Columbus Magazine | June 2018

June 2018 | VOL 7, ISSUE 2

Where the Heart Is Miller House site manager Ben Wever shares his love of the iconic home

Taste» Instagram-Worthy Drinks community» Gardening Clubs travel» Cranbrook Connection Columbus Magazine

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contents

June 2018

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24 Feature story

Growing Good Stuff

Garden clubs change the community landscape On the cover

Ben Wever photographed

by Adam Reynolds 4

Columbus Magazine

Colon & Rectal Specialist

WELCOMING PATIENTS Ben Tsai, MD, of Indiana Colon & Rectal Specialists, a Franciscan Physician Network practice, is welcoming new patients in Columbus.

Dr. Tsai specializes in: Diseases of the colon, rectum and anus with an emphasis on colorectal cancer screening Diverticular disease Hemorrhoids

Surgical management of colorectal cancer Inflammatory bowel disease Bowel incontinence Colonoscopy

BEN TSAI, MD, FACS, FASCRS Colon & Rectal Surgeon

Watch a video profile of Dr. Tsai by visiting FranciscanDocs.org.

123 2nd St. I Columbus, IN 47201 I (317) 528-2270

IndianaColonandRectal.com

(317) 528-2270

contents

MEdley

12 14 16 18

What do you think?

Trends For what it’s worth Book Nook

20 Instagram-worthy taste

Cocktails

30 VimCare Goodwill

34 Cranbrook Travel

38 Madison Worth the Trip

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The Sparkling Luna at Tre Bicchieri

Ben Wever

44 Musical Intruments Indiana MAde

48 Ben Wever Profile

in every issue

52 60

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our side of town The Big Picture

Columbus Magazine

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June 20, 2018 Volume 7, Issue 2

Publisher

AIM Media Indiana Chuck Wells

Editorial

Editor Paul Hoffman Copy Editor Katharine Smith Designer Margo Wininger

Henry Social Club is a unique culinary gem in the heart of Columbus, Indiana. Since opening in late 2014, the HSC staff, under the direction of owner and chef Gethin Thomas, have presented an exciting selection of large and small plate dishes, including steaks, homemade breads, pastas, salads, and desserts. The beverage program includes an extensive selection of ďŹ ne spirits, creative cocktails, and a world class wine selection.

With a warm, sleek interior, a private event space, and an open concept kitchen, Henry Social Club offers the kind of restaurant experience you would ďŹ nd in a large city, right in our hometown.

Contributors Rebecca Berfanger, Carla Clark, Ali Hendricks, Bud Herron, Sara McAninch, Adam Reynolds, Jon Shoulders, Glenda Winders, CJ Woodring

Advertising

Advertising Art Director Amanda Waltz Advertising Design Dondra Brown, John Cole, Ashley Curry, Julie Daiker, Jessica Dell, Kassi Hattabaugh, Josh Meyer, Tina Ray, Robert Wilson Advertising Operations Manager Kathy Burnett Advertising Operations Coordinator Cat Cooper Account Executives Rhonda Day, Maranda Morgan, Cody Penrose

Chef and staff with cast from "Columbus"

(812) 799-1371 | 423 Washington St.

Dinner Hours: Opens at 5PM, Tuesday - Saturday Call us to schedule your next private event in our Clandestine Room.

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Columbus Magazine

LINK CALIBRE 17 AUTOMATIC

Chris Hemsworth works hard and chooses his roles carefully. He handles pressure by taming it, and turning it to his advantage. #DontCrackUnderPressure was coined with him in mind.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT REALTOR® IS EVERYTHING!

Scott Taskey 812-343-1781

June 20, 2018 Volume 7, Issue 2

24 YEARS EXPERIENCE

Reader Services

OVER $200 MILLION IN CLOSED SALES

Mailing Address P.O. Box 3011 Columbus, IN 47202 Advertising Inquiries (812) 379-5655

Breeden Realtors STaskey@C21BR.com 700 Washington Street, Columbus, IN 47201

Story Ideas jelig@aimmediaindiana.com Voices Please send letters to the address above or to ColumbusMag@therepublic.com.

Be sure to include your full name, city, state and phone number. Letters sent to Columbus magazine become the magazine’s property, and it owns the rights to their use. Columbus magazine reserves the right to edit letters for clarity and length.

Back Issues To order back issues of Columbus magazine, please send $5 per issue (includes S&H) to the mailing address above or call (800) 435-5601. Please include the address to which your copies should be sent. PDF files are available for a fee of $20 per page and are permitted for personal use only. ©2018 by AIM Media Indiana All rights reserved. Reproduction of stories, photographs and advertisements without permission is prohibited.

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Columbus Magazine

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What Do You Think?

In each issue of Columbus, we ask local folks or visitors for their opinions on a variety of topics. This month’s question:

“Our entire family enjoys the summer concert series on Thursdays sponsored by the arts council (Neighborfest) and the big outdoor concerts at Mill Race near Labor Day and also enjoy the block party concert downtown.”

— Bonnie Jarvis

What’s your favorite summer event?

Compiled By Carla Clark

“A couple of the things I enjoy doing are taking advantage of the 22 miles of People Trail. I am an avid cyclist and am constantly on those trails trying to get into shape for some longer rides. The People Trail is a great opportunity to stay safe and also allows me to do something I am very passionate about.

The other thing I enjoy doing is kayaking on the Driftwood River. What great opportunities to get outside and really follow one’s passions with all the recreational opportunities.”

“Our favorite part during the summer is after dinner when the whole family just walks around in Columbus.

There are a lot of good changes in Columbus, and we are really excited about that. Everything is developing and is improving; we are proud of the city. There are a lot of new shops and restaurants opening downtown.”

— Yun Yang (Laura)

—Michelle and Tony Owens

— Randy Gratz

“One of my favorite things to do with my 5-year-old son is swim at Donner pool, and one of my favorite things to do in Columbus as an adult is go to the beer festival (Craft Beer Festival) they have at Mill Race every year.” — Shayna Heavern with son, Lynx Lawson

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Columbus Magazine

“My favorite activity during the summer is the music and the BBQ, Blues and Brew.

— Courtney Ziegler

“We like coming downtown for the street festivals, like the BBQ, Blues and Brew and the car show. Coming to the restaurants and sitting outside and having a glass of wine and a snack at the Savory Swine, Tre Bicchieri and 4th Street. We love all the outdoor seating in Columbus.”

My family takes advantage of the various weekend festivals with our 13-year-old son, the rib fest (BBQ, Blues and Brews), the first Thursday of each month events on Washington Street (Neighborfest), and there is also the car show that they enjoy.”

—Scott Strietelmeier

“My favorite thing to do during the summer is riding my bike. There are good trails in town, and there are lots of good places to ride outside of town.”

— Charlie Allen

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trends

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2

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5

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‘Sup, dudes?

Here are six ways to have a manly summer.

And if your Father’s Day wasn’t all you hoped, treat yourself to one of these.

By Ali Hendricks

Green Egg, $3991. Big $859. Thompson’s Furniture, 2440 Central Ave Rambler with 2. Yeti Handle, $29/$10.

Thompson’s Furniture Shirt, $70.

3. Columbus Dell Brothers, 416 Washington St watch, $205.

4. Seiko Max’s Jewelry, 401 Washington St Pocket Wallets, 5. Front $45-$55. Baker’s Fine Gifts & Accessories, 433 Washington St Blue Shirt, $40 6. Jaxon and Navy Drawstring Shorts, $38. Boutique Elise, 408 Washington St

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Columbus Magazine

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For what it’s worth

Knot to worry — weddings fall into place

By Bud Herron

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Columbus Magazine

»

Sometime around her first birthday, a little girl crawls to the corner of her mother’s bedroom and begins to read the dog-eared stack of wedding magazines bequeathed to her grandmother in her great-grandmother’s last will and testament.

According to the science of statistical analysis, the process of planning the perfect wedding will take — on average — another 18 to 30 years. The little girl’s life will drift through teething, bouts with the flu, dead gerbils, home runs, missed free throws, romantic

rejections, algebra and a wilted corsage that didn’t match the color of her prom dress, but the wedding planning will go on, undeterred.

