August 27, 2022

DID YOU MISS IT?

August, Emily Toner (from the Netherlands via Zoom!). Per her web site, Ms. Toner is a “writer, multimedia producer, soil geographer, facilitator and community builder,” and formerly a Purdue Extension Educator for Marion County. Soil Information; A World View (Zoom)

June, Kelly Lippie, Curator of Collections and Membership, Tippecanoe County Historical Association "TCHA's Archives and Research Center" (Zoom)

May, Scott Ksander, "Preserving Family History" (Zoom) (Slides)

March, Dr. Esteban Ramirez, Chief Medical Officer, Protect Purdue, "COVID-19 Update" ( Zoom)

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PURA Business

PURA’s August Meeting: The Story of Irish Peat Bogs
Jerry’s Jottings: Upcoming Events, Finding Our “New Normal”
Welcome Back to PURA’s Fall Kickoff Luncheon!
Tour Subaru Automotive Plant on September 28
Annual Retiree Flu Shots and Wellness Screenings
Purdue Day of Giving Update and Thank You
Changes Coming to Purposeful Living in Retirement

Health/Benefits
Purdue BrainBuilders Aids Those with Memory Loss
Dizziness and Balance

Features

Jo Thomas: Confessions of a Book Addict
Sara Jane Coffman: Interviews with Famous (and Infamous) Purdue Retirees: David Bunte
If You Missed It: Recent Purdue News Stories

PURA and Campus Calendars

Zoom Connection Information for PURA Meetings

About PURA News

The Story of Irish Peat Bogs Discussed at PURA’s August 1 Meeting

Join PURA on Monday, August 1, for "The Cultural and Carbon Significance of Peat," an educational and informative discussion of Soil Stories from Ireland by Purdue alumna Emily Toner.

Ms. Toner identifies herself as “...a writer, multimedia producer, soil geographer, facilitator and community builder,” per her website, and goes on to state “As a 2018-2019 Fulbright-National Geographic Digital Storytelling Fellow, I was in Ireland researching and blogging about how peat bogs have shaped Irish culture and how Irish people are impacting their bogs,” the subject of her talk for PURA.

“Prior to submerging myself in Irish bogs, I was an urban agriculture educator for Purdue University in Indianapolis, Indiana. I learned how urban food production and community education can be tools for community building.”

If you’d like to know more about her current work, visit her website, emilytoner.com, and plan to join PURA for this unusual and interesting discussion.

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Jerry’s Jottings

The recent hot dry weather has served to remind us that things are heating up; it is summertime in Indiana. Things are heating up with PURA as well. After our June Transition and Planning meeting, the PURA board and committees went to work in high gear to set things in motion for the coming year.

Our first monthly luncheon meeting with an in-person option was held on June 6 at the VFW. It was a smaller crowd, but it was a milestone since we had not been together at the VFW since March 2020. Our Hospitality Committee worked to make all feel welcome, and the Program Committee arranged our speaker, Kelly Lippie from the Tippecanoe County Historical Association.

The Benefits Committee has worked to facilitate the renewal of the West Lafayette retiree campus parking permits and is in the middle of the process to review and negotiate the 2023 PURA health insurance plans with United Healthcare. As President, I have the opportunity to observe the thorough analysis of the health plan proposals undertaken annually by this committee on our behalf and have been impressed with their diligence.

The Kickoff Committee is completing planning for the annual Kickoff Luncheon to be held on September 12 at the Marriott Courtyard in Lafayette. We hope that you will join your fellow retirees for this event. Additional information about the Kickoff is included in this newsletter.

Planning for retiree flu shot events in September and October is also being finalized, with in-person and drive-through options. See the article in this newsletter for further details. The annual United Way fund drive is just around the corner. You will receive information about this important community giving opportunity in the coming weeks.

The annual Big Ten Retiree Association Meeting will be held for the first time since 2019 at Northwestern University, from August 1-3. Tom Robertson, Larry Pherson and I will be attending, representing PURA. I have asked Norm Long to preside at the August 1 VFW Luncheon. Norm never had a chance to host an in-person PURA event during his 2020-21 Presidency, so it makes sense to afford him this opportunity now.

As we endeavor to “Find our New Normal,” I remind you of the wealth of information available on the PURA website (www.purdue.edu/retirees), invite you to consider becoming involved with one of our committees, and hope that you will join us for many of our upcoming events.

