Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, November 23, 2019

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Mountain View News Saturday, November 23, 2019 


SENIOR HAPPENINGS


HAPPY BIRTHDAY! …. November Birthdays

Flo Mankin, Alberta Curran, Carmela Frontino, Kathy Wood, Lena Zate, Joe Pergola, 
Janice Kacer, Valerie Howard, “Mike” Ruggles, Joan Ruggles, Lois Stueck, Jean Wood, 
Shirley Yergeau, , Pat Krok, Irene Nakagawa, Anna Ross, Mary Steinberg, Mary Bowser, 
Susan Clifton, Mary Higgins, Kim Buchanan, Leigh Thach and Sue Quinn.

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

HART PARK HOUSE MONTHLY PROGRAMS: 

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

Hawaiian & Polynesian Dance Class: Every Tuesday Morning from 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. 
Join the class with Instructor Barbara Dempsey as she leads you in the art of Hula!

Bingo Time: Every Tuesday beginning at 1:00 p.m. Cards are only $0.25 each! Everyone is welcome to play! Activity may 
be canceled if there are less than five people.

Free Blood Pressure Testing: 2nd Tuesdays Monthly from 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. No appointment is necessary.

Brain Games: Every third Thursday of the month at 12:45-1:45pm Join us for Scattergories, a creative thinking game by 
naming objects within a set of categories; or Jenga, a block-building challenge that keeps you stacking and bal-ancing your 
tower. Everyone is welcome, and no experience is needed. A great way to strengthen your mind and make new friends... 
Games are facilitated by Senior Volunteers. Will Resume in September 2019

Free Legal Consultation: Wednesday, August 14th from 10:30 a.m. - Noon. Attorney Lem Makupson is available for legal 
consultation. Specializing in Family Law, Wills, Trusts, Estates and Injury. Please call the Hart Park House for an 
appointment, 626-355-5278 ext. 704.

Senior Club: Meets Saturdays, Weekly at Hart Park House Brown Bag Lunch, great company and bingo at 11:30 a.m.

Chair Yoga: Mondays & Wednesdays 11:00 - 11:45 a.m. with Paul Hagen. Classes include Yoga and balance exercises. All 
ability levels are encouraged and welcomed!

Birthday Celebration: Every 2nd Thursday Monthly at the Hart Park House. Share free birthday cake and ice cream 
kindly provided by the Senior Community Commission!

Game Day: Every Thursday Monthly 12:00 Noon come into the Hart Park House and join a lively poker game with 
friends!

Free Strength Training Class: Fridays 12:45 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. with Lisa Brandley.light weights, low impact resistance 
training and body conditioning. Class equipment provided.

Gentle Yoga for Active Seniors: Every Monday & Wednesday from 8:15 - 9:45 a.m. with Andrea Walsh at the Hart Park 
House. Classes include complete floor relaxation, standing and floor postures, balancing, and featuring extended 
meditations on the fourth Wednesdays of the month! Call (626)-355-5278 for more information.


NOVEMBER EXCURSION 

NOVEMBER 15, 2019 (SANTA BARBARA) 10:15 A.M.-5:45 P.M.

The Santa Barbara Bird Sanctuary is a 501 (C)(3) non-profit organization that is 
dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of unwanted, abused, and orphaned companion parrots. Our 

sanctuary is currently home to more than 60 large parrots, many of which have behavioral or medical 
conditions that prevent them from being adopted. With a lifespan of up to 80 years and the intelligence 
level of a 3 year old child, these birds require an enormous commitment that the average person 
finds difficult to fulfill. 

Following a self-guided tour of the facility our group will enjoy the W.O.W. (World of Wings) program 
where we can get up-close and personal with their flock of avian ambassadors. Discover a vast array 
of species in all their glorious shapes, colors and sized as we explore their geographical distribution. 
Learn about personality and behavioral traits attributed to different types 
of parrots; which ones talk, who is sweet and cuddly, and who is the most intelligent.

$25.00 ****Level of Walking: LOW Money for lunch and souvenirs is optional. 
Sierra Madre registration is 10/29-11/4. Non resident begins 11/5 online or in person. 


HOW SENIORS CAN GET FREE LEGAL ASSISTANCE

Dear Savvy Senior: Can you recommend any resources that provide free or low-cost legal services to 
seniors? I’m 68 and need some professional legal assistance but have limited funds. Need Help

Dear Need:

There are actually a number of free and low-cost legal resources that can help sen-iors in need, but 
what’s available to you will depend on where you live, the type legal assistance you need and your 
financial situation. Here are several options to check into.

Legal Aid: Directed by the Legal Services Corporation, 
legal aid offers free legal assistance to 
low-income people of all ages. Each community 
program will differ slightly in the services they offer 
and income qualifications. See LSC.gov/find-
legal-aid to locate a program in your area.

Free Legal Answers: This is an online program 
created by the American Bar As-sociation that matches low-income clients with volunteer lawyers 
who agree to provide brief answers online for free. This service will not answer criminal law questions, 
and it’s not available in every state. Visit ABAfreelegalanswers.org to look for a program in 
your state.

Pro Bono and Senior Legal Hotlines: Usually sponsored by state or local bar asso-ciations, pro 
bono programs help low-income people find volunteer lawyers who are willing to handle their 
cases for free.

There are also a number of states that still offer senior legal hotlines, where all sen-iors over age 60 
have access to free legal advice over the telephone. To find out if either of these services are available 
in your state, go to LawHelp.org, and click on “Find help near you.” 

Senior Legal Services: Coordinated by the Administration on Aging, this service may offer free or 
low-cost legal advice, legal assistance or access to legal represen-tation to people over the age of 
60. Your Area Agency on Aging can tell you what’s available in your community. Call the Eldercare 
Locator at 800-677-1116 to get your local number. 

