SOLON & BEYOND: Carolyn Waugh celebrates 103rd birthday with family and friends

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Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percyby Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percy
grams29@tds.net
Solon, Maine 04979

Good morning, dear friends. Don’t worry, be happy!

On Sunday, July 1, Carolyn Waugh, of Solon, was honored with a 103rd birthday party at her home. Sixty-four relatives and friends were there to help her celebrate this wonderful event. I was told, by one of her relatives, that there were four or five generations of Carolyn’s family present at the party. Some of the states they traveled from were Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Florida, and California.

The relative that gave me some of the particulars, said she thought every one of those who attended the party went up to Carolyn and hugged her or shook her hand before leaving.

I didn’t know about this party until after the fact, but learned about it when I went to the alumni meeting the week after. (I happened to see one of Carolyn’s relative this week and he apologized and said he was supposed to let me know, but kept forgetting.) I told him that was quite all right. Anyway I went out and called on Carolyn one day this week and had a really nice visit with her at her home on French Hill, in Solon.

She was very pleased about so many of her family coming to help her celebrate, her words were, “It was nice seeing everybody.” And she added, “There was plenty of food and some left over, which was good.” It was lots of fun to visit with her, she still takes a lot of interest in the news and really likes The Town Line and calls Fridays, “Percy Day,” that is when someone picks up the paper and reads his message each week. (It does me good when I hear good reports about people loving Percy and his contributions to our column.) But….another wonderful part of the visit was that I met Annabelle! She is Carolyn’s cat, and a quite active one, I think she and Percy would have made quite a pair. One of the things Annabelle did while I was there was jump up on a high animal tower and knock something down with a loud crash! But Carolyn just laughed, I’m sure she enjoys her cat’s company.

Oh sorry, I got side tracked with animals: more about Carolyn. She received the Boston Post Gold Cane as the oldest resident of Solon on her 100th birthday. She was a teacher in Maryland for 22 years and taught in Maine for ten years. The home where she lives was built in the Civil War era.

We talked a bit about getting older and she said she can’t see much anymore and her hearing isn’t good, but, she said, “I’m Happy!” (And I thought to myself, what a wonderful message that would be to so many people who call themselves “Old” and haven’t lived nearly as long as Carolyn. )

Saturday, August 4, from 10 a.m. – noon, paddle a kayak or canoe up the Wesserunsett Stream with SWT Trustees. This tour is given as a free activity during River Fest, an annual multi-day event of Skowhegan Main Street that celebrates recreation and life on the Kennebec River. The paddle begins at Cleaver Landing on the Kennebec River. After the paddle enjoy a picnic lunch at the Kennebec Banks Rest Area. The picnic starts at 11:30 a.m. and closes around 1:30 p.m. All proceeds help SWT maintain this popular rest area. If you don’t have a canoe or kayak, just ask them! They may have an extra one.

And now for Percy’s memoir: (I’m going to use another one that Percy put in back when he was alive in 2011, entitled, The Gift of Some of the Most Wonderful Wisdom of All. “Beautiful tomorrows are wished for you, beginning today and lasting your whole life through. Have a safe journey on a smooth and steady path… one that will guide you from where you are to where you want to be. One that will bring you so much fulfillment, so many challenges met, and so much serenity. May the words and thoughtful things that have touched your heart… join in the journey., and may they serve as supports to lean on, inspiration to encourage you, and stars to steer by. (words by Douglas Pagels.)

GARDEN WORKS: Livestock and the Garden

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How they can benefit each other

Emily Catesby Emily Cates

Usually when most folks think of animals in the garden, it worries them. After all, who wants their veggie patch trampled and eaten, with fresh poop in its place? While I would shudder to think of that as the outcome, it is possible for both garden and livestock to thrive with carefully managed inputs from each other. In this article, we will look at a few small-scale concepts for small animals, and explore the possibilities for anyone who desires to get the best from both worlds, animal and vegetable.

A few keys to this involve timing, choice of crops, choice of animals, appropriate fencing, and shelter. When these are combined in thoughtful proportions, it can be an important part of attaining a measure of sustainability. So to begin our short trip into the world of gardening with and for livestock, let’s look at what could grow well together. As you read this, try to spot the symbiotic cycles that are created- such as the chicken eats the corn, then the manure is used to grow the corn, which feeds the chicken- and so on.

