The Marion Star from Marion, Ohio • 18

I Senior Class THEl Slard A Page 12B SUNDAY, September 12, 1999 Towers' residents carry on with tradition At a glance Even after death of friend, decorating committee finishes float in her honor BSyPlGclcsnirveUers By BRENOA J. D0NEGAN For The Marion Star MARION Decorating a float for the annual Marion Popcorn Festival Parade has been a labor of love for several years for residents at Marion Towers. This year, however, it was with heavy hearts that they continued on to complete their entry, said Peg Dyer. Virginia Lister, Towers night supervisor, friend to all who lived there and "a mover to rSp stents restf MARION If you are 55 years of age or older and interested in making a difference in the community and in the lives of children kindergarten through third grade, the Retired and Senior Volunteer Programs (RSVP) would like to hear from you. The local RSVP has been working with the Marion City Schools in strengthening children's abilities to read.

And there are benefits: an RSVP volunteer can receive a small reimbursement for transportation to and from the school. Make a difference and call Janice West at 740-387-0175 or Brenda Tharp at 1-800-854-4020. The RSVP program is a part of the Marion and Crawford Community Action Commission and funded by the Corporation for National Services. Hockaba celaliraling S4th birthday Saturday MARION Raymond Huckaba will be the guest of honor at an open house 4-8 p.m. Satur and shaker to include everyone as much as possible in Towers activities died Monday afternoon at Marion General Hospital.

For several years, she had been involved in developing the theme DYER 4 t. -J. ti7" J. ir ill Ml. 1 and designing many of the intricate designs for the float.

"She (Lister) gathered materials from foam to cardboard year round for our float," said Jane Weddington. "She was good about designing things for us. That was a shock to lose her like that. We'll sure miss her. Living up here you become like family.

You really miss them when they're gone." Dyer said in past is st i The Marion StarBill Sinden Peg Dyer, left, Jane Weddington, Vera Honaker and Betty Rigby place red fringe Tuesday around the trailer that held the Marion Towers float for the Marion Popcorn Festival parade Thursday. 'J'1" mm mm day at his home 3200 Smeltzer Road, Lot 50, to celebrate his 94th birthday. Family and friends are invited to join in the celebra years, Lister had made a guitar out of popcorn when the theme related to Elvis and a tri-cyle out of cardboard then decorated with popcorn. "She was always there ready to give a helping hand and "We had to borrow from family and friends to acquire the boots, clothing and other items we needed for the float," Weddington added. Money for the float for the senior citizen complex comes HUCKABA WEDDINGTON RIGBY had really good While the bulk of the work was accomplished by Dyer, Weddington, Rigby, Vera Honaker, Towers director Cathy Abrams and her husband, Mark, and Jane Millisor, assistant at the Towers, it took the hands and patience of many residents to string the many strands of popcorn used for the float.

"We have a ball working on this," Rigby said. "We all work together on it. We're just like one big family." "Mark (Abrams) really goes all out," Dyer added. "It was his truck that we used to pull the float. He had to have a particular hitch to pull it." And with the fun of working together, the overshadowing thoughts of losing one of their own, those who rode the float were pleased with the end result.

"We were disappointed we didn't win, but enjoyed being with it to the end then riding it in the parade," Rigby said. "I loved to see the crowd," Dyer added. "The best part is when we get to the end and our bunch (Towers residents) is sitting out there and cheered us on. The yard was full." Prior to the parade, Towers residents voted for a king and queen to reign over Popcorn-related activities at the Towers. Perry and Jo Hart were named as king and queen by their peers and Evelyn Kinsler was runner-up.

The death of one of their own still prevailed in the hearts and minds of Towers residents as the Popcorn Festival festivities took place not only downtown but at the Towers as well. "Ginny always hummed when she walked down the halls and had a smile for everyone," Dyer said. "She will be totally missed by the band. She loved it. She loved living here." Head of the Class is a weekly Sunday profile that appears in the Senior Class section.

If you know a senior that should be written about, call Brenda Donegan at 740-375-5150 or Tom Lowry at 740-375-5120. tion. He is the father of nine children: Guy, Mayhon and Sue, all of Marion, Jim of Waynesboro, Bill of Columbus, Bob of Richwood and Ray of Lansing, Mich. He also has 18 grandchildren, 1 5 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. His wife, Sue, two sons and a granddaughter are deceased.

He retired from Marion Metal Products in 1972. He is a member of Mount Vernon Avenue Church of Christ. from their activity fund and activities sponsored at the center throughout the year. "We're all on fixed income and retirement so we don't have the resources of some of the bigger float units," Dyer said. The float was a takeoff from the television show "Gunsmoke" and had a western bar complete with barstools and Miss Kitty all spruced up and waving to the crowds.

Others on the float were dressed in blue jeans, cowboy boots and hats and most sported a somewhat dirty face after a hard day's work. ideas," Dyer said. "When we began decorating the float Tuesday night she was in the back of our minds. We weren't really in the mood for this. We wanted to put a sign on the side of the float in Ginny's memory but didn't know how to say it.

