Securities Board: THe most dangerous piece of mail you'll get is for a free lunch

PETs help crippled gain mobility

By Kathy Olivarez

Over 20 million people across the world suffer from illnesses or injuries that have left them incapable of using their limbs. And in underdeveloped areas like Asia, South America and Mexico, these people can’t afford to purchase the tools to help them move around. But personal energy transportation devices, also known as PETs, can provide the tools necessary to become mobile.

Although PETs cannot be used here because they do not meet Americans with Disabilities Act requirements, in underdeveloped countries they can sometimes mean the difference in survival; they give a person mobility that might not otherwise have any.

PET volunteer Harvey Wegner said the PET came about in 1994 when Rev. Larry Mills, a missionary serving Africa, said he almost stepped over a woman crawling down a road with a baby tied to her back. She could not walk and had to crawl everywhere she went. Rev. Mills told his friend, Mel West, of the need for three-wheeled hand-cranked wheelchairs for victims of polio and landmines. West contacted Earl Miner, a retired design engineer of Marshfield, Mo., who decided to design something to help people.

A PET resembles a tricycle built of wood. It has a seat with a back for the person to sit on and a floor to protect the person’s legs and feet. There is a small area in the back so the person can carry goods. The tires are wheelbarrow tires or non-puncture tires. The PET can be used by children and adults. It has a front-wheeled brake and a wooden wedge for a parking brake in the back.

The PET only moves as fast as the driver propels with their arms. As it is used more and more, the people develop strength in their upper bodies and can move faster and across rougher terrain.

The first PETs were field tested in Zaire in 1995 and were a huge success. People who had no mobility were able to move themselves around for the first time. The operation that began in Missouri moved to Zaire and soon spread to Mozambique and other parts of Africa. Today the PET is used in over 60 countries.

Each year over 2,000 PETs are manufactured by volunteers in the United States and shipped to areas of need around the world to help these people. PETs are even being built here in Mission.

Stan Marley, who is setting up the shop in Mission, was retired and needed something to do when he learned about PETs. He set up a shop in Progreso but had difficulty getting the supplies across. So he decided to move back to this side of the border. He found a building at 410 N. Conway Ave. and started setting up shop. The first workday was Oct. 24. Volunteers from the Mission Lions Club and the First United Methodist Church of McAllen were on hand to help construct the PETs.

The first PETs assembled in Mission were from kits sent from a PET site in San Antonio, one of four Texas construction units. When Marley is completely set up, the entire kit will be manufactured at the Mission site.

Marley and Wegner need volunteers to help build the PETS. Plans are for the shop to be open each Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon. Wegner said that if Winter Texan groups would like to select a day to volunteer other than Saturday, they can call him at 956-607-3485 and he will work with them to set up a work schedule. Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays are options.

Each PET costs about $250 to purchase the parts and to ship. The PETs being assembled in Mission will be sent to Mexico for use by people who cannot walk. Donations may be sent to PET RGV, P.O. Box 129, Peñitas, TX, 78576.

Edinburg has new Motorcycle Museum

By Kahty Olivarez

The Rio Grande Valley has a new, very popular museum. This is no ordinary museum. This is the Motorcycle Museum of Edinburg.

The Motorcycle Museum, which opened in October, came into being after a motorcycle exhibit at the International Museum of Art and Science (IMAS) in McAllen became one of the most popular exhibits ever held there.

Located on the northeast corner of Richardson Road (east of S.H. 281) and Cesar Chavez Road, the museum, which is run by volunteers, is open from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and noon to 4 p.m. on Sundays.

According to volunteer host Joe Reyna, there are currently 34 old motorcycles, dating back to the early 1900s, currently on display. Most come from the private collection of Dr. Michael Sweeney, a retired orthopedic surgeon who lives in Edinburg. All of the bikes are in working condition, having been restored at Dirty Dave’s Cycle Shop, which is next to the museum.