At times, the planned event will revolve around a Columbus East High School theme, with an orange wedding gown for the bride and an Olympic torch adorning the wedding cake. She will pick out 14 bridesmaids from among her freshman class friends and have them wear puff-sleeve, purple dresses with necklines low enough to highlight large, heart-shaped tattoos with the name of the groom in the center.

By the time she is a college junior, her plans will have evolved to a more traditional wedding, downsized to about 400 guests and moved to a romantic beach in the Cayman Islands. Word will begin to leak out to her parents back home. Dad and stepmom and mom and stepdad will take second jobs as the mothers eagerly anticipate the coming event and the fathers run calculators long into the night.

In spite of all the years of planning, Mr. or Ms. Right has not appeared. Still, no need to panic, the details for the wedding are yet to be completed. Decorations and dress colors aside, she begins to focus on the ceremony and the reception.

By now, the prospective bride has attended about 35 weddings of friends and even has six, wornonce bridesmaid’s dresses in her closet to vouch for her matrimo-

nial education. She is bored with the traditional ceremony, so she writes her own vows, promising to live in holy matrimony unless her husband gets more than a little sick or brings home a Tibetan mastiff puppy to live in the same house with her cat.

For the reception, she plans to reject the clichéd, boring practices of smearing cake over each other’s faces, drinking a toast from fluted goblets and dancing the electric slide while drunk. Instead, she will extend the time allotted for the maid of honor to cry tender childhood memories and narrations of past embarrassing bonding moments unintelligibly into the microphone for the enjoyment of all. If the best man can be located and is relatively sober, he will be allowed to make some inappropriate remarks about the groom for about two minutes.

The day will be every bit as beautiful as the one she first planned at the age of 1, sitting atop the stack of Modern Bride magazines in her mother’s bedroom.

Bud Herron is a writer and former editor and publisher for various newspapers and magazines in Indiana and Texas. A native of Hope, he retired in 2007 as group publisher for Home News Enterprises, the former owner of The Republic. He and his wife, Ann, live in Columbus.

Columbus Magazine

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book nook

“Everybody’s Son”

By Thrity Umrigar

“The Bear and the Nightingale” and “The Girl in the Tower”

By Katherine Arden If you are a fan of fairy tales or historical fiction, I highly recommend starting this series. These books tell the story of Vasya, a young Russian girl, during medieval times. Vasya has magical abilities that put her in danger of being seen as a witch by the local villagers. These abilities lead her on some exciting adventures. The trilogy is a modern retelling of old Russian tales, written for adults. I cannot wait until the third in the series — “Winter of the Witch” — comes out in July. — Reviewed by Celia Allman-Watts

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Columbus Magazine

This book begs a discussion about race, power, privilege and those who suffer at the hands of this unholy trinity. Umrigar’s novel centers on a young biracial boy, Anton, whose beloved, crack-addicted mother, Juanita, has left him alone for a week in their stifling hot apartment with no food or water. Anton breaks a window, making a bloody escape, and is rescued by the police. With his mother awaiting a jail sentence on various charges, Anton is placed in the custody of DCS and then in foster care.

A powerful white judge who has lost his only son in a tragic accident is made aware of Anton’s situation and, believing an adoption will help his wife surface from her utter despair over the loss of their son, arranges to have Anton placed with them. Raised in the privileged environment where he very often finds himself the only person of color, he is expected to adjust, excel and succeed. Not wanting to disappoint his father, Anton rises to the challenge and follows in his father’s footsteps at Harvard and then mounts a successful run for attorney general.

It’s during this time that he receives a letter from his mother that will shatter everything he thinks he knows about his life, his identity and those who claim him as a son. — Reviewed by Michelle Malina

Reviews by the staff of Viewpoint Books

“The Woman in the Window”

By A. J. Finn I loved this book. It’s a great psychological thriller. Anna Fox is an agoraphobic who has not left her home in 10 months. The author does a wonderful job of introducing and developing all the characters, and you really want to know how Anna, who was a strong professional woman, became this way. You empathize with her confinement and want to understand her. That is only the mystery about her. She stumbles into a situation that will keep you on the edge of your seat. What is real? What facts are being changed in her mind? Whom can she trust? It feels a lot like the film “Rear Window,” and it’s going to make a great movie on its own. — Reviewed by Melinda Clark

“I’ll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman’s Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer”

By Michelle McNamara If you enjoy true crime, you will love this book. If you have never read true crime but like mysteries, then this is the book you must read. For over a decade a madman terrorized California, raping 45 women and murdering a dozen people. For 40 years the Golden State Killer was unknown and perhaps living among the people he terrorized. (Note: The alleged killer was arrested this spring.)

The author, who died unexpectedly prior to the completion of the book, and her relentless pursuit of the killer have led to renewed interest in this case. McNamara expertly weaves together the police reports, investigator interviews and victim statements to tell a remarkable story of heinous crimes. This book is a can’t-putdown, keep-you-on-the-edgeof-your-seat thriller. You might think about the dark in a different way. — Reviewed by Theresa Wilson

“Strength in Stillness”

By Bob Roth Looking for a remedy to the constant noise and stress of everyday life? Roth suggests that transcendental meditation, practiced for 20 minutes twice a day, will improve your health and well-being. He is not a New Age type of guy. He describes himself as a “natural skeptic, obsessed with science” who likes things to be “simple, practical and thoroughly, unassailably logical.” Teaching this form of meditation has been his full-time job for 45 years, and his students range from multimillionaires to homeless veterans who sought transcendental meditation to reduce stress, heal their bodies (it’s proven to reduce blood pressure) or sleep better. You won’t learn how to meditate from this book, but you’ll learn all the reasons why you should pursue instruction from a teacher like Roth if you want to feel better every day for the rest of your life. — Reviewed by Beth Stroh

Columbus Magazine

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Taste henrysocialclub

Click.

Post.

Like.

Five Instagram Worthy Drinks in Downtown Columbus

By Sara McAninch Photography

by Ali Hendricks

There are drinks that you ingest without a second thought. And then there are drinks that make you pause and truly take it all in. Then you whip out the smartphone, snap a picture and post it to your Instagram account: they’re just that pretty.

Here, we highlight five of the most delectable drinks we found.

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Columbus Magazine

The Ghost of Harper Lee at Henry Social Club 423 Washington St. (812) 799-1371, henrysocialclub.com

»

Growing up many of us read “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee. When Henry Social Club was challenged by a customer to make a punny variation of Lee’s famous novel, bartender Chris Benjamin did just that with The Ghost of Harper Lee. This signature cocktail combines one ounce each of Blanco tequila, ruby port and grapefruit juice, and it’s topped off with an orange wheel. The garnish is an eye-catching contrast to the bright red-purple of the drink.

If you want to nibble on a tasty bite while sipping your crimson cocktail, try out any one of the seafood dishes as the perfect complement. While you’re there, check out the details the restaurant staff is proud of: juice that’s hand squeezed in-house at least every other day, recommendations on wine pairings with any starter, small plate or entrée, and assorted sizes and shapes for the ice cubes depending on the drink, to name a few.

trebcolumbus

4thstreetbarcolumbus

Sparkling Luna

Peach Sangria

425 Washington St. (812) 372-1962, trebicchieri-columbus.com

433 Fourth St. (812) 376-7063, 4thstreetbar.com

at Tre Bicchieri

»

With the word “sparkling” in its name, you’d expect Tre Bicchieri’s Sparkling Luna cocktail to have some bubbles, and you’d be right. Topped with prosecco to add some fizzy fun, all of the ingredients combined make this drink stand out.

Starting with the elderflower liqueur St-Germain, the Sparking Luna also includes Hard Truth Gin, lemon juice, simple syrup and Aperol, an Italian aperitif made with bitter orange and rhubarb, among other ingredients. An orange wedge garnish rounds out this bright orange cocktail that’s served in a champagne flute.

After you’re done uploading to Instagram, try the mussels, one of the signature salads or any of the fish offerings.

