MARTINSVILLE The United Way of Central Indiana is in search of volunteers for the 2017 Day of Caring at the Barbara B. Jordan YMCA. Volunteers will assist with maintenance tasks from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 21 to prepare the YMCA, 2039 E. Morgan St., Martinsville, for an open house event later this month. “We just need people right now to do all those painting projects and that type of thing and the cleaning. We could use volunteers for all of that,” Diana Roy, United Way of Central Indiana area director of Central Indiana South, said. “The more people that you have do the painting, that’s probably the most. We need about 20 volunteers to help with that because it’s in different areas... If a lot people come out and we can get this done, the sooner we can get these projects done and the shorter the day is for people.” Roy said that in the past, the Day of Caring had been a regional event within the six counties serviced by UWCI. More recently, it has become an opportunity for corporations to experience team building events. “If they’ve got a professional development day coming up and they wanted to add a volunteer piece to that, if they would give us a call then we can match them up with a project that needs done in the county, because we’re really good at having our finger on the pulse of the needs in the county, in particular with the agencies,” Roy said. Main areas of focus will be painting a hallway, the weight room and the aerobics room. Volunteers will also refurbish the deck near the pool area and paint the picnic tables. “They have a lot of yoga classes there and they use exercise equipment and so they just need some people to be able to clean up the yoga mats and clean the exercise equipment,” Roy said. “Just things their staff doesn’t the time to do on a daily basis all the time. We just ask for volunteers to come and bring some supplies if they have it. So if they have some paintbrushes, rollers, if they have rags, make sure that they bring gloves and things like that. So that they have those things they can bring and that’s kind of like a donation as well to help the Y out. Then the Y, they usually supply the bigger items like the paint that’s needed, the cleaners and things like that. They’ll have those things there, they just need the human capital to get it all done.” Other projects include dismantling an old playground on the YMCA property. This task will be completed by the community corrections courtesy of Morgan County Jail Commander David Rogers, who is also a member of the United Way board. Community corrections is a work release program which allows people convicted of crimes a chance to give back to the community. “What we find is that with businesses is that sometimes they’re looking for team-building activities just to promote that within their companies. This is a great way to promote team-building within a company or organization because who doesn’t feel good when they go out and volunteer to do something good for someone?” Roy said. Roy said that she and Jan McGaha, who acts as the volunteer engagement coordinator at the UWCI, attend a lot of meetings throughout the year and it allows them to match the right volunteers to the right companies. To register for the Day of Caring, contact Roy at diana.roy@uwci.org or McGaha at jan.mcgaha@uwci.org or visit uwci.org/events/morgan-county-day-of-caring.

MARTINSVILLE During difficult times, a community coming together to help someone in need can be a beautiful moment. Local Isaiah Hacker is one of those cases. Isaiah, 2, was diagnosed with stage 4 hepatoblastoma on Feb. 6, which afflicts the liver and has also spread to his lungs. He is currently in his fourth round of chemo. “He’s doing a little bit better. He’s on his fourth round cycle of his chemo. He has two more to go and after the two more, they’ll retest to see how big the tumors are,” Khristy Hacker-Snyder, Isaiah’s mother, said. “If the one on his liver has shrunk enough, he’ll have surgery to remove it. If not, he’ll have to have a liver transplant and with the ones on his lungs, he’ll have to keep doing chemo.” Isaiah’s family is in need of some financial assistance to help pay for medical expenses and other items as they continue the fight for his health. Members of the community have stepped up to plan fundraising events for the family, the next of which is from 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday at The Firehouse Pub, 21 N. Jefferson St., Martinsville. Portions of food sales will go to benefit Isaiah. The event will be hosted by MotorCychos MC, a non-profit motorcycle charity organization which raises money for children’s medical research as well as funds for families with a child dealing with an illness. The street outside the pub will be barricaded off and it will be motorcycle-only parking. The Hickory Rose Band will play at 10 p.m. Another event to benefit Isaiah and his family is a cornhole tournament and benefit concert, which will be held at noon May 13 at American Legion Post 230, 701 E. Morgan St., Martinsille. The event is the brainchild of Rayna Bowman, who secured the Legion as a location in the event of rain. “I saw their GoFundme account on Facebook one morning,” Bowman said. “I noticed it had been up for a while and it hadn’t really received much attention, so I can’t tell you what may have possessed me to do it other than the little voice in my head. That’s where it went from there. I went to work that day, opened the GoFundMe — I don’t really read things like that. It’s just depressing, so I don’t get into it. For some reason, I opened it up before work, didn’t do anything about it. Closed my phone up and got to work that day.” When Bowman opened her phone back up, the GoFundMe page was there, so she donated some money. “The little voice in my head kept saying, ‘What is $20?’ And all day I kept hearing this voice saying, ‘You have to do it,’ a voice that I don’t recognize,” she said. “So I’m asking myself all day, I feel crazy, I’m like ‘What do I have to do? What do I have to do?’ Every time that voice popped in my head, I’d see that little kid’s smile come across in my conscience. I’m 28; I know a lot of people in this town, community from every walk of life, from rich to poor, to musically talented and people with connections.” Bowman said she called her mom to ask her advice. Bowman said her mom offered her full support. Bowman began reaching out to people she knew to see if they might be interested in playing a benefit concert. “Within two hours, I had 30 people telling me that they want to be involved in this and it kind of grew into something within that first day I just couldn’t say no to,” Bowman said. The cost is $40 per cornhole team. First prize wins $100 and second is $40. All money raised will go to benefit Isaiah and his family. There will be a silent auction and food will be provided. To donate to Isaiah’s medical funds, visit gofundme.com/isaiah-lee. For more information about the benefit concert, contact Rayna Bowman at 239-222-1437 or message her on Facebook at facebook.com/rayna.bowman.

