BOOMER

ADVICE FOR COLLEGE WHIPPERSNAPPERS | THE SONIC BOOMER | PAGE 10

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017

RIDING
THE
DREAM
AJ Cycle can
Haunted
HARMONY
NEW
find your ride Joni Mayhans experience
Page 14 with the supernatural
Page 12
Forty years of
HORSEMANS
PARADISE
Tech Talk
OUTSTAND.COM HELPS
BUILD RELATIONSHIPS
Western supplies in Ferdinand Page 20
Page 6
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 editors
desk
MY KIDS HAVE been in school for a month now. Were never ready in August; September
BOOMER
seems to better carry the feeling that its time to pack away the beach EXECUTIVE EDITOR
towels and head to the classroom. I grumble about the early start every
Melody Brunson
year, and my kids have to I mean, get to listen to stories that start
out, Back in my day (812) 698-1626
I got to hear those stories too. I am left-handed, and around September
each year, my dad would remind me that Im lucky no one wanted to EDITOR
change that. Natalie Reidford
He is also left-handed. In 1955 a year when Dick and Jane were the gold standard in (812) 568-8991
elementary education, and when there was this new theory that cigarettes caused cancer Dads
second-grade teacher saw him writing with his left hand. She was a nun, like just about every DESIGN EDITOR
Catholic school teacher then, and her vow of lifetime service to God included draping herself each Natalie Reidford
day in a black habit that nearly dragged the floor of a stifling September classroom. (812) 568-8991
Maybe thats why she was so severe.
In any case, she reached into her habit my parents swear the nuns had a perpetual stock ADVERTISING SALES
of supplies in there and pulled out a steel-edge ruler. She handed the ruler to the girl sitting Kelli Nidey
behind Dad and said, Nancy, if you see Donnie using his left hand, hit him with this.
(812) 254-0480, Ext. 116
Nancy had her work cut out for her.
Dad who at once had the greatest respect for his teacher, and the unflinching resolve that GRAPHIC ARTIST
he was not about to become right-handed just because someone said so carried on. Im sure he
Alice Schwartz
went home from school many days with sliced knuckles, but no matter.
Last fall, my mom and I went to a craft fair. As I browsed the merchandise at one of the
PHOTOGRAPHY
booths, Mom clutched my elbow and led me a few feet away.
Thats Nancy, she said. Dubois County Visitors Center
Who? I asked. Greg Eckerle
The woman selling at this booth is the one who whacked your dad with a ruler. Huntingburg Chamber of
My eyes widened. No further explanation was needed; the story is the stuff of legend in our Commerce
family. Joy Neighbors
We approached the booth again. Mom, also a schoolmate, introduced herself to Nancy. After
Kelli Nidey
a few minutes of small talk, Mom asked, Do you remember and leaned closer to whisper
something. WRITERS
Nancys hand flew to her mouth. Oh, my, she said. What a way to be remembered!
Greg Eckerle
Well, no one had held any grudges, and it certainly wasnt Nancys fault she was in charge of
ruler-slapping. But my dad IS left handed, not WAS. In spite of the bloody knuckles, he didnt Mike Gingerich
change. Todd Lancaster
The same grit has served him well in the 62 years since second grade. But the right kind of Joy Neighbors
determination leaves room for forgiveness. And, if were lucky, time softens the edges of the past Bernie Schmit
and heals a few open wounds. Dr. Neil Sweigart
Wayne Thomann
Tom Yoder

Natalie Reidford SUBSCRIPTIONS

Editor Boomer is published six
times a year, serving the Knox
County area. The subscription
price of $25 per year can
be mailed to P.O. Box 471,
Washington, IN 47501.

BOOMER z SEPTEMBER 2017 | 3

contents SEPTEMBER 2017 | Vol. 4, Issue 3

3 EDITORS DESK 20 TECH TALK

Writing with sore knuckles Outstand helps with prospects
By Natalie Reidford By Mike Gingerich

6 FORTY YEARS OF 21 BOOMER 1040

PARADISE Understand your Social Security
Paul and Debbie Stenftenagels retirement benefits
Western store finds good By Wayne Thomann

6 customer base in Ferdinand

By Greg Eckerle
Photo by Greg Eckerle
10 THE SONIC BOOMER
Advice for college
whippersnappers
By Todd Lancaster
11 BOOMER TOYS,
TRAPPINGS AND
TRIVIA
Lincoln Logs and radio car
22 HAVING FUN AND
GETTING THINGS DONE
Festivals, construction and
development around Dubois
County
24 THE DIRT ON
GARDENING
Consider more than species
when planting trees, shrubs
By Tom Yoder

22 telephones
By Todd Lancaster 25 BOOMER HEALTH
Photo courtesy of Huntingburg Chamber of Commerce
Let food be your medicine:
12 DAY TRIPPER Part 2
Spirits gather at New Harmony By Dr. Neil Sweigart
By Joy Neighbors
26 BOOMER
14 RIDING THE DREAM CONNOISSEUR
Andy and Leslie Ruppel The sweet history of mead
helps customers match their By Joy Neighbors
aspirations to their rides
By Greg Eckerle
26 17 COLD WEATHER RIDING
Photo by Joy Neighbors TIPS FOR BIKERS
Layer up and watch for hazards
Courtesy of MCC

18 YEAH, IM A BOOMER,
BUT ...
A note on self-reliance, youth
and culture
By Bernie Schmitt

19 CALENDAR
17 Wynonna Judd concert, ON THE COVER
Fall Harvest Days, Holland Andy and Leslie Ruppel on a Honda
Photo courtesy of MCC
Community Festival
trike in their showroom. | Photo by Greg Eckerle
4 | SEPTEMBER 2017 z BOOMER
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 Photo courtesy of Horsemans Paradise
Facebook page

Photo by Greg Eckerle Photo courtesy of Horsemans Paradise Facebook page

Clockwise from left: Paul Stenftenagel with a saddle he restored in the Horsemans Paradise Western Store in Ferdinand; a sign outside
the store; and Paul Stenftenagel on horseback years ago.

