FROM THE PROGRAMOFFICE

We would like to take this opportunity towish each and everyone a very ''Happy New Year".Even though the holidays are over, we are still verybusy in the Clubhouse. In fact; the next couple ofmonths we intend to keep you very busy. So, if youhave nothing to do, plan to come to the Clubhouseand you will surely get involved in one or morethings.

Sunday, January 7th, is our Interfaith

Memorial Service held at 3 PM in the ClubhouseAuditorium.

Maintenance Day is Monday, January 8th•

Monday, January is", will be an HRCA.Holiday celebrating Martin Luther King Day.

Our Travel Club goes on their cruiseMonday, January 15th and returns Friday, January,26th

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On Wednesday, January 17th, at 1 PM,

George Wolfwill hold a Zone Meeting in theAuditorium.

Sunday, January 21 st, is the Concert Seriespresenting the Orlando String Quartet. Held in theClubhouse Auditorium at 3 PM, the Concert Seriesis a well-attended event and our residents alwayscome early to make sure of a good seat.

Monday, January 29th, Doreen Francis will

hold her annual "Tea Dance" .

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TAX EXEMPTION

Tuesday, January 9, a representative fromthe Property Appraiser's Office will be here in theClubhouse from 9:30 AM to 12 Noon. You willhave an opportunity to file for HomesteadExemption, WidowlWidower Exemption, andDisability Exemption. .

To apply for the Homestead Exemption,you will need your Florida Drivers License or aFlorida ID, Social Security number, voterregistration, and a legal description of property, taxbill or Deed te property.

For the Widow/Widower Tax Exemptionyou will need a copy of the Death Certificate andyour Social Security number ..

For a Civilian Disability Tax Exemption,you will need a doctor statement from two differentdoctors and for a Veteran Disability you will need aletter from the VA.

A Blind Disability Tax Exemption requiresa statement from two doctors or a letter from theBlind Services.

If you have any questions you can contactthe Property Appraisers Office at 343-9748.

Please take advantage ofthis time to sign upfor these exemptions. Newcomers - this isespecially a great opportunity for you.

TAXA/DEIt is just about time to think about filing

your tax returns.Our Tax Aide Program is offered through

AARP and the Internal Revenue Service.Tax Aide Training takes place in January.

Jack Winters is our Coordinator and the trainingclasses will be held at the Lake Sumter CommunityCollege.

. Hawthorne is fortunate to have a group ofvolunteers to help you with your taxes. They arecertified volunteer counselors, trained incooperation with the IRS. Beginning in Februarythey will operate counseling desks in the Marina onMonday and Wednesday mornings from 8:30 AMto 12 Noon.

They ask that you bring copies of yourprevious year's federal and state returns and formsfor the current year, including 1099's and otherrelevant materials showing income for the year.

Start putting those papers together!

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AGE GAMES MEDALISTS

We are so proud of Mary Obbink and Corand Maria Feenstra. Yearly they are competitors inthe Golden Age Games held in Sanford.

Thursday, November 2nd the three ofthemheaded for Sanford to participate in this year'sgames.

Not only is Cor a swimmer but heparticipates in the canoe racing events held at LakeCarola. Cor won two gold medals in the canoeraces.

Mary Obbink won three silver: 50 yardbreaststroke, 50 yard backstroke, and 50 yard freestyle.

Mary also won two bronze medals: 100 yardbreaststroke and the 100 yard freestyle.

Mary Obbink stated that she had a lot ofcompetition in her age group with two heats in the

same swim strokes. She stated it was a "realchallenge" .

Maria Feenstra won three gold: 50 yardbreaststroke, and the 100 yard breaststroke and the50 yard freestyle.

Maria also won 1 silver for the backstrokeand 1 bronze for the freestyle.

Congratulation to our Hawthorne athletes -we are very proud of you.

Many complaints have been receivedconcerning the speeding traffic onRoyal Palm and Aspen Circle. Pleaseslow down and obey the posted speedlimit.

LIGHTEN UP WITH LAUGHTER

We are all beginning to recognize the medicaland emotional benefits of laughter. Let's face it, with allthe mergers, managed care, and changes in health care,we all need to "Lighten Up!"

When individuals are experiencing an illness,they often become depressed, angry, and are veryfrightened. These emotions have been found to constrictcirculation and often lead to further complications.iThephysical benefits of laughter follow an opposite reaction.

When we take large breaths of air into our lungsreleasing laughter noises, we promote circulation, dialatethe blood vessels, and improve our immune systems .