MARTINSVILLE It was a gorgeous spring day for the third annual Feline Frolic 5K, a fundraiser benefiting the Morgan County Humane Society and the trap, neuter and return program for feral cats. There were still some growing pains for the event in its third year. Several drivers ignored the barricades set up to mark out the route for the 5K. One belligerent fellow got into an argument with a volunteer and ran over a barricade with his truck. But the organizers and volunteers rolled with the punches and staged a successful event. “I thought it was incredible. Our portapotties came an hour and a half late, but Izzy’s Rental was very accommodating, making sure they got here when they did. We had a lot more people show up than we thought. I thought it was very well-organized with everything we were trying to deal with at once, so I’m very proud of it,” said Regan Kirsch, race coordinator and head of the Feline Frolic Committee. The larger crowd size was likely a combination of the nice weather and the fact that the event is now in its third year so more and more people are aware of it. “And it’s a very nice, spring fun thing to do. We had gorgeous weather,” said Sandy Kirsch, mother of Regan and a volunteer at the Feline Frolic. Gabby Sanders, who participated in her first Feline Frolic this year, said the good cause behind the event inspired her to get involved. “It’s a beautiful day, so it’s nice to walk,” she said. Sanders said she moved to Martinsville in March 2016. She said the 5K was around her normal walking route. “I usually walk around the square and to the park and stuff. It’s not super crowded and everybody is pretty nice, and you can walk around without getting run over, so that’s pretty cool,” Sanders said. Regan said she had ideas for some changes for next year that might improve the experience for everyone involved. “Next year we need to make sure we have double the barricades,” Regan Kirsch said. “We only had one barricade at each intersection, which is something that as a committee we have no control over. But if we could anyway get more barricades, that is something we want to do. We’re still very new, so we’re learning a lot about communication.” One suggestion was to attach signs to the barricades so that drivers might not be as angry about having roads blocked off. Sandy Kirsch said she hoped to get more of the community involved. “Next year, even if you’re not walking or running, I would love to see people from the community just come out and either cheer or just mingle and just have fun,” she said. Regan Kirsch views the even as one way to help with the revival of downtown Martinsville and showcasing the town. “We’re trying to beautify Martinsville, and I think this is one of the events that can really do that, because it’s literally colorful, it’s cheerful, it’s happy and it’s for a good cause,” she said. For more information about the Morgan County Humane Society, visit mchumanesoc.org or call 765-349-9177. The animal shelter is located at 690 W. Mitchell Ave., Martinsville.

MARTINSVILLE When the weather gets nicer as winter fades and spring begins, it’s hard to go a weekend in March or April without seeing a sign for a garage sale, yard sale or rummage sale, depending on the preferred nomenclature. People love garage sales; one never knows what deals one might find. Garage sales can be a good source of clothing and jewelry that can be used for drama clubs or costumes. Weather obviously plays an important part in the success of an outdoor sale, and the weather on Saturday couldn’t have been better for the rummage sale hosted by First Presbyterian Church. It was neither too hot nor too cold, and white clouds dotted the blue sky. It was a busy morning near the Morgan County Courthouse square as the Feline Frolic 5K was also going on and volunteer gardeners were out and about, cleaning up and beautifying the flower beds in the downtown area. Proceeds from the church’s rummage sale benefited Churches in Mission. Deacons at First Presbyterian were responsible for running the sale. Jeannie Tedrow, a deacon at First Presbyterian, said the sale went well. “We haven’t counted the proceeds yet, but it all goes to Churches in Mission. We’re the deacons and we put it on every year. We had a good turnout, especially in the morning. The community is very generous — especially when we say it’s going to the community, people give an extra few bucks,” Tedrow said. Churches in Mission has been really successful in Mooresville helping residents in need of help with basic necessities, such as food, clothing and utility bills, but Tedrow said the Martinsville chapter was having some difficulties getting started. She said she hoped the proceeds from the sale would help. “They’re having a hard time getting off the ground, so that’s why we wanted our proceeds to go to them, because they’re trying so hard and it’s so successful in Mooresville,” Tedrow said. The Mooresville-based organization is celebrating 30 years of serving those in need. Last weekend, Mooresville’s St. Thomas More Church hosted a Jubilee 5K to celebrate the church’s 50th anniversary and to raise funds for Churches in Mission. Items for sale Saturday included various paperback and hardback books, several cooking books, board games and decorative knickknacks, as well as pieces of jewelry and clothing. Furniture was very popular — those items were among the first to go. Tedrow said that in years past, the sale had been larger in size, but donations were down this year. There was at least one remaining piece of furniture, an entertainment center. The deacons had reduced the price of it in order to get it to move. Despite donations being down, there was still a lot of enthusiasm for the rummage sale. “I think with the weather, it’s something to do with more people out and about. We had them lined up at the door at 7:30 a.m.; we didn’t open until 8 a.m. They rushed in,” Tedrow said. The Martinsville location of Churches in Mission is at 210 W. Morgan St. For more information, call 765-341-6652 or visit churchesinmission.org. Contact First Presbyterian church at 765-342-3282 or visit fpcmartinsville.org.

