Mountain Views News          Saturday, August 27, 2016

THE GOOD LIFE

9

Mountain Views-News Saturday, August 27, 2016 

DONATING OLD HEARING AIDS, 

EYEGLASSES AND MOBILITY EQUIPMENT

SENIOR HAPPENINGS


HAPPY BIRTHDAY! ….August Birthdays

Bill Nelson, Karlene Englert, Juanita Fernandez, Jeanette Francis, Joseph Kiss, 
John Luke, Jacquie Pergola, Maury Whitaker, Pat Miranda, Phyllis Chapman, Jerry 
Burnett, Margaret Aroyan, Phyllis Burg, Beverly Clifton, Rosemary Morabito, Susan 
Poulsen, Dorothy Quentmeyer, Genevieve Stubbs, Miep Tulleners, Joy Barry, Ellie 
Baudino, Marcia Bent, Daryls Brechwald, Joan Spears, Ruth Torres, Jane Zamanzadeh and Harry 
Enmark. * To add your name to this distinguished list, please call the paper at 626.355.2737. YEAR 
of birth not required but you must be over 60.

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

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

 

 

 YWCA San Gabriel Valley - Intervale Senior Cafe 

Seniors 60 years of age and up can participate in the YWCA Intervale daily lunch program held 
at the Hart Park House Senior Center. Meals are served Monday through Friday at 12:00 pm 
and participants are encouraged to arrive by 11:45 am. Meals are a suggested donation of $3.00 
for seniors 60 and over or $5.00 for non-senior guests. Daily reservations are necessary, space is 
limited. Please reserve your lunch by calling 626-355-0256.

Tech Talk: Will resume in the fall. 

Hawaiian and Polynesian Dance Class: Every Tuesday morning from 10:00 - 11:00am. 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 cancelled if less than 5 people. 

Free Blood Pressure Testing: 2nd Tuesday of the month from 11:00am - 12:00pm. No appt. 
necessary. 

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

Case Management: Meets the second 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 12:45 - 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. 

SENIOR EXCURSION - 

THE GETTY CENTER (WEST LOS ANGELES)

September 16, 2016

Time: 9:00am to 4:00pm

Meeting Location: Hart Park House Senior Center

Cost: $ 10.00 (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. Choose 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. Level of walking: High. Please call the 
Hart Park House 626-355-7394.

Dear Savvy Senior,

Where are some good places to donate old hearing aids, 
eyeglasses and mobility equipment? My uncle passed away 
a few months ago and left behind a bunch of useful aids that 
could surely help someone else. 

Searching Nephew 

Dear Searching,

Donating old, unused assistive living aids and/or medical 
equipment is a great way to help those in need who can’t 
afford it, and in most cases its tax deductible too. Here are 
some good places to check into. 

 

Hearing Aids

 There are several national nonprofit service organizations 
that offer hearing aid recycling programs. Hearing aids that 
are donated are usually refurbished and either redistributed 
to those in need, or resold with the proceeds going to buy new 
hearing aids for people who can’t afford them.

 One of the most popular places to donate old hearing aids, 
as well as hearing aid parts or other assistive listening devices 
is the Starkey Hearing Foundation “Hear Now” recycling 
program (starkeyhearingfoundation.org, 800-328-8602), 
which collects around 60,000 hearing aids a year. Hearing 
aids and other listening devices should be sent to: Starkey 
Hearing Foundation, ATTN: Hearing Aid Recycling, 6700 
Washington Avenue South, Eden Prairie, MN 55344. 

 Some other good nonprofits to donate to are the Lions 
Club Hearing Aid Recycling Program (go to lionsclubs.org 
and search for: HARP), and Hearing Charities of America 
(hearingaiddonations.org, 816-333-8300), which is founded 
by Sertoma, a civic service organization dedicated to hearing 
health. 

 Or, if you’re interested in donating locally, contact your 
Hearing Loss Association of America state or local chapter 
(see hearingloss.org for contact information). They can refer 
you to state agencies or community service programs that 
also accept hearing aids.

Eyeglasses

One of the best places to donate old eyeglasses is to the 
Lions Club Recycle for Sight program. They collect nearly 
30 million pairs of glasses each year and distribute them to 
people in need in developing countries. 

 To donate, look for a Lion’s Club glasses donation drop-
off box in your community. You can often find them at 
libraries, community centers, churches, schools and many 
local eye doctor offices, or call your local Lions Club for 
drop-off locations. See directory.lionsclubs.org for contact 
information.

 New Eyes (www.new-eyes.org/recycle) is another not-
for-profit organization that collects unused eyeglasses and 
distributes them abroad to people in need. 

