Mountain Views News          Saturday, September 12, 2015

THE GOOD LIFE

14

 Mountain Views News Saturday, September 12, 2015 

SENIOR HAPPENINGS

ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE SERVICES 

FOR OLDER DRIVERS


HAPPY BIRTHDAY! …September Birthdays*

Clem Bartolai, Pat Hall, Donna Anderson, Teresa Chaure, Cathy Gunther, Esther 
Macias, Sheila Pierce, Nancy Sue Shollenberger, Yvonne Osti, Patti O’Meara, Judie 
Cimino, Mary Steinberg, Geri Wright, Parvin Dabiri, Denise Reistetter and Nehama 
Warner.

 *To add your name to this distinguished list, please call the paper at 626.355.2737. YEAR of birth 
not required.

..................................................................

ACTIVITIES: Unless listed differently, all activities are at the 
Hart Park House (Senior Center) 222 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre

 

 YMCA San Gabriel Valley Intervale Senior Café: Monday-Friday at 
12:00 Noon 

(Participants are urged to arrive no later than 11:45 A.M.) 

All seniors 60 and up can take part in the lunch program. There is a suggested donation of $3.00 
for those 60 and over and $5.00 for non-senior guests. Daily reservations are necessary as space is 
limited. Please call 24 hours in advance...626.355.0256

Tech Talk: Held on Monday, September 21st and 28th from 1:30-2:30pm. Learn how to use 
your new technology devises. Please reserve your space with the Hart Park House by calling 
626-355-7394.

Hawaiian and Polynesian Dance Class: Every Tuesday morning from 10am to 11am. Join 
instructor Barbara Dempsey as she instructs you in the art of hula. 

Bingo: Every Tuesday beginning at 1:00pm. Cards are only $0.25 each! Everyone is welcome to 
join. May be canceled if less than 5 people. 

Free Blood Pressure Testing: 2nd Tuesday of the month from 11am to 12pm. No appt. is 
necessary. 

Brain Games: Thursday, September 17th, 10:30am - 11:30am, improve your memory and 
strengthen your brain. Activities facilitated by Swati Puri, Community Liaison for New Wave 
Home care of Pasadena.

Free Legal Consultation: Wednesday, September 30th from 10:30am to Noon. Attorney Lem 
Makupson is available for legal consultation. He specializes in Family Law, Wills, Trusts, Estates, 
and Injury. Appointment are required by calling 626-355-7394. 

Chair Yoga: Mondays and Wednesdays from 11:00 to 11:45 am, except on the third Monday of 
the month. A suggested donation of $5 at one of the classes is requested, but is not required. 

Case Management: Meets the 2nd Thursday of the month. Case Management services are 
provided by the YWCA and provide assistance in a variety of areas. Appointments are required 
and can be scheduled by calling the HPH Office at 626-355-7394.

Birthday Celebrations: Every second Thursday of the month at the Hart Park House. The free 
birthday cake is provided by the Sierra Madre Civic Club.

Game Day: Every Thursday starting at 12:00pm. (Please note the time change.) A regular group 
of seniors play poker. Other games available for use. 

Free Strength Training Class: Every Friday from 12:45pm to 1:30pm with Lisa Brandley. The 
class utilizes light weights for low impact resistance training. All materials for the class are 
provided. 

Senior Club: Every Saturday at the Hart Park House Senior Center. Brown bag lunch at 11:30am. 
Club meeting at noon. Bingo 12:30-3:30pm. Annual Membership is only $10.00.

THE GETTY CENTER (WEST LOS ANGELES)
Date: Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Time: 9:00am to4:00pm
Meeting Location: Hart Park House Senior Center Cost: $10 (Does not 
include lunch)

Discover the museum’s historic collection and the Getty Center’s architecture and gardens 
by participating in a rich selection of engaging talks and tours that bring the Getty Center’s 
unique setting and the visual art to life. There are several gardens and fountains and 
landscaping for the public enjoyment. Lunch will be on your own. Chose from elegant dining 
in the Restaurant (reservations are recommended, 310-440-6810), to casual meals, coffee, and 
snacks at the Café, Garden Terrace Café, or the Coffee Carts. Participants should bring money 
for lunch and souvenirs. Last day to register is September 15th. Level of Walking: High. Please 
call the Hart Park House 626-355-7394.

