COUPLE WALK FOR (S)MILES.Byline: BETTIE RENCORET Senior columnist PALMDALE - Helen and Lloyd Dilsaver were among the senior Antelope Valley Mall The Antelope Valley Mall is an enclosed shopping mall in Palmdale, California. Opened in September, 1990, its buildings take up around 1 million square feet (90,000 m²). Its physical main building, parking lots, and ring road businesses encompass an area a bit less than 0. walkers who donned comic attire last week to make the September birthday festivities fes·tiv·i·ty n. pl. fes·tiv·i·ties 1. A joyous feast, holiday, or celebration; a festival. 2. The pleasure, joy, and gaiety of a festival or celebration. 3. even more fun than usual. The celebration, shared monthly by walkers whose birthdays fall within that month, is another brainchild of Raedell Simon, founder of the daily early morning walk. ``Who says seniors don't have a sense of humor Noun 1. sense of humor - the trait of appreciating (and being able to express) the humorous; "she didn't appreciate my humor"; "you can't survive in the army without a sense of humor" sense of humour, humor, humour ?'' said Simon as she viewed the get-ups of the people she loves most - ``her'' seniors. The Dilsavers are only two of the senior funsters, but they epitomize the rest. Many of the walkers use the exercise as therapy for illness or injury. Others walk to preserve the good health they still have. An automobile crash three years ago left Helen unable to walk for weeks. Although in constant pain, she picked herself up and began walking to try to regain strength in her injured legs and back. She first started to walk in the desert outside her Palmdale home with Lloyd following behind her. The terrain was too uneven. Then they heard about the daily walks around the interior of the mall. ``I've come almost every day except Sundays since then,'' she said. ``I might never have gotten going again without this place and these people.'' She still uses a walker but she puts it aside now for some of the distance. At present, she is looking toward hip replacement surgery which may give her some relief. She said as soon as the surgery is over she'll make herself get up again and back out to join her peers at the mall. ``I used to be real shy, but I'm not anymore,'' she said. ``I've made lots of real friends here who have helped me come out of my shell. I love coming out here every day.'' Lloyd and Helen married in 1944, 11 days after they met when he came home from the Navy during World War II. ``They all said we'd never make it but that was 58 years ago and here we are,'' Lloyd said. He attributed their marriage's longevity to their ability to weather hard times and work things out. When, for instance, the bottom fell out of the aircraft industry in the 1950s and he was laid off, they didn't sit around and brood about how bad off they were. ``I went out and got some gardening tools and started mowing mow 1 n. 1. The place in a barn where hay, grain, or other feed is stored. 2. A stack of hay or other feed stored in a barn. lawns and raking leaves and stuff like that and Helen took in ironings. We had a family and neither of us was too proud to do menial MENIAL. This term is applied to servants who live under their master's roof Vide stat. 2 H. IV., c. 21. work,'' he said. They have three children, Linda Gilbert of Bakersfield; David Dilsaver of Lancaster; and Larry Dilsaver, who was killed in an automobile crash. They came to Palmdale in 1956 and Lloyd was laid off from Northrop after about a year and went into his gardening business. That evolved into a stint of working for the local school districts and then he went to North American Aviation North American Aviation was a major US aircraft manufacturer. The company was responsible for a number of historic aircraft, including the T-6 Texan trainer, the P-51 Mustang fighter, the B-25 Mitchell bomber, the F-86 Sabre jet fighter, and the X-15 rocket plane, as well as Apollo where he worked for more than seven years. He retired in 1987 from Lockheed after 18 years in structures and mock- up. Menus for the week at the senior life nutrition sites in Lancaster, Palmdale and South Valley have been announced. All meals include bread, margarine and coffee, tea or milk for a suggested donation of $2. Today: Macaroni macaroni: see pasta. and cheese with ham, green beans green beans Noun, pl long narrow green beans that are cooked and eaten as a vegetable , tossed salad, apple juice, oatmeal cookies. Tuesday: Braised braise tr.v. braised, brais·ing, brais·es To cook (meat or vegetables) by browning in fat, then simmering in a small quantity of liquid in a covered container. beef and noodles noo·dle 1 n. A narrow, ribbonlike strip of dried dough, usually made of flour, eggs, and water. [German Nudel. , spinach, marinated salad, orange juice, fruit cocktail. Wednesday: Barbecued chicken, rice pilaf, Normandy vegetables, lettuce and tomato salad, banana. Thursday: Meatloaf, mashed potatoes n. pl. 1. Potatoes which have been boiled and mashed to a pulpy consistency, usu. with sparing addition of milk, salt, butter, or other flavoring. It is a popular accompaniment to a meat course [U.S., 1900's], providing bulk and calories to a meal. , corn Niblets, carrot, raisin and pineapple salad, pudding. Friday: Roast turkey, bread dressing, parsleyed carrots, lettuce salad, grape juice, Jell-O with fruit. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Helen and Lloyd Dilsaver sport their funny duds during the senior Antelope Valley mall walkers September birthday event. Bettie Rencoret/Special to the Daily News |
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