Seniors salute some who have fallen

by MARLA LENT

Office on Aging

Sadly, we learned of the loss of Bill Anton, husband of Georgia. Many of you know Georgia as the familiar voice dispatching Thursday mornings in the Senior Bus office. Bill and Georgia had been married 61 years. We send out condolences to the family.

Tragically, we learned of Marie Newberger's death. Some of you have read of the local mailman's attempt to alert family members of his suspicions that something was amiss when he noticed her mail still in the box after several days. When police entered the home they discovered Marie unconscious on the floor; she had a stroke at some point. Unfortunately, she was not strong enough to survive the ordeal. This is perhaps a good reminder for all of us to keep a close eye on our friends and neighbors who live alone. Do not hesitate to get involved and make a phone call; it could possibly save someone's life.

Also, sympathy to Myrtle Gott and family for the untimely death of her son Gene Joseph Rym, and to the family and friends of Elsa Grant who passed away as well.

The senior luncheon will be held at the MetroParks Wellington Reservation on Jones Road on Wednesday, Oct. 22 at 11:30 a.m. Reservations must be received by Saturday, Oct. 18. I don't know what the menu will be but I'm sure it will be ghoulishly delicious. Our friends at the Elms will be hosting the luncheon. The guest entertainer for the afternoon will be our very own Carol Timchuk on the keyboards. I am hoping for blue skies and sunshine because this is a beautiful facility for those of you who have never been and the view out onto the water is awesome.

What could be better than a good meal, with good friends and good entertainment on a wonderful fall afternoon? I know you are all used to coming to the luncheon on the second Wednesday of the month, so mark your calendars to note the date and time change.

Trick or treat will be held Friday, Oct. 31 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Leave your porch light on if you are passing out candy.

The Barbershop Quartet Dinner that is usually held in October has been moved to Saturday, Nov. 8. Cost for the bountiful dinner, concert and bus trip is $43. Call me if interested.

Did you know that Value City gives seniors 10 percent off on Tuesdays? Kohl's offers a 15 percent discount for those 62 and older but you need to check the day; usually it is on a Wednesday. Pfeiffer Chiropractic accepts Medicare. On a $25 office visit, Medicare pays at least $20; the full is $25 if you have a Medicare supplement. Call 647-5200 to manage your pain.

October events

* Oct. 7: Free football theme party at the Elms from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Enjoy BBQ chicken strips, French fries, football cookies and entertainment, too.

* Oct. 8: Enjoy a trip to B.A. Sweetie Candy Company and Cleveland West Side Market. The bus leaves town at 8:30 a.m. and the cost is $8.

* Oct. 15: Come along to discover Crystal Traditions, one of the attractions in Tiffin dedicated to keeping the glass heritage alive in Ohio. The history of the Tiffin Glass Factory starts back in 1889 when A.J. Beatty of the renowned glass factory in Steubenville built a factory in Tiffin. He did so because he was promised five years of free natural gas. The original capacity of Beatty's glass factory was reported to be 500,000 pieces per week. In 1892, it emerged with United States Glass Company and the Tiffin plant became known as Factory R. It was one of 19 owned by U.S. Glass. After U.S. Glass closed, the Tiffin Factory went through many owners and the final sale was actually to Towle Silversmiths before the doors were closed again in the mid 1980s. Thankfully, a studio shop was opened to keep the art of glass making alive and equipment and molds from the original Tiffin Glass Factory were purchased to help start the project.

Today, Crystal Traditions is the only glass factory where blowing glass, hand cutting crystal, sandcarving, acid polishing and glass crystal repairs are done on premises. Visitors can watch Eric Cromwell, the glass blower and Master Gaffer create a beautiful piece of custom art glass and Aidan Scully, Irish Master Brilliant Cutter, hand cut crystal. Finished products are on display and can be purchased in the showroom. Items from other countries are also on display and for sale as well. There is also a section where you can purchase seconds, closeouts and discontinued items for a lower cost.

For lunch we will eat at the historic Pioneer Mill of Tiffin. This structure was one of the first built in Tiffin in 1822. Like other old buildings it had its share of natural disasters to contend with; a major flood in 1913 and a devastating fire in 1937. However, in 1973 a group of local businessmen decided to transform this riverfront structure into a restaurant and after much planning and development, The Pioneer Mill of Tiffin restaurant opened for business on Oct. 3, 1974 and was placed on the national register of historic places. The bus leaves town at 8:30 a.m. and the cost is $15.

* Oct. 16: A free soup luncheon from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Elms is scheduled.

* Oct. 22: The senior luncheon at the Metro Parks Wellington Reservation on Jones Road will begin at 11:30 a.m. The cost is $4.

* Oct. 29: A Hocking Hills fall foliage trip is planned. The bus leaves town at 9 a.m. and the cost is $12.

* Oct. 30: Flu shots will be given at the Lorain County Fairgrounds. Drive-through service will be available for persons who are mobility challenged. The site will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Also this year, there will be shots given at the Camden Baptist Church located at 17901 St. Rt. 511 on the same day. If for some reason you can't make it to either one of these, they will be offering shots at the Lorain County JVS on Saturday, Nov. 1 from 8 a.m. to noon. This site also offers drive-through service.