She really didn’t want me to write about her, saying nobody would be interested anyway, but she at last relented and said I could.
Thelma Dickey celebrated her 101st birthday last week, and I think that’s worth talking about — it’s not your everyday kind of birthday. Not only that, she is very healthy with no medical issues, still lives independently in the home she shared with her husband, Max.
She attributes her good long life to “thinking happy, wonderful friends, and drinking scotch”. (“You better not print that,” she said, but I don’t think she’ll mind too much.)
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Thelma was born on Aug. 24, 1915 when, she said, life was simpler, people knew their neighbors, food was fresh and better and we just lived a different life style than today. She and Max were Valparaiso University basketball fans way back when the team was not newsworthy, and she still has season tickets and never misses a home game. She can tell you more about VU basketball and players than most anyone.
She loves to travel, and Panama Canal is one of her favorite trips. Thelma also can still play a mean game of bridge. When I asked her for dates (i.e. when did she graduate? when did she begin teaching?, etc.), her answer was that she doesn’t pay much attention to dates anymore, but she knew she and Max got married in 1942 in Norfolk, Virginia, where he was stationed while serving in the Navy. Thelma was a wonderfully delightful teacher, and taught primary grades at Cooks Corner and Central Elementary Schools in Valpo.
She has always been fun, quick to laugh, caring and giving without fanfare, and a believer in people and God. Along with the scotch, maybe that’s why Thelma will be keeping her happy demeanor and her health for years to come. God continue to shine on you with His blessings, dear friend. You are my pet person of the week, and I want to be like you when I grow up.
Speaking of caring, there is still time to volunteer for the United Way Day of Caring, which will be held next Friday in Lake, Porter and LaPorte counties. It is a guaranteed feel-good day for those who care and those who need the caring. In Porter County, it all starts with a breakfast at the Urschel Pavilion by the Central Park Plaza on Lincolnway, and you’ll even get a t-shirt for volunteering. Please go to www.pcunitedway.org to join a project. You’ll be glad you did.
With the last of the county fairs coming to an end, golf outings winding down, and the weather sizzling, it means that school is right around the corner. I know that is a dirty word to lots of kids, and it seems as though the starting date for back to the classroom gets moved up each year, which means there are more volunteers needed sooner than later.
Hilltop Neighborhood House, whose staff still believes it takes a village to raise a child, is very much in need of volunteers. You can choose the area or age group you would like to work with, and whether you can give an hour or two a day or a week, your help will be gratefully appreciated. If you enjoy little people, the infant, toddler, and preschool staff will welcome you with open arms — in fact, they may fight over who gets you.
You may be cuddling little ones, playing games, or helping with meals. If late afternoons are better for you, after school help is much needed, including everything from homework help to craft projects and games all to help students learn, then there is definitely a place for you. Or if you would rather just help at the food pantry or at the reception desk, you’ll also get a high five. Please give it some thought and email www.hilltophouse.org, or call 219-477-4222. Thanks for caring.
What a super week I had in Colorado last week with all my kids, grandchildren, and eight of our great-grandkids, and then when my daughter, Carol, and I drove back home, I had five more of those “greats” to enjoy. It is more than I deserve, and I thank God for all the ups and downs of family.
July ended perfectly, and then to have the pleasure of having August begin the same way beginning with the overwhelmingly fantastic concert by the Northwest Indiana Symphony at Central Plaza in Valpo, was an A-plus. The music just filled the whole area, and had most of us toe-tapping or swaying. Oh, how fortunate we are to be treated to such gifts free.
A sincere and enormous thank you to the Porter County Community Foundation and others for a wonderful Symphony under the Stars. It was sure more than I expected. And thank you to every musician who shared their talents with us on a very warm evening. We are so very lucky to live in such a great county and community, and I hope I-and you- never take it for granted. Now I hope you have a great day because you deserve it. Thanks for reading. Fly your flag.
Lorrie Woycik is a freelance columnist for the Post-Tribune.