RL Summer 2016 - Northwest Indiana Business Quarterly Magazine

Northern Indiana’s premier health & lifestyle magazine for active adults 50-plus
Preparing for Your…
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SUMMER–FALL 2016
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Northern Indiana’s premier health & lifestyle magazine for active adults 50-plus
CONTENTS
Summer–Fall 2016
p18
p8
COVER STORY
12 Supporting Communities
The region’s community foundations
provide funding for much-needed
projects and initiatives.
FEATURES
ESTATE PL ANNING
18 The Dangers of DIY
p20
SENIOR FITNESS
DEPARTMENTS
Face-to-face planning may
seem “old-fashioned,” but
the expertise matters a lot.
25 Move It, Don’t Lose It
Seniors stay fit with a range of
lower-impact sports and activities.
C AREGIVING
28 Safety Through Technology
New ideas and gadgets
help seniors stay safe and
live independently.
2
RETIREMENT LIVING
3
4
6
8
10
22
30
32
PUBLISHER’S MESSAGE
FOOD & WINE
HOME & GARDEN
YOUR PET
TR AVEL & RECREATION
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
VOLUNTEER CORNER
BUSINESS VENTURE
S U M M E R – F A L L 2 0 16
PUBLISHER’S NOTE
Summer – Fall 2016
Publisher/Executive Editor
TROY LINKER
Managing Editor
LAURIE WINK
Contributing Editor
STEVE KAELBLE
Assistant Editor
DENISE C. BUSCHMANN
Director, Advertising Sales
TAMMIE REYNOLDS
Art Director
ANDREW ROBERTS
Contributing Art Director
JANICE L. DIXON-FITZWATER
Photographers
RICHARD WARNER
SHAWN SPENCE
Contributing Writers
LAUREN CAGGIANO • JERRY DAVICH
BARBARA EASTMAN • MICHELLE SEARER
MICHAEL PUENTE • LAURA WINK
Editorial Advisory Committee
CALVIN BELLAMY • MELISSA BOHACEK
MICHE GRANT • LORI MCLAUGHLIN
CAROL MOORE • LEIGH MORRIS
LINDA O’NEILL • AMY PAGE
New Media
JANICE L. DIXON-FITZWATER
Tech Support
JASON CRUNDWELL
e-mail
[email protected]
Web
RLivingmagazine.com
Retirement Living Magazine is owned and
published by Linker Media Group, Inc,
Troy Linker, President and CEO.
© Copyright 2016. All rights reserved.
Reproduction without permission is prohibited.
Two-year subscription rate is $9.95. Single issue price
is $3.50. Requests for additional magazines will be
billed shipping charges. Total Circulation for Retirement
Living: 15,000 including greater Northwest Indiana and
surrounding Northern Indiana counties. Send payment
to: Retirement Living magazine, c/o Linker Media
Group, Inc, 905 Joliet St. #237, Dyer IN 46311. Or go
online to www.NWIBQ.com to subscribe via credit card.
M EM B E R
S U M M E R – F A L L 2 0 16
Enjoy Our
Vibrant
Communities
I
have lived in Northwest Indiana
for more than 11 years and in
Indiana for most of my life. As
I travel and meet people from other
parts of the country, I am always
mindful of how special Hoosiers are
with their famous hospitality and
their commitment to community.
In this issue we showcase several
examples of Northwest Indiana Hoosiers and the ways they give back to
their communities.
In our cover article, we explore
community foundations in the
region. Established 25 years ago
with initial funding from the Lilly
Endowment, these foundations support the needy and other socially
useful projects. Laurie Wink talks
with representatives of six local
community foundations and shares
some of the projects they help bring
to their communities.
Our region has a growing number
of brewery, winery and distillery
options. In addition to offering microbrews and craft cocktails, many are
expanding their offerings to include
dining. Barbara Eastman looks at
three local establishments where you
can have dinner with that drink.
Social, learning and physical activities truly are the fountain of youth
that invigorates both our bodies and
minds. Lauren Caggiano shows us
how the Purdue Master Gardeners
program offers all three while also
benefiting local communities.
Summer is prime-time for family
vacations. You may have a great getaway for your family—but what will
Troy Linker
your pets do while you are away?
Writer Laurie Wink tells us about four
local boarding businesses that will
pamper your pet while you’re away.
Those DIY shows on TV often
make home improvement look a lot
easier than it really is. Estate planning also takes more skill than many
people think. Poorly implemented
estate planning can risk burdening
your heirs with legal fees and needless delays. Jerry Davich learns from
local experts the potential dangers of
DIY estate planning.
Also in this issue, writer Michael
Puente introduces us to Bruce Wood,
who tells us that helping others is a
selfish act for him, because of what
he gets in return. Lauren Caggiano
introduces us to a number of technology innovations that enable us
to improve our health, age in place
and live safely. Michelle Searer is
back sharing the region’s best music,
festivals, theater, food and cultural
events. We take a nostalgic drive
back in time to summers of our
youth with Barbara Eastman and visit
three of Indiana’s 20 remaining drivein movie theaters. Finally, Michael
Puente reminds us that entrepreneurship isn’t just for the millennials in
his profile of Alicia Leal, who has just
started a new business and at over 50
is a member of the fastest-growing
segment of entrepreneurs.
I hope this issue, in some way,
inspires you to support and enjoy
our vibrant local communities. I wish
each of you a wonderful summer!
—Troy Linker, Publisher
RETIREMENT LIVING
3
FOOD & WINE
Have Dinner
With That Drink
Wineries, breweries and distilleries adding full-service restaurants.
by Barbara Eastman
to complement the small batch spirits poultry from Gunthorp Farms in
ith the increasing popu- produced in the distillery. Over the LaGrange, where the animals are
larity of microbrews and past few years the business has built pasture raised and no antibiotics or
craft
cocktails,
more a loyal clientele and a solid reputa- growth hormones are used.
breweries and distilleries are pop- tion for high-quality artisan spirits.
“As often as possible, I incorporate
ping up in the area. People enjoy With the opening of 125-seat full- Journeyman spirits into the dishes I
visiting these spots to enjoy an arti- service Staymaker Restaurant last create. For example, our mussels are
san beverage, but in the past, would October, the Welters now offer an steamed in the distillery’s apple cider
seek out a local restaurant for lunch expansive menu.
liqueur, and pizza crusts are made
or dinner. It didn’t take owners long
Chef Luke Caenepeel incorporates using some of the same grains used
to figure out that if they provided a a number of Journeyman products in the production of bourbon and
satisfying dining experience, their into his food preparation. He says, whiskey.”
customers would have no reason to “Everything we serve is fresh and
Partners Scott Sullivan and Justin
go elsewhere.
made from scratch. We source our Heckathorn opened Greenbush
One of the first places to add a ingredients mostly within 100 miles Brewery in Sawyer, Mich. in 2011. In
full-service restaurant was Tabor Hill and often much closer. For exam- five years, the business has exploded
Winery and Restaurant in Buchanan, ple, just this afternoon I picked up and they have expanded three
Mich. Chef JohnPaul VerHage has 80 pounds of hamburger from a times and added an annex and beer
been the Chef de Cuisine at Tabor farm that is about half a mile down garden across the street. In May, they
Hill since 2011. According to the the road. We also source meat and acquired the former Fitzgerald’s, a
chef, “I tailor my menu to
full-service restaurant next door,
which was renamed and open
showcase Tabor Hill wines,
and I am deeply committed to
for business in June. Between
using Michigan products. Now
the taproom, the annex and the
that the growing season is here,
new space, they will have seatI source fresh locally grown
ing for approximately 300.
fruits and vegetables, and my
In the Greenbush Brewery
meat, poultry, dairy, and eggs
taproom, Chef Jordan Gottall come from Michigan farms.”
lieb—formerly of Bit of Swiss
His food is not only delicious,
in Stevensville—has created a
it’s beautiful to behold, and the
beer-friendly menu featuring
knowledgeable wait staff are
barbecue favorites like brisket,
happy to recommend the perribs, pulled pork and chicken,
fect wine to accompany your
and sausages. In addition,
meal.
there are hearty sandwiches,
Bill and Johanna Welter
pizzas, salads, shrimp and grits,
opened Journeyman Distillmac and cheese and more.
ery in the former Featherbone
For lighter fare, the Annex/
corset factory in Three Oaks LOCAL INGREDIENTS Staymaker Restaurant
beer garden offers a menu of
in 2011. A limited menu was brings an extensive food menu to complement the cheeses, house-cured meats
offered in the original bar area offerings of Journeyman Distillery in Three Oaks. and grilled sausages.
W
4
RETIREMENT LIVING
S U M M E R – F A L L 2 0 16
DELICIOUS AND BEAUTIFUL Tabor Hill Winery and Restaurant in Buchanan,
Michigan, showcases its own wines and is committed to Michigan products.
Gottlieb says, “Although I didn’t
join the Greenbush staff until 2013,
I have been a customer from the
day it opened. Expanding into the
space next door will allow us to
serve more customers and we plan
to serve breakfast all day. We will
continue to offer our most popular
menu items, daily specials, plus good
old-fashioned comfort food, reasonably priced, for dinner. We are also
developing a great selection of wine
cocktails for our adult customers
who may not be beer drinkers.”
Whether your beverage of choice
is wine, beer or a cocktail, you’ll
find that more and more wineries,
breweries and distilleries are adding
full-service restaurants with wonderful creative menus. With all of these
great places just a short drive away, it
might be time to plan a road trip.
S U M M E R – F A L L 2 0 16
BEER-FRIENDLY MENU Greenbush Brewery in Sawyer, Michigan,
got into the food business when it acquired a former restaurant next door.
RETIREMENT LIVING
5
HOME & GARDEN
Purdue Master Gardeners
A love of gardening can open doors and build friendships.
by Lauren Caggiano
T
he Purdue Master Gardener
Program makes it possible for
seniors to give back, while
gaining the benefits of social interaction and physical activity. The
program provides the means for participants to increase their knowledge
on a wide variety of horticultural subjects. In turn, they grow by sharing
knowledge and providing leadership
and service in educational gardening
activities within their communities.
