November 11 , 2021 The Beacon • 15

By Josie Sellers

Baby Boomers have experienced a lot of firsts in their lives including the magic of Disney coming to Florida when Disney World opened Oct . 1 , 1971 .

“ We went right when it opened in October , and gas was 25 cents a gallon ,” Carol Kinsey said . “ I remember being shocked by that right at Disney .”

Cindy Abood went to Disney World in 1973 for her honeymoon .

“ They just had the castle side done and the mountain roller coaster ,” she said . “ It was the first time I had been to Florida . It was August . I wore flip flops , and the top of my feet got burnt . Fun times .”

Patty McCormick and her late husband Dave McCormick went to Disney World in 1974 for a delayed honeymoon .

“ The ride I wanted to make sure I road was the teacups ,” she said . “ I remember seeing that ride on the Sunday night Walt Disney show .”

Randy Mahon said he has been to Disney World three times .

“ It ’ s changed a lot since my first visit in the summer of 1972 ,” he said . “ When we went in 1972 , I was 11 years old and of course didn ’ t understand a lot of the technical and financial issues going on . I do know that there was only the one park , and it was the Magic Kingdom , but to me at that time , it was awesome . One thing that stands out to me was that you didn ’ t pay a single entry fee and got to ride or visit every exhibit .

Each ride or exhibit had a rating from A to D and you had to buy ticket books . The ticket books A to D tickets got you into an exhibit or ride . I remember it was very frustrating and expensive because you had to keep buying the books just so you had enough for every family member to go . At that time all the Disney hotels weren ’ t available yet . Even the surrounding area was just farm land , but to me at 11 , it was an exciting time .”

Kathy Thompson went to Disney World at the end of October in 1977 with her husband and then almost 4-year-old son .

“ It was absolutely amazing ,” she said . “ We were told it was the least busy week of the year . Some rides were down — Country Bears Jamboree and Space Mountain , which wouldn ’ t have been appropriate for our

Submitted

Patty McCormick shared this photo from her trip to Walt Disney World in 1974 .

little one anyway — but we enjoyed It ’ s a Small World , Pirates of the Caribbean and Dumbo the Flying Elephant , over and over . There were absolutely no lines , so we could get off the ride and climb right back on .

For years afterward , our son would sing ‘ Small World ’ and quote from the Pirates , ‘ We want the redhead !’ I don ’ t think I ’ ve ever heard of people going there with absolutely no lines , and the Halloween parade allowed us to be in the front row — all from 44 years ago .”

Welcome to the holiday season . Within the next 60 days , we will experience Thanksgiving , Christmas and celebrating the New Year . And what goes along with this ? Food — lots of food .

We , as Americans , already have a problem with food , both the wrong kinds and the amount we eat . We , as a nation , have a very serious problem on the horizon : obesity . It has been

William Strandwitz

Natural Health

estimated by 2030 about 70 % of us will be diabetic . Many of us are already diabetic and do not know it . Many are told they are prediabetic , but because that is not diabetes , they don ’ t take it seriously . Instead , they are told to eat a better diet

and get some exercise . Do you know what that means ? Probably not .

Diabetes is a nutritional disease , and it is usually treated with drugs . In my experience I have never seen a diabetic drug cure diabetes . It may reduce some of the symptoms , but you take it forever with increasing amounts . Why not look at the cause ?

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