Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, December 21, 2019

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Mountain View News Saturday, December 21, 2019 

SENIOR HAPPENINGS


HAPPY BIRTHDAY! ….December Birthdays*

Maria Decker, Nancy Dorn, Prudence Levine Pat Karamitros, Joan Hufnagel, Mary 
Alice Cervera, Carol Horejsi, Shirley Anhalt, Helen Reese, Levon Yapoujian, Toni 
Buckner, Lottie Bugl, Pat McGuire, Sheila Wohler, Nan Murphy, Eleanor Hensel, 
Sylvia Curl, Elizabeth Levie, Gayle Licher, Cindy Barran, and Melissa Stute.

 * 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. 

Free Legal Consultation: Wednesday, December 18th 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.


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

SENIOR CINEMA


SCROOGED December 4th “Scrooged” PG-41; 1 hr. 41 min.

A selfish, cynical television executive is haunted by three spirits bearing lessons 
on Christmas Eve

 

 "THE MAN WHO INVENTED 
CHRISTMAS" 

December 18th "The Journey that led to Charles Dickens "A 
Christmas Carol", a timeless tale that would redefine Christmas


FOOD ASSISTANCE 
PROGRAMS CAN HELP 
SENIORS IN NEED

Dear Savvy Senior:

I would like to find out if my 73-year-old aunt is 
eligible for food stamps or any other type of food assistance program. It seems that she has a difficult 
time affording enough food each month, and I would like to help if I can. What can you tell me?

Searching Niece,

Dear Searching:

Sadly, millions of older Americans, like your aunt, struggle with food costs. According to a recent 
study by Feeding America, 5.5 million U.S. seniors age 60 and older are food insecure. Fortunately, 
there are several programs that may be able to help. Here’s what you should know.

SNAP Benefits

While there are millions of seniors who are eligible for food stamps, less than 40 percent actually 
take advantage of this benefit. Food stamps are now referred to as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance 
Program, or SNAP. However, your state may use a different name.

For seniors to get SNAP, their net income must be under the 100 percent federal poverty guidelines. 
So, households that have at least one-person age 60 and older, or disabled, their net monthly 
income must be less than $1,041 per month for an individual or $1,410 for a family of two. Households 
receiving TANF or SSI are also eligible.

Net income is figured by taking gross income minus allowable deductions including a standard 
monthly deduction, medical expenses that exceed $35 per month out-of-pocket, and shelter expenses 
(rent or mortgage payments, taxes and utility costs) that exceeds half of the household’s 
income.

In addition to the net income requirement, a few states also require that a senior’s assets be below 
$3,500, not counting their home, retirement or pension plans, income from SSI or TANF, and vehicle 
(this varies by state). Most states, however, have much higher asset limits or they don’t count 
assets at all when determining eligibility.

To apply, seniors or an authorized representative will need to fill out a state application form, 
which can be done at the local SNAP office or, it can be mailed or faxed in. In many states it can 
be completed online.

If eligible, benefits will be provided on a plastic card that’s used like a debit card and accepted at 
most grocery stores. The average SNAP benefit for 60-and-older households is around $125 per 
month.

To learn more or apply, contact your local SNAP office – call 800-221-5689 for contact information 
or visit fns.usda.gov/snap.

Other Programs

In addition to SNAP, there are other federal programs that can help low-income seniors, age 60 
and older, like the Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) and the Senior Farmers’ Market 
Nutrition Program (SFMNP).

The CSFP (see fns.usda.gov/csfp) is a program that provides supplemental food packages to seniors 
with income limits at or below the 130 percent poverty line.

And the SFMNP (fns.usda.gov/sfmnp) provides seniors coupons that can be exchanged for fresh 
fruits and vegetables at farmers’ markets, roadside stands and community supported agriculture 
programs in select locations throughout the U.S. To be eligible, your aunt’s income must be below 
the 185 percent poverty level.

There are also many Feeding America network food banks that host “Senior Grocery Programs” 
that provide free groceries to older adults, no strings attached. Contact your local food bank (see 
feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank) to find out if a program is available nearby.

In addition to the food assistance programs, there are also various financial assistance programs 
that may help your aunt pay for medications, health care, utilities and more. To locate these programs, 
and learn how to apply for them, go to BenefitsCheckUp.org.

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.


DECEMBER EXCURSION 

* As this is a rain-or-shine event, consider bringing an umbrella in case it rains.

* Lots of great food and drinks are available at the Zoo;

* Spending money is optional for your purchase of lunch & souvenirs;

* Level of Walking: High

Glowing animals welcome you on an unforgettable nighttime journey that includes the world’s largest 
illuminated pop-up storybook, a magical disco ball forest, giant glittering snowflakes, and a twinkling 
tunnel filled with dynamic swirls of color. L.A. Zoo Lights is a not-to-be-missed holiday light experience 
and has grown brighter every year since its debut in 2014. This year’s event features more light 
animals than ever before, spectacular new additions – both hand-crafted and high-tech – and returning 
favorites. 

Take a self-guided 60- to 90-minute stroll through a large area of the Zoo filled with wildlife-inspired 
displays, dynamic lights and projections, immersive interactive experiences, fabulous photo ops, and 
seasonal magic. Enter a fantastical realm to discover more light animals than ever before – with tigers, 
lions, macaws, monkeys, meerkats, and flamingos “decorating” the Zoo just for you! 

**Last Registration Date is Tuesday, December 10, 2019**


LA ZOO LIGHT SHOW (LOS ANGELES)

DECEMBER 17TH 5:00 P.M.- 9:30 P.M

$25 PER PERSON


OUT TO PASTOR 

A Weekly Religion Column by Rev. James Snyder

IS THIS A CHRISTMAS PRESENT OR WHAT?

One great blessing of Christmas is 
presents. Of course, at my age, I am 
not too interested in what I am getting 
but rather what I am giving.

I cannot think of one thing I really would want. I got 
everything I need even though some of it may be old 
and outdated. As long as it works, I'm happy with that.

Therefore, it is not what I am receiving that is important 
to me. I love to see the smile on the grand-children's 
face as they open up a present. I am just as delighted 
as they are opening their gifts be-cause I did not buy 
it. I paid for it, but it is the job of the Gracious Mistress 
of the Parsonage to do all of the shopping, gift buying, 
wrapping, and everything that goes with it.

If it were up to me, nothing would really get done, 
which would be sad.

As I say, I am not looking for much for Christmas this 
year, just to enjoy the family and celebra-tion.

Then something happened this past week that changed 
that attitude of mine.

In the mailbox this week, I received a letter from the 
state traffic department. I was a little nervous opening 
it because I've never received such a letter before. Why 
were they sending me a letter? What kind of trouble 
am I in?

When I opened it, I noticed it was a traffic violation 
notice. Upon further notice, I saw it was not for me. 
Can you guess who this traffic violation was for? Two 
guesses, and it's not me.

I'm not too much into dancing, but I must admit, I did 
a little happy dance as I read this letter.

Accordingly, my wife had a traffic violation, and a camera 
recorded it.

Looking at the picture, it did not look anything like my 
wife. The whole picture was blacked out so you could 
not see anything. Oh well, it did have her name on it, 
what more do I need?

Walking into the house, I was cheerfully whistling and 
maybe some dancing.

“What are you so happy about?”

Looking at my wife, I said, "I'm sorry. What did you 
say?" I heard her, but I wanted to hear her re-peat it.

“You heard me. What are you so happy about?”

I was going to ask her to repeat it, but I thought 
otherwise.

Handing her the letter, I said with the biggest grin on 
my face I have ever had, “You have a traffic violation 
ticket.”

There are times in life to celebrate, and, as far as I was 
concerned, this was one of those times. I do not very 
often if ever, get one over on the Gracious Mistress of 
the Parsonage. This was the first time, and I did not 
quite know how to handle myself. How much happiness 
is too much happiness?

“This cannot be my ticket,” she said with a very disgusting 
growl.

“I think it is. It has your name and your license plate 
number on it. Who else’s is it?”

She went outside to her van and checked the license 
plate number. It was not the right number.

“It is not the right license plate number, so it cannot 
be mine."

At this point, my happiness peaked. I was not expecting 
something like this. I was expecting a traf-fic violation. 
The total was $2.35. It did not seem like much, but 
there it was. I would be able to enjoy this moment for 
the rest of my life. Oh, how sweet life can be, especially 
at Christmas.

She handed the letter back to me and said, “Look, this 
violation was last week in Miami. I was not in Miami 
last week. This cannot be right.”

My happiness was on a downward spiral. I looked the 
letter over several times only to discover she was right. 
She is always right, and here was new proof. I advised 
her to take it over to the sheriff department and see 
what they think.

It was not long before she came back and into the house 
happily whistling but no dancing.

“What are you so happy about?”

She looked at me with a smile and a Merry Christmas 
twinkle in her eye and said, “The sheriff de-partment 
told me this was a fraud. It is not my ticket. They advised 
me to destroy it and forget about it.”

Looking at me smiling, she said, "Aren't you happy for 
me?"

All I could do was look back, smile, and say, "Yes, dear."

Of all the tickets I have received, I could enjoy one for 
my wife.

It was not a very serious issue, but I could have gotten a 
lot of mileage from this. Now it is gone. Just when you 
think you got something, it turns out to be nothing.

I am glad that the ticket was a fraud. I was thinking of 
what the apostle Paul said. "Be careful for nothing; but 
in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving 
let your requests be made known unto God” 
(Philippians 4:6).

It is that time of the year when we think about all the 
things to be thankful. I am not sure how many blessings 
I have because some of the more important ones 
are ones I do not see. If I rest in God, he will take care 
of all the blessings I need in life.


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