The first example here might really surprise, delight, shock, or disgust you. I’ll mention it here to get it out of the way: Mealworms! Yes, these insects can be conveniently raised in a kitchen or a closet in a plastic set of drawers and fed flour or crushed-up cereal, with a slice of potato as a water source. Not only will poultry delight in eating them, but they are edible for people too and taste nutty and pleasant. As an added bonus, their frass (manure) can be mixed into potting soils or added to the garden as a soil amendment.

Next, we’ll look at birds. Poultry manure is strong stuff; when it’s time to shovel out the chicken coop, I try to make sure it’s mixed with bedding as I incorporate it into the soil, waiting a couple of weeks until planting. Alternatively, the careful use of a movable pen or “chicken tractor” moves the birds to a spot where the birds scratch around, eat weeds and seeds, and contribute their “deposits” to nourish the soil. For added nutrition in the birds’ diet, we could move them to a plot where we grew treats for them like greens, pumpkins, grains, and sunflowers.

Certain types of birds can be let out into a fenced-in garden area in the daytime and closed up safely in a shelter at night. Bantam (miniature) breeds don’t cause as much damage to growing plants in areas in which their presence is desired to control pests. Other birds — such as geese — have been traditionally used to weed unripe strawberries, then moved to another area once the berries are ripe. Orchards and permaculture in particular can benefit from this kind of setup. I’ve seen birds-especially ducks- quite happy when they were able to help themselves to garden leftovers and windfalls.

Rabbit manure is a fine soil amendment in convenient little “pellets.” Bunnies likewise adore (much to our chagrin) all sorts of garden veggies. As long as they are kept away from unintended consumption of the garden, they are an acceptable, adorable companion.

Pigs lend value to the preparation of a garden, though they are oftentimes difficult to contain (especially if they grow up into big pigs) and need sturdy enclosures. Their natural rooting instinct can be harvested and put to good use in tilling up an area or turning a compost pile. Drill some corn kernels into a compost pile and a piggy will happily do some digging to get the rewards. And, of course, they will squeal with delight when handed garden rejects and refuse.

What about goats? Yes, their manure has been responsible for earning a few blue ribbons. Yes, they are good at mowing the lawn in areas that the lawn mower refuses to go. Yes, they eat all those veggies that didn’t quite make the cut. Yes, yes, yes! But my eyes glaze over when I think of the trouble they’ve made throughout the years whenever they’ve escaped their assigned side of the yard, gone to places they weren’t welcome, crashed my garden parties, gnawing on every fruit tree and seedling in sight. I get it why people want goat milk, meat, and manure — I totally do!

And yet, I hesitate to recommend them unless they have either a person who can be their nanny at all daylight hours (unlikely), or a fenced in area they will never, never be able to escape. Or, the garden should be fenced-in accordingly. At any rate, when you get goats you do so at your own risk…don’t say I didn’t warn you!

Happy gardening everyone! I hope you’re all enjoying the summer harvest and all its pleasures. Oh, and if you would like more information about anything in this article and you have access to the Internet, check out a reliably-sourced video on YouTube. If you’d rather read a book, The Encyclopedia of Country Living by the late Carla Emery is one of the best.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Five Senior Health Myths

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(NAPSI)—Every day, it’s estimated, 10,000 Americans turn 65 years old. Some of these people, unfortunately, have misconceptions that can jeopardize their health. Major health myths and misconceptions regarding senior health include:

  1. If I feel fine, I am fine. Chronic infections can last so long that the way they feel becomes the “new normal,” when it shouldn’t be.
  2. Sleep isn’t important anymore. Older adults need the same seven to nine hours of sleep they did when younger.
  3. It’s too late to start exercising. Check with your doctor and start slowly, but there’s no reason why seniors can’t get in some exercise (even if they’ve never done it before).
  4. Drink water only when thirsty. You may need hydration before you even notice or before you feel like you need it.
  5. Dry mouth is just part of aging. Maintaining proper oral hygiene is important at any age, and especially for denture wearers who, even with no teeth, benefit from a regular oral hygiene routine specially formulated for them, rather than simply accepting poor health.

Fortunately, Cleanadent paste from Dr. B Dental Solutions is the only toothpaste available that is gentle enough to safely brush both the gums and oral appliances (such as dentures, implants, overdentures and full-arch implant bridges), helping prevent and treat dry mouth, sore spots and infections. Thanks to its special low-abrasive formula, it will not scratch, tarnish or negatively affect dentures in any way (and will actually help keep them fresh, clean, as well as stain- and odor-free). The paste is formulated with vitamins (A, D and E), aloe vera, coconut oil and tea tree oil to moisturize and revitalize the gums while removing microorganism-infested biofilm. There are no artificial flavors or colors.

