It is the distinct pleasure of the Troy and Dollie Smith Wellness Center at the INTEGRIS Cancer Institute to invite you to our 22nd annual art exhibit dedicated to the curative powers of creativity and to all whose lives have been affected by cancer. This will be our biggest show yet, with more than 200 pieces of art.
Artists of all ages wishing to express how their lives have been affected by cancer will have their work on display. The pieces are individual or collaborative, done by professionals as well as first-time artists. The exhibit showcases all forms of art including fiber, graphics, oil, watercolor, mixed media, photography, pottery, sculpture, writing and poetry. Pieces will be displayed from July 29 through Sept. 9, 2016.
OPENING RECEPTION Artists, cancer survivors, families and friends will be recognized at the 22nd annual Celebration of Life Art Show and Opening Reception on Friday, July 29, 2016, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the INTEGRIS Cancer Institute, 5911 W. Memorial Road, Oklahoma City, OK 73142. To RSVP for the event, please call 405-951-2277.
By Jose M. Olivero
Social Security Public Affairs Specialist in Oklahoma
A home run is a highlight of any baseball game. The fans cheer with excitement to see a player rocket the ball into the stands. So, what are you doing to prepare for your retirement home run? Your goal should be to get past 1st, 2nd & 3rd base and make it home with a hefty plate of savings.
Social Security has many tools to help you achieve financial security.
Take the first step and visit www.socialsecurity.gov/myaccount. The benefit of having a my Social Security account is that it gives you access to your personal Social Security Statement, verification of correct earnings, and an estimate of your early retirement benefits at age 62, full retirement age of 66, and delayed age at 70.
We protect your information by using security features and strict identity verification to detect fraud. In several states including the newly added Idaho, Mississippi, and North Dakota, you can request a replacement Social Security card online. Find out if your state offers the service at www.socialsecurity.gov/ssnumber.
In addition to using your personal my Social Security account to prepare for a comfortable retirement, you can visit www.myra.gov. At myRA, you can access new retirement savings options from the Department of the Treasury. This service is designed for the millions of Americans who struggle with saving for retirement — it’s an easy and safe way to help you take control of your future.
myRA is designed for people who don’t have a retirement savings plan through their employer, or are limited from other savings options. If your employer provides a retirement savings plan, such as a 401(k), learn more about that plan’s potential for matching contributions or other benefits.
Since myRA isn’t connected to any employer, it allows workers to hold on to it when they move to different jobs. myRA makes your money grow faster than a traditional savings account.
Having both my Social Security and myRA accounts in place, you’re guaranteed to hit a home run in successfully planning for your future. Learn more about all of your choices at www.socialsecurity.gov.
Hearing Loss Association of America Central Oklahoma Chapter (HLAA) celebrates 25 years of service to Oklahomans.
HLAA is a 501(c)(3) group that exists to support those who have a hearing loss. HLAA is a support group, but is so much more. HLAA educates people with hearing loss to help them learn to live successfully in a hearing world. HLAA lobbies locally and nationally for Medicare and insurance support for hearing aids. Hearing loss is a disability protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. HLAA offers information on listening assistive devices thru the Faye Donalson Hearing Helpers Room. HLAA gives scholarships to students desiring a higher education.
Hearing Loss Association exists for the purpose of creating a safe place for those with hearing loss and those who love ‘em to gather and talk about hearing loss and many other subjects of interest. We offer a safe place for our members to learn to get along in a hearing world. Our national association, Hearing Loss Association of America is a major lobbying organization. They have worked; to get our Congress to enact legislation to include hearing aids in insurance policies; to get movies and TV to caption their products; to reach out to the military to assist returning GIs; create awareness among the general population of the needs of the hearing impaired; to the professionals in the hearing industry; to business & local governments to create hearing friendly environments for people with hearing loss and on and on and on. Our local group is an extension of all that.
An ice cream social will mark HLA’s 25th Anniversary. The social will be held on August 6th, 2-4PM, at the Lakeside Methodist Church, 2925 NW 66, OKC., Oklahoma City and is open to the public at no admission charge. At that time HLAA will also recognize the two scholarship winners, Ashton Darling attending Oklahoma State University and Shaun Bainter who will be attending Oklahoma University.