The Master Gardener Program
model began in 1972 in Seattle,
Wash., in response to public demand
for home gardening information.
6
RETIREMENT LIVING
“A LOVE OF GARDENING” Many Indiana counties offer the Purdue Master
Gardener program, which includes classwork and volunteer service.
S U M M E R – F A L L 2 0 16
Indiana’s program started in 1978
with four counties: Allen, Lake,
Marion and Vanderburgh. Currently,
many Indiana counties offer the
Purdue Master Gardener program.
The program is open to anyone 18
or older, but as Purdue Master Gardener State Coordinator John Orrick
shares, seniors tend to gravitate to
the opportunity. Out of a recent
survey of 900 respondents, 64 percent were between the ages 51 and
70. And 23 percent were over age 70.
“If they have a love of gardening and
the time, it’s a great opportunity for
them,” he says.
As part of the program, participants
attend 12 to 18 weeks of classes.
Each class lasts three to four hours.
Topics include everything from plant
science and nutrition to plant disease. An exam follows the training
classes, and those who score 70 percent or higher will become a Master
Gardener Intern. To be a certified
Master Gardener, you must volunteer
for at least 35 hours within two years
of completing training. To remain
active, Purdue Master Gardeners
must continue to volunteer at least
12 hours a year and earn six hours of
approved training each year.
Continuing education opportunities include attending the Purdue
Master Gardener State Conference
and helping at plant sales. The cost is
between $100 and $200 for materials.
Once a Purdue Master Gardener has
fulfilled his or her volunteer commitment for initial certification, the
individual is eligible to work toward
Advanced Purdue Master Gardener
certification. Purdue Master Gardener Program advanced certification requires at least 10 hours of
approved additional instruction and
a minimum of 25 hours of additional
volunteer service. Other Advanced
Master Gardener certification levels
include Bronze, Silver, and Gold.
According to Orrick, most people
exceed the minimum volunteer activity requirements because they enjoy
the program so much. Many find they
make friendships that last a lifetime,
all while doing good in the community. Put simply, a love of gardening
can open many doors. As for specifS U M M E R – F A L L 2 0 16
ics, the nature of the projects will
vary according to the county’s needs.
Projects happen year round and at
different venues.
Examples of past projects include
managing a community garden,
helping with after-school programs,
presenting educational programs and
donations of produce to community
food banks.
The more than 3,200 active Purdue
Master Gardener volunteers in Indiana contribute more than 88,000
hours annually in Indiana. More than
1,000 new Purdue Master Gardener
interns are trained each year.
“I would encourage anyone interested in gardening to participate in the
Purdue Master Gardener Program to
further their own knowledge of horticulture, grow as a leader and give back
to the community,” Orrick says.
Shifting Sands: On the Path to Sustainability tells the story of how one region, where rare plants
grow in the shadows of smokestacks, sparked a movement for a national park; a movement
which eventually led to game-changing environmental policies with worldwide impact.
BROADCAST CHANNELS:
AIR DATES:
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
8/25/2016
8/26/2016
9:00 PM
6:30 PM
AT&T U-verse - 56/1056 HD
Comcast – 17/239 HD
DirecTV - 56
Dish - 56/6320 HD
Over the Air – 56
RETIREMENT LIVING
7
YOUR PET
A Luxurious Stay
Pamper your pet while you’re away from home.
by Laurie Wink
P
et owners who embark on
travel getaways that don’t
include pets can make sure
their furry family members have fun
while they’re away by choosing from
a bevy of premier pampering services available at area boarding and
grooming businesses.
Owners Annette Bloss and Laurie
Clark call Dawg Paradise “a suite
alternative to boarding your pet.” The
tropical vacation themed business in
Westville even offers the Aloha Taxi
pick-up and delivery service for customers’ convenience.
When pets arrive at Dawg Paradise,
they’re checked into one of the 32
luxury suites—each with a flat screen
TV, a custom made elevated bed, tile
floor and sliding glass door. Animals
can relax in two indoor and three
outdoor play areas and a heated
indoor pool. A full range of on-site
grooming services are available, such
as a hydrobath, warm blow-dry and
brush out for dogs.
For guests’ health and safety, the
facility is staffed 24/7 and has an air
purifying system to remove allergens,
odors, mold and germs. Pet owners
can remotely view their furry friends
via webcam on the Dawg Paradise
website. And, in addition to buying a
variety of pet supplies and products
on site, they can order customized
cups, shirts, mouse pads and other
items with photos of their pets.
Mylissa Yelich, owner of At Your
Bark-N-Call, Bed & Bath Inc. in
Crown Point, started as a home-based
business and has steadily expanded
to a 10,000-square-foot facility. Some
5,000 clients use her boarding, grooming and day care services. Yelich says
retirees who like to travel are a big
part of her customer base.
8
RETIREMENT LIVING
HOME AWAY FROM HOME At Your Bark-n-Call offers a cageless environment
where pets can make new friends. Hotel guests relax in their own themed
suites, including the Beach Suite.
S U M M E R – F A L L 2 0 16
Yelich believes in providing the
best overall experience for pets
while they’re at Bark-N-Call. Her
cageless pet hotel operates “just like
a people hotel,” putting a priority on
each guest’s comfort.
“Each one is like a child to me,”
Yelich says. “I treat them the way I
want to be treated.”
Staff members are on site around
the clock to monitor and engage
with pets. Pets can socialize with
each other in four indoor and two
outdoor play areas. On-site grooming services are available for both
dogs and cats, including bathing with
soap-free hypoallergenic products
and grooming ears, nails, and paws.
Camelot Kennel in Lowell is “a dog
and cat paradise,” says owner Mary
Ellen Hoover, who started the boarding and grooming business 25 years
ago and expanded seven years ago.
An accomplished dog breeder of
Kerry Blue Terriers, Hoover houses
her dogs with boarded dogs. “All of
them are spoiled rotten,” she says.
“Every animal is special and we
treat each and every one that comes
through our doors like they’re our
own,” Hoover says. “Personal care
and comfort for our little friends is
our main goal.”
Dogs and cats are the primary
boarders, but kennel manager Katie
Filips says they’ve also cared for turtles and a pot-bellied pig. Filips, an
enthusiastic animal lover, says, “You
get so attached to them. We go out
of our way to make sure they aren’t
uncomfortable.”
The on-site boutique is stocked
with dog clothing and accessories,
toys, treats and even toothbrushes
and toothpaste. Camelot Kennel is
located close to Interstate 65 and
serves clients from Indiana, Illinois,
Michigan and Wisconsin. “A lot of
people come only in the summer,”
Filips says, “and in the winter we get
a lot of seniors who board their pets
while they’re in Florida.”
Pet Pals, in Michigan City, celebrated 26 years in June. The pet
boarding and grooming business is
located on an acre of land that has
individual exercise areas and a fenced
S U M M E R – F A L L 2 0 16
play yard. Pet Pals has 65 cage-free
boarding suites in a variety of sizes,
including multi-level “kitty condos.”
Four-legged pets can enjoy spacious runs, hands-on attention by
caring staff and, according to the
website, “We even play music for
them!” The grooming room has tubs
for deep, massaging cleaning that
leave pets relaxed and refreshed.
“Pet Pals is truly where your friends
stay with friends!”
Clearly the business of pet boarding has gone upscale, providing services found at premier spas.
These pet care professionals know
how to deliver the kind of compassionate care that can put pet owners’
minds at ease while they enjoy a
guilt-free getaway.
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Living Wise.
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• Rehabilitation Center
• Fitness Studio and Spa
Schedule a tour today
at 219-934-0750.
10000 Columbia Ave.| Munster, IN
219-934-0750 | 800-297-6188
www.HartsfieldVillage.com
RETIREMENT LIVING
9
TRAVEL & RECREATION
Drive-In Movies
Everything old is new again when you pack up the car for a movie.
by Barbara Eastman
M
ore than 80 years ago,
Richard Hollingshead of
Camden, N.J. thought it
would be good to combine the two
things he loved best in the world:
movies and cars. He envisioned
a parking lot where people could
watch movies on a large outdoor
screen from the comfort of their
own vehicles. In 1933, he received a
patent and the same year opened the
country’s first outdoor theater. It took
a while for the concept to take off,
but by the ’50s and well into the ’60s,
the American landscape was dotted
with more than 4,000 drive-in movie
theaters.
Back then you could fill your car
(and sometimes your trunk) with
friends and go to the closest drive-in
for a movie, popcorn and other treats.
You’d often see kids from school
in nearby cars or at the concession
stand and many of our readers have
fond memories of those days, when
things just seemed simpler.
Although the number of drive-in
movie theaters is dwindling (with
only 300 to 350 remaining), it is still
possible to find an outdoor movie,
and some night you just might want
to travel back in time and re-visit
your high school or college days
when drive-in movies were at their
peak.
THE 49ER DRIVE-IN, 675
CALUMET ROAD, VALPARAISO
This Northwest Indiana seasonal
drive-in theater has been screening
moves since 1956 and was named
one of the Top 10 American drive-ins
by USA Today. The courteous staff
received a Recognition of Service
Excellence award from the LaPorte
County Convention and Visitors
10
RETIREMENT LIVING
NATIONAL RECOGNITION Valparaiso’s 49er made
USA Today’s list of the 10 best drive-in theaters.
Bureau. The 49er is open on weekends and shows first-run movies on
an expansive screen. The busy concession stand offers popcorn and a
wide variety of snacks and beverages
to enhance every customer’s moviegoing experience.
TRI-WAY DRIVE-IN, 4400
MICHIGAN ROAD, PLYMOUTH
The Tri-Way has been a popular
Plymouth landmark since 1953.
Originally a one-screen drive-in, it
now has four screens, a large concession stand, and a mini-golf center.
It is now serving its third generation
of customers, and many who went
there as teens are returning with
their grandchildren and sharing the
THIRD GENERATION Tri-Way in
Plymouth opened in 1953, and these
days some of its early customers are
returning with their grandchildren.
