Wednesday, Feburary 22, 2017

Enjoy an Active Life after 50

GO ON SAFARI!
Navarino Wildlife Area becoming
more accessible for all ages
SEE PAGE 4

WOLF RIVER MEDIA PHOTO BY LEE PULASKI

Inside: Savvy Senior | Mealsite Menu | Benefit Specialists | Test Drive

2 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2017
SENIOR PROFILE
Creating wood crafts is Mike Groths passion
By Carol Wagner
Wolf River Media Correspondent
By his own admission, Mike Groth
gets really involved in whatever hobby he
takes up. For the past seven years, he has
been making wood crafts.
I bought a drill one day and then a
table saw, and it took off, Groth said.
SENIOR LIFESTYLE
He comes by his talent naturally, as his
grandfather and father were both wood-
workers.
Groth, 64, began by making some larg-
er, box type pieces and then stopped.
I put it on the back burner for a while,
he said.
When he started again, he worked in
his garage in the town of Richmond until
it got full. In 2010 he built another garage
where he spends all of his free time.
Groth started making things for fam-
ily and friends. Along the way he bought
tools, several from a man in Mequon. One
of them was a lathe.
It sat in the corner for a year, Groth
said. I was afraid of it, interested but ten-
tative.
He took a woodcraft class in Appleton,
which gave him confidence, and now hes
making almost anything and everything
possible out of wood.
He started wood turning five years ago
under the name of Wolf River Creations.
I found I like making round stuff bet-
ter than square stuff, Groth said.
Last fall, he sold his items at Christmas
on Poplar in Shawano. His most popular
items were snowmen. He made more and
took them to the craft sale at Mielke Arts
Center, where he sold out in 45 minutes.
Around his home on the Wolf River,
Groth and his wife of 29 years, Sandy,
have every size and every kind of wood
item. Sandy said he can make anything
if just given a picture and the dimen-
sions.
In his workshop, Groth has many
species of wood, saying he doesnt pre-
fer a certain kind but matches the wood
to what he feels it can best be made into.
His friends are always on the lookout for
Mike Groth begins work on a snowman at his workshop in Shawano.
WOLF RIVER MEDIA
PHOTO BY CAROL WAGNER
The items Mike Groth makes include plates, bowls,
snowmen, Christmas decorations and knickknacks.
They are available at his business, Computer Haus,
in Shawano.
wood to give him.
I like interesting wood, he said.
Groth works in his shop before work,
after work and on weekends.
Its challenging and satisfying, he
said.
Groth also sells his wood crafts at his
business, Computer Haus, in Shawano.
Many of his creations have been sent or
taken to other countries.
Mike and Sandy, who works at CRI,
have four children, five grandchildren and
one great-grandchild. Also accompany-
ing him to work every day is his constant
companion, rescue dog Bear.
Groth can be reached at 715-584-2215.
PHOTO BY CAROL WAGNER
WOLF RIVER MEDIA
TEST DRIVE
Niro most affordable hybrid SUV here, over there
By Ann M. Job
The Associated Press
Kias newest vehicle,
the 2017 Niro, is the
lowest-priced, gasoline-
electric hybrid SUV on
the market and is rated
as high as 50 miles per
gallon in combined city/
highway travel.
Starting manufactur-
ers suggested retail price
is $23,785 for a front-wheel
drive, five-seat Niro FE
with four-cylinder engine
mated to an electric mo-
tor and lithium ion bat-
tery pack to generate a
total of 139 horsepower.
The base price in-
cludes an automatic
transmission, rearview
camera, keyless entry,