Learn more at www.DrBDentalSolutions.com.

SCORES & OUTDOORS – Everybody loves to play a good game: Let’s see how you do

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Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

I have an idea: let’s play a game! Everybody likes a game. We’ll call it – get a load of this ingenious title – Fact or Fiction!

Many of us have pets, and we also like to watch animals. Let’s ask some questions and see if you can tell if it is fact or fiction.

Bulls get angry when they see red?

Here are the sayings. The answers follow:

  • Bats are blind.
  • Some bees sting only once.
  • An owl is a wise bird
  • A turtle can walk out of its shell.
  • Crickets tell the temperature with their chirps.
  • Goats eat almost anything.
  • Bulls get angry when they see red.
  • Camels store water in their humps.
  • Rats desert a sinking ship.

Here are the answers:

  • Bats are Blind: Fiction – In the night sky, they seem to be blind. They fly back and forth in odd ways. Bats use their ears as well as their eyes to find their way at night, flying in different patterns as they gather insects in flight. They emit high-pitched sounds that echo back to them from objects, similar to radar.
  • Some bees sting only once: Fact – many kinds of bees can sting only once. A honeybee’s stinger has barbs on it and when they catch, they hold fast. The stinger breaks off and stays behind. The bee will die after losing its stinger. Queens, however, can sting multiple times. Its stinger has no barbs. Male bees, called drones, have no stinger and cannot sting at all.
  • An owl is a wise bird: Fiction – Some people think owls look wise because of their eyes. But for a bird its size, the owl has a tiny brain. An owl never moves its eyes to look for prey, but, instead, moves its whole head from side to side.
  • A turtle can walk out of its shell: Fiction – When people find an empty turtle shell on the ground, they may think a turtle left it behind and moved into a new one. A turtle can no more walk out of its shell than you can walk away from your ribs. The empty shells you may find on the ground are the remains of turtles that have died.
  • Crickets tell the temperature with their chirps… Fact – Crickets are animals whose body temperatures change with the temperature around them. On a hot day, crickets chirp so rapidly that it is hard to count the number of chirps. But on a cool day, crickets chirp much more slowly. You can easily count the times they chirp.
  • Dogs talk with their tails: Fact – When a dog wags its tail from side to side, the dog is happy and playful. But when a dog wags its tail up and down, it may be because it has done something wrong and expects to be punished. If a dog keeps its tail straight up, be careful, that is the signal that it may attack. Don’t run, just back away slowly.
  • Goats will eat almost anything: Fact – Goats will eat almost anything they can find. They have been accused of eating tin cans. But they are not really eating the metal; they are chewing the label to get at the glue underneath. They will eat string and paper, but would rather eat fruit, vegetables, grass and leaves of plants.
  • Bulls get angry when they see red: Fiction – A bullfighter waves a red cape before a charging bull. There are many stories which tell us that bulls become angry when they see red. The trouble with these stories is that bulls are color blind. It’s the motion of an object in front of it that angers a bull. Bulls will get angry if you wave anything in front of them.
  • Camels store water in their humps: Fiction – Camels store fat in the humps. The stored fat is used for energy when the camel doesn’t get enough to eat. But camels can go for days or even weeks without drinking water. Their woolly coats keep out the heat of the direct sunlight. The wool also keeps them from sweating and losing water too rapidly.
  • Rats desert a sinking ship: Fact – Rats will jump overboard if a ship is sinking. But that is true of any animal that can swim. Rats sometimes desert a ship even if it isn’t sinking. In the days of sailing ships, it was a common sight to see packs of rats jumping overboard. The ships were slow and would be at sea for months. By the time they returned to port, there was little food left for the rats so when the ship came close to shore, they would dive overboard and swim to land in search of food.

So, how did you do?

Roland’s trivia question of the wee:

What is the most common pitch thrown by a baseball pitcher.

Answer can be found here.

I’M JUST CURIOUS: Reunited…after all these years!

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by Debbie Walker

A while ago I had the chance to visit with a cousin I had not seen in probably 30 years. It was such an amazing visit. There were no uncomfortable silences. We fell right into the same comfort zone we had all those years ago but possibly a bit more mature.