Medical Equipment

If you have old wheelchairs, walker, canes, shower chairs 
or other durable medical equipment, there are many 
foundations and organizations that would love to receive 
them. For example, Goodwill and Salvation Army stores 
are popular donation destinations, as are foundations like 
the ALS Association (alsa.org) and Muscular Dystrophy 
Association (mda.org), which accept donations at local 
chapters. 

 There are also state agencies and local nonprofit 
organizations that accept medical equipment donations and 
redistribute them to people in need. To find what’s available 
in your area, contact your state assistive technologies 
program for a referral. See ataporg.org/programs for contact 
information. 

 Or, if you’re interested in selling your uncles old medical 
equipment, you have options here too, including craigslist.
com, recycledmedical.com and usedhme.com, which are all 
free sites that let you list what you want to sell online.

Tax Deductible

 Don’t forget that donations to nonprofits are tax-
deductible, so when you drop off your donated items, be sure 
to ask for a receipt for your tax records. Or, if you’re mailing 
it in or are using one of the Lions Club drop-off boxes, you’ll 
need to include a note requesting a letter of acknowledgement 
of the donation. Your note should include your name and 
a brief description of what you donated, along with a self-
addressed stamped envelope. 

 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.


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

WHAT MATTERS MOST

 I’m often guilty of recycling old 
articles when I fail to write new 
ones. Sometimes I have legitimate 
excuses (like these past few weeks 
when I started at a new school 
site!). More often, though, it’s simply difficult to find 
lighthearted things to write about in the face of current 
events. I don’t mean that we should be depressed about 
the way things are going. Things are depressing, but 
we need not feel depressed. Instead, we should feel a 
heightened sense of urgency and focus. 

 When I started this column seven years ago, my 
aim was to provide weekly light, hopefully funny, 
pieces that would balance out other weightier topics in 
the news. While I still hope to do that, the world has 
changed quite a bit since then. And though humor and 
lightheartedness are still good goals, there are other 
things that matter much more --namely Jesus and our 
relationship with Him.

 On several occasions I’ve devoted my articles to 
sharing about God and His exclusive offer of saving 
hope in Jesus. My mom (a.k.a. my biggest fan) 
congratulates me and tells me there will probably be 
people in heaven because they read my articles. I don’t 
know about that, but I hope and pray that that will be 
the case. Sometimes I worry that my articles are too 
preachy. Often I merely wish to embolden Christians 
to talk to others about Jesus, an activity I’m ashamed to 
say I don’t do enough of outside this of column. I pray 
that God will help me become better at it, because as the 
days get darker, it only highlights the fact that Jesus is 
what matters most.

 Sometimes I’ll come across a familiar Bible verse and 
be struck with a new appreciation of it. This happened 
the other day as I read Romans 1:19, “...what may be 
known of God is manifest in [man], for God has shown 
it to them.” How different Christianity is from all other 
world religions! It’s human nature to assume that we 
need to arduously strain after God, as if He’s hiding 
and doesn’t want to be disturbed. But that’s not what 
the Bible teaches. God desires a relationship with us so 
much that He put the basic understanding that there is a 
God within the hearts of all people from the beginning 
of time. 

 A common criticism of Christianity is that God 
must be cruel to reveal Himself only to some people 
and not to others. And those who never got hold of a 
Bible will be sentenced to eternity in hell just because 
they were born in the wrong place at the wrong time. 
But that’s not what we read in scripture. There have 
been missionaries who contacted previously unreached 
people only to discover that they knew far more of the 
gospel message than would be expected. There is also 
evidence to suggest that the ancient Chinese knew and 
worshipped the God of the Bible shortly after the flood.

 Another stark contrast between Christianity and 
other world religions is shown in Jesus’ sacrifice for 
our sins. The Bible teaches that “it pleased the Lord 
to bruise Him..” (Isaiah 53:10). How contradictory to 
human reasoning! Man-made gods are satisfied when 
humans martyr themselves for their sake. But the God 
of the Bible is pleased to lay down the life of His Son for 
the sake of humanity. It is natural for humans to want 
to know God, but it is supernatural for God to want to 
know us! 

 Some have said that the Bible is too extraordinary 
to have been made up. What other religious book 
would include people like prostitutes, adulterers, and 
murderers in the lineage of its Savior? What other 
book would have the first deniers of its gospel be among 
its own disciples? I do not have the formal training 
necessary to lay out exhaustive evidence supporting 
the Bible’s veracity, but I do urge you today to seriously 
consider God’s exclusive offer of salvation in Jesus 
Christ. It is not exclusive in the sense that it is only 
for some people and not others. God’s grace is equally 
available to all people everywhere. It is exclusive in the 
sense that God has provided only one way of salvation, 
and that is through the substitutionary death of His 
Son on our behalf. We cannot get there by our own 
good works because they can never be good enough. 
If our goodness was based upon how well we measure 
up against others we would all do fine because we can 
always find worse creeps to compare ourselves with. 
But that’s the problem --it’s not about how good we are 
compared to others. Our standing with God is about 
how good we are compared to Him. And by those 
standards even the best of us fall short.