cruise control, seven air
bags, Bluetooth hands-
free phone connectiv-
ity, audio controls on
the steering wheel and a
7-inch display screen in
the middle of the dash-
board.
Even with luxury fea-
tures added, such as a
Harman Kardon premi-
um sound system, leath-
er-trimmed seats, power
sunroof, navigation sys-
tem and heated steering
wheel, the Niro still can
be priced under $31,000.
This pricing undercuts
other hybrid SUVs that
combine power from an
onboard electric motor
with a gasoline engine
for optimum fuel mileage,
such as the 2017 Toyota
RAV4, which starts at
$29,990.
However, Toyotas
2017 Prius C small hatch-
back remains the low-
est-priced hybrid car in
the United States with
a starting MSRP plus
destination charge of
$21,035.
While affordability is
the Niros most attractive
trait, this small SUV also
appeals with its comfort-
World War II: Over
Kias newest vehicle, the 2017 Niro, is the lowest-priced, gasoline-
electric hybrid SUV on the market and is rated as high as 50 miles per
gallon in combined city/highway travel.
able seating positions,
pleasant driving traits,
decent passenger space
and flexible, SUV-like car-
go room.
Similar in size to the
2017 Honda HR-V and
Buick Encore small
SUVs, the five-door Niro
slots below the Sportage
as Kias smallest SUV.
The Niro is sold only
as a hybrid, so the on-
board electric motor and
lithium ion battery pack
supplement the rather
meager power 104
horsepower and 109 foot-
pounds of torque of the
1.6-liter, double overhead
cam, direct injection,
four-cylinder engine.
Maximum horsepower
totals 139, while torque
can peak quickly at 195
foot-pounds to move the
Niro in plucky, but not
overtly sporty, fashion.
Theres no droning or
stressing of a continu-
ously variable transmis-
sion in the Niro during
acceleration as there are
in most other gas-electric
hybrids.
Kia uses a six-speed,
dual-clutch automatic
transmission in the Niro
for more natural-feeling
gearing and responsive-
ness. It worked well most
SENIOR LIFESTYLE
KIA VIA THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
of the time in the test Niro
Touring model. Occasion-
ally, the transition be-
tween power sources felt
less than seamless.
Regenerative braking
and the engine help re-
plenish the battery pack,
but a plug-in Niro is due
later in 2017.
The top fuel mileage
of 52 mpg in city driving
and 49 mpg on highways
is for the base, Niro FE
model, which weighs the
least. City mileage is rat-
ed higher than highway
mileage because the elec-
tric power is able to assist
more often in city travel.
The test Niro Touring,
which is the heaviest of
all Niros at well over 3,200
pounds, was rated at 46/40
mpg by the U.S. govern-
ment and averaged 38.8
mpg during the test drive
with some aggressive
driving. This real world
mileage translated to an
impressive 462 miles on a
single tank of fuel.
The Niro, which is
wider than the HR-V and
Encore, felt stable and
roomy and had an unex-
pectedly quiet interior.
Back-seat passen-
gers have 37.4 inches of
legroom, while theres
nearly 42 inches for front-
AT A GLANCE
FACT SHEET: 2017 Kia Niro
BASE PRICE: $22,890 for
FE; $23,200 for LX; $25,700
for EX; $28,000 for Touring
Launch Edition; $29,650 for
Touring.
PRICE AS TESTED:
$30,545.
TYPE: Front-engine, front-
wheel drive, five-passenger,
gasoline-electric hybrid,
small sport utility vehicle.
ENGINE: 1.6-liter, double
overhead cam, Atkinson
cycle, direct injection
four cylinder mated to a
43-horsepower electric mo-
tor and lithium ion battery
pack.
MILEAGE: 46 mpg (city), 40
mpg (highway).
TOP SPEED: 115 mph.
LENGTH: 171.5 inches.