Lorna and I went through grade school together. She reminded me of the time our teacher, Doris Cookson, took us home with her for an overnight. We were treated like princesses that night and we enjoyed reliving the memory together.

We did some high school together until my family moved and instead of five minutes away from each other we were 15 minutes apart. Neither of us had driver’s licenses at that point.

Lorna and Basil got married and I was a bridesmaid. A bit after that I got married and moved away and we lost touch, so that was about 1970. Yes, that was a lot of years ago, like about 48 years ago actually. We may have seen each other for a few minutes at a time over the years, both of us on the run doing something that couldn’t be held off.

Her daughters have grown up without my meeting them; she saw my daughter and grandkids at mom’s Celebration Party on the 14th. Her husband died and I divorced mine. Lorna lost her sister and I lost a brother. She lost her parents and I have now lost mine. She stayed in Burnham and I wound up in Florida for 30-plus years. Life has a way of going on.

Even when I came back to Burnham it still took us some time to get reunited and reunited we are. We take every chance we get to visit. Lately we have been able to visit on Saturday mornings, have tea and we enjoy every visit.

It is one thing when you are related but the neat thing is when you really “like” each other, even as adults.

My reason for writing this in a column, aside from honoring Lorna and our wonderful reunited friendship, is to pass on to you what we have learned.

Possibly we all have someone we were close to at one time in our lives and then for whatever reason that relationship fell by the wayside. Life can certainly get in the way as it did with us. I am not saying each one would flow as smoothly as ours has but you don’t know if you don’t try.

If you have family or friends you have lost touch with over the years, think about reuniting. It may prove to be a very touching experience. Don’t wait for that proverbial family reunion at a funeral; it may be the wrong person dying. That would be so wrong.

I am just curious if you will try reuniting. It starts with a “hello.” Contact me with questions and comments at dwdaffy@yahoo.com . I love hearing from you! Don’t forget we are online too; we even have archives for past columns and such. Thanks for reading!

REVIEW POTPOURRI – Music: Gershwin, Bruckner; Movie: Cold Turkey

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Peter Catesby Peter Cates

Gershwin

Music
Zubin Mehta, New York Philharmonic with soloists. Teldec cassette.

George Gershwin

Zubin Mehta, now in his 82nd year, has achieved fame via his directorships of the Los Angeles, New York and Israel Philharmonics, Bavarian State Opera, etc., and a truckload of recordings. The above is a decently performed program of the great Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess selections, sung with feeling by Roberta Alexander and Gregg Baker; and the ever captivating American in Paris and Cuban Overture. His recordings have been a mixture of great, good, average and poor but his best ones have a very exciting, inspired and exactingly precise musicality that wears well.

Along with this album, I recommend his Beethoven Piano Concerto cycle with Ashkenazy and Brahms 1st Symphony, both with the Vienna Philharmonic; the L.A. Beethoven 7th Symphony; and Puccini Turandot and both Toscas.

Bruckner

7th Symphony
Francesco d’Avalos, Philharmonia Orchestra; ASV CD.

Anton Bruckner

Francesco d’Avalos

Anton Bruckner, 1824-1896, composed music as his means of worshiping and praising God – only that! The Sympho­nies, Masses, etc., could be lengthy but their spans of uplifting, heavenly beauty seal his deserved status of greatness.

The 7th Sym­phony moved the Waltz King, Johann Strauss Jr., to declare it one of the finest musical experiences of his own lifetime. The above recording of Francesco d’Avalos can be easily added to a sizable but distinguished catalog that includes Karajan, Haitink, Chailly, Ormandy Giulini and others.

Cold Turkey

starring Dick Van Dyke, Bob Newhart, etc.; 1971, two hours.

Dick Van Dyke

Bob Newhart

A comedy about what happens when a midwest village of the worst chain smokers agree to quit smoking for a month in order to win $25 million. I fell off the couch!

SOLON & BEYOND: 4-H’ers have been busy this summer

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Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percyby Marilyn Rogers-Bull & Percy
grams29@tds.net
Solon, Maine 04979

Good morning, dear friends. Don’t worry, be happy!

The Solon Pine Tree 4-H Club has been very busy this summer. They met on July 13, 14, and 15, for a meeting and fun weekend at the Evergreen Campground, in Solon.