FORTY YEARS OF PARADISE

Paul and Debbie Stenftenagels Western store
finds good customer base in Ferdinand
By Greg Eckerle
WHEN PAUL AND Debbie Stenftenagel
opened the Horsemans Paradise Western
Store in Ferdinand in 1978, they heard the
skepticism: Do you really think there are
enough horse people in the area for this?
Now what Deb is most proud of is, as she
said, We made it 40 years when people said
we wouldnt make it at all.
She admits she was probably
6 | SEPTEMBER 2017 z BOOMER
optimistically nave in the beginning. She
kept thinking about what her late father,
Hank Brahm, had told her. She describes
him as an entrepreneur deluxe who was
successful at all sorts of businesses. She asked
him once what his secret was, and he simply
replied, I keep trying; you only have to win
51 percent of the time.
So Paul and Deb kept at it, even when they
got off to a rough start. It was Pauls idea to
start the store. They both loved horses. Deb,
a 1970 St. Ferdinand High School graduate,
had grown up riding the horses and ponies
that grazed outside her family home. She was
well aware of how inconvenient it was to find
horse supplies the nearest store was in
Boonville.
Paul, a 1970 Jasper High School graduate,
had heard of a tack shop in Marengo for
sale. They bought the inventory horse
equipment that included saddles, halters and
bridles. But it turned out to be junk, so they
sold it for about half of their investment,
and firmly decided to buy only good quality
products from then on.
Once they opened, they realized there
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Deb Stenftenagel by a saddle in the Horsemans Paradise store.
| Photo by Greg Eckerle
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was a demand for tack. And quickly learned people dearly wanted
3 24/7 Convenience
something else, too boots.
We were just going to be a tack shop, says Deb. We didnt really
expect to go into the western wear business. But right away people
wanted to know if we were going to have boots.
Friendly,
Their initial order of boots sold out within a week. And then came local staff
another nice surprise, the release of the movie Urban Cowboy in 1980,
starring John Travolta, Debra Winger, a mechanical bull, and cowboy making local
hats, feather bands, belts, shirts, and boots galore.
That movie was probably the sweetest little blessing to this store,
decisions
says Deb. Business just went crazy. It changed mentalities. We actually
sold enough feather bands to pay our overhead every month. I think
the movie jump-started everything. Business went boom, boom, boom.
It was great, and unexpected, because we really thought we were just
going to have a little tack shop.
The Stenftenagels moved the store in 1987 to its current location at
Stop by the Jasper Service Center at
1865 Main St. in the Country Plaza in northern Ferdinand. Paul and 3010 Newton Street,
Deb were married for 25 years, but remain co-owners. give us a call at 800-865-2612,
Besides selling boots, hats, belts, saddles and tack, the store offers a or visit us online at hoosierhills.com
wide variety of horse supplies, from saddle soap to horse lice duster to
hoof dressing. Paul also has a workshop in back where he does leather
work and repair, including making custom gun holsters and nursing
beaten-up saddles back to life.
Hes always been talented in creating things, working with leather,
wood, or metal. He built wooden shelves for the store.
I just kind of taught myself, says Paul. People describe what they
want, I make the patterns, and come up with the finished product.
Almost always theyre happy, because they cant get this done too many
places. Your savings federally insured by NCUA. Equal Housing Lender.
Hes made knife sheaths, powder horns, cell phone cases, 444
BOOMER z SEPTEMBER 2017 | 7
 Paul Stenftenagel hammers in a rivet on a gun holster he is working on for a
customer. | Photo by Greg Eckerle
new straps for an accordion and a leather
belt for an old sewing machine. He made an
expensive restoration of a dilapidated saddle
a lady had been given by her dad as a child
that so pleased her that she broke into tears.
Paul doesnt advertise his workshop
offerings. I dont make a lot of money on it,
but its enjoyable. Regarding the business,
Paul most likes being able to help people
find what they need, or fixing something
they have that they cant get fixed some-
where else.
The Stenftenagel philosophy is to offer
people only good quality products. They
dont want to cause any problems for the
customer because many of them come from
so far away. Their average customer base is
8 | SEPTEMBER 2017 z BOOMER
within a 120-mile radius, with some coming
in from Missouri, Illinois and Ohio.
Another surprise is how well the store
has weathered recessions except for the
last one. Deb said people would typically ask
about the business during recessions.
It was funny, but we were doing great,
she says. People couldnt afford homes, cars,
or boats, so they were buying boots and
belts. Our biggest booms, besides the Urban
Cowboy movie, were times of recession. Weve
been blessed. Were happy to live the simple
life. I dont know that we ever worried about
making it, because we know how to tighten
our belt.
Deb says there are still a lot of horse
riders in the area, although she doesnt ride
anymore because of a balky knee, and Paul
has taken a break after burying a favorite
horse. Their daughter, Jami Olinger, was a
champion rider in her early years.
Deb also points out how many area people
wear boots, even as dress footwear, including
bankers. A lot of people wear cowboy hats
for practical reasons, such as protection from
skin cancer. And she notes a good leather belt
can last for 10 to 15 years.
This is a good place for a Western store
because Germans want what they pay for,
she says. Internet sales have affected them
a bit, but Deb chuckles when saying some
people have brought in internet purchases for
them to fix.
The most fun about the business for Deb
is customers who are honest and hard-work-
ing, who are as concerned with us being OK
as with them being OK.
When growing up, Deb always knew she
wanted to follow in her dads footsteps as a
businessperson. She laughs when recalling
Deb Stenftenagel in the boot section of the Horsemans Paradise store. | Photo by Greg Eckerle
how her dad discovered she had squirreled
away some cash at age 16. It bugged him for
what they did. Although both are near retirement age,
her to have that cash just sitting around, so
he found a mobile home she could manage as Deb derives the most satisfaction from they have no immediate plans. I dont really
a rental property. customers who are proud of their purchases. want to retire, says Paul. He still enjoys it too
College wasnt in the cards, because I She remembers only three customers being much. They both still love working with and
watched my mom and dad. My dad taught irritated with the store in 40 years. And Paul helping customers.
me to just keep trying, and mom taught me recalls but one complaint about his shop Customers constantly tell us, Were sure
how to manage money. So I was going to do work in the last 25 years. glad youre still here.

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BOOMER z SEPTEMBER 2017 | 9
 the sonic
boomer
ADVICE FOR COLLEGE WHIPPERSNAPPERS
I just dropped my second child off at college, and let me
say things have changed on campus in the last 35 years.
By Todd Lancaster
The biggest change is they really dont live
in dorm rooms. They live in the 3-inch screen
that dictates every aspect of their lives.
So as I sit on the cyber-porch and yell at
the cyber-hooligans in my cyber-yard, I think
I have earned the right to yammer on about all
that is right and wrong with the current crop
of cyber whippersnappers.
Although people have been erroneously
reporting the upcoming end-of-days, since the
beginning-of-days, I am sad toreport that they
dont make college kids like they used to. So bring
on the end times (and a kegger to celebrate).
Todays freshmen have access to all of the
information ever known to man right in their
pockets, yet they dont know the first thing
about the incredible freedom and opportuni-
ties about to come their way.
So, here are just a few thoughts that
mighthelp our youth find their way to that
bachelors degree without a GPS device.
First and foremost is a public service mes-
sage: Dont drink the punch. This is especially
important for young women. If it doesnt have
a cap on it or you dont see it come out of a
keg dont drink it. I lived in a fraternity
house for three years and I know what horrible
concoctions go into those horrible concoctions.
Hairy Buffaloes? I only wish that
hair and buffalo were actual ingredients.
I would feel safer. There is norecipe on
10 | SEPTEMBER 2017 z BOOMER
earth that includes 190-proof Everclear
and grape Kool-Aid,where 12 hours later
you are going to wake up and say, Well,
that certainly had a positive impact on my
life.There is a reason that asof 2015, the
sale of 190-proof Everclearis prohibited in
California, Florida, Maine, Massachusetts,
Hawaii, Iowa, Michigan, New York, Nevada,
Ohio, Washington, North Carolina, New
I understand todays college
students are now genetically
attached to their phones. However,
phones and cyber-life tend to
isolate, so GO OUTSIDE ANDTALK
TO PEOPLE.
Hampshire and Minnesota.
I understand todays college students are
now genetically attached to their phones. It is
their whole life and thatis not going to change.
Whether we understand the need to stare
at a 3-inch screen and demand it entertain
us24/7 is not going to change just because
they now live in a dirty dorm roominstead
of a dirty bedroom. However, phones and
cyber-life tends to isolate, so GO OUTSIDE
ANDTALK TO PEOPLE.
I remembersitting with about 40 people
in a dorm lounge watching the final episode of
M*A*S*H during freshman year in1983, or
having 12 people in my room after dinner to
watch Star Trek every night because I had one of
the few color TVs. It was how we communicat-
ed; we simply turned in the direction of the other
person and words came out of our mouths.
We played softball, drank beer, studied
together, ate pizza and generally learned to
deal with people with whom we had very little
in common. We anticipatedgreat adventures
for after college, and planned for futures that
never included water softeners going bad, lawn
mowers that wouldnt start or fixer-uppers that
includeda colony ofbrown recluses in the attic.
Here is another free piece of advice
forAmericas Next Top Student: If you have
a professor with a diametrically opposing
political view, smile at him, listen to everything
he says, answer the questions exactly as he
wants you to, get your grade and move on.
Then roast him during the end-of-class survey.
There is very little that actually goes from the
classroom to the workplace anyway. Employers
will teach you exactly how they want things
done. If you think your new employer needs a
good laugh, just say tothem, But thats not how
they told us to do it in college!
College is rarely a place where one simply
accumulates knowledge. It is where one learns
how to process knowledge, deal with deadlines,
challenge expectations, anticipate changes,
and most importantly, understand you are not
unique or special, regardless of what every other
human caretaker has told you your entire life.
So to my young son, who right now is
trying to flap the dew off his neophyte wings,
I suggest you put a little Grateful Dead on the
boom box, take it and aFrisbee outside, throw
it and see who ends up on the other end of it.
It beats the heck out of spending $25,000
to stare at a phone for four years.
So make a few bad choices and disappoint
your parents a little. After all, thats what they
did at college ... and Grandma will tell you,
they have it coming.
Follow Todd Lancaster on Twitter @
blasterdog
Boomer Toys,
Trappings & Trivia By Todd Lancaster

Lincoln Logs is a beloved childrens

toy consisting of notched miniature
logs, used to build small forts and
buildings. They were invented by
John Lloyd Wright, second son of the
architect Frank Lloyd Wright. The toy
was based on the architecture of the
Imperial Hotel in Tokyo, designed by
the inventors father. The foundation
of the hotel was designed with
interlocking log beams, which made
the structure earthquake-proof.

In the early 1990s, a short film of

a supposed alien autopsy was
aired on Fox Network after which Not only did New York Yankee and
several other news outlets picked New York Giants fans live in the same
up the story as well. It wasnt until neighborhoods, it was only an eight-
more than 15 years later that the minute walk from home plate to home
producer came forward to admit plate, as they were only 700 yards apart
that it was fake. He still maintains,
as the crow flies. Make baseball great
however, that it was based on real
again.
footage. Hard to believe anything
fake has ever been on Fox.