There was recently a cartoon published where a husband and wife were sitting on the couch. He said to her, “Turn on the light, please, so I can hear you.” She responded, “I know what you mean, I can’t hear you without my glasses.” It would be funny if it weren’t for the fact that something like one million Oklahomans live with a hearing loss. Many Oklahomans with hearing loss will augment what hearing they have by reading lips. So do your friends a favor by not covering your mouth when you speak, and look at them when you talk, that is only a common courtesy any way.
Summer is fast approaching and activities loom on the horizon — concerts, plays, lake and pool activities, and many more. But, imagine that you can only partially hear the music, the laughter of friends, or that you miss out on family conversations around the dinner table. Hearing loss is a major, and invisible, problem. Hearing loss is no respecter of age, race, or sex. Hearing Loss Association of America Central Oklahoma Chapter (HLAA) has been working for 25 years to help those with a hearing loss live in a hearing world.
May was good hearing month so HLAA asks, “What have you done to protect your hearing?” Our hearing is assaulted daily by damaging sounds. The sound of a lawn mower is enough to cause hearing damage. Imagine what loud music introduced directly into the ear with ear buds might so. Concerts, motors, even driving with the windows down create enough noise to harm your ears. There are several ways to protect your hearing; move away from the sound, turn down the volume, or wear some hearing protection are just a few.
Many ignore the fact that they are having problems hearing. Do you find that you often ask others to repeat themselves? Do people tell you that you have the TV turned too loud? Does everyone mumble? May be it is time to admit that your hearing is getting weak. HLAA encourages you to see a hearing professional. HLAA can assist if you have questions. Yes hearing aids are expensive and in most cases health insurance is no help. HLAA is working to encourage insurance companies to cover the cost of hearing exams and hearing aids.
Hearing loss will continue to grow in the future with thousands of our finest young men and women returning from active military duty. Hearing loss the most prevalent injury among returning veterans so HLAA is very actively developing programs to assist the veteran.
The annual national HLAA convention is held each June to highlight and inform members of technical and medical advancements in the hearing industry. Nationally known speakers, workshops, and Continuing Education Units are a major part of the convention. The Central Oklahoma Chapter is proud to announce that one of our members, Wanda Evans, received an award for Spirit of HLAA at the most recent convention. HLAA offers 17 awards nationally and our local chapter regularly brings home awards.
Central Oklahoma Chapter of HLAA is extremely proud of our Faye Donalson Hearing Helper’s Room. The Hearing Helper’s Room (HHR) displays many assistive listening devices and is staffed entirely by volunteers. We think this is the only facility like it in the entire country. Yes there are other places where you can see and buy items but these ‘stores’ are normally operated as a business or governmental agency and have a paid staff. Our HHR is a demonstration room only. You cannot buy anything here. You may take an item home for a trial at your leisure. If you have questions the volunteers are extremely knowledgeable and are able to direct you to a professional for assistance. The HHR was established 18 years ago by our member, Faye Donalson and we are proud to have her name on our door.
The Mission Statement of Hearing Loss Association of America states that our goal is to open the world of communication to people with hearing loss by providing information, education, support and advocacy. HLAA’s primary purpose is to educate ourselves, our families, friends, coworkers, teachers, hearing health care providers, industry, government, and others about hearing loss. And we advocate for communication access in the workplace, hotels, schools, court systems, medical, and entertainment facilities. We invite you to be a part of HLAA. Visit our website at www.OKCHearingLoss.org
Left to right: John and Laurie Stansbury partner with Sharon Johnson MSN, RN, CNE open the Greater OKC North Senior Helpers location.
Local In-home Senior Care Company to Bring 50 New Jobs to the Area
Senior Helpers, the nation’s premier provider of in-home senior care, today announced the official opening of its Greater Oklahoma City North location, to be managed and operated by husband and wife team John and Laurie Stansbury together with their partner, Sharon Johnson MSN, RN, CNE, who will serve as president and chief nursing officer. The new franchise will serve senior citizens and their families throughout the Greater Oklahoma City area, which includes Edmond, Deer Creek, Piedmont, Warr Acres, Bethany, Yukon, Mustang, Midwest City, Del City, Moore-Norman, and Guthrie. It hopes to bring more than 50 new jobs to the region over the next year. Senior Helpers’ professionally trained caregivers will help local seniors continue to enjoy the comfort of their own home despite age-related illnesses and mobility challenges.
