Monthly Archives for October 2002

Hall of Fame Inductees Make Great Role Models

Published in Pawtucket Times on October 28, 2002

Hundreds of people gathered Friday evening at Bobby’s Banquet Hall on Newport Avenue to celebrate the honors bestowed to six people with strong ties to Pawtucket who became the latest inductees into the Pawtucket Hall of Fame.

Since 1986, the Pawtucket Hall of fame Committee, ably led by Raymond S. Dalton, Sr., has recognized more than 60 persons for their love and positive contributions to the City of Pawtucket.

Over the years, the Pawtucket Hall of Fame Committee has selected and recognized those who were either Pawtucket-born residents , persons whose reputations were made while they resident in the city, Pawtucket business owners or those persons who have made an impact on the community.

The varied life experiences of the new inductees to the Pawtucket Hall of Fame can be an inspiration to both young and old, but more importantly to the city’s younger generation.

Although Abraham “Cappy” Asermely, 73, excelled in his life long profession as an educator in the Pawtucket School Department, he was recognized by making the city of Pawtucket a better place to live through organizing sports opportunities for all ages.

His love for basketball led him to create the first “three-on-three” elementary school basketball program in 1968.  Several years later, the three-on-three basketball concept would be used by Asermely when he created an “over-21 league” for the Pawtucket Recreation Department.

Like Asermely, William “Billy” Hulme, 92, had a very strong work ethic, working as a service man at Blackstone Valley Gas and Electric for 35 years. Hulme’s great love for music began at age 5 and continues to this day, when at the drop of a hat, he would write a song or pull out his harmonica and play. The World War II veteran is a shining example that creativity can be tapped during your later years. Although in his 90s, his creativity and passion for his music are still strong.

Born in Pawtucket in 1922, the late Captain Conrade E. LaGueux would later leave to defend his country during World War II. Parachuting into Nazi-controlled southern France, the Pawtucket resident and his fellow commandos joined up with the French underground to destroy a German supply train.

Meanwhile, LaGueux would later go into China, where he was given responsibility of training China’s Parachute Division. With the war ending, the Pawtucket war veteran would eventually join the CIA, where his French language skills and experience gained in the Chinese theater would be valuable for the CIA’s East Asian Division.

In the early 1970s, LaGueux would become the deputy chief of station in Saigon. Ultimately, he would be responsible for the planning and implementation of the evacuation of key Vietnamese leaders.  While residing outside of Pawtucket for most of his adult life, LaGueux would never forget his early ties to is hometown, his wife told the crowd in the room during the induction ceremony.

Last Friday, Patrick McCabe also joined the rank and file of the Pawtucket Hall of Fame.  Called the “Father of Irish in Pawtucket” the 96-year-old inductee was a strong supporter of his church, St. Mary’s Parish in Pawtucket. His work at Kaiser Shipyard during World War II brought him to Pawtucket.

His love of his Irish homeland led to purchase the Irish Social Club in Pawtucket, and the place quicky became the focal point of Irish get-togethers and events. As the grand marshal, McCabe led Pawtucket’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Commitment to his Irish heritage and to the parade led him to save the popular Pawtucket event when support for it dwindled.

At age 53, Louis C. Yip is one of the youngest inductees into the Pawtucket Hall of Fame. A native of Hong Kong, Yip came to America and now stands as Pawtucket’s shining example of the American dream. Along with running one of the best Chinese restaurants in New England, the China Inn. Yip has brought vitality to the city’s downtown by turning an old bank building into the Registry of Motor Vehicles and an old vacant mill into a thriving commercial property.

As a promoter of his Chinese culture, Yip provides strong support to the Rhode Island Association of Chinese Americans. He continually looks for ways to promote his adopted hometown, Pawtucket.

Lastly, William Meiklejohn, born in 1861, became a historical inductee to this year’s Pawtucket Hall of Fame. Coming to Pawtucket from Scotland, Meiklejohn was the founder of the Pawtucket Board of Trade, which ultimately became the Pawtucket Chamber of Commerce.

The new inductees in Pawtucket’s Hall of Fame provide us with a road map on how we can make positive changes not only to Pawtucket, but to our daily lives. That is quite a legacy that they leave us and the future generations that come after us.

AARP Works to Get the Vote Out

Published in the Pawtucket Times on October  21, 2002

AARP is flexing its political muscle.

While it’s not endorsing political candidates from either the Republican and Democratic ranks, one of the nation’s largest membership groups is moving swiftly to educate its members on key aging issues and directing  resources to get the vote out on Election Day.

AARP CEO Bill Novelli has begun the mobilization of his 35 million-plus members to hold all political candidates accountable in the upcoming elections. With the bipartisan gridlock that keeps a law from being enacted to lower skyrocketing drug costs and to provide drug coverage in Medicare, Novelli and his aging rank and file are just plan tired of promises. I can just imagine hearing him shout from AARP headquarters in Washington, D.C. “We are not going to take it anymore!”

This month, AARP begins to take steps to prod the political candidates to become more responsive to aging issues before Nov. 5 elections.

Over the next two weeks, AARP will begin a first-ever national voter education campaign on television. Aimed at voters age 50 and over, the advertising campaign’s get-out-the-vote message calls for the need of a Medicare drug benefit and the importance of Social Security to seniors.

On the issue of Social Security, the message says: “After all you’ve done to earn a paycheck, make sure some of it will be there when you retire. Know where the candidates stand on the future of Social Security and vote.”