WHEELBASE: 106.3 inches.
CURB WEIGHT: 3,274
pounds.
BUILT AT: Korea.
OPTIONS: None.
DESTINATION CHARGE:
$895.
seat riders. Headroom all
around is more than 39
inches.
The luxury features
in the Touring model in-
cluded heated and venti-
lated front seats, memory
driver seat, blind spot
monitor, rear cross traffic
alert, turn signals in the
outside mirrors, front and
rear park assist, leather,
sunroof, 18-inch wheels,
and premium audio.
Outside styling is
mainstream and not par-
ticularly memorable, but
everything was easy to
understand and well or-
ganized inside the Niro.
Rear seatbacks fold
down flat to expand cargo
space. The cargo floor
sits up at bumper level,
so theres no lifting heavy
objects up and out.
All-wheel drive is not
offered on the Niro, and
towing capacity is limited.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2017
Our president at the
time of World War II,
FDR short for Franklin
Delano Roosevelt, tried to
bring us out of the Depres-
sion with his various pro-
grams. One, for example,
was WPA, Works Progress
Administration, which
affected so many peoples
lives.
WPA employees built
bridges, roads, etc. We
kids renamed it We Poke
Along. We would see men
along the road cutting
brush and similar projects
and they were just poking
along.
Sad to say, World War
II had brought prosperity
to our nation. Factories
bustled making war materi-
als and machines. I worked
in the office of a packaging
plant after finishing busi-
ness college. My brother
got his high school diploma
when he joined the Navy.
Consequently, my mother
got a larger widows pen-
sion from the government
because of his enlistment.
Our boys all went overseas
to fight Hitlers madness.
My first boyfriend died over
in France during this war.
His sister never got over
his loss.
Sheila, one of the resi-
dents here at The Cottages,
an assisted living residence,
was a war bride from Lon-
don. She often tells of how
her mother would take her
Hand and Foot Card
Club seeks members
A new card club is be-
ing organized by Shawano
Community Education.
The Hand and Foot Card
Club will meet from 9-11:30
a.m. Mondays, March 6
through April 24, in Room
103 at Shawano Commu-
nity Middle School, 1050 S.
Union St.
This is a free activity for
adults age 50 and up.
3
Marcie Leitzke
Marcies Musings
and her siblings each night
on the bus to the under-
ground railroad: We would
bring along our blankets
and pillows to sleep there
over night while Hitlers
bombs fell on London.
There we slept on the con-
crete platforms. We felt safe
and could rest. I even used
to sing Were not afraid of
Hitler. Then we would take
the bus back home in the
morning.
Sheila said when we
complained about the food,
her mother would say,
Think of the poor people!
Food was rationed and
meat was scarce.
Sheila said she was too
young to be frightened with
her mother protecting her.
Her father had died young.
Later, she met her soldier
husband and came over to
the USA with him to live
in Appleton. They had two
children, the daughter now
taking care of her needs at
The Cottages, where she
once again feels safe and
content.
Hand and Foot is perfect
for four players, although it
can be played by any even
number of players. The goal
is to get rid of your cards
from your hand, then your
foot, by laying them down
in rows. The team with the
highest score at the end of
the game wins.
There needs to be a min-
imum of four players and
maximum of 20. Sign up by
Monday by calling 715-526-
2192, ext. 3102.
4 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2017 SENIOR LIFESTYLE WOLF RIVER MEDIA

Nature center lands grant for education facility

Facility will be
staging area for
Senior Safaris
By Kevin Murphy
Wolf River Media Correspondent

The Friends of the Na-

varino Nature Center are
kicking off a fundraising
drive for an outdoor educa-
tion resource facility with a
$20,000 state Stewardship
Fund grant.
The Friends want to
raise nearly $300,000 to con-
struct an 8,750-square- foot
building that will facilitate
the launch of Senior Safari
programs geared toward
making more of the 15,000-
acre Navarino Wildlife Area
accessible to those who
might think otherwise.
Senior Safaris is a pi-
lot program offered at the
nature center, which is lo-
cated about 10 miles south
of Shawano. The planned WOLF RIVER MEDIA PHOTO BY LEE PULASKI

education resource facil-
ity will be a staging area
for the Safaris beginning
this spring, said Tim Ew-
ing, the centers executive
director.
Seniors, whether
theyre living in nursing
homes or on their own, can
be bused to the center and
then taken by trolley on
trails into the wildlife area,
he said.
The Shawano County
Human Service Commis-
sion on Aging will partner
with the nature center on
the Senior Safaris, which
begin by boarding county-
contracted buses at the se-
nior center in Shawano. If
successful, Ewing said, the
Safaris can be offered to se-
niors in Oconto, Outagamie
and Waupaca counties next
year.
Heidi Russell, Shawano
County director of aging,
said two Senior Safaris held
last fall were well received.
A variety of plants grow in an abandoned farm field that is part of the Navarino Wildlife Area. If left undisturbed, this area will eventually become a forest, according to an information kiosk
along the trail intersecting the field.
HOW TO HELP
To make tax-deductible
donations to the education
resource building project,
visit Navarino.org/donate
online or mail them to Na-
varino Nature Center Inc.,
W5646 Lindsten Road,
Shiocton, WI 54170.
ranged from locations other
than the senior center. Rus-
sell urged those interested
in coordinating a Senior
Safari should contact the
nature center.
Sandhilll cranes are
one of the wildlife areas
biggest attractions during
spring and fall migration,
WOLF RIVER MEDIA PHOTO BY LEE PULASKI with as many as 15,000
A boardwalk opened last year to give visitors of the Navarino Wildlife Area with another spot to sit, or stand, and cranes arriving during au-
observe the animals that make the area home. tumn months.
The center has used
They were full, she looking to have great par- Transportation to the wagons to transport visitors
said, and organizers are ticipation this year, too. nature center can be ar- to crane-staging areas for
years, but this spring it will
have two custom-made trol-
leys, similar to those used at
last years Shawano County
Fair. Instead of stairs, they
will have access ramps, Ew-
ing said.
The planned educa-
tion resource building will
house the trolleys and the
educational workshops
currently held in class-
rooms at the nearby nature
center, said Rick Herzfeldt,
a Friends of Navarino Na-
ture Center board mem-
ber.
Due to the high usage
at the center, its been a
job to keep the classrooms
clean between visiting
school groups, he said.
One group finishes and
another follows them in.
On Feb. 15, the State
SEE GRANT, PAGE 5

ON THE COVER: Snow-covered trails in the Navarino Wildlife Area provide a scenic view of the woods. Most established paths are easy enough for hikers of all ages to traverse.
WOLF RIVER MEDIA SENIOR LIFESTYLE WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2017 5

What is Senior Safari?

CONTRIBUTED IMAGE

This rendering provided by the Navarino Nature Center shows what a new outdoor education resource facility
could look like once construction is complete. The center plans to use the building as a jumping-off point for
Senior Safari programs, which started last year.

Navarino Nature Center describes Se- Birding from your Window: This pro-
nior Safari programs as opportunities for gram is a great introduction to birding
WOLF RIVER MEDIA PHOTO BY LEE PULASKI adults of the senior age who enjoy the out- with an interactive multi-media program
While much of the Navarino Wildlife Area is wooded, prairies also provide scenic vistas for hikers and other doors but might not be able to get to Na- that focuses on ways to identify birds from
visitors. varino on their own. The program works their calls, coloration, and other charac-
with senior groups, assisted living facili- teristics such as beaks, feet, feathers, and
NAVARINO for us through the years,
Ewing said. Were on
metal-sided building will
be sought when the fun-
ties and individuals who want a new op-
portunity to enjoy the outdoors.
bones.
Marvelous Mammals: Marvelous
FROM PAGE 4 Department of Natural draising gets close to the
Senior Safari can include indoor pre- mammals program provides a variety of
Resources property. goal, Ewing said.
sentations or outside programs, and the opportunities for participants to explore
Building Commission ap- Theyre the landlords and The building alone is
program can be catered to the groups mammal furs, mammal tracking or even
proved a $20,000 grant for were the tenants offering estimated to cost $282,000,
desires. However, the center has selected how to identify animals through bones
the planned building, mak- educational programs. but contingencies and
some program topics due to ease of par- and other identifying characteristics such
ing it the second Steward- Its been a nice partner- furnishings push the proj-
ticipant involvement and popularity of the as teeth and skulls.
ship grant the 450-mem- ship. Were getting things ects cost to about $300,000
topic. They include the following: Costs: One hour, $4 per person/mini-
ber Friends group has done without receiving he said.
History of Navarino: From logging mum $75; two hours, $5 per person/mini-
received in three years. any direct funding from Ewing hopes the fund-
to steam boats to so much more, this pro- mum $100.
In 2015, the Friends of the county or much from ing goal can be reached
gram focuses on the history of the Nava- For information, call 715-758-6999 or
Navarino used a $20,000 the state. this fall to allow construc-
rino Wildlife Area. visit http://www.navarino.org.
grant to help construct a Construction bids for a tion to begin next spring.
boardwalk around Glens
Pond, a scenic spot ideal
for contemplation, Ewing
has said.
The boardwalk was a
$214,000 project financed
by fundraising and grants,
and Miron Construction
donated labor, which Ew-
ing valued at $75,000.
The boardwalk re-
ally opened the door, so
to speak, to making the
NWA more accessible to
everyone, he said, and the
planned resource center
is the next step in improv-
ing the areas accessibil-
ity to more people of all
ages.
A chief feature of the
new building will be a
safe, stable, all-weather
area for individuals in
wheelchairs to get on and
off buses.
The Stewardship
grants have been good
6 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2017 SENIOR LIFESTYLE WOLF RIVER MEDIA

FINANCE

A diversified approach to income-investing

By Alex Veiga
AP Business Writer
Bond investors arent exactly known as
risk-seekers.
When interest rates and inflation could
be on the rise, though, playing it too safe in
a vanilla bond index fund might not cut it.
That drives the strategy for Eaton Vance
Managements Multisector Income Fund
(EVBAX). The fund, which was founded in
2013, approaches fixed-income investing by
taking positions in a variety of bonds and
other types of debt, including those issued
by companies and governments outside
the U.S. It also buys stocks and doesnt shy
away from higher-yield, and therefore high-
er-risk, bonds.
In addition to its more risk-friendly
pursuit of return, the funds diversified ap-
proach may also lessen the impact of inter-
est rate fluctuations, something that can of-
ten weigh on bond investors, Eaton Vance
says.
The fund ended last year with a gain of
about 22 percent, compared with a gain of
3.1 percent for its benchmark, the Bloom-
berg Barclays U.S. Government/Credit
Bond Index.
Kathleen Gaffney, portfolio manager of
the fund, details how a diversified approach
that includes higher-yielding, lower-rated
bonds may be a good way to go. Questions
and answers have been ed-
ited for length and clarity:
Q: How does your fund
differ from other fixed-
income bond funds?
A: Its definitely not your
plain vanilla bond fund. I
tend to think of it as not
KATHLEEN your average bond fund.
GAFNEY Its really about best ideas
and opportunities in the
fixed-income universe, and
a very broad universe. I have the ability to
own corporate bonds, investment-grade,
high-yield, non-U.S., developed world and
emerging. I can own convertible bonds,
preferred, bank loans, structured finance,
munis. So its a really broad mandate to
look for best ideas. Its a very opportunistic
strategy and thats where its not typical. To
be opportunistic, youre willing to veer away
from a static benchmark.
Q: Whats an example of how a plain
fund would not be as opportunistic as
yours?
A: A plain vanilla bond fund would really
orient itself around the government credit
index as a benchmark and make smaller
decisions about what was going to be the
best areas within that index in order to out-
perform.
Im looking at the areas where I can in-
vest away from the benchmark, because I
think thats where youll find the best long-
term opportunities.
Q: Which types of investments are you
avoiding now, given the expected rise in
interest rates?
A: If you look back in history, over the
last couple of decades, with the decline in
interest rates, Treasurys almost outper-
formed everything. But there is a view,
and I do believe, that tailwind of a declining
interest rate environment has come to an
end. So, right now, I dont own Treasurys.
I view it as a lot of risk, because Treasurys
are the most interest-rate sensitive fixed-
income security you can hold and theres
very little return there.
So then your next option is taking credit
risk in investment-grade corporate. And,
generally, thats really tied to where we are
in the business cycle. If were full-steam
ahead, its good to be in corporate bonds, as
long as youre getting compensated for tak-
ing that risk. But the likelihood of General
Electric or Apple or Verizon not paying you
back is really almost zero.
Q: How do you look for better returns
while still remaining a fixed-income
fund? Youre buying stocks, too, correct?
And higher-risk bonds?
A: The two constraints on the fund are a
maximum of 35 percent below investment
grade, but also 20 percent in equities.
Im really thinking about what are the
best fundamentals out there that I can in-
vest in, whether its a company, a country or
a currency that is mispriced by the market
because theyre taking a short-term view. I
like to look through the cycle in order to find
the best opportunities.
For example, we own Seagate Technol-
ogy. It was investment grade and has been
downgraded, so its a fallen angel.
Thats an interesting place to find good
opportunities, because if the company is on
the right track but its going to take some
time for it to de-lever and for its credit met-
rics to improve, there may be enough un-
certainty about their ability to do that, that
youre actually getting paid for taking that
credit risk.
We think it has the ability to get back to
investment grade over time.
Q: Are you investing in utilities and
other bond-proxies?
A: Right now Im not. I think theyre
overvalued and theyre much more sensi-
tive to interest rate risk.
When I think about the types of risk I can
hold in the fund, it can be a security that has
interest rate risk, or some degree of credit
risk or some degree of country or currency
risk. And right now, I think because theres
not a lot of value out there, Im very focused
on specific credit or company risk, and spe-
cific country or currency risk. Those are the
best opportunities right now.

SAVVY SENIOR

The ABCs of picking a Medicare supplemental policy

By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
Can you provide any advice
on choosing a Medicare supple-
mental policy to help cover things
outside of Medicare? Ill be 65 in
a few months and could use some
assistance.
Looking for Help
Dear Looking,
If you plan to enroll in original
Medicare, getting a supplemen-
tal policy (also known as Me-
digap insurance) too is a smart
idea because it will help pay for
things that arent covered by
Medicare like copayments, coin-
surance and deductibles. Here
are some tips to help you choose
an appropriate plan.
Medigap plans
In all but three states (Massa-
chusetts, Minnesota and Wiscon-
sin), Medigap plans, which are
sold by private health insurers,
come in 10 standardized benefit
packages labeled with the letters
A, B, C, D, F, G, K, L, M and N.
Plan F is the most popular
policy followed by plan C be-
cause they provide comprehen-
sive coverage. Plans K and L
are high-deductible policies that
have lower premiums but im-
pose higher out-of-pocket costs.
Plan F also offers a high-deduct-
ible version in some states. And
a popular middle ground policy
that attracts many healthy ben-
eficiaries is plan N.
For more information on the
different types of plans and the
coverage they provide, including
Medigap options in Massachu-
setts, Minnesota and Wisconsin,
see Medicares Choosing a Me-
digap Policy guide at Medicare.
gov/pubs/pdf/02110-medicare-me-
digap.guide.pdf, or call 800-MEDI-
CARE and ask for a copy.
How to choose
To pick a Medigap policy that
works best for you, consider your
health, family medical history
and your budget. The differences
among plans can be small and
rather confusing.
To help you choose, visit Medi-
care.gov, and click on Supple-
ments & Other Insurance at the
top of the page, then on Find a
Medigap policy and type in your
ZIP code. This will give you a
list of the plans available in your
area, their price ranges and the
names, and contact information
of companies that sell them. But
its up to you to contact the carri-
ers directly to get there specific
pricing information.
You can also compare Me-
digap prices on most state insur-
ance department websites (see
NAIC.org/state_web_map.htm for
links), or you can order a person-
alized report from Weiss Ratings
for $99 at WeissMedigap.com.
Since all Medigap policies with
the same letter must cover the
exact same benefits (its required
by law), you should shop for the
cheapest policy.
Drug coverage
You also need to know that
Medigap policies do not cover
prescription drugs, so if you dont
have drug coverage, you need
to consider buying a separate
Medicare Part D drug plan too.
See Medicare.gov/find-a-plan to
compare plans. Also note that
Medigap plans do not cover vi-
sion, dental care, hearing aids or
long-term care either.
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.
WOLF RIVER MEDIA SENIOR LIFESTYLE WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2017 7

Congregate meal sites
provide a group dining setting
for people age 60 or older and
their spouses to enjoy a hot,
nutritious meal. Planned social
activities are enjoyed at each
meal site, and informational
programming is regularly pro-
vided. Attending the meal sites
also offers the opportunity to
visit and socialize with other
senior citizens.
Reservations are required
and can be made by calling the
meal site you wish to attend
one day in advance. A dona-
tion of $3 is requested for each
meal. All meals include bread,
milk and butter match. This is
a general diet served to those
with no diet restrictions.
Wednesday, Feb. 22: Apple
cherry pork chop, rice, broc-
coli, tropical fruit, butterscotch
torte
Thursday, Feb. 23: Chili,
cheese slice, corn bread, fresh
fruit, chocolate cake with pea-
nut butter frosting
Friday, Feb. 24: Barbecue
on a bun, sweet potato fries,
coleslaw, fresh fruit, tapioca
pudding
Monday, Feb. 27: Barbecue
chicken, au gratin potatoes,
corn, cranberries, strawberry
shortcake
Tuesday, Feb. 28: Tips, wild
rice, stewed tomatoes, fresh
fruit, Jell-O
Wednesday, March 1: Clam
chowder, cheese, crackers,
fresh fruit, carrot sticks, spice
cake
Senior Meals
Thursday, March 2: Pork
roast, mashed potatoes and
gravy, Brussels sprouts, pears,
orange fluff
Friday, March 3: Baked cod,
potato salad, mixed vegeta-
bles, fresh fruit, lemon bars
Monday, March 6: Baked
chicken, yams, beets, fresh
fruit, pudding
Tuesday, March 7: Beef roast,
mashed potatoes and gravy,
squash with brown sugar, fruit-
ed Jell-O with whipped cream
Wednesday, March 8: Baked
spaghetti, garlic bread, spin-
ach salad, Mandarin oranges,
chocolate cake
Thursday, March 9: Salisbury
steak, au gratin potatoes,
stewed tomatoes, fresh fruit,
cookie
Friday, March 10: Tomato
soup, grilled cheese at meal
sites, tuna and cheese sand-
wich in home-delivered, frozen
blueberries, apple crisp
Monday, March 13: Ham,
scalloped potatoes, green
beans, fresh fruit, lemon whip
Tuesday, March 14: Cream of
broccoli soup, meat sandwich,
crackers, cinnamon apple-
sauce, tapioca pudding
Wednesday, March 15: Tur-
key, stuffing and gravy, mixed
peas and carrots, fresh fruit,
peach cobbler
Thursday, March 16:
Hamburger with lettuce,
tomato, onions, sweet potato
fries, Mandarin oranges,
peanut butter cake
Friday, March 17: Corned beef
and cabbage, red potatoes,
pears, pistachio torte
Monday, March 20: Swed-
ish meatballs, wide noodles,
broccoli with cheese sauce,
apricots, cookie
Tuesday, March 21: Chicken
salad with almonds and apple
on croissant, fresh green side
salad, chips, fresh fruit, green
Jell-O cake
Wednesday, March 22: Wild
rice casserole with ground beef
and green beans, pineapple,
cheesecake
Thursday, March 23: Split
pea and ham soup, cheese
slice, crackers, peaches, apple
sticks
Friday, March 24: Grouper,
German potato salad, peas,
tropical fruit, Oreo torte
Monday, March 27: Tater tot
casserole with vegetables,
fresh fruit, pudding
Tuesday, March 28: Baked
chicken breast, seasoned rice,
mixed vegetables, Mandarin
oranges, cookie
Wednesday, March 29: Beef
stew, cheese slice, crackers,
frozen mangoes, brownie
Thursday, March 30: Italian
meatballs, pasta, carrots, fresh
fruit, white cake with lemon
frosting
Friday, March 31: Tuna casse-
role, creamed peas, peaches,
strawberry Jell-O cake

Benefit Specialists
The Shawano County Benefit Specialist
Program is available to advise and assist Sha-
wano County older adults in securing various
public benefits and entitlements. To be eligible,
you must be 60 years of age or older.
To obtain the benefit specialist services,
call the Aging Unit at 715-526-4700 to arrange
an appointment or call 1-866-526-2130 toll
free from the rural areas of Shawano County.
Program participants are requested to meet
with the benefit specialist at the Aging Unit
office. Home visits are made for homebound
older adults. Additionally, the benefit special-
ist makes monthly outreach contacts at the
county meal sites. There is no charge for this
service, but participants may give a contribu-
tion to assist with the costs of the program.
Wittenberg Community Hall: 11 a.m.
March 1
Shawano Civic Center: 10 a.m. March 6
Birnamwood Maple View Apartments: 11
a.m. March 21
Tigerton Community Hall: 11 a.m. March
16
Topic of the month: Divestment and Med-
icaid
8 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2017 SENIOR LIFESTYLE WOLF RIVER MEDIA

SAVVY SENIOR

How to find affordable high-speed home internet services

By Jim Miller
Dear Savvy Senior,
Do you know of any resourc-
es that can help me find afford-
able high-speed home internet
services? Im retired and live
primarily on my SocialSecurity
and would like to find something
cheaper than the $40 per month
that I currently pay.
Searching Senior
Dear Searching,
There are two great resourc-
es you can turn to, to help you
locate low-cost or discounted
internet services, buts whats
available to you will depend
on where you live and/or your
income level. Heres where to
begin.
Low-cost internet
Your first step to locate
cheaper high-speed internet is
EveryoneOn, a national non-
profit organization dedicated to
making affordable internet ser-
vices available to all Americans.
Through partnerships with
internet providers like Comcast,
Cox, AT&T, T-Mobile, Media-
com and others, EveryoneOn
can help you search for services
in your area that provide high-
speed (4G LTE) internet at a
very low cost. Most participating
companies charge around $10
per month, with no contract and
no equipment fee. However, for
non-income qualifiers, there
may be a one-time setup/equip-
ment fee of $62. Data plans will
vary, too.
To start your search, go to
EveryoneOn.org and type in
your ZIP code and click on the
Find Offers button, or you can
call 877-947-4321. Youll then
need to answer a few questions
regarding you household finan-
cial situation so the internet
services youre eligible for can
be located.
Some providers offer their
services only to people with
limited financial resources,
however there are others that
offer low-cost deals to everyone
regardless of income. Whats
available to you will depend on
where you live.
Also note that in addition to
the low-cost internet services,
EveryoneOn also provides
referrals to affordable comput-
ers and free computer classes.
Most of the companies they
work with offer refurbished
tablets usually for under $100,
and computers for under $160
that are available to every-
one. They provide referrals to
free computer classes, which
are typically offered in public
libraries across the U.S.
Discounted internet
If you dont have any luck
finding a low-cost service
through EveryoneOn, and your
income is low enough, another
option is the Lifeline Assistance
Program. This is a federal
program that provides a $9.25
monthly subsidy to help pay for
broadband internet service, or
for a home or wireless phone.
Only one benefit is available per
household; either phone service
(home or wireless) or internet
(home or mobile), but not both.
To qualify, youll need to
show that your annual house-
hold income is at or below 135
percent of the Federal Poverty
Guidelines which is $16,281
for one person, or $21,924 for
two or that youre receiving author of The Savvy Senior book.
certain types of government
benefits, such as Medicaid, food
stamps, SSI, public housing
assistance, veterans pension or
survivors pension benefit, or live
on federally recognized tribal
lands.
To apply, youll need to
contact an internet provider
in your area that participates
in the Lifeline program and
ask for an application form. To
locate providers in your area,
visit LifelineSupport.org or call
888-641-8722. Once the provider
verifies your eligibility, they will
begin service. (Note: The inter-
net companies that partner with
EveryoneOn do not currently
accept the lifeline subsidy.)
Send your senior questions to Savvy Se-
nior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070,
or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a
contributor to the NBC Today show and

Have a story idea for Senior Lifestyle? Email us at news@wolfrivermedia.com