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December 2014 - Volume 3 - Number 8

Christmas memories: Most cherished gifts
By Rick Kron Arkansas Aging staff writer

A Bowling ball. What? A bowling ball—that was my best Christmas gift ever. Growing up in a family of four boys and may dad pulling in Sergeant’s pay we didn’t get to do a lot of fancy stuff. Even a stop at the local fast food burger place was a once a month treat. The one big splurge for the family was bowling. My parents were in a once-a-week evening league and my mom also bowled once a week in ladies league—and they both had their own shoes and balls. Now we kids knew it would be a long time before we’d ever get bowling shoes from Santa—what with our growing feet. And a bowling ball—never. But I got one—an Ebonite just like the one I stared at for months at Kmart. How did Santa know? [Full Text]

Arkansas advocate for seniors
By billie holsomback, AAAWCA Director of Marketing & Community Affairs

The state of Arkansas lost an authority on aging issues, and seniors across the state lost a staunch advocate when Wetzel C. LaGrone of Dover passed away on Friday, Nov. 7, at his home, following a battle with cancer. [Full Text]

Alzheimer’s walk draws more than 500
By billie holsomback, AAAWCA Director of Marketing & Community Affairs

A record number of attendees showed up for the 12th annual Alzheimer’s Arkansas Hot Springs Walk to help celebrate the 30th anniversary of Alzheimer’s Arkansas. The move to downtown seemed to be a popular one, with the record attendance and close to $25,000 being raised to benefit Alzheimer’s Arkansas. [Full Text]

Many didn’t celebrate

In early America, there was no Christmas gift giving. In fact, the Puritans greatly disapproved of celebrating the holiday, and in some areas the celebration of Christmas was actually banned by law. On May 11, 1659, the Massachusetts Bay Colony legislature officially banned Christmas and gave anyone found celebrating it a fine of five shillings. The ban stayed in place until 1681. [Full Text]

100 happy years, mostly in lumber business
By jeffrey smith Arkansas Aging staff writer

Miriam Davis, the wife of the late Whit Davis, celebrated her 100th birthday in Cabot on Tuesday. In 1953, the Davises opened Whit Davis Lumber Co. in Jacksonville. She was born on Dec. 2, 1914, in Golster, Miss. Her father was a rural mail carrier and farmer. Her mother was a homemaker. Davis had two brothers and a sister. She is the last surviving sibling of the family. [Full Text]

Holiday depression common for homebound older people

Holiday depression is a particular concern for older homebound people and family members who are responsible for their care. “It’s easy for people who have outlived many of the most important people in their lives to dwell on the fact that holiday celebrations will never be what they once were,” said CareLink Outreach Manager Debbie Gillespie. [Full Text]

Seniors networking in Cabot
By jeffrey smith Arkansas Aging staff writer

The Cabot chapter of the Senior Services Network of Arkansas recently held a senior health expo at Cabot United Methodist Church. Several senior-specific companies had representatives on hand to answer questions and give out information about their services. [Full Text]

Local cookbooks make great gifts
By Rick Kron

‘Tis the season for cookbooks. Sure you can get the slick hard cover $50 editions from your favorite TV chef or that one that has 1,001 ways to cook asparagus, but, truthfully, the best cookbook present is one of the many community, church or civic organization cookbooks. [Full Text]

WWII veteran, 93, reflects
By jeffrey smith Arkansas Aging staff writer

Second World War veteran Bill Schoonover, 93, of Cabot recently recalled his time in China, Burma and India during the war. [Full Text]