“All three of us have personal experience caring for a family member living with early onset Alzheimer’s, and we understand profoundly how challenging it can be without the proper care,” said Laurie. “Through Senior Helpers, we’re providing a valuable resource by helping to alleviate this stress and ensure a better quality of life for families in our community through personalized in-home senior care.” Sharon adds, “Over the years, Senior Helpers has established itself as the best option for navigating the challenges of in-home senior care today, and we are proud to be a part of this company.”
Founded in 2001, Senior Helpers operates with a vision to be the leading home care company in each community it serves. Its caregivers in Oklahoma City are fully trained and certified to offer the highest level of care possible based on the company’s Senior Gems® Alzheimer’s and Dementia care program. As the gold standard for excellence in personalized in-home senior care, the program was developed in conjunction with nationally recognized dementia care expert Teepa Snow and is endorsed by the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America and the American Society on Aging. Local residents will also benefit from the company’s new Parkinson’s Care Program, a specialized training and certification program created in conjunction with leading experts from the National Parkinson Foundation’s Center of Excellence.
“We’re pleased to welcome Laurie, John and Sharon to our team as the newest Senior Helpers franchise owners,” said Chris Buitron, vice president of marketing for Senior Helpers. “This amazing triobrings a passion for their community and an acute understanding of in-home senior care to their new roles. This will serve them well and also will be rewarding for seniors and families living in Oklahoma City and the surrounding area.”
Senior Helpers is the nation’s largest premier in-home senior care company in the U.S. with over 270 franchised businesses operating across the country. Founded in 2001 with a vision to help seniors who wish to remain in their homes despite age-related illnesses and mobility challenges, Senior Helpers has now cared for tens of thousands of seniors with a pledge to provide “care and comfort at a moment’s notice.” Senior Helpers offers a wide range of personal care and companion services, including trained Alzheimer’s, dementia and Parkinson’s care, to assist seniors who wish to live independently. Learn more by visiting http://www.seniorhelpers.com.
Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation scientist Holly Van Remmen, Ph.D.
Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation scientist Holly Van Remmen, Ph.D., has received the Denham Harman Award from the American Aging Association. The honor, the highest bestowed by the organization, was presented to Van Remmen at the Aging Association’s annual meeting in Seattle earlier this month.
Established in 1978, the prize is a lifetime achievement award that recognizes scientists who have made significant contributions to the field of research in aging.
Van Remmen joined OMRF in 2013 and heads the foundation’s Aging & Metabolism Research Program. Prior to that, she spent more than two decades as an aging researcher at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center in San Antonio, where she earned her Ph.D. in 1991.
Her work has focused on age-related muscle loss and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. During her career, she has made a series of important insights on muscle degeneration, and this past year she led study that found new links between traumatic brain injuries and neurodegenerative conditions.
“This is such a nice honor for me personally,” said Van Remmen, who was named the G.T. Blankenship Chair in Aging Research at OMRF in April. “But this award also lets me know that our colleagues across the country now recognize Oklahoma as a force in research on aging.”
In 2015, working with scientists at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and the VA Medical Center, she helped secure a Nathan Shock Center of Excellence in the Biology of Aging grant—one of only six awarded nationwide—from the National Institutes of Health. With OUHSC’s Arlan Richardson, Ph.D., she now serves as co-director of the Shock Center, which focuses on geroscience, the study of how aging impacts disease and changes that occur in aging that predispose people to disease.
The long-term goal of this work, she said, “is not to find a fountain of youth, but to address the declining quality of life as we age. We want people’s ‘healthspans’ to match their lifespans.”
Dear Savvy Senior, What can seniors do to protect themselves from identity theft? My brother-in-law, who’s 77, recently had his identity stolen and I want to make sure it doesn’t happen to me. 10 Ways Seniors Can Avoid Identity Theft
Dear Worried,
Great question! Each year around 17 million people fall victim to identity theft, which happens when someone gets access to your Social Security number, bank or credit card account number, or other identifying information and uses it to steal from you. Here are some free steps you can take to reduce your risks.
Guard your personal information: Never give your Social Security number, credit card number, checking or savings account numbers to anyone unless you initiate the contact. Also, do not carry your Social Security card around in your wallet or purse, and don’t carry around your Medicare card either unless you’re going to the doctor.
