All Posts in "Spotlight"

When Joan Engle, director of community relations at Cascade Park Communities in Tacoma, heard about an idea that Ingrid Payne, a senior at Gig Harbor High School, had for her senior project, she knew it would fit right in with the residents of Cascade Park.
Payne’s idea was to do semi-makeovers and put together glamour shots using the residents as her models.
The project is due in April, and Payne’s topic is lower-income senior citizens.
Payne has always had a soft spot for senior citizens.
“When I was in middle school, there was a club after school called the Share Club. You could pick what you wanted to do, and I was interested in working at an Alzheimer’s home,” she said.
She bonded with the residents there and recognized that they needed the company. “I would love to continue volunteering with older folks,” she said.
Rochelle Hayden acted as Payne’s mentor for the project. “She needed someone who was related to some sort of charitable work or community work, and I am involved in a lot of different charitable organizations in the community,” said Hayden.
The two put on their thinking caps and came up with the idea of the glamour shots. They called Gene Juarez Academy and told them about the project. Students there were more than happy to sign on to help. They brought their advisor with them and earned credit for their work.
Engle was delighted that Cascade Park Communities could be part of the project.
“The residents were very excited,” said Engle, adding that since there were limited spaces, the signup sheet filled up quickly. The volunteers hoped to make the day special for a total of 80 seniors.
The plan was to use men and women and give them hair trims and new hairdos, apply makeup and then have them choose fancy clothes to wear for their closeup shots.
Everything went off without a hitch.
Resident Helene Nigad, a breast cancer survivor, said, “I was excited to hear about this event and to get makeup.”
Nigad got makeup and more. She chose a zippy hat and a fancy boa and proudly posed for Payne and her glamour shot.
Volunteer Jaime Morey helped Charlotte O. Johnson choose makeup.
“I was so excited I couldn’t believe it,” said Johnson after she picked a white boa and sat for her photo.
Volunteers enjoyed their day, as well. “This is a good pampering day,” said Morey.
Payne said the senior project is mandatory for graduation. Her passions are photography and cosmetology, and next year she hopes to attend Aveda Institute in Seattle, a cosmetology school.
Hayden said senior projects are supposed to be related to the student’s interests, so the Cascade Park event fit right in with Payne’s passions.
“She wanted to do something for senior citizens, and we brainstormed ideas and she came up with this idea. We took our ideas to Joan Engle and asked which one she thought they would benefit from the most,” Payne said.
Gene Juarez Academy sent eight people to do the hair and makeup.
“We are hoping the volunteers might continue to be involved,” said Hayden.
Cascade Park Communities accepts Medicaid residents only, and after all of their expenses there are limited funds, so they don’t have money to spend on extras explained Hayden.
“This is a way to put a smile on their face,” she said.

Loretta Unick expresses surprise at her new hairdo at the Cascade Park Communities glamour photo day. (Joan Cronk/Senior Scene)
Loretta Unick expresses surprise at her new hairdo at the Cascade Park Communities glamour photo day. (Joan Cronk/Senior Scene)

Joan Cronk by — April 2, 2013 in Spotlight

Liz McDevitt and her husband , Larry, spend a lot of time laughing and enjoying life. Liz is an artist and writer, and Larry restores vintage cars. (Joan Cronk/Senior Scene)
Liz McDevitt and her husband , Larry, spend a lot of time laughing and enjoying life. Liz is an artist and writer, and Larry restores vintage cars. (Joan Cronk/Senior Scene)
One doesn’t have to be around Liz and Larry McDevitt very long to understand that the couple, married 56 years, are a great team.
They treat each other with respect, finish each other’s sentences and spend a lot of time laughing.
Liz retired due to her hearing loss after serving for 10 years as the director of the Salvation Army Senior Center.
She suffered from childhood illnesses that could have resulted in her hearing loss, and it wasn’t until she was 35 years old when she had a hearing test that her hearing loss was diagnosed.
“The testing wasn’t very sophisticated and we had a lot of vanity in those days about wearing a hearing aid, but it was so neat to hear things. A flushing toilet sounded like Niagara Falls,” she said.
Larry, who is also involved in a number of projects, including restoring old cars, was glad she could hear better, too.
“I just thought she was ignoring me,” he joked as he showed off the 1948 Dodge truck he restored himself.
Retiring is a word Liz uses loosely, because she is extremely involved in a number of activities. She is an accomplished artist who paints wildlife, tugboats, portraits and still life, and belongs to Pacific Gallery Artists. She appears in juried shows, publishes Pacific Gallery Artists’ newsletter, and is working on her online book called “Folks Hear the Darndest Things,” which can be viewed at www.folkshearthedarnedestthings.com. Liz posts one quip every week, and as of now there are no archives to past posts. “I’m working on that,” she said.
Following are some questions posed to Liz about her new book and her busy life.