While ownership of the restaurant changed about six months ago, the ambience and welcoming environment haven’t. Tre Bicchieri’s new owners still offer seasonal menu changes for both cocktails and food, as well as their standard year-round fare.

at 4th Street Bar & Grill

»

The first bite of a ripe peach tingles your mouth with the taste of sweet nectar. The peach sangria from 4th Street Bar & Grill takes this sweet flavor and creates a refreshing seasonal concoction that makes you wish you were sitting poolside while you sip.

Sangria is a chilled punch that is usually made with red wine and chopped fruit; lime juice or brandy may also be added. The peach sangria at 4th Street has a little bit of a Southern feel with peach schnapps, peach puree, Moscato wine, lemon juice and a fresh nectarine garnish served in a wine glass.

Food and drink specials change weekly, but one menu regular that pairs gamely with the peach sangria is the Coco Loco chicken: coconut breaded chicken breast topped with a sweet tropical hot sauce and mango salsa and served with a side of wild rice and fresh sautéed vegetables. While enjoying a sangria or two, check out trivia on Wednesdays and live music on Friday and Saturday nights.

Columbus Magazine

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taste

thegarage

Watermelon Lemon Drop Martini

at The Garage 308 Fourth St. (812) 418-8918, thegaragepubandgrill.com

»

Some of the most popular summer treats include watermelon and lemonade, and The Garage pairs these two flavors in its watermelon lemon drop martini.

Starting out as half Luksusowa vodka (a potato-based vodka from Poland) and half Three Olives Fresh Watermelon vodka, the drink then gets a splash of Cointreau, a dash of fresh lemon juice, watermelon pucker and house-made simple syrup.

Add a lemon twist and some sugar to the rim, and you have a cocktail that’s sure to satisfy on a balmy day.

Five nights of the week The Garage features live music, trivia or karaoke, so there’s almost always something fun to enjoy while sipping summer in a glass. The restaurant also features an extensive menu, including chicken nachos with spicy homemade queso, and The Natural, a wrap with roasted red pepper hummus, lots of fresh vegetables and a wasabi cucumber ranch sauce you can’t get at any other downtown restaurant.

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Columbus Magazine

lucianas

Coronarita

at Luciana’s 310 Washington St. (812) 799-7223, lucianasmexicanrestaurant.com/columbus

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One of the newest restaurants to open in downtown Columbus is already making a name for itself with tasty and inexpensive Mexican dishes. But don’t overlook the drinks menu, which includes the Coronarita: a fun twist on the standard margarita.

Either frozen or on the rocks, the Coronarita starts out as the 16-ounce house margarita (think: margarita mix and tequila) with a seven-ounce Corona piggybacked onto it. The holder for the Corona ensures that the beer flows down and mixes with the margarita at the right pace.

The Coronarita pairs well and looks great next to enchiladas verdes, that is, three grilled chicken enchiladas covered in a mild green sauce, or the tacos al pastor, which are tacos with marinated pork and pineapple slices.

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The Visitors Center Gift Shop is not just for visitors!

Stop in to find unique local, regional, and handmade items to fit any budget. Open 9-5 Mon-Sat, 12-5 Sun. Visit us at 506 Fifth Street, downtown Columbus

Columbus Magazine

23

Community

how’s it growing?

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Columbus Magazine

Mudlark Photos by carla clark

Garden clubs help keep Columbus blooming

By Rebecca Berfanger

Carol Evans, left, and Judy Shepherd, right, with the Let’s Grow Garden Club, water flowers along Friendship Alley. Opposite page, Mudlarks Garden Club members work on their annual planting in the beds surrounding the Bartholomew County Courthouse

Columbus Magazine

25

Community

As a Columbus Area Vistors Center tour goes by, Sharon Baldwin continues to plant impatiens during Mudlarks Garden Club annual planting in the beds surrounding the Bartholomew County Courthous

to the parking garage at Jackson and Fourth streets.

Meanwhile, Flower Lane Garden Club is responsible for about a half-dozen projects around the city, including the grounds of the Jeanne Lewellen Norbeck Chapel at the airport. As another group maintains the inside greenery, Flower Lane members keep up the grounds and will provide a seasonal wreath for the chapel, which was named for a member of the Women Airforce Service Pilots.

F

For many years and counting, between Mother’s Day and Memorial Day you can find members of the Mudlarks Garden Club planting annuals around the Bartholomew County Courthouse as a project that connects club members but also promotes a sense of pride in their community for the public.

Then there’s the Let’s Grow Garden Club, responsible for freshening up Friendship Way, the artful alley in the 400 block of Washington Street leading

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Columbus Magazine

Service takes root When it comes to public horticulture, “I consider garden clubs to be service clubs like Kiwanis or Rotary Club,” says Kris Medic, agriculture, natural resources and community development educator at the Purdue Extension in Columbus.

“They provide scholarships to students to further their education in horticulture. They provide public education,” she says. “Plantings not only change how an area looks, but also how it feels. Plantings can provide environmental services, such as limiting the amount of storm water runoff, by reducing energy use by moderating temperatures in an area with plantings.”

To decide what to plant at the courthouse, says Sharon Baldwin, who joined Mudlarks about 11 years ago, they have a committee for planning, and all 20 members contribute to planting and maintenance.

Jill Forster, Mudlarks Garden Club member, gets some help from her husband, Steve Forster, spreading the mulch

“We try different things, change it up a little every year. We’ve found out what works best for color and maintenance,” she says.

Let’s Grow also plans what will go into its designated space. That club, which now has about 30 members, first got involved with Friendship Way in 2016 after a tour with Becky Church, who plants and waters flower pots around Columbus. The tour included the alley, a gift in 1998 from the citizens of sister city Miyoshi, Japan.

It’s next to Dell Brothers and near Fresh Take Restaurant.

Member Carolyn Trueblood says Let’s Grow contacted the city about working in the alley, and the city accepted their offer.

Green for green Garden clubs raise money to pay for plants and materials through fundraisers or are self-funded. In the case of Let’s Grow, Trueblood gives credit to Dell

“I consider garden clubs to be service clubs like Kiwanis or Rotary Club.”

— Kris Medic

Brothers and other local businesses for supporting them in terms of providing a water source, tools and storage space to Let’s Grow for the alley project.

For the actual plants they choose, which are changed in spring, summer and fall, plus a winter scene, Trueblood

says the garden club takes hints from the bright colored sculptures hanging from the top: yellows, pinks, greens and purples, plus the alley windows on the Dell Brothers’ side that are colorfully painted.

In addition to outdoor plantings, Flower Lane, which was founded in 1951, also has a program where the members go to Children Inc. on a seasonal basis.

They provide everything needed to make a flower- or plant-related project.

But it’s not just the gardening aspect of these clubs that keeps people coming back; it’s the sense of community among the members and the regular opportunities for educational programming. Sally Fribley, a member of Flower Lane, says that garden club is also “nonpolitical” Columbus Magazine

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Community

Mandy Miller, with the Let’s Grow Garden Club, pull weeds in Friendship Alley

and that they are just “environmentally concerned and want to make the world a better place.”

For instance, Fribley shares concerns about invasive species and plants sold at chain garden and home improvement stores even though they aren’t native to the area. She also mentions the need for more native plants and wildflowers to help with the diminishing bee population.

Let the good times grow Trueblood, who has been involved with Let’s Grow for about six years, says she also enjoys the social aspect of meeting with other members not only to work on the project, usually a handful of them will be there at the same time, but 28

Columbus Magazine

for the group-wide monthly lunches and programs. The club is planning to meet with a chef to hear about the greenhouse he uses, and they’ll learn about butterfly gardens.

Baldwin, who is also involved with the Garden Club of Indiana Inc., a member of National Garden Clubs Inc., says she also has appreciated getting to know members of her group and other clubs around the state. She adds that garden clubs that belong to the Garden Club of Indiana help raise funds for scholarships for students looking to study different aspects of horticulture.

Medic frequently speaks with garden clubs in the area on a variety of topics, including sustainability and environmental services when it comes to land-

scaping, including invasive plants and gardening skills. She has also given talks about caring for and selecting trees.