Get off mailing lists: Put a stop to preapproved credit-card offers, which is a gold mine for ID thieves. To do this visit optoutprescreen.com or call 888-567-8688 – they will ask for your Social Security number and date of birth. You can stop other junk mail at dmachoice.org, and reduce telemarketing calls at donotcall.gov.
Use strong passwords: To safeguard your personal data on your smartphone or tablet don’t use a password that’s easy to hack, like 1234 or 0000. Also, make your computer passwords more than 8 characters long, with uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols like # and %, and use different passwords on different accounts. If it’s hard to remember them, try a password manager service like dashlane.com, truekey.com or lastpass.com.
Be wary of unknown emails: Never click on links in emails from strangers, or those that claim to be from the Social Security Administration, IRS or other government agencies, or from your bank, phone or credit card company warning of a “problem.” This can result in identity-stealing malware being installed on your computer. To protect your computer from malware, install antivirus software (see avg.com and avast.com for free options) and set up automatic security updates and full weekly scans.
Secure your mail: Empty your home mailbox quickly or buy a locked mailbox to deter thieves. And mail outgoing payments from a U.S. Postal Service mailbox or the post office, not from your more vulnerable home mailbox.
Get safer credit cards: If you don’t already have one, get an EMV chip credit card from your credit card provider. They’re much more difficult for fraudsters to hack than magnetic strip cards.
Shred unneeded documents: Buy a crosscut paper shredder so you can shred all unneeded records, receipts, statements, preapproved credit offers or other papers you throw out that has your financial or personal information.
Monitor your accounts: Review your monthly bank and credit card statements carefully, and see if your bank or credit card issuer offers free alerts that will warn you of suspicious activity as soon as it’s detected. If they do, sign up for them or use eversafe.com, which will do it for you for a small fee.
Watch your credit: Check your credit report at annualcreditreport.com or call 877-322-8228. You can receive one free report a year from each of the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion), so consider staggering your request so you can get one free copy every four months.
Set up security freezes: If you don’t plan to apply for new credit, loans, insurance or utility services, freeze your credit reports so crooks can’t open up new accounts in your name. Rules vary by state, but the $5 to $20 fee is waived if you’re 65 or older, or show proof of past ID theft. Security freezes are set up at all three credit bureaus at equifax.com, experian.com and transunion.com.
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.
Dear Savvy Senior, Who all is eligible for Social Security survivor benefits? My ex-husband died last year at the age of 59, and I would like to find out if me, or my two kids – ages 13 and 16 – that we had together are eligible for anything? Divorced Widow
Dear Divorced,
If your ex-husband worked and paid Social Security taxes, both you and your kids may very well be eligible for survivor benefits, but you need to act quickly because benefits are generally retroactive only up to six months. Here’s what you should know.
Under Social Security law, when a person who has worked and paid Social Security taxes dies, certain members of that person’s family may be eligible for survivor benefits including spouses, former spouses and dependents. Here’s a breakdown of who may be eligible.
Widow(er)’s and divorced widow(er)’s: Surviving spouses are eligible to collect a monthly survivor benefit as early as age 60 (50 if disabled). Divorced surviving spouses are also eligible at this same age, if you were married at least 10 years and did not remarry before age 60 (50 if disabled), unless the marriage ends.
How much you’ll receive will depend on how much money (earnings that were subject to Social Security taxes) your spouse or ex-spouse made over their lifetime, and the age in which you apply for survivors benefits.
If you wait until your full retirement age (which is 66 for people born in 1945-1956 and will gradually increase to age 67 for people born in 1962 or later), you’ll receive 100 of your deceased spouses or ex-spouses benefit amount. But if you apply between age 60 and your full retirement age, your benefit will be somewhere between 71.5 – 99 percent of their benefit.
To find out what percentage you can get under full retirement age visit ssa.gov/survivorplan/survivorchartred.htm.
There is, however, one exception. Surviving spouses and ex-spouses that are caring for a child (or children) of the deceased worker, and they are under age 16 or disabled, are eligible to receive 75 percent of the worker’s benefit amount at any age.
