Sunbeam Family Services and the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy (OICA) recently appointed eight-year-old Justin Evers as Oklahoma’s first Kid Governor.
Justin, a second grader at John Rex Charter Elementary School, was one of 19 children ages 7-11 who submitted videos for the “Vote 4 Kids” campaign led by Sunbeam and OICA. Kid Governor’s term begins April 2016 and will end in November at the 2016 Oklahoma Kids Count Conference.
During Justin’s term, he will address issues affecting the well-being of Oklahoma’s children such as foster care, childhood poverty, early childhood education and mental health.
Justin says he wants Oklahomans to pay attention to issues that affect the state’s children, specifically foster care. His parents, Lindel and Shannon Evers, are foster parents and the video he submitted to be considered as a candidate addressed the need for more families to join the effort.
“I think it’s great that I’ll have a chance to be the first Kid Governor of Oklahoma,” Justin said. “I want kids to know what’s happening in our state.”
Justin’s first public appearance will be at Sunbeam’s Shine a Light fundraising gala on April 7 at the Chevy Bricktown Events Center at 6:30 p.m. Learn more at www.shinealightokc.org.

Photography and Text by VirtualTourist

Looking for some adventure on your next trip? Members of travel website VirtualTourist.com love adventure and with this in mind prepared a list of some of their favorite activities and places to do them.
Mountain Biking in Moab, Utah
VirtualTourist members agree there’s no argument for the number one outdoor adventure area. Moab, Utah topped the list because of its access to all types of activities like classic hiking in Arches National Park and Canyonlands National park, rafting and kayaking on the Colorado River and backcountry skiing in the LA Sal mountains. If you’re up for an exciting mountain bike adventure, Moab is the place. And VirtualTourist members say April and May are the best months to do it before the weather gets too hot.
Canyoning in Banos Rio Blanco Canyon, Ecuador
Canyoning, exploring a canyon by such activities, including rappelling, rafting and water jumping, has become quite popular with adventure seekers. And if canyoning is on your list of activities to try, VirtualTourist members recommend heading over to Banos Rio Blanco Canyon in Ecuador. You’ll rappel down four waterfalls and slide down on your backside on the fifth. To get you heart racing, the tallest one stands at 115 feet. While hiking, you’ll have the opportunity to look for birds indigenous to the area and enjoy the sights and smells of the various flora.
Microlight Flight over Annapurna Range, Nepal
Ready to get air borne and kiss the clouds while soaring over the beautiful Himalayas? Then hop on board an Ultralight (Microlight) flight. These small two-seater aircrafts allow a one-of-a-kind view of Nepal’s beautiful landscape of snow-capped mountains, green hills, serene rivers and lakes. You’ll have an opportunity to capture some amazing photos that you wouldn’t be able to obtain from any other angle.
Sea Kayaking, Chilko Lake, British Columbia
The Chilko Lake region is a beautiful and magical destination. As one of British Columbia’s largest salmon spawning grounds, it attracts numerous grizzly and black bears making for incredible wildlife viewing and photography opportunities. VirtualTourist members say explore the lake in either a single or double kayak. Mornings present the best opportunity for animal spotting and you might see otters, beavers, a variety of birds and of course what everyone comes to see, bears. You can take fishing gear with you and try and find the perfect catch as well. Although the days are long, the sunsets from here are worth the wait.
Swimming with Whale Sharks, Exmouth, Western Australia
Every year from April to July, the world’s biggest fish, the whale sharks, gather along the Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia. This time of year provides an opportunity of a lifetime to swim and snorkel with these gentle giants. Whale sharks can get up to 41.5 feet and weigh about 47,000 pounds! While getting up close and personal with these massive, but harmless, animals is not guaranteed, most tour operators will offer you the chance to come back another day for free, if you didn’t see whale sharks during your excursion.
(c) 2016 Virtualtourist.com, Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

An Oklahoma hero

The Oklahoma Insurance Department is mourning the loss of Jon Hansen. The dedicated public servant died after a battle with cancer.
“Oklahoma lost a great man today,” said Oklahoma Insurance Commissioner John D. Doak. “Jon spent his life serving others and doing everything in his power to make communities safer. In the wake of the Oklahoma City bombing, Jon comforted the entire country and became a symbol of our state’s strength, courage and resiliency. I was deeply honored to call him a friend. Jon will be truly missed.”
Hansen rose to the rank of Assistant Chief with the Oklahoma City Fire Department and retired after 27 years of service. He served on the Incident Management team during the 1995 Murrah building bombing. In addition to those responsibilities, he also served as the media point of contact. Hansen also helped in the aftermath of the Moore tornadoes, the World Trade Center bombing and Hurricanes Charley, Ivan and Katrina.
Most recently, Hansen served as the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Council on Firefighter Training. It was in this position that Hansen worked alongside the Oklahoma Insurance Department’s Insurance Services Office (ISO) program. Hansen helped train rural firefighters in order for their department to get a better ISO rating. An improved rating could lead to lower insurance premiums for homeowners.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received? Emerald Square Assisted Living

Just to be patient. Evelyn Swingle

Salvation, which I received probably 30 years ago. Les England

I remember my dad telling me I’d better save some of that money for a rainy day because I might need it. Joan Masilon

From my dad who told me make a man the kind of hand he can’t be without and you’ll always have a job. Jack Allee

Dear Savvy Senior, I’m approaching 65 and am interested in a Medicare Advantage plan to cover my health care and medications. What tips can you provide to help me pick a plan? Medicare Shopper

Dear Shopper,
Medicare Advantage plans have become increasingly popular among retirees over the past 10 years, as more than 30 percent of Medicare participants are now enrolled in an Advantage plan. Here are some tips and tools to help you pick a plan that fits your needs.
First, let’s start with a quick review. Medicare Advantage plans (also known as Medicare Part C) are government approved health plans sold by private insurance companies that you can choose in place of original Medicare. The vast majority of Advantage plans are managed-care policies such as HMOs or PPOs that require you to get your care within a network of doctors.
If you join an Advantage plan, the plan will provide all of your Part A (hospital insurance) and Part B (medical insurance) coverage. Some plans even offer extra benefits like vision, dental and hearing, and most plans include Part D prescription drug coverage too.
You also need to know that the monthly premiums for many Advantage plans are cheaper than if you got original Medicare, plus a separate Part D drug plan and a Medigap policy, but their deductibles and co-pays are usually higher. That makes these plans better suited for healthier retirees.
How to Pick
To help you pick a plan, a good first step is to call the office managers of the doctors you use and find out which Advantage plans they accept, and which ones they recommend. Then go to the Medicare Plan Finder tool at Medicare.gov/find-a-plan and type in your ZIP code or your personal information to compare health plans with drug coverage in your area.
This tool also provides a five-star rating system that evaluates each plan based on past customer satisfaction and quality of care the plan delivers. When comparing, here are some key points to consider:
Total costs: Look at the plan’s entire pricing package, not just the premiums and deductibles. Compare the maximum out-of-pocket costs plus the copays and coinsurance charged for doctor office visits, hospital stays, visits to specialists, prescription drugs and other medical services. This is important because if you choose an Advantage plan, you’re not allowed to purchase a Medigap policy, which means you’ll be responsible for paying these expenses out of your own pocket.
Drug coverage: Check the plan’s formulary – the list of prescription drugs covered – to be sure all the medications you take are covered without excessive co-pays or requirements that you try less expensive drugs first.
Dental, vision and hearing: Some Advantage plans come with dental, vision and hearing benefits, but are often limited. Get the details on what exactly is covered.
Coverage while traveling: Most Advantage plans limit you to using in-network doctors only within a service area or geographic region, so find out what’s covered if you need medical care when you’re away from home.
Out-of-network coverage: Check to see what’s covered if you want to see a specialist in a hospital that is not in a plan’s network. You can get a list of doctors and hospitals that take part in a plan on the plan’s website.
Retiree benefits: If you have employer-based retiree health coverage, be sure you speak with the benefits manager, because signing up for Medicare Advantage may void your coverage.
How to Enroll
Once you’ve selected a plan you can enroll either on the Medicare.gov website, over the phone at 1-800-MEDICARE, directly with your chosen plan or through an insurance broker.
If you need some help choosing a plan contact your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) at Shiptacenter.org. Also see the HealthMetrix Research Cost Share Report at MedicareNewsWatch.com that lists the best Advantage plans based on health status.
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.