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Our November 18th Craft Fair was a hugesuccess. Doreen Francis once again did a beautifuljob in arranging tables to make it very wellorganized. $141.00 was made and out of that$25.00 was donated to the VFW for theirassistance with the parking. Our VFW is always abig help when we have an event at the Clubhouse.

Thank you to everyone who assisted withthe Craft Fair and those that patronized it.Everyone had a good time and enjoyedthemselves.

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AARP CONSUMER TIPS

HearingAids - If you are in the market for ahearing aid, first find someone who not only sellshearing aids, but also focuses on your hearing care.You will want to talk to several hearing aidprofessionals (called dispensers) to find one whowill I) take the time to find out about how youhearing loss affects your lifestyle; 2) figure outwhich of the many hearing aid options best fits yourneeds; and 3) stay with you for as long as it maytake to get your hearing aid working right for you.

Look for a hearing care professional withthese characteristics:

• Is licensed or certified;• Has adequate testing equipment in a sound-

controlled environment;• Offers aids from a variety of manufacturers;• Demonstrates competence in fitting hearing

aids;• Works with you to get a satisfactory fit;• Explains all costs, trial periods, warranties,

and insurance; and• Offers continuing support services after

delivering the aid.

For more information, order a free copy of"Consumer's Guide to Hearing Aids" (DI7177)from AARP Fulfillment, 601 ESt., NW,Washington, DC 20049.

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SHUFFLEBOARD RESULTS

On Monday, November 6th and Tuesdayth . ,November 7 the State Pro Tournament was heldhere at Hawthorne.

Our Hawthorne ladies did a fantastic jobwith Sharon Upson coming in First, Marilyn Gorrellcoming in Third and Marion Lohbusch coming inFourth.

The Consolation Winners for the ladies wereIrma Lakes, First, Pat McCormick and Doris Hankeplacing Second and Anne Caron and Mary Gibsonplacing Fourth.

Consolation Winners for the men were BillMynchenberg coming in first and Bob Caron andMerle Hearn coming in Second.

Congratulations to all of our Hawthorneplayers.

DEATH NOTICES

John KarrPaul GentryClifford DickersonMuriel NorlundFrank RosulekJanet PfleegerHelen Croswell

Nov. 8Nov. 12Nov. 20Nov. 23Dec. 10Dec. 10Dec. 12

Former Residents:Harriette YohnFranklin W. ReidFred Farrell

Dec. 2Nov. 7Nov. 17

ARE YOU GETTINGPREPARED? .

Believe it or not it is time to start thinkingabout our Activity Elections.

All elections must be held prior to March15th

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All activities must elect a Chairman, Co-Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer and a SteeringCommittee of at least three members.

A member of Club Hawthorne may hold nomore than one .chairmanship and one Co-Chairmanship of separate activities at anyone time.

The terms of office are for one yearbeginning April 1st. No Chairman or Co-Chairmanshall hold that office for more than two (2)consecutive years.

Dates and times of Activity Elections mustbe published in the Bulletin and/or the TV -4 Drumprior to the election.

It is very important that each Activity attheir election, nominate a person for CouncilOfficer and Deputy Council Officer. At the March8th Group Meeting these nominations will beannounced and the election will take place for theCouncil officers. The Group meeting is moved upone week due to the HRCA Annual Meeting andElection.

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THE CHARITY DOLL CLUB

The Charity Doll Club had its annual saleand raftle at the Craft Show. Winners were:

Jean Crowell - won the clownLouise Keehn - won the bride doll

Peggy Munton - won the granny afghan with dollDee Blaine - won the swan

'This is the last year for our club. Allremaining dolls and animals plus cash earning willbe distributed this Christmas to Leesburg charities.

. The Club wishes to thank all it's supporters- buyers, workers, and suppliers. Without you theClub wouldn't have done so much with so littleexpense.

This past year we said farewell to FrancesYoure, who led us in the spirit of giving andenthusiasm for our endeavors. Under herinspiration we were permitted to become childrenagain.

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CLUB HAWTHORNECOUNCIL AND GROUP

We have many ''Newcomers'' in Hawthorneand it is so wonderful to see so many new facesgetting active in Club Hawthorne.

There have been several that havequestioned what is the Club Hawthorne Council andthe Club Hawthorne Group and the difference -between the two?

The CLUB HAWTHORNE COUNCIL isthe governing body of Club Hawthorne consistingof elected representatives of Club Hawthorne. TheCouncil is composed of a Council Member and aDeputy Council Member for each ofthe eightapproved categories of activities as well as a non-voting liaison for HRCA, VFW Chapter 6389 andAARP Chapter 1775.