The members worked on projects, record sheets and educational exhibit for Skowhegan State Fair. Bike riding, playing games, swimming, and plenty of food was enjoyed by all. Some time in the future Kate Stevens is planning to take the club rafting from Solon to the boat landing in North Anson.

On Saturday, July 21, the club catered the luncheon for the annual Solon High School Alumni.

On Tuesday, July 24, the members will be bringing in their exhibits for the Bangor Fair.

The next meeting will be on Monday. August 20. At the meeting they will be tagging their exhibits for the fair in Dover Foxcroft.

The following is from the Somerset Woods Trustees: On June 11 the voters of the town of Madison authorized the selectmen and the Madison Library Board of Directors to convey this 41-acre parcel in East Madison, known as Jacob’s Pines, to SWT. Conserving this parcel is an important step towards protecting the watershed of Wesserunsett Lake. They expect to open a trail on the land once suitable access for the public is arranged.

Received the following e-mail from Angela Stockwell at the Margaret Chase Smith Library: Dear Readers; Summer is fast passing but we’re busy, as indicated by this latest newsletter. Fake news proved to be a provocative topic for the Maine Town Meeting. Leadership Excellence Awards were presented to Naval and Military Academy recipients. The essay contest winner was presented her $1,000 first place prize. Received an e-mail from Rebecca Philpot, executive director of the New Hope Shelter, in Solon. I don’t have room for all of it, but will print the update on the shelter.

“We have been so blessed over the past 8-1/2 years that the shelter has been open. We have gone from an emergency shelter to more of a program-based shelter over the years. After the first year we formed a board of directors. We went from an all-volunteer staff to one with four part-time employees and myself in addition to a few other women who regularly give of their time to keep things operational. They are a phenomenal group of women! The group of women and their children living here care so much for one another. Most of them have a great desire to see life changes for their future through the changing power of Christ. The groups offered here at the shelter in addition to the morning devotions and afternoon Bible studies have been instrumental in helping give our women the tools needed to move forward and develop healthier relationships, good boundaries, ongoing sobriety, parenting skills and more!

“You have all had a part in the ongoing ministry of the shelter. So many of you pray for us regularly. Many churches and individuals financially give monthly. Many others regularly donate paper goods, food, and household supplies. Every one of you has had a huge part in the ministry! Thank you! Your prayers and giving have made the difference in 411 women and 102 children! This is an amazing ministry the Lord has placed here in tiny Solon, Maine.”

For more information about the above you can contact them (newhopeshelter@ymail.com) or newhopefreechurch@tds.net.

Now for Percy’s memoir. It is one that he used back in 2006, entitled “The Gift of Hope:” Hope is a beautiful answer to many difficult questions. Hope only asks that you believe. Hope only wants you to receive. Hope is “hanging in there” until help arrives. Whenever a day doesn’t go as planned, hope is there as a comforting guide to help you understand. Hope is a quiet, personal place where you can always take shelter. Hope is the warm and welcomed knowledge that beautiful possibilities exist. Hope is all these special things, and —in simply knowing this— When it seems like hope is all you’ve got…you still have got a lot. (words by Douglas Pagels.)

COMMUNITY COMMENTARY: No evidence that anadromous fish restoration would have negative impact on Sheepscot Lake

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by John Glowa, South China resident

In a recent submittal by the Sheepscot Lake Association (SLA), regarding restoring anadromous fish passage into and from the lake in the July 19, The Town Line, Carolyn Viens of the SLA stated, “…the residents of Palermo won a major battle in the opposition to LD 922, the legislative bill mandating the opening of the Sheepscot Dam to alewives and other migrating fishes which would have had a negative impact on the health of the lake.”

Ms. Viens provided no evidence of her claim that anadromous fish restoration “would have had a negative impact on the health of the lake.” Ms. Viens also failed to note that L.D. 922 would have also (1) required the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to cooperate with the Department of Marine Resources (the two agencies have had and continue to have a decades long turf war over anadromous fish restoration vs. maintaining artificial freshwater sport fish populations), and (2) require the Department of Marine Resources to develop a management plan for Sheepscot Pond for anadromous fish species and habitat. Opposition, including from shorefront property owners around Sheepscot Pond resulted in the bill being withdrawn.

I have fished Sheepscot River below the outlet dam and have never seen the fishway functioning. In my opinion, it serves no purpose and needs to be replaced. The bill in question would have required that the existing fishway be kept open and operational from April 15-June 30. Unfortunately, It did not address the functionality/suitability of the fishway or downstream fish passage for adult and juvenile alewives from Sheepscot Pond.