MOORESVILLE Thinking back on one's plans for after college, some people might not have extended beyond one last hurrah living in their college town the summer before real life began. Maybe they enjoyed the last carefree days undergrad life before moving on to their first grown up job or maybe it was on to a new school to further their studies as a graduate student. For Nicole Crose and Megan Small, their first year after college will be a gap year spent traveling to 11 countries as part of The World Race, an 11-month mission trip which takes participants to one country each month to serve those most in need. Serving those in great need has long been a calling for Crose. Crose’s mother, Candy Watkins, said her daughter got interested in helping those affected by human trafficking after a trip to Cambodia years ago. “She has interned for a nonprofit in Indianapolis called Purchased and they deal with human trafficking and also with doing some modeling and advertising for a nonprofit that sells clothes made in Cambodia and all the proceeds go to human trafficking. So she’s kind of been involved with it for the last four years,” Watkins said. Crose currently works for the Hannah House Center, an organization which supports pregnant women. Watkins said her daughter had always been involved in nonprofit. Crose and Small have been friends since junior high school. The two friends graduated from Mooresville High School in 2013. Crose attended Indiana University and Small attended the University of Indianapolis. Small got on board with doing the World Race about a year ago, according to Watkins. “They found out about it through a couple of girls that went to U of I and IU that did the race last year. You have to go online and apply, send them a letter and different things like that. So they were chosen and that’s what they’re setting out to do,” Watkins said. And while Crose and Small decided to apply for the program, they had no way of knowing if they would be in the same group. “She called her friend Megan first because they both found out at the same time, because they weren’t sure if they were gonna get picked for the same route," Watkins said. "They both applied, but they didn’t know that they would both be in the same group. So they were actually picked for the same group. So they called each other in tears, all excited about it." Watkins said she has felt mixed emotions about her daughter’s endeavor. “I’m excited, but also not seeing your daughter for a year is going to be tough," she said. "I’ve never went over a month without seeing her. So it’s like I was excited for her and I know it’s something that she is really passionate about, but yet I’m worried about her as well, just a motherly thing to be worried. I’m excited that she gets to experience it; it’s a good time." Watkins said the mission trip was a change of plans for what she expected for her daughter post-grad. “I was a little shocked when I first found out because you know the plan was for her to come home and go to graduate school and live at home, so I wasn’t aware of this," she said. "She had been kind of secretly planning it and kind of let me know about it before she got accepted into it. She let me know a couple weeks before, so I had a couple weeks to prepare.” Watkins said Small’s mother had similarly mixed emotions. She said the two of them were working together to help their daughters fundraise for the trip. “And come August, we’ll be crying the blues, I guess,” Watkins said. Watkins said Crose and Small have a few fundraisers in the work to help raise money for the cost of their trip, including selling T-shirts and bracelets at the Crafty Bear Fare today at Mooresville High School. “It’s exciting for her. I’m just a worried mom. Not so much worried about her, she’s got a good head on her shoulder, it’s more about the worldly things. But I’m excited and it’s a good time. If she wanted to put off school for a couple years, it’s a good time. No boyfriend, no kids,” Watkins said. For more information about the fundraising efforts of Crose and Small, visit their World Race blogs at megansmall.theworldrace.org and nicholcrose.theworldrace.org.

MOORESVILLE It was cloudy and cold for the St. Thomas More Jubilee 5K event at Pioneer Park, and the temperatures made it feel like anything but a spring day. Due to the chilly and damp conditions, some volunteers waited in cars while the runners and walkers made their way around the course. However, the weather didn’t dampen the spirits of runners and volunteers, because the cause was that important to them. Donna Brawley decided to sign up for the 5K when she learned that it benefited Churches in Mission. “I think that’s an awesome cause — they do excellent work in Mooresville,” Brawley said. Brawley added she was excited to help them with their mission and continue their good work. It was Brawley’s first 5K, but she has experience with running. “My son and I have done the mini a couple of times, but I’m too old to do the mini, so 5Ks are a little better,” she said. The Jubilee 5K event was held in celebration of St. Thomas More’s 50th anniversary, and the proceeds of the benefit went to Churches in Mission, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Churches in Mission opened its door Oct. 20, 1987, with the goal of helping those in need in Morgan County. Some of the charitable works of Churches in Mission include a food pantry and helping to pay utility bills for those in need of a little help. “St. Thomas More Church (was) celebrating their 50th anniversary, and so they decided to celebrate it with this 5K, and they dedicated the proceeds to Churches in Mission, and we’re celebrating our 30th anniversary of serving the community, and so it’s kind of a celebration/fundraiser for both organizations,” said Alice Cordes, executive director of Churches in Mission. Cordes said she was happy with the number of people participating in the event, especially in its first year. Participants were also encouraged to bring donations of food, water and other items used to help those in need. Cordes said they didn’t have set goals for that collection, but she said Churches in Mission was grateful for anything that was donated. The event got some help from the Meijer location in Camby. The store donated $250 to cover the cost of refreshments for the runners. “It’s been great. We had a really good turnout, despite the cold; a lot of good people here today,” said Lauri Griffin, a St. Thomas More parishioner. Griffin said she was pleased with how the event played out and that hosting the event again next year is a possibility depending on the final results of Saturday’s event. Though it was the first year the St. Thomas More sponsored the event, they’ve held fundraising 5Ks in the past that have benefited the church’s free clinic. Cordes said there was a possibility Churches in Mission and St. Thomas More might partner up again next year for an event. “Last year, the Churches in Mission did a run about the same time. By partnering together, we do believe we’re going to make this an annual event. We’re very excited about that,” she said.

MARTINSVILLE Small communities, such as Martinsville, are often known for pulling together to help it's residents in need. To prove this, John R. Wooden Middle School will host a benefit concert and silent auction Sunday for Gunner Burnam, a seventh grader at Wooden, who was diagnosed with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma in December 2016. DIPG is a rare form of pediatric cancer that affects pons part of the brain stem. Burnam is currently receiving treatment at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. Gunner began feeling ill on Dec. 23 and was taken to his family doctor, who sent the Burnams to Riley Hospital for Children for more testing. An MRI revealed that Gunner had a brain tumor and the Burnams met with a radiation specialist on Dec. 28 to create a plan of action for treatment. “He went to Cincinnati in January had a biopsy to find out exactly what was going on. That’s when they discovered it was a tumor and they took a plan of action from there," Lorie Bright, a friend of the Burnam family, said. "The plan of action at that time was to have radiation five days a week, Monday through Friday, for six weeks." Gunner has done okay since the initial treatment, but has experienced a few bumps in the road. According to Bright, Gunner recently visited the Grand Canyon and received a University of Alabama-themed golf cart from the Make-A-Wish Foundation Saturday. The benefit concert and silent auction will raise funds to pay for the costs of Gunner’s hospital stays, treatment and the cost to travel back and forth to Cincinnati. Bright approached Rob Helms to hold a benefit concert for Gunner Burnam. Helms is Gunner’s football coach and a member of local band Bigg Country. Helms was responsible for putting together the lineup for the concert due to his numerous contacts with local musicians. Twelve bands are scheduled to play the event though the lineup is subject to change. Currently Bigg Country, Blue River, Split Rail, Downpour, MLE Pure Country, Sheila Stephen, Eddie Vanzant, Backstreet Hickory Rose, Random Reaction and Wrong Side of Dixie are slated to play the event. Bright said the auction would feature tickets to Colts and Pacers games, as well as signed memorabilia and items from local business and artists. “There seems to be a lot of interest in the benefit concert. I am in the process of trying to get together a 5K for the month of May. So that will be another benefit item to go to him for his fund,” Bright said. The Gunner Burnam Benefit Concert and Silent Auction will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday at John R. Wooden Middle School, 109 E. Garfield Ave., Martinsville. Doors open at 12:30 p.m., admission is $10 per person and children under six get in free. Checks should be made payable to the Gunner Burnam fund. Many people have stepped up to assist the Burnams with the costs they have incurred. Hoosier Harvest Church held a LuLaRoe Fundraiser on Feb. 22. Shelly Jarvis, a family friend, started a GoFundMe to help the family out. As of the writing of this article, the campaign has raised $6,130 in three months. Visit the #GoGunner55 group at facebook.com/groups/1692016711097231/ to keep up to date on Gunner’s battle. To make a donation to the GoFundMe campaign, visit gofundme.com/gunners-medical-expenses.

INDIANAPOLIS Owning and operating a car is a source of both pleasure and frustration. It’s great to be able to get around with ease, but there are some headaches involved with car ownership, such as getting insurance. Sherrie Mitchell, a Morgantown resident, has some concerns about Indiana Code regarding a car insurance bill currently being heard by the state government. Under current state law, insurance rates are calculated partially through the use of credit scores. According to the eSurance, credit scores are a good indicator of whether a driver would get into an accident or a not. A 2003 analysis by the University of Texas found that high credit scores correlated with fewer accidents while a lower credit score correlated with more accidents. “If these people have poor credit scores, they’re paying ridiculous amounts for insurance. And I plan on holding them all to the fire over it,” Mitchell said. HB 1033 changes the date Senate Enrolled Act 40 (Public Law 124-2016) takes effect. According to the bill’s sponsor, State Representative Matthew Lehman, this was done to simplify things for policy holders. “It would have required a policy change on July 1, 2017. HB 1033 changes that to upon renewal of the policy,” Lehman said. Mitchell said she was pleased with the changes to insurance policy brought about by law. “They’re gonna force our insurance companies to now have our personality liability on other vehicles, instead of $10,000 it’s gonna be $25,000 — which I have no problem with — that makes perfectly good sense to me. There are no $10,000 new cars anymore — we’re looking at $25,000, $35,000 whatever,” Mitchell said. Mitchell said the use of credit scores in deterring policy rate hurts young people and poor people who might not have the best credit scores. “Some carriers don’t think it’s merited to use as a primary tool,” Lehman said. According to a 2014 Indiana Public Media article about wide variations in insurance rates, Allstate appeared to be the company most reliant on credit, with a 116 percent fluctuation between drivers with excellent credit and drivers with bad credit. State Farm appeared less reliant on the data — the article noted that there was only a 45 percent fluctuation between drivers with excellent credit and drivers with bad credit. Currently, the only states banning the practice are Hawaii, Massachusetts and California. State Senator Greg Taylor filed an amendment to change the current language in section 2 of IC 27-2-21-16 to alter the practice on Monday. That amendment failed. The bill underwent a third reading on Tuesday and was returned to the House without amendments Wednesday. Mitchell said that State Senator Lonnie Randolph had sponsored a bill that would prohibit the use of consumer reports for employment purposes. As of the writing of this article, the bill has only undergone a first reading to the Committee on Pensions and Labor. Mitchell said she planned to be at the Statehouse every day, pleading her case to representatives and senators in the hopes that she might find someone willing to sponsor an amendment to the bill. “This is important to me; it’s important to all of us. That’s what I’m doing every single day. I’m wearing tennis shoes up there. I hope to get 20,000 steps in a day talking to senators. But first, I need to find a senator to write me that amendment,” Mitchell said.

MARTINSVILLE Link Observatory Space Science Institute is spearheading a campaign to get state funding for its DiscoverSpace program. Currently, the observatory is encouraging Indiana residents to contact their representatives and urge them to support funding for the programs. “School budgets are always tight. If the state funds us, now the school can use that money for other opportunities and it now becomes something that can engage and inspire the students of tomorrow and our future workforce and leaders. That makes it great for Indiana because now we start drawing in those higher paying jobs and tech workers” Kurt Williams, Deputy Director and Chief Operations Officer of the Link Observatory Space Science Institute, said. Williams said STEM education — science, technology, engineering and math — is important and programs such as DiscoverSpace are good ways to engage with students and show them a practical application for science and math skills. “There are a lot of students that are not pursuing STEM careers and one of the things that help them pursue those STEM careers is understanding how they become valuable later in life. You sit and you tell a fifth grade student ‘You need to learn math because it will help you in the future,’ they get really excited about that, don’t they?” Williams said, “But you sit and you show them, ‘Hey, we’re gonna send this New Horizons mission to Pluto we’re gonna take it like a slingshot, we’re gonna throw it from Earth, it’s gonna go around Jupiter, it’s gonna travel three billion miles and hit Pluto about 10 years later.' Now math makes sense to them and why that’s important and how cool that can be in the future. And that’s extremely important in getting them engaged in STEM fields.” Williams said it was important to encourage STEM education in Indiana, particularly because of the growing number of jobs in the field. Williams said Indianapolis was recently ranked in the top five of technology hubs. “So being able to draw those potential employees here and retain them here is vitally important. Indiana Workforce Development has projected by the year 2020, we will need an additional 123,000 STEM-trained workers in the state of Indiana. Where are those people gonna come from?” Williams said. Along with helping to deal with the very real problem of brain drain — the trend of those educated at local colleges and universities leaving to pursue job opportunities elsewhere — the DiscoverSpace programs engage students and require the use of multiple disciplines and areas of study, something that is a major focus in current educational practice. “These are great programs that inspire students. The students love them and one of the comments we got from one of students taking the program was ‘We love the DiscoverSpace programs. They inspire me to learn.’ That’s coming from, I believe that was a fifth grade student who said that,” Williams said. Williams used the New Horizons mission as an example of an interdisciplinary approach to education and way of engaging with students. “We need to create the spacecraft that is going to Pluto. Well, there’s a lot of pieces that are involved in that, what’s the science that’s gonna be needed, for one, what’s the technology needed to relay that information back to us so we’re aware of it and we know what we’re actually getting. The engineering, you get into the design, the art. How do you design this spacecraft so that it can do what we want it to do? So it touches on STEM and beyond,” Williams said. Williams said by getting DiscoverSpace funded by the state, the program could reach a lot of underserved populations. “The STEM fields are underrepresented in a lot of different demographics and by providing state funding for our programs we get it to all those different demographics, though everybody seems to benefit from it,” Williams said. For those interested in helping the Link Observatory Space Science Institute, they can send in a form letter to a state representative. Rep. Todd Rokita can be contacted at 2439 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515, and 202-225-5037; Rep. Trey Hollingsworth can be contacted at 1641 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515 and 202-225-5315; Sen. Joe Donnelly can be contacted at 720 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510 and 202-224-481; and Sen. Todd Young can be contacted at B33 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20510 and 202-224-5623. Donations are also always welcome. The organization is a 501c3, so donations are tax deductible. For more information, visit linkobservatory.org. “Direct support to us is greatly appreciated, that helps us further our mission and there’s a lot of companies that do matching gifts form employees, so if employers do that the employee can do that and the employer will match that, which makes the money go a lot further,” Williams said. Form letter example: Senator _______, Representative _______, I am writing to request your assistance in improving Indiana's future. On March 6, 2017, Link Observatory Space Science Institute was invited to provide testimony during the Indiana Senate's Appropriations Committee meeting at the request of the Chairman. During that meeting, the Institute provided evidence of the phenomenal impact its STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) educational programs are having on Indiana's middle and high school students. They requested state funding to provide their programs to every middle and high school student in the state. I am aware of the educational programs the Link Observatory Space Science Institute provides, and I can tell you that they are amazing. The Institute is improving STEM education in Indiana, and I urge you to support them. Their phenomenal growth from engaging 1,000 students at the start of the 2015 school year to engaging over 15,000 students today attests to the quality of their programs and interest from students, educators and anyone interested in improving Indiana's STEM education. They have had requests to provide their programs to over 100,000 students, but with increasingly tight school budgets, funding is preventing students from experiencing the Institute's inspiring programs. Thank you, Senator _______, Representative _______, I am writing to request your assistance in improving Indiana's future. On March 6, 2017, Link Observatory Space Science Institute was invited to provide testimony during the Indiana Senate's Appropriations Committee meeting at the request of the Chairman. During that meeting, the Institute provided evidence of the phenomenal impact its STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) educational programs are having on Indiana's middle and high school students. They requested state funding to provide their programs to every middle and high school student in the state. I am aware of the educational programs the Link Observatory Space Science Institute provides, and I can tell you that they are amazing. The Institute is improving STEM education in Indiana, and I urge you to support them. Their phenomenal growth from engaging 1,000 students at the start of the 2015 school year to engaging over 15,000 students today attests to the quality of their programs and interest from students, educators and anyone interested in improving Indiana's STEM education. They have had requests to provide their programs to over 100,000 students, but with increasingly tight school budgets, funding is preventing students from experiencing the Institute's inspiring programs. Thank you,

MARTINSVILLE Get ready to add a little color to your wardrobe at the third annual Feline Frolic 5K color, an event benefiting the Morgan County Humane Society and its trap, neuter and return program for feral cats. A few changes are in store for this year’s iteration of the event, which will start at 10:30 a.m. April 8 in downtown Martinsville. For starters, the route is different and a fourth color station has been added to the race. Regan Kirsch, who volunteers at the MCHS, said she was pleased with how this year’s event is shaping up. “We’re definitely happy with where we are,” she said. “We have an increase in sponsors, which is incredible because that’s where most of our money comes from and we are on track to have more registrations than in the previous two years. So if we have a nice day, we should have even more people participating. We already have over 200 people registered. Including volunteers, we hope to have over 300 people participating in the event.” The race is the biggest fundraiser for MCHS and it helps keep important programs like the trap, neuter and return program funded. TNR is beneficial to feral cats because it solves the problem of overpopulation, keeps the animals healthier and those living around them experience less troublesome behaviors while enjoying the cats’ abilities as mousers and rodent deterrents. The Feline Frolic is a great way for members of the community to support the shelter, Kirsch said, adding it’s what draws the runners and volunteers in. “I think people truly care about our cause, people are always looking for ways to support the shelter and the TNR program. And this is a family fun event people can get involved in and people that were previously not able to get involved with the shelter whether it be physically volunteering or donating. It’s a way to get out there, have fun and support the shelter,” Kirsch said. The Feline Frolic was the brainchild of Kirsch, who said she thought of it as a fun way to raise funds for the shelter and get the community involved. “The name came before the event. I guess I was a bit tired of hearing people say that someone should help the shelter, someone should do something. So finally, I got together a group of people and we actually did something, something that’s unique to Martinsville. There aren’t many color runs that are affordable in the area, so this is a great way to get a lot of people involved,” Kirsch said. Participants can register at mchumanesoc.org/events.html prior to the event or before the race the day of. The Morgan County Human Society’s Feline Frolic 5K fundraiser will be from 10:30 a.m. to noon April 8 at the Morgan County Courthouse Square. Registration is from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Participants can register at mchumanesoc.org/events.html for $20 for an individual, $17 per member of a team of five or more or $15 for students with a valid ID.

MARTINSVILLE In an effort to keep its programs affordable for everyone, the Barbara B. Jordan YMCA will host its inaugural gala dinner on April 6 at Mallow Run Winery, 646 West Whiteland Road, Bargersville.The dinner will go towards the $70,000 the YMCA raises annually to help fund programs at the Y for those who are unable to afford them. It’s a new fundraising approach that came about at the suggestion of the organization’s accountant. “Our accountant actually worked in a place in Pennsylvania and essentially paired the cash dinner concept with the raffle,” Dave Nash, Executive Director of the the Barbara B. Jordan YMCA, said. Nash said the accountant got them in touch with the group in Pennsylvania that put on the dinner and gave them the information and tips they would need to run the event smoothly. The dinner, Nash said, will be a way to boost the Y’s fundraising efforts, adding it was becoming more difficult to meet fundraising goals and hoped the dinner would help. “We are hoping that this can become that type of event for us each year,” he said. “We have always, in the past, just had an annual fundraising campaign which is getting harder and harder each year to raise the $70,000-plus that we need in order to continue to be able to provide the financial aid needed in the community itself. So we’re hoping with events such as this cash dinner gala, it will allows us to be able to help raise that money with a fun event that people will enjoy attending.” Nash said the Y would continue with its annual campaign, but he hoped the dinner would allow the Y to reach and surpass its fundraising goal in order to help more members of the community. The dinner will take place at The Sycamore at Mallow Run, a new facility owned by the winery in Bargersville. The event will feature prime rib from Ralph and Ava’s Cafe in Mooresville. Nash said he hoped the dinner menu would be a draw for guests. There will also be a cash bar featuring Mallow Run wines, as well as beer from Taxman Brewing. Two for the Show, a local Martinsville act, will provide musical entertainment at the event and Chris Page, pastor of Hoosier Harvest Church, will emcee the event. “He has a story for every occasion. He’s really good in that role for us. We’re really excited about having him involved, too,” Nash said. The dinner will feature a raffle and guests have a chance at winning cash prizes. First prize is $2,000, second is $1,000 and third through fifth is $500, among other prizes. The raffle is a way of setting the dinner apart from other local events that make use of the gala dinner and auction format. “There are many other organizations in the community that have done dinners or other events and have been quite successful,” Nash said. “So we’re looking for the right opportunity to provide a similar event, but we didn’t want to have the same type of event that so many others are having. There are a lot of organizations that seem to be doing a dinner with the auction and so forth. And those are really nice and it does provide an opportunity for them to raise quite a bit of money. We decided we wanted to stay away from the auction-type event simply because that was something that had been done so often by so many organizations.” So far, the YMCA has sold 150 tickets to the event. Nash said they would be satisfied with 200 attendees, especially in the event’s first year. The Barbara B. Jordan YMCA’s inaugural cash dinner and raffle will be at 6 p.m. April 6 at The Sycamore at Mallow Run Winery, 646 W. Whiteland Road, Bargersville. Cocktails will be served at 6 p.m. followed by dinner at 7 p.m. Business dress attire is encourage for the event. Tickets are $100 per person or $1,000 for a table of eight. Tickets may be purchased at the YMCA, 2039 E. Morgan St., Martinsville. For more information, call 765-342-6688.

MARTINSVILLE The return of spring brings with it leaves of green, flowers and potential for severe weather events. The National Weather Service is offering a free course at 7 p.m. April 6 at the Morgan County Emergency Operations Center, 1050 N. Lincoln St., Martinsville. Brian Elliott has been fascinated with weather since he was young. Elliott is an amateur radio operator and storm spotter, it’s something that runs in the family. He has had an affinity for weather since he was young. “My dad was a spotter when I was a kid and I used to tag along with him. I used to go to the Skywarn classes back then, been going to them ever since,” Elliott said. Elliott said he spends a lot of time outside, whether doing chores like cutting grass or playing with model airplanes. He said weather spotters are important in helping to keep people safe. “You never know what’s gonna happen and somebody has to be at the right place at the right time to see the valuable information and get it turned in in a timely fashion,” Ellliott said. Several interesting experiences have happened during Elliott’s time as a spotter. “I suppose the most intense one I was involved in was when I was actually in the tornado, in 2002. It came through Martinsville, right up 37. And I just happened to be in the parking lot down where Traderbakers is now. And thankfully it was aloft as it came over. It did a lot of damage, but nobody was injured in our area,” Elliott said. Elliott said another severe weather event around Memorial Day 2004 was particularly memorable. “It went across I-70 and came through just north of Mooresville. At that time, I was sitting in the parking lot up at Poe’s Cafeteria watching it come across. And I watched it come across Mooresville; there were several of the other fellas out watching it at the same time. They were trying to stop people coming up 37 to prevent them from running right into it. I think it was also the same day as the Indianapolis 500 and there was a lot of traffic heading south,” Elliott said. Changes in technology have made it easier to get information about severe weather to the appropriate people, but folks on the ground are still key according to Elliott. “They also have changed the way they do things a little bit because they have Doppler Radar now that they didn’t have years ago. A lot of what we do helps them correlate the radar and tell them what’s happening at the ground because that radar shoots out from its site at a particular angle. Since the Earth is curved, what the radar sees some miles away from the radar is what’s actually happening several thousand feet in the air and not necessarily at the ground. We rely on our reports to tell them what’s actually happening at the ground,” Elliott said. Elliott said the National Weather Service tries to have events in every county to make it easy for people to attend one class or more if they’re looking to get more experience. “The more you go, the more of it soaks in and the better you get at determining what you’re looking at,” Elliott said.

