Sam Bauman: Seniors tour America with wit and action

If you missed the latest version of Carson City’s “Seniors Follies,” too bad because this year’s may have been the best with lots of singing and dancing. Titled “Touring America,” it did just that with wit and action.

It was presented at the Bob Boldrick Theater in the Community Center and all profits from the show go to support the Carson City Seniors Citizens Meals on Wheels program.

Directed by Toni VanCleave and produced by the Senior Center.

Meals on Wheels provides help, autonomy and security for Carson City seniors, their families and caregivers. Good nutrition is a major factor in keeping seniors healthy and independent. The Meals on Wheels program has been a part of Carson City Senior Center’s services for many years.

Meals on Wheels is available on both a short-term (for people recovering from surgery and other temporary problems) and continuing basis (for those with chronic, disabling and medical conditions).

Immediate response service ensures that meals can begin the next weekday after we are contacted. No one is ever put on a waiting list.

Call the Carson City Senior Center at 775-883-0703 for information on qualifications and costs for Meals on Wheels.

Mile High Jazz Band concerts

Last Tuesday’s Mile High Jazz Band concert was in the Comma Coffee Courtyard. David Bugli led the 20-some musicians, playing everything from flugelhorn to bass trombone.

Most of the songs were old big band music, but there was something new and exciting among the 18 pieces, Charles Mingus’ “Haitian Fight Song.” Starting out with solo acoustic bass, it was probably the best tune of the night, “Chattanooga Choo Choo” not withstanding.

No concert at Comma next month. Instead the MHJB will be offering Bill Watrous’ Jazz Trombone Master Class at the Community Center 2:30 p.m. Aug. 11 and then that night Watrous with the MHJB and Bill Hecht-Hans Halt-Andy Heglund jazz combo at the Community Center 7:30-9:30 p.m. Admission is $15.

On Saturday, Aug. 9 from 6-8 p.m., Carson City Historical Society Ice Cream Social with Millennium Bugs at Foreman-Roberts Park, ice cream and dessert, $15. (I went to this last year and enjoyed it greatly.)

In much of August the MHJB sponsored “Jazz and Beyond” will roil Carson City. This is the festival’s 11th season and has several sponsors. For a complete program go to jazzcarsoncity.com. It takes place allover town, from the Farmers Market to Comma Courtyard. Some events are free, fee for others.

Hiking Help — a third leg and places

Since ski crashes put a pebble in my back, I’ve been hiking with a 5-foot stick of hickory I found on the hill somewhere. I also have a pair of hiking poles with adjustable lengths. Most times the old stick works fine but where there are large steps up the two poles work better. Stick works fine for such as Dead Man’s Creek and Prison Hill but the trek up to Lake Aloha from Spooner Lake the two poles work better.

Ran into some hikers up at Spooner Lake the other day when the temperature was 90-plus. The four were hiking with one water bottle and had already drained it. I happened to have two, one small and one from skiing days. I passed the small one of to them and suggested a better load next time. They were flatlanders, of course.

I just finished a novel by Nevada Barr, “Blood Lure,” with Anna Pigeon as star visiting park ranger at Glacier National Park in Montana.

I remember my visit to that lovely part of America, about this time of year. Ideal for a park where the glaciers never go away, at least not yet. Sacagawea Falls stand out in my memory, standing across a valley from that scenic wonder.

I don’t think I was using a hiking stick back then. I’d sue like to return to that park and take that Going-to-the-sun Road and cross the Continental Divide one more time. Used to make that crossing daily when I was skiing out of Denver.

Sam Bauman writes about senior issues for the Nevada Appeal.