Wednesday, March 28, 2018 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon 7
Commentary...
Elders with a story to tell
By Joann Power
Columnist
PHOTO BY KATHRYN GODSIFF
Pony Club quiz rally participants demonstrating practical skills. They were
also tested on theory and general equine knowledge.
Young equestrians
hold quiz rally
By Kathryn Godsiff
Correspondent
Sisters Elementary School
was bustling with more than
60 equestrians, sans the
horses, on earlier this month.
The Oregon Region of
United States Pony Club
held a qualifying quiz rally,
an annual non-riding, knowl-
edge-based competition that
put Pony Club members
from Oregon and south-
western Washington through
their paces. Points accrued at
the rally go toward qualify-
ing for national Pony Club
championships.
Pony Club, which began
in the UK in 1929 and in the
United States in 1954, exists
to teach riding and the proper
care of horses to equestrians
of all ages. It is not limited
to equines with short legs.
All sizes of horses are found
at Pony Club events. All rid-
ers are welcome to participate
and learn lifelong horse man-
agement, riding, sportsman-
ship and leadership skills.
Not all Pony Club activi-
ties involve riding. The quiz
rally spanned five sections,
each testing the participants’
knowledge in practice and
theory. There was a written
section, a classroom section
where questions were asked
and answered orally. This
occurred in front of a panel
of assessors and other partici-
pants, testing public speak-
ing and recall skills. Three
additional sections had the
interesting titles of “stations,
mega-room and barn.”
Stations had teams cycling
through different tasks, work-
ing as a team to figure out
things such as how to assem-
ble a bridle or associating dif-
ferent animals or things with
an appropriate part of a horse
(yes, horses do have frogs).
Mega-room involved
different matching activi-
ties. This was a timed activ-
ity, building skills and
associations.
Barn took place outdoors
and involved a couple of
placid ponies. Competitors
were asked questions relating
to barn management and dem-
onstrated basic horse-handling
skills such as leading the pony
and tying it a horse trailer.
Annie Winters of Sisters
organized this year’s quiz
rally. She comes from a Pony
Club background in the UK
and has been involved with
Pony Club in Central Oregon
for several years. Winter said
that members from Sisters
who were competing at the
rally included her daughter,
Chloe, and Isabelle Rex.
Chloe added, “I really
enjoy Pony Club rallies, as I
get to see all my friends from
all over the Oregon region.
Pony Club has taught me so
much about how to be a better
rider and how to properly take
care of my horse.”
My husband and I are
aging, each approaching 85
years of life. I have a story
to tell that has or will have
parallels with others who
are aging. Who, don’t doubt,
is everyone, but circum-
stances are not the same for
everyone.
Old age is a privilege
denied to many. Perhaps it
should be deeply appreciated
in spite of its nuisance. It is
a series of losing everything
and everyone until lost is the
part of us that does not leave
Earth alive. This is a big
change, but maybe not the
end?
I do what I can do taking
care of me and my husband
so our social and physical
needs are met. I am con-
nected firmly to Sisters
Senior Alliance, which has
many committed people
making many changes in this
community for the welfare
of everyone who is aging.
That’s everyone, of course,
from conception on. A com-
munity that recognizes this
is a strong one. No one is
lonely, left out or isolated.
My grandmother lived
with me and my family. I have
all my life loved old people
and recently realized why as I
became well acquainted with
many 90- to 103-year-olds at
an assisted-living facility in
Redmond where we stayed
for two months. This due
to a desperate need for my
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husband, Bill, to have care
and rehabilitation in a safe
place to recover from a knee
replacement, complicated by
blood clots, intolerance to
pain meds and dizziness.
Those old people had
things to tell us every day.
We were the new kids on
the block. Here is a sample
of their wisdom that prac-
ticed can make life better for
listeners:
I am not doing well, but
this is so much better than the
alternative. I don’t know why
I am still living. I am ready
for the ultimate change, but
I wouldn’t kill myself even if
I could. You’re lucky to be
going back to your home.
This is OK and necessary
now, but not home. All my
life I have been disabled. I
always found someone worse
off than I and made them my
friend. I never lacked friends.
