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Senior Times - March 2026 Page 715 Capital Ave. NE Suite 104 Battle Creek, MI 49017Securities & Advisory Services offered through Harbour Investments, Inc. Member SIPCNEED HELP WITH YOUR RETIREMENT?Feeling uneasy about the market? You%u2019re not alone%u2014and retirement was never meant to be stressful.This season of life should be about confidence, comfort, and enjoying what you%u2019ve worked so hardto build. We help retirees and those nearing retirement create a thoughtful plan that smooths outmarket ups and downs and delivers dependable income you can count on. Take thenext step toward a more secure, worry-free retirement%u2014call us today fora complimentary retirement review and see how peace of mind can fitinto your future. Give us a call at 269-441-1444Connor Bauserman, ChFC%u00ae& Danford ByrensFinancial Advisor%u2019sSecurities & Advisory Services offered through Harbour Investments, Inc. Member SIPCSPECIALISTS IN HEARING CAREWE PARTICIPATE WITH MOST INSURANCESbattlecreekhearingaids.com269-979-64553566 Capital Ave SW %u2022 Battle Creek(One Mile South Of 1-94)269-953-1120300 Meadow Run Drive Suite 3 %u2022 Hastings, MIFollow us on FacebookOur Friendly Knowledgeable Staff Will Help You Make An Informed Decision On Your Hearing Care Needs!Certified Audiologists:%u2022 Paja Dickenson, MA, CCC-A%u2022 Hanna Klingaman, Au.D, CCC-AEXPERIENCE: Combined 50 Years In The Hearing IndustryPROFESSIONALISM: We Offer Comprehensive Audiologic & Hearing Aid ServicesNEW TECHNOLOGY: Our Audiologists Are Experts In The Latest Digital Hearing AidsSERVICE & FOLLOW-UP: We Offer A 30 Day Trial & Offer Up To 3 Years Warranty On All InstrumentsDon't Miss Those Precious WhispersDid you know that some horses can live 35+ years? I learned that from Susan and Lloyd Terry who live on 10 acres in Pennfield and share that space with two horses, one of which is 35 and doing just fine! Susan and Lloyd volunteer at the Humane Society of South Central Michigan. They are volunteers for %u2018Saturday with cats.%u2019 %u201cI%u2019ve been volunteering for a long time for the Humane Society and when I cut back on walking the dogs, Jessica Gilbert (executive director of the Humane Society) called to ask if both of us would like to spend a couple hours every Saturday with the cats,%u201d Susan told me. %u201cI asked Lloyd and he said Yes... so that%u2019s what we%u2019re doing now.%u201d%u201cI guess I%u2019ve always loved animals so when I retired and was looking for volunteer opportunities, it just made sense that I give my time to the Humane Society,%u201d Susan explained. %u201cWe have always had pets, cats, dogs, horses, and when I was very young, our family adopted a puppy that we had for 15 years. The puppy (named Smokey) and I grew up together, so animals have always been a part of my life.%u201d Susan is a native of Battle Creek. She attended Fremont Elementary, W.K. Kellogg Junior High, and Battle Creek Central High School. %u201cI attended Michigan State University for a year,%u201d Susan told me. %u201cBut MSU made a change in the courses I was taking so I came back to Battle Creek and received my Associate degree from Kellogg Community College.%u201d Susan and Lloyd raised their family, a son Scott, daughter Lisa, and always a few pets. They found their beloved 10 acres in Pennfield and have no intention of living anyplace else. %u201cI love the four seasons in Michigan and don%u2019t shout it too loud, but I really enjoy winter.%u201d Susan told me with a big smile. %u201cI%u2019m not a fan of the humidity in the summer, but I%u2019ll tolerate it knowing winter is just around the corner.%u201d The property they own is mostly woods, but the horses and dogs love it and the opportunity to be out of the barn. The volunteer opportunity at the Humane Society was just one of many Susan took on after retirement. She%u2019s still a member of the Cereal City Concert Band and she provides piano lessons about twice a week. When she was still actively working Susan worked for the W. K. Kellogg Foundation, and Samaritan Center. One of the volunteer tasks at the Humane Society that Susan enjoyed was taking pet therapy dogs to nursing homes and assisted living facilities. %u201cPeople were really drawn to the therapy dog and would just come and join us and many times would tell us (the dog and I) stories about their pets,%u201d Susan told me. %u201cI really enjoyed those conversations. I learned so much about people I would have never met if it wasn%u2019t for the therapy dogs.%u201d%u201cI sometimes think I was just born with the love of animals,%u201d Susan explained. %u201cMy Aunt loved animals too, and I think that encouraged me to love them as well.%u201d Lloyd and Susan owned draft horses for a time and would enter them in local parades such as the annual Christmas Parade and the Cereal City Parade. %u201cWe enjoyed that so much,%u201d Susan said. %u201cWe met so many people that way.%u201d Working with the large animals was at times a Herculean task, but Susan told me she believes, %u201cIt%u2019s our responsibility to care for these animals. They don%u2019t have a voice, so we need to be that for them.%u201dLife isn%u2019t all animals, Susan has time for their five grand children and one (new) great grand child, and since Susan worked at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation she and Lloyd can use the fitness center there... and do! And when she%u2019s not doing %u2018Saturday with the cats%u2019 they take time to go to the movies or in the summer drive up to Gun Lake for a picnic lunch. Susan is a cheer leader for the Humane Society %u201cThey do really good work there,%u201d she said. %u201cIt%u2019s not an easy job, but they do the best they can to place animals in forever homes locally. I believe it%u2019s important to support local organizations and businesses, especially those that are attempting to make our community better and stronger. We can%u2019t do everything, but we can do what we do.%u201dTERRY%u2019S VOLUNTEERING FOR THE LOVE OF ANIMALSBy: Kathy Banfield Shaw, Special to Senior Times