One of the rarest motorcycles on display is a 1938 Indian four-cylinder motorcycle, which was one of the last motorcycles made with rigid frames. It had no shocks. Fewer than 700 of this model were made, making this model highly collectible.

Indian was a big name in motorcycles in the early days. The company manufactured motorcycles from 1901 to 1953 and was a very popular brand. A 1931 Indian with a reinforced crossbar and headlights sits next to it. It has a brass plate with an Indian head on it in front.

The museum also has a 1916 Indian Powerplus classic, Charles Franklin, that has a 61 cubic inch engine, and a 42 degree V turn, which gave it power and a quieter ride than earlier models, and could move as fast as 60 miles per hour, an unheard of speed in the early 1900s.

Sidecars were popular in the early days before cars became affordable. The museum has a 1913 model with a sidecar. It has a four horsepower engine, and it came in the standard red color, but could be ordered in royal blue as an option. The front features a small kerosene lantern below the handlebars and a luggage rack behind the driver. It was called a “ suicide machine” because the driver had to take one hand off the handlebar to shift.

The 1918 Indian Board Track Racer had only the essentials on it and could go speeds as high as 100 miles per hour. It was also very dangerous, as the driver had to throttle on or off. It had no brakes, no clutch and no transmission. The kill switch was used to shut the motor off. When the driver let go of the switch, the motor came back on.

Another company that made motorcycles was Henderson, which was in business from 1912 to 1931, when it closed due to the Great Depression. The museum has a rare 1931 Excelsior Henderson/Schwinn motorcycle that looks more like a bicycle than a motorcycle. It had four cylinders and could go as fast as 100 miles per hour.

The museum has a 1914 Henderson painted blue with white tires. It had a light piston and featured adjustable spring seating. Carl Sterns Clancy used this model in the 1912 circumnavigation of the globe.

The museum also features a 1924 Harley Davidson in olive green with a side seat and also had space for a rider behind the driver. Harley Davidson started in 1903 and continues making motorcycles to this day.

A 1917 Harley Davidson J Model, which was a signature model, had an F-head engine, which combines the cylinder and head into a single piece. Lanterns were added for light. They ran on kerosene.

By 1928 Harley Davidson was using headlights instead of lanterns for light and making motorcycles that could run 100 miles per hour. Other models of Harley Davidsons on display included the 1932 flathead rockerboxes, the 1940’s knucklehead and shovelheads, and the 1954 panhead created for the 50th anniversary celebration.

The most modern motorcycle on display was a 2003 eaglemotor touring bike built for the 100th anniversary of Harley Davidson. This black FLHR Road King had the tour package include the shield, headlights, the eaglemotor, seating for two people and saddlebags.

In addition to these three makes of motorcycles, the museum also had several special motorcycles on display.

A replica of the Captain America chopper panhead featured in the 1969 movie, “Easy Rider,” with Peter Fonda. This motorcycle became the symbol for the American counter-culture.

Reyna said the museum is looking for a sponsor that will help finance a replica of the motorcycle ridden by Dennis Hopper in the movie, “Easy Rider.”

Another highlighted motorcycle was made by West Coast Choppers, who take an existing motorcycle and customize it to fit the needs of the rider. Currently, there is a waiting list a year long to get a bike customized by West Coast Choppers. The bike in the museum has a frame that has been stretched and raised.

The museum has another 40 motorcycles in storage that will be brought out for display later in the season. Reyna said these include a collection of foreign made cycles such as Moto Guzzi and Ducati, which are both Italian motorcycles. A Honda supersport is waiting to be shown along with a variety of other motorcycles. Other private collections will also be displayed.

Admission is $10 for adults and $7 for seniors. Group rates are available. Visitors can ask to have their hands stamped. The stamp will get them a sample of chicken wings and 10 percent discount at Ryder s Bar & Grill nearby.

Anyone who loves the thrill of being on the open road on a motorcycle will not want to miss the chance to reminisce about the good old days when they may have owned one of the motorcycles on display.