What was the creepiest

thing about being a
dead James Brown?
Having your ex-wife
keep your corpse in
the living room for Did you know that in 1964,

nearly three months more than 1.5 million cars had

(she said she turned
radio telephones installed?
the air conditioner
down to 58) or having There were no cell networks,

Michael Jackson stick so radio antennas were used.

his tongue in your
The amount of energy used
ear? Makes cremation
would dim the headlights
look pretty good,
doesnt it? when the phone was engaged.

BOOMER z SEPTEMBER 2017 | 11

 day tripper
Spirits gather at New Harmony
On this brilliantly hued late summer day, the last thing most people
are thinking about are ghosts, but for author and paranormal
researcher Joni Mayhan, the spirit world is always close. By Joy Neighbors
MAYHAN, A RECENT transplant to
Indiana, began researching the paranormal
a few years ago. It was about five years ago
when I had my first incident where I knew
I was sensitive, a clairaudient, Mayhan
said. That means that I can pinpoint where
a ghost is by the sound. I didnt begin to
embrace these skills until I was in my 40s and
Id had a lot of help dealing with these abilities
from other people who are also prone to
being sensitive (someone who perceives more
information on a dee1per level).
In 2011, Mayhan experienced an evil
paranormal attachment. It took her a couple of
years, but she decided to write a book about it.
I wrote my first book in 2012, but it
was fiction. It wasnt until 2013 that I began
to write about what Id experienced in the
paranormal. The incident I wrote about in the
book The Soul Collector is what happened in
2011, but I decided not to talk about it, not to
think about it for a while.
When I began to describe the experience,
people told me that they had had similar
things happen, so I kept writing. I now have
10 paranormal books published.
Mayhans latest book came out this month
and is called (appropriately enough), Haunted
New Harmony. All of Mayhans books are
available on Amazon, at BarnesandNoble.com
or her web page, www.JoniMayhan.com.
Mayhan moved from Massachusetts to
New Harmony about a year ago.
I grew up near here and my grandparents
lived here, so I knew New Harmony, Mayhan
explained. I felt drawn here, and Im intrigued
by the towns past.
And New Harmony is a village rich in
history.
History of the Harmonists
The first settlers in this area were members
of the Harmonie Society. Composed of 800
German Lutheran immigrants who were
followers of Father Johann Georg Rapp,
these men and women built more than 160
Background: The Fauntleroy House, left, and Community House No. 2, haunted locations in New Harmony, Indiana. |
12 | SEPTEMBER 2017 z BOOMER
buildings, including a church and graveyard,
school, cotton mill, grain mills, sawmills,
tanneries, a winery, a brewery and dormitories.
Also known as Rappites, the religious
group believed in a literal interpertation of
the Bible and sought Christian perfection by
practicing celibacy while living highly ordered,
productive lives.
New Harmonie was Rapps second utopian
community. The first was called Harmonie
and was located in Pennsylvania, but was
abandoned when the group outgrew it.
Looking for a better climate, they moved to
the Wabash River region, purchased 20,000
acres of land and formed New Harmonie.
The Harmonists lived here from 1814 to
1824 when they returned to Pennsylvania
to form a third town. The group sold the
self-sufficient community to Robert Owen.
Owens New Society
In 1825, Owen sought to create a new
moral social utopia where the Harmonists had
lived, one that stressed education and social
equality while shunning marriage and religion.
Members of his New Society were called
Owenites.
More than 700 people came to live in this
community, accommodating some of the best
minds in science and education. Thats why the
area became known as the Athens of the West.
Although the community lasted only a cou-
ple of years, it established the first free school
system in America and created a new concept
HAUNTED NEW HARMONY
INVESTIGATION
Dates: Sept. 23, Oct. 21, Oct. 28
Time: 6 p.m. - midnight
Cost: $50 per person
Bring: Flashlight , open mind
Purchase tickets at www.
HauntedNewHarmony.com
Community House No. 2 was used as a
dormitory and school for the utopian
communities who lived in New Harmony.
called kindergarten. The group completely
disbanded in 1829 due to a lack of money.
By 1840, several people had moved into
what remained of New Harmony, purchasing
homes left by the two groups and beginning
the town anew. But one family stood out and
would have an impact on New Harmony for
decades to come the Fauntleroys.
Most Haunted House in Town
The Fauntleroy Home was built around
1820 as a Harmonist house for the Franz
Pheil family. (You can tell a Harmonist home
because the main door is placed on the side of
the home. This was done to cut down on dust
from the street, and to encourage visitors to
admire the familys garden leading up to the
entrance.)
It became known as the Fauntleroy Home
when Robert Henry Fauntleroy, his wife Jane and
their four children, Constance, Ellinor, Edward
and Arthur, moved into the home in 1841.
In 1859, Constance formed The Minerva
Society, one of the earliest womens literary
clubs in America. The group was one of the
first womens associations governed with a
written constitution and by-laws.
Clubs like this offered educational and cul-
tural pursuits to improve the domestic lives of
women. Ladies would meet every two weeks,
attend to club business and listen as a member
read her paper about a literary subject, which
the group would then discuss while enjoying
refreshments. Members of such clubs were
held in high esteem by their communities.
The home remained in the family until
Mary Emily Fauntleroy, a distant cousin, sold
it to the Indiana Federation of Clubs in 1925
as a memorial to the Minerva Society.
In 1939, the home was given to the State of
Photos by Joy Neighbors
Indiana to be preserved as a historical site. The
Fauntleroy Home later became the first house
on the New Harmony Historical Tour.
Just before the towns bicentennial, the state
of Indiana completely renovated and refur-
bished the home to look as it did during the
late 1850s-1860s when the Minerva Society
met there.
This was the first major restoration
undertaken here and that could be what has
triggered the return of paranormal activity,
Mayhan said.
But hauntings here are not new. The first
documented tale was reported by Caroline
Neef Owen, a relative of Jane Fauntleroy, who
said that she passed the ghost of the house, an
elderly woman, on the stairs one evening.
This is the most haunted house in New
Harmony, Mayhan reported. Tour guides
report being pushed down stairs, and hearing
voices and footsteps on the second floor.
Doors open and close when no ones near,
and the security alarm manages to turn itself
on and off especially when were doing an
investigation in the house. One local resident
reports hearing piano music late at night,
and there isnt a piano there. I can sense the
spirit of an older lady and also a younger
man. When the state took over the house, it
removed much of Mary Emilys artifacts and
she doesnt appear happy with the changes,
Mayhan said.
Community House No. 2
Another haunted structure from the
utopian period is Community House No.
2. This building was constructed in 1822 by
the Harmonists and used as a dormitory for
members. When the Owenites took over, the
building functioned as a school with living
quarters for teachers and students on the
second and third floors.
Since then, the building has housed a hotel,
cigar factory, hardware store, print shop and
tearoom. The state of Indiana purchased the
structure in 1940.
The building was renovated in 2012,
complete with archaeological excavations in
the backyard that unearthed artifacts from
the Harmonist period, and some random
tombstones. (Theres nothing like remodeling
to stir up the past.)
This location is haunted, but its more sub-
dued than the Fauntleroy Home, explained
Mayhan. You can hear voices when no one is
around, doors slam, and windows on the third
floor open. Full-bodied apparitions have also
been seen here.
Its rumored that a man committed suicide
here due to financial problems during the
Owen period, Mayhan said. He had written
and asked that funds be sent so he could pay
his debts. When financial assistance didnt
arrive, the man lost all hope and hung himself.
Later it was discovered that the funds had
been sent, but the letter had fallen off the post
office counter and wasnt discovered until it
was too late. Its thought that he is one of the
spirits that haunts this building.
But just about every building here has at
least one resident ghost; gently haunted is
what Mayhan calls it.
The Red Geranium Restaurant is full
of paranormal activity, Mayhan said. In the
entry room, you can hear people walking
around upstairs, but there isnt a second floor.
Shadows move across the walls of empty
rooms and cold breezes waft through the
restaurant as if someone has just rushed past.
There have also been reports of three
apparitions that can be seen in the building, a
man and two women.
Another very haunted structure is the
Ribeyre Gymnasium.
That was the building where the town laid
out 52 people who died in the 1925 tornado,
Mayhan explained. And people will linger
where they died suddenly.
Mayhan went on to point out several
haunted buildings as we toured the town in
her golf cart, the preferred mode of village
transportation.
The Rapp-Owen Granary housed men
on one side and women on the other during
the Harmonist movement, and its haunted.
Music, footsteps and crowd noises can be
heard in the building when no one is there.
And several of the shops are haunted. Even
our library in the Working Mens Institute
has a ghost or two. There are at least a dozen
houses that have spirits residing in them,
and even more that people wont talk about,
Mayhan said.
So why is New Harmony such a spirited
little town?
It could be due, in part, to the Harmonists
and the Owens communities, Mayhan said.
They were radically different in their beliefs
and that might be influencing some of it.
Also, the proximity of the river flowing
Joni Mayhan studies paranormal activity.
water creates a natural source of electro-
magnetic energy (EMF), which makes it easier
for spirits to manifest.
New Harmony is just a naturally haunted
town, Mayhan said. These are spirits that
dont want to leave. I am trying to trace them
down in history to discover who they were
and why they stay here.
Investigations
Mayhan has slowly learned to embrace her
skills with the paranormal and just recently
decided to offer investigations to people who
would like to learn more about whats out
there. This fall, shes offering the opportunity
to accompany her and another investigator on
actual paranormal investigations.
These are real investigations, not tours,
Mayhan stresses, so we limit the evening to 20
people. We take our equipment, spirit boxes,
digital recorders and such, and divide into two
groups.
The investigation begins at 6 p.m. with a
presentation and discussion about the evening,
and goes until midnight. We investigate
two locations, the Fauntleroy Home and
Community House No. 2. You do not have to
have any paranormal experience to attend, but
if you do, please tell us. We also have a psychic
medium that works with us, and we end the
evening with a chance to wind down and
discuss what weve seen and heard.
Mayhan is at home in New Harmony,
ghosts and all. When asked if she will ever tire
of ghost hunting in this little community, she
shook her head and replied, Nope, Im here
forever.
BOOMER z SEPTEMBER 2017 | 13
Leslie and Andy Ruppel on a high-end German-built rewaco trike that lists for $37,990. In front is their dog, Hoss. | Photos by Greg Eckerle
Andy and Leslie Ruppel help customers
match their aspirations to their rides
By Greg Eckerle
ANDY RUPPEL, OWNER and president of
AJ Cycle and Trike Conversions in Jasper,
loves how a motorcycle ride immerses him
in the environment. He loves riding by
cornfields, or in the cool shade of a forest,
watching scenery disappear behind him in
the mirror, and eagerly anticipating another
adventure waiting beyond the next curve.
But he might love even more helping
you to enjoy the same experience. And he
definitely loves it when his customers come
back to the store and they swap stories from
the road.
Long ago, Andy and a former co-owner
created the firms slogan: Dream Your Ride
Ride Your Dream. Andy and his wife of
14 | SEPTEMBER 2017 z BOOMER
24 years, Leslie, work the store along with
four employees, and they do everything in
their power to make that motto come true
for their customers. The words are almost
everywhere one turns at their business at
30 Indiana St. on Jaspers southwest side
theyre emblazoned on the welcome mat
inside the front door, on their business cards,
their website at www.ajcycle.net, and on
plenty of their trikes for sale.
Dream Your Ride Ride Your
Dream
As Andy explains the slogan, One has to
dream it first of what they want to do with
a motorcycle or a trike. Maybe the vision is
I have my trailer on back, my lady with me,
and were going to the Grand Canyon, or the
Redwoods, or the beach, or the mountains.
We ask people, What do you want to do
with this bike? And we help people realize
that dream. We try to match the customer to
the right motorcycle. Theyre going to ride the
dream when we get done.
Besides selling new and used machines,
the shop does service and repair work and
is a certified trike builder. They can install a
trike conversion on your motorcycle, built to
your specifications.
Many of the stores customers are at
retirement age, with the notion that theyve
earned the thrill of finally getting a trike to
take to the road. Some lament that they
should have converted their motorcycle to a
trike years ago.
The store specializes in offering touring
bikes, drawing in customers from 250 miles
away. What makes us unique is we have a
lot of trikes, says Andy. Most dealerships
 We try to match the
customer to the right
motorcycle. Theyre
going to ride the
dream when we get
done.
Andy Ruppel