The Council acts upon requests forexpenditures from the General Fund. This action isfinal. The Council acts upon requests for newactivities and suggestions for the improvement ofClub Hawthorne.

The Council meets the second Thursday ofeach month except during the summer and at thecall ofthe Program Coordinator.

The Club Hawthorne Activities GroupConsists of the Activity Chairmen, Co-Chairmenand the Council members.

The Primary functions of the Group are to 1)advise the Program Coordinator and Council onmatters pertaining to the operation of ClubHawthorne; 2) act as a clearinghouse for thecompletion of monthly calendars; and 3) hearCouncil decisions and reports.

The Activities Group meets the thirdThursday of the month except during the summermonths. At this meeting they share upcomingevents and listen to the report ofthe Council.

Both of these groups are very important tothe function of Club Hawthorne. Since volunteerresidents provide the leadership of Club Hawthorneit is very important that the rules and guidelines befollowed.

Club Hawthorne is a very successfulorganization, which other communities in the areatry to follow.

If you need a copy of the Club HawthorneProgram Manual see Sandy and one will beprovided for you.

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"NEVER TRUST A CROW"

On the Tram Tour at Shark Valley,it was discovered that crows are natural-born robbers! Bicyclists left their bikesunattended and walked away. Theirbacks were hardly turned when severalcrows flew in. One hopped on the bikeand immediately proceeded to unzip thezipper on a backpack! He worked veryquickly and in no time at all had thezipper undone and was pulling out thecontents, dropping them on the ground -including keys! We wondered what thebikers thought "who dunit."

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THE GOLDEN 50-80 CLUB

Have you been reading the new "WeddingBells Rang for .... " Colunm in our weekly ProgramBulletin? Have you been surprised to see all of theHawthorne residents who have been married 50years or more?

It was over 20 years ago that some insightfulHawthorne folks recognized that long marriages andlong lives were going to become expectedoccurrences at Hawthorne, and started the Golden50-80 Club. With our mentally and physicallyhealthful lifestyle here, how could we miss?

Of course, we must acknowledge, sadly, thatthe goals of reaching a 50th wedding anniversary oran 80th birthday will not always be reached. Butthere are a lot! Currently registered with theGolden 50-80 Club are over 95 Hawthorne coupleswho have been married 50 years or more; and over90 individuals who are 80 years old or older! Is thata good report, or what! And we know there must bemore!

If you are qualified and are not on thislisting, please let the 50-80 Club Registrar, MarionBell, know (call 323-80~3). He is espe~iallyinterested to have a call if you had a 50anniversary or turned age 80 in the year 2000. Theannual dinner meeting on January 9 will honor thesefolks in a special way.

All Hawthornites who qualify formembership are invited to purchase tickets for thedinner meeting. See your weekly Program Bulletin,or watch the Drum for details. If you have lost yourspouse after a 50-year or more marriage, you arealso eligible to join the party, as we celebrate twovery special mile-markers in our lives!

*********************YOUR HEALTH

Women and Heart Attacks - taking estrogensupplements can help women prevent heart ~ise~,a study from the University of Southern Califormasuggests, a discovery that appears to contlict withsome earlier findings. The new study examinedhealthy women and a slightly different form of thehormone and may provide the best indication yetthat estrogen-replacement therapy may lower therisk of heart attack.

The previous studies were in women whohad developed heart disease. In a separate studyalso presented at the meeting, Canadian researchersfound that women are more likely to suffer heartattacks during or after their periods, when estrogenlevels are naturally low.

Estrogen benefits for men - just like thefemale hormone estrogen, the male hormonetestosterone may be good for the brain. Butimprovements in verbal ability with testosteronetherapy may really be because of estrogen, a newstudy suggests. As men age, their testosterone levelsand cognitive abilities decline. Studies have shownthat hormone-replacement therapy with testosteronemay help men recover verbal and spatial skills. Butnew research, reported recently at the annualmeeting of the Society for Neuroscience, shows thattestosterone, itself: selectively improves spatialmemory, used for navigating. It's the estrogen thatenhances verbal memory, which aides in recallingstories and words.

*******************HEALTH FAIR

Wow! It is time for our annual Health Fair.It seems like we just had one.

Thursday, February 1 from 11 AM to 2 PMyou can come down to the Clubhouse and meet thearea health facilitators and ask those questions youmight have. It Will also be your opportunity to havesome tests done. If you signed up for the Life LineScreenings you already have an appointment andknow to be here. You can also have you hearingchecked, eyesight, blood pressure, etc., etc.

