2020-06 June

President … Ken Schieck

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National AARP is sharing current COVID-19 information every Thursday at 10:00 a.m. PDT.  The (corrected) phone # is 855-274-9507.

Please remember and pray for the families of Marlene Hruby and Libby Harbour (see tributes by Marilyn Clough on page 2).  Marlene was my mentor for two years, and I will never forget her assistance.  She was a huge participant in our chapter for the last ten to fifteen years.

Many thanks again to Thelma Bridges and her telephone committee; they have contacted all our members every week checking to see if they are safe and have all the items they need.

Paul and Sharon Levine will host a general Zoom meeting on Tuesday, June 16. (See posting).  We must use 21st century technology to keep our bonds strong. The Campbell Community Center will not open for meetings like ours until at least August; I will keep you posted about any changes.

It’s mosquito season, so be sure to have all your screens in place, and empty any standing water.

Some updated information from AARP member Liz Gibbons:

-Capacity for expanded testing is ramping up.  Congregate settings, such as nursing homes, will also see increased testing;

-About 1,000 to 1,200 tests are being conducted daily in Santa Clara County; ideal is 4,000/day.  For more information, check sccgov.org/cv19testing;

-Testing and contact tracing are two of our five key indicators that are needed to be ready for the next phase of our COVID-19 response;

-County Office of Labor Standards Enforcement (OLSE) and County COVID-19 Assistance Navigation (CAN) have teamed up to create resource lines for workers who are financially impacted by COVID-19.  OLSE hotline is 1-866-870-7725; CAN hotline is 1-408-809-2124.

For more timely information on County Shelter-In-Place orders, go to  https://www.sccgov.org/sites/covid19/Pages/public-health-orders.aspx

Marlene Hruby’s Passing … Marilyn Clough

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Sadly, we mark the passing of Marlene Hruby on May 14.  Details can be found through the Lima Family Santa Clara Mortuary on the internet.  Marlene, and her husband Ron, were such valuable members of our chapter that it’s hard to know where to begin.  Along with raising two sons and two daughters, they were active in many professional, educational, and community organizations.  When younger, they hiked all over central California and supported local nature conservation activities.  Marlene worked for Westinghouse as an administrative assistant for many years.

After retiring, Marlene was not only the editor of our Dispatch, she also edited another organization’s newsletter for over a decade. She was president of our chapter for two years shortly after Ron’s death, and also served on our Tours and Nominating committees, among other chapter activities.

Marlene and Ron never missed a theatrical presentation in our area.  What a performance by both of them!  They will be missed by many in our community.

Libby Harbour’s Passing … Marilyn Clough

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We are also sad to report that a long-time member of our chapter, Libby Harbour, passed away on May 31 after a lengthy illness.  She and her partner, Lee Turcotte, made significant contributions to the success of our chapter.  We understand that a celebration of life is to be held on Saturday, June 6, at 4 p.m., using Zoom.  Her daughter will be posting a link on Facebook for those who would like to join and share special memories.

AARP June “Social” … Paul & Sharon Levine

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Since the Campbell Community Center is not permitting large gatherings in June, we are planning to hold an online “social” using Zoom on Tuesday, June 16, at 10:00 AM.  

We will host the event and will send email invitations to members who have email.  Others who want to attend may do so via their phones.  (Email and telephone Instructions will be provided prior to the meeting.)

A Vision of Hope … Maribel Santos

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In everyday newspapers, words such as “sheltering in place, social distancing,” etc. hold great meaning as these words alert us to the mindful activities we need to do to protect ourselves from Covid-19. How about words such as “elbowing instead of hugging, quarantining, essential services only, masking, sanitizing, senior grocery lines,” and others further remind us of the new reality that we are in – a sense of uncertainty during these unprecedented times. Hence, I recommend a place of focus, a place to ground ourselves and put fear and alarm on the back burner as we are constantly faced with the fact that the “horse is now running in the opposite direction.” What do we do in the face of this new reality? A couple of things come to mind. Acceptance is one. Alignment is another. And finally, a chance to reset ourselves – back to zero. For I look at zero as the ultimate foundation by which springs forth possibilities for a new beginning, a new self, a new world, a new creation.

