 |
PURA &
|
Contact Email for PURA
|
|---|
REMINDERS |
BENEFITS/HEALTH |
COVID-19 Info From United Health Care (for PURCare and PURA Medicare Advantage plan members)Retiree Presence on Campus During COVID-19 SituationPurdue Day of Giving: April 28PURA Program Committee 2021-22 Is Looking for New MembersZoom Connection Information for PURA Meetings |
Purdue Opens Vaccination Site to RetireesWalking is Free or is it?! |
COVID-19 Info From United Health Care (for PURCare and PURA Medicare Advantage plan members)
April, 2021
This is a time of concern and uncertainty for us all. Hoping to allay some of the stress and concern, UnitedHealthcare (UHC) has informed PURA that their top priority is the well-being of their health plan members and the safety of those who deliver healthcare.
UnitedHealthcare is aligned with guidance issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) and is taking actions to insure that those affected by COVID-19, including Purdue retirees covered by PURCare and the PURA Medicare Advantage plan, have the support and resources they need. For updated information, please visit https://www.uhc.com/health-and-wellness/health-topics/covid-19
In summary, the following is of significant interest:
UHC has waived all member cost sharing-including copays, coinsurance and deductibles for approved diagnostic testing for COVID-19 for all commercial insured, Medicaid and Medicare members who may be affected by COVID-19.
UHC will cover a provider visit for COVID-19 in the same way it covers other provider visits based on health benefits plan. Where available, UHC, is encouraging a Virtual Visit with a provider.
You have probably heard this many times already, but the following is the most important information:
STAY INFORMED
Those at highest risk are older adults and those with serious health conditions. Protect yourself:
* Wash hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds.
* Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands
* Avoid close contact with others--especially with those who are sick.
* Clean and disinfect things that you touch often.
* Cough or sneeze into a tissue or your sleeve. Place used tissues into trash.
* If you feel sick, stay home.
We hope that this information will be helpful to you. We encourage you to visit the above web link frequently for updated information. Be careful and stay well!
Retiree Presence on Campus During COVID-19 Situation
Bill Bell, Purdue Vice President for Human Relations, addressed the question of whether retirees should visit campus at the September 14 virtual PURA Kickoff meeting.
While there are no formal restrictions around retirees visiting campus, keep in mind that one of the overall objectives of Protect Purdue is to de-densify the number of people present on campus.
Given that many retirees are considered a “vulnerable” population due to age or pre-existing medical conditions, if you don’t have pressing business, it’s advisable to avoid campus.
For up-to-the-minute information about specific programs or services visit: https://protect.purdue.edu (particularly the Campus Visitors link).
Purdue Day of Giving
Support the PURA student scholarship endowments on Purdue Day of Giving, April 28, 2021. Dollar for dollar matching money is still available for the PURA Student Scholarship Endowment and the PURA Purdue Opportunity Award in Honor of Martin and Patty Jischke.
Currently the endowments are assisting 19 students. Your continuing contributions will allow PURA to support even more students in the fall of 2021.
A dedicated online link to contribute to the two PURA endowments will be emailed to you prior to April 28.
If you prefer to mail a donation, write a check payable to the Purdue for Life Foundation, with either the PURA Student Scholarship Endowment or PURA POA Endowment in Honor of Martin C. and Patty Jischke noted in the memo line. Send the check to: Purdue for Life Foundation, 403 W. Wood Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2007. You also may call 1-800-319-2199.
And for those of you over 70 ½ years of age, gifts from your IRA are not taxable income and qualify for your required minimum distribution (RMD). To learn more about the IRA Rollover opportunities, or to make an IRA Rollover charitable contribution, please contact the Office of Planned Giving, 765-494-8657
Norm's Notes
PURA Business
As we look ahead from the perspective of the PURA Executive Board, one can’t but wonder what is next? Your Executive Board meets regularly and has been addressing these and other issues:
The PURA newsletter continues to be the Gold Standard among the BIG Ten retirees’ associations. Nonetheless, the following improvements are planned; it will become ADA compliant, with color and visual enhancements, and offer the ability to easily enlarge the print for easier reading. It will have stronger security and freedom from spam, and it will appear in a new format, much like Purdue Today. It guarantees that our readers will not be flooded with junk mail, solicitations and/or extraneous mail from Purdue or outside vendors.Upgrading our email list has been a long-standing concern. The University Development Office (UDO) maintains a data base of nearly 6,000 people believed to be official Purdue retirees. Currently our system only reaches about 3,200. With the planned upgrade, we hope to reach all who would like news about PURA.