LRMC plans to have quite a few booths aswell as ORMC, and the Ocala Heart Institute.

Bud and Barb Frank and their committeewill have lunch available for those that wish to eathere. There will be door prizes.

The most important thing of the day is themany services that are being offered to you this dayfree of charge. The only cost involved will be forthe mammograms and the Life Line Screenings.

The Hawthorne Chorus is sponsoring theBake Sale this year and plans to have lots ofgoodies.

We are once again proud to bring you thisHealth Fair offering many services.

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HAWTHORNE NATURE CLUBEighty-three Nature Club nature lovers departed

Hawthorne on Monday, November 13, for a three-dayEverglades Excursion. Because of the popularity of thistrip, it was necessary to have two Royal Blue busses.

Their first stop was in the Melbourne Beach areawhere they began their Barrier Island Wildlife Tour.Then they went on a pontoon cruise on the Indian Riverestuary known as the "Cradle of the Atlantic." Theirboat trip took them to observe Pelican Island, the oldestknown rookery in the United States.

After lunch they traveled to the MiccosukeeResort and Indian Reservation where they spent thenight.

On Day Two all enjoyed a short trip to thenorthern section of Everglades National Park. At SharkValley they took a guided tram tour, topping mid-way atthe 65 ft. observation tower overlooking the Everglades.Later, naturalists took the group on a walking tour of theAnbinga Trail pointing out various birds and trees.

Later that afternoon, the group went on a 90minute Bald Eagle Sunset Cruise over Florida Bay.Flocks of white pelicans were resting on mud flats andospreys were sighted on their nests. They were lucky toobserve the fantastic bird life of the Everglades andwitness the sunset over the Bay as hundreds of birdsflew home to roost. Day two ended with a tastybarbecue meal. .

On Day Three the Nature Club Group left thebothersome mosquitoes behind and journeyed into thebackcountry aboard the "Pelican." Their guide pointedout the different types of mangroves and theirimportance in sustaining a healthy ecosystem. Theirboat took them into Coot Bay, Tarpin Creek and finallyWhite Water Bay, the second largest inlet bay in theState. They were very fortunate to see severalcrocodiles, and a few brave souls got close enough to.take pictures when they disembarked.

Their excellent naturists made them aware of theimportance of preserving the Everglades, which havebeen severely threatened, in recent years. Extensivecanal and levee systems urbanization, industry andagriculture, pollutants affecting all levels of the foodchain up to the Florida panther, depletion of fresh waterand salt water intrusion have all contributed to the fate ofone of the world's largest ecosystems. Some specieshave declined as much as 93% since the 1930's.Pioneering conservationist Marjory Stoneman Douglas,through her book "River of Grass", made the publicaware of how serious the magnitude of environmentaldisaster has become. Through her lifelong efforts,solutions are underway to reverse the tremendousdamage already done. However, the fate of theEverglades still hangs in balance.

What memories the Nature Club will keep fromyet another great Nature Club trip! Certainly thehundreds of shore birds in flight, the beautiful sunset, thesighting of new birds to. add to our life list such as thepalm warbler, the phoebe perched high on a dead limband endangered snail kite which is close to. extinction,and for some, their first crocodile in the wild. But theywill also have sobering thoughts about the future of theEverglades. Will all its splendor be here for our greatgrandchildren and future generations to enjoy as wehave? Time will tell.

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HAWTHORNE'S ANNUALMAMMOGRAPHY DATES

Ladies, it's almost time for your annualmammography screening. As yQU may know, 70%of all breast cancer occurs in women over 50, andregular mammograms are Qur best defense.

Lake Medical Imaging and Breast Centerlocated in Highland Lakes Medical Plaza is onceagain offering the special rate Qf$65.00 to.Hawthorne residents for a mammogram includingbreast examination by the radiologist. TheAmerican Cancer Society as well as AARPrecommends a yearly breast exam from a healthcare professional in addition to. the mammogramx-ray.

Our "special" dates have been scheduled forTuesday, February 20, and Wednesday, February21, from 8:45.tQ 4:30. YQU can contact Sandy inthe Program Office to. reserve your appointment,

Remember, in order to be covered, yourinsurance company usually requires that one yearplus one day have passed since your lastmammogram.

HAWTHORNE HIGHLIGHTSHawthorne at Leesburg

100 Hawthorne BlvdLeesburg, FL 34748

(352) 787-1000

Editor: Sandy AlexanderGeneral Manager: Dan Gorden

Articles Submitted By:Margaret Bell

Barbara HomingCarol Little

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