Residents of Bethany Village enjoyed hearing members of the Alpha Club, Cline Elementary School in Centerville, sing the National Anthem at the beginning of a talent show on May 16, 2013.

Residents were treated to a talent show of music, dance and fun with students from Cline Elementary School in Centerville on May 16, at the Bethany Village retirement community in Centerville.

“The students look forward to this every year,” said Julie Smith, a teacher and advisor to the school’s Alpha Club, a student chapter of the Optimists Club. “They know it will make someone’s day.”

Members of the club participate in service and fundraising activities during the school year and have enjoyed performing a talent show for Bethany residents the past two years.

“They apply to be in the club because they want to help people,” said Smith. “All the kids have positive attitudes.”

Bringing children and older adults together creates a win-win situation, said Kathryn Klein, Bethany Village Life Enrichment Team Leader. “It’s beneficial for both our residents and the students. Our residents really enjoy the kids.”

After watching students play violins and guitars, sing songs, dance and act out comedy sketches, Smith said it’s a joy “to work with children who care about others.”

Would you or your group like to volunteer to give a program at Bethany Village? Contact Bethany Village Life Enrichment at mreiff@graceworks.org, 937-428-7361. To volunteer for a service project, contact volunteer@graceworks.org.

Willis Serr, President and CEO of Graceworks Lutheran Services (front row, far left), and Dr. Tom Henderson, Superintendent (second row, far right), thanked students and teachers for their dedicated service to others.

Centerville High School students in the Integrated Transition Options Program (ITOP) were thanked for their service during a volunteer appreciation luncheon on May 17 at Bethany Village.

ITOP has been partnering with Bethany Village Volunteer Services since 1995 in providing career exploration and job training opportunities for students.

ITOP students contribute between 600 and 1,000 volunteer hours monthly throughout the school year to various departments at Bethany Village in Centerville.

Additionally, if you would like to sponsor the event, click here for information.

LeadingAge Ohio issued a statement Thursday saying it “strongly encourages” Governor John Kasich and Ohio lawmakers to include the expansion of Medicaid in the biennial budget.

LeadingAge Ohio is an advocate for approximately 300 not-for-profit long-term care providers throughout the state.

The Health Policy Institute of Ohio (HPIO), The Ohio State University and the Urban and Regional Economic Models Inc. released a nonpartisan study explaining the benefits of Medicaid expansion in Ohio as a result of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Continue reading online via the Dayton Business Journal.

Update, from the Cleveland Plain Dealer

“Ohio to expand Medicaid, despite Gov. John Kasich’s opposition to Obamacare”

According to Cleveland Plain Dealer, Ohio Governor John Kasich, (R) will accept an Obamacare provision to expand the Medicaid program in his state. Kasich added that he would reverse his decision should the federal government fail to cover the full cost of the expansion, as provided in the law. This means hundreds of thousands of Ohioans will receive expanded care.

“Obamacare is the law of the land for now and Ohio needs work to reduce its impact,” Kasich said.

Medicaid currently covers 2.2 million Ohioans and is the single largest program in the state’s current two-year budget. The coverage costs about $18.7 billion dollars.

The expansion will provide coverage to adults living at up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level. That’s  an income of just over $15,000 per year for an individual.

1.) Be honest with yourself
The moment you open that horrifying sweater or no-use kitchen appliance, you recognize whether you will use it or not. Trust your instinct on whether you’ll use the gift or if it could be re-gifted.

2.) Make sure re-gifting makes sense
Just re-gifting everything you don’t like is bad practice. Before tossing it aside in a pile to give someone else, make sure you could give it to someone without feeling guilty or embarrassed. Maybe your family member spent precious time in choosing this gift for you and should be considered being kept instead of risking hurt feelings. Re-gifting things that are used should never be an option and could lead to offended recipients.

3.) Label to-be re-gifted items
Every “re-gifters” worst fear is being caught in the act. Even worse: accidentally giving the gift to the original owner of the item. Anticipating disaster is simple: just make sure to label the items you plan to re-gift and list the name of original giver and who saw you open it.

4.) Find the perfect recipient
Re-gifting should not just be a free way for you to recycle an unwanted gift. You want the gift to be a good fit for the person receiving it.

5.) When in doubt, consider the alternatives
If you are questioning whether or not you should re-gift something, chances are you are better off going a different route. A few options include:

• Returning
• Selling
• Donating

1.) Make a list & check it twice
Sit down and list everyone you plan to buy a gift for and take the time to write out ideas of what you’d like to buy each person. Try to stand by your list; you’ll be less likely to veer off path with a solid plan before shopping.

2.) Set a budget
Knowing that you can spend $50 on your mother, $25 on your cousin and so on is more effective planning than estimating. To be cost-effective, assign a dollar amount to each person on your holiday gift list or try planning a whole amount, “I will only spend $500 on holiday gifts this year.”

3.) Buy for groups when it makes sense
If possible, group people in your list. For example, if you’re buying within a group of co-workers try buying something bulk for them to all enjoy, instead of personalizing each gift. Another idea: If you can buy a gift for a couple, try giving them a gift they can enjoy together such as a gift card for dinner or a movie.

4.) Start early
You’ll benefit from the best deals, the greatest gift steals and avoid last minute impulse buys, by giving yourself a head start on holiday shopping. Planning ahead never hurts, and it certainly can be cost efficient when having a long gift list for the holidays.

5.) Take advantage of gift card freebies
Gift cards may not seem like the most sentimental gift; however a night out to dinner or something they can purchase themselves might be exactly what they need for after this holiday season! Whether you’re interested in L.L. Bean or Olive Garden, you can earn extra gift-card cash just for making a purchase.

6.) Consider outlet stores
Outlet stores can offer a great place to find discounts. Again, just make sure you have your list and budget planned before you take the drive. Do some research online: make sure they offer the gift you are hoping to find.

7.) Make a gift
You can never put a price tag on homemade gifts. Your loved ones may prefer getting a personalized gift from the heart that you created yourself. Try a CD of their favorite songs, a scrapbook of a special time you shared or decoration contributions such as an ornament or centerpiece for the holiday.

8.) Split the difference
If you have the perfect gift idea in mind that overwhelms your budget, talk to other friends or family about sharing the cost of the item. Having several people chip in could be well worth your favorite niece getting a new tablet or computer for school.

9.) Build gift baskets
Dollar stores may sound like a peculiar place to find your holiday gifts, but not if you plan to get creative. You can create gift baskets for different people with a theme in mind to cater to each of their personalities. Example:  for a movie theme, buy a popcorn container, with popcorn, candy, and some discounted DVD’s.

10.) Re-gift
Someone else might adore the gift you didn’t love so much this holiday season. Be mindful if you re-gift as you wouldn’t want the person who purchased the gift to see you handing it out to someone else. Re-gift etiquette would be to only re-gift items you have never opened or used since the person receiving something already tampered with might feel offended.