In-person meetings is a topic of frequent discussion. The Executive Board has been following the standards set at
Purdue and by the Tippecanoe County Health Department. Much discussion has focused around what to do for the strong, traditional September Kick-off meal and program. The question, “when will our members again feel safe and ready to resume noon luncheons?” has been addressed at many board meetings, but that decision has not been reached. Rest assured, when the time is right the Board will act accordingly!
Preparing for future Zoom coverage. The popularity of the online Zoom meetings has prompted the Executive Board to prepare for and purchase needed new equipment to enable future in-person luncheons and programs to be broadcast to the PURA family for the foreseeable future. Likewise, this will enable programs to be posted on our PURA website, www.purdue.edu/retirees, for others to see and enjoy if another time is more convenient.
Leadership Transition. The pandemic has necessitated yet another change, since we annually transition each July 1st to the new PURA leadership team. The Executive Board will be using the Zoom protocol again, including Zoom’s individual breakout rooms, to reach out and conduct appropriate and needed business for each of the ten active PURA committees. The question of how to pass the “leadership key” and presidential gavel has not yet been finalized.
More volunteers – The need for more PURA volunteers is critical! Each of our ten committees have lost one or more members during the past several months for a variety of unforeseen reasons. Hence this request/plea for you to step up and offer a bit of your time. It would be a terrific and much appreciated decision. You may review the complete list of committees on the PURA web page: https://www.purdue.edu/retirees/committees—along with each committee's purpose and a list of current members. If you’re interested, please send your name to pura@purdue.edu, or to me at longn@purdue.edu. In your email, let us know which committee you would enjoy being associated with, and the best way to contact you for a follow up. In short...A BIG, BIG THANK YOU!
Your Feedback Is Welcomed
We welcome your thoughts, comments and feedback regarding the PURA organization, our Zoom calls and ideas to further enhance the program for the PURA family.
Until next time…
With kindest regards and best wishes,
Dr. Norman D. Long
PURA President
PURA Website/Retiree Directory News
Progress! The PURA website www.purdue.edu/retirees is again up to date, thanks to our new webmaster, Julie Kercher-Updike.
You may notice some visual changes on the pages as time goes by. For example, we’re in the process of a "best practices" review of accessibility and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act recommendations. We’ll be adding the PURA logo to visually tie the website to our other publications, and changing the page navigation a bit to help readers find the articles they want to read. Of course, we’ll continue to keep you posted if additional changes are made.
The anticipated new Retiree Directory is not yet available. The link appears on the PURA home page but is not functional. We’ll make an announcement and provide instructions for use when it is ready.
PURA Program Committee 2021-22 Is Looking for New Members
The PURA Program Committee brainstorms, plans and coordinates monthly speaker presentations for PURA members, at mid-day on the first Monday of each month, except the month of September when the annual Kickoff Luncheon/Virtual Event is normally held.
Due to normal attrition, this committee needs to recruit new members each year -- starting their terms during the annual PURA “Transition” meeting in early June. We need to add several new members for the 2021-22 year. Purdue retirees and spouses are eligible for membership on this or any other PURA committee.
PURA’s Transition meeting this year is scheduled on June 2, 2021, and will be held via Zoom. The Program Committee will hold its primary annual planning session as part of that meeting. During this meeting, the committee will put together a list of potential speakers for the coming program year.
After the annual planning meeting, committee communication is via e-mail, telephone, and personal contact at the monthly lunch-time meetings. Each committee member is assigned to confirm and coordinate at least one monthly meeting per year. Typically, speakers are Purdue faculty or administrators, or community leaders with expertise in a variety of subjects or organizations.