Winter Texan Quilt Show

Quilters, get your best work out and ready to display. The fourth annual Winter Texan Times Quilt Show will be held Dec. 30 through Feb. 5 at the Mission Historical Museum. Registration starts Monday, Dec. 7 and runs through Dec. 18.

A reception where winners of the show will be announced is slated for Jan. 21.

Quilts will be judged in three categories: all hand-made, machine quilted and hand quilted, and machine pieced and machine quilted. Ribbons will be awarded to the top three entries in each category, and a Viewers’ Choice ribbon will be awarded.

The Winter Texan Times and Mission Historical Museum invite quilters across the Rio Grande Valley to participate and send their best quilts in for the competition.

There is no entry fee and all quilts must be delivered directly to the museum. The Winter Texan Times will not handle any of the quilts directly. The quilts should be delivered to Vernon Weckbacher, museum archivist/curator, who will take charge of all entries. Those who participate will fill out a form describing the type of quilt, the portion of the quilt to be judged, the name and address of the quilter and other pertinent information.

Mission Historical Museum is located at 900 Doherty in Mission and the museum hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Friday.

Canadians Heading South to RGV

By Kathy Olivarez

Mid October has come and gone and with it came an influx of Canadians trying to escape the already cold temperatures of their home. It seems that more new Canadians are coming this year. With their dollar almost equal in value to the American dollar, more can afford to come. Many are choosing the Rio Grande Valley because they have friends who stay here who have told them it is a good place to come.

The American dollar is now worth $0.96 cents to the Canadian dollar. The Canadian dollar is higher in value than it has been for several years making it easier for Canadians to travel in the United States. In the past few years the value of the American dollar has been higher.

Brenda Copeland, manager at Bentsen Grove in Mission said their park has welcomed a group of new younger Canadians since the middle of October along with Americans who live in the far northern states such as Minnesota and North Dakota. Copeland knew of six Canadian couples that had arrived during the week. She expects many more the first two weeks of November, followed by a lull until after Thanksgiving. The park will be fullest after Christmas.

Mission Bell indicated 20 percent of their residents had already arrived and many more were expected in the next two weeks. The manager was expecting 18 couples to arrive Nov. 1. She was also expecting some Canadians.

Derek Pearce, a Canadian from Toronto said several of the Canadians who spent the winter last year were looking at other parks. Since Mission Bell does not sell the lots, they were going places like Canyon Lake where lots were sold. Because the Canadian dollar was so favorable, many were using the opportunity to purchase lots instead of renting them. Canadians are not taxed on property valued at less than $100,000. Since most lots are less than that, they will not have to pay taxes. But they cannot deduct their mortgages like their American counterparts.

Pearce said he came back in the middle of October because it was already very cold in Toronto. When he left home Oct. 17, there was snow flurries falling.

Ken Beckett, another Canadian from the Toronto area, agreed that when the snow started falling, it was time to head south to Texas.

A spot check across the Valley showed Brownsville also seeing an increase in Canadians, according to Alfredo Picazo, of the Brownsville Convention Center. He said Winter Texans had started to trickle into the Brownsville area in mid October.

The Edinburg Chamber of Commerce indicated Winter Texans were slower arriving in the city but those from Minnesota and North Dakota were coming in. He was unsure how many Canadians had arrived.

A stop at El Valle del Sol and El Valle de la Luna revealed that about 30 percent of their residents had already arrived, many of them, Canadian. Many activities were ready to start the first week of November while other activities such as square dancing would not start until December.

The Winter Texan Times spoke with Hartley Gazell of Ontario, Canada. Unlike others, he felt fewer Canadians would be coming. Hartley who has come to El Valle del Sol for a number of years, said several of his Canadian friends would not be returning this season.

“When you turn 80, the insurance policy you need just to come costs $5000 a year. On top of that you must pay your hospital bills and get reimbursed for them when you get home if you get sick. And if you stay more than the allowed six months, you can lose your Canadian pensions,” he stated.