Unmarried children: Surviving unmarried children under age 18, or up to age 19 if they’re still attending high school, are eligible for survivor benefits too. Benefits can also be paid to children at any age if they were disabled before age 22 and remain disabled. Both biological and adoptive children are eligible, as well as kids born out of wedlock. Dependent stepchildren and grandchildren may also qualify. Children’s benefits are 75 percent of the workers benefit.
Dependent parents: Benefits can also be paid to dependent parent(s) who are age 62 and older. For parents to qualify as dependents, the deceased worker would have had to provide at least one-half of the parent’s financial support.
But be aware that Social Security has limits on how much a family can receive in monthly survivors benefits – usually 150 to 180 percent of the workers benefit.
You also need to know that in addition to survivor benefits, surviving spouses or children are also eligible to receive a one-time death benefit of $255.
Social Security also provides surviving spouses and ex-spouses some nice strategies that can help boost your benefits. For example, you could take a reduced survivor benefit at age 60, and could switch to your own retirement benefit based on your earnings – between 62 and 70 – if it offers a higher payment.
Or, if you’re already receiving retirement benefits on your work record, you could switch to survivors benefits if it offers a higher payment. You cannot, however, receive both benefits.
You also need to know that if you collect a survivor benefit while working, and are under full retirement age, your benefits may be reduced depending on your earnings.
For more information, visit ssa.gov/survivorplan or call 800-772-1213.
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.
Crystal Bowersox will visit Camp Blue Hawk July 20.
Acclaimed singer-songwriter inspires kids with type 1 diabetes to pursue their dreams
Crystal Bowersox understands how crucial it is to find a healthy balance on and off the stage. Diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (T1D) at age 6, Crystal — now 30 — reached the heights of American Idol in 2010 and maintains an ongoing musical career. Having nearly lost her spot on the show due to a short hospitalization brought on by the rigorous taping and rehearsal schedule, she vowed to make it her mission to touch others impacted by diabetes with her music and her message.
On Wednesday, July 20, Crystal will visit Camp Blue Hawk, a residential camp serving Oklahoma kids also growing up with T1D. Camp Blue Hawk is a project of Harold Hamm Diabetes Center–Children’s at the University of Oklahoma. This year’s five-day camp will serve 48 children ages 10 to 15 near Guthrie at the Central Christian Camp and Conference Center. Crystal will meet the campers, share her story, and perform briefly.
“Growing up with diabetes, I felt isolated from other kids because they didn’t understand the challenges I faced, and today I know there are many who experience the same things,” said Crystal. “However, despite the obstacles, I learned how to manage the disease, and I try to live my life to the fullest.”
Crystal’s grit and determination caught the eye of Lilly Diabetes, which today introduced her as its newest type 1 diabetes ambassador. Crystal’s visit to Camp Blue Hawk is part of the Lilly Camp Care Package program, one of the largest diabetes camp support programs in the United States.
Attending a diabetes summer camp can be a valuable experience for children learning to live with the disease, particularly those transitioning from parental care to self-care. A three-year survey by the American Diabetes Association® showed camp experience increases children’s diabetes knowledge, self-confidence, diabetes management and emotional well-being. Camps are especially valuable for newly diagnosed campers (less than one year since initial diagnosis) changed the most, with 19 percent showing improvement in their ability to manage diabetes-related issues.
Since finishing as first runner-up on Season 9 of American Idol, Crystal has released two full-length albums and two EPs, mostly featuring her own original songs. She has collaborated with Joe Cocker, B.B. King, Alanis Morissette, Jakob Dylan, John Popper of Blues Traveler, and Melissa Etheridge, among others. Originally from Northwest Ohio, Crystal now makes her home in Nashville.
Harold Hamm Diabetes Center (HHDC) is an OU Medicine Center of Excellence leading the way to prevent, treat, and ultimately find a cure for diabetes. HHDC–Children’s is the center’s pediatric division, housed in the OU Children’s Physicians building in Oklahoma City. This is Camp Blue Hawk’s second year; campers are invited by medical staff at HHDC–Children’s, and every camper attends on scholarship. www.haroldhamm.org
Left to right...
