March 2016Serving Active Seniors in the Lawrence-Topeka Area since 2001 Vol. 15, No. 9 INSIDE JJohnJJohnoohhnn Towner:TTowner:Toowwnneerr:: KEVIN GROENHAGEN PHOTO KEVIN GROENHAGEN DDirectingDDirectingiirreeccttiinngg tthetthehhee NNewNNeweeww HorizonsHHorizonsHoorriizzoonnss Side-by-side with clients, PRA Health Sciences strives BBandBBandaanndd.. to move drug discovery SSeeee sstorytory onon forward to help develop life- SSeeee sstorytory onon saving and life-improving ppageppageaaggee tthreetthreehhrreeee drugs. - page 6 Business Card Directory ...26, 27 Calendar ..................................20 Estate Planning ......................15 Goren on Bridge .....................36 Health & Wellness.............16, 17 Humor ......................................32 Jill on Money ...........................19 Mayo Clinic .............................13 Memories Are Forever ...........35 My Answer ..............................29 Pet World .................................33 Puzzles and Games ................37 Rick Steves’ Europe ...............31 Wolfgang Puck’s Kitchen ........34 ENIO SprofileR Permit No. 19 No. Permit Lawrence, KS Lawrence, PAID U.S. Postage U.S. PRSRT STD PRSRT KAW VALLEY SENIOR MONTHLY March 2016 • 3 Towner directs the New Horizons Band of Lawrence By Kevin Groenhagen n 2003, Clyde Bysom, a longtime Imusic legend in Lawrence, invited John Towner, also of Lawrence, to play with the city’s New Horizons Band. PHOTO KEVIN GROENHAGEN “I played one number with them, and Clyde said I might as well direct,” Towner said. Towner has directed the band ever since then, although Bob Wolfers- berger, Topeka, has shared the respon- sibility as a co-director since the 2012-2013 season. Now in its 20th year, the New Hori- zons Band of Lawrence was founded after Dr. Roy Ernst visited Lawrence in 1997 and presented a video to a group of interested musicians and directors of the Lawrence Senior Center. Ernst, professor emeritus at the University of Rochester’s Eastman School of Music in New York, started the fi rst New Horizons Band in 1991. “[M]y phi- losophy was that anyone can learn to John Towner (left) directs the New Horizons Band of Lawrence as the band performed for residents at play music at a level that will bring a sense of accomplishment and the abil- the Pioneer Ridge Health Center on February 19. ity to perform in a group,” Ernst wrote in 2004. “Thousands of New Horizons musicians have proven that to be true, NOW LEASING! CONTINUED ON PAGE FOUR Kaw Valley SeniorMonthly Kevin L. Groenhagen Editor and Publisher Kaw Valley Senior Monthly is published 1 Bedroom Apartments monthly by Groenhagen Advertising, L.L.C., Lawrence, Kansas, and is distributed at over Income-based Housing 160 locations throughout the Lawrence- Topeka area. Any opinions expressed by our for Seniors Over 62! writers are not necessarily those of Groenhagen Advertising, L.L.C. Subscription s HOUR%MERGENCY rate is $8.50 for 12 monthly issues. -AINTENANCE Contact us: s-EDICAL!LARM3YSTEMS s/N SITE,AUNDRY&ACILITY MAIL s0ET&RIENDLY 2612 Cranley St. s#LOSETO3HOPPING Lawrence, KS 66046 Call 785-267-0960 today! PHONE / TEXT 785-841-9417 E-MAIL 2200 SE 28th Street [email protected] EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY Topeka, Kansas 4 • March 2016 KAW VALLEY SENIOR MONTHLY fi rst director. She served as the director members who are from Osawatomie, nition Plant was still there. I then taught John Towner until she moved out of town to assume which is more than 50 miles from Law- 26 years at Shawnee Mission.” CONTINUED FROM PAGE THREE a new teaching position. rence. At 93, Harry Crabb is currently While at Shawnee Mission, Towner The New Horizons Band initially the oldest member. directed the Northwest Elementary many starting in their late retirement had fewer than a dozen members. In Towner, who turned 88 in February, Honors Band, which included elemen- years with no musical background at fact, when the band was short a trumpet was born in Ness City, Kansas. tary students from fi ve buildings. The all. I recently met a person who was player, Akin would pick up her trumpet “There’s not much there,” he said. band played at the Kansas Music Edu- starting clarinet as a beginner at the and play while conducting. “It’s the county seat of Ness County. cators Association conference in Wich- age of 89.” Bysom, an original member, was 80 It’s 60 miles north of Dodge City and ita in 1977. There are now more than 200 bands years old when he joined the band. He 60 miles south of Hays.” According to Towner, directing the affi liated with the New Horizons Music continued playing the clarinet and sax- Towner later moved to Lawrence to New Horizons Band is very different Association, including bands in Aus- ophone with the band until just before pursue a bachelor’s degree in music from teaching music to public school tralia, England, Ireland, Italy, and New his