Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in the United States. But it’s actually many distinct diseases: two of the most common are osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
“Although OA and RA have similar symptoms, they have entirely different causes,” said Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation rheumatologist Eliza Chakravarty, M.D. “That means the two conditions may also need to be treated differently.”
Osteoarthritis, the most common version of arthritis, stems from wear and tear that erodes the cartilage between bones in your joints, causing them to rub against one another. OA affects an estimated 31 million people in the U.S., typically impacting hands and fingers, hips, lower back and knees.
Pain associated with OA often worsens with use and improves with adequate rest. People are more likely to develop this form of disease with age, but that isn’t the only contributor, with obesity, traumatic injuries and overuse also elevating your risk.
“Doctors typically recommend that people with OA engage in regular physical activity, which not only strengthens muscles that support the joints and helps control weight, but it also has been shown to reduce pain,” said Chakravarty. “It can typically be treated effectively with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like aspirin or ibuprofen.
In extreme cases, doctors may inject corticosteroids into joints to relieve symptoms. “Unfortunately, current treatments can only alleviate symptoms, as we haven’t developed a cure for OA,” said Chakravarty.
Rheumatoid arthritis, meanwhile, is less common than OA, affecting about 1 million Americans. While its exact origins remain mysterious, researchers know the disease is caused by a dysfunction in the immune system.
“Specifically, the immune system perceives something inside the joints as foreign, prompting it to launch an attack,” she said. “Tissues in the joint become inflamed and swollen, eventually leading to the destruction of cartilage and bone.”
RA displays all the symptoms of osteoarthritis, plus noticeable joint swelling. Unlike osteoarthritis, though, RA symptoms are often worse in the mornings or after prolonged inactivity and improve a bit with use of the joints.
As with OA, doctors use anti-inflammatory drugs and corticosteroids to treat the joint pain and stiffness that comes with RA. However, rheumatologists also rely on a series of more specific disease-modifying therapies that can slow the progressive destruction of the joints.
While these drugs, which include methotrexate and newer biologic agents such as Humira and Enbrel, help control RA, they have no effect on osteoarthritis. For this reason, Chakravarty said, it’s important to visit a physician if you’re experiencing joint pain or stiffness. Doctors use a combination of a physical examination, blood tests and X-rays to determine the type of arthritis a person has.
At OMRF, scientists are currently seeking volunteers who are concerned about developing rheumatoid arthritis for a prevention study called StopRA. If you are interested in participating or finding out more about the study, please call 405-271-7805 or email clinic@omrf.org.

Dear Savvy Senior, What’s the best way to find good, trustworthy, qualified people who can help seniors with home chores or small jobs? Looking for Mom

Dear Looking,
Getting help at home for any number of household tasks is a lot easier than it use to be thanks to a number of web-based tools that can quickly and easily connect you and your mom to a wide variety of skilled, carefully vetted workers. Here’s what you should know.

Finding Qualified Help
One of the best ways to find qualified, reliable, trustworthy people that can help with home chores and other small jobs is through referrals from people you trust. But if your friends or family don’t have any recommendations, there are a number of online companies you can turn to now like TaskRabbit.com and Takl.com.
These are on-demand service companies that can quickly and easily connect you to skilled workers to handle a wide variety of household chores and small jobs, like cleaning and housekeeping, moving and packing, lawn and yard cleanup, handyman tasks, grocery shopping, running errands, furniture assembly, picture hanging, closet organizing, and much more.
TaskRabbit currently has more than 60,000 Taskers (workers) in 47 U.S. cities, while Takl currently serves 75 U.S. cities with around 35,000 workers.
All you need to do is download their app, or go to their website, and select the service your mom wants done and set a time when she would like the worker to show up. The software then matches your request and provides you a list of qualified, feedback rated workers (including their hourly rate) from which to choose. Once the job is complete, payment is done through the company’s app.
You should also know that all TaskerRabbit and Takl workers have to go through a thorough vetting process before they can join their respective company including extensive background checks.
If, however, you can’t find a skilled worker through TaskRabbit or Takl, or if they don’t serve your area, another option is Amazon Home Services at Amazon.com/services. Like TaskRabbit and Takl, Amazon will connect you to qualified workers that handle dozens of household chores and other small jobs.
Amazon also screens all workers through media searches, online interviews, reference checks, and background checks. And all experts need to have licenses and insurance.
To purchase and book a service, you can either buy a pre-packaged service with a fixed price (like two hours of cleaning) or you can submit a custom request and receive estimates. When booking, you select three different dates and time frames and the pro confirms an appointment. All payment is done through your Amazon account.

