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Pagr 4 • l'LAIM)KALKK-HKK AI l> KKII) \> . APK1L26.1985 Seniors often hardest hit by poverty "The only thing I have left is my home and my family. If it weren't for my daughters, I wouldn't make it," Mary said. She is planning to use her life insurance policies and her home as equity to help her pay her bills. Mary pays for part of her three-day-a-week Family Alliance visits, while the Department of Aging picks up the rest of the bill. Editor's Note: Following is the fourth and final installment in a special McHenry Plaindealer Herald series on the life, problems and influences of- senior citizens in the Fox Valley' area. The final story ex­ amines how our elders are quite often the hardest hit by poverty. When her savings are completely gone, public aid will step in and put Mary in a nursing home. Public aid will take the Social Security money to pay her housing bills, and she will be given about $25 a month for spending, Fossum said. "Mary is an optimistic lady. When things looked black, she's looked at the good things. She's been a brave lady when having to face a lot of hard things," Fossum said as she proudly smiled at her 30-year friend. Mary said her faith and family are the only two things keeping her going. Her most difficult hurdle in life is» her physical disabilities. That's a hurdle she will never overcome. Hie other hurdle Mary will never be able to conquer is catching up with her financial responsibilities. Mary's saving grace, she said, is looking at her friends and realizing, "I have it pretty good compared to them." X By Deborah Collura Plaindealer Herald Newt Service Poverty-the weak seldom survive it, and the strong don't always want to. One of the largest groups, and hit hardest by poverty, is the elderly. If Social Security cuts are approved, and government predictions of a steady 4 percent inflation rate are accurate, 650,000 additional people will fall below the government's poverty level. About 430,000 of those new poor would be elderly. A 74-year-old Woodstock woman who requested to remain anonymous is one of poverty's victims. Mary (not her real name) finjds it difficult, like many elderly today, to make ends meet. She explained that, when her husband was alive, the two of them saved "more than enough for when it was time to retire." But bad luck crept into the bright-looking future for the couple. Six years ago, her husband became seriously ill, and the hospital bills started taking bites out of the couple's savings. Soon after her husband died, Mary had a stroke which paralyzed part of her left side. Mary is physically paralyzed-and financially-paralyzed. According to Joyce Palmquist, social services administrator for the McHenry County Senior Citizens Council, Mary is just one of the many elderly who face a "not so easy" life. "The 55- to 75-year-old senior is pretty functional, but after age 75, that's when they become most fragile. They tend to have less money, live on retirement and have health problems," she said. Mary sat in her wheelchair and turned her head to cry when she recalled the hard work and effort the couple put into saving for a "financially secure future." "The savings are almost drained. And I don't get no welfare or anything, just my social security," Mary said, weeping in her hands. Under normal circumstances, Bobbie Fossum, senior coun­ selor at Family Alliance day care in Woodstock, said, "Mary and her husband saved enough money to last them, Jbut with the medical bills, it's eaten her savings away." Mary attends the Family Alliance center, where many elderly go to seek activities, friends and adjust to the cash crisis that engulfs them once the years start getting the best of their pocketbooks. Monthly, Mary receives $627 in social security and a $29.68 pension check from a previous employer. Mary pays a live-in nurse $2,240 each month. In one month, Mary spends about $100 on medicine, $50 to $75 on food, $58 for electric and $66 for gas. This does not include her medical bills, which she declined to estimate. FoT various reasons, many of today's senior citizens reside in nursing homes and other facilities for the care of the elderly. MOOSE BREAKFAST The Legion of the Moose will serve its monthly breakfast Sunday, April 28, from 8 to 11 a.m. The Ritual Team from