WORTH NOTING
Free Thanksgiving Dinners
Food for All
Thanksgiving is the foodiest of the holidays, but not if you can’t afford groceries. Dozens of organizations and churches throughout Northeast Ohio provide people and families in need with free Thanksgiving dinner or the ingredients to prepare the meal at home.
Act now to find out how to qualify for Thanksgiving assistance. At many churches, for example, a call to the church pastor or administrator will get you on a list for food. The sooner you make your needs known, the better.
Older adults can contact The Greater Cleveland Food Bank — greaterclevelandfoodbank.org, 216-738-2265 — for information on food boxes and other assistance. Other resources include local branches of The Salvation Army and the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank, akroncantonfoodbank.org,330-535-6900.
The organizations above always welcome donations, especially money. Exercise your generosity muscle and consider giving a little extra this year.
New Laws,
But Not for Older Drivers
Ohio has a handful of laws going into effect Jan. 1, but none for older drivers.
Rumors circulated on social media recently that the federal government was imposing stricter testing for older drivers. That’s not true. States set their own driving laws, and Ohio hasn’t changed requirements for older adults.
Younger drivers are another story. Starting last September, anyone under 21 who wants a driver’s license must take 24 hours of driver’s education classes, eight hours of driver training, and complete 50 hours of supervised driving with an adult who has a driver’s license.
The Ohio Department of Transportation says older adults will outlive their ability to drive safely by a decade. Among their suggestions: don’t drive at night, avoid interstates, use familiar routes, don’t drive too slowly because it can be as dangerous as speeding, and don’t eat, drink or smoke while driving.
Learn more at transportation.ohio.gov/programs/olderdrivers.
The Grump is Back
With a New Book
Author Bob Adamov is both a wonderfully friendly guy and the creator of curmudgeonly George Ivers, who debuted last year in his Christmas novel, “Alone at Home.”
George, still a grump, is back, this time at Thanksgiving, in Adamov’s newest book, “Not Alone at Home.”
Adamov writes mystery/adventure books that take place in and around the Lake Erie islands. He said “Alone at Home” was so warmly received that he wanted to bring George back. The premise: What starts as a quiet Thanksgiving turns into a chaotic holiday with uninvited guests and general mayhem. The book, the second of the George Ivers series, is available on Amazon.com and other online and local book stores.
Ho, Ho Hallmark
Every Ending is a Happy Ending
“Mistletoe Murders,” “Single on the 25th,” “Oy to the World!” The Hallmark Channel jumps into high gear from mid-October through December with its holiday movie premieres. Fans of the warm, fuzzy and oh-so-predictable Christmas season staple can snuggle under a comfy blanket and sip cocoa with their favorites 24 hours a day for the next two months. Find a list of new releases and showtimes on the Hallmark website Hallmarkchannel.com.
Thanks, None for Me
The Case for Dry January
We’re still a couple of weeks from Thanksgiving, but it’s not too early for a kickstart to 2026. One of the best ways to get one is Dry January.
Gaining in popularity, Dry January is a celebration of sobriety. Participants pledge to give up alcohol for the entire month. Sometimes, folks like how good they feel they give up drinking for good.
Drinking can be a pleasant social activity, but doctors say it’s lousy for our health, particularly for women.
If you want to try Dry January, here are tips from the National Institutes of Health:
- If you drink to have fun, deal with stress or to fall asleep, consider other ways to accomplish those goals, such as meeting friends for a hike, playing games at a party, or doing yoga.
- Tell friends and family about your plans and ask them to join you in Dry January.
- Make sure alternative alcohol-free beverages are available at parties and gatherings.
- As January progresses, notice how you feel. Are you sleeping better? Do you have more energy?