“Sometimes I will take a pile of books from my book collection and talk about different authors from different periods, including women gardening writers and the contributions they made to the science and art of gardening,” Medic adds.

As for getting involved in a garden club, it’s not necessary to be a master gardener or to already have all of the answers. You just need a willingness to learn and to get your hands dirty. (Also, while most garden clubs don’t have an online presence, the Garden Club of Indiana and Medic have lists of local garden club presidents and can provide information.)

Mudlarks, 1990

“It’s a very healthy pastime,” says Fribley. “It’s like therapy for me. I just feel good if I’m outdoors. I enjoy puttering around in the yard and sharing my plants and what I learn.”

“It’s fun to get outside and try different plants and see what grows,” says Trueblood. “Whether it’s flowers or herbs or vegetables, Indiana has great temps to grow summer crops.”

Plus, the garden club projects provide members a connection to the community, says Baldwin. When members of the Mudlarks are planting or maintaining the grounds at the courthouse, “people will stop to tell us how much they appreciate it and stop to ask questions.

When I was out there the other day, a gentleman asked me a question about irises. He asked, ‘Where can I find that one?’ I had to tell him he probably won’t find the exact same one because this is one [that] one of our members brought here years ago.”

While it may seem like a small thing, she adds, “It gives you a lot of satisfaction, volunteering to keep the grounds beautiful. It also brings pleasure to other people. Flowers just add a quiet enjoyment to life.”

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Goodwill

Helping Hand

in health

F

VIMCare provides hope and healing

By Rebecca Berfanger

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Columbus Magazine

For more than 20 years, low-income residents of Bartholomew County have had an option for primary care through the program originally called Volunteers in Medicine, which was started as a way to serve uninsured patients.

Although the structure and name changed in 2016 due to regulations in eligibility for health care coverage, namely the Healthy Indiana Plan, also known as HIP 2.0, the mission remains the same:

“We welcome those in need, to come without fear, And we invite those who serve, to come without pride, So that their meeting may bring healing and hope to both.”

Dr. Sherman Franz, one of the founding physicians of VIM, can still recite the mission from memory. “In 1994, some of us got together and decided we needed to have a free clinic here,” he says. “Many Photos provided by Columbus Regional Health

Front row: Drs. David Rau, Amy Hale and Sherman Franz.

Back: VIMCare manager Chris Abney. Drs. Rau and Franz were integral in the start-up of the original Volunteers in Medicine and still provide some consultations when needed. Dr. Hale is the primary care provider at the now VIMCare clinic.

people couldn’t get care due to having no insurance.”

Driven by a mission The clinic opened in 1996, and as the name suggests, volunteer physicians and nurses gave their time to see patients who were qualified to receive their assistance. Since the clinic evolved into VIMCare to serve patients under the Healthy Indiana Plan and in order to

be reimbursed for those services, the mission hasn’t changed.

“It was a mission-driven organization and will continue to be a mission-driven organization,” says Julie Abedian, Columbus Regional Health Foundation president and Columbus Regional Health vice president of corporate responsibility and community partnerships.

The current staff includes Franz, who serves as a psychiatric consultant, and Dr. Amy Hale, who was a volunteer for VIM when she was growing up in Columbus.

Hale started at the clinic as the primary care physician in 2016.

“In some ways, I think VIMCare is a hybrid model. We still see a lot of VIM patients who can’t access insurance due to immigration status or financial barriers.

We still have a responsibility to take care of those patients. It’s the right thing to do and also the financially responsible thing to do,” says Hale, referring to patients who would otherwise go to the emergency room, where health care is much more expensive than meeting with a primary care doctor.

“I envision VIMCare to be very low barrier, where we welcome anyone who comes to our door, so we can help move them to self-sufficiency,” she says.

VIMCare is also unlike many primary care providers because of the different services it offers, often in the same visit.

Those services include acute primary care, such as ear infections and strep throat; annual physicals and sports physicals; chronic care management, Columbus Magazine

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Goodwill

such as high blood pressure and diabetes; behavioral health, such as mental health and substance misuse; self-care resources; lifestyle and education programs; and medication assistance.

For instance, if a patient comes in to meet with the primary care physician to talk about diabetes or high blood pressure, he can also see a mental health professional in the same visit instead of needing to schedule another appointment at another office for a different day.

“We call it a warm hand-off from physician to the care provider,” says Franz.

Subhead: Huge benefits The patient can meet with Elizabeth Patton, a licensed clinical social worker, who can do an initial evaluation. If she determines that the patient could benefit from assistance with a mental health con-

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cern, she’ll ask a few more questions and program serves not only VIMCare patients, make recommendations for treatment but all uninsured and low-income people on the spot, and the physician will know in our health system,” adds Abedian. about her recommendations to determine A third service provided by VIMCare is what can be done moving forward to chronic disease management, something address that issue. that helps patients “This is a huge achieve a conti“We receive so much benefit for patients nuity of care, says support. People have and providers,” says Hale. “Many of our opened their doors to Abedian, adding it’s patients’ circumour patients, opened their already difficult for stances change week hearts to our patients, made many VIMCare pato week and month time to help our patients.” tients to get to their to month,” she says.

— Amy Hale appointments due to “But we can provide financial and other continuity of care barriers, such as transportation. regardless of employment or transportaVIMCare also offers medication assistion or financial barriers or circumstanctance to connect patients with programs es. We can help them access care and that offer low- or no-cost medicine if they medications, even if there has been a lapse can’t afford it. “The medication assistance in coverage.”

As one of the terms of accepting HIP 2.0 patients, VIMCare can no longer have volunteer medical providers at the clinic.

The organization does, however, have several go-to doctors in the community who will take on VIMCare patients at a discount. “We’re also working on innovative solutions to help patients get all the care they need,” says Hale. “We want them happy and healthy. We want them to thrive. We don’t want them to have to go to the ER or hospital.”

“These are very complicated cases,” adds Franz. “Many of them have five or six really difficult medical problems that are quite complicated. It’s just wonderful there is someone there to try to figure that out and get other help from other physicians and make it so that patient is cared for.”

Hale adds that while the work has been challenging, the Columbus Regional Health staff, including specialists, has been a tremendous help to VIMCare’s medical staff and patients. “We receive so much support,” she says. “People have opened their doors to our patients, opened their hearts to our patients, made time to help our patients.”

When

Quality Matters!

Help for help VIMCare also continues to receive financial support from the Columbus Regional Health Foundation, which accepts donations that go to VIMCare programs.

There is also a reverse raffle every November. A reverse raffle, for those who have never attended, awards the grand prize to the last ticket drawn, not the first. These raucous but formal VIMCare events keep the audience engaged until the end. The reverse raffle raised more than $173,000 in 2017, with a near sellout crowd of about 450 people. The 2015 raffle broke records, with attendance of 492 people and $189,000 raised.

In line with this year’s reverse raffle tagline, “Wouldn’t it be nice,” the event will include beachy decorations and a Beach Boys cover band, Abedian says. The tagline ties in neatly with reminders of VIMCare’s mission, i.e., “Wouldn’t it be nice if everyone had access to health care?” or “Wouldn’t it be nice if everyone could receive the medications they need?” Such reminders will be placed prominently around the November event.

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Even though there are no longer medical volunteers at VIMCare, Hale hopes there will continue to be opportunities for community support, including education programs for patients, administrative support and the ongoing language interpretation needs. She would also like to find a way for students to be able to learn from the work that is being done there.

“Several students have come to VIMCare for a social studies project,” she says. “They ask to shadow for a day, want to learn more. That has been exciting to see the students. There could also be opportunities for educating nurse practitioners or medical students or high school students with an interest in this work so we could be raising the next generation to do similar work.”

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Travel

The dining room of the Saarinen House in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

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Columbus Magazine

Curtains separate the dining room and living room in the Saarinen House.

The Cranbrook Connection Columbus’ ties to Michigan modernism

By Glenda Winders

Take an architectural tour around Columbus and chances are good that, at some point along the way, the guide will mention Cranbrook. But why does Cranbrook, a little more than five hours away in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, have pull in Columbus? And what is Cranbrook exactly: a school, a studio, a university, an art school, an institute of science, a museum, a library, a residence?