S U M M E R – F A L L 2 0 16
drive-in movie experience. As is the
case with both traditional and drivein theaters, the concession stand is
Tri-Way’s profit center. However, the
Tri-Way will allow patrons to bring in
outside food, so long as they secure
a food permit. When the theater
opened in the early ’50s there was a
naming contest, and the winner proposed it be named for its proximity
to the intersection of Highways 30,
31 and 6.
TIBBS DRIVE-IN, 480 S. TIBBS
AVE., INDIANAPOLIS
The iconic Tibbs Drive-in opened
on the southwest side of Indy in
1967 with a single screen. Business was good and within five years
they added two more screens. Current owner Ed Quilling says, “I’m
from Northwest Indiana and was a
union projectionist for many years.
When my wife Agnes and I learned
the Tibbs Drive-in was available, we
leased it and then bought it in 1995.
We made significant improvements,
including conversion to digital and
the addition of a fourth screen. We
can now handle 1,600 cars and offer
two movies for the price of one, so
it’s a whole evening of entertainment
with first-run movies.”
Between the 24-hour news cycle,
cell phones, email and social media
there is a constant barrage of information that clutters our brains and
raises our stress level and, possibly, our blood pressure. So, it is no
wonder that we sometimes get nostalgic for the good old days. Today,
we have more access to entertainment than ever before. Anyone with
a smart phone, tablet, computer,
or internet-enabled TV can stream
movies whenever they want. But,
watching a movie at home is a different experience than watching it
at a drive-in. Think of the difference
between watching a baseball game
on TV versus watching it live in a
ballpark. It’s a completely different
EXPANDED AND ENHANCED
The Tibbs in Indianapolis can now
handle 1,600 cars and has multiple
screens with digital projection.
experience. Sometimes it’s just fun
to get in the car with your wife or
partner, or maybe even scoop up the
grandkids, and head to the drive-in
for a movie (or two), just like you did
when you were a kid yourself.
In addition to the three drive-ins
• Investment Servic
mentioned here, there are• Estate
morePlanning
than 20 others in Indiana. Findand
them
Administratio
at www.driveinmovie.com, • Financial
where Planning
you’ll find drive-in movie theaters
listed by state.
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Peoples,
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RETIREMENT LIVING
11
COVER STORY
Supporting
Communities
The region’s community foundations
provide funding for much-needed
projects and initiatives.
by Laurie Wink
T
he Indianapolis-based Lilly
Endowment Inc. is one of the
largest private philanthropic
foundations in the world, created by
the Lilly family with funds from the
Eli Lilly pharmaceutical company.
And it has generously given every
Indiana resident a lasting gift with
the Giving Indiana Funds for Tomorrow (GIFT) initiative.
Launched 25 years ago, GIFT is
truly the gift that keeps on giving.
Initially, it gave seed money to create
community foundations in every
Indiana county. The most recent initiative—GIFT 6—has pumped millions of matching dollars into flexible
community funds that address targeted needs. We talked to the heads
of community foundations in our
region about how Lilly Endowment
funds and local donors are enhancing the quality of life for Hoosiers.
PORTER COUNTY COMMUNITY
FOUNDATION: TOMORROW
STARTS TODAY
Barbara Young describes a community foundation as “a nonprofit that
helps other nonprofits.” “We put the
power to do good in the hands of
Porter County residents,” she says.
As president emeritus and the first
full-time director of Porter County
Community Foundation, Young is
intimately familiar with the doing
good part. The foundation, located
in Valparaiso, has $30 million in
12
RETIREMENT LIVING
endowed funds that generate $2 million annually for grants to nonprofits
and scholarships for college students.
The Porter County Community
Foundation was eligible for $1.5 million in GIFT 6 matching funds. It
used the match to catalyze “Tomorrow Starts Today,” a three-pronged
initiative to raise $6.5 million for
Porter County. So far, $6.2 million
has been raised and, Young says,
“the community really embraced it.”
A major outcome has been the
Center for Community Philanthropy,
a state-of-the-art conference and
office space that opened in March
for the purpose of supporting Porter
County’s nonprofits. Young says a
needs assessment survey of nonprofits showed that meeting space was
their top priority. Young says community organizations can use the
center for workshops and staff training and it’s also “a way to encourage
collaboration among nonprofits.”
“When people gather with purpose, good things happen,” she says.
Porter County Community Foundation is also using “Tomorrow Starts
Today” funds to increase its annual
grant awards made to nonprofits and
also to help them expand their own
endowment funds.
Each year, the Lilly Endowment
gives scholarship funds to community foundations, based on the
county’s population. Porter County’s
foundation awards three each year.
“These are very coveted scholarS U M M E R – F A L L 2 0 16
“THE POWER TO DO GOOD”
William Higbie is president and CEO
of the Porter County Community
Foundation, and Barbara Young
is president emeritus and the
foundation’s first full-time director.
S U M M E R – F A L L 2 0 16
RETIREMENT LIVING
13
ships,” Young says. “We see a lot
of other great kids so three is not
enough. We work with educational
institutions and donors to create
more scholarship funds.”
LEGACY FOUNDATION: LAKE
COUNTY’S COMMUNITY
FOUNDATION
Legacy Foundation, located in Merrillville, is the community foundation
serving Lake County. Carolyn Saxton,
president, says the foundation has
put more than $30 million into the
community since it was formed in
1992.
“We believe that by investing in the
people and organizations that make
our region great, we can positively
transform Lake County,” Saxton says.
Through the Lilly Scholarship Program, Legacy Foundation awards
scholarships to six students each
year. The students receive four years
of tuition to attend any private or
public school in Indiana. Four years
“One of the things
we tell people
to help them
understand
is that endowed
funds are
here forever.
We’re constantly
building and
always giving out.”
—Corinne Becknell Lucas, Northern
Indiana Community Foundation
of tuition for one student can run
from $50,000 to $150,000, Saxton
notes. “The goal is to encourage students to attend schools in the state
and stay in the state after graduation,
to prevent a brain drain.”
Lilly also supports an internship
program for Indiana college students
who are paid an hourly wage to
work with community foundations.
It’s a win-win for the foundation and
the student interns, who work on
grant writing, events management,
marketing, social media, and community partnerships. “They’re really
immersed in the community foundation,” Saxton says, adding that some
choose careers in nonprofit management as a result of their internships.
During the recent GIFT 6 challenge,
Legacy matched a $2 million grant
from Lilly to help Lake County nonprofits build their endowment funds.
The Lilly matching gift program creates a buzz that raises awareness of
community foundations’ unrestricted
funds.
“People see that we have our finger
on the pulse of what’s happening
in the county,” Saxton says. “We’re
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RETIREMENT LIVING
S U M M E R – F A L L 2 0 16
Neighborhood Spotlight
Initiative brings community members
together to improve quality of life.
by Laurie Wink
T
he Legacy Foundation’s Neighborhood Spotlight
initiative is encouraging community members in
targeted areas of Lake County to come together
around projects that improve their quality of life.
“Neighborhood Spotlight is a project we’re really
focused on,” says Carolyn Saxton, Legacy executive
director. “We have a process we use to engage the community in defining what the next steps are to be. We
don’t want to just say, ‘This is where we’re going to go.’
We understand it’s important to engage the community
as a whole.”
When it comes to transformational community change,
Saxton calls the Gary-Miller neighborhood “the poster
child.” Neighborhood Spotlight grants are used in part to
hire “community builders” who aren’t construction contractors but play a similar role by bringing volunteers
together to identify priority projects and work with them
through design and implementation.
Jessie Renslow is the community builder for what is
now called the Miller Beach Arts & Creative District.
She’s a fifth-generation Gary native who moved back
home from Los Angeles. Renslow calls Miller “an eclectic
community.” The 10,000 residents are a mix of older,
long-time residents and young families with children; the
wealthy coexist with the working class.
Renslow organized a volunteer steering committee to
survey Miller residents in face-to-face interviews to find
out about their priorities. Survey results were used to
create a three- to five-year community plan with goals
that are now being carried out by action groups made
up of community partners, such as churches, businesses,
civic organizations and others.
Renslow says, “The idea is to capitalize on existing
volunteer organizations and local businesses and get
them all working together. What I’ve really been pleasantly surprised by is that, once we got the plan done, all
the community partners really stepped up.”
For example, Renslow says, the transportation action
group is addressing ways of using universal design principles to create a livable community for people of all
ages and abilities. One goal is to have a barrier-free
beach in Marquette Park by 2020.
S U M M E R – F A L L 2 0 16
“WORKING TOGETHER” Jessie Renslow is the community
builder for what is now called the Miller Beach Arts &
Creative District, and has benefited from the Legacy
Foundation’s Neighborhood Spotlight initiative.
Retirees have been among the most committed volunteers, Renslow says. “When you hear the word ‘retiree’
you think ‘out to pasture.’ Retirees have been some of
the biggest catalysts for this. It’s their legacy and they’re
very passionate about it.”
RETIREMENT LIVING
15
“GET THINGS GOING” The Unity Foundation of LaPorte County
community fund helped transform a barren site into Unity Park.
interested in projects that will transform Lake County and they want to
be a part of that.”
Three years ago, Legacy started the
Neighborhood Spotlight initiative and
selected two areas—the Miller neighborhood in Gary and the Northwest
side of Hobart—that each received
a $50,000 grant to hire a community builder and support a collective
community planning process. The
Lilly-funded Indiana Association for
“GIFT really offers
a great incentive
for our local people
to give. It’s an
opportunity to talk
to them about how
an endowment
works and what it
can provide.”
—Wendy Rose, Community
Foundation of Pulaski County
16
RETIREMENT LIVING
Community Economic Development
(IACED) provides training and technical assistance for the Neighborhood Spotlight projects (for more
information, see sidebar article).
UNITY FOUNDATION
OF LAPORTE COUNTY:
A POWER FOR GOOD
Maggi Spartz has been president
of the Unity Foundation of LaPorte
County since it was formed in 1992.
