Welcome to 
The Golden View
December 2018 Edition

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The Reflections in the Park
tradition continues...
by Darlene Bolsinger,
​Reflections in the Park Coordinator

Stop and see the Hillcrest Festival of Lights located in Louis Murphy Park from 5:00 –10:00 p.m. daily, November 22 thru January 1

The intricate work of our amazing volunteers has begun in the park!

And when the holiday season becomes frantic, the lights in Louis Murphy Park will once again offer family friendly entertainment.

It’s the 24th anniversary of Reflections in the Park, a Hillcrest lights festival that opens to the public from 5:00 to 10 p.m. November 22nd through January 1, 2019. 

Reflections in the Park will feature more than 60 displays, including a wide array of objects, from the RGB 200’ Tunnel of Lights to several new and different animated displays, including the Candy Cane Co. – all with LED lighting.

Last year was a record setting 48,000+ visitors enjoying Reflections in the Park.

And one of those visitors is Santa Claus, who each year makes several visits to the park. Santa has indicated he will be at the park every Monday in December before Christmas – that means four trips this year. He will be there from 5 to 8 p.m. to personally greet visitors and offer candy canes to all youngsters and even the family pet gets a special treat!

Reflections in the Park, “A Hillcrest Lights Festival,” presented by: DB&T and Heartland Financial USA; has not only become a family tradition for many but also a tradition in the Tristate community, according to event coordinator, Darlene Bolsinger of Hillcrest. Each year we hear such heart warming stories from our visitors on how or why it holds a special place in their heart. “We at Hillcrest Family Services enjoy the opportunity to put smiles on so many faces as our way to give back to the community for all their support they give to us so we in turn can serve our clients in need, for that we are forever grateful” says Bolsinger.

Approximately 500 community volunteers put in over 3,500 hours making Reflections in the Park happen, from handling the promotions, refurbishing lights year-round, doing everything from set-up, to volunteering while the show is up and running, to taking down the displays when the show wraps up. “The dedication of the year round volunteers for this event is truly overwhelming, it honestly couldn’t happen without them, I am so grateful to be part of their team,” says Darlene Bolsinger. They not only enjoy what they do, they do a spectacular job. It is an absolute pleasure to work with them.

Show sponsors cover the cost of the event, and dollars raised support the 30-plus programs of Hillcrest Family Services. Located at 2005 Asbury Road in Dubuque, Hillcrest is a nonprofit human services agency that serves over 34,000 individuals across State of Iowa and beyond.

Tickets for Reflections in the Park are priced at $10 per vehicle at the gate. Discounted $8 tickets are available at all Dubuque Bank and Trust banking centers and all Hillcrest Family Services locations throughout the event. Tickets also make wonderful stocking stuffer gifts.

​Additional details about Reflections can be obtained by calling Hillcrest at 563.845.0378 or toll free at 877.437.6333, or by sending an email to Darlene Bolsinger at darlene.bolsinger@hillcrest-fs.org.

Cash for Your Old Phone

How many of us stick our old cellphones in a drawer when we buy a new one? Too many of us, more than 50 percent, according to a recent survey. Some of us have just thrown away old phones.

If you’re in the market for a new phone and plan to buy it from the same company, chances are you can get money back or store credit toward the new phone. 

If you plan to buy from a different company and can’t trade it in for a new phone, there are still ways to recoup some dollars from your old phone. For example, you can sell your phone on eBay. The minute new phones come out, those eager to save money know to look for a recent previous generation of phone. EBay has made it easy for you with a selling kit. They’ll even send you the box to put it in for mailing. 

Check online prices offered on places like Gazelle, Swappa or Glyde. Read the details carefully. Craiglist will allow you to sell your phone in-person in your area. (Don’t fall for scammers who want you to mail them the phone in exchange for a check.)

Security can be a problem if you leave data on your old phone, and it can be tricky to remove, depending on the type of phone. And no, doing a factory reset doesn’t remove all your information. You’ll need to remove your SIM card, a small circuit card inside your phone that contains information unique to your phone and network.

Your safest bet: Upgrade with the same phone company. You’ll get cash back to help with the cost of your new phone, and their tech will be able to delete your personal information from your old phone. 

​© 2018 King Features Synd., Inc.

Holiday Grande 2018: 
Pianist Jim McDonough 
Returns to Dubuque with an 
​All-New Holiday Show

It’s beginning to SOUND a lot like Christmas! “Iowa’s Own Pianist” Jim McDonough and his orchestra and singers are set to tour the state this holiday season with a dazzling all-new production benefitting Camp Courageous of Iowa. Tickets for the nine-city tour, including two performances at the Five Flags Theater in Dubuque on December 8th (2:30 & 7:30 p.m.), are on sale now. Other tour stops include the cities of DeWitt, Cedar Falls, Coralville, Anamosa, Monticello, Cedar Rapids, Ottumwa and Des Moines, Iowa.

This spectacular holiday stage production — new for 2018 — features acclaimed International Steinway Concert and Recording Artist, Jim McDonough at a concert grand piano, his professional 14-piece orchestra, a cast of sensational singers and dancers, elaborate sets and costumes and the true spirit of the season. 

The tour will deliver the message of Christmas in a production perfect for all generations. “We’ve put together the grandest ‘Holiday Grande’ yet,” McDonough says. “It’s elegant, it’s exciting, it’s filled with spectacular musical arrangements, and it benefits a wonderful organization.”

For the past twelve of his sixteen years of touring, McDonough’s “Holiday Grande” has benefitted
Camp Courageous of Iowa, a year-round respite and recreational facility for individuals of all ages with disabilities. 

All seating is reserved. Tickets to the Dubuque performance are $29-$45, and are available now by calling (800) 745-3000, online at TicketMaster.com, or to avoid delivery fees, purchase in person at the Five Flags Ticket Office. For information about other cities on the tour, call (800) 375-7095 or visit www.PianoFavorites.com.

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Features This Month!

Read about medical tips on our Health Page: Click Here

Take a look back with our pictures from "Down Memory Lane" on our Culture page: Click here

Read about all the events happening around the Tri-States: Click Here

​Get a Laugh from our Comics and Games on our Activities Page: Click Here

A “ Family” Tradition
by Erica Wall, Community Relations Coordinator, Sunset Park Place

Santa and Mrs.Claus with Suzy the Naughty Elf at Sunset Park Place

Living at Sunset Park Place, is more than just three delicious meals a day, socialization, recreation, and transportation; it’s about traditions. For more than 14 years, Jerry Bell, Manager at Sunset Park Place, has been a part of creating and participating in those Family Traditions. 

You won’t talk to a single resident without hearing the word “family” brought up when talking about the staff at Sunset. Just sit and talk with Betty, a resident who exceeds my time here and easily sums up what she likes best about Sunset Park Place, which is “everything!” So, then I proceeded to ask her about the staff at Sunset and she humbly said, “It’s like family, everyone is so good to me.” 

Speaking of family and traditions, the tradition that comes to mind as we approach the Holiday Season is the Annual Breakfast with Santa, which Sue Mills, Culinary Coordinator, has been hosting year after year. Sue’s eyes perk up when speaking with her on why she loves this event. She says “it brings our family together with their family, but the best part is seeing the smiles on their faces. Especially the kids who get to leave with a goody bag, plus the donations from the breakfast go to the Alzheimer’s Association.” 

Traditions around Sunset Park Place are especially evident during the Holidays. Ask Shelly Gessner, Life Enrichment Coordinator at Sunset for 10 years, knows that her annual trip through Murphy Park to enjoy the lights is a favorite of the residents; there is always a full bus, sometimes two! We can’t forget the annual Christmas visits from local carolers and Santa himself! Now, if you ask Shelly to name one of her favorite things she has observed in her years here, she said it would definitely be “the friendships the residents create and how they look out for one another.” 

​Year after year, the real tradition at Sunset Park Place is creating memories and carrying on traditions old and new.

Pictured with Santa and Mrs. Claus
are Sue Mills – Culinary Coordinator, 
​and Shelly Gessner – Life Enrichment Coordinator

Postal Service Tips
​For A Less-Stressed Holiday

(NAPS)—The U.S. Postal Service plans all year for the holiday season. With more than 240 years of experience delivering the holidays, the Postal Service and local postal elves are ready to make this year the best one yet. Here are some tips designed to help postal customers have a happier, less-stressed holiday by getting those greeting cards and packages delivered on time and intact. 

Know the deadlines: Mail cards and packages on or before the dates listed.

For military and international destination deadlines, please go to usps.com.

Get a Sneak Peek into Your Mailbox: With Informed Delivery, customers receive an e-mail every morning with images of incoming mail and packages. It allows packages to be rescheduled so they can be delivered when someone is home to receive them. Customers can:

• Sign up for free services and customize the delivery of their package by going to informeddelivery.com
• Receive text messages or e-mail alerts notifying them that a package is en route and additional notifications when the package has been delivered
• Provide delivery instructions online and authorize the carrier to leave the package in a specific location
• Request the package be held at the post office by choosing the Hold for Pickup option
• Redirect packages when they won’t be home to receive it by choosing the USPS Package Intercept option for an additional fee.

Skip the Trip and Ship Online: The Postal Service is uniquely qualified to deliver the holidays—offering customers a variety of customized solutions designed specifically to make shipping holiday packages easy and convenient. Customers can stay home and avoid holiday hassles by:

• Ordering free Priority Mail and Priority Mail Express boxes and envelopes at usps.com/freeboxes, or picking them up from the local post office
• Using Click-N-Ship online at usps.com/ship to create shipping labels with USPS Tracking and pay for postage — and by using flat-rate shipping products, weighing isn’t necessary
• Getting packages picked up for free at home or in the office with Package Pickup. Just hand the package to the mail carrier on his or her regular delivery route. Pickups can also be scheduled at usps.com/pickup.

How to Avoid a Holiday Glitch: Here are some additional tips to help ensure a glitch-free holiday:

All of this information and more can be found at usps.com/holidaynews.

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