We dedicated it to her at least in our minds and hearts." Betty Rigby said once the theme was announced by the parade committee an open meeting was held to select ideas for the float. "It was a collective idea to go western," she said. "We only wished they would announce the theme earlier." Menus Stroke has miraculous affect on patients speech, personality By LEE BOWMAN Scripps Howard News Service St Paul's Episcopal CMi MARION St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 197 E. Center provides a free meal which is open to the public at 5:15 p.m.

each Tuesday. These meals are provided by six local churches with all meals being served at St. Paul's Episcopal Church. CH sites Nutritious meals are offered each noon Monday through Friday on weeks with no holidays to anyone older than 60 who makes a reservation a day in advance. Reservations may be made by calling 740-375-0202 between 10 a.m.

and 1:30 p.m. for meals served at Forest Lawn Presbyterian Church, 908 E. Center St. Transportation is available if requested when reservations are made. All meals are served with milk, coffee, bread and unsweetened fruit.

The meals are subsidized, and voluntary donations are requested. Here is the menu for this week: MONDAY Boneless fried chicken breast, rissole potatoes, peas and carrots, potato roll, margarine, fruit cocktail, milk. TUESDAY Stuffed pepper, corn casserole, coleslaw, whole wheat bread, margarine, iced brownie, fresh grapes, milk. WEDNESDAY Baked ham, sweet potatoes, French green bean casserole, rye bread, margarine, applesauce, milk. Turkey is optional.

THURSDAY Macaroni and beef in tomatoes, Italian vegetables, Italian bread, margarine, pineapple, milk. FRIDAY Meatloaf with catsup glaze, spinach, dinner roll, margarine, diced peaches, milk. VIP meals As part of the VIP Program at Marion General Hospital, seniors 55 years and older may purchase well-balanced meals for $3 in the hospital cafeteria p.m. Mon days through Fridays. Coffee and tea are included.

Reservations are not necessary but can be made by calling 740-383-8980 and indicate the dates and meal choice. Reservations for groups of six or more should be made at least one hour in advance by calling 740-383-8403. The following are the menus for this week: MONDAY Meat lasagna, Capri vegetables, tossed salad and toppings, roll, margarine, choice of dessert. TUESDAY Sloppy jo sandwich, potato chips, carrots, fresh grapes, choice of dessert. WEDNESDAY Fried chicken, potato salad, sweet corn, roll, margarine, choice of dessert.

THURSDAY Warm sub sandwich deluxe, corn chips, mixed vegetables, choice of dessert. FRIDAY Cheese or chicken vegetable pizza, tossed salad and toppings, green beans, diced pears, choice of dessert. structure of the thalamus brain region and the language-execution programming part of the brain, the supplementary motor cortex," Muroi said. "An individual's drive to express oneself in an articulate manner might be altered when this circuit is not functioning properly, resulting in stuttering." Stroke victims usually face paralysis, cognitive impairment, visual disturbances, as well as speech and language problems. In many cases, they also experience personality changes, but are more likely to become apathetic and irritable than cheerful.

The researcher cited one earlier report of a patient in whom a stroke destroyed the same section of the thalamus that was involved in the Japanese man's case, and the patient immediately began stuttering. But doctors also have found that stimulating this region can alleviate acquired stuttering in. some patients. Muroi said the results suggest to him that the disordered function of these circuits "is responsible for both developmental and acquired stuttering." (Lee Bowman covers health and science for Scripps Howard News Service. E-mail BowmanLshns.com) He has at times sung nursery rhymes for others and played 'choo-choo' with his wife," and teased researchers about being too serious, but his language, intelligence and brain function appear to be unimpaired" Dr.

Akiko Muroi Fukushima Medical University annoyed by his stubborn personality, stated with a smile: 'He has been rejuvenated completely' and did not appear to be much concerned about his sometimes childish behavior," the neurologist said. Muroi noted that there have been a few other reports of strokes in the supplementary motor cortex and other related brain regions causing the onset of stuttering, "but this report is of special interest because the effect seems to work both ways." Neuroimaging studies indicated the Japanese man's stroke was caused by the blockage of a single artery within the thalamus region of the brain. "For language expression, an important neural connection exists between the deep If they affect language at all, strokes usually cause speech to become impaired. But for one elderly Japanese man, a stroke ended a lifetime of stuttering and greatly improved his personality, according to a published report. Writing in the journal Neurology, Dr.

Akiko Muroi of Fukushima Medical University recounts the "rare favorable consequence of stroke" for a patient who had suffered a blocked cerebral artery in mid-September 1995. Since childhood, he had stuttered severely, and was regarded by. family and friends as "serious, hard-grained and taciturn," Muroi said. But when he returned to consciousness a few days following the stroke, he was a different man. He no longer stuttered, nor has he since, and his personality has become cheerful, talkative, easygoing and to some extent, childlike, the doctor said.

"He has at times sung nursery rhymes for others and played "choo-choo" with his wife," and teased researchers about being too serious, Muroi said, but his language, intelligence and brain function appear to be unimpaired. "His wife, who was long University of Findlay prepares for senior forum If you What: Senior Forum $57 for singles and $99 for couples for the series; $3 for singles and $5 for couples for any single class or lunch lecture if paid by Wednesday. Information: 419-424-4600 or FINDLAY The University of Findlay will hold its fall senior forum Sept. 29 to Nov. 3.

Senior forum is a learning opportunity for people age 50 and older. It offers non-credit classes with no test or required reading. Each day consists of sessions in the morning and When: Series of sessions Sept 29-Nov. 3. Where: University of Findlay campus Tickets: $51 for singles and $89 for couples if paid by Wednesday; afternoon as well as lunch lecture.

Sessions are of each other..