Woodtock will be present to perform the ritual for the enrollment of new members into the Loyal Order of^loose. The ceremony will begin at noon. Officers elected to the Northeast Legion of the Moose No. 169, for the 1985-86 year are Jerald Knapik, legion chairman; Raymond Nolan, treasurer; and Larry Nessett, breakfast chairman. HAVE YOU CHECKED Plaindealer HERALD (USPS 335-200) Established 1875 38) 2 West Elm Street Phone 815-385-0170 Circulation 385-0178 McHenry. Illinois 60050 Published Every Wednesday & Friday ot McHenry. Illinois Second Class Postage PAID at McHenry. Illinois by SHAW FREE PRESS NEWSPAPER GROUP POSTMASTER Send address changes to McHenry Plaindealer 3812 W Elm St.. McHenry. Illinois 60050 Subscribers are requested to provide immediate notice of change of address to the McHenry Plaindealer 3812 W Elm St , McHenry III 60050 A deduction of one month from the expiration of a subscription will be made where a change of address is provided through the Post Office deportment. Thomas C. Miller-Associate Publisher Donna Santi-Editor AuurO Winning ilftuspaprr MEMBER NATIONAL NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION SUBSCRIPTION RATES I n McHenry Gounty By Corner 50 Week 1 Year by Moi l . . „. $19 00 Where carrier service not available only jyIsilte McHenry Co«nly I Yeor by Mai l $27 00 YOU'LL BE PLEASANTLY SURPRISED! Our Service Charges For Personal & Business Checking Accounts Are The LOWEST! Mc HKNIIY S A V I N G S k I o»n *c<;nf iation "We're Here For You" » N O 1 O « N » U O f l » I I O N 1209 North Groon Street, McHenry 815-385-3000 10520 Moln Street, Richmond II5-67S-2061 , 10402 North Vine Street (Huntley Canter on Route 47) HuntUy 312 649-3333 SAVERS HOURS: 9:00 am to 4:30pm Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday 9:00 am to 8:00 pm Friday, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm Saturday, McHenry Office Drive in windows open Wednesday 8:00 am to 2:00 pm. Richmond & Huntley Drive in Windows open Wednesday 8 00 am to 2:00 pm Monday last day to apply for Fiesta food concessions Jerry Lazalde, concessions chairman for the 1985 Fiesta Days, says time is running out for participation requests for food concessions at this year's Fiesta Days. Lazalde reports that, "Nearly all of the concessions from last year have reported, in addition to a few that are new. We just want to alert everyone to the April 29 deadline. Requests for participation can be dropped off at the Chamber offfice until 2 p.m. on that day. The requests will then be presented to the Concessions Committee, which will announce the choices the first week in May." It is the goal of the committee to award the concessions con­ tracts on a priority basis. First consideration is to provide adequate and well-balanced food service for each event. Secondly, priority is given to service organizations as major fundraisers for the groups. Thirdly, local individuals or businesses will be considered to fill in any gaps. Finally, out-of- the-area organizations and businesses are considered to fill any voids in the balance and service. Lazalde stated, "The service organizations of McHenry do an outstanding job of filling a very real need for all the days of Fiesta. The Fiesta Days Board id pleased to annually afford them the opportunity for a major fundraiser. It is this type of compatibility of talents and opportunity that makes Fiesta Days such an enriching com­ munity experience." Should additional information be required, call (815) 385-4300, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Participation request forms must be presented to the Chamber office at 1257 N. Green St. by April 29th, 2 p.m. OPEN HOUSE Everyone is invited to an open house to visit with Bobbie Fossum before she ventures to the Philippines to serve in the Peace Corps. It will be held at McHenry United Methodist Church, Sunday, April 28, from 1 to 4 p.m. For further in­ formation and-or directions, call Candy Spasojevich at 385-5763. SPORTSMAN'S PIZZA & PUB 4106 E. LAKE SHORE DR., WONDER LAKE ONE NIGHT ONLY! "ONE PLUSONE" DAVE DALTON AND KERRY KUJAWA FRIDAY, APRIL 26,9 PMCL0SING i I "THE PIZZA EATER'S PIZZA" • FAMILY DINING •THINCRUST PIZZA • DOUBLE DECKER PIZZA •SANDWICHES, ETC. •2 DINING ROOMS • FIREPLACE « BARROOM •GAME ROOM • 5* T.V. 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