Unity Foundation now manages
assets totally $25 million, most of it
invested in 350 funds that support
grants to nonprofits and scholarship
programs. She applauds the Lilly
Endowment for getting Indiana’s
community foundation movement
off the ground and for continuing
its generous support through GIFT.
Unity used a GIFT 6 match of $1 million to generate an additional $1.4
million in local donations—for a total
of $2.4 million in unrestricted funds.
Spartz says Unity is “a power for
good” because it builds the spirit
of philanthropy and is a catalyst
for social and economic vitality in
LaPorte County. “Our role is to get
things going and coordinate the
action,” Spartz says. “We educate
people about opportunities.”
One action Unity recently spearheaded is the Pine Lake Avenue
project, undertaken on two acres
of vacant land on the shore of Pine
Lake—the most visible recreational
water resource in the city of LaPorte.
Sparks says the project’s a prime
example of the power of unrestricted
community funds to provide flexible
investment dollars.
“The Pine Lake project wasn’t on
anyone’s radar screen,” Spartz says.
“There was a For Sale sign on the
property for three years and it had
gone into foreclosure. This was an
opportunity to make a forever gift
to LaPorte. We’re now in the home
stretch (of funding) and would like
to turn it over to the city sometime
this year.”
The Unity Foundation community fund combined with contributions from corporations, businesses
and grants—including a Department
of Natural Resources Bicentennial
Nature Trust grant—has transformed
the barren site into Unity Park, a
beautiful lakeside oasis with a parking lot, a walking trail, benches and a
shelter area. Unity Park will be gifted
to the City of LaPorte and managed
by its parks department.
NORTHERN INDIANA
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION:
WHERE GIVING GROWS
Northern Indiana Community Foundation (NICF), based in Rochester,
serves Starke, Fulton and Miami
counties. Each county has its own
development director, according to
Corinne Becknell Lucas, NICF associate director. By pooling financial
assets of the three counties, NICF
can have a larger endowment fund,
she says. The three counties have a
total of $31 million in assets invested
in more than 400 endowed funds
that funnel donations back into the
community.
“The community foundations are
one of the best kept secrets,” says
Becknell Lucas. “One of the things
we tell people to help them understand is that endowed funds are here
forever. When a donor gives through
the community foundation, their iniS U M M E R – F A L L 2 0 16
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF
PULASKI COUNTY: CULTIVATING
A GROWING COMMUNITY
Wendy Rose, executive director
of the Community Foundation of
Pulaski County, located in Winamac,
says the GIFT 6 $500,000 matching
grant was an opportunity to raise a
total of $1.1 million in unrestricted
funds.
“GIFT really offers a great incentive for our local people to give,”
Rose says. “It’s an opportunity to talk
to them about how an endowment
works and what it can provide.”
Unrestricted gifts are not always
S U M M E R – F A L L 2 0 16
popular with potential donors
because most people want to specify
how their donations will be used.
The foundation’s board of advisors
have a park department, so it’s in the
process of creating one and will offer
in-kind support to manage the pool.”
BraunAbility, a global leader in
“We believe that by investing in the
people and organizations that make
our region great, we can positively
transform Lake County.”
—Carolyn Saxton, Legacy Foundation
identifies ways the unrestricted funds manufacturing
accessible
vehithat are generated by GIFT 6 can cle products with headquarters in
benefit the community.
Winamac, has made a $50,000 gift in
“One larger need that emerged was support of the pool project according
opening up the community pool in to Rose.
Winamac,” Rose says. “It was built in
“The pool renovation is expected
the early 1960s and has been closed to start next year, and it was made
for Quarter
years. The Page
pool isMagazine(4.25”x5.5”)
located on possible because the Lilly Endowtown property and the town didn’t ment GIFT 6 catalyzed it.”
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tial gift goes into an endowment and
we only spend the interest earned
on the investments. We’re constantly
building and always giving out.”
For example, she says, an endowed
fund established in 1993 now awards
more each year than the amount of
the initial investment. “That’s the
power of endowments.”
Lilly Endowment’s GIFT 6 allowed
each of the three counties to match
$500,000 with another $500,000 in
local donations. Becknell Lucas says
half of those dollars went into unrestricted community funds to address
targeted needs. A common need
across the three counties is early
childhood education, she adds. NICF
has partnered with United Way to
offer Kindergarten Countdown programs that prepare four-year-olds to
enter kindergarten ready to learn.
Each county created community
centers to give the primarily rural
residents a place to gather. NICF
supports transportation programs in
all three counties. Community funds
also have been channeled to specific
projects, says Becknell Lucas. Starke
County built a business skill center
for lifelong learning in a joint effort
with the school system and a grant
from the Hoosier Valley Railroad
Museum in North Judson. Miami
County funneled funding into YMCA
programs.
“We bring organizations together to
work together,” Becknell Lucas says.
“Donors know the funds coming in
will be used appropriately.”
420 Merrillville Road
Crown Point, IN 46307
219-663-1234
RETIREMENT LIVING
17
ESTATE PLANNING
The Dangers of DIY
Face-to-face planning may seem “old-fashioned,”
but the expertise matters a lot.
by Jerry Davich
F
inding tips, guidance and
assistance for estate planning has never been easier
via the internet, with printable legal
documents just a click away. Such
do-it-yourself wealth management
planning is relatively inexpensive,
fast to find, and seemingly simple to
pull off.
Nevertheless, there is a risky
downside to transferring hardearned accumulated wealth to your
heirs without professional guidance,
sometimes resulting in unseen mistakes and unintended financial consequences, experts warn.
“Oftentimes, it is a client’s loved
one’s urging them to meet with me
based on knowledge that the client
drafted the estate plan themselves,”
says Dana Rifai, an estate planning
attorney with Burke, Costanza &
Carberry in Merrillville. “Do-it-yourself estate planning clients want to
ensure that the estate plan was done
correctly and will be effective upon
the client’s passing.”
Cal Bellamy, a managing partner
at Krieg DeVault LLP in Merrillville,
says Google searches, newspaper
columns and magazine articles can
provide helpful general information,
but too often it’s incomplete and
sometimes it’s flat-out wrong.
“Face-to-face dialog is not just the old
fashioned way,” he says. “It’s still the
best way to develop an estate plan.”
Bellamy often points out to clients
that a prepared will is not the same
thing as an estate planning document.
18
RETIREMENT LIVING
“A will is only one piece in the
estate planning puzzle,” Bellamy
says. “All those pieces need to fit
together. Trusts and other non-probate transfer devices can be used to
maximum advantage, depending on
the circumstances and only when
they work together.”
He adds, “Wills speak at the
moment of death, but a good estate
plan also has lifetime implications.”
Do-it-yourself clients should also
be aware of a set of documents
known as “advance directives.”
These directives include living wills
(typically involving a terminal condition when you can’t speak for
yourself), healthcare representative
powers (not terminal, but you can’t
speak for yourself), and a durable
power of attorney to transact your
business and financial affairs if you
are disabled or out of town.
“A complete estate plan includes
discussion of these issues,” Bellamy
says. “In addition, trusts can provide
investment and bill-paying services
to older individuals.”
S U M M E R – F A L L 2 0 16
This is merely the tip of the estate
planning iceberg, which is why professional advisors and estate attorneys often warn their clients of
avoiding a Titanic-like crash with
their wealth or estate. It’s what you
don’t see in time that can sink the
best of plans, they insist.
“The most common mistakes I see
when it comes to estate planning
are often a result of clients acting
on partial information or utilizing
a website to establish legal documents such as a trust,” says Wesley
M. Kotys of The Kotys Group, a feeonly registered investment advisory
firm in Valparaiso.
While there are websites which
do a solid job of cranking out legal
documents, he says, they are not
very capable of answering certain
questions.
“I find that when a client has done
a DIY trust, they often fall short in
some important details, such as
funding the trust with all applicable
assets,” Kotys says. “Wealth managers, in collaboration with an estate
planning attorney, are able to address
the ‘Why?’ of needing a will or trust.
Not to mention the powers of attorney and other critical documents.
When collaborating with professionals, a client is able to build an estate
plan pertinent to their specific needs,
not based on a website’s template.”
Another potential iceberg to navigate around is the floating uncertainty
of when to prepare such important
legal documents. According to the
latest Country Financial Security
Index, 81 percent of those individuals still in the workforce are worried
about their level of preparedness.
“We found that money issues are
driving dissatisfaction in retirement
among the third of Americans who
report being unhappy,” according to
Joe Buhrmann, manager of financial
security at Country Financial.
For decades, behavioral economists
have cited chronic myopia to explain
our generational problem of transferring wealth to our heirs. We tend to
focus on short-term satisfaction rather
than long-term rewards. It’s human
nature and, for most of us, we’re
S U M M E R – F A L L 2 0 16
wired this way, whether it’s due to
instant gratification or the high-pressure demands of the “here and now.”
“Common mistakes are ineffective
execution of estate planning documents, misunderstanding of the uses
and benefits of each estate planning
tool, and how they complement
each other or work apart,” Rifai says.
“An estate planning professional can
help guide a client among the various estate planning documents, and
then tailor the estate plan based
upon the client’s circumstances,
wishes and needs.”
Something else to keep in mind
is the importance of a legally sound
estate plan, a factor that many do-ityourself clients fail to address until it’s
too late. One common mistake, Rifai
notes, is not drafting estate planning
documents according to state statutory requirements, therefore making
the document ineffective.
Bellamy has never had anyone come
to him while alive to admit that he or
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RETIREMENT LIVING
19
she tried a do-it-yourself will. However,
he has had problematic experiences
with families bringing in self-prepared
wills of deceased loved ones.
He’s currently involved with one
estate case that is working its way
through the courts system, littered
with family fights and mounting fees.
The estate’s main beneficiary is the
deceased client’s second wife, who
just happened to be the will’s only
witness.
This touches on another common
oversight: Two witnesses are
required and they should both be
“disinterested” parties, not beneficiaries. Other times, homemade wills
are merely notarized, which also
doesn’t work.
“Whether handwritten or typed,
homemade wills are time bombs and
disasters waiting to happen,” Bellamy says.
