Needs are Being Met in Banning

Begun over three years ago, the is a collaboration between the San Gorgonio Memorial Hospital and the Banning Cultural Alliance. A reception held on Aug. 4, 2011, presented the artists and their work to the community.

Many people made it a reality, and special credit for this project can be given to Karen Clavelot, Marilyn Hollis and Charlene Sakurai. Clavelot, recent president of the Banning Cultural Alliance, was passionate about this project and helped make certain it would happen. The hanging of the artwork is an extension of what began as a violin performance. It was well-received and the program has grown.

While it would have been timely for all of the art to be hung in the chosen hallway, San Gorgonio Hospital CEO Mark Turner apologized for the delay. Short-staffed, Turner said the hanging of the art is moving as quickly as can be legally complied to. Turner noted that due to earthquake regulations, each picture that is hung takes about an hour of staff time. It’s not just putting a picture on the wall; it’s complying with safety and state regulations.

With a long history in other communities, the Healing Arts program at San G is dependent upon the ongoing work of the Banning Cultural Alliance. While nothing happens until somebody does something about it, Alliance members remain confident that the program will continue. All of the art is for sale and it is anticipated that the exhibit will rotate every six months.

This program will go a long way to ease the burden patients, caregivers and visitors are faced with when visiting a hospital. Artwork, be it fine arts, chorale, photography or physical vision, Healing Arts programs work. Thanks to those in the community who made it and will continue to make it happen.

A wonderful quote on the program was read by Charlene Sakurai. Her reading made the words soar: “Artists are just as important as doctors and nurses. People need nourishing of their souls as well as their bodies; in Navajo culture the ‘medicine man’ and artist are one and the same.” (Marni California).

Senior Scam Stopper – An Informative Program  

Banning city councilmember Debbie Franklin was thanked for bringing a very informative seminar to the Banning Senior Center on Aug. 5, 2011. Co-Sponsored by Senator Bill Emmerson and Assemblyman Paul Cook, a panel of experts made excellent points on how seniors in particular can avoid getting scammed.

When the economy is down, scams are up and because most seniors had spent their lives working and saving money, the golden years have been tarnished by making seniors targets.

One of the schemes presented was the foreign lotteries. If one is contacted by phone, email, or regular mail indicating that you are the winner of a lottery… please pause and ask yourself if you had purchased a lottery ticket. If you haven’t, there is no chance you could win!

Another scam was explained as saying you had won a million dollars but you needed to send $5,000, or whatever amount, to cover the taxes. If you think about this one, if your imagination doesn’t run wild, it is not a likely scenario. Besides, the IRS would want a great deal more.

Law enforcement and advocacy groups readily indicate that the scammers are clever enough to have people fall for these crazy deals. A good rule of thumb remains, “if it seems too good to be true… it probably is.”

I have seen people’s lives devastated by identity theft and I regularly try to keep my sensitive information safe and secure. It doesn’t take sophisticated criminals long to amass enough information to do you serious harm.

One excellent way to make certain what you carry in your wallet is protected, is to copy the contents of your wallet, both sides, on a copy machine. I purchase  a credit protection service but I still need to know exactly what to report to them. This list should be kept in a secure but easily accessible place.

Seniors in particular think they need to carry their social security card at all times… the opposite is true. If this card and your driver’s license with date of birth are compromised, you are left completely vulnerable. If you have a doctor’s appointment, take the card with you so that it may be copied for insurance purposes and upon returning home, take it out of your wallet and return it to a secure place. In my case, this has been known to be problematic, as my hiding places become so clever, when I need to, I cannot locate where I’ve put things!

It should seem obvious but still worth a reminder to NEVER include your social security number on your personalized checks. Identity protection groups also suggest not putting your full given name on your check, as in John Smith might be imprinted J. Smith for the purposes of the check, thereby shielding one's gender.

Sgt. Alex Diaz of the Banning Police fraud unit was on the panel. He told the large crowd that 51% of the crime committed in Banning was fraud related and involved people 55 and over.

Vicky Virgilio of the Riverside County C.A.R.E. program was particularly enthusiastic when mentioning the number of protections in place for seniors.

She pointed out the potential perils involved in what she called the free lunch seminars. Because you receive a postcard saying you can get a free lunch by attending an event, doesn’t mean the presenters are licensed and often times, the experts in question have limited experience. Another good rule of them is to seek the state license of anyone offering you work, whether in the construction industry or hiring a potential caregiver.

Much to the chagrin of some of my older friends who continue to resist change, I have complete confidence paying my bills on line. The instances of a security breach on the Internet pales in comparison to information stolen from your mailbox when you place it outside your house for pick up.

I think people living alone have a tendency to be more vulnerable, simply by virtue of the fact that there is nobody in the house to discuss what might be a questionable venture. That is easily handled by talking with a friend or family member BEFORE entering into a contract that could cause you a great deal of trouble.

If you reside in Banning, this program was taped and will be shown on Channel 10. Sun Lakes residents will also have the opportunity to see it on their channel 97.