AAFES Retired Employees Association
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AAFES Retired Employees Association Newsletter April 2014 Supporting the Interests of AAFES, Its Retirees and the People it Serves Alamo celebrates 100th birthday of Violet Stricker There are “special birthdays” (say ages 50, 60, 75, 80, etc), but then there’s the “Very Special Birthday” that comes around once every 100 years. The Alamo Chapter of AREA celebrated that type of Very Special Birthday on March 12 as long-time member Violet Stricker turned 100. Violet was beaming (as you can see in the photograph) as she viewed her cake with three candles in the form of “100”. Violet Stricker was all smiles A bouquet of yellow roses brought even at her 100th birthday party given by the Alamo Chapter more smiles. Read the story of Violet’s Centennial Birthday Celebration and view the photos on page 7. Exchange Post will end printing for retirees in August You can read each issue on mobile device or sign up for delivery by email EDITOR’S NOTE: Barbara Kirsch, Exchange Post Editor, The good news is the Exchange Post will be available to you explains the rationale for ending distribution of the monthly three ways, and it’s only a click away: employee newspaper by mail to retirees in the following story: (1) To read the Exchange Post on the internet, click http:// If you are keeping up with the headlines, you are aware the theexchangepost.imirus.com/Mpowered/book/vexp14/i3/p1. U.S. military is being reduced to pre-World War II levels. As the Exchange faces a reduced customer base and increasing (2) You can also read the Exchange Post budget costs, we must reduce expenses to keep the Exchange on your mobile phone or tablet by clicking relevant for years to come. on the QR reader code on the right. You will need to upload a QR reader app on We can help save more than $100,000 each year by not print- your smartphone or tablet to scan the QR ing and mailing Exchange Posts to retirees. Currently, we mail code and read the Exchange Post. You can more than 12,000 issues each month. Our plan is to stop mail- easily scan the code on a screen or in print. ing the Exchange Post in August. (3) To receive the Exchange Post in your email inbox. Please We value our Exchange retirees, and we realize the Exchange send an email to [email protected]. We’ll let you know Post is an important link to the Exchange, keeping you in- when each new issue is available. formed with highlights and news from associates and Exchang- —Barbara Kirsch es around the world. Exchange Post Editor Page 2 April 2014 AREA NEW SLETTER Chuck Poffenbarger, President Welcome to the April, 2014 edition of AREA’s Newsletter, the first month of Spring. About Children... A child of five would understand this. Send someone to fetch a child of five. Groucho Marx (1890-1977) There was a time when we expected nothing of our children but obedience, as opposed to the present, when we expect everything of them but obedience. Anatole Broyard Human beings are the only creatures that allow their children to come back home. Bill Cosby (1937 - ) People who get nostalgic about childhood were obviously never children. Bill Watterson (1958 - ), Calvin and Hobbes To be ignorant of what occurred before you were born is to remain always a child. Cicero (106 BC - 43 BC), Orator, chapter 34, Section 120 If your parents never had children, chances are you won't, either. Dick Cavett (1936 - ) The best way to keep children home is to make the home atmosphere pleasant--and let the air out of the tires. Dorothy Parker (1893 - 1967) Ask your child what he wants for dinner only if he's buying. Fran Lebowitz (1950 - ) Never have children, only grandchildren. Gore Vidal (1925 - ) My mother loved children -- she would have given anything if I had been one. Groucho Marx (1890-1977) I have found the best way to give advice to your children is to find out what they want and then advise them to do it. Harry S Truman (1884 - 1972) You know that children are growing up when they start asking questions that have answers. John J. Plomp Allowing children to fight their own battles is one of the hardest parenting skills to learn. Julie A., M.A. Ross and Judy Corcoran, That's the funny thing about havin' a kid. They come with their own set of problems; make everything else you were worried about seem kinda silly. Greg Garcia, Raising Hope, Dead Tooth If you can give your son or daughter only one gift, let it be enthusiasm. Bruce Barton The test of the morality of a society is what it does for its children. Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906 - 1945) AREA...JUST FOR YOU AREA NEWSLETTER April 2014 Page 3 YOUR EXCHANGE BENEFITS… Are you keeping your blood pressure under control? High blood pressure can cause damage to many organs, including the brain, eyes, heart and kidneys, as well as to arteries throughout the body. If you have high blood pressure that has not been diagnosed, or that is not being treated ad- equately, you are at greater risk of having a heart attack, stroke and kidney fail- ure. You can begin to manage your blood pressure by following a few basic steps: Keep a healthy weight Exercise regularly Learn how to lower stress Quit smoking Now that you’ve made a good start, here are ways to get even healthier: Checkups: See your doctor for regular checkups. This way, your doctor can make sure your blood pressure stays at a healthy level. Food choices: Think carefully about the food you eat. You can get healthier by eating more fruits, vegetables and whole grains. You should also try to eat AAFES Retired foods that are low in saturated fat, cholesterol and salt. Employees Association If you choose to drink alcohol, it’s best to do so in small amounts: For men, The AREA Newsletter is published in this means no more than two 12-ounce beers, two 5-ounce glasses of wine or January, April, July and October two 1.5-ounce drinks of hard liquor a day. Women should have no more than Mailing Address: one of any of these drinks each day. AREA P. O Box 380614 Take medicine as directed: Be sure Duncanville, TX 75138-0614 you know the right way to take your President: medicine. That includes whether a Chuck Poffenbarger medicine should be taken with or [email protected] without food. You will also want to Tel: (972) 296-0388 know when, and how often, to take FAX: (972) 692-5176 your medicine. And make sure it is Membership & Address Changes: safe to take with any other medicine Send your NEWSLETTER ADDRESS you might need. Your doctor can and MEMBERSHIP changes and your help you know the right things to do. MEMBERSHIP DUES to the AREA Membership Director Pat Weaver. Tell your doctor about: [email protected] Tel: (972) 780-9810 Newsletter input: Side effects you experience from any medicine Submit articles for the newsletter to the Over-the-counter medicine you take for colds or allergies editor by e-mail to Newsletter Editor: Larry E. Phillips Herbal or home remedies you are using. Taking too many different kinds [email protected] of medicine may cause problems. But your doctor can help you stay safe. [email protected] AREA Web address: Learn more about healthy blood pressure. Check the Aetna InteliHealth® website at www.intelihealth.com. www.shopmyexchange.com/community/area Page 4 April 2014 AREA NEW SLETTER YOUR EXCHANGE BENEFITS… When there’s a fall...Aetna offers “auto alert option” Falling — and not being able to get help —is a common worry as you get older... It’s also a worry if you have aging parents struggling to remain on their own. But now there’s help from Aetna and Philips Lifeline, the medical alert products company. It is offering Aetna Life Insurance members Lifeline Medical Alert Services and systems. You get free activation, shipping and handling. Your parents, grandparents and in-laws also qualify. Help when you need it You — or your loved one — can call for help by just pushing a button, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Easy to use, easy to wear, and even waterproof. And the Lifeline with Auto Alert Option calls for help if it detects a fall — even if you — or your loved one — can’t push the button. You can choose from 2 options: Lifeline Standard Medical Alert Service which includes home communicator and pendant or wristband option Lifeline with Auto Alert Option includes home communicator and pendant with fall-detection technology Schedule your colon cancer screening If you are age 50 or older, it’s important to have a colon cancer screening. This cancer is the third most common found in both men and women in the United States and most colon cancer occurs in people age 50 and older. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, colorectal cancer - cancer of the colon or rectum - is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. What’s in it for you? Screening tests are beneficial. These tests can find growths before they turn to cancer. Plus, if you get checked and do have colon cancer, it’s curable if found and treated early. Talk with your doctor first... Here are a few questions you might ask: Which cancer screening test is best for me? What's involved in the test? Will it be uncomfortable or painful? Do I need someone with me? Is there any risk involved? The great news is that our DoD NAF Health Benefits Program pays 100% of the cost for a colonoscopy if you are age 50 or older.