Ms Texas Senior America 2015 Jill Beam
Ms Oklahoma Senior America 2015 Dr Katrina Cochran
2nd Runner up 2016 Susannah (Sam) Koebrick
1st Runner up 2016 Roxanne Parks
Ms Oklahoma Senior America 2016 Dove Morgan Schmidt
Ms Senior America 2015 Dr Barbara Mauldin
3rd Runner up Katherine Carroll Gordon
Depew’s Dove Morgan Schmidt, 61, won the title of Ms. Oklahoma Senior America and will represent our state.
by Bobby Anderson, Staff Writer
Dove Morgan Schmidt’s youngest child always told her that she should find a pageant somewhere and enter it because she was sure to win.
Little did she know that pageant would be the Ms. Oklahoma Senior America pageant and she indeed would be the winner.
“I felt like as the runners-up were going either this went really bad or really good,” she said with a laugh. “I was just doing it for us. I told my husband I’m going to relax and do it for fun and be the best I can be.”
Morgan Schmidt was one of 20 senior women who offered their philosophy of life, presented a talent and dressed up in their best during the mid-June event.
“I was very shocked,” she said. “There were some very strong women in the competition. It took about three days to actually sink in.”
She will compete in the national contest for Ms. Senior America in Atlantic City, New Jersey on October 20.
Morgan Schmidt is the mother of five children and has four grandchildren. She grew up in a ranching family, living the cowboy way of life with cattle and horses.
Having an alcoholic father showed her the need to point children to positive choices while they are still young. She and her husband Mike host more than 250 children each year at their Crossroads Ranch where they teach character, work ethic, basic horsemanship and other life skills in a strong, Christian old West setting.
They teach young and old alike to set goals, dream big and live life to the fullest.
Weekly during the summer Morgan Schmidt and her husband welcome a busload of at-risk youth typically from the Tulsa inner city.
What awaits those kids once they step off the bus is a lesson in a life that tends to stick with them.
“It’s all Old West. We don’t have any video games,” she said. “We teach goal setting and just real strong moral and work ethics and strength and confidence.”
“It’s pretty fun. It’s always entertaining as well. Most do really well and they get a lot of confidence. Most of what they gain is a real strength of character.”
Morgan Schmidt is also a counselor and anger management specialist.
Some of the children come in as victims of sexual abuse.
Seeing them open up around the horses is a true blessing she says.
She believes in giving back by volunteering at Tulsa Youth Works, serving as a board member of Bristow Social Services, and the Indigenous People’s Foundation (International).
She has worked with the prison/parolee program since 1989 and is a Rodeo Queen judge and coordinator.
Family and encouraging people to walk a purposed life, horse training, helping children and adults with horse and life skills at the ranch plus writing books and articles and reciting cowboy poetry are among her many interests.
Morgan Schmidt founded the Crossroads Ranch Ministries and is a member of Chandler Assembly of God Church and the Cowboys’ United Cowboy Church. Nearly 200 people came to see the event, held at the Westminster Presbyterian Community Center’s basement theatre.
Morgan Schmidt will now take part in speaking engagements throughout various communities. Her message is simple.
“That women need to keep living,” Morgan Schmidt said. “The rest of their years need to be the best of their years. I’m 61 and all the time whenever I go someplace someone says ‘Oh, when you get to my age you’ll know what I mean.’ Almost every single time I’m older than they are but they don’t know it.”
Several family members were able to attend to see Morgan Schmidt earn her crown. Others anxiously waited for updates via Facebook.
“I would love to encourage other women 60 and older to look into the pageant,” she said. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It’s a great way to connect.”
Wynelle Record, Oklahoma City Cameo Club member, and previous pageant participant said the pageant is about celebrating senior women and all they still have to offer.
“We were little girls playing grown up and all of us got to be Cinderella,” Record said. “We represented the communities we were from.”
Take a stroll through one of these VirtualTourist recommended City parks.
Central Park, New York City, N.Y.
New ork City’s Central Park is perhaps an obvious choice, but hard to beat. Central Park was the first public park built in America, and was constructed in the middle of the 19th century to create a breathing space for the 500,000 people then living in New York City. It occupies 843 acres of prime real estate between Fifth and Eighth Avenues, stretching from 59th Street south to 110th Street north. On any given day you will find New Yorkers and tourists there in numbers, making full use of this wonderful green oasis in an otherwise manic city. Whether walking, jogging, running, exercising dogs or themselves, boating on the lake, playing ball, catching up with friends on one of the many benches or simply lying in the sun — there are so many ways in which to enjoy Central Park. VirtualTourist members say one of their favorite things is to take a walk in the part of the park known as the Ramble, a protected ecosystem that feels more like the woods than a park, and then relax for a while on a bench watching the rowers on the lake. Other activities include a visit to Central Park Zoo, a ride on the carousel and a walking tour.