Meanwhile, 50 candidate forums, like the one recently held in Warwick by AARP Rhode Island have already been held to enable older votes to directly question local candidates. AARP plans to hold an additional 20 events before Nov 5.

Here’s the rationale for AARP hosting the forums – seniors want detailed information and no longer want to learn about a candidate’s position and priorities in a 30-second sound bite or in a paragraph on a glossy campaign brochure.

Additionally, all congressional candidates will be asked to sign a new Medicare prescription pledge, promising that if they are elected, they will enact a benefit that is voluntary, stable and affordable in 2003.

A warning to the incoming politicians – keep your word. The names of candidates who do – and don’t- agree to sign this Medicare drug pledge will be made public, too.

More that 8.5 million AARP voter guides will be printed, detailing up-to-date information where candidates stand on senior issues. Localized election information on state and national races nationwide will also be made available on a comprehensive website  at http:/www.aarp.org/elections2002.

AARP will even fund Election Day polling, where voters in selected districts will be asked about the defining issues that influenced their votes. The results of this polling will signal to those  elected to Congress what priorities they will face when they begin their new terms in January 2003.

Finally, phone banks where an estimated 500,000 telephone calls will be made will assist AARP’s efforts to get out the vote on Election Day.

If AARP is successful in getting its political savvy and educated membership to the polls, political candidates had better listen to their concerns.

“Older voters participate in elections at a higher rate than any age group,” said AARP Director of Grassroots and Elections Kevin Donnellan, noting that the mid-term elections, where overall voter numbers are low, the percentage senior voting is higher.

Furthermore, Donnellan said in the 1998 mid-term elections, more than 60 percent of the voters were 45 and older. More than 70 percent of AARP members typically vote, he added.

AARP grassroots efforts might even become a factor in tight races, specifically deciding who goes to Washington and who stays at home, Donnellan says.

“Now that we are down to the wire to Election Day, AARP Rhode Island joins AARP nationally to urge Rhode Island seniors to demonstrate once again that they are the most dependable and consistent group of voters,” says Kathleen S. Connell, state director of AARP Rhode Island told All About Seniors.

“It is important that seniors exercise the power of the ballot box to convey the message that the time for action is now,” adds Connell.

The political fate of gubernatorial, congressional and state-wide candidates may well rest in the hands of AARP Rhode Island, which is now mobilizing its 125,000 members to get out and vote next month.

Combine the successful Senior Agenda/Election 2002 Project, recently spearheaded by the Gray Panthers of Rhode Island, working in collaboration with the Rhode Island Minority Elder Task Force, and hundreds of thousands of Ocean State seniors have become a knowledgeable and educated voter block.

Understanding the immediate and future needs of Rhode Island seniors may well become the ticket to statewide or national office inside the Capitol Beltway, when the dust settles after the  Nov. 5 election.

Preparing for Golden Years Starts with Taking Charge of Your Life in Your 40s

Published in Pawtucket Times on October 7, 2002

Ken McGill, a colleague of mine, recently celebrated his 40th birthday.

The now forty-something municipal employee joins the rank and file of millions of Baby boomers – people born between 1946 to 1964 – who are now in the middle and later years of their life.

Like many, McGill dreaded reaching that chronological milestone.

“Half my life is over,” he told me. But McGill’s approaching birthday triggered a strong desire for him to take control of his life style.

One aspect was to get in better shape, and through diet and exercise, he succeeded.

Here are some suggestions for McGill and millions of aging Baby Boomers to follow to age gracefully, which will enhance their health and mental capabilities in their later years.

  1. A positive attitude becomes very important as you get older. Every day you have a choice on how to view problems – either viewing the glass half-full or half-empty. A good attitude is key to helping you live longer. Moreover, your attitude can help you face the downsides of growing older.
  • It is so easy to continually reflect on ones’ successes and especially all the negatives you have experienced throughout your life. While savoring your personal and professional victories, it is important to forgive yourself for your defeats.
  • By viewing your past as a cancelled check, you can let go of past regrets and mistakes made in your younger and middle years. It is now time to  live in the present and let go of the past. You cannot live or end your life peacefully if you are still holding onto anger, bitterness or grudges all tied to your past. But most importantly, forgive those who have hurt you personally or professionally.
  • Don’t sit on the sidelines of life.  View life as a “spectator sport” and stay as physically active as you can. According to research, “if you rest-you rust.” Physical exercise elevates your mood and benefits your cardiovascular system. Resistance training can help maintain strength and muscle.
  • Keep your mind active by investigating new challenges. By seeking second careers, taking advantage of volunteer opportunities and traveling can be your “fountain of youth.” Take time to write, learn how to play musical instruments, and settle down to read daily newspapers and magazines. Spend some time working on a challenging crossword puzzle or even playing chess.
  • Don’t be afraid of asking for help or support from your family and friends. No one is an island, and we need to become more interdependent as we get older. According to research, people with a strong social network will improve their mental health, have a stronger immune system, and even live longer than those who don’t. So, strive to keep up your social contact and personal connection with others.
  • Reduce stress through humor, meditation and low-impact exercise like walking and the Chinese discipline of tai chi.
  • Reduce the amount of red meat, saturated and hydrogenated fats and sweets that you eat while increasing your portions of vegetables and fruits.
  • By following these suggestions, McGill and other Baby Boomers will be better able to tackle life’s challenges they encounter in their 50s, 60s and even 70s.