OKTOBERFEST (HUNTINGTON BEACH)
Date: Thursday, October 1, 2015
Time: 10:00am to 3:00pm
Meeting Location: Hart Park House Senior Center Cost: $16 
Description: Old World Oktoberfest Celebration includes live bands playing the most 
popular German Oom Pa Pah Music. The crowd is further entertained with a variety of 
dancing, singing, music and our ever popular Heidi, and her contortionist act. Oktoberfest 
menu includes fresh baked bread, your choice of either potato salad, red cabbage or coleslaw. 
The main entrée includes bratwurst, chicken, spaetzli (German Egg Noodles) with mushroom 
gravy, sauerkraut and red cabbage. Dessert and drinks include apple streusel cake, coffee and 
water. Alcohol is also available for purchase. Guests get to tour the European market, offering 
great selection of meats, cheeses, and deli items. Also German bakery, producing the best 
breads, bakery and dessert items. Participants should bring money for souvenirs. Last day to 
register is September 24th. Level of Walking: Low to Medium. Please call the Hart Park House 
626-355-7394.

EXCURSION REFUND POLICY

Notification of the cancellation must be made at least 3 business days before the excursion. 
A refund will only be issued 1) for a medical excuse or 2) if the Department is able to fill the 
patrons spot from a waiting list. This refund will be issued in the form of a credit which will be 
applied to the patron’s account with the City, less a $11 cancellation fee. The credit will remain 
on your account for one year from the date issued and the credit may be used for any program 
or service offered by the Community Services Dept. 

Dear Savvy Senior,

I would like to get my wife and I set up with some 
type of roadside assistance service in case we 
get a flat tire or our battery conks out. Can you 
recommend some good and affordable services for 
retirees on a budget? 

Too Old to Fix a Flat

Dear Too Old,

Getting set up with a roadside assistance service 
you can call on day or night if your vehicle breaks 
down is a smart idea, and can provide you and 
your wife some real peace of mind. Here are some 
different options to look into that help you find a 
plan.

Already Covered?

For years, auto clubs like AAA were the only option 
drivers had when it came to roadside assistance, 
but today you have lots of choices. Most roadside 
assistance plans provide services like towing, flat-
tire changes, jump-starting a battery, lost-key or 
lockout services, fuel delivery and help with stuck 
vehicles. 

 Before you start shopping for a roadside 
assistance plan, you first need to find out if you 
already have coverage, or have access to inexpensive 
coverage that you’re not aware of. 

 For example, if you drive a vehicle that is still 
under warranty, there’s a good chance you’re 
already covered. Most auto manufacturers now 
include comprehensive roadside assistance 
coverage for free when you buy a new or certified 
used car. This typically lasts as long as the basic 
warranty, but not always. Be sure you check.

 Also check your auto insurance provider, your 
credit card issuers and cell phone service providers. 
Many of these services provide different variations 
of roadside assistance as add-on plans that cost 
only a few dollars per year, or they’re free. 

 But be aware that many of these services are 
limited in what they cover. When investigating 
these options, find out the benefit details including: 
Who’s covered (individuals and vehicles); how 
many roadside-assistance calls are allowed each 
year (three or four is typical); the average response 
time per service call; and the towing rules on 
where they will tow (to the nearest repair shop, or 
one that you choose) and how far (about 5 miles for 
basic plan is common, although some plans might 
cap the amount they pay for a tow at $100 or less). 

Auto Clubs

If you find that you aren’t covered, or you want a 
better roadside plan than what’s currently available 
to you, you’ll want to check out auto/motor clubs. 
Most of these clubs offer two or more levels of 
membership depending on how much roadside 
assistance you want and are willing to pay for, and 
they often provide a variety of discounts on things 
like hotels, rental cars and other services. 