Legislative News … Daniel Nnorth and Claudia Schott

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Nursing homes continue to be a hotbed for the COVID-19 infection.  AARP members are being asked to contact their Federal Representatives, State Senators, & State Assembly Members to Implement a 3-point plan to improve conditions in America’s Long-Term Care Facilities, which must

(1)  Have the personal protective equipment (PPE) and testing they need to identify cases and prevent the spread of the virus, as well as adequate staffing to provide care.

(2)  Be transparent by reporting publicly on a daily basis whether they have confirmed COVID-19 cases; and provide residents and families information when loved ones are discharged or transferred out of their room or facility.

(3)  Make available and facilitate virtual visitation as a safety measure between residents and their families.

We also need to urge our State Representatives to support the Governor’s Paid Family Leave Budget Trailer bill language:  AARP is fighting to improve paid leave policies for California workers who must care for adult loved ones, some of whom have been impacted by COVID-19.

  • Paid family leave with job protections must be available to all California workers.
  • Family caregivers are on the front lines battling to keep their loved ones out of hospitals or nursing homes.
  • Family caregivers help older loved ones with medications and medical care, bathing and dressing, meals, chores and much more.
  • Across California, more than 4.7 million family caregivers provide critical assistance to help their older parents, spouses, and other loved ones remain living in their homes — most while also working full- or part-time.  They contribute more than 4 billion hours of unpaid care each year, valued at approximately $63 billion.

And last, but not least, we need to tell our State Assembly Members and State Senators to OPPOSE the harmful cuts to programs serving older Californians in the state budget. This is the wrong approach to take at a time when older Californians are contracting and dying from COVID-19 at higher rates than the rest of the population.

Meanwhile, we are getting closer every day to a vaccine for COVID-19.  Please, please, DO NOT use hydroxychloroquine to treat coronavirus – studies have shown it to cause serious side effects, including death.

Glad Tidings … Margaret Schieck

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1) LCDR John Kimmel, to whom we have been sending CARE packages via Angie, is on his way home from the Middle East. There was a place on a military plane and the Navy decided to put him on it a month early.

2) Rosemary Finnerty, my mother’s friend, received her Bachelor’s degree in April at the age of 87.

Glad Tidings … Shelly Schwartz

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Recently I’ve begun paying bills online instead of sending them by regular mail. No need to drive to the post office, or stand on line, or buy stamps, or envelopes, or make out checks. And, if I’m almost to the due date on a bill, no worries, it’s done immediately.  Was even able to deposit our Stimulus check!

Hello, Everyone … David More (Two-Time Past Treasurer)

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It was exactly a year ago, on my 80th birthday party, Margaret and I announced our intention to move to Port Townsend, WA, to be close to Elizabeth, one of our daughters. Twelve weeks later, we drove out of the town we’d lived for 55 years and where we’d raised two daughters. The day we started our journey north it was 106 degrees in San Jose.

Port Townsend is a small artist town of about 10,000 people. We are about 30 minutes by ferry to Vancouver, Canada. My family was going to give me an 81st birthday in Vancouver except for the “stay at home’ restriction. We are in what is known as the “banana belt” so our rainfall is only 4 inches more than San Jose. It only snowed for two days this last winter. The average summer temperature is 85 degrees.

Text Box: CAMPBELL AREA CHAPTER 5151 of AARP -- Remember 1-408 in front of all Nos. Margaret and I were slowly getting involved with many of the local groups. She was into recorders, harps, weavings, sewing and knitting groups; and I was getting into some of the non-profits, such as the local Food Bank, etc. Then the Pandemic hit. Now she is spending most of her time making masks. Last week the concentration was making children’s mask in preparation of opening the schools after the summer holidays. I am lucky because the Food Bank is considered an essential operation — so we are busier than before. They protect me because of my age and make me work in the background in “prep” with very little contact with the public. That is perfect for me because I am never a talker anyway.

I hope all of you are well. If you are ever coming to this part of the Northwest, give me a shout. Here are my email and address: moredavid524@gmail.com  or 915 M Street, Port Townsend, WA 98368.