The Shadow
The Alleghany-Bath-Highland Bar Association’s Senior Law Day held on Wed., Aug. 10, at Mountain Gateway Community College’s Moomaw Center provided a treasure trove of information to assist senior citizens.
The annual event was canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19, and the event was not held in 2021 either. Covington Attorney William T. “Bill” Wilson spearheaded the drive to garner donations in support of the event for which he served as moderator.
Dr. John Rainone, president of Mountain Gateway Community College (MGCC), welcomed the senior citizens, a panel of attorneys, health care workers, and representatives of Lewis Gale Hospital-Alleghany to MGCC and turned the meeting over to Wilson.
Stephanie Grana Esq., president of the Virginia State Bar Association, served as a guest speaker who credited Wilson with initiating Senior Law Day which has been replicated in other areas of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Grana, who practices law with the Cantor Buckner Bucci Law Firm, drove from Richmond to participate in the event.
Following Grana, R. Meade Snyder of Snyder & Snyder, PLC, in Clifton Forge, delivered his presentation about estate planning.
Following Snyder’s presentation, a question and answer session followed.
After the question and answer session ended, Wilson noted, “We are here to point you in the right direction.”
Nolan R. Nicely, Jr. of Updike, Nicely & Crawford, PLC, located in Covington, then offered advice concerning the commissioner of accounts role in estates and guardianship.
William A. Parks, Jr., attorney at law, informed the audience about guardianships and grandparents’ rights, and he advised against ever posting on “Facebook” any grievances concerning disputes.
Jennifer K.M. Crawford of Updike, Nicely & Crawford, PLC, shared information about nursing homes, and she noted that the typical nursing home charge for a one month residency is $8,000. She noted that a long-term residency at a nursing home often leads to the patient becoming dependent on Medicaid because the cost for a one-year residency approaches $100,000.
Jeannie M. Hepler of Collins & Hepler, PLC located in Covington followed by presenting information about long-term care.
Jonathan Arritt of Arritt Funeral Home in Covington gave the seniors advice about preplanning for funerals and informed them about the complications involved in terms of loved ones changing what had been prearranged.
Wilson then pointed to the food serving table and noted that a free lunch provided by Cucci’s was available on the serving table and the sessions would continue at 1:00 p.m.
The afternoon schedule of speakers included the following: Elaine Engleman, a representative of adult social services whose topic was Medicare and social security; Ann Gardner, commonwealth’s attorney whose subject was scams; and Kristen McConnell of K. McConnel Legal, PLC whose thrust was to inform veterans about filing for benefits and for filing appeals for claims that have been denied.
Free blood pressure testing and glucose screening were provided by Lewis Gale Hospital-Alleghany, and each attendee received a gift bag that contained helpful materials, including a “Senior Virginians Handbook.”
Sponsors of the event listed on the programs distributed to those in attendance include the following sponsors: Alleghany-Bath-Highland Bar Association, WestRock, Highlands Community Bank, Mountain Gateway Community College, and Jackson River Community Credit Union.
Others included are Good News Church, Temple Baptist Church, Loving Funeral Home, Nicely Funeral Home, and Arritt Funeral Home.
Also listed are Huffman Insurance Agencies, Alleghany Printing, Alleghany Highlands Chamber of Commerce and Tourism, Atlantic Union Bank, and Garten Trucking.
Additional sponsors include Clifton Forge Masonic Lodge #166, Covington Masonic Lodge #171, Alleghany Royal Arch Chapter #24, and Alleghany Commandery #23.
Wilson thanked the event’s organizational committee on which he served with Jeanne Helpler, Esq., Ann Gardner, Esq., Bill Parks, Esq., Kristen McConnell, Esq., Rev. Johnnie Mize, Rev. Nathan Miller, Pastor Steve Noel, Pastor Doug Hollenbeck, Rev. Bill Hartsfield and Patrice Jefferson, representative of the Local Office on Aging.