National Disability Rights Network: This is a nonprofit membership organization that provides 
legal assistance to people with disabilities through their Protection and Advocacy System and Client 
Assistance Program. If you are disabled, vis-it NDRN.org to find help in your state. 

Other Options

If you can’t get help from one of these programs, or find that you aren’t eligible, another option is 
to contact your state or local bar association, which may be able to refer you to a low-fee lawyer. 
Or, you may want to consider hiring a lawyer for only part of the legal work and doing other parts 
yourself. This is known as “un-bundled legal services.” 

Many bar associations offer public service-oriented lawyer referral services that will interview clients 
and help identify the problems a lawyer could help them with. If a lawyer can help with your 
problem, the service will provide you with a referral to a lawyer. If the problem does not require a 
lawyer, the service will provide infor-mation on other organizations in your community that may 
be able to help. Most of these lawyer referral services conduct their interviews and make referrals 
over the phone. 

To contact your state or local bar association, go to www.FindLegalHelp.org. 

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


MEALS - ON - WHEELS PROGRAM

The Home Delivered Meals Program provides healthy meals to homebound Seniors 60 and above. Seven 
frozen meals, milk, bread and fruit are included and delivered once a week. $3 Donation per meal is 
suggested but remains completely anonymous and voluntary. Clients must be eligible and we invite you 
to contact YWCA Intervale Senior Services at 626-214-9467. SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT 
NOTICE SUGGESTED DONATION $3.00 1% LOW FAT MILK INCLUDED

OUT TO PASTOR 

A Weekly Religion Column by Rev. James Snyder


FROM ONE TURKEY TO ANOTHER 

As a child, my favorite holiday 
was Christmas, second only to 
my birthday. These holidays were 
im-portant because of the gifts I 
received. Oh, did I look forward to those holidays 
and all the presents I was going to delight in. And 
delight, I certainly did to the extreme.

Then slowly things changed. I got married and we 
began having children. It was then I discovered 
Christmas was different. I was the one paying for 
all the Christmas presents, not to mention the tree 
and the ornaments. I never realized how much 
Christmas cost. The older the kids got, the more 
expensive it was.

By the time Christmas is over, I am officially broke. 
My New Year's resolution is usually, "I'm never go-
ing to do that again." I keep it until Thanksgiving, 
which throws me off my game.

I soon discovered a holiday I could delight in. That 
holiday was Thanksgiving.

At Thanksgiving, there are no presents to buy, so 
my checkbook remained closed for that holiday. 
Of course, I did get the bill for the turkey we were 
having but that usually came in August. Outside of 
that, I could enjoy Thanksgiving without it costing 
me an arm and a leg.

Also, this is the only holiday where I can neglect 
my diet and get away with it. I can set around the 
ta-ble with family and friends and eat to my “stomach’s” 
content. Believe me; it takes an awful lot to 
get to that point of contentment.

I will not say that I abuse the opportunity, although 
I do, I just will not admit to it. I love saying, “Can 
I have another piece of pumpkin pie?”

The stare the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage 
throws in my direction is priceless. I usually throw 
a smile back at her. Then I hear somebody say, “Of 
course you can. Let me have your plate.”

The smile on my face at that time stays with me 
for days, because nothing my wife can do with so 
many witnesses.

This is not to say I do not get in trouble at Thanksgiving 
time. I do not know a holiday in which I do 
not get in trouble. For many years, Thanksgiving 
has been free from trouble.

Thanksgiving trouble was inserted this year to my 
deep regret.

A couple of days before our Thanksgiving dinner I 
was sitting in my easy chair. The Gracious Mistress 
of the Parsonage was out in the kitchen putting together 
the Thanksgiving dinner. I was not paying 
attention; I was watching something on TV.

I then heard a strange word from the kitchen.

“Could you come and help put the turkey in the 
oven?”

What took me as strange is the fact that I never 
have been allowed to do any kind of work in the 
kitch-en. Believe me, there is a story behind that. 
An invitation to come to the kitchen to do some 
work took me off my guard. But just for a second.

As I got up from my chair, a crazy thought began 
dancing in my head. I began to chuckle to myself. I 
quietly asked myself, “Will it work?”

You do not know something is going to work until 
you do that something. I thought I could catch my 
wife off her guard.

I asked her to repeat herself and she said, “Can you 
put the turkey in the oven?” I thought I heard her 
correctly and this was confirmation.

“I sure can.”

Walking into the kitchen, the oven door was open, 
I walked over to my wife acting like I was going to 
pick her up and put her in the oven. It was all I 
could do to keep from laughing at this point.

As I got near, I could hear her say, “Touch me and 
the wrong turkey’s going into the oven.”

For a while, I could not stop laughing and finally, 
she started laughing.

I was able to stop long enough to put the "real turkey" 
in the oven.

She said something weird, “I’m not going to thank 
you because you’ve already gotten enough thanks.”

I left the kitchen and headed for my chair and I 
heard her softly say, “I better not read this in your 
column next week.”

Pretending that I did not hear comes rather naturally 
to me. As I evaluated that last statement, I 
con-cluded that she did not say I could not write 
about it in my column. She just said that she better 
not read it in my column. So, I think I’m on good 
ground.

So, from one turkey to another, Thanksgiving is a 
time to be thankful for the good things. It is a time 
to laugh at situations that any other time of the 
year would not be laughable.

Sitting at the Thanksgiving dinner table with all the 
family and friends around us I was smiling. Then I 
looked at the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage. 
She looked back with “one of those stares” shook 
her head and mouthed “no.”

This turkey knows when not to gobble.

Peter understood this when he wrote, “For he that 
will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his 
tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no 
guile” (1 Peter 3:10).

I have discovered there is a time to speak and then 
there is a time to wallow in silence.


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