 One of the best known and longest running 
clubs, AAA (aaa.com) offers comprehensive 
services and has an extensive network of more 
than 40,000 roadside assistance providers, which 
usually means fast response times. Costs vary 
widely from $48 to $162 per year depending on 
where you live and the plan you choose, plus an 
additional fee for adding a family member.

 Some other clubs to consider that may be 
a little less expensive include Allstate Motor 
Club (allstatemotorclub.com); AARP Roadside 
Assistance (aarproadside.com) for AARP members 
only; Better World Club (betterworldclub.com); BP 
Motor Club (www.bpmotorclub.com); Good Sam 
(goodsamroadside.com); and GM Motor Club 
(gmmotorclub.com).

On-Demand Assistance 

Another new money saving option to consider is 
pay-on-demand roadside assistance services like 
Urgently (urgent.ly) and Honk (honkforhelp.com). 
If you use a smartphone and live in their service 
area, these non-membership app-based services 
will let you call for help via smartphone, and will 
only charge you for the assistance you need at a low 
price. 

 Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. 
Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.
org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today 
show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.


UPCOMING EXCURSIONS:


KATIE Tse..........This and That

HALLOWEEN ALREADY!

Every year Halloween 
starts earlier. My husband 
and I were at Home 
Depot the other day and I 
swear it looked like Party 
City on October 30th! 
Giant spiders, inflatable 
Frankenstein, and wrinkly 
motorized witches dominated the front of the 
store. I’m sure it’s only a matter of time before 
elaborate yard decorations start springing 
up around town. Aside from the people 
who celebrate Christmas by festooning their 
houses and yards with super-sized Santas and 
mammoth reindeer, Halloween seems to be 
the holiday for which people “go all out.”

 Why is Halloween so popular? Of course 
it’s fun for kids to dress up and binge on candy, 
but why go to all the effort of transforming 
your yard into a labyrinth of doom? After 
careful consideration, I’ve come up with a few 
possible explanations.

 Halloween’s place in the order of holidays 
allows for more energy to be spent on it. After the 
Fourth of July, we get the rest of July and all of 
August to relax. There’s Labor Day in September, 
but who decorates for that? Some people might 
have a BBQ, but it’s not really big on the holiday hit 
parade. Columbus Day is in October, but you never 
hear of Columbus parties either. (Besides, modern 
culture has vilified Columbus so much that hardly 
anyone even gets the day off.) So, there’s been a 
lot of latent holiday energy building since the last 
firework fizzled away on July 4th. 

 Also, Halloween isn’t a “milestone” holiday. 
As kids, we all enjoyed our birthdays. But as 
we get older, we chide ourselves for failing to 
achieve goals. We say, “I’m [30, 40, 50...], and I’m 
still not married, earned my masters, bought a 
house, or [fill in the blank].” New Year is another 
“celebration” famous for this kind of melancholy. 
Heck, just listening to “Old Lang Zine” is 
depressing enough!

 But out of the calendar of holidays, you can 
count on Halloween to not be sentimental. There 
are no tear-jerker songs like “I’ll be home for 
Halloween,” or “Have Yourself a Merry Little 
Halloween.” So, deck your lawn with tombstones 
and stock up on Snickers and Twix. But be sure 
to save some Twix for yourself --you’ll need the 
energy for Thanksgiving and all that lies beyond. 
Come to think of it, you might as well save all 
the Snickers, too. So many kids have peanut 
allergies these days. “Happy Snacking” --I mean, 
“Haunting!” 


SENIOR CINEMA AT THE HART PARK HOUSE SENIOR CENTER

September 16th - The Imitation Game (2014)


During the winter of 1952, British authorities entered the home of mathematician, 
cryptanalyst and war hero Alan Turing to investigate a reported burglary. They 
instead ended up arresting Turing himself on charges of ‘gross indecency’, an 
accusation that would lead to his devastating conviction for the criminal offense 
of homosexuality. Little did officials know, they were actually incriminating the 
pioneer of modern-day computing. Rated PG-13. Start time: 1:00pm (run time 114 
minutes)


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