St. James Park, London, England
St. James Park, the oldest Royal Park in London, is surrounded by three palaces — Westminster, the oldest, and now the Houses of Parliament, St James’ and, of course, Buckingham Palace. While VirtualTourist members say that all the London parks provide a welcome green oasis, St. James has the edge. Perhaps it’s the lovely lake with so many beautiful water birds, or maybe the great views to be had from its bridge. Stand there for a while and look toward Whitehall — the domes and copulas will make you think you are somewhere far more exotic than London. Then turn to look the other way and you’ll see one of the city’s most famous buildings, Buckingham Palace, which some say looks better from this distance than close up. This is also a great park for picnics, and for people-watching. So linger a while on the benches — or why not follow a great London parks’ tradition and hire a deck chair? And if you’re looking for refreshments, the park has an excellent restaurant and several snack kiosks. VT Tip: The famous resident pelicans are fed every day at 2:30 p.m.
Kings Park, Perth, Western Australia
One of the world’s largest and most beautiful inner-city parks, Kings Park in Perth has Aboriginal and European history, wonderful views of the city and the most spectacular Western Australian Botanic Garden, which displays more than 3,000 species of the state’s unique flora. There are sculptures, water gardens, a treetop walk, a gift shop, cafes and restaurants, wildlife and much more. One of the most moving experiences is the Memorial Walking Trail (1 mile). Along the war memorial path, you will pass the Flame of Remembrance whose flame never goes out. A look at it and you can see four torches, each one represents one of these forces — Navy, Air Force, Army and Women’s Services. It is a place to come and stand in silence, remembering the Western Australians who served in the wars and lost their lives. Around the walls are the names of all the major battlefields and there are plaques with the names of the Victorian Cross and the George Cross recipients from Western Australia.
Deukmejian Wilderness Park, Glendale, Calf.
Not many small- or medium-size cities can boast of three mountain ranges within its border, but Glendale, California, does. Stretching east and north from the San Fernando Valley, the city takes in substantial parts of the San Rafael Hills and the Verdugo Mountains, plus a small slice of the San Gabriel Mountains at the city’s northern extremity. At this northernmost spot in Glendale, overlooking the foothill communities of La Crescenta and Tujunga, lies Deukmejian Wilderness Park, named after former California Governor George Deukmejian. The 709-acre wilderness park features a picnic area, amphitheater, miles of hiking trails and plenty of parking. It is home to the historic Le Mesnager Barn, built in 1914, which the city is committed to turning into an interpretive center in the not-too-distant future. It is also home to the city’s robust volunteer Trails and Open Space program, which provides the community with opportunities for habitat restoration, interpretive programs, trail maintenance and trail safety patrols. The park is open from 6 a.m. until one hour after sundown and entrance is always free. VirtualTourist members say one of their favorite things here is the amazing views of Los Angeles, stretching as far as Santa Monica and Catalina Island on a clear day; as well as the animal spotting. Keep an eye out for numerous species of mammals, including coyote, mule deer, gray fox, bobcat and mountain lion, as well as a vast array of common lizards, snakes and 23 species of birds, including California quail, northern flicker, scrub jay, Nuttall’s woodpecker, American kestrel and Cooper’s, red-tailed and red-shouldered hawks. Golden eagles and California black bears have also been spotted!
Kandawgyi Park, Yangon (Rangoon), Myanmar
If the bustle of downtown Yangon is getting to you, you may want to go for a relaxing stroll in the Kandawgy Park, which translates as Royal Lake. There are plenty of shaded areas and it is very peaceful. The centerpiece of the park is the large Karaweik (Royal Barge). This is not an ancient monument, but a modern construction that houses a function hall amongst other things. As well as the Karaweik, there is a small children’s zoo and play area and various food outlets. The park also serves as a venue for pop concerts on the weekends. Somewhat incongruously, you may spot a fully camouflaged tank nestled amongst the bushes and there is a bevy of black swans on the lake making the entire scene quite beautiful. There is an admission charge for foreigners, about $2 USD.
(c) 2016 Virtualtourist.com, Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC
