December 6, 2022 — Fishers

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Founded Jan. 25, 2011, at Fishers, IN Vol. XII, No. 45 Copyright 2022 Current Publishing, LLC All Rights Reserved.

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Duke Energy volunteers assemble food boxes for Good Samaritan Network

By Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

The views of the columnists in Current in Fishers are their own and do not necessarily reflect the positions of this newspaper.

PHILANTHROPY

Fifteen Duke Energy employees who work in Hamilton County recently stepped up to help a local nonprofit that provides food and other services to individuals in need.

The employees, who work for Duke En ergy in Carmel and Noblesville, volunteered their time Nov. 15 to assemble 500 boxes of food for Good Samaritan Network inside the llama barn at the Hamilton County Fair grounds. The Fishers-based nonprofit works with 268 agencies, 280 churches, 43 food pantries, 69 schools and five hospitals to serve Hamilton County residents, according to its website.

Mark LaBarr, government and communi ty relations manager at Duke Energy, was among the 15 employees who came together to help Good Samaritan, which also received a $50,000 check from the Duke Energy Foun dation. LaBarr said the foundation invests more than $2 million in Indiana communities that it serves, noting that the investment involves doing volunteer work for organiza tions like Good Samaritan Network.

“We’re here to get together to support folks who need assistance,” LaBarr said.

Besides the $50,000 check from the Duke Energy Foundation, Good Samaritan also contributed $25,000. LaBarr said with high inflation and supply-chain shortages af fecting the food supply, the funding will be helpful with the holidays approaching.

“During the holidays, we want to make sure those needy folks in Hamilton County have food for their family,” LaBarr said.

Fellow Duke Energy employee Dwight Watkins was also among those contributing their time and said he particularly enjoys being able to give back, especially this time of year.

“I like to make sure everyone’s got a meal on their table,” Watkins said. “Duke Energy, they give me the opportunity to volunteer several times a year and it makes me feel good trying to give back.”

Watkins said it was especially important for him to volunteer his time since organi zations like Good Samaritan Network don’t have a lot of money to hire people to do the type of work that Duke Energy employees were doing.

Watkins, who works in Duke Energy’s

Carmel office, has been with the company for 43 years and encourages others to give back whenever possible.

“If you can spare some time, I think it’s good to volunteer,” he said. “If everybody could give back a little bit of their time, it could help out a lot of people.”

Nancy Chance, founder and executive director of Good Samaritan Network, appre ciates Duke Energy’s efforts, saying that volunteers like Duke Energy “are the life blood of our organization.”

Chance said Good Samaritan Network has seen an overwhelming demand for services this year, including almost 400 Energy As sistance Program applications for Hamilton County. That number so far represents about half the total number of applications Good Samaritan Network saw in comparison to the 790 families it served from Nov. 1 to April 15 a year ago, Chance said.

“That’s unprecedented, it’s huge,” Chance said.

Besides energy assistance, Chance said her organization is also seeing an increased demand for food assistance and clothing across Hamilton County. Good Samaritan has also provided rent assistance through its grant programs as well, she added.

“All of our (food) pantries and agencies are getting a lot of requests for resourc es,” she said. “It’s been tough all the way around.”

Chance said although there has been a considerable need for the last three years, she stressed that this year has been worse compared to 2020 and 2021 because of a lack of grant money available to cover certain programs such as rent and utilities other than the Energy Assistance Program. However, she has tried to stretch her agen cy’s dollars as much as possible, she said.

“There’s been a lot more need (for ser vices) than what there was, and I think it’s because gas prices are higher and every thing you buy is higher,” Chance said.

An interior view of the llama barn at the Hamilton County Fairgrounds, where 15 Duke Energy em ployees from Hamilton County helped pack food boxes Nov. 15 for Good Samaritan Network, a non profit organization that provides food and other services to people in need. (Photo by Matthew Kent)

ER nurse launches toy drive

By Rebecca Fending rebecca@youarecurrent.com

The season of giving is here, and with it are people looking to give back to their community and help those around them. One nurse at IU Health Sax ony Hospital is doing just that.

GIVING BACK

Brittany Power, a registered nurse in the emergency department, launched her own toy drive when she started her position about 10 months ago.

“I had never worked with pediatric pa tients before, so that was intimidating,” Power said. “I thought one thing I would want as a child in the ER was some com fort. It would make me more willing to work with health care professionals.”

Power began bringing in stuffed animals she won from arcade crane machines. The toys were given to pediatric patients in the emergency room, and Power saw the kids relax when they received the toy.

“It started really hitting off,” Power said. “Co-workers started bringing in items, too, and the kids responded well. We provided a safety measure to let them know they can trust us. A lot of times with children, they say things like, ‘Doctors and hospitals are scary.’ I wanted to bring in a positive view for children who visited the ER.”

Power decided to increase the emergency department’s efforts by creating its first-ev er Christmas toy drive, an expanded version of her initial toy-sharing efforts.

Power said participation in the program has been successful. The toy drive saw a total of 10 donations in its first week, half of which came from the department’s Amazon wish list.

“We put flyers all around the hospital — in the main lobby and ER lobby,” Power said. “The flyers have a QR code that links direct

ly to the Amazon wish list, so it’s easy for people to donate on the spot.”

Power said donated toys can be pur chased from the wish list or dropped off at the hospital’s toy drive box in the emergen cy room lobby. The department requires all toys be new with tags and can’t contain glitter because it can an interfere with an MRI machine.

“We want (patients) to be able to have a toy with them every step of their stay, including in the MRI room,” Power said. “It makes for better relationships between nurses and kids.”

Donated toys will be given exclusively to children who visit the emergency room at IU Health Saxony. The toy drive ends Dec. 31.

“We’re hoping to get a lot of donations through this,” Power said. “If we receive a surplus of donations, IU Health will continue to provide toys to kids beyond holidays, just like we’ve been doing.”

Donors can find toys at amazon.com/hz/ wishlist/ls/3F17F8MJM18OX/.

Brittany Power pauses by the emergency room toy drive box at IU Health Saxony Hospital. (Photo courtesy of Emma Packard with IU Health Saxony)

Celebrating Christmas on the clock

By Rebecca Fending rebecca@youarecurrent.com

For civil servants such as police officers, the comfort of traditional holiday celebra tions makes way for their commit ment to keeping the community safe. Often, this means they sacrifice celebrating Christmas Day with their families to give res idents peace of mind as with any other day.

be nine months old come Christmas time,” Madden said. “A few positives, though, is I’ll be able to spend the late morning and after noon with them before work. (My child) goes to bed at 8 p.m., so it’s only a few hours that I’m missing with him.”

HOLIDAYS

Officer Matt Madden is the re sponding Fishers police officer scheduled for Christmas Day.

Madden will work from 5 p.m. Christmas Day to 5 a.m. on Dec. 26. He also worked on Christmas Day with FPD last year and a few times at his previous position with the IMPD.

Although working Christmas is difficult, Madden says that he is able to see some positives while being scheduled.

“It’s harder this year because my wife and I had our first child this year. He will

However, having to work the evening shift on Christmas has its perks.

“I love getting to drive around on Christmas night and see the lights through the city. It’s nice to know that if anything happens, we are out (trying) to keep our city safe during the holiday,” said Madden.

What also helps Madden is that he enjoys the company of coworkers on the shift.

“Our shift is fantastic,” Madden said. “We work extremely well together and spend time together on and off shifts. We put on our own pitch-in to have a Christmas dinner together. We can all sit, eat and enjoy the holiday together. Being able to have a shift that is so cohesive and like family makes the holiday easier to work through.”

Madden

Trustee’s Office conducts holiday food drive

By Rebecca Fending rebecca@youarecurrent.com

The Delaware Township Trustee’s Office is conducting a holiday food drive for its food pantry at 9090 E. 131st St. in Fishers. The initia tive is called “Pack San ta’s Sleigh.” The donated food is available to all residents in the Hamilton Southeastern Schools district now through Dec. 22.

GIVING BACK

Kaylee Edwards, office coordinator for the Delaware Township Trustee’s Office, said the food pantry has seen an “unprec edented need” from seniors and families in the area. As a result, it is stressing the importance of the “Pack Santa’s Sleigh” food drive.

“The use of our food pantry has doubled in the last year, showing unprecedented need from seniors and families,” Edwards said. “We appreciate all the support from our community and local businesses to help feed families during the holiday season.”

The trustee’s office has a drop-off point in the lobby for donations. Organizers ask that donors with large donations call ahead and arrange a time to drop off food.

The Delaware Township Trustee’s Office created an Amazon wish list, allowing do nors to purchase requested food items and have them shipped directly to the trustee’s office. Organizers ask that all donors mark items as gifts during checkout to include their name and contact information for the donation to be correctly attributed. Donors can find the wish list at amazon.com/hz/ wishlist/ls/2EARHA2Z64NUP?ref_=wl_share.

Donors are encouraged to use the hashtag #PackSantasSleigh to tag videos, photos and posts of donations.

Fishers High School baseball players made a holiday donation to the food pantry in 2021. (Photo courtesy of Delaware Township Trustee’s Office)

Hamilton Southeastern senior linebacker ‘tackles’ success

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Hamilton Southeastern senior outside linebacker Clayton Allen found it easy to pinpoint his biggest improvement — tackling.

“I almost doubled my tackles from last season to this season,” he said.

Allen had 76 tackles, including 26 solos and 50 assists for the Roy als, who finished 12-1 after losing to Fort Wayne Carroll in the Class 6A semistate.

Allen had 26 total tackles as a junior and primarily played special teams on varsity as a sophomore.

“He had some medical issues his fresh man year and overcame a lot of adversity and became a really good high school foot ball player,” Royals coach Michael Kelly said. “He’s a smart kid, just an all-around great kid.”

Kelly said one way Allen made improve ment was his commitment to working hard in the weight room.

MEET CLAYTON ALLEN

Favorite athlete: Michael Jordan

Favorite subject: Math

Favorite TV show “Riverdale”

“Last year, he was in the battle for a po sition, whether he was going to be a starter and he wasn’t a starter last year, but he kept fighting,” Kelly said. “He came in and was one of our best players on defense.”

The Royals won their first sectional title since 2011 and first regional since 2005.

“We have a phenomenal coaching staff,” Allen said. “Coach Kelly is such a great head coach. He really has instilled a culture of

I’M BACK TO LIVING A NORMAL LIFE.

For Jay, the thing that pained him most wasn’t his back, it was living within the limits his back pain set for him. Skipping workouts. Contorting to pick up a shoe. Avoiding playing with Agnes. Now that Goodman Campbell physicians treated not only his pain, but the underlying spine issues that caused it, Jay is back to living the life he loves.

Learn more about Jay and his story at GoodmanCampbell.com.

”

hard work and dedication in HSE. I think that was key, especially on the defensive side. Our defensive coordinator had us pre pared for every single game. There wasn’t a single game where I wasn’t prepared for what coverage we were going to be in.”

Allen said he is eager to see how the team progresses next season.

Allen competes in the 400 meters and the low and high hurdles for the track and field team, but football has always been his top sport.

Allen started playing flag football in kin dergarten and moved to tackle football in second grade.

“I used to be a running back through elementary (age) and junior high, and then I kind of developed and ended up liking defense more than offense,” said Allen, who became a linebacker as a freshman. “I fit right in at the outside linebacker spot.”

Per his college plans, Allen said he wants to go to a larger school, perhaps in the Big Ten, for education, so he might not play football in college. He is leaning toward majoring in business, but also is considering engineering or computer science.

Jay R., Goodman Campbell Patient

Hamilton Southeastern senior outside linebacker Clayton Allen was key contributor to the Roy als’ 12-1 record. (Photo courtesy of Clayton Allen)

Allen

Fishers company offers software training

By Chris Bavender news@currentinfishers.com

ing custom software and automation solu tions for manufacturing operations.

“Flexware exists to unleash the potential of technology, freeing forward-thinking manufacturers to focus on what’s next,” Butcher said.

INNOVATION

Fishers’ Flexware Innovation will offer a five-day IA in-person training course Jan. 23-27, 2023, covering the core features of Ignition by Inductive Automation. Ignition is a software platform that allows users to build real-time status and control screens that monitor and control machines.

“Ignition is also SCADA, which stands for supervisory control and data acquisition, allowing you to acquire data and store information to a database as well as do alarming, all from a central location,” Flex ware Director of Marketing Dwayne Butcher said. “When Ignition was first released in 2010, it fundamentally disrupted the market from strongholds like Rockwell Automation. Ignition did this by its unlimited licensing model which made Ignition dramatically cheaper than similar products in just 12 short years.”

Butcher said Ignition now has a 57 per cent adoption rate among the world’s For tune 100 companies.

The training will teach the software

platform in a class titled, “Ignition Core Training.”

Flexware Innovation has been in business since 1996 and has been in Hamilton County since its start — first in Noblesville before moving to Fishers in October 2003. The company then moved its headquarters from Technology Drive to its current location, 12 Municipal Dr., in May 2020. The company is a manufacturing systems integrator, provid

The class is limited to 25 participants and has welcomed students from the United States, Mexico and Canada. The class uses the same courseware developed by Induc tive Automation and costs $2,750 for the first attendee from a company and $2,200 for each attendee after that.

“Each student sits at a laptop and follows the instructor in creating real-world simu lations that convey the breadth and depth of the platform,” Butcher said. “Following the training, attendees are equipped to return to their industrial jobs and architect solutions per their unique needs, connect Ignition to PLCs and databases, begin col lecting and storing data from production, create ways to visual alarms and data and many other functions to enable planning, execution and monitoring of shop floor operations.”

For more information and to register, visit flexwareinnovation.com/ignition-training.

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Flexware Innovation instructors lead students in a training class offered this year. (Photo cour tesy of Flexware Innovation.)

New drive-thru show lights up Castleton Square Mall

news@currentinfishers.com

A new drive-thru Christmas display lights the parking lot of Castleton Square Mall at 6020 E. 82nd St. in Indianapolis. The Dasher’s Lightshow allows families to experience holiday lights in a more interactive and modern way than through traditional neigh borhood displays. Visitors can connect their vehicle’s radio to a dedicated radio station and watch the approximately 1 million lights and displays dance and blink in sync with holiday music.

EVENT

The Dasher’s Lightshow is open daily from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. through Dec. 31 in the Castleton Square Mall parking lot east of AMC Theatres, on the southeast corner of the mall. The display features six light ed tunnels, singing digital characters and 40-foot-tall trees. At the recommended idle speeds, the mile-long Dasher’s Lightshow drive-thru takes about 20 minutes to see.

“Dasher’s Lightshow identified Indy as a location we wanted to go to very early on,” stated Jon Prebish, a managing partner of Dasher’s Lightshow. “Partnering with Cas

tleton Square made sense from the begin ning. Dasher’s Lightshow prides ourselves on bringing reliable and impressive fami ly-friendly entertainment that is affordable for everyone.”

The holiday drive-thru experience starts at $29.95 per vehicle with capacity based on the number of seatbelts available and state law. For an additional $20, guests can purchase a VIP pass and skip the line the night they attend. If there’s no line that night, the VIP pass will get guests a second trip through the show on the same night, at the manager’s discretion. Season passes, which include two stuffed Dasher reindeers, are also available for families who want to visit the display throughout the season. Trailers, buses, limousines or vehicles with a height over 12 feet are not permitted.

To prevent long wait times, tickets can only be purchased online in 30-minute time slots.

Groups looking for fundraising opportuni ties can contact Dasher directly about set ting up a program unique for their organiza tion. For more, visit dasherslightshow.com.

Dasher’s Light show includes a 20-minute drive-thru ex perience with a synchronized musical light display. (Pho to courtesy of Dasher’s Lightshow.)

Reduce holiday stress with gratitude

By Rebecca Fending rebecca@youarecurrent.com

Carmel primary care providers

HEALTH

For many people, the holiday season dra matically increases stress. Planning family visits, accommodating guests or adhering to a tight budget for holiday shopping can con tribute to struggles with mental health and well-being. However, licensed counselors recommend practicing gratitude to alleviate the pressures of the holiday season.

Kimble Richardson, a licensed mental health counselor with Community Health Network at Community Hospital North, has 35 years of experience in the field and said expressing gratitude can be “satisfying” and encourages people to maintain a positive, action-oriented approach to life.

“Gratitude helps us with two things,” Richardson said. “You start to reflect on what you’re thankful for, so it asks us to be mindful. It also encourages us to do some thing action-oriented, like the act of saying ‘thank you.’ It really doesn’t take much of your time.”

Richardson said it is also possible to “have gratitude for oneself.”

“You can also have gratitude for oneself by saying, ‘I feel gratitude for my health,’” Richardson said. “I encourage people to reflect and be mindful while making note of the feeling associated with it. You can also go a step further and do something to con tinue to benefit your health.”

Richardson said that taking the step to express gratitude can be especially helpful for those who face challenges speaking up for themselves.

“Step out of your comfort zone and try telling someone how they impacted you,”

Richardson said. “It’s really satisfying know ing the other person is getting joy from your expressed gratitude.”

Richardson said gratitude can have a lasting effect on stressors down the line, such as at some point needing help from a person to whom you expressed gratitude.

“I called a leader in our network and asked for some advice,” Richardson said. “They listened and offered a few sugges tions. It meant a lot to me that they listened so well and provided great advice. I could have just left it at that, but I sent them a text and said, ‘Thank you for your guidance. I appreciate it.’ It took me a few seconds to do, but hopefully next time, they’ll remem ber that.”

We founded American Health Network, part of Optum on the belief that health care is a collaborative effort. It needs to be proactive, not just reactive, meaning we need to help patients stay healthy and avoid sickness in the first place.

Get in touch!

We’re now accepting new patients – To find a primary care provider or schedule a video visit, call our Carmel primary care office at 317-848-1402 or our Fall Creek primary care office at 317-613-0918.

American Health Network does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability in its health programs and activities. For accommodations of persons with special needs at meetings, call 888.255.2246.

ATTENTION: We provide free services to help you communicate with us such as letters in other languages or large print. Or, you can ask for an interpreter. To ask for help, please call 888-255-2246. ATENCIÓN: Si habla español (Spanish), hay servicios de asistencia de idiomas, sin cargo, a su disposición. Llame al 888-255-2246. 請注意：如果您說中文 (Chinese)

Michelle Bliley, PA

Sabrina Williams, MD

Adrienne Einhorn, MD

James Horton, MD

Bonnie Webster, FNP-C

Sei-Young Kwak, NP

Kimble Richardson discusses what gratitude means for a person’s mental health during the holidays. (Photo courtesy of Kimble Richardson)

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Arts council to host disabled artist exhibit

news@currentinfishers.com

During March 2023, the Fishers Arts Coun cil, in conjunction with the City of Fishers Advisory Committee on Disabilities and Con ner Prairie, will exhibit artwork cre ated by artists with developmental or intellectual disabilities.

ART

The artwork will be featured at the Col laboration Hub Gallery at 11810 Technology Dr. in Fishers. The initiative is a way to demonstrate the importance of art as the council celebrates “Building our Future To gether,” according to organizers.

“Fishers Arts Council loves to celebrate and showcase the talents of our community because the arts are for everyone,” said Les Reinhardt, executive director of Fishers Arts Council. “We’re anticipating at least 60 sub missions of 2D and 3D creative works.”

Eligible artists must have a developmental or intellectual disability, be a 2D or 3D visual artist, be able to provide at least two to six pieces of family-friendly art for exhibit and agree that Fishers Arts Council or Conner Prairie may alter artwork for proper hanging and installation in the galleries if the artwork is not properly equipped for display.

Submissions must be emailed to info@ fishersartscouncil.org indicating their desire to participate. Emails should include “March Awareness” in the subject line and include the artist’s name, physical mailing address, phone number, email address and one or two samples of artwork in JPEG or PDF format.

Artists do not have to be from Fishers to participate. Artists will be notified of their acceptance into the exhibit by Jan. 20, 2023.

For more, contact info@fishersartscoun cil.org.

Artist Krista Darrow discusses her artwork with a patron at Conner Prairie during the Disability Awareness Exhibit in March 2019. (Photo by Cour tesy of Fishers Arts Council

DISPATCHES

Send us your stories and photos — Have a story suggestion? Want an event covered? Know of a new business or have photos for submission? Please email Current in Fishers Managing Editor Rebecca Fending at rebec ca@youarecurrent.com or call 317-489-4444. Remember our deadline is about eight days prior to publication.

500 Festival launches Living Well Program

— The 500 Festival has launched the Living Well Program, a no-cost, resident-based health initiative for apartment complexes to promote resident wellness and build community. It includes discounted regis tration for the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon and Delta Dental 500 Festival 5K, training resources and built-in support to reach health goals. It also features headto-head competition against other apart ment complexes for an award for resident participation. Learn more at indymini.com/p/ mini-marathon/register/living-well-program.

Fishers has highest holiday budget in state — According to a WalletHub study, last year’s holiday spending increased 14.1 per cent. The company released its 2022 Holiday Budgets by City report that looked at in come, age and savings-to-monthly expenses ratio to estimate the maximum spending amounts for consumers in over 550 U.S. cit ies. Fishers placed tenth with a max amount of $2,969 per person for holiday budget.

F.C. Tucker Stats — The residential real estate market in Fishers cooled down slightly in October, with prices continuing to increase. According to F.C. Tucker Co., the Fishers average home sale price increased 11.4 percent to $451,185 compared to October 2021. The average price per square foot for a home in Fishers also increased to $185.35, up 8 percent. Homes in Fishers stayed on the market 13 percent, or three days, longer compared to this time last year.

Fishers opens grant programs — The City of Fishers is now accepting applications for its 2023 grant programs, including the Fishers Arts & Culture Commission Grant and the Neighborhood Vibrancy Grant. Both grants award anywhere from $1,000 to $7,500 to the respected grantee. The Arts & Cultural Grant supports artists, art organi zations and cultural events and the Neigh borhood Vibrancy Grant that help Fishers residents make the city a better place to live. To learn more about these grants, or to apply, visit fishers.in.us/grants

Cultivating community with produce

By Rebecca Fending rebecca@youarecurrent.com

Many residents are unaware that an or ganization cultivates and sells homegrown produce in the City of Law rence. Founded and managed by Sharrona Moore, Lawrence Community Gardens are run by a mix of paid workers and student volunteers of all ages. The gardens make fresh vegetables and fruits easily accessible to the community.

GARDEN

Located on a 7.6-acre farm at 9240 E. 46th St., employees and volunteers run the farm and grow affordable organic produce. The farm also donates to local food pantries to provide fresh produce.

“Lawrence Community Gardens is really what’s needed for this community,” said Amber Toombs with Lawrence Community Gardens. “There’s limited access to grocery stores, there’s also very low income. A lot of people here experience health and food-re lated illnesses like not getting an adequate amount of sustenance.”

Lawrence Community Gardens began in 2016 when representatives for the proposed garden met with leaders at Monarch Bever age, a beer distributor on Pendleton Pike, to propose a partnership whereby the gardens would be planted on unused land owned by the distribution company. Monarch Bever age agreed, and soon the partnership began that helped the gardens thrive.

Organizations such as restaurants or grocers looking to support the gardens can call 317-748-2437 or email lawrencecommu nitygardens@yahoo.com to place an order. The gardens also have a roadside farmstand at the 46th Street location that is open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon from June 15 through Oct. 1.

For more, visit lawrencecommuni tygardens.org.

Lawrence Community Gardens sells produce roadside during the summer and early fall. (Photo courtesy of Lawrence Community Gardens)

Fishers mom creates a business from a pandemic pen pal relationship

By Rebecca Fending rebecca@youarecurrent.com

During the height of the COVID-19 pan demic, Fishers resident Erica Seabaugh gave a “mom assignment” to her first-grad er, Joseph, when she saw an opportunity to teach him the art of letter writing. From there, a business idea was born.

The “assignment” was to write a letter each day to his grandmother who lives in Florida, thus establishing a pen pal relation ship. The communication between grandma and grandson deepened their relationship and sparked Seabaugh’s idea of Postbook, a postcard writing kit that encourages chil dren and adults to learn more about each other through creative prompts.

Seabaugh said at the beginning of the pandemic, virtual learning only did so much to fill the time in her son’s school day.

“In the early stages of the pandemic, af ter we were all sent home and the schools were closed, the schools were not experts at virtual learning,” Seabaugh said. “(Teach ers) did the best they could to arm the par ents for the kids’ learning, but my son was a first-grader. There wasn’t a lot he could spend time doing. We tried to do workbooks at home to practice (school subjects) but quickly ran out of those. One of the assign ments I came up with was to write a letter every day.

“It took him a bit to get used to the idea, but as time progressed, he started writing about books and movies he had seen re cently. It taught him to write letters.”

Those letters were sent to Joseph’s grandmother, who penned her own responses and mailed them back.

Soon, Seabaugh saw a business idea emerge, and with the help of Postbook co-founder Jonathan Haag, her idea came to fruition.

Haag and Seabaugh work together at CICOA, an Indianapolis-based organization that offers aging and in-home solutions for older adults in central Indiana. Seabaugh is a care manager and Haag is the vice pres ident of CICOA who oversees the research institute and venture studio. According to Seabaugh, Haag helped narrow the scope of Postbook to focus on bridging the gap between generations.

“I had gone to Jonathan, and we talked about wanting to do work connecting generations,” Seabaugh said. “I had a great relationship with my grandparents, and I

have a strong connection to older adults, in general, because of my job. I wanted to think about how CICOA could do more in connecting younger and older populations. We walked through the concept of con necting the generations. We spent months talking about what that meant and looking at various concepts throughout the world.

“I mentioned that my son started writing to his grandma and it formed a sweet relationship. It made me realize that the basics of letter writing make us more connected than we think we are.”

Each Postbook comes with six post cards and six prompts designed for young er kids to understand. Each page has a different prompt, which Seabaugh said includes thought-provoking questions that are great for any age, such as, “What does light look like to you? How do you bring

light into this world? How can you help oth ers share their light?”

The Postbook system is based on trading postcards and answers. One pen pal will fill out a postcard with their answers for a prompt, then send it to their pen pal for review and their thoughts on the questions.

Seabaugh said the process “opens up a conversation with the person” that may have otherwise never taken place.

“As people, these prompts help us realize we’re more connected than we think,” Sea baugh said. “I mean, Joseph was not even 7 years old and didn’t really know how to talk to people. (Postbook) gives people tools to build stronger connections and get past just small talk.”

With the first edition launched in mid-No vember, Seabaugh wanted to make Post book products available for the holiday sea son as a unique gift idea. She wants to see more customers enjoying the opportunity to deepen relationships through Postbook.

“I’m excited to see it in the real world and hopefully impact people in a positive way,” Seabaugh said.

For more or to purchase Postbook, visit shoppostbook.com.

THE HISTORY OF LETTER WRITING

According to the Smithsonian, the “art” of letter writing in the U.S. became a focus during the Civil War. Given that soldiers were often stationed far from home, written communication became necessary for keeping in touch with family and friends back home.

The focus of letters written during this period was to pacify the fear of soldiers and family by acting as a wellness check-in for soldiers to write to their families. The letters also reported on news, similar to newspapers, regarding the status of the war and specific battles.

ON THE COVER: Erica Seabaugh looks at her Postbook creation with daughter, Lanie, and son, Joseph. (Photo courtesy of Erica Seabaugh)

The first edition Postbook set was launched Nov. 16. The set includes two journals, six prompts and six unstamped postcards. Photo courtesy of Postbook.

Erica Seabaugh and her son, Joseph, pause at the Nov. 16 CICOA private launch party for Postbook. (Photo courtesy of Erica Seabaugh)

ESSAY

Give or take?

Commentary by Terry Anker

Giving Tuesday has now officially passed, although the requests for the “final” gift of the year continue to flow in. Private philanthropy is a good thing. People make direct and immediate choices about the world around them and decide how they are willing to do nate their own labor to contribute to the cause. Instead of showing up hammer in hand to help raise the barn, most of us these days choose to spend the day at our own toil, whatever it may be, and forgo the benefit to ourselves and our families, and instead giving the fruit to some cause of our liking.

While it is important to follow laws regarding government revenue, one cannot claim a personal moral gold star if the tax collector eventually comes, gun in hand, to take from us the product of our labor. Conversely, there is honor to be had in working voluntarily for the benefit of others. We might contribute from excess, from gratitude, from a hope that others might care for us if we were in need, or from a genuine charity, agape. Whatever the motivation, we have worked so that some other — un able, unwilling or un-situated — does not. There is no exchange. There is little market. There is no expectation of inter est paid.

Even so, as some give, others take. Many of us hold our philanthropy to in clude direct service on boards or in the soup kitchens of nonprofits, in addition to our financial contributions. So, we be come both benefactor and beneficiary. What roles do — and should — we play? Is it right to expect gratitude from the takers? Is it right to expect gifts from the givers? Are there strings attached? Should there be? If Giving Tuesday is a mirror to Taking Tuesday, how do we make sure that doing the right thing is doing the right thing?

CURRENTOON

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

It was nice while it lasted

Commentary by Danielle Wilson

I’ve been an empty nester officially now for three months, two weeks, and five days, and I have loved every single glorious moment. The quiet evenings, the relatively clean kitchen (my husband, Doo, still doesn’t seem to understand that we have a dishwasher), and the peace of mind that can only come when your babies-turned-youngadults are no longer underfoot have been simply magical. Which is why I am somewhat dreading the holidays, as my college kiddos will once again be home.

Don’t get me wrong, it’ll be great to see them, especially our twins who are studying in Colorado and California. But why, sweet mother, do classes not resume until the end of January? Why must universities start second semes ters so ridiculously late? Do they not realize the disruption these extended breaks will cause to my beautifully crafted, long-awaited parental mile stone? This is enough time to form ac tual habits, like 1 a.m. muffin baking and sleeping ‘til noon. This will enable my newly independent offspring to rejoin the dole, which in turn will fundamen tally alter our Meijer bill and undoubted ly drive me bat-poo crazy.

And one of them is bringing her cat! I haven’t even begun to wrap my head around how a temporary pet is going to add to the chaos. No, my only chance at survival will be to convince them to return early. Perhaps between a few white lies (“We’re vegetarians now” and “The dryer’s broken”) and guilt trips about their jobs (“The lab really needs you there!”), I’ll manage to convince them to leave ahead of schedule.

POLICIES

of Current Publishing, LLC. You may email him at terry@ youarecurrent.com.

Letters to the editor: Current Publishing will consider verifiable letters of up to 150 words. Letters must be thoroughly vetted prior to submission. Current retains the right to reject or return any letter it deems to carry unsubstantiated content. Current also retains the right to edit letters, but not their intent. Send letters to info@youarecurrent.com. Writers must include a hometown and a daytime phone number for verification. Guest columns: The policy for guest columns is the same as the aforementioned, but the allowable length is 240 words. Guest columns should address the whole of Current’s readership, not simply special-interest groups, and may not in any way contain a commercial message.

Fingers crossed! Because I have grown to love being an empty nester. Peace out.

Danielle Wilson is a contributing columnist. You may email her at info@youarecurrent.com.

Terry Anker is an associate editor

“The rooms were very still while the pages were softly turned and the winter sunshine crept in to touch the bright heads and serious faces with a Christmas greeting.”

— LOUISA MAY ALCOTT

Present company withstanding

ry building, a jail, cops and police dogs. At kids’ bedtime when toys must be put away, parents can post a sign that says, “Decon struct the police.”

HUMOR

The Hammacher Schlemmer Christmas ’22 gift catalog just arrived! It’s the lon gest-running mail-order retail er of its kind, its pages filled with unique (if not quirky) selections. Here are some of my favorites. Who knows, maybe this holiday you’ll receive…

John Wayne’s Canvas Rancher Jacket: This hand-crafted jack et features a notched corduroy collar. I guess the notches each rep resent some poor soul Duke wasted in a mov ie. Do the five buttons denote the people he eliminated in his real life for not embracing the Second Amend ment? None of these jackets were returned, with customers saying, “You’ll have to pry that coat from my cold, dead hands.”

The Electronic Tag Game: This is a modern version of tag, where kids wear LED lights so they can see who has been tagged. Huh? When I was a kid, I wasn’t smart enough to reduce a fraction, but I sure didn’t need a light to know who was “it.”

This giant plush pachyderm sings, “Do your ears hang low, do they wobble to and fro?” At 8 years old and first discovering my body, that’s not how I sang the words.

The Warming Cat Bed: “Recommended by veterinarians,” says HS. But only two vets could make an honest endorsement — the only two small enough to fit in the bed. The catalog says it can also be used for a small dog — but I’d take the cat out first.

The Side Sleepers’ Ergonomic Pillow: Ideal for someone who is sleeping with someone on the side. The pillow adjusts to your head and neck, providing support (pro viding support is what you will have to do if you get caught).

The Perfect Spiral Robotic Quarter back: This training tool loads footballs and launches them 75 feet. You pump each ball, putting in as much air as you like. Endorsed by Tom Brady.

The Lego City Police Station: The 680-piece Lego set comes with a three-sto

– DICK WOLFSIE

The New York Times Jigsaw Puzzle of Your Birthdate: Ever wonder what the front page of the New York Times looked like the day you were born? Me, either. This 600-piece puzzle tests your concentration and pa tience. Remember the New York Times slo gan, “All the news we print will fit,” unless the dog chewed a piece.

The Personalized Animated Singing Elephant Chair: This giant plush pachyderm sings, “Do your ears hang low, do they wobble to and fro?” At 8 years old and first discovering my body, that’s not how I sang the words.

One favorite item from a past holiday edi tion is still available:

The Soft Kangaroo Wallet: This billfold is made from the hide of a kangaroo. How ironic that here’s an animal, one of the few on the planet with an actual pocket that can carry something, and we made him into a wallet.

Dick Wolfsie is an author, columnist and speaker. Contact him at wolfsie@aol.com.

Commentary by Dick Wolfsie

Shop offers weekly flavors

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Tyson Barrett first became acquainted with Crumbl Cookies when he was living in Utah.

Crumbl Cookies offers five new flavors each week.

(Photo courtesy of Crumbl Cookies)

His brother, who has an ambulance business in Indi anapolis, suggested opening a franchise in Indiana.

CRUMBL

“I moved from Salt Lake City once we bought into the brand,” Barrett said. “The thing that drew us is (at the shop) there would be lines of people until 11:30 at night.”

The state’s newest Crumbl Cookies opened at 9873 N. Michigan Rd., Suite 130-B, Carmel, in October. The hours are 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m. to midnight on Friday and Saturday. The store is closed Sunday.

Barrett, 28, and Spencer Hanks, who is based in California, are the primary co-own ers. Barrett’s brother, Chad, is a silent partner. Barrett, who lives in Fishers and Columbus, Ohio, runs operations for stores in Indiana and Ohio. The partners also own stores in Fishers, Indianapolis and Green wood, and three stores in Ohio.

“The rotating menu is the most unique thing, as there are five new flavors every week,” Barrett said. “You are tuning in every Sunday (on Instagram) to see what flavors will be next week.”

Chocolate chip cookies are standard offerings. The shop offers five other cookie flavors each week. Barrett said there are 200 flavors on the menu that Crumbl Cook ies rotates through.

For more, visit crumblcookies.com.

Local roofing company supports workers, communities

By Elle Kreamer elle@youarecurrent.com

Growing up with parents in the roofing industry, Zionsville siblings Gene and Randy Judd were no strangers to the hardships associated with the sea sonal nature of the busi ness. Randy said growing up in Rockford, Ill., their mother encouraged them to attend college and not become roofers.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Despite his mother’s ad monition, Gene followed his entrepreneurial dream and started his own roofing busi ness. After graduating from Indiana Univer sity in 1987, Gene, who now lives in Zions ville, worked out of his garage in Speedway as a roofer. He launched Bone Dry Roofing in 1989 and it now has 13 locations across the U.S., including Indianapolis.

“It was tough for (our parents) to make a steady living at the time,” Gene said. “We moved 13 times when I was younger because my parents would be looking for a job. I would come home from school and the sheriff would be there to move my family out of our home.”

Gene’s brother, Randy, who also lives in Zionsville, joined the business as its vice president in 1997. He is semi retired from Bone Dry Roofing.

“The culture at Bone Dry has always been very employee-centric, as well as custom er-centric,” Randy said. “At the start, the company was highly based on referrals and reputation and word of mouth. So, we were very, very much concerned about all the customers being happy with our work, and that’s really how we were able to grow.”

Gene said he tries to maintain a consis tently supportive work environment for employees, no matter how much the com pany grows. He said the firm does its best to take care of employees by providing them with financial advisors, 401(k)s, paid-time off, health insurance and educational opportuni ties through the company’s training program, Bone Dry University, among other benefits.

The company has approximately 500 employees.

“When I started the business, I wanted to provide stability and peace of mind for my family to be able to offer them some of the

advantages that I didn’t have growing up,” Gene said. “I want my people to be able to have that peace of mind so they can support their families and have a secure position.”

Twenty-four years ago, Grant Costeel, a longtime roofer, was living in a trailer on the west side of Indianapolis. He said he was looking for better opportunities, so he flipped through the phone book looking for the biggest ad for a roofing company. When he found a full-page ad for Bone Dry Roof ing, he said he applied immediately.

Costeel was hired as a roofer and soon after was running the crew. He is now the manager for Bone Dry Roofing in Indianapo lis, and said he is proud to be a part of such a reputable and supportive company and to be able to support himself and his daughter.

“It’s great to go to somebody’s house, especially as a salesman or as an employee, and to be able to go to the door and say all these great things and know that they’re true,” Costeel said. “The brand is how we make people feel. They always say people won’t remember you for what you say or do, they remember you for how they make you feel.”

Gene said in addition to supporting em ployees, Bone Dry Roofing promotes a cul ture of giving through philanthropic work.

Gene said the company has been building roofs for Habitat for Humanity projects in the Boone County area for approximately 20 years, and it tries to do the same in each of the 13-plus communities where Bone Dry does business. He said the company is involved in other philanthropic efforts, including the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, and conducts a ‘Bone Dry Loves Pink’ breast cancer awareness campaign every fall.

Gene Judd

Bone Dry Roofing employees construct a roof for a home built by Habitat for Humanity of Boone County in 2019. (Photos courtesy of Bone Dry Roofing)

Nonprofit rehab center awarded $1 million grant

By Rebecca Fending rebecca@youarecurrent.com

through grants, events and private dona tions, we’re able to provide this service.”

NONPROFIT

After suffering a spinal cord injury in a swimming accident, Chris Leeuw relearned how to walk, move his arms and become inde pendent again through physical rehabilitation. Once recovered, Leeuw dedicated his life to creating his nonprofit, long-term physical rehabilitation center, NeuroHope.

Located at 6002 Sunnyside Rd. in Law rence, NeuroHope will soon expand its facility thanks to a $1 million grant from the OrthoIndy Foundation. The grant will allow the center to expand its continued care programs for spinal cord injury, brain inju ry and stroke so people living with those neurologic conditions can have affordable access to long-term rehabilitation programs when they leave the hospital.

Leeuw started NeuroHope as a nonprofit in 2013. He wasn’t sure if wanted to keep it as a foundation to assist those in need with hospital bills or create a health center for those recovering from life-altering ac cidents. Regardless, Leeuw knew that he

wanted to help people who had suffered catastrophic accidents and needed extend ed rehabilitation, post-hospital care. At first, that meant raising funds for those who needed them.

“The Krannert School of Physical Therapy at the University of Indianapolis had a great idea of what to do with NeuroHope,” Leeuw said. “So, in 2015, we raised $100,000 and opened it as a nonprofit rehabilitation center.”

NeuroHope employs licensed therapists and trainers who offer activity-based phys ical therapy as well as fitness and wellness

David Eads, 44, was paralyzed in 2000 at age 22. Here, he works with NeuroHope kinesi ologists Megan Lashley and Steven Bowser. (Photo courtesy of Chris Leeuw)

After his own accident, Leeuw experi enced firsthand how the health care system allows those recovering from catastrophic injuries to “slip through the cracks.”

“Health care costs are just so high.” Leeuw said. “The system is just not adequate for those who need extended care like that.”

Leeuw wants to change the health care system through partnerships with local organizations and facilities to bring aware ness of patients’ need for long-term care.

programs.

After working with NeuroHope therapists, patients then work with trainers, who continue the rehabilitation process with physical exercises to help build and train muscle and movements. The “unique hybrid” approach, according to Leeuw, supports the possibility of a full recovery for patients.

NeuroHope focuses on offering affordable extended care for patients.

“We stress affordability for those who need it,” Leeuw said. “Care is expensive, especially over time. We fundraise a lot, and

“Our goal is to work with the health care system and facilities throughout Indianap olis to improve the gaps we have in current health care coverages,” he said.

With the new grant from the OrthoIndy Foundation, Leeuw looks forward to grow ing NeuroHope and appreciates that its mission is receiving recognition.

“We’re just so thankful that another health care organization understands and sees what we’re doing,” Leeuw said. “This grant is going to help us expand our current square footage, services and number of staff members.”

For more, visit NeuroHopewellness.org.

Holiday Porchfest

currentnightandday.com

Marie Osmond to make her Palladium debut

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

For Marie Osmond, Christmas is about memories, not possessions.

my sixth decade of music performing con sistently, which is crazy, so I’ll do a few things that people will enjoy.”

Osmond said she will share stories of her career during the concert.

‘IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE’

“I feel people need a little bit of hope, a little bit of laughter and some love,” she said. “They actually need to be togeth er. My philosophy has always been, ‘Do you remember what you got for Christmas five years ago?’ But I do remember the time I spent with friends and family, going to events and having dinner. Those are the things that make memories, and those are the things I like to provide for people.”

CONCERT

Osmond wants to add to the audience’s memories with an 8 p.m. concert Dec. 10 at the Palladium at the Center for the Per forming Arts in Carmel. It is Osmond’s first visit to the Palladium and is part of her symphonic Christmas tour.

“I’ve been associated with Christmas since I was a fetus,” Osmond said. “I started out with Andy Williams’ Christmas shows at 3. I did my first Bob Hope Christ mas show when I was 13, and he kind of became a second dad. I did USO Christmas shows and then Donny and Marie and Os mond Family (shows), so I know a little about Christmas. It’s super fun.”

Osmond will perform a couple of songs from her 2021 album “Unexpected,” which feature a collection of Broadway and opera classics that debuted at No. 1 on Billboard Classical Crossover Albums Chart.

“It blew my mind,” she said. “I didn’t think it would do anything. It was me spend ing 25 years learning to sing legit opera.”

Osmond, 63, said the type of Christmas music she performs fits well with an orchestra.

“It’s going to be musi cally diverse, eclectic,” said Osmond, adding she will mostly perform Christmas songs. “It’s

Osmond and her older brother, Donny, ended their 11-year residency at the Flamin go in Las Vegas in 2019. Donny now has a solo residency at Harrah’s in Las Vegas.

“He’s going to die Wayne Newton,” Os mond jokingly said of her brother. “It was lovely (that) people came 11 years to see the show. In my heart, I felt I needed to go to people, especially because traveling is costly right now. I love the road. I’ve probably performed more on the road than anyone in my family, whether it was doing Rodgers and Hammerstein’s ‘The Sound of

“I think the whole part of the holiday spirit is to interact,” she said. “I think a good location is important. I hand-pick all these areas. I wanted to go to places that I hav en’t been. Although I swear I’ve performed everywhere, from fairs to festivals to honkytonks, I wanted to put this show in places where I felt people would enjoy it.”

Her nephew, David Osmond, will per form with her.

“He’s a phenomenal talent,” she said. “I don’t use him because he’s an Osmond. I use him because he’s terrific. He has an amazing story. He teases me, ‘I know why you have me in the show, so you can make costume changes.’ I said, ‘OK, there you go.’ But, no, he’s terrific. There will be things that bring back wonderful Christmas memories. We’ll have some new

Osmond will perform with local orches

“I believe in (doing) that. There are so many talented musicians,” she said. “Some of them have been performing five or six decades, too. It’s nice to utilize local

One thing that drives

“It’s a Wonderful Life” runs through Dec. 23 at Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre in Indianap olis. For more, visit beefandboards.com.

‘A

CHRISTMAS STORY, THE MUSICAL’

Civic Theatre presents “A Christmas Story, The Musical” through Dec. 24 at The Tarking ton at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit civictheatre.org.

‘THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT’

Mud Creek Players’ production of “The Christmas Spirit,” a holiday comedy, runs through Dec. 17 at Mud Creek Theatre, 9740 E. 86th St., Indianapolis. For more, visit mudcreekplayers.org.

‘UH-OH, HERE COMES CHRISTMAS’

Carmel Players will present “Uh-Oh, Here Comes Christmas” from Dec. 9-18 at The Cat, 254 Veterans Way, Carmel. For more, visit carmelplayers.org.

‘CHRISTMAS AT THE PLAYHOUSE’

“Christmas at the Playhouse” will feature six original one-act plays from Dec. 9-11 at the Basile Westfield Playhouse. For more, visit westfieldplayhouse.org.

Osmond is

“When we did the show in Vegas, the show would be an hour-and-a-half and my meet-and-greet would be like three hours,” she said. “I’ve been through a lot of difficult things and people know that I understand, so they will come and talk to me about things. God doesn’t care who you are in this life, he cares about how you do your job and how you treat other people. That’s my philosophy.”

For tickets, visit thecenter presents.org.

Marie Osmond will perform at 8 p.m. Dec. 10 at the Palladium.

‘DAVE KOZ & FRIENDS 25TH ANNIVERSARY CHRISTMAS TOUR’

“Dave Koz & Friends 25th Anniversary Christmas Tour” concert is set for 8 p.m. Dec. 9 at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit carmelsymphony.org.

‘MARIE OSMOND: A SYMPHONIC CHRISTMAS TOUR’

“Marie Osmond: A Symphonic Christmas Tour” concert is set for 8 p.m. Dec. 10 at the Palladium at the Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel. For more, visit thecenter presents.org.

‘I’LL

BE HOME FOR CHRISTMAS’

Indiana Wind Symphony’s “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” concert is set for 7 p.m. Dec. 11 at the Palladium at the Center for the Perform ing Arts in Carmel. There will be a matinee performance at 2 p.m. featuring a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus. For more, visit thecen terpresents.org.

(Photo courtesy of Marie Osmond)

Soloist returns for IWS show

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Director Charles Conrad that kids would love the drama of the piece.

In the evening, Anderson will sing “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” “It’s the Most Wonder ful Time of the Year” and “O Holy Night.”

CONCERT

After graduating from Carmel High School in 2011, Jessamyn Anderson began perform ing with the Indiana Wind Symphony. The soprano soloist will appear with the IWS Dec. 11 for two performances at the Palladium at the Center for the Per forming Arts in Carmel. The matinee performance at 2 p.m. will include a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus. The 7 p.m. performance’s theme is “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.”

Anderson

“I am most excited about bringing my daughter to the afternoon kids’ show,” An derson said. “It’s wild that I was a freshman in college when I first sang ‘O Holy Night’ with the IWS, and now I’m bringing my baby to the shows. I feel like I’ve grown up, pro fessionally speaking, with this ensemble. For the afternoon show, I will perform ‘Let It Go’ from ‘Frozen’ and our special, epic arrangement of ‘O Holy Night,’ a first for the matinee.”

Anderson said she convinced IWS Music

“It has been a joy to watch and hear her develop over those years into an outstanding operatic sopra no who has tremendous versatility,” Conrad said. “I am certain that we will be seeing her on stages around the world in the next few years. She is a wonderful artist with which to collaborate.”

Anderson and her husband live in Colum bia, Tenn., near Nashville.

“We love it in Tennessee, but I do miss being close to my family — and round abouts,” Anderson said.

The guest conductor for the concert is Catherine Maloney, who is the band teacher at Pendleton Heights Middle School. She has been accepted to be the next conductor of the Indiana National Guard Band following recent auditions. She has played flute with the IWS since 2013.

For more, visit indianawindsymphony.org.

‘Christmas at the Playhouse’ set

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

Nicole Amsler is eager to direct her own one-act play as part of “Christmas at the Playhouse.”

Amsler said. “It’s about a family and you see all the dysfunction, but they are all writing those newsletters that are very sweet. They all say the best things but behind the scenes you realize that is not truly how it is.”

PLAYS

The group of six oneact original plays is set for Dec. 9-11 at Basile Westfield Playhouse.

Amsler, a Noblesville resident, wrote and directs “Holiday Cards.” She also is the director for “Clara The Christmas Tree Angel,” which was written by Enid Cokinos.

Two plays, “A Requiem for Shermy” and “Last Minute Shoppers,” were written by Mark Harvey Levine. The other plays are “Garland, Gynos, and Gurneys” by Megan Ann Jacobs and “Tradition” by Josh Elicker. The short plays by Indiana writers are 10 to 12 minutes long. Amsler said Logan Laflin will sing between the acts.

Amsler said “Holiday Cards” started as a book she wrote during National Novel Writ ing Month several years ago.

“When I started playwriting, I decided it would make a really good short story,”

There are six performers in “Hol iday Cards” with a mother, her two adult children and significant others and a younger daughter.

“I’ve had this play staged before where I went to go see it and some one else directed it,” Amsler said. “It was done in New York and in Wis consin. It was very interesting to see other people direct that play, so I’m ex cited to be able to do it myself. If you don’t direct the ending correctly, there is a pretty big reveal that gets lost if you change the lighting or let people think it’s come to an end. There is actually a pretty big surprise at the end.”

Amsler said all the plays are uplifting and fun.

Earlier this year, Amsler acted for the first time in 27 years in “Calendar Girls” at Epilogue Players Theatre in Indianapolis.

For more, visit westfieldplayhouse.org.

Amsler

Carmel teen gets special role

the Snow Queen has many entrances at the end of Act 1.”

Stephenson plays other roles in the scenes in the two shows when the other dancer, Indianapolis resident Miriam Danek, portrays Snow Queen.

BALLET

Stephenson Farley

The Carmel High School freshman will appear in the Ballet Theatre of Carmel Acad emy’s production of “The Nutcracker” Dec. 16-18 at STAR Bank Performing Arts Center in Zionsville. The shows are at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 16, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 17 and 2 p.m. Dec. 18.

“Something that has been important to me is building my stamina,” Stephenson said. “The choreography is very intricate and there is a lot to think about because

Stephenson is Snow Queen in the final two performances.

“It’s one of my favorite ballets to watch and to dance in,” Stephenson said. “I love learning new chore ography every year and it never gets old.”

Ciara Farley, a homeschooled junior from Carmel, will perform as the Sugar Plum Fairy in the first two performances. She has been with BTCA for 11 years.

“This is one of my dream roles and I’m ex cited to have been cast as Sugar Plum,” Far ley said. “One of the things I look forward to is the artistry of the performances. I love ‘The Nutcracker.’ It has so many memories. It’s a magical experience.”

For more, visit ballettheatreofcarmel.org/ nutcracker/.

CCP to present holiday play

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

One of Kevin Shadle’s favorite authors is Robert Fulghum.

PRODUCTION

So, it’s not surprising Shadle would be a fan of “Uh-Oh, Here Comes Christmas,” a play based on Fulghum’s books.

Shadle, a Fishers resident, will perform in Carmel Community Players’ production of “Uh-Oh, Here Comes Christmas” from Dec. 9 to 18 at The Cat, 254 Veterans Way, Carmel. The play features a collection of stories, songs and vignettes.

“What I like about it is that it is very real,” Shadle said. “It’s very human. It’s not your usual Christmas show in that you don’t feel like you are sitting in church and it’s not sil ly. Everybody will be able to identify with so much in this show. That’s what I definitely love about this.”

Westfield resident Kate Hinman is the di rector, and it is her first time directing with CCP. She also is a Fulghum fan. So, when she saw on Facebook that CCP was looking for a director for the show, she asked to see the script.

The cast of “Uh-Oh, Here Comes Christmas” in cludes back, from left, Kevin Shadle, Tom Riddle and Matt Trgovac, and front, from left, Joy Ried and Tonya Rave. (Photo courtesy of Tanya Haas)

“I was through three vignettes, and I said, ‘I want to do this show,” Hinman said. “It’s very funny. It’s an actors’ show be cause they are challenged because they are going from telling the story to interacting with invisible characters. Each actor has one to two monologues.”

Tonya Rave, a Lawrence Township resi dent, said the vignettes are poignant.

“A lot of what my character Peggy says resonates with me, so it makes it more fun to play the character,” Rave said.

For more, visit carmelplayers.org.

MUSIC AND LYRICS BY BENJ PASEK AND JUSTIN PAUL 12/2-12/24 ACS Ad for The Current.indd 1 11/10/2022 1:33:07 PM

Based on the motion picture A Christmas Story distributed by Warner Bros., written by Jean Shepherd, Leigh Brown, and Bob Clark, and upon

God

Indiana Wind Symphony

CHRISTMAS MUSIC

CHARCUTERIE

called Rustic Bakery. They make several dif ferent toasts, crackers, cookies and more. In fact, if you go to a wine tasting in California, the odds are good you will find Rustic Bak ery’s flatbread crackers at your wine tasting. Its Sel Gris flatbread crackers are delicious. Thin and flavorful, these crackers pack great flavor and pair wonderfully with anything you could have on your charcuterie board. They also go great alone (and they are great for resetting your palate when wine tasting).

Toast is a great option for a charcuterie board. You can make your own toast by crisping up some brioche and cutting it into bite sized pieces. You could also opt to get a pre-made toast like Trois Petite Cochon Toast. These toast minis are made in France with natural ingredients and baked off into a crunchy, crumbly bite. These are great for sweet jams or savory toppings. I find the ‘crouton-esque’ nature of these toast minis to be quite pleasing.

In Northern California, there is a bakery

The water cracker is great for meat and cheese because it is thin, light, savory and generally very mild in flavor. Carr’s Water Crackers are a very popular brand, and for good reason. Carr’s has been in business since 1832. The crackers are baked in a tradi tional brick oven, and they are thin, crunchy and tasty! Carr’s crackers are great for providing crunch without overpowering the meat, cheese or jams with additional flavor.

Whatever route you go, don’t leave off the crunch carbs from your charcuterie board.

Mark LaFay is a butcher, certified sommelier and founder of Old Major Market, 4011 N. Pennsylvania St., Indianapolis.

Where’s Amy?

Amy Pauszek is a photographer, award winning film producer and scouting and casting associate for Talent Fusion Agency in Indianapolis. She can be reached at Amy@ youarecurrent.com. To see more of her photos, visit currentnightandday.com.

Commentary by Mark LaFay

In light of the great celebration of car bohydrates also known as the holidays, it is only fitting that we take a look at some great carby, critical charcuterie components (score 4 points for the alliteration). Crackers, bread, and toast are must-haves for a successful charcuterie board. They are delicious on their own. They also serve as excellent vehicles for deliver ing meat, cheese and accoutrements to your mouth. Unlike the ballpark hot dog bun, the crumble of toast and the crunch of a cracker provide additional dimension to your munch ing experience besides having tasty flavors that can be savory and sweet.

Where’s Amy attends IBC’s ‘The Nutcracker’

Visiting Chicago’s Millennium and Maggie Daley Parks

Commentary by Don Knebel

Keeping watch for sasquatch

Commentary

by Curtis Honeycutt

My daughter has started roaming the streets looking for Bigfoot clues. Accord ing to her kindergarten classmates, Big foot only comes out at night, and that’s when he drops clues around the neighborhood. While on walks with our puppy, my daughter finds interesting rocks, oddly shaped pieces of mulch and even the occasional rusty shard of unknown garbage. All of these items are clues. My friend Byron (the con spiracy theory enthusiast) is thrilled by my daughter’s new Bigfoot obsession.

GRAMMAR GUY

abominable snowmen to adnominals, or adnouns. No, these aren’t nouns you find in popup ads on websites; adnouns are adjectives used as nouns. While I’ve written before about the “verbification” of nouns; now we’re going to “nounify” some adjectives.

Here’s an easy example to understand adnouns: “…the land of the free and the home of the brave.” At the end of “The Star-Spangled Banner” (an unfortunate na tional anthem because who has that kind of vocal range?) we find two adjectives used as nouns. “Free” and “brave” stand alone as adnouns here.

In the “Sermon on the Mount” in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus says, “Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.” Here again we see an adjective — the word “meek” — standing alone as a noun.

Today, we visit Millennium Park and Mag gie Daley Park, which each year draw mil lions of people, including fami lies, to the heart of Chicago. Millennium Park lies just west of Lake Michigan, between Randolph and East Monroe streets. Named for the third millennium, the 25-acre park opened in 2004, four years behind schedule.

TRAVEL

The park cost $475 million to construct, about half provided by private donors in exchange for naming rights. The Jay Pritzker Pavilion features a band shell designed by architect Frank Gehry, with 4,000 perma nent seats and lawn space for 7,000 more. The AT&T plaza features “Cloud Gate,” a three-story sculpture designed by Anish Kapoor. Nicknamed “The Bean” because of its shape, the sculpture, made from 168 sheets of polished stainless steel, reflects the nearby skyline. Crown Fountain, named for Chicago’s Crown Family, includes a black granite reflecting pool between two glass brick towers. The 50-foot-tall towers display videos of the faces of about 1.000 Chicagoland residents, with water appear ing to flow from the subject’s mouth about every five minutes. The 2.5-acre Lurie Gar den, named for philanthropist Anne Lurie, features perennials, trees, grasses, shrubs and trees.

Maggie Daley Park is named for the wife of longtime Chicago Mayor Richard Michael Daley. She died of cancer in 2011. Lying be tween Columbus Drive and Lake Shore Drive, the 20-acre park is linked to Millennium Park by the BP Pedestrian Bridge, a winding footbridge over Columbus Drive. The park

many attractions for families and children, including a quarter-mile ice-skat ing ribbon, rock-climbing walls, tennis courts and a miniature golf course featuring Chicago highlights. A 3-acre Play Garden for children 12 and under includes the popular Enchanted Forest.

In 2021, Millennium Park and Maggie Daley Park collectively attracted about 25 million visitors, making them among the top 10 most popular destinations in the United States.

As a kid, I wasn’t as concerned about Bigfoot. Instead, I lost sleep over the Okie Ogre, a nocturnal monster who ate family pets and spit out their bones in the driveway. Was the Okie Ogre merely a freakishly large raccoon, or had the abominable snowman missed a left turn at Albuquerque? Was it even real? It’s hard to say. Perhaps I should have been getting ready for a yeti or keeping watch for a sasquatch.

It’s time to make a hard pivot from

Curtis Honeycutt is a national award-winning, syndicated humor writer. Connect with him on Twitter (@curtishoneycutt) or at curtishoneycutt.com.

Knebel is a local resident. For the full column visit donknebel.com. You may contact him at editorial@ youarecurrent.com.

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The “Cloud Gate” sculpture in Chicago’s Millennium Park. (Photos by Don Knebel)

Don

Don Knebel at Maggie Daley Park in Chicago.

Crown Fountain in Millennium Park.

best candidate is a motivated,

Nuts: ALMOND, CASHEW, HAZELNUT, PEANUT, PECAN, WALNUT; Characters: BRUCE, JOKER, PENGUIN, RIDDLER, ROBIN; Holders: CUP, GLASS, MUG, TUMBLER; Companies: KAFFEINE, NEIDHAMMER, RABBLE; Arsenal: AVENUE, TECH; Attraction: CONNER PRAIRIE

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