death at the age of 97 last June. In education at the University of Kansas students. Zealand. In addition to the Lawrence his honor, Lawrence City Commission- (KU). However, a short stint in the Army “This was new to me because I band, a band in Roeland Park is the only ers declared Saturday, July 18, as Clyde interrupted his education. He resumed hadn’t directed older musicians,” he other New Horizons Band in Kansas. Bysom Day. On that day, a celebration his studies after leaving the Army and explained. “These are people who Amy Akin, who then taught music at the South Park Gazebo in downtown earned his bachelor’s degree in 1954. maybe played in high school. They’re at six elementary schools and both Lawrence included a performance by He later earned a master’s degree, also not beginners. Some of the band’s high schools in Lawrence, was among the combined New Horizons Band and from KU, in 1961. He then taught music members have played their instruments those who attended Ernst’s presenta- Lawrence City Band. in public schools for 38 years. off and on since their school days, tion in Lawrence. Akin, a graduate of Today, the New Horizons Band has “I taught at Waverly for three years while others have started performing the Eastman School of Music, became about 30 members. Most are from the and fi ve years at De Soto. I taught at De again after many years of not playing.” the New Horizons Band of Lawrence’s Lawrence area, but there are three Soto when the Sunfl ower Army Ammu- CONTINUED ON PAGE FIVE FEDERAL, STATE AND ELECTRONIC FILING TAXES ONLY $99 ΎWĞƌƐŽŶĂůŝŶĐŽŵĞƚĂdžŽŶůLJ͘KīĞƌĨŽƌĂŐĞƐϱϱΘŽǀĞƌ͘ KīĞƌĞdžƉŝƌĞƐƉƌŝůϭƐƚ͕ϮϬϭϲ ĂůůƵƐƚŽĚĂLJĂƚŽŶĞŽĨŽƵƌd,ZůŽĐĂƟŽŶƐ͊ Topeka Lawrence Lenexa 785.232.6923 785.838.4380 913.764.1127 In Business Over 40 Years 7ENOWCARRY 3TARTINGAT #USTOM SIZED ,IFT#HAIRS -OVING$OWNSIZING 7EALSOBUYFURNITURE Karl Behring, Manager We offer lay-away and delivery. 37TH!VEs4OPEKA +3s KAW VALLEY SENIOR MONTHLY March 2016 • 5 show tunes,” he said. “We play some easy Brandon Woods and Pioneer Ridge Golf Course in Mayetta), is a member John Towner things, and then we play some harder Health Center in Lawrence. The band of the Charles Robinson Chapter of the CONTINUED FROM PAGE FOUR things. Some are simpler, like what a will hold its remaining concerts of the Sons of the American Revolution, and junior high band would play. And some 2015-2016 season at Pioneer Ridge sings with his church’s choir. While the band members have more are more diffi cult, like what a senior high Assisted Living on March 4, Lawrence For more information about the experience, that experience presents a band would play. The instrumentation is Presbyterian Manor on March 18, New Horizons Music Association, different challenge. similar to that of school bands.” Meadowlark Estates on April 8, and visit newhorizonsmusic.org. For more “They’re older people,” Towner Tunes that are part of the band’s cur- Arbor Court on April 29. (Please see information about the New Horizons said. “Things happen where one or two rent repertoire include “I Dreamed a the Senior Monthly calendar section Band of Lawrence, call John Towner might be absent. We also lose people. Dream,” “Londonderry Air” (“Danny for more details. The New Horizons at 785-865-3519. We lost fi ve last year. Two good play- Boy”), “Alexander’s Ragtime Band,” Band’s concerts are listed under the ers died, and three moved away.” “Little Brown Jug,” and selections “Entertainment” heading.) Among those who moved away was from “The Music Man” and “Les “We also played three numbers at Lucy McAllister. Misérables.” Free State High School’s Mid-Winter However, before “We have small, Band & Orchestra Concert on Febru- leaving Lawrence, breakout groups ary 23,” Towner said. “We’ve played she took a box of within our band that there for years. I don’t know why, photos, newspaper practice together other than the fi rst director was a music clippings, concert and then play at the teacher there and she wanted us to play schedules, member concerts,” Towner for the students there.” rosters, and member continued. “We have When Towner is not directing the obituaries, and a clarinet group and New Horizons Band, he enjoys golf- organized them into a trumpet group.” ing (his son, Randy, was the director three large binders Towner himself of golf at Alvamar in Lawrence for 23 that document the band’s history in plays the trombone when Wolfers- years and is currently the general man- chronological order from its founding berger directs, while Wolfersberger is a ager/head professional at Firekeeper to the present. trumpet player and percussionist when “She fi xed it up very nicely for us,” Towner directs. Towner said. “All the stuff in the box The band begins its season in Sep- probably would have been thrown tember every year. away if she hadn’t done it.” “We rehearse all September,” Because of deaths and relocations, Towner said.