By Elaine Rassel
I was at the Marcus Historical Society on Tuesday evening. Just a “friendly” reminder if you haven’t paid your yearly dues, please send them in.
Have you looked over your written contribution to the new Sesquicentennial book? There are some entries that were not complete. If yours was one of them, send the rest of what was supposed to be in your article to Julie Sand and she will make sure the Marcus News gets it. Once printed in the Marcus News, you can clip it out and add it to the Sesquicentennial book. Mistakes can happen. In the Blue Book, I am missing the rest of the Paul and Catherine Ogren’s story as the next page, page 453 and 454 is missing.
I’m not sure that the continuation of Faith Hanson Specht’s article will make this weeks News as I have no idea how much space there is. But, it will go in when there is space.
This is the second time I am writing this personal of mine. For some reason or another, I couldn’t get a long line of this off and no matter how far down the page I went, it went along. So, I made another Oct. 7 and deleted the first one. I’m sure there was a way of getting this off, but I didn’t know how and no one was around that probably did know. (I am not computer friendly!)
Thursday evening Rachael Holmes was at the Marcus Public Library where she explained Medicare. There were a number of people there with questions about the open enrollment of Medicare. I’m sure you are aware of all the advertisements on television promoting a company that handles Medicare Advantage plans. These plans can get you anywhere from $1,200 to $1,700 added to your Social Security each year. (One person is advertising for 4 different companies! Just call the number on the bottom of the screen and a live person will answer your call. You could qualify for the extra money mentioned by giving your zip code. The caution is that you had better hope there is a doctor, dentist, hospital, prescription place, eye doctor, or hearing aid specialist that will accept this plan before you cancel out of the one you have. All of these ads are good to hear, especially when you could get some more money every year.
I have noticed that none of these come on during the early morning television hours. Most start at 7 o’clock in the morning. They must think that seniors don’t look at television after midnight! You can switch your prescription drug coverage during the Annual Enrollment Period, which runs every year from Oct. 15 through Dec. 7. However, there are Special Enrollment Periods that may allow you to switch outside the Annual Enrollment Period. You would think that when Dec. 7 has come and gone, that we wouldn’t be hearing anymore about these advertisements but, I declare, come Dec. 8, there they are again!
Rachael spoke on steps to take when you will be retiring and will be eligible for Original Medicare and the time you have to sign up. Her presentation was very interesting and informative. When you are making decisions about your health coverage, it is important to know what questions to ask. She is available as an authorized independent agent to help you if you find all this Medicare business over-whelming! You can call her at Farmers State Agency at 376-4318. Or, you can call Wellmark at 800-316-0505, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Help is available, so don’t be in the dark about Medicare and you.
I worked on an article about Grand Meadow Heritage Center when they celebrated their 45th festival back in 1970 Credit was given to those who wrote the articles that were printed now. I hope there is room for this article and pictures that go along with it. It is an amazing story of how there were/are people that were interested enough to save this school once it was not used anymore.
Granddaughter, Shania and Caleb Buren were married at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 2 at Faith Lutheran Church. As we signed in, we were handed a folder stating the Wedding Ceremony and the Wedding Party. Pastor Alan Cummins officiated. Special music was provided by Mike Hoover on guitar. Maid of Honors were Ashley Rassel and Bailey Walton. Bridesmaids were Kate Braun, Amber Vermeer, Lindsey Rassel, Mariah Thomsen, and Jenna Buren. Flower girls were Morgan Rassel and Aubrey Elgersma.
Ushers were T-Jay O’Beirne Bellefy and Jason Stoll. Best man was Norman Schirmer. Groomsmen were Devon TenKley, Chase Vermeer, Kiel Rassel, Westin Rassel, and Thomas Holzman. Ring Bearers were Huckson Vermeer and Martin Elgersma.
The Maid of Honor and Bridesmaids wore dark green, long length dresses and carried a flower arrangement. Men wore black tuxes. (This was probably on Facebook, but there are those that don’t have access to Facebook that might find it interesting.) It was a very informative event.
The back of the folder stated their thank you to friends and relatives for being present to celebrate their union. More than anything else, it’s the presence of the people we love that makes this a joyous occasion. We would like to thank our parents for their endless love, support, and patience, throughout the years. And finally, we would like to remember the loved ones who could not be here today, except in spirit.
One of the guests that arrived for the wedding was Jennifer with Scott! She is in a wheelchair and certainly not back to herself, yet. They did come to the reception at Marcus Community Center, but left before we ate. Noise bothered her. I guess all this goes along with her taking speech and learning to walk again. These are supposed to be the result of her being induced in a coma. I’m not a doctor so I don’t know all that could happen following this.
Seeing her reminds me that not all the wealth in the world can be as important as a person’s health. All she wants back is her health. I wish those that are distancing themselves from friends and family because of something or another, could see what I saw in her. It would make them think that what they are harboring against someone isn’t that important. Through her double mask, she stated that all she wants is to see all her family as a family again. Is that too much to ask?
In today’s newspaper, a person said he had stopped by another man standing on a corner asking for a hand-out. He asked this person why he was doing what he was doing when there are HELP WANTED signs all over. The answer was, “Why should I go off of unemployment when I can make more than if I went back to work?” Down the street was a woman also asking for money. She was asked the same question and her answer was the same as the previous man’s. The person asking this question said he wasn’t going to ask another person anymore as it would be the same answer. If any immigrants would come to our area and get a job, would they be taking it away from our people if we decide to wait at home for the check to arrive?
Keep in your thoughts and prayers those who have recently lost loved ones to death, who are dealing with an illness, are struggling to make ends meet even though they are working, and helping those who are distancing themselves from friends and family to see that a wall of hatred needs to come down. Count your blessings.
I will leave you with this quote from Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) philosopher: “Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.”