Seniors use science for sleuthing
ADAMS TWP — More than 20 senior citizens solved a murder in Mars last week.
The group, assembled in the Mars Senior Center on Thursday, participated in Gumshoe Science, an interactive presentation from Carnegie Science Center's Science on the Road program.
Physicist Dale Swick, a Science on the Road presenter, told the group that five seniors go to the planetarium show at the science center in Pittsburgh, but when the lights come up at the end, only four are alive.
"Harry" is dead, and it is the job of Swick's audience to find the killer through real crime-lab testing methods. Swick first tells the seniors that a look at the bios on the four suspects shows they all have a motive to kill Harry.
The evidence found on the body includes a stray thread and a patch of blood, although the "coroner" could find no injury that would have caused the bloodstain.
Seniors, guided by Swick, then performed an iodine test on the blood, an ash test on the thread and a cola test to determine if Harry's drink had been poisoned.
Through the forensic testing, participants find that all clues point to "Thelma," who was in love with Harry and didn't want his girlfriend "Louise" to have him. Participants then received a Gumshoe certificate signed by Swick.
"You all made excellent gumshoes," the gregarious Swick told the seniors. "You used many different types of methods to solve this crime."
Swick said after the presentation that the Mars group was the most participatory of any senior group he has facilitated.
He said presenting the program to seniors is rewarding because it is stimulating and requires analytical thought from those who otherwise might not have such an opportunity.
"It brings science out of the (Carnegie Science Center) and makes if fun," said Swick.
Sandy Tindall, Mars Senior Center director, said about two-thirds of the Gumshoe participants were residents at Penn-Mar Plaza, where the senior center is located. The others were local seniors who came in for the program.
"It's something different for them," said Tindall. "I like activities in which they have to participate."
Nancy Carr of Penn-Mar Plaza appreciated the mentally stimulating facets of the presentation, like taking notes and filling out a data sheet about each "suspect." She also appreciates Tindall's hard work at the center."Sandy always comes up with clever ideas and keeps us going," said Carr. "She always tries to get everyone involved. We just love her."Bob Leya, 80, of Penn-Mar Plaza, also enjoyed the Gumshoe program. He said he liked the interactive aspect of the presentation, and dubbed himself a super sleuth."I guessed (the murderer) right at the beginning," said Leya with a mischievous grin.His friend, Rose Marie Ober, also a Penn-Mar resident, said she was surprised the tests used in solving the murder are ones used in real crime labs."I liked the way you figured it out using the different tests," said Ober. "It was really something different."Ober's daughter, Joyce Stelitano of Shaler Township, commented on how all the seniors were laughing and obviously enjoying the activity. She said unique programs like the one presented keeps the seniors busy and their minds occupied."It gives them something to look forward to," said Stelitano.Swick said Gumshoe Science and other such programs from Carnegie Science Center's Science on the Road program are also presented at schools, science camps, churches, expos, libraries and corporate events.The senior centers program is operated by the Lutheran Service Society under a contract with Butler County Area Agency on Aging, and funded in part by the Pennsylvania Department of Aging.