Based on my personal experience serving on this committee, it is a great starting place to become involved in the leadership of PURA. Anyone interested in joining or learning more about this committee, please contact Jerry Day, Program Committee Chair at jljlday@outlook.com or 765-714-7918.
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 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
One tap mobile
+13126266799,,97285398989#,,,,,,0#,,41051096# US (Chicago)
+19292056099,,97285398989#,,,,,,0#,,41051096# US (New York)
Dial by your location
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
+1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
+1 301 715 8592 US (Germantown)
+1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
+1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
+1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
Meeting ID: 972 8539 8989
Passcode: 41051096
Find your local number: https://zoom.us/u/acvQQKVcnE
Articles:
Purdue Opens Vaccination Site to Retirees
Purdue’s West Lafayette campus COVID-19 vaccine distribution site is now open to help vaccinate as many Boilermakers as possible before the end of the spring semester.
The clinic will operate 7 days per week and is located on the northwest side of the Co-Rec, near the current COVID-19 testing center. The vaccine administered at the campus site is Pfizer. Hours are:
April 27-May 3: 7 a.m.-9 p.m.
May 4-17 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
Who is eligible to use the campus location?
The campus vaccine clinic will prioritize members of the Purdue West Lafayette community, per Indiana Department of Health guidance. All students, faculty, staff, spouses and dependents affiliated with the WL campus, and official retirees age 16 and older, regardless of residency, can use the campus site at no cost.
For more information see: https://protect.purdue.edu/updates/purdue-reaches-vaccination-milestone-asks-for-continued-campus-participation/
May 3 PURA Monthly Zoom Meeting: Use of Drones in Monitoring Corn Fields
Join PURA on May 3, 2021, for what promises to be a fun and informative presentation. Dr. Robert L. Nielsen, Professor of Agronomy at Purdue University—Purdue’s Corn Guy—will be the speaker for our monthly meeting, to be presented via Zoom. His presentation will be on: “Use of Drones in Monitoring Corn Fields.” There may be “More Than Corn in
Indiana,” but for our May lunch-time program, “Corn is King”!
Dr. Nielsen joined the Agronomy staff in 1982 after obtaining his M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Minnesota. He is actively involved with Purdue’s Crop Diagnostic Training Center, a hands-on educational facility located at the Purdue Agronomy Farm. One of his major Extension activities is the development and maintenance of web-based corn
information sites.
His two most popular web sites are the Corn Growers’ Guidebook and the Chat ‘n Chew
Café. His current field research involves investigations into the relationship between crop canopy reflectance and optimum nitrogen fertilizer rates in corn, on-farm seeding rate trials, on-farm nitrogen rate trials, and the productive utilization of site-specific crop management tools.
The program will begin at 12:45 p.m. ET and end around 1:30 p.m. ET. Log in information is included again on the last page of this newsletter.
Welcome current & new PURA News Readers!
This edition of the PURA News is the first in our newsletter's new format, as announced by Norm Long and Scott Ksander in last month's issue.
Though most of you are already receiving communication from PURA, this publication may be new to some. We apologize if we've been missing you! A recent system upgrade by the University Development Office--which maintains the database for all alumni, staff, donors, and retirees from all campuses--has allowed us to better identify all our retirees.
Our newsletter, published 10 times a year, regularly features articles on retiree benefits, Purdue news, upcoming opportunities to hear interesting speakers with other retirees, health topics, humor, Indiana travel, and PURA business. Of course, due to COVID our in-person gatherings in West Lafayette are temporarily on hold, but they've been replaced by a robust series of virtual "meetings" via Zoom, and have been very well received. (And since they allow us to better reach members where ever you are, PURA is planning to continue virtual connections even after COVID isolation ends.)
We hope you'll find this publication informative and entertaining, but if you're not interested you may, of course, opt out.
We welcome your comments and suggestions (send to: pura@purdue.edu), and invite you to join us at our virtual programs.
What Changes Are Happening On The West Lafayette Campus?
Find Out by Touring Virtually
If you’re not already aware, the Purdue For Life Foundation has been offering regular virtual tours of interesting new aspects of the West Lafayette campus, liberally sprinkled with historic nods to the past.
One series, “Tuesday Tours,” hosted by PURA member John Sautter, is offered via the “Purdue Alumni” channel on Facebook. The recorded April 6 tour features the Purdue Airport and the amazing Holleman-Niswonger Flight Simulator Center. The April 20 episode takes you on a 360 degree tour of changes visible from the corner of Airport Road and State Street. What’s happening to Squirrel Park, Married Student Housing/Purdue Village, Purdue West shopping center, the Hort Park, and the new residential housing community, Provenance (located at the Southwest corner of the intersection)? Watch this one at https://www.facebook.com/PurdueAlumniAssociation/videos/279268130341384/?__so__=permalink&__rv__=related_videos to find out!
You may view the flight simulator center tour at https://www.facebook.com/PurdueAlumniAssociation/videos/tuesday-tour-at-the-purdue-airport-and-holleman-niswonger-flight-simulator-cente/2925597261011090/?__so__=permalink&__rv__=related_videos. Below the video window you’ll see the list of other available “Tuesday Tours.”
You don’t have to have a Facebook account to view them, but if you do have an account, search for videos by Purdue Alumni.
Another series, offered via the Purdue For Life Foundation’s YouTube channel, has recently featured a virtual tour of the planned Purdue Memorial Union ground floor renovations that will include new dining and retail options. It’s hosted by Beth McCuskey, Vice Provost for Student Life. Check it out at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBaKySrgYUU. If you have a YouTube account, you can also subscribe to the channel to be notified of future tours.
Purdue Research Participation Opportunity
PURA recently received notice of this opportunity from a Purdue researcher: “This is Hoda Salsabili, a Postdoc and Purdue alumni living in the West Lafayette community. I and a group of Purdue engineers are doing a project about how we can improve the adherence of people to physical therapy home exercises. We need to interview and hear opinions from different age groups to design technology accordingly. The interview will be via zoom or phone for about 15 minutes. Your interest and time would be very much appreciated.
Please contact me via my email: hsalsabi@purdue.edu or text me at 770-833-9647, and I will schedule an interview according to your interest.
Regards,
Hoda Salsabili, PhD., PT
Motor Control and Development Laboratory
Department of Health and Kinesiology
Purdue University
Confessions of a Book Addict
By Jo Thomas
Well, Preston and Child have done it again: produced a novel that sucks the oxygen right off the page. In their book, The Scorpion’s Tail, the protagonists are FBI agent Corrie Swanson, archeologist Nora Kelly and a Sheriff named Homer. A body has been found in a ghost town basement. His body is in a strange position, his skin is peeling off and his face looks to be scared to death. Figuring out the name of the man does not solve the mystery, but opens the door to murder, flying bullets, subterfuge and treasure maps. The Scorpion’s Tail, by Lincoln Child and Douglas Preston, is a page turner.
Kristen Hannah’s latest novel, The Four Winds is highly rated, but joyless. It catalogues one of the worst eras in American history. In the East the Great Depression leaves people penniless and desperate. In the middle of the country unwise farming practices have stripped fertile topsoil from the land while drought has fried the wheat fields. Once again Hannah admits she fiddles with facts, but it is a good read for those who know little about this history.
The House on Vesper Sands is a throwback novel of Victorian mysteries. A woman throws herself off a three-story balcony. Scotland Yard Inspector Cutter is sent to investigate. On his way, he encounters a Cambridge dropout—Gideon Bliss—whom he believes to be a sergeant sent to aid him. The suicide victim has embroidered a Bible quotation on her abdomen. Was this a message to someone, a code, a confession, or something to do with missing girls? Something wicked is afoot. Cutter and Bliss are on the case! The House on Vesper Sands is the second book by Irish novelist Paraic O’Donnell. His first was nominated for awards.