The answer is all of the above.

Similar to Columbus, Cranbrook offers a space that respects the past while it encourages looking to the future. The complex that is Cranbrook came into being when George Booth and his wife, Ellen Scripps Booth, owners of several newspapers including the Detroit News, bought a rundown farm in what is now the upscale Bloomfield Hills suburb of Detroit. They named their estate Cranbrook after the English town in Kent from which George’s

Photos provided by Cranbrook Center for Collections and Research/Jim Haefner

family had come.

The wealthy couple wanted to share their bounty by creating a place of education, spirituality and beauty, with an academy for art like those they had seen in Rome. They envisioned a practical place where artists could work alongside their mentors to create art rather than just study it.

“Booth had a vision but no plan,” says Gregory M. Wittkopp, director of the Cranbrook Center for Collections and Research. In time the community grew organically, eventually coming to include a church, a grammar school, two preparatory schools (one for boys, one for girls), a high school, the Cranbrook Academy of Art and the Cranbrook Institute of Science.

In 1927 Booth hired Finnish architect Eliel Saarinen, then a visiting professor at the University of Michigan, to design the buildings and help him establish the art academy, and that’s where the Columbus connection began.

Coming to Columbus In the early 1940s, when plans for a Gothic church in downtown Columbus had to be abandoned because of the architect’s illness, a young J. Irwin Miller helped convince the elders of his congregation to commission Saarinen to design one of the first modern churches in the United States, First Christian Church. Saarinen’s wife, Loja Saarinen, designed the tapestry that hangs in the sanctuary. As founder of the weaving department at Cranbrook Academy of Art, Loja oversaw the tapestry’s fabrication in Michigan. Their son, Eero Saarinen, worked alongside his father. Ray and Charles Eames, colleagues from the art academy, designed some of the furniture, such as the kidney-shaped tables in the Sunday school rooms.

In 1950, Miller invited Eero, a fellow Yale graduate, to design a lake cottage in Muskoka, Ontario, Canada, followed by the all-glass Irwin Union Bank in downtown Columbus and finally his own home. Eero Columbus Magazine

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travel The “cozy corner” in the Saarinen House.

had lived with his parents at Cranbrook and designed some of the furniture and appointments for their living space. That influence is evident in similarities between the family’s residence — which is now open for tours — and the Miller House.

Total design Wittkopp says the “cozy corner” in the studio area of the Saarinens’ on-campus home could well have been a precursor to the conversation pit in the Miller House; the similarities in the dining rooms are remarkable, from the curtain that separates this area from the living room to the chandelier and architect-designed round table and chairs.

Both houses employ the Cranbrook ideal of total design, with no detail overlooked and one room flowing naturally to the next. Some of the leather-bound books in the Saarinen library turn out to be paperbacks: Eliel wanted to keep the books he loved, but he didn’t want their covers to detract from his home’s décor.

“When it comes to a total work of art, it doesn’t get any better than this,” Wittkopp says of the Saarinen home, an opinion echoed by Tricia Gilson, archivist and curator at the Columbus Indiana Architectural Archives, when she compared it to the Eero Saarinen-designed Miller House, located on a 14.5-acre plot of land off Washington Street.

“All of the parts came together to create one beautiful thing,” she says. “They had a way of thinking about design that was much broader than we do today. Design was everything – all aspects of one’s life.”

Miller House visitors will recall the monogrammed dinner napkins, the specially designed Eames furniture on the patio, the textiles that cover the stereo speakers and the bottom of the piano being painted red for the benefit of those seated in the pit, among many other overall design elements and minute details.

The Saarinens and the Eameses led the creative parade to Columbus. Many of their art academy associates went on to leave 36

Columbus Magazine

their fingerprints on the city’s built landscape. Harry Weese, who designed more buildings in Columbus than any other single architect, including Northside Middle School, Lillian Schmitt Elementary School, First Baptist Church, the Hamilton Ice Center and many others, had a fellowship at Cranbrook. Susana Torre was director of the art academy in the 1990s. She’s the architect who designed Fire Station No. 5, the first in the country planned specifically to integrate women into the firefighting force.

Balthazar Korab, whose photographs chronicled Columbus’ growth as an architectural center, was on the President’s Design Advisory Committee at Cranbrook and documented the estate with a book of photos, “Genius Loci: Cranbrook.”

Eero’s frequent collaborator, Kevin Roche, went on to design the post office in

Columbus in partnership with John Dinkeloo, as well as the Cummins Corporate Office Building. As a Skidmore, Owings and Merrill architect, Edward Charles “Chuck” Bassett served as a design partner for Columbus’ City Hall; Bassett received his master’s degree in architecture from Cranbrook in 1951.

The ties that bind Today the Academy of Art graduate program offers degrees in 2-D design, 3-D design, architecture, ceramics, fiber, metalsmithing, painting, photography, print media and sculpture. And just as George Booth and Eliel Saarinen envisioned, students work under the guidance of artists in residence who design individual curricula for them rather than in traditional classrooms. Children take part in camps and enrichment programs every

summer. Visitors come from all over the world to see the art museum and library, which bears a façade unmistakably like that of First Christian Church. Visitors can also tour three historic homes and see the 40 acres of colorful, innovative gardens.

Far from being relegated to the pages of architectural history, the Columbus/Cranbrook connection continues to thrive. Tre Reising, a Columbus native who returned to the city after graduating from the sculpture program in 2013, created “Live, Love, Laugh, Laugh Until You Cry,” a permanent art installation of bright, oversized emojis at kidscommons children’s museum. Shelley Selim, curator of design and decorative arts at the Indianapolis Museum of Art and the person who provides curatorial

oversight of the Miller House and Garden, was the curator of the art museum at Cranbrook before she came to Indiana.

Jan Banister, guest services manager at the Columbus Area Visitors Center, trained and worked as an interior designer in Chicago; she frequently traveled to events at Cranbrook. Last year her interest was rekindled when she returned for the Girard exhibit, and now she is a member.

“I recognize Cranbrook as one of the most evolutionary and or revolutionary parts of the modern architecture and furniture story,” she says. “People support the things they believe in, the things that are important to them. If my one little membership helps maintain and support their programs, that’s a very pleasant thought.”

House Tours If you’re visiting Cranbook, check out Eliel Saarinen’s Art Deco masterwork during a tour of the Saarinen House. Designed in the late 1920s and located at the heart of Cranbrook Academy of Art, the house served as Eliel Saarinen’s home and studio.

During the 2018 tour season, all Saarinen House Tours will include the temporary exhibition “Saarinen House: Presidents/ Residents, 1946-1994.”

Staff guided public tours are scheduled 2 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Sundays through Nov. 25. Tours are limited to 12 guests and are $15 for adults. Information: center. cranbrook.edu/visit/saarinen-house

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Worth the Trip

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Columbus Magazine

on the

waterfront Madison is a river town to remember

By CJ Woodring

Columbus Magazine

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worth the trip

P

People have been attracted to water since the dawn of time.

From sea to shining sea, cities fortunate enough to claim a waterfront setting continue to cherish those liquid assets that enhance communities and attract visitors.

Perhaps no town in the Hoosier state presents its waterfront better than Madison, touted as the Midwest’s perfect historic getaway.

Founded in 1809 on the Ohio River, Madison snuggles up to the shoulders of southeastern Indiana’s rolling hills, fewer than 100 miles from the bustling state capital. It is a haven of serenity, boasting natural beauty and distinguished architecture in a friendly, closeknit community.

The town’s proximity to three large metro areas affords residents access to big-city amenities even as they enjoy smalltown ambience.

“It’s the best of both worlds because we’re uniquely set up

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Madison

Broadway Hotel & Tavern

and have a lot of things going on,” says Damon Welch, a Madison native and mayor since 2012. “We’re very diverse, and I think people come here to experience that.

Photos provided by Visit Madison, Inc

Saddletree Factory

Lanier State Historic Site

Old Railroad Caboose

“I often say we’re a tale of two cities, because we have the old historic downtown on the riverfront, and then we have north Madison — or what we call The Hilltop — which is a lot different because there’s a lot of manufacturing and commercial businesses there. But it’s a great thing because they really complement each other.”

Magical Madison Summertime in Madison translates to festivals, fun and whatever floats your jet boat. Ongoing events lure 400,000 global visitors throughout the year, most arriving from June through October to experience tradition as deep as the nearby river: Several annual celebrations have been held for decades, among them the Madison regatta and Madison RibberFest. A majority are held on the waterfront.

“Madison is an award-winning community on the move,” says Sarah Prasil, marketing and advertising director for Visit Madison Inc. “As both a top eight finalist in America’s Best Communities competition and a

Division 1 winning community in Indiana’s Stellar program in 2017, we’ve proven to have a strong foundation of people in our community who have dedicated themselves to finding ways to preserve our beautiful river town,” she says.

The city also boasts a strong arts scene and in 2015 was designated by the Indiana Arts Commission as Indiana’s sixth official Arts & Cultural District.

“We are proud to share all of the arts in this city, from big musical events to theater products, folk art and photography,” Prasil says. “We believe our visitors see and appreciate that, and it’s what keeps them coming back because it’s well worth the trip.”

The structurally and historically significant 133-block downtown area, known as the Madison Historic Landmark District, is the largest contiguous National Historic Landmark in the United States. Serving as the town’s centerpiece, the district showcases more than 2,000 19th-century historic buildings, including grand mansions. Some are open to the public as museums.

More than 20 restaurants serve the area, among them the Broadway Hotel & Tavern, established in 1834 and Indiana’s oldest tavern, and Key West Shrimp House, where diners enjoy seafood, steaks and chicken in an al fresco setting. Rembrandt’s Gallery & Wine Bar serves seasonal offerings and fine wines in a historic setting, while also displaying an artisan gallery.

Madison is a shopper’s and eater’s dream as it’s filled with eclectic specialty shops and restaurants, most locally owned and operated. Add to those nearly a dozen antique shops and malls, confectioners and cafés, art galleries and three award-winning artisan wineries, among seven located along the Southeastern Indiana Wine Trail.

Points of interest include the 1895 Madison Railroad Station Museum, which features an octagonal waiting room, stained glass windows and railroad memorabilia exhibits.

Walk this way Historic Madison’s walking tour season Columbus Magazine

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worth the trip

Clifty Falls State Park

runs from mid-April through October.

View the Jeremiah Sullivan House, Costigan House and Schroeder Saddletree Factory, the only restored saddletree factory in the United States.

In addition, Madison presents an Urban Barn Tour Hunt, the self-guided Madison Stained Glass Walking Tour, which includes 11 houses of worship, and the Behind the Scenes tour, which encourages visitors to poke into the city’s nooks and crannies.

Stroll the river bank and tour the Lanier State Historic Site, former mansion of banker James F.D. Lanier; travel the Ohio River Scenic Route, designated a National Scenic Byway; or set out on a two-hour, self-guided walking tour of downtown.

Or drive along the Underground Railroad tour, following routes traversed by runaway slaves.

Nearby scenic destinations include the Chief White Eye Trail in Canaan; the 185-mile John Hunt Morgan Heritage Trail, which runs through seven Indiana counties and played a major role in the Civil War’s Great Raid of 1863; and the lovely campus of Hanover College, a few miles from downtown Madison.

Prefer to just sit back and leave the driving to someone else? Broomtail Carriage Co. and Madison Trolley Inc. are at your service.

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Explore the outdoors Clifty Falls State Park, a mile west of downtown, is a year-round scenic panorama where fossil remains tell of ages past and sparkling waterfalls mark the seasons.

The centerpiece of Jefferson County, the 1,360-acre park was founded in 1920, offering myriad adventures. Pack a picnic. Watch the wildlife. Camp, hike and

travel one of 10 trails. Open year-round, the park is handicapped accessible.

Nearby destinations include Big Oaks National Wildlife Refuge. Located five miles north of Madison, the 50,000-acre nature preserve has been designated a Globally Important Bird Area.

Ride the Rockin’ Thunder for the only jet boat tours of the Ohio River and its tributary, the Kentucky River. Choose from among five adventures, from mild to wild, and ranging from a 15-mile ride to a two-day, 155-mile tour.

In addition to camping in Clifty Park or booking a room at the 1924 Clifty Inn, overnight accommodations include bedand-breakfasts, historic guest houses, log cabins and national hotel and motel chains. Several are located just minutes from downtown.

A visit to Madison is a journey to a cultural and artistic environment that embraces everyone and invites them to stay.

“There is definitely always something to do here,” Prasil says, “and when you get here, you’ll find a feeling of community, preservation, character and charm.

I believe if you visit Madison, it will change your life.”

Rockin' Thunder jet boat

RibberFest

EVENT SIDEBAR

it’s time to summer!

Here are some of Madison’s family-friendly events.

Madison’s Treasures Walking Tour

4th of July Madison Regatta Parade

Guided walking tour of city’s downtown includes architecture, art and history.

Hoist the red, white and blue as the Madison community celebrates the Fourth of July with its annual parade.

July 21, Aug. 1, Downtown Broadway Fountain, visitmadison.org

Madison Regatta July 6-8, Bicentennial Park, madisonregatta.com

It’s not the annual running of the bulls, but how does the 68th annual running of the world’s fastest race boats sound?

Three-day event features music on the river banks, vintage boat exhibitions, food trucks and more.

July 6, Main Street

Madison Regatta Fireworks July 7, Madison riverfront

Fireworks light up the night as Madison offers this patriotic salute to America.

Indiana Artisan Weekend

July 28-30, site to be determined, indianawinetrail.com

Meet local artisans and/or view local crafts during this six-hour tour of southeast Indiana’s wineries. Enjoy food and wine pairings.

Madison RibberFest BBQ & Blues Aug. 17-18, Riverfront, madisonribberfest.com

Join the fun as the city goes mad for barbecue cooked by amateur chefs in this state barbecue cook-off. Live entertainment both days; 5K RibberRun and bike rides; Piglet Pen, a supervised children’s play area; Pig Toss cornhole tournament; Queen City riverboat rides and more.

Chelsea Jubilee

Aug. 31-Sept. 1, Saluda Township Park, Madison, visitmadison.org

Enjoy this free harvesttime thanksgiving event that features food, fun, music, games, a flea market and tractor parade.

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Indiana Made

Hitting a High Note

W

Instrumental Hoosier companies strike the right chords

By CJ Woodring

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When it comes to producing handcrafted musical instruments, the Hoosier state definitely takes center stage.

Northeast Indiana, in particular, has remained a stronghold for music makers since 1873, when Elkhart business owner and cornetist Charles Gerard Conn first manufactured a pliable cornet mouthpiece he’d conceived.

It was known as the “elastic face” to accommodate a split lip he’d received in a street fight. Skilled craftsmen, often musicians and recruited from European factories by Conn, arrived in Elkhart from Germany, France, England and Sweden to join his growing industry.

By the early 1900s, Elkhart-produced

Walter Piano Co.

instruments were recognized throughout the world as superior, and “the city with a heart” also became renowned as “band instrument capital of the world.”

Although other instrument manufacturers eventually settled in cities statewide, including Indianapolis, New Castle and Jasper, Elkhart retained its leadership status, with more than 60 companies located there at one time.

Despite global competition, off-shoring and consolidation, Indiana-based manufacturers continue a commitment to U.S.-based manufacturing. Their instruments are valued globally by musicians seeking high sound quality and exceptional workmanship, which conPhotos provided

An artisitic look at pieces of a Walter piano.

tinue to give Hoosier artisans a reason to proudly strike up the band instruments.

Tickling the Ivories The history of the Walter Piano Co., as with other Elkhart music manufacturing companies (past and present), is intertwined with C.G. Conn Ltd., which at one time owned New York-based Janssen Piano.

Enter Charles Walter, who in 1970 was employed by Conn’s engineering team.

When Conn discontinued the Janssen line, Walter and his wife, Barbara, jumped at the opportunity to acquire it. The couple initially continued to produce Janssen pianos — a few years later introducing the 45-inch R. Walter

Piano to the market — all while raising four children.

Since its founding, more than 25 Walter family members, spanning three generations, have worked at the production facility. Rachel Walter DeMercurio, daughter and company vice president, says she and her brother, the youngest siblings, literally grew up in the historic building that served as the Walter factory for more than 20 years.

“We spent hours and hours there, and during summers each of us had a different job, so that we’d learn the entire process,” she says. “Our parents put their hearts and souls into it. Their talent and work ethic, which they passed to

Charles and Barbara Walter

Columbus Magazine

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indiana made

us, enabled them to keep this legacy and heritage for our family.”

One of just three piano manufacturers in the United States, and the oldest family-owned and operated American company, Walter Piano excels in crafting grand, console and studio pianos. Fifteen employees hand-build each instrument, using only specialty parts.

With materials at hand, a grand piano takes a year to build; an upright takes six to 10 weeks.

Pianos are shipped locally and globally, primarily for home use and to high-end customers. “We’re starting to see seniors buying their last piano and wanting one that’s high-quality, American-built and can be bought factory direct,” DeMercurio says.

She recalls a time when families gathered around the piano, dedicated to things that are lasting. “That’s something now lacking, and that, as a culture, we need to bring back,” she says.

Indiana remains a good place to do business, due to its location and availability of skilled, loyal workers. “If you’re purchasing a piano, please support U.S. and Hoosier manufacturers,” she adds, noting a Walter piano still stands in the Indiana governor’s mansion.

As for Charles Walter, at 91 he continues to work as he’s able, inspecting and signing his name inside each piano that leaves the factory. Still putting his heart and soul into it.

The beat goes on As a member of The Bulldogs, a regional oldies rock group, Fort Wayne resident 46

Columbus Magazine

Bernie Stone is a tenacious and talented musician who first picked up drumsticks at the age of 11. He was playing gigs by the age of 12; participated in junior high, high school and college bands; and served five years as head of drum repairs

custom and exotic drum-making to his résumé, manufacturing drum shells using the “Original Slingerland” equipment, which he found on eBay in 2005 and refurbished to today’s standards.

In 2012 Stone began bending virgin shells, also expanding his facility within the first year to three times its original size. “I looked at [the equipment] as a big possibility,” he says. “But in the span of 20 years, it had disappeared. People who used it are either dead or in their 90s.”

Stone’s professional line of custom and exotic drums is sold to global customers who include orchestral members and rock-and-rollers who typically request three- to seven-piece drum sets. A majority of the percussion instruments are crafted from standard woods, such as maple and poplar; custom-made drums utilize Hawaiian koa, Santos rosewood, Michigan cherry or mahogany.

In 2017 Stone made a couple of hundred drum sets and spares. Snare and bass drums vary in size from 6 to 30 inches in diameter; the average shell requires about four-anda-half-hours to produce.

“I can produce a drum shell in under five minutes after the material is cut. Finish and asDrums made by sembly are on top of that,” Stone Stone Custom Drum LLC says, noting that a few hourly contract workers assist him. at Fort Wayne’s Percussion Center.

Lacking both pretension and pomposIn addition, as an independent drum ity, the artisan says there are few people finisher, Stone made Civil War-era who make drums well. And he ranks re-enactment drums as well as complete among them. “There are less than 10 of “one-off” drums, building a 40-year us worldwide, in the boutique end, who career in the industry. really know what we’re doing. Then there Now proprietor of Stone Custom are about 900 ‘component assemblers’ who Drum LLC, the musician has added just make a few drums in the basement.

A testing and repair technician. Below, Piccolo production at Gemeinhardt.

I’m trying to go a little further ... to equate us to the Steinway Piano of the drum world,” he says.

Woodwindy city If you hear reedy tones while you’re in Elkhart, they might be coming from Gemeinhardt, the company behind C-flutes, bass flutes, alto flutes, piccolos, saxophones and clarinets. The company,

which is co-owned by David Pirtle, president and CEO, and Jennifer Baunoch, executive vice president and chief operating officer, was formerly the industry’s largest exclusive manufacturer of flutes and piccolos for students and professionals, along with saxophones and clarinets.

“Gemeinhardt has had some ups and downs in the last 20 years,” says Baunoch, who is a flutist herself. “When ownership was in the hands of investment bankers, the quality level went down as they looked to produce nearly 80,000 flutes and piccolos a year. Shortcuts were made to our detriment, and many teachers stopped recommending the instruments.”

When Pirtle became president in 2009, the company turned around, gaining its high profile once again with respected flutists in the world praising the new and improved flutes and piccolos. Today, Gemeinhardt’s Elkhart-based production

factories are augmented by those in Taiwan and China, where flute final assembly is done. C-flute head joints and all piccolos are made in the United States.

Professional piccolos are made of granadilla wood; Gemeinhardt piccolos feature nickel silver, sterling silver, gold, gold plating and platinum for bodies and head joints. The company’s Roy Seaman Storm flute is made of a synthetic material that is dense like wood but can withstand inclement weather.

“The U.S. Navy uses these instruments as well as major universities like the University of Michigan,” Baunoch says.

She is optimistic about Gemeinhardt’s future, especially in Indiana.

The company caught the attention of Sir James Galway, a virtuoso flute player from Ireland. “There is still a strong legacy of manufacturing and families in Elkhart that will want to work at Gemeinhardt and learn highly skilled, sought-after positions,” she says.

“Gemeinhardt suffered like so many in this area, and it has taken us many years in crisis management mode, as we continue to rebuild, but somehow we are making it.”

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Profile

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The Thrill of the Miller House Ben Wever is devoted to the modernist home, inside and out

By Glenda Winders PhotoGraphy by Adam Reynolds

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Ben Wever probably knows more about Columbus’ iconic Miller House and Garden than just about anyone else on the planet. And why wouldn’t he? He got a summer job there when he was in high school, and in the 22 years since then he has remained connected in one way or another to the property.

Today he is the site administrator, working for the Indianapolis Museum of Art (recently rebranded as Newfields), which now owns the home. In that role he oversees and takes part in the care of every aspect of manicuring the grounds and maintaining the house.

“I’m trying to make the place as beautiful as possible and keep it up to the Millers’ standards,” he says. “I wear so many hats because a lot of things have to align to make this a good experience for everyone who walks through the gardens and into the house.”

Making a home an open house

Wever operates from the converted greenhouse that was once J. Irwin Miller’s home office, and he says every day is 50

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different. On one day, the project might be planting 150 flats of deer-resistant angelonia under the crabapple trees to replace the begonias of years past. On another he might be ordering supplies and paying invoices or working with the plumbing or electrical systems.

“It’s so great to be able to show the house as often as we do,” he says. “But it’s a scheduling nightmare if something fails.

It takes a lot to get that done and still have the tours. We want everybody to enjoy their time here and have a great experience, and if little things are off that really does deter.”

In addition to his daily work, Wever is also responsible for preparing the house for dinners and other special events that are sometimes held there. At those times he says he’s grateful for the help of others on the Newfields staff, such as Josh Ratliff, the director of hospitality.

“It takes a lot of people collaborating together to pull these things off,” Wever says. “The house is a historic home that is a museum as opposed to just being another kind of space you can open up and have caterers come to. Getting lots of people in there can be nerve-wracking because of the collections.”

It was also his job to get the house ready for filming some of the scenes in the movie “Columbus.” Because the shots were specific to particular parts of the house, he had to make sure any necessary maintenance in that area was done, but he says it was a pleasure.

“The producers were some of the best people I’ve ever worked with,” he says.

“They were telling people not to touch things or walk on the carpets so we didn’t have to.”

A career by design

Wever has been unwittingly fashioning this job for himself since childhood, when he walked his grandmother to work at Irwin Management at 301 Washington St. “I realized then that I liked all the bright colors and sleek furniture,” he says, “so when I got to know Mr. Miller I was already into modern design.”

After high school he took photography classes at Ivy Tech, but he says the house kept drawing him back. When a seasonal position

opened there, he took it. The groundskeeper at the time saw his love of the trees and plants and encouraged him to get his Indiana horticulturalist accreditation.

Another person who recognized a special spark in Wever was none other than noted philanthropist Miller, the former chairman of Cummins Inc. During the last few years of his life, he asked the young groundskeeper to be his personal assistant.

The relationship that grew between the two men was life-changing.

“The experience of being around Mr. Miller was amazing because he was such a great man,” Wever says. “It was hard to take everything away from the conversation because it was his demeanor, the knowledge he had, so much to learn.”

Once when Wever asked if he could borrow a book, Miller told him he could read anything he wanted to in the house.

“Once I had that invitation, I read everything from modern art to furniture design to anything I could get my hands on,” he says. “But my deeper education in design was being able to ask Mr. Miller questions. He really enjoyed talking about this stuff, especially his own home. He would give me little tidbits of information and keep me going.”

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Wever’s memories from that period include meeting architect Kevin Roche, who worked with Eero Saarinen in designing the Miller House; Balthazar Korab, who photographed most of the architecture in Columbus; and Jack Curtis, the landscape architect who took over when renowned landscape architect Dan Kiley retired.

When Kiley died, it was Wever who brought in the newspaper and told his employer the bad news. Miller also told him stories about other people who had worked on the house, such as the time Miller and Saarinen went to every fire station in Columbus to slide down their poles.

“It was never hard to work for the Millers, and when you’re around people that often you don’t really think of them as employers,” Wever says. “They become closer to you than that. We cared about each other’s well-being, and Mr. Miller always asked how things were going with me. Whenever I did anything for him, he always said thank you. It was a different culture. We all had a common sensibility that was reflected off Mr. Miller’s ideals.”

During this time Wever was sometimes called upon to play piano for Xenia

Miller, J. Irwin Miller’s wife, or to stay at the house when the Millers traveled. With J.I. Miller’s passing, however, the staff was reduced, and Wever took a position with the landscaping company that contracted to do some of the grounds work. Then after Xenia Miller’s death, when the ownership of the house was transferred to the IMA, the curator of the house asked him to come back.

“He knew I could manage the gardens and also identify every piece in the house,” Wever says. “There are guys who can be contractors and guys who can work with landscapers and vendors, but those are usually completely different from the person who knows the scholarly side of design history.”

Home assets

Kathryn Haigh, Newfields chief operating officer and Wever’s supervisor, recognizes how valuable he is to the operation.

“I always say that Ben ‘grew up’ at the Miller House,” she says. “During this time he was able to develop a deep appreciation for the house, the landscape and the objects in the Millers’ collection. Whether

it involves replacing a tree or fixing the terrazzo, I know that it will be done at the highest level. I appreciate everything that Ben brings to this position, especially his high standards and dedication.”

It’s telling that the people who report to Wever speak of him the same way.

“It’s a lot of fun to work with Ben,” says Matt Bruning, the senior groundskeeper. “He’s very calm, and he’s helped teach me a bunch. Some places you just want to go home after work, but here sometimes I don’t want the day to end.”

Wever has a rich life away from the house. He plays keyboard in a band called Oddz R, which performs at local bars and special events. He is also a collector of modern design objects — counting among his treasures an Eames folding table and cushions designed by Alexander Girard — but he says he isn’t as compulsive about his belongings as he used to be.

“My family didn’t want to come to my house,” he says. “They called it ‘Ben’s museum’ because I wouldn’t let them touch certain things or sit in certain chairs.”

That changed when he married his wife, Hali, who convinced him that he needed a comfortable sofa, a recliner and a cat. And now they are expecting their first child, a girl.

But work is also one of the things he loves, and he hopes to spend his whole career doing just what he’s doing now.

“My favorite thing is being able to be here in all the seasons and all types of light,” he says. “With all the details inside and out, it’s amazing the changes you can see when you’re here this often.

And at the end of the day when everything’s done, even if it’s late at night, I take my dog for a walk around the property and feel peaceful.”

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weddings

Maggie Kim & Kyle Kamman Nov. 25, 2017 Ceremony and reception: The Sycamore at Mallow Run, Bargersville Maggie Kim and Kyle Kamman met when both were attending Columbus North High School. “I was a junior, and he was the freshman little brother of my best friend,” Maggie says.

Kyle proposed Dec. 26, 2016. After eight years together, Maggie knew a proposal was forthcoming; she just wasn’t sure when. Christmas came and went without a proposal; the day after the holiday, Maggie and Kyle took their dog, Boozer, for a walk.

“When we got to the dam overlooking the lake we live on, he proposed,” she says.

“Three of our sisters had been hiding out down the road taking pictures. When we made it back to the house, our families were already waiting to celebrate. It was just what I wanted: a moment for just the two of us followed by a party with our families.”

The couple wanted a smaller, intimate ceremony followed by a big, fun celebration with family and friends. Once they saw the Sycamore, they knew it would be the perfect location for their nuptials. “There was amazing weather for an outdoor area with fire pits and a cigar bar, and a huge reception hall with room for not just the planned dance floor, but also a second impromptu dance floor,” Maggie says.

The wedding featured rustic wood accents and eucalyptus greenery. It was also free of any anxiety, Maggie says.

“After eight years, I think Kyle and I both had a sense of readiness and excitement to start this next chapter and to officially become a family and continue our lives together,” Maggie says. “Everything felt right and was exactly what we wanted.

The couple honeymooned in Hawaii, spending four days on Maui and four days on Kauai.

Photography by Rebecca Shehorn 54

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Crooners for CASA April 7 | Commons

1. Jennifer Wickizer, Chris Braun, Selena Stewart, Rose Sanchez 2. Gary, Sandra and Henry Hoover 3. Chuck Grimes and Gene Foldenauer

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4. Adam and Mary Scheidt with Courtney and Adam Lienhoop 5. Harold and Debbie Force 6. Anne and Jeff O’Neill with Joe and Lisa Harpring 7. Eric Abendroth 8. Collin Bogg 9. Allison Clark, Tiffany Nordman and Nea Ritz 10. Michelle Owens 11. Kim DeClue

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12. Jake Stewart and Mary Angstadt 13. Brian Turner, Erin and Bryan Kendall 14. Bunny Fulton, from Atlanta, Wendi Hendricks, Brian Clark and Bambi Wigh 15. Eric Heyob, center, with Mike Sullivan, Courtney Couch and Alexis Snider

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2018 CAP Adult Prom April 21 | Commons 3

1. Lindsey Babinec and Dewayne Fillmore were crowned prom queen and king 2. Rikki Hege 3. Mark Winterberg and Angie Uphaus Heiner

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4. Jan Hoffman and Bryan Perry 5. Mike and Terry Kutsko, Mark and Jenny Carlson, Mark and Tina Snider, Peggy and Bill Storkman with Chirs and Carl Schwartz 6. Paul and Stephanie Sciutto, Andrea, Matt and Emily Behling, James Anderson and Amy Sciutto 7. Amy Stoughton, Tim Green, and Lisa Teague 8. Holly Mendez 9. Donald Hobbs, Savannah Moore, Trish and Jon Sanders 10. Tim Emmert and Joanne Brookes

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1.1. Hanna Hodnett, Joanie Hanson, Danielle and Jake Laine 12. Stephen Shipley and Kristen Sparks

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Columbus Magazine Relaunch Party April 23 at Henry Social Club

1. Eliot Engelking 2. Ann and Bud Herron 3. Scott Schumacher and Rhonda Day

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4. Ali Kiel and Angela Jackson 5. Jenny and Mickey Kim with John McCormick 6. Paul and Kimberly Hoffman 7. David Bush and Tony Gambaiani 8. Pam Shivley and Ronna Scheffel, 9. Maranda Morgan, Cody Penrose and Kathy Burnett 10. Karina Willats and Chuck Kime 11. Delilah and Doug Newton

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The Big Picture

“My first ride over the new Bridge. I am so happy I will never have to cross 25th street while riding the people trail.Beautiful — safe and beautiful.It feels good to be 65 and still be able to take 15 mile rides in a city with such great People Trails.”

—Alice Faye Carmichael Lamb

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