By Karen Hendrix | For The Tribune
RuthAnn Hendrix hosted our September meeting at St. Paul Lutheran Church Borchers on Sept. 3. Her granddaughter, Sage, was our guest this month. An up and coming homemaker in training. What an unexpected treat when we have someone so young to join us at our table.
RuthAnn brought a delicious homemade pumpkin cake with pecans and whipped topping and a new herbal tea. The cake was a new recipe and everyone commented about how tasty it was. Some of us even went back for seconds to be sure our taste buds weren’t deceiving us. Let me assure you, they weren’t.
Olga asked everyone what their favorite fall baking recipe was. Apple recipes won over pumpkin with the favorite being apple pie and pumpkin cake a close second. I wonder if they had RuthAnn’s recipe.
Our joke this month pertained to Labor Day. “Why are locksmiths allowed to be open for Labor Day? They are key workers.”
Our booklet also had a great S’mores Bars recipe. What a great fall dessert. You’ll have to find a homemaker and ask them for the recipe. It looks like it’s an easy one to make.
We were also reminded by our quote, “A sunrise is God’s way of telling us, ‘Good Morning.’ A sunset is God’s way of telling us, ‘Good Night.’ I hope you’ve taken time from your busy schedules to enjoy the beauty God has given us. The colors in our morning and evening skies have been spectacular this summer.
Our Oct. 3 meeting will be held at the Odd Fellows in Brownstown.
Jackson County Homemakers will be hosting the fall district meeting. Olga will have a slideshow presentation on the trip to Germany during the summer that she and Karen Wiesehan were lucky enough to be a part of. I can’t wait to see all her photos. She’s such a great photographer and loves to share her adventures with us.
Future events include the Fall Fling at Spraytown Methodist Church. It will be hosted by Freetown Friends. Members are asked to bring hygiene items to be donated to schools and non perishable food items for our local food pantries.
Our annual bake sale at the Immanuel Lutheran School craft fair is scheduled for Nov. 2. Last year, the bake sale generated almost $1,000 from the sale of all our homemade sweets in just five hours. That tells me we have some hungry shoppers and some excellent bakers in our clubs. Two $500 scholarships were given to students who applied for the scholarships. This is only one way homemakers give back to our community.
Unfortunately, this may be the last year for our annual bake sale that has been in existence for so many years. Due to clubs disbanding in the last few years, it will put such stress on only two clubs to make and bake all these wonderful treats. Be sure to get your treats early this year.
A pie contest or pie auction at the Jackson County Fair is a possibility in lieu of the bake sale going forward. Don’t worry, you’ll still be able to purchase some of our great tasting homemade pies.
Mandy Otte discussed how to protect yourself from Medicare scams. Spotting fraud isn’t always easy but there are ways to keep yourself safe, she said.
Scammers sometimes offer free items if you sign during the phone call. Remember, Medicare never offers free items. Medicare also never calls to verify your information or ask for money for enrollment fees when you sign up for a so- called “better plan” nor will you be charged to activate a new card.
Always check your “Medicare and You” handbook to find out what’s covered or call 800-Medicare. You can also visit medicare.gov for any questions you have. To be safe, always go to the Medicare.gov site instead of opening a possibly fraudulent email. Anything in that email will be in your account if it’s a valid email. If you haven’t registered for an account with Medicare, you should do this. Your life will become so much easier to stay informed on anything Medicare.
Never share your Medicare Beneficiary Identifier (MBI) or Social Security number with anyone other than a medical provider. Scammers use legitimate looking phone numbers hoping you’ll answer since it begins with your area code. They may have done research on your personal information and have some facts that make them sound legit. Never verify your birth date, mother’s maiden name or middle initial.
Be wary of salesmen who offer deals on plans “preferred by Medicare.” I think we see some of these on TV every day. Insurance agents must follow state guidelines. Search for a local insurance agent who deals in life and health insurance. They cannot offer you cash, gifts, charge an enrollment fee or ask for contact information from your friends or family. They can however help you find a legitimate plan that works for you.
You can report scams by contacting Medicare directly at 800-Medicare or Senior Medicare Patrol Resource Center in Indiana 800-986-3505 or smpresource.org/locator/indiana/
RuthAnn”s devotions were from Joyce Meyer’s book “Starting Your Day Right.” She read from Galatians 5:16, 22-23. “But I say, walk and live in the Holy Spirit; then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh (of human nature without God).”
If we have the presence of the Holy Spirit within we have his fruits which are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. People throughout the world try counseling and self-help books to acquire these virtues. The Bible says that if we walk with God, the Spirit-filled life will produce all these things within us. Give your life to God each day and He will create a right heart in you, one that will want to do the things He would have you do.
Come join us around our table for some great family stories, a few adventurous tales, a lot of laughs and let the magic of IEHA happen within you. Contact 812-358-6101 for meeting info on a club near you or visit ieha-families.org for information on our mission to strengthen families.