What is your book about?

It is about hearing loss, but it is also regarding people that have good hearing that can end up having selective hearing. It depends on the person’s voice, the tone of your voice. ‘I can hear you, but I don’t understand you.’

Where did you come up with the idea for your book?

I’ve been working on it for about 20 years. I want to direct people to other avenues of support and to see the humor of our disabilities. (For support, Liz attends TACID’s hearing loss group in Tacoma.) One lady said she was disabled in her ears, but not disabled all over. Larry’s hearing is so good he can hear a mouse peeing on a blotter. You just have to find the humor in it. I was losing my incentive, money and time – I am 74 years old – and didn’t want to let my family and friends down who have been so faithful sending quips. But the Lord’s answer came. I got to thinking about my art league’s web site and thought why not?

Why did you decide to do it online versus a printed book?

Our daughter, Leeann, bought a five-years domain site for my birthday. She spent two hours setting it up and this was the answer to my prayer, giving me incentive, but challenging, too.

How long did it take you to write it?

It is an ongoing project. It took me 20 years to get the first word down. People are sending me little funny stories, especially couples.

What is the saddest story?

Sweet nothings that Larry said and I didn’t hear.

What do you hope people get out of reading your book?

Develop a sense of humor! Don’t get mad if someone doesn’t understand, because sometimes you can understand and other times you can draw a blank. Hearing aids are not always the answer. Habits have been developed over the years, just trying to survive, especially not knowing you have hearing loss. Teachers today recognize in children when hearing should be tested. I learned early on to read lips.

What should people know about hearing loss?

Folks need to understand it is a disability and we are not disabled all over. Even folks with good hearing need to be educated. We can’t always understand what is being said, but don’t shut out folks. They will become reclusive, be quiet in gatherings, struggle to hear or misinterpret what is said in conversation. Don’t yell. Be patient. Technology is making so many advances, so there is hope for those with hearing loss to get back into life.

Joan Cronk by — February 27, 2013 in Spotlight

Tom Faubion is a practicing attorney and senior partner of a law firm in Lakewood when he isn't riding and working the trails. (Jim Bryant/Senior Scene)
Tom Faubion is a practicing attorney and senior partner of a law firm in Lakewood when he isn’t riding and working the trails. (Jim Bryant/Senior Scene)

Almost every weekend, Tom Faubion leaves his Lakewood law office, saddles up and heads into the hills of eastern Pierce County for volunteer duty. That makes him a hero to state officials and fellow wilderness horse riders.

Faubion’s 25-year commitment to developing the horse trails in Elbe Hills State Forest near Mount Rainier has earned undying appreciation and recognition from the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR), which recently presented him with one of its Volunteer Hero awards.

The honor was presented by state Commissioner of Public Lands Peter Goldmark, who heads DNR, during a recreation leadership meeting Dec. 6 in Seattle. Faubion, who lives in Kapowsin, and Bob Langley of Everett were the lone volunteers statewide who received the annual award for what Goldmark called their “sustained service, superior performance, leadership and commitment” to DNR’s volunteer program.

“These Volunteer Heroes inspire the best in all of us. Not only do their actions directly influence the success of the program, but their dedication and sense of service inspire those who have the opportunity to work with them,” Goldmark said.