MORGAN COUNTY The 2017 edition of Gardenfest took place Saturday at Hoosier Harvest Christian Church. Gardenfest 2017 differed slightly from the previous year’s edition. For starters, the event was reduced to one day. According to president of the Morgan County Master Gardeners, Cindy Vogel. She said it came at the request of vendors. “It looks like we’ve been nice and steady all day long and our vendors wanted one day, so we decided to go with one day. We got vendors back, we have some new vendors. I can’t tell you this has been great, but first blush, looking around, vendors are happy, master gardeners are happy with their pansy sales, we’ve had a nice steady flow walking in all day,” Vogel said. She said attendees seemed to be sticking around longer than in years past. “I noticed some people who came in 9:30 and were still here at 12:30, they were here all morning, they were having lunch and they were spending the day. And that’s great. Our speakers have been good and the attendance to hear our public speakers has been really great,” Vogel said. Pansies were being sold by the Master Gardeners of Morgan County as a fundraiser to help with future projects, including gardening demonstrations, as well as the Boys and Girls Club of Mooresville and Purdue scholarships. Vogel said that they were down to one table of pansies with two hours left in the event. Mary Ann Underwood, member of MGMC, worked the door, greeted folks entering the event and handed out a program. She said the pansies were sold quickly. “So far the pansies are going out left and right, they’re going out flat by flat.” Underwood said. In addition to sales of the flowers, there were giveaways of redbud trees and free seed packets. Underwood compared the excitement of the people picking up complimentary seeds to children at Christmastime. “We were giving away some redbud trees away today and free seed packets. A couple companies have very good to us, providing us with seed packets. And you know those things cost a couple of dollars now in the stand,” Underwood said. Gardenfest also featured speakers with advanced training who shared their expertise with attendees. Continuing education is part of being a master gardener and sometimes there is a cost to it. Between the speakers, Morgan County Master Gardener board member Beckie McGuire hosted a demonstration for planting and caring for pansies. “We decided to do a short demonstration on how to plant pansies in your containers and in your garden and also how to care for them. What kind of plants are good companion plants. And then what you can do with them afterwards to dry them — use them in flower arrangements and other home décor,” Underwood said. Underwood said that pansies were a great for planting in a garden because they’re easy to care for and come in a variety of colors. “They are so wonderful to use in your garden or your container plants because they are so easy to plant and to take care of. If you have pansies, they really like more of the cooler weather and so they’re wonderful for spring planting and they’re wonderful for fall planting. It’s just so happy to see them, they come in a variety of colors and they’re just one of the first things that you see other than your daffodils and your tulips. So they’re great to plant right now,” McGuire said. McGuire said perennials like alyssums, daffodils, tulips, irises and dianthus were good companion plants for pansies as they have a similar growth cycle. McGuire said she was pleased with the how the demonstrations went and those who showed up. “We did have quite a few people who came to the demonstrations, including master gardeners, and we got a really good feedback that everybody learned something that they didn’t know before. To me that was a success, even if it was a master gardener that’s been here longer than me, I think that’s terrific. We ran the gamut; we talked about planting in containers, planting in the ground. We talked about that they’re edible, you can use them in your salads, put them in ice cubes for a fancy party and you can put them in containers to have a nice centerpiece. You can dry them to put in potpourri or use them under glass,” McGuire said.

MOORESVILLE Current legislation was a major interest Saturday when constituents got a chance to speak to their state representatives in an informal setting at a Third House session. Government officials in attendance at Showtime Cinema in Mooresville were state Reps. Jim Baird and John Young, both Republicans from Franklin, and state Rep. Peggy Mayfield and state Sen. Rodric Bray, both Republicans from Martinsville. Topics covered included legislation simplifying the process of starting a business, ensuring reserve officers get coverage and compensation should they be injured in the line of duty and helping brick-and-mortar stores address competition from online vendors. The first question from the audience was prompted by Bray discussing Senate Bill 443, a bill he is working on to simplify the practice of forming, running and dissolving a business in the state of Indiana. Bray said there were different rules for various types of business entities. That stemmed from their being created at different times in Indiana history. “The nice thing about it is that it deletes a lot of the code in the state of Indiana, things that we don’t need, things that are confusing,” Bray said about the bill. “And it tries to streamline all the business entities we have: limited liability companies, for-profit, not-for-profit, partnerships, things of that nature. We created these business entities over about 100 years in the history of Indiana. And they all require businesses to be dissolved, created and run in slightly different ways. And that’s never made a lot of sense — it just happened because they were created at different times. And this is gonna solve all that, hopefully, to make it easier to start your own business or run your own business.” Bray credited Indiana Secretary of State Connie Lawson for starting the bill. Lawson’s duties involve the registering of businesses. Bray said he also worked with former Indiana Supreme Court Justice Frank Sullivan on the legislation. “Anytime we can shorten (rules) and simplify them, I think we do ourselves a favor and I think we do Indiana businesses a favor,” Bray said. After Bray finished speaking, Baird made it a point to acknowledge the work Bray has done over the years. “I think you folks should be really appreciative of the work Sen. Bray does,” Baird said. “He has made, over the years, he has made a tremendous effort to reduce the amount of code. I think we think a good government is one that governs least, and I think he exemplifies that in eliminating some of that code.” The next question was regarding House Bill 1555, Mayfield’s proposal that addresses benefits for reserve officers injured while they are on duty. “Every year for five years I have introduced a bill to protect our police reserve officers if they should get hurt in the line of duty,” Mayfield said. “At no point does a law enforcement agency’s work comp, med pay carry over to a reserve officer, because they are not paid employees. If they should become hurt badly enough that they can’t go back to their regular job, they could be out of their regular job, too. And all they’re doing is volunteering to help out our law enforcement agencies. So I introduced a bill saying that if an agency chooses to use reserve officers, they must provide payment for medical injury or a small calculation, what you loosely call a disability payment, while they recover.” Mayfield said there was an assumption that reserve officers are covered while on the job. She said she spoke to members of law enforcement and her colleagues about the lack of coverage, as many were unaware of it, and that she had secured a hearing in the Indiana Senate on Wednesday. The last portion of the meeting returned to the themes of February’s Third House session: funding roads and addressing gas taxes. Mayfield tried to make clear the difference between the tax on gas and the gas sales tax. She said the tax on gas is devoted exclusively to roads, and the gas sales tax goes to a general fund for the state. Mayfield and Bray both said it wouldn’t make sense to reserve sales tax on an item for a related item. Bray gave the example of using sales tax on sneakers for sidewalk funds. “Indiana does not have a lot of revenue streams,” he said. “We have personal income tax, we have corporate income tax, there’s some business and personal property tax and a few other things here and there. But by far the biggest thing we have is our 7 percent sale tax, and if you take the 7 percent tax that comes from gas and just devote it to roads, then we’re gonna leave a large gap in our state budget.” The sales tax on gas remains an area of interest for constituents, as discussion about it took up a large portion of the time at the February Third House session.

