Retirement Tips

In March 2005, New Bern was touted on the Today show as the great "undiscovered" place to retire, praised for its mild winter weather, great golf courses, and of course, its proximity to water which allows for sailing, boating and fishing.

The Craven County Chapter 2863 of the AARP meets the second Wednesday of every month at the Courtyards of Berne Village. Lunch is available for $7 and reservations are required by calling chapter president Margie Gilbert at (252) 514-3704. Feature speakers are scheduled for each meeting. Chapter memberships are available for $5 per person.

Retirees interested in gardening find plenty of instructional and social opportunities. Information about meetings for garden clubs in New Bern, River Bend and Trent Woods is listed in the Meet You At column printed in the Sun Journal.

Genealogy is a popular pastime in New Bern. The New Bern-Craven County Public Library at 400 Johnson Street, (252) 638-7800, maintains a good selection of helpful materials in the Kellenberger Local History and Genealogy Room. Another good resource is the New Bern Family History Center, housed in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints at 1207 Forest Drive in Trent Woods, (252) 638-5341. The Craven County Genealogy Society meets at 7 PM the second Tuesday of every month in the center's meeting room.

The AARP offers a low-cost driver safety program for motorists, primarily for ages 50 and older. The course reviews the basic rules of the road, offers tips for avoiding traffic violations that older drivers are more likely to do, and covers defensive driving techniques. For local class information, call Charles Peckham at (252) 444-3983.

North Carolina Senior Care is a state program which provides prescription drug assistance and insulin to low income residents age 65 and older who have been diagnosed with heart disease, chronic lung disease or diabetes and are not eligible for Medicaid or other third party prescription drug benefits. For information, call (866) 226-1388.

Seniors who live alone in the city of New Bern can sign up for the police department's R.U.O.K. program. Once a day, they receive a phone call from the New Bern Police Department. If no one answers, a policeman is dispatched to check and make sure everything is OK or to offer assistance as needed. For information or to enroll, call (252) 672-4100 or (252) 633-2020.

The Morehead City VA Outpatient Clinic is located at 5420 U.S. 70 W. and is operated by the Durham VA Medical Center. The clinic, which is open Monday through Friday, provides primary care, mental health, immunization and blood-drawing services by appointment to VA-enrolled patients in Carteret, Craven, Jones and Pamlico counties. Walk-in and emergency services are not available. For more information or an appointment, call (252) 240-2349.