The validity of a homemade will
or estate plan is just the first concern with trying to attempt it on your
own, he says.
“If somehow all the formalities
20
RETIREMENT LIVING
have been observed, then the next
concern is the dispositive plan,” Bellamy says. “Sometimes provisions are
inconsistent or so poorly worded it’s
difficult to know what is meant.”
For example, take the bequest of
“my grandfather’s clock.” Does that
mean the old beat-up clock that he
kept next to his bed that had been
his grandfather’s? Or is it referring
to the valuable antique grandfather
clock in the downstairs hallway that
formerly belonged to his late wife’s
family?
Such scenarios look good on
paper, using paint-by-number legal
documents. But in real life situations,
finer brushstrokes are needed, and
preferably by a professional who has
the proper palette of tools, support
and experiences.
“Some words and phrases are
terms of art, and they should be used
only by professionals,” Bellamy says.
“Sometimes even simple sentences,
like the grandfather’s clock example,
can have unintended meaning.”
Kotys also is an advocate of avoid-
ing “rules of thumb” planning methods when more precise measures
can be taken for any kind of financial
canvas.
“Over the years I have met with
many people who attended a seminar or got online and set up a revocable living trust just because they
were on a website that said they
should,” Kotys says.
“Some of these people may not
have needed a trust at all, or, if they
did, it is not for the reasons they
think they need one,” he adds.
With this in mind, Kotys advocates
that proper estate planning—just as
with personal financial planning—is
best executed in a series of fact-finding meetings with the appropriate
professionals. Otherwise, there are
gaps that need to be filled, yet often
remain unfilled by surviving family
members or concerned friends.
Who will ask those tough questions that no loved one wants to ask?
“This process allows all parties
to determine what is best for each
individual household and provide
S U M M E R – F A L L 2 0 16
them with the appropriate plan,”
Kotys says.
This type of estate plan will address
several factors, including: beneficiary
designations; the primary documents
needed in wills and trusts; transferon-death for non-qualified assets;
making sure a trust is “funded”; and
appropriate documents for special
needs children, for instance.
“Not to mention whether a couple
is in a second marriage and how they
desire to distribute assets to their
children,” Kotys says. “As with many
components of financial planning,
there are nuances in estate planning which are best addressed and
updated within a fiduciary relationship of qualified professionals.”
Experts insist that all these issues,
and many more, need to be discussed with an estate planning professional before any legal documents
get drafted.
The first essential service of this
professional should be a thorough
back-and-forth dialogue with the
client about the nature of his or her
assets, how those assets are currently
titled, and to whom they should go.
Assets held jointly or with transfer
on death captions or beneficiary designation may cause assets to go to
people in ways other than the will
provides. Clients need to gain a thorough understanding of the consequences of each form of ownership.
This is something that may not be
outlined well enough on a website
or book or brochure.
“Careful fact-finding is essential to
a proper estate plan,” Bellamy says.
“All these facts need to be understood and only then can drafting
begin. The estate planning professional is your guide.”
Some of that fact-finding conversation may include questions such as:
What if some beneficiaries predecease the maker of the will? Who is
supposed to inherit that share now?
What if a grandchild is a beneficiary,
and how can that 6-year-old manage
his $50,000 bequest?
Although relying on websites for
such nuanced questions can be risky
business, finding the right profesS U M M E R – F A L L 2 0 16
sional can be done online, if anything, to get started. For example, the
American Bar Association’s website
has a wealth of information and is a
trusted source by insiders.
Also, the Trusts & Estates journal
website, at www.wealthmanagement.
com, has solid, easy-to-understand
information pertaining particularly
to estate planning and continuous
updates on estate planning issues,
Rifai points out.
“These sites are helpful to gain a
background and summary on estate
planning matters before heading into
an attorney’s office, although a good
attorney will help break down each
estate planning devise, answer questions, and spot the best estate plan
devices for the client,” she says.
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RETIREMENT LIVING
21
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Activities for Everyone
The region’s best music, festivals, theatre, food and cultural events.
SAMPLING THE BEST Taste of the
GRECIAN FESTIVAL Carnival/games and Greek music, dancing,
Region at Taltree Arboretum & Gardens. marketplace and pastries at Saints Constantine & Helen Greek Church.
by Michelle Searer
W
hether your interest is
music, food, cultural
events, festivals, theatre,
or the county fair, there is something
for everyone to enjoy this summer in
Northwest Indiana.
TASTE OF THE REGION
Sample the tastes of well-loved
Northwest Indiana restaurants, wineries and breweries from across
the region in the beauty of nature
at Taltree Arboretum & Gardens on
Saturday, July 2 from 1–5 p.m. Taltree is located at 450 West 100 North,
Valparaiso. Visit www.taltree.org for
more information.
SS CONSTANTINE &
HELEN GRECIAN FESTIVAL
The Saints Constantine & Helen
Greek Church will be hosting its 47th
annual Grecian Festival July 8-10 and
will feature kiddy carnival/games and
Greek music, dancing, marketplace
and pastries. Generous portions of
roasted lamb, shish-ka-bobs, Grecian chicken, Gyros and their award
22
RETIREMENT LIVING
winning “Greek Potatoes” will be
served. Free parking, admission and
entertainment are provided Friday 5
to 11 p.m. and Saturday/Sunday 12
to 11 p.m. on church grounds at 8000
Madison St., Merrillville.
Clyde Davis. The festival kicks off at
11 a.m. and runs until 10 p.m. Ticket
prices range from $5 for children to
$30 for VIP. Visit lighthousejazzfestival.com to purchase tickets and for
more information.
LIGHTHOUSE JAZZ FESTIVAL
IN MICHIGAN CITY
July 9 marks the inaugural Lighthouse Jazz Festival in Michigan City’s
lakefront Guy Foreman Amphitheatre, located inside historic Washington Park. Presented by Live Music
Matters, the Lighthouse Jazz Festival
will feature live music with a tribute
to the legendary Miles Davis with
Robert Irving III and Corey Wilkes,
craft beers and wineries, local cuisine, interactive activities for children
and more. Other musical acts include:
The Lake Effect Jazz Big Band; bassist, vocalist and composer Mimi Jones
with Tammy McCann, Ryan Cohan
and Marcus Evans; singer-songwriter
and cellist Shana Tucker with Tony
Cazeau, Chuck Lacey and Lamar
Jones; jazz pianist Alex Bugnon with
Buddy Fambro, Lamar Jones and
VINTAGE BASEBALL Cheer on the
Grinders at Deep River County Park.
S U M M E R – F A L L 2 0 16
INTERACTIVE EXHIBIT The 9/11 Never Forget Mobile Exhibit makes two local stops.
DEEP RIVER GRINDERS
VINTAGE BASEBALL
Come watch the Deep River Grinders play a vintage baseball game with
original rules from 1858 with gentlemanly courtesies displayed both on
and off the field. The men portray
players of the mid-1800s and with no
swearing, no spitting and no ungentlemanly behavior anywhere during
the games. The Grinders travel to
Michigan, Ohio, Illinois and throughout Indiana, and visiting teams meet
the Grinders on their home field at
Deep River County Park. Fans, aka
“cranks,” can enjoy an ice-cold sarsaparilla, the official drink of the Deep
River Grinders, and indulge in a hot
dog at all home games. Home games
July 10, August 7, and August 28 will
be played on Grinder Field at 2 p.m.
across the river from Wood’s Mill at
Deep River County Park, 9410 Old
Lincoln Highway, Hobart. Games are
free and are a great activity for the
whole family.
SHAKESPEARE IN THE
PARK: THE TEMPEST
The fifth annual Shakespeare at Central Park Plaza, performed by Chicago
Street Theatre, brings to the stage
new magic with Shakespeare’s “The
Tempest.” Witness how Prospero,
The Duke of Milan, has been usurped
and exiled by his own brother to a
remote island with only his daughter, Miranda, his spirit servant, Ariel,
and the monstrous Caliban. Filled
with spectacle and the supernatural,
S U M M E R – F A L L 2 0 16
it is Shakespeare’s late masterpiece of
forgiveness, generosity and enlightenment. Performances held every
Friday, Saturday and Sunday, July 8-9,
at Central Park Plaza, Porter Health
Amphitheater in Valparaiso and July
15-23 at Chicago Street Theatre, 145
W. Chicago St., Valparaiso. Visit www.
chicagostreet.org for ticket and performance information.
FESTIVAL OF THE LAKES
Join the City of Hammond to celebrate the 2016 Festival of the Lakes
July 20-24 for five nights of live
entertainment, polka party, fishing
derby, vendors, games, rides and
more on Wolf Lake, George Lake
and Lake Michigan. Entertainment
acts include: Boyz to Men II, Eli
Young Band, George Thorogood &
The Destroyers, Ludacris, and Banda
El Recodo de Cruz Lizarraga. Admission parking fee is $25. Visit festival.
gohammond.com/ for a complete
lineup and schedule.
9/11 NEVER FORGET
MOBILE EXHIBIT COMES TO
VALPARAISO AND GOODLAND
2016 is the 15th anniversary of the
9/11 attacks on the World Trade Centers and the Pentagon. The 9/11 Never
Forget Mobile Exhibit will travel to
the Porter County Fair, July 24-31 and
to Goodland as part of the Goodstock Music Festival, August 11-13.
The unique high-tech, 53-foot tractortrailer unfolds into a 1,000-squarefoot-exhibit, and serves as a poignant
reminder of that tragic day. The
memorial provides interactive education, including artifacts such as steel
beams from the towers, documentary
FIVE NIGHTS OF ENTERTAINMENT The Festival of the Lakes in Hammond.
RETIREMENT LIVING
23
PIEROGI PARADE Who knows what you’ll
see at the Pierogi Fest in Whiting?
videos, recordings of first responder
radio transmissions and live tours by
the New York City firefighters. Admission to the exhibit is free.
