Out and About – Week of August 12th

Some words that have changed over the years. The word “drugs” used to be a good thing. It was a cure for many ailments. Today, if someone has drugs in their possession, it is considered a bad thing. To attend a “concert” sixty years ago, was a different experience than attending a concert today.

I’m devoting most of the column this week to Senior Citizens. It seems that, the older we get, the more attention we think should be given to our older citizens. As one, I find myself reliving those days when life was much simpler and everyone walked at a slower pace. Due to modern technology and advances in the world of medicine, we are living longer, and as a result, the number of senior citizens has grown tremendously. I love my age, and wouldn’t want to be twenty years old, for any price. Please read on.

Last Tuesday, we attended a concert that could have taken place seventy years ago. The Glenn Miller Orchestra appeared at the historic Riviera Theatre for the third time. It was a “Sold Out” concert that passed much too quickly. I love the “Big Band” sound, and the Glenn Miller Orchestra is one of my favorite sounds. The orchestra travels forty-six weeks a year, and I’m sure that every musical number, of every concert, is delivered with the same enthusiasm as it was over seventy years ago. Thank you, Danielle, and your staff, for providing us with top-notch entertainment. Bring them back again and we’ll pack the house.

I doubt that too many young people read this column. With the popularity of the internet, most young people rely on that to get their fill of current events. I’m pretty sure that if you’re reading this, you’re over the age of forty, and I appreciate you taking the time to do so. What I’m leading into is that we have a lot of people in St. Joe County who are in their “Golden Years”, and I feel confident in saying that St. Joe County provides the necessary services that we so deserve.

One of the agencies providing service is the St. Joseph County Commission on Aging (COA). There are three Senior Center locations in the county, which include Sturgis, Constantine, and Three Rivers. The Three Rivers location is located at 103 South Douglas Avenue. It shares the building with the Commission on Aging and the Three Rivers Public Library. The Center is open from 8 AM until 4 PM, and the manager is Betty Persons. The Center provides a variety of activities, including a daily lunch. The Senior Action News is published bi-monthly, and is filled with all sorts of information, which can be quite valuable to those who are fans of the Senior Center and the Commission on Aging. The mission of the COA is to provide services to senior citizens, and enhance the seniors’ quality of life, at each stage of aging. It doesn’t matter how old you are; if you take care of yourself, you’ll be a senior citizen someday. Hopefully, you’ll realize the importance of having services available for our senior citizens before you need them for yourself.

Before I reach the bottom of this column, and while I’m on the subject of senior citizens, I want to mention that on Friday, August 30, the COA will have their annual picnic at Meyer Broadway Park in Three Rivers. The picnic will run from 10 AM until 2:30 PM. Reservations are required, and the cost for attending is $4.00. Tickets are now on sale at the COA office and all senior centers in the county through August 22. For your $4, you’ll receive a box lunch, be entertained by Douglas James, enjoy a bake sale, plus much more. To make reservations, or to receive more information, please call the COA at 1-800-641-9899 or 269-279-8083. In case of bad weather, the picnic will be held at the Three Rivers Community Center, 103 South Douglas Avenue in Three Rivers.

A few interesting facts that you might not be aware of:

Nine out of every ten living things, live in the ocean.

Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair.

The tooth is the only part of the human body that cannot heal itself.

See you Out and About!

Submitted by Norm Stutesman

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