Live for today. Be glad you
woke up on this side of the
grass. No one knows what
will happen tomorrow. Don’t
buy trouble by worry. It only
helps if you can do something
about it. Wake up and greet
the day with gratitude. Know
that God’s love is with you,
no matter what. Life — and
especially old age — is not
for sissies. You are strong
because God is everywhere
in you and around you. Look
for the bright colors. Love
others and pray for them.
Smile at others and they
smile at you. If your kids do
not come to see you, picture
them having a good time in
their busy lives. Your kids
are not yours. They belong to
themselves. You are yours, so
have a good time and spend
their inheritance. (This last
said facetiously, I think.)
Do we need unread his-
tory books to tell us about
what we have not experi-
enced? Or to tell us what to
avoid? No, just a few very
old people around us who
love us and whom we love.
When Life Events Affect Your Benefi ts
Getting married or divorced, having or adopting a baby and retiring are
signifi cant milestones in life. These “qualifi ed life events,” as they are
commonly referred to in the insurance industry, may permit you to make
adjustments to the benefi ts you receive through your employer or other
provider. If you’ve experienced a life event this year, review your benefi ts
and determine if you need to make new or different elections to ensure the
desired coverage for you and your family. Keep the following items in mind
as you complete your review:
Act promptly. Be aware of deadlines to make your new benefi ts
elections. Generally speaking, providers offer special enrollment for a
limited timeframe during which you can update your new status or make
changes in your covered dependents. If you miss the window, you may
face a waiting period. In some cases, a missed deadline means you’re
out of luck until the next open enrollment period or the fi rst of the year,
whichever applies to your situation.
Change health insurance coverage. Do you have enough insurance?
Too much? If you’re newly married, compare the benefi ts offered to you
and your spouse through your respective employers to see where you can
get the most value. A higher deductible plan may make sense if you have
two incomes, are both young and healthy and don’t anticipate signifi cant
medical expenses. If you add children to your family, you’ll want to make
sure they are included in your health insurance as dependents. If you’re
retiring before you are eligible for Medicare, evaluate COBRA benefi ts
(continued coverage under your employer’s plan), insurance through a
still-employed spouse or your options through the healthcare marketplace.
Evaluate life and disability insurance. Marriage, divorce and the
addition of children are all reasons to evaluate your life and disability
insurance coverage. If your coverage is insuffi cient, make it a priority to
obtain additional insurance. Unfortunately, many policyholders forget to
remove a former spouse as a benefi ciary to their policies following divorce
and remarriage, which can complicate legal matters should your health
be unexpectedly jeopardized. When reviewing your coverage, take time to
verify that your benefi ciary designations are correct.
Adjust your Health Savings Account (HSA) contributions. If you
have a health savings account (HSA) and experienced a family event this
year, the amount you’re allowed to contribute annually may have changed.
If you added to your family through marriage or children, you can set aside
more money in a HSA. If you experienced a divorce, you can split savings
accumulated in an HSA or assign the benefi ts to your former spouse as
part of a divorce agreement. Check with your healthcare provider to learn
how much you can contribute based on your situation.
Consider legal and fi nancial advice. Some life events, such as divorce
or adoption, may involve benefi ts decisions that have legal implications.
Consider meeting with an attorney to discuss your situation and get advice
on next steps. Additionally, these events may trigger numerous changes
to your budget, investments or other fi nancial affairs. Think about meeting
with a fi nancial advisor who can help you evaluate your benefi ts within the
broader fi nancial picture of your life goals and retirement plans.
Mark Greaney is a Financial Advisor with
PacWest Wealth Partners, an advisory practice
of Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. in Bend,
Oregon. He specializes in fee-based fi nancial
planning and asset management strategies and
has been in practice for 17 years. Contact Mark
at www.PacWestWealthPartners.com, or call him
at 541-382-2354. Mark is located at 35 NW
Hawthorne Avenue, Bend, OR.
Ameriprise Financial and its affi liates do not offer tax or legal advice. Consumers should consult with their
tax advisor or attorney regarding their specifi c situation. Investment advisory products and services are
made available through Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc., a registered investment adviser. Ameriprise
Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC. © 2018 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights reserved.