have a couple, but its not what they specialize

in. What allows us to is were not locked
into a franchise. We can devote resources to
trikes. We have Goldwings, Harleys, BMWs,
Yamahas. And were broad in the machines
we service. We dont care where you bought
it, we will work on it for you. Many of their
trike buyers are boomers, who rode bikes in
their youth and are ready to go at it again
now that their children are on their own.
Leslie, whos been riding motorcycles
with Andy for 31 years, provides 444

Andy Ruppel with one of the many

pieces of motorcycle memorabilia in his
office a sailor and his girlfriend on a
Harley.

Bestway Express offers...

Stable & Predictable work environment
Weekly Paycheck
Two Monthly Driving Bonuses
DOT Inspection Bonuses
Referral Bonuses
Paid Vacation
$100 for Layovers
$15 an hour for detentions
401K/Profit Sharing
Insurance Benefits-Health/Vision/Dental/
Prescription Care
Free Life Insurance
Requirements:
CDL/Class A
Must be 23 years of age and have 1 year
experience

BOOMER z SEPTEMBER 2017 | 15


Andy Ruppel by a gas tank given to him by an employee to commemorate the day,
Oct. 26, 2015, he became sole owner of AJ Cycle and Trike Conversions in Jasper.
Ironically, Andy had previously owned the gas tank, which he identified by a dent in
the side.
the female perspective for customers. I
love being here with Andy, she says. I love
talking to the ladies, encouraging them
that they can drive and ride bikes, and how
enjoyable it is. A lot dont know what they
need, so I show them things that will make
them more comfortable for the long haul.
Andy knows Leslie can talk to the ladies in
ways that he cant, that she can help them be
comfortable as both a driver and a passenger.
Together they can talk to customers and
help them pick accessories, from helmets and
headsets to riding gear, heated apparel and
rainsuits.
Bitten early by the riding bug
Leslie is from Union County, Kentucky,
where Andy graduated from high school in
1983. Leslie recalls riding on a motorcycle
with her dad at age 6, while Andy rode his
older brothers minibike in the alley by their
Vincennes home.
That little minibike put the bug in me,
says Andy. My hobby turned into my career.
16 | SEPTEMBER 2017 z BOOMER
I wanted to pursue my passion, which was
motorcycles. Im naturally mechanically
inclined, so I wanted certification.
So after working in a machine shop
for a while, Andy took a motorcycle trip
to California, then returned to attend the
prestigious American Motorcycle Institute
in Florida in 1988. He learned about the
machines so well that he graduated as
valedictorian of his 40-member class.
On his way back to his parents house
in Pike County, he stopped at a Yamaha
motorcycle shop in Jasper looking for a job.
The business happened to need a mechanic
and hired him on the spot. Incredibly, about
a year later he became a part-owner, as one
partner sold his share to Andy and the other
co-owner.
Andys goal of building a reputation as
a top mechanic and owning a store had
been quickly realized. Ironically, hes still
with the same business today, although they
dropped franchises along the way, moved to
different locations and changed the firms
name. Another partner arrived in 2006,
but by 2015 Andy was the sole owner. Hes
knee-deep in motorcycles every day and loves
every minute.
Ive borrowed a lot of money for
expansions, and theres always apprehensions,
but Ive always had that feeling that Im going
to succeed. I really enjoy what Im doing.
Thats part of what will make somebody
successful. I like the people were involved
with that ride motorcycles. I love talking to
them.
Sharing stories
The talks are naturally full of road stories.
The flat tire. Running out of gas. A blown
engine. The rainstorm that forced you to
hide out in a car wash. The smell of that
hog farm. Waving to oncoming cars while
driving in zero temperatures, knowing people
are saying, look at that crazy guy smiling on
that motorcycle. Pulling up to a fast-food
drive-through with frost caked on your
beard. Taking 20 minutes to start a kick-start
bike for a two-minute ride. Theyre all part of
the adventure that becomes laughable later.
Some customers come back just to visit,
to have a cup of coffee, to show off pictures
of their grandkids, or to share photos of their
trike trip to Alaska, California, or wherever.
One couple from Kentucky adjusted their
route to Idaho so they could say hello.
Thats cool, thats what we like about our
customers, says Andy. We really enjoy being
involved with the people.
Some that live 200 miles away come to get
their oil changed, partly because its an excuse
to take a ride, and they like the camaraderie.
The shop performs a load of maintenance
work. Sometimes a customer will come in
and announce, I want to buy that blue trike,
but I need to know how to ride it. So Andy
teaches them. Hell take the time necessary
until they are comfortable.
The shop has been a Top 10 dealer for
Motortrike for several years, including a
stretch where it was number one for four
years in a row.
Andy and Leslie still love to ride, mostly
on trikes these days. A weekend jaunt could
find them riding several hundred miles just
for the heck of it. They also belong to a
ride and dine group that will venture out in
the evenings to area restaurants. Seeing the
scenic countryside, discovering some obscure
sight, and just plain socializing are attractions
that never grow old.
But in the end, Andy is most proud of just
helping others to live their dream. I just like
people that ride motorcycles, and being able
to help people do that all these years.
COLD WEATHER RIDING TIPS FOR BIKERS
Courtesy of MCC
THE ARRIVAL OF cooler
temperatures means motorcycle
enthusiasts should have a
plan in place for their vehicles.
Although fall sees many riders
pack their bikes into the garage
to wait out the winter, many
others see no reason to quit
the great outdoors just because
colder weather is on the way.
No matter which path
riders take and when they take
it, preparation is essential when
riding motorcycles. Here are a
few pointers for riders to consider
once the leaves have started to
change color.
Layer up
Layering clothing is a key
component of riding a motor-
cycle in colder temperatures.
Many people are not very active
on the back of a bike, so they
will not generate enough heat
on their own. Layering clothing
will take the bite out of frosty
winds and any precipitation that
happens to be falling.
Layer clothing so that you
will feel comfortable, maybe
even a bit warm when you are
just standing around outdoors.
A first layer of thermal or fleece
is a good idea. Then layer other
materials as needed for comfort.
Just do not wear so many layers
that your mobility is compro-
mised. If layers are not keeping
you warm enough, invest in
heated clothing.
The outermost layer you
wear should be weather- and
wind-resistant. Wind chill can
quickly sap your energy and cut
your ride considerably. Leather
clothing will fit the bill in most
cases, but a rain suit or some
other waterproof material also
may be necessary at times.
Leaves
Leaves can be a significant
hazard to riders in the fall.
Damp leaves can make a slip-
pery mess of roads, particularly
on turns and curves.
Avoid all piles of leaves, as
you do not know what may be
hiding beneath them. Consider
wet leaves as dangerous as black
ice, as soggy leaves can be just as
slippery.
Salt and sand
Road maintenance crews will
use sand and salt to keep roads
clear when snow and ice forms.
Avoid riding on salty roads
because the salt can corrode
chrome and paint. If you choose
to do any winter riding, apply
a coat of wax to all parts of the
motorcycle before going for a
ride. This will help protect it
and enable any salt to be easily
wiped off after riding.
BOOMER z SEPTEMBER 2017 | 17
Standing water
If it rains or snows lightly
after an extended period of
dryness, oils in the road can
come to the surface, making
roads quite slick. In addition,
stay on the lookout for puddles
and other standing water. While
motorcycle tires are good for
displacing water, they still can
hydroplane. Stay focused when
riding on wet surfaces.
Foraging animals
One potential hazard riders
may not consider is wildlife.
Harvested crops reduce easy
food sources, and animals may
be on the move looking for food.
Deer can be pushed out of fields
by hunters. A collision with a
deer can damage a car, never
mind a motorcycle. Always use
caution in rural areas, particu-
larly at dawn and dusk.
Winterizing
If you choose to store your
bike when the weather starts
to get cold, remember to put a
fuel stabilizer in the tank, fill
the tank with gas and hook the
battery up to a battery tender.
This will ensure the bike is
ready to hit the road when the
temperatures warm up.
yeah, Im a
boomer, but...
A note on self-reliance,
youth and culture
Have you seen that Liberty Mutual Insurance
commercial where a couple of teenagers are
stuck trying to change a flat tire? By Bernie Schmitt
PART OF THE message viewers get are
of teenagers who dont know what a lug
wrench is, not to mention how to use it.
With this brand of insurance company, the
ad promotes, these poor, clueless teens wont
have to worry about something as mundane