Thanks!

Jerry Day
PURA President

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“Welcome Back” To The Annual PURA Retirees Kickoff Luncheon

Join fellow PURA members on September 12, 2022 at the annual PURA Kickoff Luncheon, being held at the Courtyard by Marriott Lafayette, 150 Fairington Avenue, Lafayette, Indiana.

The keynote speaker will be Jeremy D. Slater, Vice President of Capital Projects and Facilities for the Purdue Research Foundation. Jeremy will present his insight into PRF’s long-term vision and highlights of the new PRF apartment complex at 3rd Street and McCormick Road, West Lafayette.

The Kickoff Luncheon registration opens Monday, August 1, 2022, and ends Wednesday, August 31, 2022.

Attendance is limited to 250.

Masks are optional.

The luncheon begins at noon ET. The menu features Chicken Marsala served with garlic mashed potatoes, seasonal vegetables, house salad, rolls and butter, fruit cup with whipped cream topping, iced tea and water. Pasta Primavera will be the vegetarian/gluten free entrée option.

You may register online at: http://www.purdue.edu/conferences/PURA2022 or by calling Conference Registration directly at 1-866-515-0023, Mon.-Fri. between 8:30 a.m. ET and 4:30 p.m. ET.

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Tour Subaru Automotive Plant with PURA on September 28

The PURA Campus and Community Committee invites you to join us on a tour of the Lafayette Subaru Automotive Plant on Wednesday, September 28, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. ET.

Take advantage of this unique opportunity to observe award-winning automotive assembly in action. Your guided tour will give you the chance to witness the impressive facility and see Subaru vehicle production from start to finish. Tours of SIA highlight the Stamping processes, where you will observe giant presses turning raw coils of steel into the vehicle's metal structure. From there, you will see these panels expertly welded together by over 1,671 robots in the Body Assembly area. Following the Paint Shop, you will see Associates bring the vehicles to life as they assemble over 2,000 parts into and onto each vehicle in Trim and Final. Finally, viewing the Tester Line will prove their commitment to quality and safety.

Please note:
* Tour will take place on an elevated catwalk where you will walk 1.25 miles and take around 3,500 total steps.

* There are 250 individual stair steps throughout the route.

* There are no restrooms or break areas throughout the route.

* We walk at a fast walking pace to get through each area before they shut down for a break.

There is a limit of 20 people on this tour. Please reserve your spot by sending email to pura@purdue.edu . Questions? Contact Debby Sherman at dsherman@purdue.edu.

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Annual Retiree Flu Shots and Wellness Screenings

Back by popular demand! The retiree flu shot and wellness screening program is planned for September and October, 2022.

Retiree flu shots will be available in a drive-through setting on September 23. (Retirees need not exit their vehicles; they will receive their shots through the car window.) Flu shots and wellness screenings will be available in a walk-in setting on September 19 and October 19.

All three sessions will be held at 2550 Northwestern Avenue, in West Lafayette, from 8:30 a.m. ET to 4:00 p.m. ET. Additional instructions will be shared with PURA members in September, closer to the dates of the events.

Flu shot information: We will be offering Seqirus Fluad at the retiree clinics. This flu vaccine contains more antigen (more protection) compared to a standard flu shot. It is approved for 65+ and is preservative free. If you have questions or need any information, please contact Erika Burchett, PPHC Manager, One to One Health, by phone at 765-494-0111, or by email at Erika.Burchett@121.health.

Wellness screenings: Every Purdue retiree and spouse is entitled to have one free wellness screening each year. A wellness screening includes a blood pressure check, pulse, O2 saturation and a finger stick for glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, high density lipoprotein, low density lipoprotein, and total risk calculation.

Wellness screenings are conducted by RNs getting their practitioner degrees and 4th year students. We recommend a six hour fast, but also have non-fasting values. These screenings will not be offered at the drive through flu clinic. Come support the nursing students and get your screening. If you have any questions or need any information, call 765-496-0308.

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Confessions of a Book Addict
By Jo Thomas

I think I have been remiss in not mentioning one of my favorite authors, Andrea Kane. She has written nine Forensic Instincts novels starting with The Woman Who Died Twice to the recently released At Any Cost.

This is not the usual detective agency. No bodies found by the river or bones discovered by hunters. Clients petition their help for many reasons. Usually dangerous reasons.

The team is composed of a behaviorist, a formal Navy Seal, a psychic, a techno wizard, a retired FBI agent, a human-scent dog named Hero and a former pick pocket. Each has a specific gift or ability. They are also supported by a super- computer called Yoda.

Clients are scrupulously vetted to see if the agency can help them with their problems. Each partner must agree. The dog is excused. It is a refreshingly cerebral approach.

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Purdue BrainBuilders Program Aids Those with Memory Loss

The M.D. Steer Speech, Language and Swallowing Clinic at Purdue announced recently they’re accepting clients in their BrainBuilders program for people challenged with memory loss. Affected individuals can learn how to maximize thinking, memory, and language skills through the program.

Guided by a licensed speech-language pathologist, graduate students in Purdue’s No. 3 ranked speech-language pathology program work with clients in a group setting to lead brain exercises, which are designed to give thinking skills a workout, providing cognitive and social stimulation in a group setting with a therapeutic emphasis. The group currently meets in Lyles-Porter Hall on the Purdue West Lafayette campus.

An initial assessment (associated fee) is required to determine eligibility. Weekly group sessions (associated fee) meet on Thursdays from 10:00-11:30 a.m. They accept Medicare, Aetna and Anthem insurance. Free parking is available in the Harrison Street parking garage, adjacent to the clinic.

For more information contact: Michelle Gutmann, PhD, CCC-SLP, 765-494-3809, or mgutmann@purdue.edu

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Purdue Day of Giving Update and Thank You

Purdue Day of Giving has consistently been the primary source of donations to the two PURA scholarship endowments, and this year is no exception. Thank you PURA members for contributions totaling over $9,500. The PURA POA in Honor of Martin C. and Patty Jischke Endowment received $1,075 and the PURA Student Scholarship Endowment received $8,495.

Both of these endowments benefit Indiana students and scholarships awarded by the Office of Financial Aid become part of a financial aid package offered to eligible students. Since the first scholarship was awarded in 2013, forty-five individual students have received assistance and ten of those students have received multiple scholarships. Your generous contributions make it possible to provide assistance for more students each year. Their stories will be shared in upcoming newsletters.

If you are in a position to contribute, you may make a donation by phone: 1-800-319-2199 or by check payable to
The Purdue for Life Foundation, with the specific endowment* noted in the memo line. Send the check to: The Purdue for Life Foundation, 403 W. Wood Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2007.

Again, thank you for your contributions!

PURA Scholarship Committee:
Melinda Bain, Norm Long, Betty Nelson, John Norberg
John Trott, Joanne Troutner, Tom Turpin, Olivia Wood

*PURA Student Scholarship Endowment or PURA POA in Honor of Martin C. and Patty Jischke

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Changes Coming to The Purposeful Living in Retirement (PLIR) Conference

PURA’s programming plans for the next year begin the first of each July. The PLIR Committee has much to share for the upcoming year.

We are pleased to report the virtual PLIR program on April 20, 2022, was a big success thanks to more than 85 individual log-ins for the meeting. A single log-in often means more than one person watching, making the number of actual participants much greater than 85. This year there were three virtual presentations.

Dr. Briony Horgan gave an out-of-this-world presentation on “NASA’s Perseverance Rover: A giant leap in the search for life beyond Earth”. Purdue Athletic Director Mike Bobinski spoke on many of the new issues facing collegiate athletics, such as the Name/Image/Likeness opportunities for college athletes and the renovations planned for athletics at Purdue. Dr. Will Miller presented “Returning to Resilience: Emerging from our Mental Health Trial”. PLIR committee member Tom Turpin hosted a video on the 2021 Presidentially-pardoned Thanksgiving turkeys, now in permanent residence on the Purdue campus, and PLIR committee member David Caldwell provided a home exercise session.

Recordings of Dr. Horgan’s presentation and Dr. Turpin’s visit with the pardoned turkeys are available on the PURA web site for viewing, at www.purdue.edu/retirees. Both would be great programs to share with grandchildren. Viewers can actually watch Perseverance make landing on Mars.

We are excited to share that the PLIR program is getting a new name. The wording “purposeful living in retirement” will continue to be the focus of the programming, but the formal title is now the PURA Annual Spring Conference. This will eliminate confusion of having two different acronyms associated with the program (PURA and PLIR), which was often confusing to speakers and sponsors.

Norm Long will be the new chairperson of the PURA Annual Spring Conference committee. The committee is already in the process of planning next year’s conference, slated for April 19, 2023, which will again be in-person at the Beck Agricultural Center in West Lafayette. Expect all the usual programming PURA members have come to enjoy, with great speakers, vendors, breakfast and lunch, door prizes, and time for social interactions. MARK YOUR CALENDARS NOW!

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Interviews with Famous (and Infamous) Purdue Retirees: David Bunte

By Sara Jane Coffman

Today’s guest is one of the all-time great voices of Purdue, David Bunte. While I was interviewing David at lunch at The Homestead café in West Lafayette, someone came up to him and said: “I’d recognize that voice anywhere!”

Sara Jane: That had to be flattering!

David: It just means they listened to WBAA.

Sara Jane: Who doesn’t remember you in connection with WBAA? How long were you there?

David: A little over 41 years.

Sara Jane: You started in . . .

David: 1967. I started as a graduate assistant, then moved up to chief announcer, then production manager, acting manager, general manager, and, finally, program director.

Sara Jane: What drew you to radio?

David: Back in grade school my teachers wrote things on my report cards like “David enjoys oral expression,” “David has the gift of gab,” and “David tends to talk too much.” So, my love for talking was recognized early on.

At age 7, I built my first crystal set so I could listen to the radio at night without my mother knowing. I slipped the headphones into my pillowcase and rested my head on them so I could hear stations in Chicago. When I was 11, I got interested in short-wave radio and began listening to stations all over the world. It was while searching around to find new stations that I came across Amateur Radio operators — hams — who talked to each other and I decided that that’s what I wanted to do. So, I learned Morse Code, took the Federal Communications Exam, and got my first license before I was old enough to drive.

Sara Jane: At WBAA, you were known for your interviews and making your guests look good. Can you share your “tricks of the trade”?

David: Well, I tried to make them feel comfortable -- like we were just sitting down, having a conversation. I researched things ahead of time, but during the interview I had to really listen because I really never knew what they were going to say or what direction the interview was going to go in.

Sara Jane: Who was the most interesting person you ever interviewed?

David: I really enjoyed David Baldacci and Mary Higgins Clark. There were several astronauts, and I had some great conversations with Martin Jischke when he was President.

Sara Jane: Did you ever have a disaster, or unfortunate moment, in an interview?

David: Not on the air, but there was one guest (who’d been highly recommended to me) whose answers had no connection to my questions. We recorded the interview ahead of time and he took so much time thinking of his response that if we’d used the interview, the listeners would have thought we’d gone off the air. (We ended up not using it.)

Sara Jane: What was your biggest on-the-air blooper?

David: This is rather embarrassing . . . but for a number of years, I did a program called the “Reader’s Corner.” There was one time — right after I’d had a big lunch — that I found myself dozing on and off. At one point I remember hearing myself say: “And then the fire hydrant decided to take a nap in the swimming pool.” Which, I realized, made no sense. I have no recollection of how I recovered from that one . . . but nobody ever commented on it. Perhaps they’d dozed off also.

Sara Jane: You’re also known for your sense of humor. Were there any events in your life that helped form it?

David (laughing): When I was a kid, I was really a handful. My dad had to develop a sense of humor to deal with me. I’m glad he never discouraged my bad jokes.

Sara Jane: What’s going on in your life now?

David: Well, when my wife, Mary, passed in 2021, I decided to move into Westminster. They let me install an antenna on the roof of my building which allows me to continue my hobby as an amateur radio operator.

Sara Jane: Cool! That would be something to see.

David: I enjoy having visitors. If anyone would like to talk about old times at WBAA – or stop by to see some of Mary’s artwork here in my apartment—they’d be welcome.

Sara Jane: How could people contact you?

David: My email address is: dpbunte@gmail.com.

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Dizziness And Balance
Melissa Newell, Au.D., CCC-A/FAAA
(she/her/hers)
Clinical Assistant Professor
Purdue Department of Speech, Language, & Hearing Sciences

Most of us take our ability to maintain balance for granted, but for some, balance can be a frustrating thing. Older individuals are more likely to develop dizziness, imbalance, and an overall fear of falling. Falls are the second most common cause of unintentional injury in the world, with nearly 700,000 people dying after a fall annually. Adults over 60 are at the most significant risk of falling. Often, older people believe that imbalance is a natural process of aging. Still, if risk factors are avoided and proper treatment occurs for balance disorders, many patients can maintain or recover their balance, potentially allowing for longer independence.

So what causes imbalance to occur in older patients? The ability to achieve good balance requires using three systems: the eyes, the ears, and the somatosensory systems. Our vision provides sensory input to the brain, so we know where things are around us in the world. The portion of our ears that controls balance is known as the vestibular system. The vestibular system provides input to the brain about spatial awareness, even the slightest head movements, and a sense of linearity (moving up/down or forward/back). The somatosensory system gives us sensations from our skin, muscles, and joints in our arms, legs, neck, and other body parts to help the brain determine how our bodies move around in our environments. Finally, the brain takes information from these sensory inputs and tells the body what appropriate motor output to use. When all works well, we have a complex balance system that works incredibly quickly. When our bodies detect the appropriate sensory input, we can move around in many environments safely.

Unfortunately, as people age, the eyes, the ears, the somatosensory system, and the brain often develop issues that can disrupt the normal balance process. The overall balance system is often likened to a 3-legged barstool, with each sensory system as one leg and the brain as the seat. When one of the sensory systems is damaged, the brain and other sensory systems can often adapt or compensate for this damage, and balance is completely or mostly restored. When more than one of the legs of the barstool becomes damaged, or the seat isn’t as intact as it once was, balance is more difficult to maintain, and falling becomes more likely. The same is true if multi-sensory damage is present, requiring more comprehensive care to achieve safer mobility.

Thankfully, many of these issues can be treated by various medical providers. Many audiologists specialize in vestibular disorders and can discuss symptoms, recommending any testing or referrals that may be needed. Dizziness, as well as imbalance, is often a symptom of vestibular disorders, and comprehensive testing can help determine the cause and treatment needed to resolve these problems. Dizziness is different for many people, resulting in a spinning sensation, loss of equilibrium, brain fog, nausea, or motion sickness, and is often accompanied by increased anxiety and/or depression. Audiologists work closely with physical therapists, occupational therapists, and physicians to help develop an appropriate treatment plan for those patients who suffer from dizziness and disequilibrium. Avoiding falling is the best way to avoid serious injury, but we also want to keep our patients moving, healthy, active, safe, and independent if possible.

To find a qualified audiologist, consider two sources. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and the American Academy of Audiology have dedicated websites to direct patients to qualified professionals and provide educational information for individuals with dizziness and balance concerns. For comprehensive, patient-friendly information about various disorders and treatments, consider the Vestibular Disorders Association (VEDA) at www.vestibular.org. The Purdue University Audiology Clinic also provides comprehensive hearing and dizziness care for all age ranges. Please contact us with any questions or concerns! We are here to help!

To reach Professor Newell:

https://www.purdue.edu/hhs/slhs/clinics/audiology.html
Purdue University
715 Clinic Drive
West Lafayette, IN 47907
Phone: (765) 494-4229
Fax (765) 494-0771

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If You Missed It—Recent Purdue News Stories

Radio Station WBAA Now Part of Metropolitan Indianapolis Public Media.

Purdue astronomer speechless in the face of new images from space telescope.

Fossils in the “Cradle of Humankind” may be more than a million years older than previously thought.

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Purdue Sports Announces Football Fan Day Is Set for August 5

Boiler up! Per Purdue Sports, “Boilermakers of all ages can get ready for the 2022 season with an exciting evening at Ross-Ade Stadium, as Purdue Football Fan Day is set for Friday, August 5 from 6-8 p.m. The free event is open to the public. “ More details may be found at:
https://purduesports.com/news/2022/7/15/purdue-football-fan-day-set-for-friday-august-5.aspx

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Zoom Connection Information for PURA Meetings

The Zoom connection information for PURA monthly meetings is shown below. The link, Meeting ID, and password will be the SAME for all future normal monthly meetings.

Members who wish to join via phone call audio only will need the separate Passcode shown below. (The password/passcode for that method is different from the normal “computer connection” to Zoom.)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/97285398989?pwd=MlB4U0FudEplMFRoWm1GTkZzNmYrZz09

Meeting ID: 972 8539 8989
Passcode: BoilerUp

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