Need a Tradesman
If your mom primarily needs of a tradesman like a plumber, electrician, painter, roofer or carpenter for home repairs or remodel projects, you should also check HomeAdvisor.com and AngiesList.com. Both of these sites can connect you with prescreened, customer-rated service professionals in your area for free.

Senior Specific
Another option you should know about is AskUmbrella.com, which is a fee-based membership service for seniors 60-plus that provides qualified, vetted workers to do small jobs in and around the house for only $16 per hour. Currently available in New York, they are expanding nationally over the next year.

Lower-Income Option
If your mom is on a tight budget, you should also contact her nearby Area Aging Agency (call 800-677-1116), who can refer you to services in her area, if available. For example, some communities have volunteer programs that provide chore and handyman services to help seniors in need. And some local non-profit’s offer residential repair services that offer seniors minor upgrades and adaptations to their homes.
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.

Kevin L. Lewis, MD, has recently been named Regional President of the SSM Health Medical Group.
Dr. Lewis returns to SSM Health Oklahoma to resume the role he held previously from April, 2016 to June, 2017 as Regional President of the SSM Health Medical Group. Dr. Lewis will be responsible for the growth and management of physician practices, as well as post-acute and ambulatory operations across the system.
Lewis comes to SSM Health St. Anthony from the multi-hospital Parkridge Health System based in Chattanooga, Tenn., where he was Chief Medical Officer. He received his medical degree from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