as changing a flat tire.
Its a good thing we knew what a lug
wrench was in 1975. Otherwise wed never
have gotten the spare tire (yes, a real spare
tire, not a freaking donut) on my friends 1966
Chevy Impala, and we would have been stuck
on a narrow gravel road 4 miles out in the dark
countryside.
One of the first things teenagers used to
learn, even as they were learning to drive, was
how to change a cars tire. Figuring out how to
make an old beater run was a prerequisite for
inheriting the drivers seat.
Those were the days of adventure! We
didnt have smart phones; we had to figure
out how to remedy our situation or we would
have had one heck of a hike. The idea to call
for a ride home even if we could find a pay
phone was foreign to us.
But then, we also walked 10 blocks to
elementary school (this is true but it wasnt
uphill), in every season. We wore galoshes, and
ugly rubber raincoats, and stocking caps and
woolen mittens, and there wasnt a big line of
SUVs in front of the school waiting to taxi us
home. Society was safer then.
In reminiscing about my youth, Im fond of
the idea that a lot of us were independent. The
thing is, we were independent because we had
to be. No one took us to the movies, or the
library or to ballgames. We got there by either
walking, riding our bikes or, when we were
teens, with a little help from our friends.
I learned how to drive a tractor when I was
11 years old. It wasnt much, just a slow, steady
pace between the rows of hay or straw my
dad and uncles had to heft onto the wagons,
18 | SEPTEMBER 2017 z BOOMER
but it was something. This didnt make me a
farmer, and it certainly didnt help me develop
any kind of mechanical skill, but it was an
important responsibility.
Such experiences are ones that current U.S.
Senator Ben Sasse of Nebraska advocates in
The Vanishing American Adult: Our Coming-
of-Age Crisis and How to Build a Culture of
Self-Reliance. Sasse believes Americas younger
generations are so overly-protected and less
There are so many other
factors that have influenced
our culture, so many other
changes that have occurred
in, say the last 30 to 40 years,
for one to simply say our
country would be better if
only wed teach our kids to
toughen up.
knowledgeable about the harsh realities of
adult life, and that despite our caring efforts,
we are allowing our youth to maintain a state
of perpetual adolescence.
Sasse believes adolescence should be
the a time to prepare for lifes pressures, not
avoid them. He thinks children should have
chores and tasks that challenge them, and
that they should be trained to know and love
effort. Children should know and learn of
disappointment and suffering, and learn how
to confront them.
Sasse also believes our youth should learn
to see and value their experiences, rather than
treasure the material things they acquire. But
isnt this is an idea we all try to instill in our
offspring? Its something our parents tried to
teach us. Its not new.
While Sasse has a good working thesis, and
makes a number of excellent points, his advice
is partial at best. There are so many other
factors that have influenced our culture, so
many other changes that have occurred in, say
the last 30 to 40 years, for one to simply say
our country would be better if only wed teach
our kids to toughen up.
The Midwestern practicality of the
senators ideas rings true, but he also fails
to address bigger issues that affect U.S.
citizens, and in turn, their children. Things
like disparity in income, race, and religion,
corporate monopolies, and dozens of other
social and political issues have brought us to
where we are today.
He unfairly blames the millennial gen-
eration for this perpetual adolescence, and
perhaps their parents, for cultural factors that
they cannot control. Its easier to do that than
address the truly significant changes that have
dramatically affected our country.
Such well-meaning postulations from a
U.S. senator need to be part of a larger, more
in-depth examination of Americas structural
inequalities and cultural differences, and the
problems that seem to further divide, rather
than unite, us.
Still, the idea that children learn from do-
ing is one to consider. Sasses admonition that
self-control, self-discipline and self-reliance
are the building blocks for virtue is a message
worth sharing. We should all aspire to hard
work, intelligence, discipline and tolerance.
But the best efforts to teach, encourage, and
push our children into this complicated world,
even with Sasses advice, do not guarantee a
cultural shift to yesteryear.
Todays parents are trying to help their
children survive in a modern age that author
Kurt Vonnegut Jr. said is fraught with booby
traps.
And booby traps are what we all need to
address.
A freelance writer and photographer, Bernie
Schmitt also is an assistant professor of
English at Vincennes University. He lives with
his wife, Nancy, and family in Vincennes.
 calendar
SEPT. 15-17
Holland Community Festival
Lakeside Park, intersection of
Hwy. 161 and Meridian St. Events
include Little and Junior Miss
and Mister contest, 5K run/walk,
chili/soup cookoff, tournaments
and games,, chainsaw carving
demonstrations and food.
For more information, visit
hollandindiana.org.
SEPT. 16-17
Schnellville Hometown Fest
and Picnic
Schnellville Community Club, 7742
E. Ellsworth Road. Family festival
to support the Schnellville VFD,
Sacred Heart Catholic Church and
Schnellville Sesquicentennial fund.
Barbecue contest, 4-mile run/
walk, games and activities, beer
garden, raffles and food. For more
information, visit www.facebook.
com/schnellvillesesquicentennial
SEPT. 16
Ferdinand Folk Festival
Ferdinand 18th St. Park, 11:30 a.m. -
6 p.m. Acoustic music on the stage.
Local artists, artisans, farmers and
gardeners will display and sell their
wares. Educational groups and
activities for children also available.
For more information, visit www.
ferdinandfolkfestival.com.
SEPT. 16
Halfway to St. Pattys
Day Irish Road Bowling
Tournament
Ireland Sportsman Club, noon.
Planned by St. Patricks Celebration
Inc. Three categories of four-person
teams: Men, women and co-ed.
Entry forms and more information
are on the website www.stpat.
irelandindiana.com and at Spuds
Food Mart. For more information,
visit Irelands St. Patricks celebration
on Facebook.
SEPT. 21-24
Huntingburg Herbstfest
Huntingburg City Park, 203 S.
Cherry St. Carnival rides, food
and game booths, activities,
parade, beer garden and more.
For more information, visit
huntingburgherbstfest.org.
SEPT. 23
Anderson Woods Sips,
Samples, & Song
Jasper Riverwalk gazebo and
Schaeffer Barn, 2 p.m. - 6 p.m. Food
and wine samples from area restau-
rants and wineries, live entertain-
ment and silent auction. All money
benefits the work of Anderson
Woods. For more information, visit
Anderson Woods Summer Camp
on Facebook.
SEPT. 24
Wynonna Judd concert
Jasper Arts Center, 951 College
Ave., 7:30 p.m. As one half of the
Judds, Wynonna Judd became
one of the most popular and
respected female country stars of
her time. On her own since the
early 90s, her solo records might
stick with Judds-style country-pop
or delve into roots rock, blues,
gospel, adult contemporary pop,
folk, or Southern R&B.
SEPT. 30
Touch-a-Truck Event
Jasper Train Depot, 201 Mill St., 9
a.m. - 11 a.m. Free family-fun event
exploring vehicles of all types and
sizes from the City of Jasper.
SEPT. 30
Kids Day
Downtown Jasper, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Sponsored by the Greater Down-
town Jasper Business Association.
Children in kindergarten 12th
grade will buy, sell or trade their
goods by setting up booths around
the downtown square. Individuals
or groups may participate. For more
information and registration forms,
call Ann Recker at Chocolate Bliss at
812-482-1617.
OCT. 6-7
Historic Huntingburg Fall
Harvest Days
Huntingburg Historic Fourth
Street. Shop through the variety
of stores and enjoy the eateries.
For more information, visit
huntingburgchamber.org.
OCT. 7
Haunted Huntingburg
Huntingburg Historic Fourth
Street, 9 a.m. Get in the Halloween
spirit as a day full of activities
takes place, including the popular
Haunted Huntingburg Blues
Festival. For more information, visit
hauntedhuntingburg.com.
OCT. 7
Cruisin Toward a Cure for PF
Holland Municipal Park, 907 N.
Meridian St., 9 a.m. Proceeds
to fund research through the
Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation.
Car/truck/motorcycle show,
silent auction, 5K walk/run, corn
hole, food and more. General
Information, online donation and
registration is available at www.
becausebreathingmatters.org.
OCT. 8
The Landscapes of Guitar
Jasper Arts Center, 951 College
Ave., 7:30 p.m. Animated paintings
are sung to life as guitar birds fly
over rolling guitar rivers and vivid
guitar worlds in HD. Experience
the harmonies of Simon & Garfun-
kel, the guitars of the Gipsy Kings
and the colors of Van Gogh.
OCT. 15
Fall Harvest Days
Dubois County Museum, 2704 N.
Newton St., 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. Activ-
ities include making apple cider,
turnip kraut and corn husk dolls,
Dutch oven cooking, pony rides,
goat milking, local artisans, model
trains and antique harvesting
equipment.
OCT. 20-22
Rosenvolk German
Medieval Festival
Ferdinand 18th Street Park. More
than 20 acts of music and amuse-
ment. Full-contact jousting, craft
beer, games and activities for all
ages. Renaissance dance classes
taught during the Masquerade Ball
on Saturday evening. For more infor-
mation, visit www.Rosenvolk.com.
OCT. 21-22
Harvest Home Arts and
Crafts Festival
Dubois County Park / 4-H
Fairgrounds, 4157 Highway
162, Huntingburg. Featuring
250 booths of hand-crafted
merchandise. For more
information, call 812.630.6218 or
visit 4RiversArtsAndCrafts.com.
OCT. 21
Model Train Show and
Swap Meet
Dubois County Museum, 2704 N.
Newton St., 10 a.m. 4 p.m. Buy
or sell train cars, sets, toys and
accessories at Dubois County
Museum. Free parking. Hot
dogs, chips and soda available.
For more information, call Fred
Williams at 812-793-5400 or visit
BOOMER z SEPTEMBER 2017 | 19
jaspertrainshow@outlook.com.
OCT. 27-28
The Beehive Arts Market
Romy and Clares, 4409 N Porters-
ville Rd. Free event with a relaxed,
casual atmosphere where art
lovers can enjoy and purchase the
wares of local talents.
OCT. 28
Martial Arts and Acrobats of
Tianjin
Jasper Arts Center, 951 College Ave.,
7:30 p.m. One of the best acrobatic
troupes in China with more than 25
acrobats, magical and martial arts
performers. Favored by audiences
all over the world.
NOV. 2-4
A... My Name is Alice
presented by the ACT
Dubois County Museum, 2704
N. Newton St. Sophisticated,
bawdy, funny and insightful, the
20 numbers portray friends, rivals,
sisters and even members of an
all-womens basketball team.
NOV. 9-12
Huntingburg Christmas Stroll
Huntingburg Historic 4th Street.
Experience a Victorian Christmas in
Huntingburgs Downtown Historic
District, home to dozens of spe-
cialty shops and eateries. Carriage
rides, shopping, carolers, photos
with Santa, a lantern launch, and
the ever-popular cookie walk.
NOV. 12
TRI-CAP Mud Slinger Trail Run
Ferdinand State Forest, 6583 E. State
Road 264, Ferdinand, 10 a.m. - 3
p.m. Runners will be offered two
courses: a 3.75 or 13.1 mile run.
Both courses are sure to provide
ups, downs, curves, adventure
and maybe even some mud.
For more information, visit tri-
capmudslingertrailrun.webs.com
NOV. 12
Playing By Air - Juggling and
Comedy
Jasper Arts Center, 951 College
Ave., 3:30 p.m. Featuring an
electrifying display of lights, color,
and motion, engaging characters,
and musical instruments that fly
through the air, this versatile show
draws rave reviews from families,
students and public audiences.
 tech talk
Outstand helps with
prospects
Outstand.com is a CRM suite that contains all the
tools needed to effectively, nurture relationships with leads and
conduct automated email campaigns. By Mike Gingerich
WITH OUTSTAND, YOU can follow-up
with prospects and use e-mail to foster contin-
uous communications with them.
Build relationships
Email is known as a powerful tool for
creating and maintaining relationships with
prospects. Yet, many marketers arent using
email effectively. Nearly half of all marketers
give up after onefollow-up email, despite the
fact that it takes multiple follow-ups to garner
the attention of a prospect.
A simple follow-up can catch a prospect
during an important stage in their buyers
journey. More importantly, customers begin to
trust your business. This developing relation-
ship can lead to a sale, and develop greater
brand loyalty and repeat business.
Outstand provides you with several tools
designed to retain prospects as you build
rapport with them. Lets take a look at the ways
Outstand can benefit your CRM:
Attractive emails
A plain text email with no pictures may not
BOOMER
MAGAZINE
...is looking for writers and/or photographers
Cover local events, write human interest features
and meet new people. Must have a strong grasp
of the English language. Pay is per published article
or photo. Send samples of your work to Melody
Brunson, P.O. Box 471, Washington, IN 47501 or
email her at dcboomermagazine@gmail.com.
Photographers must have own equipment.
20 | SEPTEMBER 2017 z BOOMER
catch the eye of prospects or is it likely to be
memorable. With the average inbox being full
of newsletters and emails, your emails need to
be distinctive. Outstand offers templates for
well-groomed, attractively designed emails.
You can create branded emails that polish
your message and increase the chance your
emails get opened.
Email tracking
Fourout of fivemarketers report their
emails dont even reach a 20percent open rate.
Knowing what email has been opened offers
valuable information regarding which kind
of copy, subject line or image is successful.
Outstands email tracking software shows
who opened your emails and when they did
so, allowing you to choose which prospects to
target.
Different mediums
Email is a primary means of communi-
cation. But its not the only one. Outstand
offers two additional means of following up
with leads text and cards. Text messaging
is often a convenient way of connecting with
leads in an increasingly mobile society. As a
persons phone is often in their hands, texts
can deliver your messages to prospects quickly,
making them more likely to respond.
Sending a card may seem old-fashioned
and quaint. However, printed cards are a great
way to make customers and prospects both
feel appreciated with a personalized message.
Outstand is a powerful suite that dynami-
cally connects businesses with their prospects.
Dont miss out on closing a deal. With
Outstand, you can follow-up with leads and
build lasting relationships with customers.
Mike Gingerich is president of Digital Hill
Multimedia (www.DigitalHill.com), a
Goshen web design and marketing agency.
He is also a co-founder of TabSite.com
and Waftio.com, leading software tools
for contests and lead capture, and author
of the book Game Plan for Social Media
Lead Generation. Find out more at www.
MikeGingerich.com/book.
 the boomer
1040
Understand your Social Security
retirement benefits
For years, people have questioned the viability
of the Social Security system going forward.
By Wayne Thomann, CPA, CSA
IN JULY, THE Social Security Board of
Trustees released its annual report on the
long-term financial status of the Social
Security Trust Funds.
In 2016, the SSAs total income ($957
billion, including interest income) exceeded
its total expenditures ($922 billion). So, its
asset reserves grew by $35 billion last year.
The reserves of the OASDI Trust Funds
together with projected income should be
sufficient to cover the SSAs costs over the
next 10 years.
However, starting in 2022, the SSAs total
expenditures are expected to start outpacing
its total income. The report projects that
the combined asset reserves of the Old-Age,
Survivors and Disability Insurance (OASDI)
Trust Funds will become depleted in 2034,
unless Congress takes action to reverse the
situation.
Collecting retirement benefits
Is it time for you to start collecting
retirement benefits? You may apply for
benefits as early as age 62. Starting early will
reduce your monthly benefits by as much
as 30 percent, but, of course, youll receive
benefits for more years.
If you want to receive full retirement
benefits from the SSA, you must wait until
you reach the so-called full retirement age.
Currently, the full benefit age is 66 for people
born in 1943-1954, and it will gradually rise
to 67 for those born in 1960 or later.
Currently, the full benefit age is 66
for people born in 1943-1954, and
it will gradually rise to 67 for those
born in 1960 or later.
You can receive increased monthly benefits
by applying for Social Security after reaching
FRA. The benefits may increase by as much
as 32 percent if you wait until age 70, but of
course youll receive benefits for fewer years.
After age 70, there is no further increase in
the monthly amount received.
Applying for benefits
Apply for retirement benefits three
months before you want your payments to
start. The SSA may request certain docu-
ments to pay benefits, including:
Your original birth certificate or other
proof of birth,
Proof of U.S. Citizenship or lawful alien
status if you werent born on the United
States,
A copy of your U.S. military service
paper(s) if you performed military service
before 1968, and
A copy of your W-2 Form(s) and/or
self-employment tax return for the prior year.
For most retirees, the easiest way to apply
for benefits is by using the online application.
Receiving benefits while working
If youre under FRA and earn more
than the annual limit (subject to inflation
indexing), your benefits will be reduced, as
follows:
If youre under FRA for the entire year,
you forfeit $1 in benefits for every $2
earned above the annual limit. For 2017,
the limit is $16,920.
In the year in which you reach FRA,
you forfeit $1 in benefits for every $3
earned above a separate limit, but only
for earnings before the month you reach
FRA. The limit in 2017 is $44,880. But
the SSA counts earnings before the
month you reach your FRA.
Beginning with the month in which you
reach FRA, you can receive your benefits
without regard to your earnings.
Wayne Thomann is partner in charge of the
local office of Kemper CPA Group LLP. He
resides in Vincennes with his wife, Judy.
BOOMER z SEPTEMBER 2017 | 21
Having fun and get