I believe that local opposition to anadromous fish restoration in Sheepscot Pond has more to with perceived negative impacts on property values than it has to do with “the health of the lake”. Concerns about water quality impacts are, in my opinion, a red herring. One lakefront property owner I spoke with who lives in Oakland, was mainly concerned about potential negative impacts to the value of her property and lampreys wrapping themselves around her daughter’s ankles. When I asked her to provide any credible scientific evidence of negative impacts to Sheepscot Pond, she did not.

Ms. Viens noted that a representative of the Highland Lake Association will be coming to talk to the SLA “…regarding their experience with alewives and the impact on their deteriorating water quality….” This statement makes the assumption that alewives have, in fact, caused water quality in Highland Lake to deteriorate. There is NO scientific evidence to support this assumption. Highland Lake has suffered from human caused excessive nutrient loading and deteriorating water quality for decades. While I strongly encourage efforts to assess and improve water quality in Maine’s lakes, those efforts should not be based on hearsay and unproven assumptions. They should be based on science.

If the SLA wants to hear from those familiar with waterbodies that have healthy anadromous fish populations, perhaps they should hear from someone representing Damariscotta Lake, where the alewife run into the lake exceeds one million fish annually.

Sheepscot Pond has been home to anadromous fish populations for milennia. If anyone or anything has caused harm, it is humans who dammed the lake and upset the natural ecosystem. Maine is finally working to right these wrongs by restoring anadromous fish runs up and down the coast. Despite red herrings, roadblocks, and other delaying tactics, it is only a matter of time before the natural ecosystem of Sheepscot Pond will be allowed to return, as well.

Give Us Your Best Shot, Week of July 26, 2018

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To submit a photo for The Town Line’s “Give Us Your Best Shot!” section, please visit our contact page or email us at townline@fairpoint.net!

NATURE’S FINEST: Tina Richard, of Clinton, a frequent contributor to Give Us Your Best Shot, sent along these photos recently.

a chipmunk beginning to store acorns for the winter

a deer wandering out of the woods probably in search of food

a momma loon with a chick in tow

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Protect Your Health By Protecting Your Retirement Savings

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(NAPSI)—Anyone who has ever seen a retirement account take a hit during a recession or stock market correction knows firsthand that it takes a mental and emotional toll. New research, however, has discovered that it also makes you sick.

An article published in the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association, based on a study of how 8,714 adults fared over a 20-year period, concluded that a “negative wealth shock” can increase an individual’s risk of dying within the next two decades by more than 50 percent.

As The Wall Street Journal explained, “losing one’s life savings in the short term might curtail one’s life span in the long term.”

What Can Happen

It’s not entirely clear to researchers how the loss of retirement savings can damage your health—perhaps it’s related to increasing blood pressure or cardiovascular events—but the scientific findings are consistent with a growing body of knowledge:

  • The Population Reference Bureau studied the effects of the Great Recession of 2007 to 2009 on older Americans’ health and well-being and found that financial losses during that time translated into a higher risk of mental and physical health problems with potential long-term consequences.
  • The Federal Reserve released a briefing paper in 2013 that found “lower levels of life satisfaction” correspond to “greater levels of financial stress”—58 percent of older adults who said they were not very satisfied with life also reported having major financial stress.

What You Can Do

There is no magic bullet to prevent your retirement savings from being depleted by a major financial shock. Economic downturns are inevitable, stock market volatility is rising and unexpected expenses—such as a sudden hospital bill or home repairs—can wreak havoc on even the very best retirement funding plans. One option for coping with a negative financial shock is to unlock hidden value from everyday assets you may no longer need.

For example, many seniors are surprised to learn that one potential asset for generating immediate cash is a life insurance policy. A life insurance policy is considered your personal property, so you have the right to sell that policy anytime you like. When a consumer sells a policy—something called a “life settlement” transaction—the policy owner receives a cash payment and the purchaser of the policy assumes all future premium payments, then receives the death benefit upon the death of the insured. Candidates for life settlements are typically aged 70 years or older, with a life insurance policy that has a death benefit of at least $100,000.

If you own a life insurance policy you no longer need or can afford, you may be able to protect your retirement savings—and your personal health—by selling that policy for immediate cash.

Learn More

For more facts about life settlements, visit www.LISA.org or call the LISA office at (888) 793-3946.