 No one could blame God for wiping us out in an 
instant. We are weak-willed, complaining, wicked 
people who deserve hell. Any other conclusion about 
our condition apart from Him is wishful thinking. God 
knew that we could never meet His standards, but He 
still wanted us reunited with Him. That is why He made 
the ultimate sacrifice, His Son’s death in place of ours.

 So I ask you again to consider God’s exclusive offer 
of salvation. Either way you look at it, the end is 
near. Jesus may snatch away His believers soon in the 
Rapture, or you may die soon. Even if you live to be 
100, the end is still near because in relation to eternity, 
100 years is barely a drop in the cosmic bucket. God 
is exceedingly gracious and merciful, but there are no 
more chances after death. Today is the day of salvation!

 If you choose to accept Jesus as your Savior you can 
pray this prayer and He will come into your heart and 
give you peace with God --today and forever!

 “Dear Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, and 
I ask for Your forgiveness. I believe You died for my 
sins and rose from the dead. I turn from my sins and 
invite You to come into my heart and life. I want to 
trust and follow You as my Lord and Savior. In Jesus’ 
name. Amen.”

HEALTH FAIR, HEALTH SCREENINGS, HEALTH LECTURES

Arcadia Senior Services in partnership with 
Methodist Hospital is hosting a “Head to Toe” 
health fair on Friday, September 9, 2016. It will 
take place at the Arcadia Community Center, 
365 Campus Drive. There will be informational 
booths and health screenings from 9:00 
to 11:15am. The health screenings include; 
blood pressure, ultrasound screening of lower 
extremities, balance and mobility. Free hearing 
screening and memory assessment are available 
but appointments are required. If you have a 
hearing impairment, California Telephone Access 
will have communication devices including 
telephones available for those individuals with 
hearing loss. Appointments are also available for 
carotid artery screening, cost is $7.00. Dr. Wenjay 
Sung, Foot and Ankle surgeon will be speaking 
on, “Oh My Aching Feet” at 11:15am. Following 
Dr. Sung presentation Sue Krause, RN, Director 
of Clinical Education Services, Silverado Memory 
will discuss common mental health concerns 
including memory and dementia. Lunch is 
available for $2.There will be raffle prizes, and 
give-a-ways. Please call Arcadia Senior Services 
at 626.574.5130 to make an appointment or for 
additional information. This program is for 
individual’s age fifty and over.

About the City of Arcadia

Nestled in the foothills of the San Gabriel 
Mountains, Arcadia is an 11.38 square mile 
community with a population of just over 56,000. 
Located approximately 20 miles east of downtown 
Los Angeles, Arcadia is known for combining 
small-town charm with the conveniences and 
amenities of a mid-size city. Arcadia is a full-
service charter city governed by a five-member 
City Council, elected at large. Recognized 
for exceptional education and recreation 
opportunities and beautiful neighborhoods, 
Arcadia is also defined as the “Community of 
Homes” and has twice been designated the “Best 
City in California in which to Raise Kids” by 
Business Week Magazine.


SEARCHING FOR VOLUNTEERS

The Arcadia Community Center is in search 
of adult volunteers for a number of fun and 
rewarding programs. Volunteering is a great way 
to give back to your community, enrich your 
life, make friends and find purpose. The City 
of Arcadia Community Center has many areas 
in which you can donate your time and efforts. 
Some program areas include the Carefree Café 
daily lunch program, the front desk and special 
events. For a list of all available positions and 
duties, please contact the Arcadia Community 
Center. Applications are available at the Arcadia 
Community Center front desk or online at www.
arcadiaca.gov.

About the City of Arcadia

 Nestled in the foothills of the San Gabriel 
Mountains, Arcadia is an 11.38 square mile 
community with a population of just over 
56,000. Located approximately 20 miles east 
of downtown Los Angeles, Arcadia is known 
for combining small-town charm with the 
conveniences and amenities of a mid-size city. 
Arcadia is a full-service charter city governed 
by a five-member City Council, elected at 
large. Recognized for exceptional education 
and recreation opportunities and beautiful 
neighborhoods, Arcadia is also defined as the 
“Community of Homes” and has twice been 
designated the “Best City in California in which 
to Raise Kids” by Business Week Magazine.


Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com