Latino Festival | Photo courtesy of

Huntingburg Chamber of Commerce Garden Gate Jazz Festival | Photo courtesy of Huntingburg Chamber of Commerce

Astra Theater renovation

Jaspers Backyard event | Photo courtesy of Dubois County Visitors Center

Flags flying at Strassenfest | Photo by Kelli Nidey Studio H in Jasper | Photo b

22 | SEPTEMBER 2017 z BOOMER

tting things done

Construction in Ireland | Photo by Kelli Nidey

n | Photo by Kelli Nidey

The Bra Market ribbon cutting | Photo by Kelli Nidey

by Kelli Nidey
Construction of Jasper Lofts | Photo by Kelli Nidey

BOOMER z SEPTEMBER 2017 | 23

 the dirt on
gardening
Consider more than species
when planting trees, shrubs
What is the first thing that comes to mind when
you consider planting a tree or a shrub, or for that
matter, many trees and shrubs? By Tom Yoder
TAKE A TREE, for example. Your first
thought might be to choose a familiar
species. Shade and color might be an
important factor as well. Then there is also
that family-heirloom tree retrieved from
Grandpas as a sapling that sprouted in an
awkward location, but you want to plant to
honor him.
Factors to consider
There are so many factors to consider it
can be rather mind boggling, but also very
important. Take, for example, the location,
24 | SEPTEMBER 2017 z BOOMER
the mature size of the tree, color, texture,
species and its viability to survive in our
zone, and on and on. This is where a good
landscape designer or nurseryman can be
great help.
Many of the old standbys have been
improved and are now more disease-resistant,
weather-resistant, and better suited to
survive. So, as an example, if you are shop-
ping for a tree at a big-box store and you see
a tree that has a familiar leaf and look but an
unfamiliar name, look closer and read the tag
fully. It may be a newer hybrid of a familiar
tree that will make its growth and survival
much better.
Newer textures are yet another example.
Take the Japanese dwarf maple (Acer); there
are so many new variations on the market
that it is like shopping in a candy store.
Some are full-leaf, some are split-leaf, some
are lace-leaf, some are wine-colored, some
are pink and some are lime green. Some are
rather tall (15 feet) and some are very dwarf,
almost Bonsai in appearance.
My favorite is the red, lace-leaf that
gets no more than 2 to 4 feet tall with a
3- to 4-foot spread. It fits into a landscape
comfortably and becomes a quite impressive
specimen.
Color and texture
Another consideration of any tree, large
or small, is color not only typical summer
hues, but also fall colors as well as spring
color, including floral and bud-breaking color.
While color might be extremely important
to you, texture is another factor to consider.
Some foliage is handsome and easily iden-
tifiable, such as oak and maple; some is fine
and wispy, like moraine and sunburst locust,
which is beautiful to look at but sometimes
becomes a pain during fall clean-up. And
then there is the tulip tree (not the magnolia
that is often called by this name) that is
considered a park tree that reaches heights
of 150 feet and has huge leathery leaves that
also can become a pain in the you-know-
what come fall.
Shrubs are no different; always consider
height and width to prevent overcrowding
when mature. Pruning can contain them to
a degree. Consider summer and fall color to
gain the most desirable effect.
Tom Yoder is a Master Gardener who resides
in Goshen. He can be reached by email at
yoder.tom@gmail.com.
This conifer belongs to a friend of mine
in Milford, Indiana. It looks like a spruce
but has a very soft feel that no one can
identify. Any ideas? | Photo provided
 boomer health
Let food be your medicine: Part 2
Previously, we discussed the escalating health
care crisis in the United States especially
regarding heart disease, stroke, cancer and
diabetes. By Dr. Neil Sweigart
WHILE SPENDING MORE than twice as
much on health care as any other country,
we rank 41st in life expectancy, and that is
expected to reach 51st in 2017. Much of the
problem is that the general public lacks clear
and consistent advice about the role diet and
nutrition play in promoting health.
Yale-Griffin Prevention Research
CenterDirector Dr. Katz and a coalition of
world-renowned health experts all agree on
six core principles of healthy living. These
include consuming minimally-processed,
mostly plant-based foods, adopting a phys-
ically active lifestyle, avoiding tobacco and
alcohol, getting adequate sleep and cultivating
social bonds. We are focusing on the proven
benefits of a whole-food plant-based diet
eating more grains, fruits, and vegetables and
a lot less meat.
Is meat bad for your health? A new study
suggests it is, but you may be surprised to
learn not only for the reasons you might
expect, such as high saturated fat.
Americans consume more than two to
four times as much protein as they need,
which overworks the liver and kidneys, caus-
ing enlargement and tissue damage. Excess
protein consumption also causes bones to
weaken and kidney stones to form.
Meats problem ingredients
A team from a half dozen U.S. medical
centers found the offending ingredients
are L-carnitine and choline, compounds
abundant in meat, eggs, dairy, fowl and fish.
L-carnitine and choline are converted by
bacteria in the gut into a compound called
trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO). TMAO
has been shown to cause atherosclerosis,
leading to cholesterol-clogged arteries and
heart attacks. There is a clear link between
higher TMAO levels and an elevated risk of
heart attack, stroke and death.
In addition, adverse changes in the
composition of the intestinal microbiota
are caused by excess protein. Unhealthy
changes in these intestinal microbes caused
by a high-meat, low-plant diet contribute to
obesity, diabetes, heart disease, irritable bowel
syndrome, celiac disease and allergies. But
thats not all.
Our western diet high in meat protein and
dairy also affects levels of insulin like growth
factor 1(IGF-1). IGF-1 promotes growth
in children thats good. However, high
levels in adults cause a multitude of problems
including increased risk of cancer, heart
disease and premature aging. Elevated IGF-1
levels quadruple the risk of breast, colon and
prostate cancer.
Government dietary guidelines
The federal governments Dietary
Guidelines discuss plant-based diets:
Vegetarian-style eating patterns have been
associated with improved health outcomes
lower levels of obesity, a reduced risk of
cardiovascular disease, lower blood pressure
and lower total mortality.
A diet of minimally processed foods close
to nature, predominantly plants, is decisively
associated with health promotion and disease
prevention.
Yet government policies often ignore this
advice, implementing policies that contribute
to our childrens bad health. Burgers, cheese
and milk products are heavily subsidized
in schools where fruits and vegetables are
harder to find. These policies support large
agribusiness, not our childrens health.
As a result, obesity is the number one
health concern for our youngest generation.
Many experts predict these children will be
the first in our nations history whose life
expectancy will not exceed their parents.
Making the change
Whether through observation of popu-
lations, clinical trials or laboratory research,
the evidence is clear; eating non-processed
real food, mostly plants, and severely limiting
dairy and animal products leads to longer,
healthier lives and significantly reduces the
risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes.
But how many are willing to make the
necessary dietary changes? We all have to take
responsibility for our own health. Eating a more
whole-food plant-based diet is a good place to
start rather than taking yet another pill.
How much animal protein should you eat?
Dr. Katz says less. He advises cutting back to
one serving a day if eating animal products at