NORTHWEST INDIANA SYMPHONY
Three-quarters of a century of music.
by iconic playwright Neil Simon, is
one of Broadway’s most successful
comedies and an enduring audience
favorite. The Odd Couple runs July
14 to August 14, featuring direction
by Larry Wyatt.
Set along the backdrop of North
Carolina’s Highway 57, Pump Boys
and Dinettes is a toe-tapping, totally
entertaining, countrified musical tribute to life along the open road. Running September 15 through October
16, the gang performs a rousing,
down-home mix of country western,
rock ’n’ roll and bluegrass
in this charming tale of
friendship, romance and
life’s simple pleasures.
The production will be
directed by Brian Russell,
who directed the 2014 hit
Ring of Fire—The Music
of Johnny Cash.
PIEROGI FEST
Visit Whiting July 29-31 for the annual
Pierogi Fest, featuring tons of food
vendors, the Pierogi Parade, games,
beer garden, musical entertainment
and just plain fun for all ages. Admission is free and perfect for the whole
family to enjoy. Where else can
you see grown women dressed up
like our grandmothers in housecoats and
babushkas? Or the
lawnmower brigade
strut through town
with sandals and socks
on like dad did? See
life-size polish pastries
and goodies walking
and talking waiting
NWI SYMPHONY
to take a picture with
CELEBRATES
attendees, and meet
75 YEARS
Mr. Pierogi and Ms.
Celebrate 75 years of the
Pazcki. Don’t miss the
RIOTOUSLY FUNNY
symphony on Friday,
Village People, July
Neil Simon’s classic at
September 30, 8 p.m.
30, at Oil City StaTheatre at the Center.
at the Star Plaza Thedium. Sponsored by
the Whiting-Robertsdale Chamber of atre. Music has always been the
Commerce. For a complete schedule soundtrack of American life. Blending popular music from movies,
of events visit www.pierogifest.net.
stage and radio with fan-favorite
classics throughout the years, this
THEATRE AT THE CENTER
musical extravaganza will showcase
FEATURES SUMMER AND
each of the eras in the symphony’s
FALL PERFORMANCES
Set in the hot summer streets of 1960s history. Maestro Muspratt will take
New York, The Odd Couple reveals a journey through time with photos,
the adventures of two mismatched videos and other surprises that celroommates: Felix Ungar, a neurotic- ebrate the last 75 years with a look
fusspot newswriter, and Oscar Madi- to the future. It’s a celebration full
son, a slovenly sports journalist. of great music, great memories and
The riotously funny play, written great laughs!
24
RETIREMENT LIVING
STAR PLAZA FEATURES
R&B SINGER JILL SCOTT
Don’t miss the amazing R&B/soul
R&B AND SOUL
Jill Scott at the Star Plaza.
singer Jill Scott live in concert Friday,
August 5, 8 p.m. at the Star Plaza,
Merrillville. Visit www.starplazatheatre.com/ for ticket information.
COMEDIAN JEFF DUNHAM
COMES TO HORSESHOE CASINO
Don’t miss Jeff Dunham as he
returns to the Venue on his Perfectly
Unbalanced Tour Saturday, August
6, 8 p.m. at Horseshoe Casino, 777
Casino Center Drive, Hammond.
Visit www.ticketmaster.com for
ticket information.
NWI COUNTY FAIRS
LaPorte County Fair, July 10-16 in
LaPorte. Musical performance by
Martina McBride on July 15. Visit
lpfair.com for more information.
Porter County Fair, July 24-31 in
Valparaiso. Musical performance by
Alabama on July 23. Visit www.portercountyfair.com for more information.
Lake County Fair, August 5-14 in
Crown Point. Visit www.lake-countyfair.com for more information.
S U M M E R – F A L L 2 0 16
SENIOR FITNESS
Move It, Don’t Lose It
Seniors stay fit with a range of lower-impact sports and activities.
by Jerry Davich
T
en years ago, former Porter
County Sheriff Dave Lain
pretty much gave up on
physical fitness.
“After being a regular at the YMCA
for decades, I got out of the habit
while working for the Valpo police
department and the first few years at
the Porter County Sheriff’s Department,” says Lain, who is now 62. “I
could blame any number of things,
but it was really just laziness.”
He rationalized his lack of fitness
by immersing himself in police work,
raising two daughters and building a
house.
“But that was only avoiding the
obvious,” he admits with a shrug.
“I’ve always eaten my stress, so without getting physical, I gained a lot of
weight. A series of life events added
an exclamation point to the way I felt
about myself, so I forced myself to
just do it.”
Lain once again started going to
the gym, located inside the sheriff’s
department, after office hours. “Fitness, like anything else, is habitual,”
says Lain, who now works out regularly at Anytime Fitness in Valparaiso.
Lain echoes the renewed mantra
of many seniors who stay fit by any
means possible. Whether it’s playing
ping pong, pickleball, disc golf or
other low-impact recreational sports,
their war cry is the same: Move it,
don’t lose it. And have fun doing so.
“We just got home from playing
pickleball for three hours, and it was
a lot of fun,” says Barbara Dlouhy,
65, after returning with her husband
Gary, 69, from the Maria Reiner
Senior Center in Hobart.
Pickleball is a racquet sport combining elements of tennis, table
tennis and badminton. It can be fast
paced or slower, depending on the
ages of the players.
S U M M E R – F A L L 2 0 16
A GOOD HABIT Dave Lain works out regularly at Anytime Fitness in Valparaiso.
“We love playing pickleball
because it provides us a good aerobic activity in a competitive setting,”
says Dlouhy, who lives in Lakes of
the Four Seasons. “We have enjoyed
the challenge of learning a new activity and watching our skills develop.”
“Besides the physical benefits, we
have the opportunity to meet new
people and increase our social outlets,” she says. “It’s fun being a part of
the fastest-growing sport in the United
States. With minimal basic skills, many
seniors can pick up a paddle and reap
the benefits of this game.”
Sarah White of Michigan City represents Pickleball Indiana Northwest,
a regional club for pickleball enthusiasts with pockets of players across
the area.
“Seniors love pickleball so much
because it is played on a smaller court
and it is not a power game,” says White,
who’s 42 and regularly gets “trounced”
by senior players. “It is a game of
placement, not power. Patience, skill
and strategy win the day.”
“Many of the seniors who enjoy
pickleball have played racquet sports
like tennis, racquetball or squash.
RETIREMENT LIVING
25
KEEP MOVING Viki and Scott Williams of Portage walk or jog
on treadmills three times a week, about three miles each time.
Because it is on a smaller court, it’s
a bit easier on the knees and joints.
Plus, it is highly addicting.”
The Maria Reiner Senior Center is
a hotbed for physical fitness opportunities, including pickleball, with a
welcome mat always out for newbies.
“Besides Zumba and line dancing, the more physical sporty classes
came a year or two after our opening
five years ago,” says Pamela Broadaway, executive director of the Maria
Reiner Center in Hobart.
She remembers when Barbara and
Gary Dlouhy first came to play ping
pong there and asked to be introduced to pickleball.
“I truly hesitated,” Broadaway
recalls. “I didn’t know a lot about
it, so I researched it online and was
very apprehensive about the possible
liability that we might be taking on.”
After a few months of persistent
enthusiasm by members, pickleball became a regular fixture at the
center.
“We now have members who are
not just from Hobart but from Valparaiso, Crown Point, Schererville
and other communities across Northwest Indiana, just to play pickleball,”
Broadaway says proudly. “Several of
those same players also play ping
pong and beanbags.”
Seniors frequent these centers for
many reasons—camaraderie, seeing
familiar faces or a reprieve from
loneliness—but getting fit or staying
in shape is becoming more prominent. This includes stretching, yoga
and meditation classes.
“I believe seniors are becom26
RETIREMENT LIVING
ing much more mindful of staying
fit and keeping active,” Broadaway
says. “It’s friendly yet competitive.
Most seniors lose their inhibitions
and worries about being the best. It’s
more about just playing well. It is just
a different avenue of touching their
souls, their hearts and their minds.”
This past spring, Viki Williams
of Portage, a retired public school
teacher, joined her city’s YMCA
with her husband Scott. The couple
started by only using the treadmills,
but they do so three days a week and
walk or jog nearly three miles each
time.
Williams also sports a Fitbit device,
which she upgraded to its Alta level.
A Fitbit is a wireless-enabled technology that can be worn like a bracelet,
tracking data such as steps, heart rate
and other personal metrics.
“I love it because it hollers at me,
and asks me if I want to stroll a bit or
to get up and move,” she says. “As a
result, I will stop what I’m doing and
start moving to get that affirmation
and that ‘atta girl.’”
Her goal is to squeeze in nine hours
with 250 steps each hour, and her
Fitbit keeps reminding her to do so.
“This is especially important
because I had knee replacement
surgery on my right knee about five
years ago,” she says. “Plus I have
a little arthritis, and I feel so much
better if I keep those arms and legs
moving.”
Her advice to sedentary seniors is
simple—find something, anything,
that will get them moving.
“If the weather is bad, walk from
one end of the house to the other,
quickly, and swing your arms,” she
suggests. “When I am doing laundry
in the garage, I make it a point to put
things away in more than one trip,
even though I might be able to do it
in one. I move quickly, swinging my
empty arms on my way back.”
If she finds herself breathing a bit
harder than usual, she knows she is
accomplishing something.
“And my Fitbit loves me for it,”
she jokes.
Sharon Hise, 56, of Chesterton
purposely became friends with other
Fitbit users.
“With my Fitbit, there are daily,
workweek and weekend challenges
to get in,” she says. “I didn’t know I
was so competitive, but I don’t like
to lose.”
These challenges are prompting
her to take up to 20,000 steps a day.
“You don’t win anything from the
Fitbit challenges except moving and
getting healthy, so that alone is a
win,” Hise says.
Still, some Fitbit users join challenges with a dollar payout for whoever tracks the most steps, miles or
other goals.
“I don’t do it for the money but
just to keep myself accountable,”
Hise says.
Mary Hyde, 59, of Portage, attends
“boot camp” at her local YMCA at
5:15 a.m. twice a week, and jogs
three days a week.