From Faubion’s perspective, “DNR has been very supportive of all the volunteers and the work we do,” he said.

A member of the Backcountry Horsemen since the 1970s, Faubion and other club members have developed and maintained a horse trail system at Elbe Hills. During thousands of volunteer hours, they have produced “the finest trailhead and trail system in Washington,” he said. “It’s a showplace for anyone wanting to see what can be done through the cooperation of volunteers and the state.”

DNR officials said Faubion is often one of the first to help clear trails of downed trees and debris after storms. On one of his most recent regular visits to the trails, he packed in material for an interpretive center that volunteers are helping build.

Faubion is senior partner in the Lakewood law firm of Faubion, Reeder, Fraley and Cook. He said he always looks forward to his regular weekend forays at Elbe Hills.

DNR picked Langley as a Volunteer Hero for his work on trails in Capitol State Forest, Tahuya State Forest, and Walker Valley. His efforts have included rerouting trails to protect streams and reopening them after storms.

In the first nine months of 2012, volunteers donatd more than 49,000 hours of labor statewide, according to DNR. Goldmark said their effort enhances environmental protection, public safety and overall quality of life for fellow Washingtonians and users of state recreation land.

DNR manages about 3 million acres of state-owned trust lands for revenue to trust beneficiaries, including public schools and universities, as well as public services in several counties. The agency also manages approximately 2.6 million acres of aquatic area, including parts of Puget Sound. Goldmark is the elected head of the department.

Back Country Horsemen of Washington  is a non-profit organization with 35 chapters across the state dedicated to keeping trails open for all users. The group educates horse users in “leave no traces” for trail use, and is an advocate of volunteer service to government agencies.

The group is networked with Backcountry Horsemen of America, which has members in 25 other states.

Pat Jenkins by — January 29, 2013 in Spotlight

Seventy-year-old Margie Fredrickson has always been an active person, but in 1986 she found herself unable to get out of bed.

“I could barely move,” said Fredrickson, whose doctors took a long seven months to finally make a diagnosis of fibromyalgia.

A class at Tacoma Community College given by the Arthritis Foundation led her to water aerobics.

“I started to feel better every day,” she said, adding that fibromyalgia made her muscles feel extremely tight. She said the warm water soothed and relaxed those tight muscles and she began to feel more like herself.

“The Arthritis Foundation was such a lifeline for me, giving me something I could do,” said Fredrickson.

Soon she was teaching the water aerobics class, having been certified as an instructor, and her life began to return to normal.  She joined Weight Watchers, lost 61 pounds and joined a jazzercise class led by Kimberly DeMile of Federal Way Jazzercise.

DeMile said that she has many seniors in her class.

“It certainly helps them with their balance, because one of the main things that we’re told to do as we age is to be sure to do weight-bearing exercises,” she said.

Her classes include using weights, exercise balls, strengthening core muscles and lots of dancing.

“When you are dancing you are constantly moving your upper body, so your core strength is continually challenged and worked,” said DeMile, adding that it isn’t necessary to overdo things in order to work out and maintain good health.

“We aren’t becoming professional body builders, just staying healthy and keeping our weight down and making sure your heart is working in a non-competitive environment,” she said.

Every movement is tailored, and there is hopping, skipping and jumping with clients always having the option to revert to a low impact workout at any time during the classes.

The workout starts out slowly with a warmup, and after a short time, people start to peel off their extra sweatshirts and get into the swing of things. Weights, exercise bands and balls are at their feet, waiting to be pulled into action as the class moves forward.

While some may feel that they aren’t coordinated enough to do some of the dance moves, DeMile says, “We are not talking about ‘Dancing with the Stars.’”

DeMile encourages men and women of all ages to give Jazzercise five to seven classes to see how it goes. Some of the classes focus on body-sculpting, while others are dance-based. Each week offers a variety of opportunities to exercise and have fun doing it.

“The bottom line is if you don’t use it, you lose it,” said DeMile.Jazzercise2-color-web

Joan Cronk by — December 26, 2012 in Spotlight