every meal and reducing to two or three times
a week if consuming once a day.
Obviously, this new regimen will require
some getting used to, but with just a bit of
discipline and small, but increasingly bigger
steps, this new way of eating will become
both satisfying and comfortable. Think of the
positive changes it will bring to your health
and your very life.
Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn from the Cleveland
Clinic says, Some critics say that going to
such a plant-based diet is extreme. Id say
having your chest split open, your heart ex-
posed, having a vein taken from your leg and
sewn on to your heart is extreme. This year,
500,000 people will have open heart surgery
and many again within 10 to 15 years.
With just a bit of discipline and increasingly
bigger steps, plant-based eating will
become both satisfying and comfortable.
My own experience transitioning to a
plant-based diet was easier and more enjoyable
than I expected. Since doing so, I am at my
lowest weight in 30 years and am well within
the smart BMI range for my age. While 87
percent of people within my age group of 65
to 75 take at least one prescription drug and
36 percent take four or more, I require none.
The great majority of Americans can achieve
the same results and so can you.
Our next article will focus on myths sur-
rounding osteoporosis, olive oil, salt, healthy
fats and dairy products. Well also discuss
how to transition to a healthy plant-based
diet that will not only improve your health,
but help reduce reliance on drugs.
Dr. Neil Sweigart is a native of Lancaster,
Pennsylvania and a graduate of Indiana
University of Pennsylvania and Logan
College of Chiropractic. He practices in
Vincennes with an interest in natural
methods.
BOOMER z SEPTEMBER 2017 | 25
 boomer
connoisseur
The sweet history of mead
With autumn comes the desire for a richly
flavored adult beverage that channels the tastes
of the season. By Joy Neighbors
CONNOISSEURS, GET READY to enjoy a
glass of mead wine with its delectable honey
flavor. Mead is the oldest of all fermented
drinks and has been popular in Europe, Asia
and Africa for thousands of years. In fact,
traces of mead have been found in pottery
dating from 7000 B.C. in Northern China.
In ancient Greece, mead was known as
Ambrosia and considered to be the drink of
the gods, and it has been a celebratory drink
in Europe since the Renaissance.
In the Old English poem Beowulf, the
Danish warriors were feasting in mead halls,
so called because mead was consumed there
in copious quantities, when Grendel the
monster attacked. The warriors didnt notice
because the party was too loud, thanks in
part, to the never-ending flow of mead. (And
you never thought freshman literature would
come in handy.)
Magical powers
Mead has always been thought to
have mystical, magical powers. The word
WHERE TO FIND MEAD IN INDIANA
There are several Indiana wineries
that craft at least one mead wine.
Check out these mellow Hoosier
offerings.
Country Heritage Winery and
Vineyard in LaOtto, Indiana www.
countryheritagewinery.com
Hedgegrove Meadery and Winery
(Currently rebuilding after a tornado)
www.hedgegrovefarms.com
26 | SEPTEMBER 2017 z BOOMER
honeymoon comes from the European
tradition where a newly married couple was
expected to drink honey mead every day for
an entire month during one moon phase.
If the custom was followed, the first child
was predicted to be a boy. It was also believed
that the sweeter the mead, the sweeter the
union.
Also known as honey wine, mead is
crafted by fermenting honey, water and yeast.
Honey consists of 70 percent sugar, which is
what the yeast feeds on to create the alcohol
content, which can range from 8 percent to
around 20 percent. Since honey was plentiful,
mead was always available to everyone.
Many mead varieties
Some recipes also call for the addition of
fruits, and others include a grain mash that
adds a bitter beer-like taste. Mead can be
crafted sweet by using a lot of honey, semi-
sweet when mixed half and half with water,
or dry using just a little honey for flavor.
And the type of honey used influences the
Misbeehavin Meads in Valparaiso,
Indiana
www.misbeehavinmeads.com
New Day Craft in Indianapolis,
Indiana
www.newdaycraft.com
Oliver Winery in Bloomington,
Indiana
www.oliverwinery.com
aroma, flavor and color of the mead. Mead
can also be crafted as a still, carbonated or
sparkling wine.
Monasteries that tended bees produced
mead as a natural by-product. But the
beverage varies in each country around the
globe. In Poland, mead is called Dwjniak
and is crafted using equal parts of water and
honey. Chouchenn is the name for mead
made in Brittany, which uses seawater. The
Germans make a version known as Gverc,
which refers to spices added to the mead
base. The Welsh added herbs and spices and
call it Metheglin.
There are also different varieties of mead.
If you craft mead with honey and mulberries
it is called Morat. Mead made with honey
and maple syrup is known as Acerglyn. If
The word honeymoon
comes from the European
tradition where a newly
married couple was expected
to drink honey mead every
day for an entire month
during one moon phase.
you caramelize or burn the honey before
adding water, the mead will have a toffee and
chocolate flavor and is known as Bochet. Beer
drinkers may prefer Braggot or Brackett, a
mead crafted using honey and hops, or honey
and malt. (The Welsh call it Bragawd.) Blend
honey with white grapes and you create
Pyment, a white mead. The reverse is a black
mead made from honey and black currants.
Regardless of how you craft it, mead is a
delicious wine with a rich heritage. Indeed,
its a valid contender as the perfect drink for
the harvest season.
Joy Neighbors, from eastern Illinois, knows
the wine industry well. She writes a weekly
wine blog, has judged national wine
competitions, and speaks nationally and
internationally. Follow her blog at http://
joysjoyofwine.blogspot.com.
 FRUITED MEAD SOUP
1 tablespoon butter
1 large red onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled,
cored and diced
1 large tomato, skin removed and
chopped
3 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken
broth
1/2 tsp dried leaf tarragon
1/4 tsp ground pepper
1/4 cup dry traditional mead
1/4 cup low-fat sour cream
2 Tbsp parsley, chopped
Melt butter in large saucepan over
medium heat. Add onion and celery and
saut until soft, about 4 to 5 minutes.
Add apples and tomato and cook
another 3 minutes. Add broth and spices,
reduce heat and cover pan. Simmer 30
minutes; remove from heat allowing soup to
cool slightly.
Pure mixture in batches in food
processor and return to heat. Add mead
and heat through.
Ladle soup into bowls and top each
serving with a dollop of sour cream and a
dusting of parsley.
Serves 6.
Each serving contains: 104 calories; 4 g
protein; 4 g total fat (2 g sat. fat, 0 g trans
fat); 13 g carbohydrates; 2 g fiber; 61 mg
sodium
Written By Pamela Durkin
Source: The Mead Renaissance, alive #351,
January 2012

Also known as honey wine, mead is crafted from honey, water and yeast. However, many mead recipes add in other ingredients like
maple syrup or fruit. Whether sweet, semi-sweet or dry, mead is an excellent drink for the harvest season. | Photo by Joy Neighors

BOOMER z SEPTEMBER 2017 | 27

World-class & local:
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After a round of golf, enjoy a relaxing massage or body treatment at a great
Marriott spa. In North America, five of the top Marriott and Renaissance
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at the Marriott Shoals in Florence and the Spa at the Grand Hotel in Pt. Clear
are consistently ranked in Marriotts top 10. For Renaissance Hotels, the Spa
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five of these spas are part of the RTJ Resort Collection and feature innovate
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