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![Jeanine Martin works with student volunteers to polish apples during a Junior League of the Shoals’ meeting inside the Handy Recreation Center in Florence. [DAN BUSEY/TIMESDAILY]](https://living50plusshoals.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Martin-2-880x350.jpg)
By Chelsea Retherford | Living 50 Plus Before he was Santa Claus, Russ Creel was the jolly old physical education teacher for 21 years in the Lauderdale County School System. Before that, he had worked with children in other capacities in Montgomery and other areas across the state. It was his career in education that inspired him to don the
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By Chelsea Retherford | Living 50 Plus Steve Herring slips out of the jacket that barely conceals his bulging biceps and makes his way to a bench in the weight room at the University of North Alabama, where he’s served as strength and conditioning coach for the past six years. Herring, 62, is walking proof that heavy powerlifting isn’t reserved
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By Chelsea Retherford | Living 50 Plus The halls are decked. The den is decked. The kitchen, the bedrooms, the bathrooms — every nook and cranny of the Krieger house in Florence has gotten the Christmas lift. It’s a tradition that Joey Krieger said began with his father, Conrad, who loved the holiday as much as he does. “He probably
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Investing is often portrayed as something people need not worry about after retirement. The theory that people should avoid risk as they approach and reach retirement age makes sense, as the unknown of investing can expose aging individuals to losses that compromise their ability to live comfortably on fixed incomes. Though conventional wisdom regarding financial risk and aging still makes
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By Chelsea Retherford | Living 50 Plus Jamie Lynch and Gil Self know they might seem a tad eccentric for the annual cross-country cycling trips they take. Some trips often stretch hundreds of miles in the summer heat, but the couple said it’s a hobby that keeps them meditative, physically active, and young. “It’s a mindset. You have to be
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By Chelsea Retherford | Living 50 Plus Any given Saturday from September to January, David and Cindy Hall can likely be found in Tuscaloosa, setting up for game day at Bryant-Denny Stadium. If they’re not found tailgating with fellow fans on what they consider sacred ground, they’re most likely on the road following their favorite team to another stadium, or
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By Chelsea Retherford | Staff Writer Lorraine Mills, an 80-year-old volunteer at The Help Center, said choosing to work for free three days a week is a little like hiking up a mountain. When asked what motivates her to continue the climb, her answer is simply “because I can.” “There might come a day when I’m not able to do
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