On woodworkers, the meaning of retired and taking time for travel

Here we are with our second issue of Sierra Lifestyles. We’re dedicated to telling the stories of the people and places that make up our Sierra foothills communities.

In this issue, you’ll find out about one of the many programs offered at the Tuolumne County Senior Center. Most everyone knows of the lunches that are held at noon on each week day (except holidays) but there are many, many more activities such as the woodworking program Giuseppe Ricapito attended.

Once a week, five guys get together and carve. They make an assortment of items, including crosses and figures. One man is carving something for his granddaughter in Australia. They say it gives them a sense of community. And like many undertakings in clubs and groups here, they’re looking for more people to take part.

We’ve got a Chris Bateman special in this issue. He has taken up the topic of aging, and finding oh-so-many reasons to celebrate. Bateman was a longtime editor and columnist for The Union Democrat and garnered a legion of fans through the years. We’re particularly pleased to share his work.

Billie Lyons, the curator of the Tuolumne County Museum, has a poignant story about a cemetery destroyed by vandals and the enduring threat to other places of rest.

This is an important story about our community’s past and future. It’s about honor and commitment and remembering where we came from.

And for the first time, we’re offering two stories about the same thing, an African safari taken by Barbara Dresslar and David Morgan some years ago.

It was most interesting to me to see how the memories were at once the same and yet different. And it made me yearn for a safari of my own.

Please contact me if you have a story idea for our next issue of Sierra Lifestyles.