Gazell went on to say that while several of his friends had not returned, he had met some younger Canadian couples so he guessed it might even out.

An interesting note came from the Texas Travel Information Center in Harlingen where many Canadians had stopped for information. Many Canadians are asking for maps of Mexico because they are headed into Mexico to spend the winter there.

Whether the Valley will see an increase in Canadians or if they are just arriving ahead of American Winter Texans remains to be seen. But for now, it seems the Canadian Winter Texan population is increasing.

RSVP seeks volunteers

RSVP, a volunteer program for persons 55 or older, has several opportunities for Winter Texans who would like to volunteer their time to help others while spending their winters in the Rio Grande Valley. Delia Estrada, RSVP project director, said volunteers are needed at Amigos Del Valle nutrition sites, museums and nursing homes. They are needed at schools, headstart centers, and libraries to help students succeed and increase their opportunities to advance in life. For information on benefits, call (956) 316-2005 or 1-800-996-7787.

Securities Board: The most dangerous piece of mail you’ll get is for a free lunch

AUSTIN - More than three-quarters of older Americans are concerned that financial scams will damage their retirement nest eggs or those of someone they know, according to a press release from the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA).

In a survey released by AARP 78 percent of Americans age 55 and over surveyed indicated that they are concerned about financial scams affecting them or someone they know. A common setting for fraudsters to engage victims is by offering a free lunch or dinner, by which an older individual near retirement age is solicited to attend and learn more about investing in retirement.

"Defrauding our senior population is unconscionable,” said NASAA President and Texas Securities Commissioner Denise Voigt Crawford, “Protecting senior investors is a top priority of state securities regulators.”

For attendees of these free seminars, the potential cost can be quite high. Of those who attended a seminar, 78 percent expected that the free financial seminar would center on opportunities to learn more about financial issues. However, once at the seminar, half of seminar attendees said the presenter asked them for personal information, such as their contact information or information about their finances, and 46 percent reported that presenter attempted to make a follow-up appointment at their home. Nearly 40 percent reported that the presenter tried to sell them financial products either during or after the seminar.

In response to such solicitations, AARP launched the Free Lunch Monitor program in collaboration with North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) in October 2008. The purpose of the national program is to raise public awareness to the possible dangers of attending free lunch seminars, to help investors learn how to decipher fraudulent presentations, and to share a “Free Lunch Monitor Checklist” to keep tabs on suspicious activity.

After a year of collecting checklists, volunteers reported that many seminars focused on different types of annuities, with 39 percent encouraging attendees to purchase one. Almost half of those attending said that the speaker did not discuss the risks associated with the annuity.

Attendees were consistently promised that products were "low risk" or that they would yield "high rates of return."
"Low risk, high reward is a red flag warning for possible investment fraud," Commissioner Crawford said. “I encourage all seniors to investigate before they invest in any offer served at a free lunch seminar. State securities regulators offer extensive employment, disciplinary and registration information about those who sell securities or offer investment advice."

“Nothing is truly free when it comes to your financial security,” said Jean Setzfand, director of financial security at AARP. “Many people go to these seminars hoping to learn about ways to create a more secure retirement, but instead are pitched financial products that are fraudulent or unsuitable for them.”

Nearly six million Americans age 55 and older have attended a free lunch or dinner in the past three years, with mail as the most common method of solicitation (63 percent), according to AARP.

More than one quarter of invitees (27 percent) have received 10 or more invitations.

The Texas State Securities Board (TSSB) is responsible for regulating the securities industry in Texas. TSSB registers securities offered or sold in Texas and oversees the firms and individuals selling securities or providing investment advice to Texans. Their Investor Education initiative is designed to help Texans become informed investors.

For more information on this vital issue contact Robert Elder, Texas State Securities Board, (512) 305-8386, or Bob Webster, North American Securities Administrators Association, (202) 737-0900. Or, visit the TSSB Web site at HYPERLINK "http://www.ssb.state.tx.us" www.ssb.state.tx.us or www.texasinvestored.org.

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