A very surprised and happy Kay Manning was crown Ms Oklahoma Senior America 2018 on Saturday, July 21.
When asked how she felt, Kay said, “I feel very blessed to have the opportunity to represent my State, tribe, community, and family as Ms Oklahoma Senior America 2018. This is such a rare happening in life to be given such an honor and I will absolutely do my best to make you all proud. I joined the pageant to get more comfortable on stage and with public speaking. I have always been a little shy and theater has been a way for me to get out of my shell. My philosophy of life is If you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you have fed him for life. As a teacher my goal is to show children what they need to know to go out into the world and succeed, as well as be independent. I have been teaching 23 years and plan to keep teaching many more.”
God is first, because without Him none of this would be possible and I would not have met so many great people along the way. I am the daughter of Patrick and Jeanette Manning, spirited Oklahomans, Citizens of Potawatomi Nation Native Americans, and in a family of Sooner fans. I have a daughter, Brooke and two grandsons, Peyton and Bivin that bring me a lot of joy and keep me young at heart. I am an active participant in the Catholic Church, reading at Mass, fulfilling my need to give back for all I have been given. Recently I joined another family, the Oklahoma Senior Follies. They are the most colorful and exciting group of people I have ever had the pleasure to be around. As a teacher I work with many active seniors and try to encourage my friends to attend or volunteer. I enjoy promoting senior programs.
Ms Oklahoma Senior America 2018
Kay Manning is a teacher for the Oklahoma City Public Schools. She attended the University of Oklahoma, Marymount College of Salina, Kansas and University of Central Oklahoma (UCO). Kay transferred from OU to Marymount College where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree and an Associate in science. She later attended UCO where she earned her Early Childhood Certification in teaching. Her experience in the theatre began in OKC at Bishop McGuinness High School where she played the role of the eldest daughter, Tzeitel, in “Fiddler on the Roof’. She attended Marymount College in Salina, Kansas, and performed in “Pippin”, “Camelot”, “Annie Get Your Gun”,” Next”, “Orpheus Descending”, “Waltz of the Toreadors”, “The Children’s Hour”, and “Lysistrata” to name a few. Kay also performed the role of Jocasta in “Oedipus Rex” at Marymount College and the Manhattan, Kansas Community Theatre. In 2004, Kay was selected from over 500 singers auditioning to sing in a competition for News Channel 9 called “Gimme the Mike”, Oklahoma.
First Runner Up is Kathryn Carroll Gordon was born in Midwest City. She became a member of the original Oklahoma Twisters Gymnastic Team in the 1950’s. She became 1st Place Jr. Olympic Tumbling Champion, 3rd Place National Tumbling Champion and a member of the United States Pan American Gymnastics Team to Winnipeg, Canada. Kathryn graduated from Milford High School in Connecticut, where she trained in gymnastics for the 1968 Olympics. She attended the 1968 Olympic trials in Long Beach, where she qualified for the finals. Kathryn graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Science Degree and a teaching certificate. She was on the Honor Roll and received an Outstanding Gymnast award. Recently, Kathryn graduated from a Getting Ahead class and received a State of Oklahoma citation signed by Senator Ron Sharp and Representative Dell Kerbs. Kathryn’s past work history includes teaching in Mid-Del School system for 12 years; owning and operating the Edmond School of Gymnastics for 10 years and selling insurance for ten years, where she received many awards as a Million-Dollar Producer. Currently, she is working as a licensed cosmetologist. To satisfy her creative side, Kathryn has performed comedy at the Oklahoma City Joker’s Comedy Club where she opened for comedians, Mack & Jaimie, acted in many commercials and training videos, tap danced as a member of “A Class Act” at the 2017 fundraiser for the Ms. Oklahoma Senior America Pageant, the 2017 Senior Follies, the Veterans’ Center as well as at various nursing homes and assisted living centers. Kathryn is a member of Eastern Star where she donates her time to worthy causes. She has donated time to Project Gabriel in Shawnee, which helps pregnant girls with supplies for their babies as well as counseling. Kathryn currently attends Westminster Presbyterian Church. She is blessed with a daughter and a son who are successful as a Computer Engineer with Microsoft in Seattle and a Graphic Designer in Salt Lake City. She is proud, too, of her four grandsons and two granddaughters. She loves spending time with her family and friends.
Second Runner up Marilynn Blackmon is the mother of two children and has three grandchildren and three great grandchildren. She worked as a secretary in her 20s, and later went into sales and started her own interior design business “Interior Reflections.” Some years later she changed focus and started a new business, “Pen & Pencil” office supply. As she turned 60, she went back to college, joined Toastmasters and reinvented herself. She became certified in Workforce Training and Development, and she was an Adjunct Instructor at Eastfield College in Mesquite, Texas, for three years. Then she moved back to her hometown of Ada, Oklahoma, in 2008 to completely restart her life where it began. Since that time, she has been Adjunct Instructor/Trainer at Pontotoc Technology Center in Ada for 12 years. Her goal is to help others learn to feel good about themselves and reach their full potential, which she does in every class she leads. She has a business called Fly without Baggage, and is a certified Master Coach in self-esteem elevation for children and adults. She is a public speaker whose theme is to enlighten and encourage others. She is a member of Toastmasters, Owls’ Book Club and National Speakers Association. Her other interests include computer technology, singing, reading, fishing, jigsaw puzzles and her friends from Ada High School Class of 1960. She volunteers as associate Sunday School teacher at her church.
Third Runner Up Judy Jackson says she is greatly blessed, highly favored, and deeply loved by God through Jesus Christ. She is a Christian, a loving wife and a great mother. She has two sons, one lives nearby and the other is in Heaven waiting for her. She is a wonderful grandmother, a fabulous friend and an excellent teacher (retired now, from Middle School), but she still loves to teach any age group who is willing to learn. Judy is devoted to God, family, community and her Country. She believes in loving, living, laughing and spreading kindness everywhere she can. She believes we all have a purpose in life and hers is to spread encouragement in every way she can. Judy says we all need to learn something new every day until we take our last breath. She says she is like a goose, she wakes up in a new world every day. Judy says learning is living, and living is exciting. Trying to be the best person she can be helps her to be better at all the things that are important to her. It is her goal to get people excited about life and what they can do. Judy says getting someone to feel good about helping themselves to feel good about who and what they can be is an all-time high. Judy works as a volunteer so she can help someone else to have a better life. She feels doing so gives her a better life. She believes if she can teach, encourage and lift someone’s day then she is doing the job God has planned for that day. With Random acts of kindness and giving a smile or a compliment to someone, she can brighten their whole day. According to Judy, we all just need a kind, encouraging word, or even just a quick prayer. It lets the world know that you care. Someone must care, so why can’t it be me. In her small way she likes to believe she makes a difference. Her small part starts with her being the best person she can be, just being there when someone needs a smile, a hug or just a kind word. She feels this is her small corner of the world, and it’s her job to make it the best world she can create for that day. Judy affirms she is a very blessed woman, and it is her treasure to pass a blessing or act of kindness on to someone else. That is who she is.
Other Oklahoma contestants
Betty Bradley, Duncan; Rita Engel, Ada; Pamela Holtzberger, Oklahoma City; Barbara Ann Krantz, Shady Point; Gayle Orf , Claremore; Shirley Shroff, Broken Arrow; and Winnie Stanberry, Tulsa.

