June 1, 2022 | By Tammara Fogle
Donate at least $50 to The Active Age, and you could win a family membership to Botanica. The Active Age will hold a drawing for a family membership each month for the next six months from among people on our “Honor Roll” list of donors. The Active Age wishes to thank Botanica for providing the […]
| By Diana Breit Wolfe
Diana Breit Wolfe It’s hard to believe now, but this newspaper — in print since 1979 — nearly went out of business five years ago. The years of 2013 through 2015 were troubling ones for The Active Age. During that three-year period, our losses totaled $113,000. Even though advertising income had increased, expenses went up […]
| By Tammara Fogle
Sedgwick County Commissioner Lacey Cruse is still hopeful that the county can find a use for some or all of $320,000 in contingency funds earmarked for senior-related services. Cruse disputed a report in the May issue of The Active Age that the county’s Department on Aging had returned the money to the county’s general fund. […]
| By Ted Blankenship
Three concerts this month will be the finale for Chamber Music at the Barn, nearly 30 years after Bob and Patsy Scott launched the music series at their Prairie Pines property on North Tyler Road. An accompanying youth music education program is also ending. “It’s not something we wanted to do, that’s for sure,” Bob […]
| By Ted Blankenship
If you watched a lot of basketball as I did during the NCAA Tournament, you’re likely confused by some of the terms used in the game. For example, there’s the airball. You might think it’s similar to air guitar, which is strumming an imaginary guitar. But it’s actually a shot that misses the rim, backboard […]
| By Tammara Fogle
When Byron West was young, he took piano lessons for about three years before giving it up. “I wanted to be outside playing sports more,” he said, adding that he “thought I was going to be a professional athlete.” West remembers his father’s words: “You know, you’re going to regret that.” He did not become […]
| By Diana Morton
Crown Uptown Theatre, 3207 E. Douglas. The Addams Family. A kooky comedy for all ages. 8 pm Fri, Sat; 2 pm Sun, June 3-26. Tickets, dinner and show $40-45; Show only) $25-$30. 316-612-7696 Kechi Playhouse, 100 E. Kechi Road, Play On! by Rick Abbott. A theater group tries desperately to put on a play in […]
| By Monica Cissel
Most people are aware of the risk of falling due to snowy and icy conditions. But there’s another weather phenomena — high winds — that also pose a threat. On April 23, Wichita recorded sustained winds of 29 miles per hour, with gusts up to 54 miles per hour around noon. On that day, an […]
| By Robert Miller
While dementia affects people differently, there are common milestones. Knowing them may help families prepare for each step. Start with acceptance In an ideal scenario, families have conversations earlier than the onset of illness. If you’ve noticed a loved one being forgetful, foggy or behaving in unusual ways, it’s important not to dismiss those moments […]
| By Tammara Fogle
Two Derby artists were recognized for their work in the Art is Ageless calendar produced by Presbyterian Manors of Mid-America. Skip Kreibach, above with Gov. Laura Kelly, exhibited a painting titled Lamp and Tea Kettle, part of the 2020 calendar. Mark Ward, above, displayed a painting called Fresh Start, included in the 2021 calendar.
| By Tammara Fogle
Dear Savvy Senior, Can you recommend any businesses or services that specialize in helping seniors downsize and relocate? I need to find some help moving my mother from her four-bedroom home – where she’s lived for nearly 50 years – to an apartment near me. Overwhelmed Daughter Dear Overwhelmed, The process of downsizing and moving […]
May 2, 2022 | By Amy Geiszler-Jones
If you see a woman walking a dog around the Hyde Park neighborhood east of downtown Wichita, there’s a decent chance it’s Jodi Bartman. Especially if the identity of the dog keeps changing. Four days a week, Bartman shows up at Beauties & Beasts, an animal rescue organization on South Pattie, to give its furry […]
| By Tammara Fogle
The Sedgwick County Department on Aging returned $320,000 to the county’s general fund this year, disappointing some people familiar with the needs of older residents. County commissioners created a $500,000 contingency fund for the department in August and directed staff to determine if and how the money should be used. That came after commissioners adopted […]
| By Bob Rives
One hundred years ago this summer, Wichita celebrated the opening of a baseball park unlike any seen here before or since. Located at 12th and Mosley streets, Monrovian Park was built and named for Wichita’s entry in the Colored Western League. They were a black counterpart to Wichita’s Izzies, who played in the white class […]
| By The Active Age
Early on in the pandemic, three veteran Wichita musicians decided there was no need to sit home playing tunes alone. “We just decided we could probably socially distance in Doug’s spacious basement,” Dan Monnat said of Doug Webb’s home. Phil Snow rounds out the trio – called, appropriately, the House Band – which will have […]
| By Cecilia Green
The process of dying can be lonely and scary. Family members may be distraught and overwhelmed. Friends and relatives stop calling and visiting, not knowing what to say. The isolation is soul crushing. This was the situation within my own family when my son Michael in Denver stopped treatment after two years of brutal chemotherapy […]
| By The Active Age
The traditional center of Wichita’s Hispanic population now has a photographic history of its own. “Mexican Americans of Wichita’s North End” was published earlier this year by Arcadia Publishing and has been selling briskly. The book is a collaboration between Anita Mendoza, a real estate agent who grew up in the North End; Jay Price, […]
| By The Active Age
Veteran honored Retired Brig. Gen. Arthur Bloomer was awarded a Commendation Medal by the Mary Draper Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Bloomer was a Marine and Naval aviator for 31 years, serving in Japan, Vietnam, Hawaii and elsewhere. He lives at Wichita Presbyterian Manor with his wife, Sue, who received a handmade […]
| By Tammara Fogle
Members of The Active Age staff were honored to take part in delivering Meals on Wheels to help commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Older Americans Act Nutrition Program. We salute the employees of Senior Services, Inc. and volunteers such as Don Martinson, right, who make Meals on Wheels possible. The first 17 Meals on […]
| By The Active Age
About 30 percent of Kansas nursing home employees have avoided a required COVID-19 vaccination by claiming religious or medical exemptions, an industry representative said. The federal government set a March 15 deadline for nursing home staffs to be fully vaccinated or else the facilities where they work would risk losing Medicaid and Medicare funding. However, […]
| By Laurene Gast
This is a story my friends Mary and Gene Brand told me about their wedding and her dress. They got married on Feb. 9, 1957, at Christ the King Catholic Church. The church wasn’t built yet, so the ceremony was held in the gymnasium. Mary bought the dress at Henry’s Department Store for $200. That […]
| By Michael Roehrman
Now that Kansas has an official state fruit, try Wichita Eagle editor Michael Roehrman’s recipe for sand plum jelly. Sand Plum Jelly About 5 lbs. sand plums 1 cup water 8 cups sugar 1 box Sure-Jell pectin Stem and thoroughly wash the plums. Place in a heavy bottomed pot and add water. Bring to a […]
| By Ted Blankenship
Because my wife is recovering from a medical problem, and I’m not seeing as well as I once did, neither of us drives. So our car stays in the garage while we bum rides to the grocery store from our “kids” (who are all in their 60s). That leaves us with a lot of time […]
| By Ted Ayers
“The Old Philosopher” by Bob Walterscheid (Walterscheid Productions, 2021, 55 pages, $12.00). Available at Watermark Books and theoldphilosopher.com. Bob Walterscheid enjoyed a career in sales and advertising in Wichita that spanned over 50 years. During that time, he made the first TV commercial for Pizza Hut, training films, infomercials and a full-length feature motion picture. He was […]
| By The Active Age
Senior centers in Sedgwick, Butler and Harvey counties could receive a boost from money sent to Kansas as part of the America Rescue Plan Act, the $1.9 trillion federal stimulus package passed last year in response to the coronavirus pandemic. “We think we will be able to use some of those ARPA dollars in help […]