“My goal is to run the Popcorn
Panic this year,” she says, referring to
the popular five-mile race to kick off
the annual Popcorn Fest in Valparaiso.
She has been jogging faithfully
since 1979, after the birth of her first
son.
“I was motivated for the sole purpose to lose my baby fat,” she recalls
with a laugh. “Now I am motivated
to keep moving, so I can keep up
with my grandchildren, and hopefully
remain healthy and medication-free.”
She doesn’t enjoy running on
treadmills, or in cold weather, and
the only Y class that worked into
her schedule was the early morning,
45-minute boot camp.
“Each day is different,” she says. “I
S U M M E R – F A L L 2 0 16
absolutely love this class. I feel like a
kid again when our instructor has us
run backwards, jump rope, do frog
jumps, bear crawls, burpees, donkey
kicks and run sprints, to name a few.”
“I believe we all know the benefits of exercise, but the hardest part
is finding the time. For me, morning
is best because I can always find an
excuse later in the day.”
Italo and Mollie Ivaldi play ping
pong, which gets seniors out of a
“sitting mode,” they say.
“It’s good for your body and
mind,” says Italo, who plays regularly at the Hobart senior center, the
Highland Lincoln Center, and at the
South Bend Table Tennis Club.
Lain, a retired police officer, said
being a cop wasn’t the motivation to
get into better shape.
“Although I did my share of rolling around with drunks when I was
in patrol, I didn’t consciously continue to lift for that reason,” he says.
“Regardless of age or activity, there
has to be a payout for what people
do in their lives. If a person gets
nothing out of doing something, they
ain’t gonna do it for long.”
“Even though jogging has always
been slightly less enjoyable than
stomach flu, I either jog, bike or do
the elliptical a few minutes each day
in addition to weights,” Lain says.
All the seniors agree that staying
active is often more mental than
physical.
“We may all still feel like that
18-year-old person inside our head,
but facts are facts. Mortality is always
waiting out there, but we suppress
thinking about it,” Lain says.
Nancy Lynch of Ogden Dunes
has always been active. At 72, she
still likes to hike, walk, bike, kayak
and play pickleball, which she, too,
admits is addictive.
“Start slowly but keep moving,”
she suggests. “Too many people feel
they can’t exercise so they don’t and,
pretty soon, they really can’t. Move it
or lose it!”
Viki Williams adds, “And remember to pray and thank God that you
have been given another day to keep
moving.”
S U M M E R – F A L L 2 0 16
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estled among three institutions of higher
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RETIREMENT LIVING
27
CAREGIVING
Safety Through Technology
New ideas and gadgets help seniors stay safe and live independently.
by Lauren Caggiano
A
lthough seniors are often stereotyped as being technologically challenged, a number
of innovations have enabled older
individuals to improve their health,
age in place and live safely in numerous care settings.
Technology has helped to enhance
communication, whether it is
between seniors and their doctor,
local family, adult children who
are long-distance caregivers, or first
responders. Developments have also
helped to increase monitoring and
safety of older individuals. According to Ashley Huntsberry-Lett, editorin-chief of agingcare.com, there are
numerous products and technologies
available that can help seniors and
those charged with their care and
wellbeing. Here’s a look at a few of
them:
• Medical alert systems can do
wonders for seniors who live alone
and those who are prone to falls,
heart attacks, seizures, strokes etc.
A medical alert bracelet can act as
a safeguard in the event of a medical event when a person is unable to
request help. Emergency services will
be summoned in a timely manner.
Huntsberry-Lett says, “This reduction in response time increases the
likelihood of recovery and can mean
the difference between continuing to
live independently and needing to
go into long-term care due to a permanent disability.”
• For seniors with Alzheimer’s or
other types of dementia, the Amazon
Echo has been shown to help. The
Echo is a small circular set of speakers and electronics that is 10 inches
high and has a diameter of 4 inches.
It connects to the internet wirelessly.
It’s similar to Siri on the iPhone, but
some have found that it understands
speech more accurately. Echo can’t
28
RETIREMENT LIVING
completely replace human touch or
real conversation, but the intelligent
voice controls can make the user
feel more connected to the outside
world. Seniors can ask questions like
“What day is it?” or “What time is it?”
It also plays music and audiobooks,
tells jokes and reports traffic and
weather.
• E-readers and tablets are viable
options for individuals with low
vision, as they can magnify text for
easier readability. Access to the internet and on-demand streaming of
music and movies from their era is
an added perk.
• Skype, FaceTime, and other
videoconferencing tools can help
both seniors and their entire families. “Those with limited mobility
and those who no longer drive can
stay in touch with family and friends,
regardless of the distance between
them,” says Huntsberry-Lett. “This
can be especially useful for longdistance caregivers who can gather
more information on their loved
one’s status compared to written
correspondence or a simple phone
call.” This solution can also provide
a real-time look into the status of a
senior’s health and home environment, for example, if Mom or Dad
looks disheveled, tired, or like they
are losing weight, and whether the
house seems to be in order or dirty
or in disarray.
• Security cameras and nanny
cams are also options for seniors and
their family members, but can raise
some ethical questions. If everyone
is onboard, such technology can provide all parties involved with added
peace of mind. “This option allows
caregivers to check in on their loved
ones at any time, and some systems
feature more advanced technology
that alerts users to motion in certain
areas of the home, if a loud noise like
a boom or a crash occurs, and allows
for streaming on mobile devices,”
Huntsberry-Lett says.
• Phone apps and organization
devices can also be useful. “Caregivers and seniors can both benefit
from improved organizational skills
to help them keep track of frequent
doctor’s appointments, medication
schedules, bill due dates, and even
general health monitoring,” says
Huntsberry-Lett. “Users need only
choose an approach and device/
application that works best for them.”
• Sensors can be helpful to alert a
caregiver to various activities in the
home. Sensors are simply attached to
things that a senior interacts with on
a daily basis to enable monitoring.
As Huntsberry-Lett explains, “Family
members can get an idea of whether
a loved one is sticking to their normal
routines or something is amiss, and
sensors make this possible without
intrusive cameras.”
• Speaking of monitoring, Healthe-Chair by Commwell incorporates
biosensors to measure basic vital
signs such as blood pressure, temperature, heart rate, lung sounds,
blood oxygen saturation, motion
and reflex response time. The basic
model enables patients to self-monitor their vital signs.
• Seniors with dementia who tend
to wander off might benefit from GPS
tracking. The chip can be attached
to an article of clothing and be activated through a paid GPS tracking
subscription. This device provides
peace of mind more than anything.
If a person is expected to be home
at a certain time and doesn’t arrive,
there would be a way to locate him
or her to make sure that a fall or
other emergency hadn’t taken place.
• Taking medications at the wrong
time, or forgetting them completely,
can have serious consequences.
S U M M E R – F A L L 2 0 16
TALK TO AMAZON ECHO It can recognize speech, answer
questions and help seniors connect to the outside world.
There are a variety of options on
the market for pill dispensers with
timers, alarms, or that can communicate with computers and cell phones.
These dispensers can enable an elder
to stay independent longer and prevent a potentially fatal outcome.
These are viable and accessible
options for seniors and their families and can mean significant savings
over time. With telehealth technology, seniors can be evaluated and
even treated remotely, eliminating
unnecessary office and emergency
room visits.
But not all devices are created
equal. And just as important as
deciding which device is best for
your loved one is determining when
it’s time to rely on such technology.
Of course, needs will vary according to the individuals, according to
Huntsberry-Lett, but it’s better to be
safe than sorry.
“Regardless of age, planning in
advance is everyone’s best option for
safeguarding their future, whether it
relates to finances, health or longterm care,” she says. “Many seniors
are reluctant to adopt helpful services or devices because they believe
these things pose a threat to their
dignity and independence. However,
exactly the opposite is true.”
Above
all,
Huntsberry-Lett
reminds families to take a supportive approach: “It is also important to
point out that seniors who need a bit
S U M M E R – F A L L 2 0 16
of extra assistance, be it from technological devices or care services, are
not failing. Recognizing a setback in
one’s abilities is always difficult, but
acknowledging it head on and taking
steps to compensate is a wise move.”
Katie Roper, vice president of sales
at caring.com, takes it a step further
and challenges families to consider
if adding technology will ultimately
be a boon or nuisance. She says gadgets really aren’t part of the paradigm
for most older adults. Therefore, she
says, “We should accommodate the
way they already live. Allow them to
access technology in a way that benefits them.” In other words, you have
to meet them where they are. And
in all cases, the decision to adopt or
not needs to be driven with the end
user’s benefit in mind.
Huntsberry-Lett points out technological devices can do a lot of good
for seniors and their relatives and
family caregivers, but technology
cannot replace hands-on care. She
says, “Phone applications, communication devices and health trackers
can all supplement a senior’s efforts
to age gracefully and family members’ efforts to keep them safe and
healthy, but they cannot replace the
practical tasks involved in healthy
aging.”
For example, a senior may use a
talking or alarmed medication organizer to help comply with prescription regimens, but he or she must
still be capable of sorting the correct
pills and dosages into the dispenser
for this device to be truly effective.
The bottom line: “Technology can
fill some gaps, but it cannot replace
hands-on care and old-school solutions if they are needed.”
If seniors choose to go high-tech,
their families should consider what’s
truly involved. Privacy and security go hand-in-hand with benefits.
Melissa Bohacek, communications
manager with the Northwest Indiana
Community Action, points out that
seniors tend to raise these concerns
more than young people.
“In order to help seniors adapt
and feel safe while online, consider
including an internet security suite
to computers, keep networks secure
with a password, and read through
data agreements and privacy statements,” she says. “Once you’re ready
to get online with an aging parent
or grandparent stay with them, go
slowly, and explain what you’re
doing/clicking on and why. See if
they are comfortable and encourage
them to ask questions.”
Regardless of one’s decision about
whether to adopt or eschew technology in the home, families should realize they aren’t alone in this journey.
Bohacek points to resources such as
the Area Agency on Aging and Aging
and Disability Resource Center. The
latter can provide accurate, unbiased information on all aspects of
life related to aging or living with
a disability. “ADRC can help everyone—individuals, concerned families
or friends, or professionals working
with issues related to aging or disabilities— obtain information tailored to their situation,” she says.
Bohacek says seniors can benefit from several programs through
the NWICA, including Family Caregiver Support Program, Restaurant
Voucher Program Meals, and Preventative Health Services. The agency
also operates a 2-1-1 call center
which provides fast, friendly and
confidential answers to health and
human related needs. Tech-savvy
individuals can even text their ZIP
code and needs to 898211 for information and referrals.
RETIREMENT LIVING
29
VOLUNTEER CORNER
“It’s Not Just Giving”
For Bruce Woods, volunteering feels a bit like a “selfish act.”
by Michael Puente
M
ost
people
wouldn’t
describe being an avid volunteer as a selfish act. But
that’s how 74-year-old Bruce Woods
describes his volunteering with service groups that do everything from
feeding the less fortunate at soup
kitchens or obtaining dictionaries for
schoolchildren in Gary to offering
comfort to those in hospice care.
“I always tell people it’s a selfish
thing because I get a great deal of
enjoyment from volunteering, especially with children because you get
an immediate reaction,” Woods, of
Merrillville, told Retirement Living
recently. “There’s a residual effect
when you volunteer. That’s what I
tell people who I try to get to volunteer. There is something that you get
out of it. It’s not just giving, giving,
giving. You do receive something.
It’s non-material but worth more
than money.”
Woods has spent his entire life
in Merrillville. He not only graduated from Merrillville High School,
but also taught English for 29 years
there before retiring in 1999. But
retirement only opened the door for
Woods to devote more time to volunteering with several groups and
organizations. Here are just a few
organizations that Woods volunteers
with:
Gary Kiwanis Club; Kiwanis Club of
Merrillville; Northwest Indiana Food
30
RETIREMENT LIVING
CONSTANTLY HELPING Bruce Woods volunteers for a long list of organizations.
S U M M E R – F A L L 2 0 16
Bank; Ross Township (Merrillville)
Food Bank; Ladles of Love at Church
of Four Seasons (Winfield);Brother’s
Keeper (Gary); Sojourner Truth
House (Gary); Lake County Museum
(Crown Point); Merrillville Education Foundation; Lake County Public
Library; Legacy Foundation of Northwest Indiana; Ross Township Easter
and Christmas parties.
“Everything we do is about children. We are constantly helping children,” Woods says.
As a retired teacher, Woods says
he knows that the school district
cannot pay for all the materials that
are needed for class. That’s why he
volunteers with the Merrillville Education Foundation. Over the last 10
years, the organization has raised
more than $300,000. That money
goes to fund projects in the Merrillville schools.
“We like to provide funding for
innovative programs that aren’t
funded through the school district,”
Woods says. “I remember there were
things that I wanted that I couldn’t
get when I was a teacher. I would
often buy books.”
Woods, a confirmed bachelor,
says retirement provides more
opportunity to volunteer to help
others. “Once you retire, you have
a lot of time on your hands. I don’t
like to sit around and do nothing,”
Woods says.
He often tries to get other retired
teachers to volunteer their time as
well. “I tell them, ‘You just let me
know, I will help you.’ I have plenty
of things for them to do,” Woods
says. “I have three or four volunteers
that are former teachers.”
His love of volunteering, however, didn’t wait to develop until he
retired. Woods credits his parents
for instilling a sense of wanting to
give back at an early age. “When I
was still in high school, I organized
an ice cream social to raise money
for Merrillville Presbyterian Church,”
Woods says.
Woods says contrary to popular
belief, young people do like to volS U M M E R – F A L L 2 0 16
unteer their time. “We have several
20- and 30-year-olds who volunteer
with the Merrillville Kiwanis,” Woods
said. “They have big hearts.”
Woods’ work has earned him the
respect and admiration of many in
Northwest Indiana, including Crown
Point resident’s Jessica Sherer
Metros. “I first met Bruce Woods
when he was an English teacher
“He always had a smile on his
face and was our ‘go to’ person for
encouragement,” she says.
According to Metros, Woods was
on a sort of mission to discover
what his limitation was in volunteering as much as he could on a
single day.
“I don’t believe I have ever heard
Bruce say ‘no’ to any opportunity
“Once you retire, you have a lot of time
on your hands. I don’t like to sit around
and do nothing.”
—Bruce Woods
at Merrillville High School in the
1990s,” she says. “My daughter, Jennifer, was in another honors English class but she always spoke so
highly of Bruce. If you can make an
impression on a teenager, you must
be someone special.
“I had the opportunity to sit on
a board with Bruce with the Covered Bridge Harvest Fest, to raise
money for Down’s syndrome athletes in Lake County. I know that I
am a high energy person, but in our
board responsibilities, Bruce made
me look like I was standing still,”
Metros says, adding that anything
Woods was tasked with doing he not
only completed, but did it joyfully.
to serve others. His example of service has been an inspiration to me.
As a board member, he is not shy
about expressing his opinions but
those opinions are stated constructively and never at the expense of
anyone else. He is what I call a ‘quiet
leader’—never seeking the spotlight,
with the ultimate goal of service to
others. I am so proud to know him,
work with him and benefit from his
experience of being a professional
human being.”
Woods says he has no plans to
slow down or cut back on volunteering “until I end up in the nursing
home. And I’ll probably volunteer
there too. As long as I can do it.”
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RETIREMENT LIVING
31
BUSINESS VENTURE
Time for Entrepreneurship
Alicia Leal worked for others for years, but is now in business herself.
by Michael Puente
A
ccording to a recent Gallup
Poll, the fastest growing
group of entrepreneurs is
people over 50 years old. In 2015,
Gallup studied nearly 2,000 baby
boomers living in the United States.
The study found that 83 percent said
their main reason for starting a business was a lifestyle choice and to
increase their income.
Alicia Leal can certainly fit into the
category of older entrepreneurs. She
says the time is now to start her own
business.
“It’s something that I’ve been thinking about for a long time, to have my
own business,” Leal says. “I’m getting
older so the time is now. In fact, the
time was yesterday.”
The 54-year-old spent much of her
time in corporate America. The Highland resident started working as a
secretary for Amoco Oil Co. in 1987.
Four years later, she joined Quaker
Oats in downtown Chicago, where
she stayed for 18 years; her last position was contract administrator. She
left in 2012 to join the major Northern
Indiana-based hospital group Franciscan Alliance, where she served as
information security administrator.
But in April, she left to start and
operate her own business. She’s now
the owner of A&R Unlimited Services
LLC, a landscaping company based
in Highland. Leal says, “I’ve always
wanted to have my own business, to
be an entrepreneur. But there’s fear,
kids and being in my own comfort
zone. But it’s now or never.”
Leal knows that, in the world of
landscaping services, it’s very competitive. “It is a competitive market but
I see good demand out there. Who
doesn’t need help with their lawn?
People are so busy and older people
32
RETIREMENT LIVING
have their aches,” Leal says. “And,
there’s not a lot of startup costs.”
Leal’s boyfriend is helping with
her new startup since he has a lot of
experience in landscaping.
But it’s not just mowing the lawn
that Leal is offering. A&R will do
everything from landscaping, planting flowers, edging, tree trimming,
weed-whacking, mulching, to concrete work for patios.
In the winter season, the company
will offer snow removal.
Leal says besides owning her own
business, she sees this opportunity as
good for her health.
“Being outdoors is a good thing.
So, this is something for my own
self,” Leal says.
According to the Office of Small
Business & Entrepreneurship for the
state of Indiana, there are more than
129,500 women-owned businesses in
Indiana. Indiana also ranks 30th in the
nation for the percentage of businesses
owned by women. Since 2011, 72,508
startups have opened in the state.
Leal says she’s seeking advice from
several sources for her to be successful. The Indiana Small Business
Development Center and its regional
offices offer a number of educational
opportunities to assist new entrepreneurs. Jane Rich was recently named
state director of ISBDC. Rich brings
more than 20 years of experience in
commercial lending and small business development.
“I am honored and excited to serve
as the ISBDC state director,” Rich said.
“Indiana’s Small Business Development Center network is focused on
expanding business opportunities for
the state’s entrepreneurs. We are in
an excellent position to continue to
make Indiana an optimal place for
entrepreneurship and innovation.”
In her short time in operation, Leal
is already seeing the fruits of her
efforts. “We have five or six accounts.
And, we’re getting high reviews.”
In the end, Leal said leaving her
secure job was the right move.
“Don’t get me wrong, corporate America has been very good
to me. But I’m already at the age
that I don’t want to be in corporate
America any longer. I need change,”
Leal says. “I want to make a difference and do something where I am
going to take the lead. I’m so glad
to finally take the action on one of
my major dreams of being a business owner.”
S U M M E R – F A L L 2 0 16
THOUSANDS
OF HABITATS
MILLIONS
OF ACRES
ONE
LASTING
GIFT
Contact me
today to
talk about
how you can
make nature
your legacy!
Ann Smith
The Nature Conservancy
(317) 829-3899
[email protected]
Saving the planet’s most beautiful
places can be your legacy.
Just by including The Nature Conservancy in your
estate plans you can help save thousands of habitats and
millions of acres with one lasting gift. A bequest is an easy way
to support the Conservancy now and forever while retaining
control of your assets during your lifetime. It’s simple! The
Conservancy can be named as the beneficiary of your will,
trust, retirement plan, life insurance policy or financial
accounts. Your bequest gift can be designated to Indiana
or anywhere else that the Conservancy works. And your
gift qualifies you for membership in the Legacy Club. The
real beneficiary, of course, is life on Earth.
If you are interested in more information about making
a bequest to the Conservancy:
PHONE: (317) 829-3899
E-MAIL: [email protected]
WEB: nature.org/bequest
Photo credits (from top): Prothonotary warbler © Matt Williams/TNC; Houghton Lake in Marshall
County © Matt Williams/TNC; Big Walnut Nature Preserve in Putnam County © Christopher Jordan
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