by Bobby Anderson
Staff Writer

What started with an email from a 15-year-old high school sophomore in New Jersey has turned into Oklahoma seniors recording their history for future generations.
Melissa Holland serves as the executive director of the Oklahoma Assisted Living Association. An email from Michael Naya, Jr., showed up in Holland’s inbox a few months ago.
“He was interested in history and was having problems finding people who were Dust Bowl survivors,” Holland said of Naya’s project. “He asked if I could reach out to our membership.”
Holland mentioned each spring OKALA recognizes those over 100-years-old. A friend at the Oklahoma State Department of Health mentioned those who witnessed the Land Run might be a good source of information.
Veterans of the Korean War and World War II survivors might also be a good source of information.
With her head swirling with ideas Holland got back to Naya and the two hammered out an informational survey OKALA could send to each member’s Activity/Engagement Coordinator.
“He’s such a great kid,” Holland said of Naya. “It does give you hope in future generations.
“I’ve always told my children seniors are living history books,” she said. “And we need to document that.”
Holland said the goal is to publish the returned information in a book form.
The Oklahoma Assisted Living Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of dignity and choice for older Oklahomans and to the quality of their care in the senior living setting.
Naya said it was a school project that struck up his curiosity and led him to contact Holland.
“Well, I have always been interested in history starting when I was very young,” Naya said. “I enjoyed reading about the Titanic and events from that era as it was interesting. From there, I learned about World War II veterans, Great Depression and Dust Bowl survivors and decided to start finding and interviewing living witnesses from these historical events.
“The responses from these witnesses have been great; most are willing to share their memories.”
Naya’s goal is to collect enough responses to one day write a book.
“They hold a great deal of knowledge and it’s amazing to interview them in any way possible,” he said.
Holland has more and more stories to share as time passes.
“We get some really interesting responses,” Holland laughed.
One resident survived the Dust Bowl.
She recounted those days in her responses.
“There were terrible dust storms that were so bad you couldn’t drive. You just had to stop and wait till it was over,” she remembered.
The same resident also lived through the Great Depression.
“It was terrible. We didn’t have any money and couldn’t find work,” she said.
She remembered how many of her classmates struggled during those times. Her parents didn’t lose their jobs because they farmed.
The end of the Depression was a miraculous event.
Another resident responded to the call for 100-year-old stories.
Lois Wooten was born in 1914 and just turned 104.
“When I was a child the world was much safer,” Wooten said. “We did not have locks on our doors. In the summer we would sleep out in the back yard because it was so hot and we didn’t have electricity. We didn’t have running water in the house. We had a well just outside of our back porch.
“We had an outhouse instead of an indoor bathroom.”
Things were much slower back then. Wooten remarked how much has changed.
“We didn’t get the news within five minutes of when it happened,” she said. “Communication of world events was over the radio and we didn’t have one of those for a long time.
“I think people visited with their neighbors more. We made most of our own clothes. It was a slower time for sure – no fast food places, no ATM machines.”
Wooten’s age has brought her plenty of attention.
“I am enjoying many things because I’m this old,” she said, noting she’s had a lot of interview requests and has been contacted by researchers. “There have been so many changes.
Who would have thought we would have gone to the moon or astronauts would live on a space station.” While she admits the current technology “boggles my mind” she regularly uses a computer, an iPad and an iPhone, which she uses to text her family.
If you would like to find out more information or participate in the project you can contact Holland at 405-235-5000 or email her at mholland@okala.org.