PURA Tech Bytes
By Scott Ksander
Cutting The Cord - Revisited
You have probably heard of new services like Disney+, Discovery+, and Peacock. With more internet entertainment options becoming available, you have also likely heard the terms “Cutting The Cord” or “OTT” (Over The Top). This can be very confusing.
If we think back a few years before Internet access was available in homes, there were likely only three “cords” coming into your house – the power line, the telephone line, and a coaxial cable for TV from either a cable company like Comcast, a satellite service provider like DirectTV, or an exterior antenna mounted on your roof. The first way that most Internet was provided was via the telephone lines--initially with a modem, and then via techniques like ISDN and DSL.
As cell phone service became cost effective and Internet service became available via cable providers, the first “cord” many people cut was the telephone line (aka “landline”). There were brief experiments with providing Internet services over power lines but that was both a technical challenge and a safety concern.
With 5G cell services and direct fiberoptic service to the home becoming available, there has become an effective option to get all services via an Internet provider. This is referred to as OTT or Over The Top services since they are all provided as Internet services. With 5G cell service providing Internet, many envision a day when the only “cable” into their homes is a power cable. A fiberoptic cable or even coax may still be effective in many areas, but the question is how to cut “Cable TV” expenses.
Many believe purchasing video content a la carte will be more cost effective. Fox, Disney, Netflix, Amazon, Hulu and all the major networks now offer some sort of streaming service. There are two major problems that still need to be addressed before this option is ready for the average consumer. First, you still need some sort of hardware box to convert the network connection to video. Roku, AppleTV, and Amazon FireTV are examples of this kind of hardware. With this box, you can subscribe to various content providers such as ESPN, BTN, National Geographic, PBS, etc. Some “Smart TVs” are including this hardware now within the TV. The second problem is that none of these options are currently well integrated. Finding programming across providers can be confusing. There are lots of companies working in this area and effective options will likely be available in the future.
If you want to experiment with OTT services, the Amazon FireTV Stick (currently $39.95) will get you started. Currently, Hulu and YouTube TV are leading the field of software for those really trying to “cut the cord”. Both services provide a free trial period. This can still be a frustrating but interesting adventure, however, but it is getting closer to something for the average/non-technical consumer.
Road Trip! The “Garfield Trail”
By Karen Lembcke
Jim Davis, the creator of the comic strip Garfield, was born in Fairmount, Indiana, in Grant County (East of Kokomo, and North of Anderson), which is also famous as movie star James Dean’s birthplace. Marion is the county seat of Grant County. On the “Garfield Trail” there are fourteen unique statues of Garfield, America’s favorite lasagna-loving fat cat. The names of the Garfield statues and cities are as follows:
Paws For Thought Garfield in Marion; The Cool Cat in Fairmount; Gone Fishin’ Garfield in Matthews; the Scream for Ice Cream Garfield in Upland; A Worldly Cat in Van Buren; Glassblower Garfield in Gas City; British Soldier Garfield in Gas City; Firefighter Garfield in Jonesboro; Dr. Garfield in Marion; Fit for Life Garfield in Marion; Bookworm Garfield in Marion; Duffer Garfield in Marion; College Bound Garfield in Sweetser; and Speedking Garfield in Swayzee. (The Cool Cat and Speedking Garfield are pictured below.)
The Garfield statutes are made of fiberglass and are approximately five feet in height. Each one depicts Garfield in fun outfits or in playful situations.
You can visit these Garfield statues at any time of the year, but you would probably enjoy the drive and the fun of locating them during the spring through the fall. When on your tour of Garfield’s you can call 765-997-7034 from each statue for further information on the background of the particular Garfield you’re viewing.
For more specific information on the precise locations, visit: https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/indiana/garfield-trail-in/
True Tales of an Entomologist
By Tom Turpin
Editor’s Note: This is the third installment of Tom Turpin’s colorful experiences, which appear in his self-published Memoirs.
New Method for Killing Tomato Hornworms
Toward the end of my graduate school years at Iowa State, I began doing a few extension programs for the Department of Entomology. One very memorable program was for a general audience on what to do about pest insects around the home and garden. After the presentation one lady who appeared to be a seasoned gardener had a question. She wanted to know how to get rid of tomato hornworms. I quickly suggested the use of an insecticide – probably Sevin, a common product used in gardens at the time.
The woman said she really didn’t want to use insecticides so I launched into a discussion of hand picking the little critters off the plants making sure to leave those with the little white cocoons attached. Those cocoons house tiny wasps that will emerge and lay eggs in other hornworms thus effecting biological control. She wanted to know how to kill the worms without parasites and I suggested stomping on them. She really didn’t want to do this so I said just drop them in some gasoline in a Folgers’s coffee can. Gasoline will kill them quickly.
A couple of months later I saw the same woman at another meeting, and she told me she had come up with a way to kill hornworms with gasoline that was not quite so messy as dropping them into the Folgers’s can. She told me she put some gasoline in a syringe and injected it into the hornworm’s mouth. So I asked how she knew where the hornworms mouth was and was told, “It is under the horn.” The horn is on the rear end of the hornworm! The woman was giving the worms a gasoline enema. Apparently the approach worked but I would say it was a bit labor intensive.
Notable Historic May Events
May 1st—Observed as May Day, a holiday and spring festival since ancient times, also observed in socialist countries as a workers' holiday or Labor Day.
May 5th—Celebrated in Mexico as Cinco de Mayo, a national holiday in remembrance of the Battle of Puebla in 1862, in which Mexican troops under General Ignacio Zaragoza, outnumbered three to one, defeated the invading French forces of Napoleon III.
May 5, 1961—Alan Shepard became the first American in space. He piloted the spacecraft Freedom 7 during a 15-minute, 28-second suborbital flight that reached an altitude of 116 miles (186 kilometers) above the earth. Shepard’s success occurred 23 days after the Russians had launched the first-ever human in space, cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, during an era of intense technological competition between the Russians and Americans called the “Space Race.”
May 10, 1869—The newly constructed tracks of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railways were first linked at Promontory Point, Utah. A golden spike was driven by Leland Stanford, president of the Central Pacific, to celebrate the linkage. It is said that he missed the spike on his first swing which brought roars of laughter from men who had driven thousands upon thousands of spikes themselves.
May 11, 1888—Songwriter Irving Berlin (1888-1989) was born (as Israel Isidore Baline) in Tyumen, Russia. At the age of four, Berlin moved with his family to New York City and later began singing in saloons and on street corners to help his family following the death of his father. Although he could not read or write musical notation, he became one of America's greatest songwriters, best known for songs such as God Bless America, White Christmas, There's No Business Like Show Business, Alexander's Ragtime Band, Puttin' On the Ritz, and Oh! How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning.
May 14, 1804—Meriwether Lewis and William Clark departed St. Louis on their expedition to explore the Northwest. They arrived at the Pacific coast of Oregon in November 1805 and returned to St. Louis in September 1806, completing a journey of about 6,000 miles.
May 17, 1792—Two dozen merchants and brokers established the New York Stock Exchange. In good weather they operated under a buttonwood tree on Wall Street. In bad weather they moved inside to a coffeehouse to conduct business.
May 17, 1875—The first Kentucky Derby horse race took place at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.
May 18, 1980—Mount St. Helens volcano erupted in southwestern Washington State spewing steam and ash over 11 miles into the sky. This was the first major eruption since 1857.
May 20, 1927—Charles Lindbergh, a 25-year-old aviator, took off at 7:52 a.m. from Roosevelt Field, Long Island, New York, in the Spirit of St. Louis, attempting to win a $25,000 prize for the first solo nonstop flight between New York City and Paris, France. Thirty-three hours later, after a 3,600 mile journey, he landed at Le Bourget, Paris, earning the nickname "Lucky Lindy" and becoming an instant worldwide hero.
May 20, 1932—Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic. She departed Newfoundland, Canada, at 7:00 p.m. and landed near Londonderry, Ireland, completing a 2,026-mile flight in about 13 hours. Five years later, along with her navigator Fred Noonan, she disappeared while trying to fly her twin-engine plane around the equator.
May 24, 1844—Telegraph inventor Samuel Morse sent the first official telegraph message, "What hath God wrought?" from the Capitol building in Washington, D.C., to Baltimore, Maryland.
May 27, 1937—In San Francisco, California, 200,000 people celebrated the grand opening of the Golden Gate Bridge by strolling across it.
May 30, 1783—The Pennsylvania Evening Post became the first daily newspaper published in the United States.
Benefits/Health
Purdue Opens Vaccination Site to Retirees
Purdue’s West Lafayette campus COVID-19 vaccine distribution site is now open to help vaccinate as many Boilermakers as possible before the end of the spring semester.
The clinic will operate 7 days per week and is located on the northwest side of the Co-Rec, near the current COVID-19 testing center. The vaccine administered at the campus site is Pfizer. Hours are:
April 27-May 3: 7 a.m.-9 p.m.
May 4-17 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
Who is eligible to use the campus location?
The campus vaccine clinic will prioritize members of the Purdue West Lafayette community, per Indiana Department of Health guidance. All students, faculty, staff, spouses and dependents affiliated with the WL campus, and official retirees age 16 and older, regardless of residency, can use the campus site at no cost.
For more information see: https://protect.purdue.edu/updates/purdue-reaches-vaccination-milestone-asks-for-continued-campus-participation/
Walking is Free!
By Chris Rearick, MSN, RN
Purdue Nursing Center for Family Health
The days are longer and the weather is nicer. Time to walk. Walking is a great activity indoors and outdoors, and walking is free! As the weather warms, we may find walking outdoors in the sun may just make us feel better mentally and physically. Here are some quick tips to remember as you begin to enjoy this weather. Before you begin, remember to have comfortable shoes and dress accordingly. Be familiar with your surroundings.
- Set a time for yourself. You may want to start out small and increase your time and pace as tolerated. Try to reach 30 minutes a day. A cane or walking stick can be used to help with balance.
- Include a friend! Visiting and walking can allow you to get fresh air and catch up with those visits that were missed during bad weather days and improve your mental health. Make walking social!
- If you have a book that you have been longing to read then maybe get an audio version. Listening to the book while you walk may help pass the time away.
Three small tips that can get you started on a walking routine. Walking can improve your energy, balance and muscle health. Better balance can decrease falls, strengthen our muscles and improve our overall health. Sometimes getting started is the hardest part!
https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/walking-step-right-direction
Retiree Wellness Screenings
Nice weather is a perfect time to schedule your Retiree Wellness Screening. You may call Chris at 765-496-0308 or email her at crearick@purdue.edu. If you leave a message on voice mail, leave your name and phone number and she will return your call. Also watch for some designated summer dates. These summer screenings will include some expanded screenings. If you wish to be on the list for the summer dates, just let her know.
Suggestions for Future Articles?
Please feel free to email Chris with any additional questions or suggestions for future health columns: Chris Rearick, crearick@purdue.edu, or you may call Chris at (765) 496-0308 and leave a message for her.
Campus Services News:
Contact Email for PURA
To streamline ongoing communications and service from Purdue Human Resources, a new email account has been set up. All PURA-related communications from HR will now come from pura@purdue.edu – which will show up as “PURA Admin” in your email inboxes.
If you have questions or comments going forward, please send them to this email address instead of jacksonh@purdue.edu.
How to Subscribe to Purdue Today
Retirees may signup online to receive Purdue Today emails. Visit this web site: https://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/purduetoday/subscribe-to-purdue-today.html.
The form asks for first and last name, University affiliation and email address. Once the form is submitted, you will receive an email from Purdue Today (purduetoday@purdue.edu) asking you to confirm the subscription.
Some mail servers may identify Purdue Today as spam and filter the confirmation email — and subsequent Purdue Today emails — into a "junk" or "promotions" folder. To avoid this, add purduetoday@purdue.edu to your email application's contacts list.
Questions about Purdue Today should be directed to Valerie O'Brien at purduetoday@purdue.edu or 765-494-9573.