MARTINSVILLE American Legion Post 230 hosted a birthday party for Josie Enochs and her twin brother Dustin on Saturday. Josie, who turned 12 Monday, was badly burned in an accident last year. She has had several surgeries at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis. Josie is a big basketball fan and that was theme of the party, from the décor to the games to the cake. The room was decked out in paper strands in the blue and gold of the Indiana Pacers and the Indiana Fever. Balloons in the shape of NBA balls were tethered to tables. Guests could try their hand at a pop-a-shot game. The cake featured basketballs formed in icing along with the names of the twin 12-year-olds. A basketball sat on a table near the door with permanent markers nearby for guests to write their messages on the ball. Josie wore an Indiana Fever jersey with her last name on the back and showed off her handles by dribbling a ball between and around her legs. The jersey was another gift donated to the Legion and was obtained the Thursday before the party. “The event today was put on by the American Legion Riders at Post 230 in Martinsville and director Mike Lorian, who spearheaded a large part of getting everything together and making sure that it all came off right,” American Legion Post 230 Commander John McGee said. “And it was to benefit Josie who was terribly burned in a tragic accident and has undergone numerous surgeries and still has a long way to go before she’ll fully recover. We just had a really nice birthday party for her here — lots of food, lots of games, lots of presents and the kids seemed to really enjoy it.” Along with gifts, the Enochs were given checks from several American Legion Posts. Lorian, director of the American Legion Riders of Post 230, said Post 64 in Indianapolis gave the Enochs a check for $2,000 and the Mooresville post donated $1,000 to the cause. Lorian said the party was a great success. They didn’t have many attendees as they expected, but it was just the right amount. Lorian presented the Enochs with a check totaling $3,753. They also had another surprise waiting for the Enochs: a car. Traveling to appointments at Riley Hospital for Children has been difficult for the Enochs as they didn’t have a vehicle and had to rely on rides from friends. Like the jersey, getting the car came down to the wire, like a buzzer beating shot, thematically fitting for a tween with a deep and abiding love for hoops. “It just happened last Thursday night, about 10 o’clock I get a phone call. I’d like to thank Andy Mohr for his gracious donation,” Lorian said. Mother Kimberly Enochs said she was overwhelmed by the show of support from the Legion. “I’m just ecstatic. I don’t even know what to think. I’m lost for words. It’s amazing what these people have done for us. It’s made Josie’s day. She’s so excited — she doesn’t know if she’s coming or going. It’s just amazing,” Enochs said. Josie was similarly appreciative of all the Legion and the guests at the party had done. “It was awesome. It was like really surprising how many presents I got. And I got a lot of art stuff that I really, really love,” Josie said. Kimberly said Josie was planning to play basketball next year if things all work out with her recovery from the burns. While the décor of the party was centered on professional teams, Josie likes the Indiana women’s basketball team the best. Her favorite players include Tyra Buss, Ria Gulley, Karlee McBride, Amanda Cahill and Jenn Anderson. The birthday party isn’t the end of the Legion’s support of the Enochs. Lorian said they had some other events in the works for Josie and her family. “We’re planning a ride to Josie’s house, all the riders from the different groups, on April 15. We’re gonna go down to her house. All her little friends and are coming over and then one of our three wheelers is gonna take her for a ride and we’re all gonna go have lunch and take her back,” Lorian said. “And in May, we’re gonna have a battle of the bands — I believe it’s May 3, that Sunday. Battle of the Bands, one of the sons of the legion is in a band, he’s organizing it all, so we’ll have much more for her.”

MARTINSVILLE When you go to your favorite breakfast spot and slather on the maple syrup, there’s a good chance you aren’t thinking about the process of making maple syrup. You might know the basics, that the indigenous people of North America were the first practitioners of tapping maple trees and gathering the sap, but you might not know all the details. Bradford Woods is offering a Maple Syrup camp on Friday and Saturday. Campers can do an overnight experience or a full day or half-day experience on Saturday. The overnight is geared towards children in grades four through eight. The full day is for students in third through eighth grade and the half day is for pre-K through second grade. “Here at Bradford Woods, we do a little bit of wild edibles with our kids that come out for fifth-grade programs, so we thought it would be neat to actually see the process start to finish,” Bradford Woods Assistant Director of Environmental Education Jen Smith, said. “That was one reason we decided to go ahead and do the maple syrup camp, because it is a neat process and kids are interested in that whole process from tapping through the actual culmination of the syrup. Then they realize why it’s so expensive in the grocery store. If you go down to Kroger and get a gallon, it’s $30 or $40 for a gallon. And there are a lot of interesting facts with boiling the sap. It takes about 50 gallons of sap from a maple tree to make one gallon of syrup. That connection is neat. That was important for us to share that information with the kids.” The overnight program isn’t focused solely on maple syrup. Campers get to participate in a square dance as well as a night activity focused on how animals adapt to nighttime. The night culminates with ice cream topped with maple syrup made on the premises. “The next day they go out and tap trees, learn about maple trees, what makes a maple tree a maple tree and different from other trees, tap a tree and look at the sap coming out,” Smith said. “And they’ll stop by a station where we’re boiling the sap into syrup. We do it over a fire, so it’s kind of interesting.” Campers also learn about the tools pioneers used to build homes and make a living. It can be an eye-opening experience for campers who may not be accustomed with that amount of manual labor. The program ends with a pancake dinner for campers and their families. The campers get to sample syrup made at Bradford Woods. “It’s a long process. It takes a while to boil,” Smith said. “We’ve already pre-made the syrup for the kids. And the stuff that we boil that day is then used for another group of kids. We do boil it over a fire, so it’s not a consistent heat the whole time. Sometimes it’s super boiling, ten minutes later it could be a low simmer. It’s a longer process just because we do it over a fire. If we did it in our kitchen in the dining hall where it’s a more consistent, steady heat, it would be a little bit quicker process.” The day programs are new additions, added to better meet the needs of potential campers. Enrollment had dwindled for the overnight program, but Smith said they had seen a lot of interest in the day and half-day programs. “This year seems to be shooting out the window because parents are interested in bringing their kids out and some of the parents are even interested to see the process. They’ll stay for the two hour half-day program or at least stay for part of the full day program and come back and pick their kids up,” Smith said. Bradford Woods, according to Smith, was considering making the maple syrup camp a family program next year due to the interest of adults in the process. For more information on the Maple Syrup Camp or future Bradford Woods events, contact Smith at 765-342-2915 ext. 5279 or at jl9@indiana.edu or visit bradwoods.org.