by Bobby Anderson, Staff Writer

Get fit, get fitter or get fittest.
That’s 61-year-old Jay Moore’s motto.
Moore teaches six spinning classes a week – an hour of pure, heart-pumping stationary cycling at a time at The Station at Central Park in Moore.
When he’s not on the bike he’s teaching a master’s swim class at six in the morning.
When he’s not doing that he’s competing in Oklahoma, around the country or even around the world as a member of Team USA.
Moore starting doing triathlons back in 1989 and continued through 1994 when a knee injury sidelined him.
Seventeen years went by and his waistline surpassed his belt.
At the end of 2010 he weighed 250 and had had enough.
“I bought an elliptical because I was too fat to run,” he laughed. “I got down to about 210 and stayed there. I changed my eating and got down to 195. I got the bike down out of the attic and started riding and running a bit.”
He trained for a year and won his first race.
He’s been on Team USA for five years in a row.
“They’ll ask me ‘what’s your secret,’” Moore said.
His secret is getting wet.
Weekly, he swims three or four miles spread out four or five days. He’s found that his arthritic shoulders respond well.
“The less I swim the worse I feel,” he smiles.
Moore’s spin class is one of the more popular offerings at The Station at Central Park in Moore. Entry tickets to his class at the front desk are often scooped up before a single pedal is even turned.
“I get them fired up. We crank that music up,” Moore grins. “When people see a song they really like they’re over there pedaling their butt off and singing along.”
People come to sweat, but they also come to get some of Moore’s energy.
“I feel like this is Godsend. I’m here to help other people,” he said. “This is my way of giving. And I enjoy it.”
At 61, ego and competition still fuel him.
“I’ve been weight training for five months because when we get older you need to lift weights,” Moore said. “I’m a swim, bike, run guy. I’m a cardio freak. I feel stronger and better.”
He went to the world championships last year against his doctor’s advice.
“When I hurt my knee I went to aqua bike riding,” Moore said. “I ran 10 minute miles because people were lined up and down the street. I wasn’t going to walk.”
A couple months later he went to nationals and finished sixth on a bad knee.
He usually runs seven-minute, thirty-second miles on a 5K trail but his knee slowed him to a 9:15 pace.
It was his swim times that put him so far out in front.
When Moore competes he’s typically facing 500-meter swims combined with a 12.5-mile bike ride and then a 5K run.
Olympic distance races carry one-mile swims, a 25-mile bike ride and a 10k run.
“It’s weird. It’s not the guys in my age group but it’s the ones 35 to 50 they want to beat me so bad,” Moore said. “If someone beats me I just kind of smile. The salesman in me makes me look like it doesn’t bother me.”
When he’s not training he’s running a business.
Moore started in the flooring business at 16. He traveled for 15 years as a suit-and-tie rep.
“My dad bought me a truck at 16 and said you need to go learn how to lay carpet,” he said. “In college I could work on Friday afternoons and Saturdays after the other guys had already gotten their check and were at the bar and wouldn’t show up.
“I could make $100 or $200 a week in the late 1970s.”
In 1982 he hit the road with a $40,000 salary and all expenses paid.
Along the way he picked up a certification to be a moisture tester.
Since 2009 he’s owned Floors by Moore. He operates on a wholesale mentality.
“I’ve got a warehouse full of samples and carpet and I do just as much,” Moore said. “People say ‘call this guy’ because I’m usually cheaper and my guys do real good work. That’s a good combination.”
He thrives on the hunt. On land or in the water, he wants to be first.
“I put it all out there. I’ve puked at the finish line quite a few times. I’m just so competitive,” Moore said.

By Darlene Franklin

I’ve never been to war. Aside from a few skirmishes, neither had anyone in Israel’s army. After being freed from Egypt and spending forty years wandering, the desert-hardened Israelite army prepared to fight for the land promised to them by God. How did they feel? Nervous, anxious for their first battle, wanting to get it over with, so they could get on with their new lives?  I’ve never been to war. Aside from a few skirmishes, neither had anyone in Israel’s army. After being freed from Egypt and spending forty years wandering, the desert-hardened Israelite army prepared to fight for the land promised to them by God. How did they feel? Nervous, anxious for their first battle, wanting to get it over with, so they could get on with their new lives?  They set up camp, all 600,000 of them, spreading out from Jericho’s front gates. Expecting war, imagine how they felt when all they did was to march around the walls one time every day each day for a week with trumpets sounding. You may know the story. At the end of the week, they marched seven times, the instruments blared, the men shouted—and the walls fell down. The battle ended before they threw a spear (Joshua 6).Centuries later, the judge Gideon led a small group of three hundred men to fight the Midianites, Amalekites, and others who’d oppressed the Jewish people. Again, God used the weapon of music—a blaring trumpet—to defeat the opposition (Judges 7).During Jesus’ final week on earth, the crowds sang hosanna when He rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey. A few days later, the disciples “sang a hymn and departed” after the Last Supper, beginning the countdown to Jesus’ death. Is it any wonder that Isaiah links strength and music?Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid; for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; He also is become my salvation. (Isaiah 12:2 KJV)His words echo Moses’ song after crossing the Red Sea (Exodus 15:2,), as well as the psalmist’s words in Psalm 118:14.  Music composed at the height of war has become national anthems (the United States’ Star Spangled Banner and France’s La Marseillaise). In the mid-twentieth century, songs like “We Shall Overcome” played a vital role in the civil rights movement. It’s easier to imagine the connection between music and patriotism than between music and war. There are narratives (probably not factual) of children marching to the Crusades while singing “Fairest Lord Jesus.” Many translations of Isaiah 12:2 plainly place music in war’s arsenal (the Lord is my strength and my song, see the KJV and many others.)  Some changed the English word from “music” to “defense” instead. None of the commentaries or lexicons I consulted gave me a clue as two such different words have been used. Neither commentaries and Hebrew word meanings helped me understand how the same word means two such different things, or why the translators changed their work. Was it possible that music was defense?It is for me. When I’m tired, discouraged, unable to sleep, I hum “Abide with me.” If rejoicing in God’s good gifts? How about “Joy to the world, the Lord is come?”When I checked a website for hymns based on Isaiah 12:2, I found over over thirty songs. Here are a few of my favorite phrases: “Jesus! ’’Tis music in the sinner’s ears, ‘Tis life, and health, and peace”—Isaac Watts“I am trusting Thee for power, Thine can never fail”—Frances Ridley HarvergalAnyone who’s ever been moved by a song on the radio or at a concert can testify to the power of music. It slips into the heart, curls up next to the spirit and warms it even before we take in the words. Who doesn’t want to stand and shout when they hear “I’m Proud to be an American” on the 4th of July? Not to mention Katherine Lee Bates’ immortal words about “America the Beautiful.” Music has the capacity to bypass logic and doubt and stir our worship to God. If we wonder what to sing about, we can look at everything we learn about God in Isaiah 12:2. Our Creator’s creation calls for songs of praise. Yahweh, the great I AM, is the beginning of everything and the source of songs of praise. He was Salvation for those before Jesus took on human form, born of the virgin Mary. The love demonstrated at the cross “demands my soul, my life, my all.” (Isaac Watts) God my salvation and strength is also my defense. Let His praise be continually on my lips.

Darlene Franklin is both a resident of a nursing home in Moore, and a full-time writer.

Photography and Text by Terry “Travels with Terry” Zinn t4z@aol.com

When I visited Albany, New York, I just had to explore a little farther north to the Lake George area. There I found the small town “Festival of the Lake,” in progress next to the southern end of the expansive lake itself.
My home base was the Fort William Henry Hotel with an upper story lake view. It’s so nice to wake up and go to bed with the ever-changing view of water and distant mountains. The hotel offers several styles of accommodations, but staying in the main historic building was optimal, and the prime location for viewing the weekend fireworks over the lake from the room.
I had an unpleasant lunch at the little snack bar café on the waterfront where the manager was almost rude and not accommodating to this paying customer. But with that unpleasantness aside, the rest of my tourist visit to Lake George was very pleasant.
Up the lake side road is the legendary and historic Sagamore Hotel, where you must stop in for a tour or definitely a lunch. The Sagamore opened its doors in 1883 with luxurious Lake George accommodations that attracted a select, international clientele, and quickly became the social epicenter for the wealthy residents of Green Island and Millionaires’ Row. Twice damaged by fire in 1893 and 1914, The Sagamore was fully reconstructed in 1930 through the efforts of Dr. William G. Beckers of New York City, one of the hotel’s early stockholders, and William H. Bixby, a St. Louis industrialist. Together they financed the cost despite the period’s bleak economic climate and The Sagamore continued to thrive, hosting the National Governor’s Conference in 1954, which was presided over by Vice President Richard M. Nixon and Governor Thomas E. Dewey.
A staff member of the Sagamore, suggested I travel, if time allowed to go a bit farther north, to the northern most part of Lake George and visit the Fort Ticonderoga area. I had always heard about this revolutionary war locale and it was enlightening to tour the reconstructed fort and see its importance for guarding the waterfront. Approaching the Park area I came across a fox hunt, complete with riders and hounds in progress, temporarily halting car traffic. It was as if I was transported back in time.
Another dining treat was the Algonquin Restaurant at Bolton Landing, near the Sagamore Hotel, where locals take their boats, docked them by the water front restaurant, enjoy a meal or cocktail, and then retreat to their lake homes via the water, before the sun completely sets. Boating to them is as casual as taking the family car out to dinner ~ so quaint and a hint at the local lake culture.
I enjoyed dining at the very popular Lake George’s Marios Italian Restaurant, and at the Lake George Dinner Theater, where the play was well done and my congenial extemporaneous senior citizen ladies table mates, was more entertainment. The Lake George man street plays host to a number of assorted shops and eateries, including the wine tastings at the Adirondack Winery.
They say you must get on the lake to experience Lake George and the Lake George Steamboat Company fills that order. With several specialty cruises or a casual noon time cruise, you get a different perspective of the Lake and the mountains. Establish in 1817, the Company has been operating on Lake George for over200 years. They offer a number of boats including the Minne Ha Ha, The MV Mohican or the flagship, Lac du Saint Sacrement.817, the Lake George Steamboat Company has been operating on Lake George for over 200
While I was at Lake George in late September, I found I was at the end of their season, so you may want to arrive earlier in the year, go now, or plan now for your spring/summer upstate New York getaway. America and upstate New York has so much to explore and enjoy.
Before you go check out:
www.fortwilliamhenry.com
www.adirondackwinery.com
www.thesagamore.com
www.lakegeorgedinnertheatre.com
www.lakegeorgesteamboat.com
www.thealgonquin.com

The Oklahoma City Lion’s Club gifted $6,000 to the Metro Tech Foundation, funds that will be utilized to cover costs outside tuition such as uniforms, tools, certification fees and equipment.
OKC Lion’s Club Board Member Tom Springer said historically the club has supported college scholarships for area high school students and had a desire to help adult students pursuing technical education as well.
“Many of the Lion Club members attended vocational school at some point in our lives and wanted to support students who graduate with a trade and might need a little help getting started in their career. Welding tools, nursing accessories, certification test fees – we don’t want any student to miss an opportunity due to lack of funds at the beginning of their career,” Mr. Springer said.
Metro Tech Foundation Executive Director Ashleigh Gibson expressed gratitude for a gift that will allow the Foundation to remove financial barriers from student success.
“These financial gifts often make the difference between giving up and succeeding for students who are working hard to achieve their dreams,” Ms. Gibson said.
Metro Tech is an Oklahoma technology school that offers free tuition to Oklahoma City Public Schools, Crooked Oak Public Schools and Millwood Public Schools students. Full-time and part-time training is offered for adult students, as well as customized Business & Industry training.