, see the many sites
of Frisco as you hear the history and stories that
made it famous, and then spend time at Fisherman’s Wharf. Alcatraz - Beginning as a light house,
“The Rock” served as a military fortifications and
prison, most notably as a federal prison and an
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Biggest Little City in the World.” Cost $999.00. *Single occupancy price is $1,269.
For more information, call 402-342-4585 or visit
www.elitetours.us to view all available tours.
© 2011 Hathaway Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, Hathaway Publishing, Inc.
John Wayne: American The Man, The Movies, The Patriotic Spirit Exhibit
Strategic Air and Space Museum From June 11th- October 2, 2011
By: Leah Parodi
O
n June 11, The Strategic Air and Space Museum opens John Wayne: American. Through
his movies and his life, John Wayne has been the
inspiration and role model for many soldiers,
sailors, airmen, and marines. Come see a rare
collection from the Duke’s film roles as a cavalry
officer on the American frontier to a Green Beret
in the jungles of Vietnam. Omaha Lifestyles 50+
magazine had an opportunity to speak with Brian
Downes, Director John Wayne Birthplace and Joe
Zuckschwerdt, President Board of Directors John
Wayne Birthplace. These two men, along with the
Strategic Air and Space Museum staff, have collectively designed an exhibit that showcases artifacts from the actor’s movies and personal life, pulled from one of the most
impressive John Wayne Collections ever
assembled.
Omaha Lifestyles 50+: How did you become involved as the director of the John
Wayne Birthplace located in Winterset,
Iowa?
Brian Downes: Before moving to Iowa in
2008, I had worked 35 years for the Chicago Tribune during which time I met and
worked with John Wayne on a couple of
newspaper articles. One was on his support for the Panama Canal Treaty--which
came as a shock to many conservatives-and the other was his opposition to
mandatory retirement at age 65. In subsequent legislation, John Wayne’s side
prevailed in both instances. I had been
a fan since boyhood and when I learned
that they were celebrating John Wayne’s
100th birthday (2007) in his birthplace
town of Winterset, Iowa. I volunteered
to assist in the presentations. I helped
organize the hometown parade and produced an old fashioned Buffalo Bill style
Wild West show to honor Mr. Wayne. A couple of
months later, the Birthplace board decided to
hire an executive director and, so impressed was
I with the organization and the community, I did
not take long in deciding to send in my application. That was three years ago and I’m still enjoying every minute of it.
Omaha Lifestyles 50+: Joe, when
did you become interested in John
Wayne?
Joe Zuckschwerdt: When I was
a young boy my father took me to
see TRUE GRIT. I was aware of John
Wayne before, but that movie was
the beginning of realizing how impressive he was; forthright, honest,
his integrity. Overnight he became
my mentor. I searched libraries,
bookstores, anywhere I could get
information on his life and times.
began to recognize my passion and knowledge
of this great man. One day I was approached and
asked if I would consider becoming a member of
the Board...I accepted with great honor, and I will
remain with them as long as they will have me.
When I got older and started earning a salary,
my collection began in earnest. Thirty-five plus
years later, I am still collecting. Over the years, I
had made several trips to Winterset, Iowa and
eventually got involved in their yearly celebration of John Wayne’s birthday by offering to do
anything they asked of me. The Board members
Omaha Lifestyles 50+: Joe, what is your most
prized John Wayne memorabilia?
Joe Zuckschwerdt: Now that’s a hard question!
These are not especially in order....
I have an autographed photo of Duke that he
signed to me just 6 weeks before his death. I
was so impressed that he took the time considering how ill he was at the time. I have three of his
personal daily planners, years 1977-1978-1979.
His saddle that he used in THE COWBOYS. His
shirt, jacket and hat that he wore in RIO BRAVO.
His shirt that he wore in the last bar scene in THE
SHOOTIST.
© 2011 Hathaway Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, Hathaway Publishing, Inc.
June 2011
Omaha Lifestyles 22
Omaha Lifestyles 50+: Tell us
about the planned John Wayne
Birthplace Museum and Learning
Center and When Completion is
Scheduled?
Brian Downes: Our museum will
focus not only on John Wayne’s
incredible film career--he remains
the most popular motion picture
star of all time--but also on his
character and his enduring values
of honesty, self-reliance and patriotism. There is a yearning for those
qualities in today’s culture and it’s
my firm belief that no American figure represents the United States as
splendidly as Duke. And why not?
His is the American experience. He
was born in modest circumstances
in heartland America at the time
when his country was on the verge
of becoming the most powerful in
the history of the world. His family
moved west and, after much struggle and hardship, Wayne got an
education and, unable to continue
law school or receive an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, he
went to work in the bottom rungs
of the motion picture industry. No
overnight success, he studied the
craft, honed his acting skills and
ultimately achieved top motion
picture stardom. Lesser likes have
fine museums but Duke has nothing. That’s why this project is essential. The museum will contain
movie poster art, wardrobe, guns,
personal correspondence and
contracts, fine art--paintings and
sculpture--and will tell the story of
John Wayne: his life and his times
and his place in our culture. This
effort really did not kick into high
gear until 2008, just in time for the
Great Recession, but we are attracting a number of influential donors
who could make our opening happen as early as 2012.
Omaha Lifestyles 50+: What
might people not know about John
Wayne?
Joe Zuckschwerdt: John Wayne
loved to fish off his yacht THE WILD
GOOSE. BUT, he would NOT eat the
fish...he HATED fish! The last ten
years of his life he drove a Pontiac
Station wagon. He had the roof
‘’raised’’ so that he could comfortably wear hats when driving. He
never legally change his name from
Marion R. Morrison to John Wayne.
Omaha Lifestyles 50+: What is
your favorite memory of John
Wayne?
Brian Downes: Well, I have many
favorite movie memories, as do legions of other fans. But for me, this
is personal. In a very real way, John
Wayne made me the individual I
am today. Lacking a strong father
figure, I learned from my hero that
a man who is not generous or does
not keep his word--always--is no
man at all. When we met in 1977, I
was 25 years old and trying to find
my way professionally. By opening
his home to me and providing me
with a couple of newspaper exclusives he provided me a great career
boost. While I sometimes--as all
young men do--lacked confidence
in myself and my abilities, by taking
me under his wing he provided me
prestige with my employers and
gave me the courage to push myself to the limit. I would not trade
that endorsement for anything.
The Strategic Air and Space Museum
is located at 28210 West Park Highway in Ashland, Nebraska. For more
information, call 402-944-3100 or
visit www.sasmuseum.com.
© 2011 Hathaway Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, Hathaway Publishing, Inc.
Making A Difference: Barb Grabowski Coleman
By: Kristy Brannen
After a gall bladder surgery in 2004, Barb found
herself in unexplainable pain. “My body felt like it
was eating itself and every inch of my back was
in severe pain,” the now 62-year-old said. “Since
I had experienced natural childbirth I knew this
pain was unbearable.”
For nearly two years after the surgery, Barb said
she searched for answers to what she described
as unbearable pain. Finally, in 2007 after several
different doctors, she saw a doctor in Sarasota,
Fla. who had four different degrees and taught
medical school. Within minutes, she said, he knew
I had fibromyalgia. As great as it was to have
answers, it was equally disappointing to learn
that there wasn’t enough research to tell her how
to treat the disorder.
According to the Mayo Clinic’s web site, www.
mayoclinic.com, widespread musculoskeletal
pain is the main characterization of fibromyalgia.
The disorder typically also impacts sleep, memory
and mood.
“There was no cure, only pills that might mask my
pain,” Barb said. “By knowing what I had, I knew
what I had to do.”
Putting her skills to work
Grabowski said she was just in eighth grade when
she decided to be a teacher. During her first year
of teaching, she decided to pursue a master’s
in guidance and counseling. Once she retired
from teaching in 2003, she decided to use her
education background and become a professional
educational speaker and consultant as well as a
life coach.
After receiving her diagnosis, Barb said that the
same research skills she had learned in college
studying to be a history teacher helped her cope
and educate herself on the disorder and possible
solutions. She also turned to her counseling skills
and prayer. “With positive thinking, relaxation
music and daily prayer my life turned around so
I could use my energy and talents to help others,”
she said. “By then I was a talking medical textbook
on the subject of fibromyalgia, I listened to others
and knew that I had to do something to help
them. Their pain was affecting their
work, their families, their self-esteem
and their quality of life.”
She explained that she felt that she
couldn’t just walk away from others
who were suffering. “I was fortunate
that I had an education, I had pension,
I had the time and the savings,” she
said. After her mother’s death in 2006,
Barb said she was inspired to use her
inheritance to found the first nonprofit in Nebraska for fibromyalgia,
Fund Fighting Fibromyalgia.
“Each day I try to help others and
try to bring about more awareness
of disease that is estimated to affect
56,000 people in Nebraska,” she said.
“I might be one voice, but isn’t that
better than none?”
Honored with the United Way
Business Volunteer Award
This year Barb was the recipient of
the United Way Business Volunteer
Award for her vision and desire to help
those who are affected by fibromyalgia.
However, awards and honors don’t seem
to mean much to her. For her it is truly about the
ability to help those around her who are suffering.
“What is important to me is to help others,” she
said. “I find personal satisfaction in being there for
others.”
In her new role, she is able to use all her skill sets
– teaching, speaking and counseling – and she
believes that is what has made her successful. “My
efforts are one step at a time, trying to bring about
fibromyalgia awareness, government funding and
donations to help others who by no course of their
own actions caused this disease to affect them,”
she said. She hopes that with more education and
more awareness about the disease, there will be
more understanding and compassion for those
who are suffering from this mysterious disease.
A new perspective
Nowadays, Barb is enjoying some dancing and
Pictured: Barb Grabowski Coleman
playing golf again in addition to running the nonprofit and a business, Caring Hands. She also cares
for her five-year-old grandson during part of the
day. “I have learned what is important in life,” she
said. “It’s not how clean your house is or how you
fix your hair and nails or even how you dress. It is
how you make time for your fellow man.”
According to her, balancing all of her roles is easy.
It’s about priorities and for Barb her grandson
comes first and community service follow.
Right now she is enjoying her friends and family
and hoping to take classes in law and photography.
In addition, she wants to spend more time
traveling. With everything she pursues there is a
level of passion and care and the hope that she
can educate someone new on fibromyalgia.
For more information on fibromyalgia, visit www.
fundfightingfibromyalgia.org
© 2011 Hathaway Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, Hathaway Publishing, Inc.
June 2011 Omaha Lifestyles 24
Home Staging
Cont. from page 4
it. At the end of the course, she and her fellow classmates staged a million dollar home. In
2007, she attended a short class to receive her
Certified Professional Staging Certification.
She believes her home sales have been positively affected by these certifications. “The time
my listings are on the market has dramatically
decreased since I began staging my listings,”
she said. “It would be hard to know for sure, but
I feel certain that the homes sell for more than if
they weren’t staged.’
The cost of staging
For Lube’s clients, staging comes at no additional costs. She said a staged home sells faster,
which is part of the reason she doesn’t charge.
The other part of the reason she doesn’t charge
her clients for her staging services or accessories is because she truly enjoys this aspect of
her job.
If you choose to go with a professional stager
who uses their own accessories, anticipate paying at least $1,000. According to Lube, there are
some stagers who may do consultations for a
few hundred dollars.
For those do-it-yourselfers, Lube suggests attending one of her free staging classes. She
holds a class every other month and shares a
variety of tips. “Homeowners can learn to do
the basics themselves,” she said. There are many
resources online and on television. However,
Lube said the new design shows, like the ones
on HGTV, have been helpful and harmful. “On
one hand, they are great because they give sellers an idea of things they can do to their homes.
On the other hand, they create such high expectations for buyers.”
Her best advice to those who are preparing to
sell their home is to call a full-time realtor who
doesn’t have another job. They know how to
get houses sold since it’s their only business,
she said.
For more information the free staging classes
or to reach Beth Lube, contact her at 402-5942000 or e-mail her at [email protected]
Omaha Lifestyles monthly crossword
Across
1
1. Steep slope
6. Lip
10. Deities
14. Communion table
15. Capital of Western Samoa
16. Away from the wind
17. Specialty
18. Breathe hard
19. Demeanor
20. Compass pt.
21. Buffet meal
24. Go in again
26. Sounds
27. Greek goddess of the dawn
28. Inclined
30. Fighting
33. Official notification
35. Knock vigorously
38. Light wood
40. Hurried
41. Like beaches
43. Salt Lake City athlete
44. Checked
47. I did it!
48. Entice
49. Numero ___
51. Soap ingredient
54. Flaw
58. Orcinus orca
61. So that's your game!
62. Initial stake in a hand of
poker
63. Cries of discovery
64. Giver
66. Unskilled laborer
67. Attic
68. Writer Jong
69. "___ She Lovely?"
70. Go out with
71. Male duck
14
15
16
17
18
19
Down
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
More secure
Shut
___ Grows in Brooklyn
Deserter
"Voila!"
2
3
4
20
5
21
24
6
7
9
28
32
33
39
43
44
13
35
36
37
55
56
57
29
34
40
41
45
46
48
52
12
26
38
51
11
23
25
31
10
22
27
30
8
47
49
53
42
50
54
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
66
67
68
69
70
71
65
50. Required
6. Flavor
51. Giraffe's cousin
7. On ___ with
52. Queues
8. Vocalize melodically
53. Singer John
9. Diabolical
54. Moisten while cooking
10. Ploy
55. Ancient region of Asia
11. Mixed bags
Minor
12. Caterpillar rival
56. Sudden impact
13. Dispatches
57. Greek goddesses of the
22. Small plateau
seasons
23. Mends a shoe
25. You can't catch fish without 59. Rider's command
60. Handle of a knife
them!
65. Bruins great Bobby
28. ___-garde
29. Fork feature
30. Aladdin's monkey
Solution to last month’s puzzle
31. Sylvester, to Tweety
32. Land in la mer
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
L U C E R N E
M U S I C A
34. Faucet problem
15
16
I T A L I A N
I T E R A T
35. Genetic messenger
17
18
P A R O D I C
S A R A C E
36. Use an abacus
19
20
21
22
S H E
L O O T
A T O M
37. Monetary unit of Burma
23
24
25
M I S D O
A P E D
39. Mountain ridge
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
A A R O N
E P O D E
A S
3
4
3
5
3
6
3
7
42. Smallest component
C R A V E N
S L O
V E T
38
39
40
41
45. Green beryl
C I T I Z E N
D R E A M E
42
43
44
45
46. Blunt
R E T E
W I G
E R R O R
46
47
48
49
48. Aptitude
A
L
L
50
Answers will be printed in the next edition of Omaha Lifestyles,
or email us at
[email protected]
and we will email the answers to you.
R E B A
51
52
E W E R
54
S
60
A
65
L
67
55
I
T
E A
E L K
61
E S
V E N
E X P E N
L A
56
E D
B R A D
R
S
S E
62
I
N
53
T
I
L
E
N
S
33
H
O
R
S
Y
E X
57
E
M
N N
14
58
R T
63
64
P E A
59
E
R L
66
S P O N G E S
68
H O T C A K
E
© 2011 Hathaway Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, Hathaway Publishing, Inc.
June 2011
6/01-6/26 Guys and Dolls- Set against the color of
New York City’s high lights and low life, this show
is an entertaining fable
of love, marriage and
temperance on Damon
Runyon’s Broadway. It
has a classic score and
book that includes
such songs as “Luck be
a Lady” and “Sit Down
You’re Rockin’ the Boat.”
Performances
take
place at the Omaha
Community Playhouse,
located at 6915 Cass
Street. For more information, call 402-553-0800 or
visit www.omahaplayhouse.org.
6/08 The Alzheimer’s Association Midlands
Chapter has an Early Stage Alzheimer’s disease
and Other Dementias Support Group designed
for care partners and their loved ones with an
early stage dementia, over the age of 65. They
participate in a non-threatening environment to
discuss issues dealing with emotions affecting
the loved one with dementia, the
caregiver, the family and others
as well as promote ongoing
education. It is held at New Cassel
Retirement Center, Lecture Hall,
located at 900 North 90th Street,
Omaha on the 2nd Wednesday of
each month from 4:30 pm- 6:00
pm. Contact Betty K. Chin at 402502-4301 for more information or
to reserve your spot.
6/09-6/26 Rave On- Electrifying, high-energy, rock
n’ roll extravaganza featuring America’s premier
Buddy Holly interpreter, Billy McGuigan! Backed
by the rockin’ Rave On band, their incredible
musicianship ignites the stage and breathes new
life into the music of Buddy Holly! Experience all
the thrills of a Buddy Holly concert re-imagined. In
a unique twist, Billy as ‘Buddy celebrates the birth
of an era and pays homage to fellow rockers Jerry
Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Ritchie Valens
and The Big Bopper. Performances take place at
the Omaha Community Playhouse, located at
Omaha Lifestyles
6915 Cass Street. For more information, call 402553-0800 or visit www.omahaplayhouse.org.
6/10 Village Pointe Wine FestivalJoin us for the inaugural Village
Pointe Wine Festival presented
by Brix! Experience more than
100 premier wines from around
the world in a complimentary
Riedel tasting glass as you savor
signature small plates from Kona
Grill, Firebirds Wood
Fired Grill and Brix.
Purchase your tickets
now at Brix for $45 per
person. All tickets sold prior to June 10
will include a $10 Brix gift card. For more
information, call 402-991-9463 or visit
www.brixomaha.com.
Museum, located at 28210 West Park Highway
in Ashland, Nebraska. For more information, call
402-944-3100 or visit www.sasmuseum.com
6/14 Tempo of Twilight Series: The Fabulous
Rogues- From all-time favorite cover songs to
artistic originals, talented local bands will create
a memorable musical experience for visitors of all
ages. Purchase delicious and affordable meals from
the café or bring your own snacks and beverages.
Bring blankets or chairs to relax in the garden.
Event takes place at
Lauritzen Gardens,
located at 100
Bancroft Street. For
more information,
call 402-346-4002
or
visit
www.
lauritzengardens.
org.
6/10-12 Omaha Summer Arts Festival6/22
Summer
135 of the nation’s finest visual artists,
Health
Fair
at
three stages of continuous entertainment
Skyline Retirement
including national performers and a
Community.
large hands-on Children’s Fair. Food,
Admission:
Free
Nebraska craft brews,
+ giveaways- Free
special
events
and
blood sugar &
artist demonstrations.
blood
pressure
One of the city’s
s
c
r
e
e
n
ings.
premier
destinations
Cholesterol checks
for exceptional art,
for $15
Lunch:
atmosphere
and
Pictured: Summer Arts Festival
$3. Many health
entertainment.
Event
related
vendors
takes place on Farnam
on hand to answer
Street between 10th
and 15th Streets. For more questions. Event takes place from 10:00-2:00 p.m.
information, call 402-345-5401 or Skyline Retirement Community is located at 7300
Graceland Drive.
visit www.summerarts.org.
6/11-October 2 John Wayne: American ExhibitThrough his movies and his life, John Wayne as
been the inspiration and role model for many
soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines. Come see
a rare collection from the Duke’s film roles as a
cavalry officer on the American frontier to a Green
Beret in the jungles of Vietnam. Stay tuned and
check back often as we further develop this exhibit
around the greatest icon of American patriotism.
Exhibit takes place at Strategic Air and Space
6/23-6/25 33rd Annual Quilt Show- Includes quilt
display and vendor mall. Event takes place at
the LaVista Conference Center, located at 12520
Westport Parkway. For more information, visit
www.omahaquiltersguild.org.
© 2011 Hathaway Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, Hathaway Publishing, Inc.
© 2011 Hathaway Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, in any form or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, Hathaway Publishing, Inc.
HELPING YOU
LIVE BETTER
Join the Y today and become part of a community
committed to helping you learn new things and
make new friends at any stage of your life.
Visit your local Y or purchase your membership
online at www.metroymca.org.